Product storage and handling system for beverage dispenser
A product storage and handling system for a beverage dispenser is characterized by a cabinet in which a plurality of bins are removably supported on one or more shelves that may be slid into and out of the cabinet. Each bin is for containing a removable container of liquid beverage component, a fluid valve of which container extends downward through and is releasably secured against vertical movement in a lower opening in the bin. A connector coupled to a fluid line leading to a beverage valve of a beverage dispenser is arranged to be conveniently fluid coupled with and decoupled from the fluid valve of the bag. When a shelf of slid out of the cabinet, the bins supported by it may, if desired, be lifted off of and replaced on the shelf for during replacement of a depleted bag of liquid beverage component. Alternatively, the bins may remain supported on the shelf during replacement of a depleted bag of liquid beverage component.
1. A product storage and handling system for a beverage dispenser, comprising:
a cabinet having a shelf;
a bin removably supported on said shelf, said bin having side walls, an open upper end and a passage in a bottom wall thereof, said passage including pear shaped opening including an enlarged portion co-planar and continuous with a smaller portion;
a container of liquid beverage component removably carried in said bin, said container having a fluid valve extending through said bin bottom wall passage;
a recess formed on said container fluid valve receiving a peripheral edge of said bin bottom wall passage when said valve extends through said passage securing said container fluid valve against substantial vertical movement in said bin bottom wall passage and
a fluid connector for releasably fluid coupling with said container fluid valve to receive liquid beverage component from said container for delivery of the liquid beverage component from said container to the beverage dispenser.
2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said shelf is mounted for sliding movement into and out of said cabinet and has an opening accommodating passage therethrough of said container fluid valve when said bin bottom wall is supported on said shelf.
3. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said container valve includes a silicon body having a passage formed therein and a cross shaped opening formed in the body reversibly sealing the passage.
4. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said container valve is extendable through said enlarged portion and then slidable into said smaller portion to receive said peripheral edge of said bin bottom wall passage in said container valve recess.
5. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said fluid connector comprises an elbow connector having a first end for extension into a passage in said container fluid valve to establish communication with an interior of said container and a second end for fluid coupling with the beverage dispenser.
6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said container comprises a flexible bag of liquid beverage component.
7. A method of storing and handling product to be delivered to a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:
mounting a shelf in a cabinet;
removably supporting a bin on the shelf, the bin having side walls, an open upper end and a passage in a bottom wall that rests on the shelf, the passage including an enlarged portion co-planar and a smaller portion;
placing a container of liquid beverage component into the bin to extend a fluid valve of the container through the passage in the bottom wall of the bin, the fluid valve including a recess formed thereon;
releasably securing the container fluid valve against substantial vertical movement in the bin bottom wall passage by extending the container valve through the enlarged portion and then moving the container valve into the smaller portion to receive the peripheral edge of the bin bottom wall passage in the recess in the container valve; and
fluid coupling a fluid connector with the container fluid valve to receive liquid beverage component from the container for flow of beverage component from the fluid connector to a dispense valve of the beverage dispenser.
8. A method as in claim 7 , wherein said mounting step mounts the shelf for sliding movement into and out of the cabinet, the shelf has an opening and said removably supporting step includes extending the container fluid valve through the shelf opening when the bin is supported on the shelf.
9. A method as in claim 7 , wherein the container includes a silicon body having a passage formed therein and a cross shaped opening formed in the body reversibly sealing the passage.
10. A method as in claim 7 , wherein the fluid connector is an elbow connector, said fluid coupling step comprises extending a first end of the elbow connector into a passage in the container fluid valve to establish communication with an interior of the container, and including the step of providing a fluid path from a second end of the elbow connector to a dispense valve of the beverage dispenser.
11. A method as in claim 7 , wherein the container comprises a flexible bag of liquid beverage component.
12. A product storage and handling system for a beverage dispenser, comprising:
a cabinet having a shelf;
a bin removably supported on said shelf, said bin having side walls, an open upper end and a passage in a bottom wall thereof;
a container of liquid beverage component removably carried in said bin, said container having a fluid valve extending through said bin bottom wall passage;
a recess formed on said container fluid valve securing said container fluid valve against substantial vertical movement in said bin bottom wall passage and
a fluid connector including an elbow connector having a first end for extension into a passage in said container fluid valve to establish communication with an interior of said container and a second end for fluid coupling with the beverage dispenser.