EP0312080B1 - Appareil automatique portable pour carbonater l'eau ne nécessitant par d'appareillage électrique - Google Patents

Appareil automatique portable pour carbonater l'eau ne nécessitant par d'appareillage électrique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0312080B1
EP0312080B1 EP88117098A EP88117098A EP0312080B1 EP 0312080 B1 EP0312080 B1 EP 0312080B1 EP 88117098 A EP88117098 A EP 88117098A EP 88117098 A EP88117098 A EP 88117098A EP 0312080 B1 EP0312080 B1 EP 0312080B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
water
chamber
gas
reagent
carbonator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP88117098A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0312080A1 (fr
Inventor
George Plester
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Coca Cola Co
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Coca Cola Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Coca Cola Co filed Critical Coca Cola Co
Priority to AT88117098T priority Critical patent/ATE92363T1/de
Publication of EP0312080A1 publication Critical patent/EP0312080A1/fr
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Publication of EP0312080B1 publication Critical patent/EP0312080B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/04—Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
    • B67D1/0412—Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container
    • B67D1/0443—Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container comprising a gas generator
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
    • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
    • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
    • B01F23/236—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a carbonator which requires no electrical components and includes a CO2 gas generator module which generates the gas by a chemical reaction.
  • the water carbonator in combination with the conventional CO2-cylinder, comprises a system, which is an essential part of those beverage dispensers which use syrup and water to produce a finished carbonated beverage.
  • Conventional carbonator systems require complex controls firstly to ensure the correct degree of carbonation and secondly to provide a constant water pressure while dispensing. The latter is essential for providing good control of the water-syrup dispensing ratio and a constant carbonation level while water is being drawn.
  • the conventional CO2 supply comprises heavy, high pressure CO2 cylinders, which are necessarily returnable, refillable packages, are inconvenient in use, and require pressure controls and safety devices.
  • a non-pressurized or low-pressure CO2 package is important, since it simplifies distribution through normal retail channels and provides greater convenience for the non-professional user.
  • a convenient design of carbonator for home-dispensing is one which is portable, can be filled at the user's sink, and be replaced into the dispenser after filling.
  • Home dispensers are essentially simple devices, with few controls, and in the future some may be fitted into refrigerators, eliminating the need for separate cooling. This in turn implies the need for simple mechanical controls of the carbonation process.
  • both the actual carbonation and the generation of gas for dispensing purposes should occur automatically, with minimum user manipulation. Otherwise, the advantages of simplicity and cost-effectiveness are counter-balanced by the lack of essential convenience.
  • US-A-4,040,342 discloses an apparatus for the generation of CO2 gas and the carbonation of water wherein the CO2-releasing substance is immersed into the water only after closing the gas generating chamber.
  • the whole mass of the CO2-releasing substance is immersed into water so that the CO2 pressure is very high at the beginning and decreases gradually with the delivery of carbonated water.
  • the carbonation level of the water decreases concommittantly.
  • DE-C-45 734 discloses an apparatus for the generation of CO2 gas at constant pressure in the same way as a Kipp generator.
  • the invention as claimed in claim 1 solves the problem of how to provide a non-electric carbonator which delivers carbonated water at a substantially constant pressure and with a substantially constant carbonation level.
  • the carbonator of the present invention uses a substance, such as sodium bicarbonate, which in contact with an acid, such as citric or phosphoric acid, releases carbon dioxide.
  • the two components can be mixed as powders, so that carbon dioxide is generated when water is added. Alternatively, one or both components can be dissolved in water and thereafter gas generation occurs when the two solutions are mixed together. Details of a suitable CO2 gas generator are also fully disclosed in EP-A-312,078.
  • Chemical generation of CO2 gas is generally known. Also known are devices, which use this form of gas-generation to carbonate water to a pre-determined degree. These are mostly inconvenient, because they often involve the user in an unacceptable degree of manipulation. Also they are not useable in place of the conventional carbonator/CO2 cylinder system found in beverage dispensers, since they have no means of maintaining a constant pressure within the carbonator once water is being drawn to feed the dispenser.
