Soft-serve dispensing machine with freezer drawers
View Patent ↗A product dispensing apparatus includes a first drawer assembly including a first drawer containing a first product; and one or more refrigerated cylinders that is operable to receive the first product; where the first drawer is selectively movable from a first position to a second position, the second position extending outwards and away from the first position.
1. A product dispensing apparatus, comprising:
a first drawer assembly including a first drawer configured to contain a first product;
one or more refrigerated cylinders that is operable to receive the first product;
tubing configured to connect the first product to the one or more refrigerated cylinders;
a refrigeration system for refrigerating the one or more refrigerated cylinders; and
a dispensing station configured to dispense the product from the one or more refrigerated cylinders;
wherein the first drawer is positioned beneath the one or more refrigerated cylinders and the dispensing station, the refrigeration system cooling a cavity in the first drawer;
wherein the first drawer is selectively movable from a first position to a second position, the second position extending outwards and away from the first position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration system is one of a roll bond evaporator, a forced air evaporator, refrigeration coils through a cold wall, or a solid-state active heat pump.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cabinet including a door and one or more racks.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the door is operable to pivot along an edge and selectively provide the access to the one or more racks.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the one or more racks is operable to hold a second product.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more refrigerated cylinders comprises a single cylinder operable to receive the first product and the second product within a cavity therein.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first product is refrigerated or non-refrigerated.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first product is one of a mix, a syrup, or a flavoring.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second refrigeration system to refrigerate the one or more refrigerated cylinders.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first product is contained in one of a bag, jug, carton, reusable vessel, or can.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional drawer assembly that is oriented adjacent to at least one of the first drawer assembly.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additional drawer assembly is oriented in a side-by side position to the at least one of the first drawer assembly.
13. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising at least one second tubing configured to couple the one or more refrigerated cylinders to the second product.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a housing including an interior cavity that receives the first drawer assembly.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first drawer assembly is insulated.
16. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first drawer assembly is positioned above the cabinet, the first drawer assembly and the cabinet being horizontally positioned with respect to each other.
17. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first drawer assembly is positioned adjacent to the cabinet, the first drawer assembly and the cabinet being vertically positioned with respect to each other.
18. A product dispensing apparatus, comprising:
a first drawer assembly including a first drawer configured to contain a first product and a second product;
a refrigerated cylinder that is operable to receive both the first product and the second product;
tubing configured to connect the first product and the second product to the refrigerated cylinder, the first product and the second product to be mixed in the refrigerated cylinder;
a refrigeration system for refrigerating the refrigerated cylinder, the refrigeration system including a refrigerant coil evaporator adjacent to the refrigerated cylinder; and
a dispensing station configured to dispense a mix of the first product and the second product from the refrigerated cylinder;
wherein the first drawer is positioned beneath the refrigerated cylinder and the dispensing station, the refrigerant coil evaporator cooling a cavity in the first drawer;
wherein the first drawer is selectively movable from a first position to a second position, the second position extending outwards and away from the first position.