Method and apparatus for cartridge-based carbonation of beverages
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65D-077/08
A23L-002/54
A23L-002/56
B65D-085/804
출원번호
US-0641483
(2015-03-09)
등록번호
US-9327900
(2016-05-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Cafaro, Enrico Raffaele
Maider, Jr., Ralph K.
Sack, Michael
Raphaelson, Steven
Michal, J. Corey
Sweeney, Kevin
Johnson, Brian B.
Passemato, James
Peterson, Peter Rae
Estabrook, Richard M.
Fedorka, Thomas
Grubb, Scott
Chan, Wai Ting
Covey, Christopher
Stacey, Gary
Carroll, Raymond
출원인 / 주소
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
39
초록▼
Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liqui
Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in a cartridge. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.
대표청구항▼
1. A beverage cartridge comprising: a top surface;a bottom surface;a lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface;the top surface, bottom surface and lower sidewall defining, in part, an internal space of the cartridge;a rim between the top and bottom surfaces and having an upper surfac
1. A beverage cartridge comprising: a top surface;a bottom surface;a lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface;the top surface, bottom surface and lower sidewall defining, in part, an internal space of the cartridge;a rim between the top and bottom surfaces and having an upper surface and a lower surface extending outwardly from the lower sidewall, the internal space of the cartridge including a region between the upper and lower surfaces of the rim, and the rim being configured for engagement with a cartridge holder of a beverage making machine such that the cartridge holder can engage the rim and force the cartridge into a brewing position in the cartridge holder;a gas inlet located on the lower surface of the rim, the gas inlet comprising a flow control element configured to resist fluid communication into the internal space of the cartridge and configured to open while a clamping force is exerted on the rim by the beverage making machine to admit pressurized gas into the internal space of the cartridge to move a beverage medium in the internal space of the cartridge out of the cartridge, wherein the flow control element includes a protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the rim and a break region having a line of weakness defining a preferential opening area, wherein upward movement of the protrusion relative to the rim causes the break region to detach and open the gas inlet;an indexing feature including a recess formed in the lower sidewall and located below the gas inlet to rotationally position the gas inlet of the cartridge relative to the cartridge holder;wherein a gas introduced via the gas inlet enters into the region of the internal space of the cartridge between the upper and lower surfaces of the rim. 2. The beverage cartridge of claim 1, wherein: the internal space of the cartridge includes an upper internal space and a lower internal space, andthe beverage cartridge further comprises:an upper portion including the upper internal space containing a gas source, the upper portion including the top surface and an upper sidewall extending downwardly from the top surface to the rim; anda lower portion including the lower internal space containing the beverage medium, the lower portion including the bottom surface and the lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface, wherein the rim extends radially outwardly from the upper and lower sidewalls,wherein the flow control element is arranged to be opened to admit pressurized gas into the lower internal space to urge the beverage medium to exit the lower internal space. 3. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the rim provides first and second clamping surfaces for engagement by the cartridge holder of the beverage making machine to define a pressure tight seal to contain pressurized gas emitted by the gas source. 4. The beverage cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a lid inside the internal space of the cartridge and covering the gas inlet, the lid being configured to control flow of gas through the gas inlet into the internal space of the cartridge. 5. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the upper portion includes a bottom wall that bounds a bottom of the upper internal space of the upper portion, and separates the upper internal space from the lower internal space. 6. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the gas source comprises a zeolite gas source arranged to release gas in the presence of a liquid. 7. The beverage cartridge of claim 4, further comprising a lid, wherein the lower sidewall defines an opening that is closed by the lid. 8. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the upper portion has a substantially frustoconical shape. 9. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the lower sidewall flares upwardly and outwardly from the bottom surface. 10. The beverage cartridge of claim 2, wherein the lower portion includes an outlet located at the bottom surface through which the beverage medium exits the lower internal space. 11. The beverage cartridge of claim 4, wherein opening of the flow control element causes the lid to move upwardly relative to the lower surface of the rim. 12. The beverage cartridge of claim 11, wherein the gas inlet includes a break region having a line of weakness defining a preferential opening area of the rim. 13. The beverage cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rim is annular and has a thickness. 14. The beverage cartridge of claim 1, wherein the recess extends from the bottom surface to the lower surface of the rim. 15. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the flow control element further includes a hinge, wherein upward movement of the protrusion relative to the rim causes the protrusion to pivot about the hinge and cause the break region to detach and open the gas inlet. 