  • the carbonator of the present invention is portable and complete with a built-in CO2-supply system, which operates on disposable gas generating cartridges. It requires no electrical connections and is self-sufficient, and automatic. It demands a minimum amount of manipulation by the user and requires him simply to fill the carbonator, insert the cartridge and replace the cartridge cover and carbonator lid. Nonetheless, once the carbonator is closed, it proceeds to carbonate the water to the correct level, and whenever water is drawn, it reacts by generating more CO2 so as to maintain a constant pressure.
  • the carbonator consists of a lid 20, a main body 22, an intermediate section 24(which houses the pressure-regulating "memory" and the internal channels) and a base 26 into which the CO2-generating cartridge is inserted. These three sections are shown apart in an "exploded" view in the flow-diagram in Figure 1 to simplify the description.
  • the CO2-generating cartridge 28 in the particular example shown, comprises two separate parts. Each of these two parts consists of pellets of a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid (or another suitable solid acid) in a perforated outer package. An air-gap is present between the two parts and one is mounted above the other. In the lower part, reagent R c has the correct proportions for securing the necessary level of water carbonation. In the upper part reagent R p , is proportioned so as to provide adequate gas quantities for propulsion and displacing the entire contents of the carbonator to the dispensing point, while maintaining the required pressure.
  • the main body consists of a large chamber W, which contains the carbonated water and two small chambers A and B, which contain reagent water. All three chambers are filled simultaneously, when the correct water level is reached in the carbonator.
  • the lid 20 simply screws down and seals onto the top of the main vessel and seals the chambers A and B separating them from each other and from W, once the lid is secured.
  • valve V3 is normally open to Vent 3 (leading to the top of chamber 24) this position being ensured by spring pressure.
  • a third vertical rod 30, also running down inside the walls of the main body fits into a ratchet ( Figure 1D) and prevents the spring from returning the valve V3, once the valve is set in another position. The user can thus change the position of valve V3 during operation and it springs back to its normal position only when the lid is removed.
  • the base section 26 can be unscrewed from the central section 22, so that the cartridge 28 comprising reagents R c and R p can be inserted. The user inserts the cartridge 28 before closing the lid 20 of the main chamber W.
  • the system described can be constructed of moulded plastic parts, with in-built channels for the various flows shown and the three valve-actuating rods.
  • the three valves V2, V3, V4 consist of simple plug-cocks and are inserted in prepared borings in the side of the central casting which also contains chamber C.
  • valve V1 opens and the water in chamber A discharges into chamber D flooding the lower part R c of the reagent cartridge 28, Simultaneously, the water in chamber B flows into chamber C.
  • the reagent R c gradually releases CO2 through the diffuser 32 to effect the required carbonation level in the water in chamber W.
  • the head-pressure in chamber C at the end of the carbonation cycle is equal to that in chamber D and the whole system now reaches pressure equilibrium.
  • the carbonator can be placed into the dispenser either while carbonating or at the end of the carbonation cycle.
  • a simple, self-sealing push-in connector at the base fits onto the dispenser. Once dispensing can begin, the user simply switches valve V3 to the dispensing position. From that moment, whenever water is drawn out of the carbonator and the pressure in the carbonator drops, the pressure in chamber D also drops and water enters chamber D from chamber C, since this chamber is now at a higher pressure. The water floods the cartridge R p and generates CO2 until the pressure in chambers W and D have attained equilibrium with the reference pressure in chamber C. When pressure equilibrium has been reached, the water is pushed back into chamber C and the reaction stops. The process repeats itself whenever the pressure in W drops below the reference pressure in C. This reference pressure acts as a pressure "memory” and the pressure "memory” is set by the system itself after carbonation is complete.
  • FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 illustrate such a system, using the principles already described.
  • a suitable gas-generating cartridge 40 is shown.
  • the cartridge 40 consists of a moulded plastic shell 42.
  • the top-section is filled with bicarbonate pellets 44, the middle section with pellets containing a mixture of bicarbonate and powdered acid 46 and the lower section contains a liquid acid 48.
