EXPANDING GAS DIRECT IMPINGEMENT COOLING APPARATUS

摘要

A cooling system for packaged beverages includes a cabinet or housing which may be insulated. The housing has a door and may optionally include shelves. The user places a quantity of packaged beverages into the housing and, via a user interface of the system, identifies the package type and quantity of the packaged beverages in the housing. The system injects a measured amount of liquefied gas (e.g., liquid nitrogen) into the cabinet and prevents the door from opening for a predetermined period of time based on the package type and quantity selected by the user. The door is then unlocked, an optional alert may be sounded, and the user can open the door to remove some or all of the packaged beverages from the cabinet which have been cooled to between about 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

主权项

1. A cooling system comprising:
a housing configured to receive a beverage package, wherein the housing defines a chamber and the housing comprises a door and an electronically controlled lock, wherein the electronically controlled lock is operable to prevent the door from opening when engaged; a gasification manifold operable to receive liquefied gas from a reservoir and provide the liquefied gas to the chamber; a valve operable to provide the liquefied gas to the gasification manifold from the reservoir when the valve is open and prevent flow of the liquefied gas from the reservoir to the gasification manifold when the valve is closed; and a controller operable to selectively open and close the valve and to selectively engage the electronically controlled lock to selectively prevent the door from opening.