Device and method for dosing cooling medium for the purpose of cooling drinks

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for dosing a cooling medium, in particular for the purpose of cooling drinks. The device comprises at least one cooling medium supply container ( 4 ) for holding at least one liquid cooling medium with a boiling point lower than room temperature, at least one dosing element ( 7 ) connected to the cooling medium supply container via at least one supply conduit for the purpose of dosing a quantity of liquid cooling medium, in particular for cooling a drink by being mixed with the- drink, and at least return conduit ( 8 ) connected to the cooling medium supply container for cooling with substantially liquid cooling medium the supply conduit ( 6 ) provided with cooling medium.

1 . Device for dosing a cooling medium, in particular for the purpose of cooling drinks, comprising:
 at least one cooling medium supply container for holding at least one liquid cooling medium with a boiling point lower than room temperature,   at least one dosing element connected to the cooling medium supply container via at least one supply conduit for the purpose of dosing a quantity of liquid cooling medium, in particular for cooling a drink by being mixed with the drink, and   at least one cooling conduit connected to the cooling medium supply container for cooling with substantially liquid cooling medium the supply conduit provided with cooling medium.   
     
     
         2 . Device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the cooling conduit connects to the supply conduit. 
     
     
         3 . Device as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the cooling conduit at least partially encloses the supply conduit. 
     
     
         4 . Device as claimed in  claim 3 , characterized in that the cooling conduit substantially wholly encloses the supply conduit. 
     
     
         5 . Device as claimed in  claim 3  or  4 , characterized in that at least a part of the cooling conduit and at least a part of the supply conduit are oriented coaxially with each other. 
     
     
         6 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the cooling conduit is formed by a return conduit connected to the supply conduit for the purpose of returning via the cooling conduit cooling medium guided through the supply conduit. 
     
     
         7 . Device as claimed in  claim 6 , characterized in that the return conduit is connected to the supply conduit via the dosing element. 
     
     
         8 . Device as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the supply conduit and the return conduit connect to a dosing compartment forming part of the dosing element. 
     
     
         9 . Device as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the supply conduit connects to the dosing compartment via at least one feed opening, and that the return conduit connects to the dosing compartment via at least one return opening, wherein at least one return opening is located higher than the at least one feed opening. 
     
     
         10 . Device as claimed in any of the  claims 7 - 9 , characterized in that the dosing element comprises at least one dispensing opening for cooling medium connecting to the supply conduit, and that the dosing element comprises at least one controllable closing element for closing the dispensing opening of the supply conduit. 
     
     
         11 . Device as claimed in  claim 10 , characterized in that the device comprises heating means for heating the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         12 . Device as claimed in  claim 10  or  11 , characterized in that the closing element is connected to an operating element via at least one spacer for the purpose of enabling operation of the closing element at a distance from the closing element. 
     
     
         13 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the device comprises degassing means for degassing the supply conduit. 
     
     
         14 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the device comprises at least one pump for pumping cooling medium through the cooling conduit. 
     
     
         15 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the device comprises at least one pump for pumping cooling medium through the supply conduit. 
     
     
         16 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the cooling medium supply container is in open connection with the atmosphere. 
     
     
         17 . Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the cooling medium is formed by liquid nitrogen. 
     
     
         18 . Dosing element for use in a device as claimed in any of the  claims 1 - 17 , characterized in that the dosing element comprises a dosing compartment, which dosing compartment is provided with at least one feed opening for feeding cooling medium to the dosing compartment, at least one return opening for discharging cooling medium from the dosing compartment, wherein at least one return opening is located higher than the at least one feed opening. 
     
     
         19 . Assembly of at least one supply conduit and at least one cooling conduit at least partially enclosing the supply conduit for use in a device as claimed in any of the  claims 1 - 17 . 
     
     
         20 . Assembly as claimed in  claim 19 , characterized in that the cooling conduit is formed by a return conduit for cooling medium coming from the supply conduit. 
     
     
         21 . Assembly as claimed in  claim 19  or  20 , characterized in that the supply conduit and the cooling conduit are positioned substantially coaxially with each other. 
     
     
         22 . Assembly as claimed in any of the  claims 19 - 21 , characterized in that the supply conduit and the cooling conduit are mutually connected via at least one dosing element. 
     
     
         23 . Assembly as claimed in  claim 22 , characterized in that the dosing element is adapted to at least partially block the passage from the supply conduit to the cooling conduit. 
     
     
         24 . Assembly as claimed in any of the  claims 19 - 23 , characterized in that the supply conduit and the cooling conduit are manufactured at least partially from a substantially flexible material, preferably plastic, in particular Teflon. 
     
     
         25 . Method for dosing a cooling medium, particularly for the purpose of cooling drinks, by making use of a device as claimed in any of the  claims 1 - 17 , comprising the steps of:
 A) flushing the supply conduit during a first period by causing substantially liquid cooling medium with a boiling point lower than room temperature to flow through the supply conduit, and   B) causing a dosed quantity of cooling medium to be dispensed by a dispensing opening forming part of the dosing element during a second period after the first period according to step A).   
     
     
         26 . Method as claimed in  claim 25 , characterized in that the substantially liquid cooling medium guided into the dosing element during step A) is at least partially discharged via a return conduit. 
     
     
         27 . Method as claimed in  claim 25  or  26 , characterized in that the cooling medium guided into the dosing element during step A) is at least partially discharged via the dispensing opening of the dosing element. 
     
     
         28 . Method as claimed in any of the  claims 25 - 27 , characterized in that the cooling medium is pumped through the supply conduit during step A) and step B). 
     
     
         29 . Method as claimed in any of the  claims 25 - 28 , characterized in that the dispensing opening is heated at least during step B). 
     
     
         30 . Method as claimed in any of the  claims 25 - 29 , characterized in that the first period amounts to between 2 and 15 seconds. 
     
     
         31 . Method as claimed in any of the  claims 25 - 30 , characterized in that the second period amounts to between 1 and 10 seconds.