16. The cartridge of claim 15, wherein the protrusion has a slope at a lower surface such that the protrusion is longer on a side opposite the hinge so as to concentrate a breaking force on the break region when the protrusion is moved upwardly relative to the rim. 17. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet includes a D-shaped sealing region arranged around the flow control element, the D-shaped sealing region arranged to engage with a portion of the cartridge holder to form a gas-tight seal with the portion of the cartridge holder when admitting pressurized gas into the internal space. 18. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a gas path arranged to direct gas entering the cartridge at the gas inlet to the internal space, the gas path including a restriction to resist movement of beverage medium in the cartridge to the gas inlet. 19. A beverage cartridge comprising: a top surface;a bottom surface;a lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface, the top surface, bottom surface, and lower sidewall defining an internal space of the cartridge;a clamping structure between the top and bottom surfaces and having a lower surface extending outwardly from the lower sidewall, the clamping structure arranged for engagement with a cartridge holder of a beverage making machine such that the cartridge holder can engage the clamping structure and force the cartridge into a brewing position in the cartridge holder;a gas inlet located on the lower surface of the clamping structure, the gas inlet comprising a flow control element configured to resist fluid communication into the internal space of the cartridge and configured to open while a clamping force is exerted on the clamping structure by the beverage making machine to admit pressurized gas into the internal space of the cartridge out of the cartridge, wherein the flow control element includes a protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the clamping structure;a lid inside the internal space of the cartridge covering the gas inlet, the lid being configured to control flow of gas through the gas inlet into the internal space of the cartridge,wherein upward movement of the protrusion relative to the clamping structure causes the lid to lift relative to the gas inlet to open fluid communication through the gas inlet into the internal space of the cartridge; and an indexing feature including a recess formed in the lower sidewall and located below the gas inlet to rotationally position the gas inlet of the cartridge relative to the cartridge holder. 20. The cartridge of claim 19, wherein the clamping structure includes one or more protrusions extending outwardly from the lower sidewall. 21. A beverage cartridge for forming a carbonated beverage, comprising: an upper portion including a top surface and an upper sidewall extending downwardly from the top surface, the top surface and upper sidewall defining an upper internal space;a lower portion including a bottom surface and a lower sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom surface, the bottom surface and lower sidewall defining a lower internal space, the upper and lower internal spaces being part of an internal space of the cartridge;a rim spaced from and positioned between the top and bottom surfaces, the rim having an upper surface extending radially outwardly beyond the upper sidewall and a lower surface extending radially outwardly beyond the lower sidewall and a lower surface extending radially outwardly beyond the lower sidewall, the upper and lower surfaces providing first and second clamping surfaces for engagement by a cartridge holder of a beverage making machine to define a pressure tight seal to contain pressurized gas emitted by the gas source, and the internal space including a region between the upper and lower surfaces of the rim;a gas inlet located on the lower surface of the rim, the gas inlet comprising a flow control element configured to resist fluid communication into the lower internal space,wherein the flow control element includes a protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the rim and a break region having a line of weakness defining a preferential opening area, wherein upward movement of the protrusion relative to the rim causes the break region to detach and open the gas inlet;wherein at least a portion of the upper internal space overlies at least a portion of the lower internal space;and wherein a clamping force is exerted on the rim by the beverage making machine, the flow control element is upwardly moveable relative to the lower surface of the rim into the region of the internal space between the upper and lower surfaces to admit pressurized gas into the lower internal space to urge a beverage medium out of the lower internal space. 22. The beverage cartridge of claim 21, wherein the upper portion includes an upper rim portion, the lower portion includes a lower rim portion, and the upper and lower rim portions are joined together to form the rim. 23. The beverage cartridge of claim 22, further comprising a coupling member attached to the upper and lower rim portions. 24. The beverage cartridge of claim 23, wherein the upper and lower rim portions each include a circumferential portion at a radially outer end of the upper and lower surfaces of the rim, respectively. 25. The beverage cartridge of claim 21, further comprising a lid inside the internal space and covering the gas inlet, the lid being configured to control flow of gas into the internal space of the cartridge. 26. The beverage cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first and second clamping surfaces are annular. 27. The beverage cartridge of claim 21, wherein the lower portion includes an outlet located at the bottom surface of the lower portion through which the beverage medium exits the lower internal space. 28. The beverage cartridge of claim 21, wherein the lower portion has an indexing feature that includes a recess in the lower sidewall. 29. The beverage cartridge of claim 19, further comprising an opening that is closed by the lid.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (39)
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