GB2234187A

GB2234187A - Continuous flow drink carbonator

Info

Publication number: GB2234187A
Application number: GB9015976A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ridley Victor Murray
Original assignee: Sankey Vending Ltd
Current assignee: Sankey Vending Ltd
Priority date: 1989-07-22
Filing date: 1990-07-20
Publication date: 1991-01-30
Also published as: GB9015976D0; GB8916814D0

Abstract

An elongated chamber (10) through which liquid to be carbonated flows has a pipe (34) extending longitudinally therein. The pipe (34) has an inlet (36) outside the chamber (10) which is connectable to a source of carbon dioxide under pressure and a plurality of exits (44) within the chamber through which carbon dioxide can enter the flowing liquid. Retarding means (46) is provided to retard the flow of liquid through the chamber (10), e.g. by causing the liquid to flow through the chamber along a tortuous path along which the exits (44) are arranged. <IMAGE>

Description

DRINK CARBONATOR This invention is concerned with a drink carbonator for carbonating drinks in, for example, a drinks dispensing machine.

Many drinks dispensing machines have the ability to dispense carbonated drinks, for example cola, on demand.

Such machines have a water supply which can be used for making non-carbonated drinks but which is also connectable to a pressurised reservoir in which a supply of carbonated water is stored. The reservoir is connected to a supply of carbon dioxide under pressure (typically 40 to 50 psi) which maintains the water in the reservoir in a carbonated condition. When a carbonated drink is required, carbonated water is drawn from the reservoir and mixed with ingredients, for example syrup, to produce the carbonated drink. The reservoir is then topped-up with water from the water supply. Such reservoirs are expensive and occupy a considerable volume in the machine.

GB patent specification No. 1357994 describes a proposal for an in-line drink carbonator in which flowing liquid is carbonated by flowing over the outside of a microporous stainless steel tube. Pressurised carbon dioxide is supplied to the interior of the tube and diffuses through the tube into the flowing liquid. This in-line carbonator avoids the necessity for a reservoir.

This carbonator, however, requires to be of considerable length if adequate carbonisation is to be achieved by providing sufficient contact time between the tube and the liquid. A considerable length for a carbonator is not acceptable in a drinks dispensing machine where space is at a premium.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-line carbonator which can carbonate flowing water without occupying an unacceptable length.

The invention provides a drink carbonator comprising an elongated chamber, an inlet adjacent one end of the chamber through which liquid to be carbonated can be introduced into the chamber, an exit adjacent the other end of the chamber through which liquid can leave the chamber, and a pipe entering the chamber and extending longitudinally therein, the pipe having an inlet outside the chamber which is connectable to a source of carbon dioxide under pressure and a plurality of exits within the chamber through which carbon dioxide can enter the liquid flowing through the chamber, wherein the carbonator also comprises retarding means operating to retard the flow of liquid through the chamber.

In a drink carbonator in accordance with the last preceding paragraph, the flow of the liquid through the chamber is retarded increasing the carbonisation thereof.

This allows a shorter chamber to be used.

The retarding means may comprise vane means arranged within the chamber to cause liquid flowing through the chamber to flow through the chamber along a tortuous path, e.g. a spiral path around the pipe. Preferably, the exits of the pipe are arranged along said path. The vane means may comprise a spiral vane mounted on the outside of the pipe.

The chamber may be provided with one or more additional inlets through which syrup may be introduced into liquid flowing through the chamber, thereby producing the finished drink.

The exits of the pipe may be approximately 0.5mm in diameter.

Preferably, the exit of the elongated chamber is smaller in area than the inlet of the chamber so that a back pressure for the carbon dioxide is created. This back pressure producing means may provide the retarding means or part-thereof.

There now follows a detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing of a drink carbonator which is illustrative of the invention. It is to be understood that the illustrative drink carbonator has been selected for description by way of example and not of limitation of the invention.

The drawing is a cross-sectional view taken through the illustrative drink carbonator.

The illustrative drink carbonator comprises a generally cylindrical chamber 10 which is shown extending generally horizontally but may extend at any desired angle. The chamber 10 may be formed from transparent material so that it is possible to inspect the interior thereof to ascertain whether cleaning is required. The chamber 10 is elongated and extends from an end wall 12 thereof to an open end 14. Adjacent the end wall 12, an inlet 16 enters the chamber transversely. The inlet 16 is thus adjacent one end of the chamber 10 and is provided so that liquid to be carbonated can be introduced into the chamber 10 through a non-return valve (not shown) and the inlet 16 to which the non-return valve is connected. The liquid will normally be water but may be water with added ingredients of a drink.The inlet 16 consists of a short cylindrical pipe on which a rubber hose 18 is received which leads to a valve (not shown) of the machine. This valve is operable to connect a supply of water to the carbonator or to means for making non-carbonated drinks of the machine. The open end 14 of the chamber 10 receives a cap 20 which has a pipe 22 formed therein. The pipe 22 provides an exit of the chamber 10, adjacent its other end to the inlet 16, through which liquid can leave the chamber 10. The pipe 22 is of smaller diameter than the inlet 16 so that the exit of the chamber 10 has a smaller area than its inlet and a back pressure is created in the chamber 10. This provides part of retarding means operating to retard the flow of liquid through the chamber 10.A rubber hose 24 is received over the pipe 22 and leads to a drink dispensing station of the machine at which the carbonated drink produced by the carbonator is dispensed into a cup.

