Adjustable in-line on demand carbonation chamber for beverage applications
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B01F-003/04
A23L-002/00
B01F-005/00
B01F-005/06
B01F-015/00
B01F-015/02
출원번호
US-0649256
(2012-10-11)
등록번호
US-9033315
(2015-05-19)
발명자
/ 주소
Phillips, David L.
Romero, Robert J.
Verdugo, Christopher H.
출원인 / 주소
FLOW CONTROL LLC.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
27
초록▼
Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, is provided that includes a mixing and metering member and a gas adjustment member. The mixing and metering member is configured to respond to a fluid, including water, and an adjustable amount of gas, including CO2, and may be configured to provide a mixt
Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, is provided that includes a mixing and metering member and a gas adjustment member. The mixing and metering member is configured to respond to a fluid, including water, and an adjustable amount of gas, including CO2, and may be configured to provide a mixture of the fluid and the gas. The gas adjustment member is configured to receive the gas, including from a gas inlet, and to provide the adjustable amount of gas to the mixing and metering member, based at least partly on an adjustable axial relationship between the mixing and metering member and the gas adjustment member in order to control a desired carbonation level of the mixture.
대표청구항▼
1. Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, comprising: a mixing and metering member comprising a gas receiving part, the mixing and metering member being configured to respond to a fluid containing water, and an adjustable amount of gas, and configured to provide a mixture of the fluid and the g
1. Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, comprising: a mixing and metering member comprising a gas receiving part, the mixing and metering member being configured to respond to a fluid containing water, and an adjustable amount of gas, and configured to provide a mixture of the fluid and the gas; anda gas adjustment member comprising a sealing member, the gas adjustment member being configured to receive the gas, including from a gas inlet, and to provide the adjustable amount of gas to the mixing and metering member, based at least partly on an adjustable axial relationship between the gas receiving part of the mixing and metering member and the sealing member of the gas adjustment member in order to control a desired carbonation level of the mixture. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas receiving part comprises axially arranged gas receiving orifices;the sealing member comprises an O-ring; andthe adjustable amount of gas provided from the gas adjustment member to the mixing and metering member is based at least partly of the adjustable axial relationship between the axially arranged gas receiving orifices of the gas receiving part and the O-ring of the sealing member. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjustable amount of gas provided from the gas adjustment member to the mixing and metering member is based at least partly on the number of the axially arranged gas receiving orifices being sealing off or exposed by the O-rings. 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas is CO2. 5. Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, comprising: a mixing and metering member comprising a metering orifice member, a fluid inlet and a mixing chamber, the mixing and metering member being configured to respond to a fluid containing water, and an adjustable amount of gas, and configured to provide a mixture of the fluid and the gas, the metering orifice member comprising: a first portion formed with a first set of orifices configured to allow the fluid to pass from the fluid inlet to the mixing chamber, anda second portion configured so as to form an enclosed space or cavity therein, configured with a second set of orifices to allow the gas to pass from the gas inlet into the enclosed space or cavity, and configured with a third set of orifices to allow the gas to pass from the enclosed space or cavity to the mixing chamber, including directly into the mixing chamber or via the first set of orifices into the mixing chamber; anda gas adjustment member, configured to receive the gas, including from a gas inlet, and to provide the adjustable amount of gas to the mixing and metering member, based at least partly on an adjustable axial relationship between the mixing and metering member and the gas adjustment member in order to control a desired carbonation level of the mixture. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gas is CO2. 7. Apparatus, including a carbonation chamber, comprising: a mixing and metering member, configured to respond to a fluid containing water, and an adjustable amount of gas, and configured to provide a mixture of the fluid and the gas; anda gas adjustment member, configured to receive the gas, and to provide the adjustable amount of gas to the mixing and metering member, based at least partly on an adjustable axial relationship between the mixing and metering member and the gas adjustment member in order to control a desired carbonation level of the mixture,whereinthe mixing and metering member comprises a metering orifice member having a first portion formed with a first set of orifices configured to allow the fluid to pass from a fluid inlet to a mixing chamber, and having a second portion configured so as to form an enclosed space or cavity therein, configured with a gas receiving part having a second set of orifices formed therein to allow the gas, to pass from a gas inlet into the enclosed space or cavity, and configured with a third set of orifices to allow the gas to pass from the enclosed space or cavity to the mixing chamber, including directly into the mixing chamber or via the first set of orifices into the mixing chamber; andthe gas adjustment member is configured to receive the gas receiving part of the second portion, and also configured to be adjusted up or down the gas receiving part to control the amount of gas that passes to the mixing chamber and the carbonation level of the fluid. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas adjustment member comprises a sealing portion or member configured to be adjusted up or down the gas receiving part so to allow the gas to pass from the gas inlet through one or more of the second set of orifices into the enclosed space or cavity. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sealing portion or member comprises an O-ring configured to engage the gas receiving part, so that any of the second set of orifices on one side of the O-ring in communication with the gas inlet can pass gas through, and so that any other of the second set of orifices on the other side of the O-ring not in communication with the gas inlet cannot pass gas through. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the gas adjustment member is configured with an internal circumferential groove and the O-ring is arranged therein. 11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second portion of the metering orifice member comprises a check valve configured to seal one part of the enclosed space or cavity of the second portion having the second set of orifices from another part of the enclosed space or cavity of the second portion having the third set of orifices. 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the check valve comprises an arrangement or combination of a ball and spring arranged therein. 13. