1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to valve arrangements for beverage dispensers in which a diluent (e.g., carbonated water) is mixed with a beverage syrup, and more specifically, this invention relates to a quick disconnect arrangement for such beverage dispenser valves which prevents removal of the dispenser valve for cleaning, repair, or replacement while the syrup and diluent is being supplied to the valve under pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beverage dispensers are in standard use in restaurants and in vending machines to mix and provide soft drink beverages such as colas and the like upon demand. Such soft drinks typically comprise a beverage syrup which includes all of the ingredients and flavorings mixed with a diluent such as carbonated water. Beverage dispensers are preferred over premixed bottled or canned beverages in restaurants and in some vending machines because of the greatly reduced storage requirements for unmixed syrup as opposed to the finished canned or bottled beverage.
However, because such beverage dispenser valves are electromechanical devices usually operated by solenoids such as the fast flow valve arrangement illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,726--Brown, et al., and because the beverage syrup contains numerous ingredients including a high concentration of sugar, it is often necessary to remove the valve arrangement for cleaning and/or repair.
Further, since the carbonated water and the beverage syrup are supplied to the dispensing valve under pressure, it is desirable to provide a disconnect arrangement which permits easy, rapid removal of the dispensing valve but which assures that the dispensing valve cannot be removed while the carbonated water and beverage syrup are being supplied to the dispensing valve under pressure. Very often in restaurants and other fast food establishments, multiple valve arrangements for different beverages are being supplied by the same source of carbonated water. Thus, it is desirable to provide a disconnect arrangement which does not require a shutdown of the entire system to permit removal of a single valve arrangement.