An additional inlet 26 to the chamber is provided through which syrup may be introduced into liquid flowing through the chamber 10. The inlet 26 is in the form of a pipe entering the chamber adjacent the cap 20 obliquely (so that it is directed towards the open end 14). A rubber hose 28 is received over the pipe 26 and leads, via a non-return valve, from a source of syrup, e.g.

concentrated fruit juice, which when mixed with carbonated water makes a drink. In alternative constructions, there may be more than one additional inlet arranged along or around the chamber 10.

The illustrative carbonator also comprises a pipe 30 which is connectable to a source of carbon dioxide under pressure and has a flange and nut connection 32 which abuts the outside of the end wall 12 and is internally threaded.

The illustrative carbonator also comprises a pipe 34 which enters the chamber 10 through the end wall 12 thereof and extends longitudinally therein. The pipe 34 has a threaded end portion 36 which extends through a central hole in the end wall 12 and is held in position by tightening the nut 32 retaining the pipe 30. The portion 36 provides an inlet to the pipe 34 outside the chamber 10 which is connectable to a source of carbon dioxide under pressure via the pipe 30. Inside the chamber 10, the pipe 34 has a flange 38 which overlies a portion of the end wall 12 around the hole therein and compresses a sealing gasket 40 against the end wall 12.

The pipe 34 has a closed end 42 adjacent the cap 20.

Within the chamber 10, the pipe 34 has a plurality of exits 44 through which carbon dioxide can enter liquid flowing through the chamber 10. The exits 44 should be continuously permeable to gas but not water. In the illustrative carbonator, the exits 44 are all of small diameter, for example approximately 0.5mm in diameter.

Alternatively, the pipe 34 can be a permeable membrane, such as porous ceramic tube, which is porous to gas but not liquid.

The illustrative carbonator also comprises vane means which provides the remainder of the aforementioned retarding means. The vane means is arranged within the chamber 10 to cause liquid flowing through the chamber to flow through the chamber along a tortuous path, in this case a spiral path. The exits 44 are arranged along said path. The vane means comprises a spiral vane 46 which is mounted on the outside of the pipe 34 so that liquid entering the chamber 10 through the inlet 16 is constrained to flow in a spiral path around the pipe 34 before leaving through the outlet 22. Thus, water entering through the inlet 16 is subjected to carbon dioxide from the exits 44 as it flows through the chamber and then as it passes the additional inlet 26 syrup can be inserted into the stream so that a completed carbonated drink leaves through the outlet 22.

Claims

1. A drink carbonator comprising an elongated chamber, an inlet adjacent one end of the chamber through which liquid to be carbonated can be introduced into the chamber, an exit adjacent the other end of the chamber through which liquid can leave the chamber, and a pipe entering the chamber and extending longitudinally therein, the pipe having an inlet outside the chamber which is connectable to a source of carbon dioxide under pressure and a plurality of exits within the chamber through which carbon dioxide can enter the liquid flowing through the chamber, wherein the carbonator also comprises retarding means operating to retard the flow of liquid through the chamber.

2. A drink carbonator according to Claim 1, wherein the retarding means comprises vane means arranged within the chamber to cause liquid flowing through the chamber to flow through the chamber along a tortuous path.

3. A drink carbonator according to Claim 2, wherein the path is a spiral path.

4. A drink carbonator according to either one of Claims 2 and 3, wherein the exits of the pipe are arranged along said path.

5. A drink carbonator according to either one of Claims 2 and 3, wherein the pipe comprises a permeable membrane, such as a porous ceramic tube.

6. A drink carbonator according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the vane means comprises a spiral vane mounted on the outside of the pipe.

7. A drink carbonator according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the chamber is also provided with one or more additional inlets through which syrup may be introduced into liquid flowing through the chamber.

8. A drink carbonator according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the exits of the pipe are approximately 0.5mm in diameter.

9. A drink carbonator according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the exit of the elongated chamber is smaller in area than the inlet of the chamber.

10. A drink carbonator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.