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the check valve is configured to allow the amount of gas to pass from the enclosed space or cavity through the third set of orifices to the mixing chamber and to prevent the fluid from passing from the mixing chamber into said another part of enclosed space or cavity of the second portion having the second set of orifices, based at least partly on the pressure of the gas in the enclosed space or cavity and the pressure of a fluid/gas mixture in the mixing chamber. 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pressure of the gas in the enclosed space or cavity is based at least partly on the number of the second set of orifices that the gas can pass through. 15. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas adjustment member comprises an end portion having an opening formed therein configured to receive the gas receiving part and to allow the amount of gas to pass from the gas inlet through one or more of the second set of orifices to the enclosed space or cavity of the second portion of the metering orifice member. 16. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first portion comprises a cylindrical portion having a cylindrical wall, and the first set of orifices is configured or formed as an encircling arrangement of a multiplicity of orifices arranged circumferentially around the cylindrical wall. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the cylindrical portion has a longitudinal axis and the first set of orifices is configured or formed as a plurality of encircling arrangements, each having a respective multiplicity of orifices arranged circumferentially around the cylindrical wall. 18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the multiplicity of orifices arranged circumferentially around the cylindrical wall are arranged or spaced equi-distantly around the cylindrical wall. 19. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second portion comprises a second cylindrical portion having a cylindrical wall, and the second set of orifices is configured or formed as an arrangement of orifices arranged axially along the cylindrical wall. 20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the cylindrical portion has a longitudinal axis and the second set of orifices is configured or formed along or in parallel with the longitudinal axis. 21. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the second set of orifices are arranged or spaced equi-distantly along the cylindrical wall. 22. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second portion comprises a third cylindrical portion having a cylindrical wall, and the third set of orifices is configured or formed as an axial arrangement of a multiplicity of orifices formed in the cylindrical wall. 23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the multiplicity of orifices are formed as a pair of orifices diametrically opposed from one another. 24. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises the mixing chamber configured to mix the fluid passing through the first set of orifices and the gas passing through the third set of orifices. 25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the mixing chamber is configured or formed with an aeration port having a multiplicity of orifices to maintain a back pressure in the mixing chamber so as to provide a dwell time to allow the fluid and gas to mix. 26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the aeration port is configured to provide turbulence so as to provide increased fluidic surface area for the fluid and gas to mix. 27. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the fluid in the fluid inlet is under pressure sufficiently high enough to force the fluid through the first set of orifices so as to create and expose increased fluidic surface area for the fluid and gas to mix. 28. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first set of orifices, the second set of orifices, the third set of orifices, or some combination thereof, is configured or formed as circular orifices. 29. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first set of orifices, the second set of orifices, the third set of orifices, or some combination thereof, is configured or formed as non-circular orifices, including being shaped as a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon or an octagon. 30. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas adjustment member is configured to be slidably adjustable in relation to the gas receiving part of the second portion, so as to move smoothly along the surface of the gas receiving part. 31. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas adjustment member is configured to be rotationally adjustable in relation to the gas receiving part of the second portion, so as to screw towards or away from the metering orifice member. 32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the gas adjustment member comprises threads, the metering orifice member comprises corresponding threads, and the threads of the gas adjustment member are configured to rotationally coupling to the corresponding threads of the metering orifice member. 33. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a fluid housing configured with a fluid housing wall having the fluid inlet formed therein. 34. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the apparatus comprises a gas housing configured with a first gas housing wall to couple to the fluid housing wall of the fluid housing and also to form the mixing chamber therein. 35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the gas housing comprises a second gas housing wall, and the metering orifice member is configured between the fluid housing wall of the fluid housing and the second gas housing wall of the gas housing so that the first portion of the metering orifice member is arranged between the fluid inlet and the mixing chamber. 36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the second gas housing wall is configured or formed with a central opening to receive the gas receiving part of the second portion and also to allow the gas receiving part to extend outwardly beyond the central opening. 37. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the central opening is configured or formed by a central opening wall that includes an internal groove and an O-ring arranged therein to engage the gas receiving part in a sealing manner or way. 38. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the second gas housing wall comprises two or more extending members or supports configured to seat a back wall of the first portion of the metering orifice member when the fluid housing and gas housing are coupled together, so as to allow the gas to pass directly from the metering orifice member to the mixing chamber. 39. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the fluid housing wall comprises a circumferential groove or channel configured to receive the first portion of the metering orifice member when the fluid housing and gas housing are coupled together. 40. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the fluid housing wall comprises a circumferential flange configured to receive the first gas housing wall when the fluid housing and gas housing are coupled together. 41. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas is CO2.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (27)
Cassells John Maclaren,GBX ; Woodward Adrian Michael,GBX ; Halket Andrew Richard Buchanan,GBX ; Miller Anne Tregoning,GBX, Apparatus and method for cooling of liquids.
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