  • the top and bottom sections are connected by a tube 50, which is sealed with foil 52 at the bottom and filter paper 54 at the top.
  • the top and bottom of cartridge 40 are closed by sealing foil 56.
  • FIG 3 shows a sectional view of the carbonator tank.
  • Lid 1 is removed and the tank filled with water up to a pre-determined mark.
  • the reagent water tank 14 is filled at the same time, as soon as the water reaches the required level.
  • valve 4 is opened by the pressure which lid 1 exerts on a spring valve actuator.
  • the water in the reagent tank cannot as yet flow out, since it is restrained by a second valve 5.
  • Lid 2 is removed and the gas generating cartridge 40 inserted. The cartridge 40 does not reach its lowest position, being restrained by an o-ring 6.
  • the cartridge is punctured on the top foil 56 and forced to its lowest position.
  • the cartridge 40 In its lowest position, the cartridge 40 seals its base 9 against o-ring 7 and its top section 10 against a seal 8.
  • a spring bellows 13 enters the base 3 of the cartridge displacing the acid into the top section.
  • the spike 11 in the center of the bellows opens the channel to the top section through foil 52.
  • valve 5 opens automatically and water from the reagent water chamber flows into the carbonating reagent section 12 of the cartridge. CO2 gas is released and flows to sparge tubes 60, carbonating the water to the level pre-determined by the quantity of chemicals.
  • the spring bellows 13 has forced acid in contact with bicarbonate and this also generates CO2, pressurizing the head-space of the tank. As soon as the head-space pressure has reached equilibrium with the spring pressure in the bellows, the spring contracts, the acid returns to the lower chamber and the reaction stops. Thereafter, the process repeats itself, whenever water is drawn out of the carbonator and the head-pressure drops.
  • FIGS. 4A and 4B show a typical installation of a horizontal carbonator tank in a refrigerator.
  • the tank can now be connected to a dispensing point within or outside the refrigerator.
  • the above principles can also be applied to a vertical carbonator. They also illustrate how a liquid acid may also be used, in place of a solid acid, and how an external fixed pressure reference may be applied in place of the self-generated internal reference as described in Figure 1.
  • the external pressure reference can be by spring pressure (as above), or by an air-cushion or by a membrane or by a piston or by some other similar pressure-exerting device.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AREA)
  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Sorption (AREA)
  • Feeding, Discharge, Calcimining, Fusing, And Gas-Generation Devices (AREA)
  • Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
  • External Artificial Organs (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Dispositif de gazéification comprenant une chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W) possédant une première chambre à eau adjacente pour réactif (A), lesdites chambres à eau pouvant être remplies simultanément d'eau;
    un couvercle (20) pour fermer simutlanément de façon étanche lesdites chambres à eau (W,A);
    une chambre de production de gaz (D) contenant des réactifs (Rc, Rp) pour produire du gaz CO₂ lorsque les réactifs réagissent chimiquement;
    des moyens pour établir un contact sélectif entre l'eau située dans ladite première chambre à eau pour réactif (A) et ladite chambre de production de gaz (D);
    un conduit pour introduire une première quantité de gaz CO₂ provenant de ladite chambre de production de gaz (D) dans ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W), ce qui permet de gazéifier l'eau au repos située dans ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W);
    des moyens formant soupapes pour recevoir l'écoulement d'eau gazéifiée provenant desdits moyens formant dispositif de gazéification, lorsqu'elles sont dans l'état OUVERT et empêchant un écoulement à partir desdits moyens lorsqu'elles sont FERMÉES;
    caractérisé par
    une seconde chambre pour réactif (B), que l'on peut remplir d'eau en même temps qu'on remplit d'eau ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W) et ladite première chambre à eau pour réactif (A) et que l'on peut fermer de façon étanche par ledit couvercle (20), en même temps que les chambres (W,A);
    lesdits moyens d'établissement d'un contact sélectif étant constitués par une première soupape (V₁) servant à établir une communication fluidique sélective entre ladite première chambre à eau pour réactif (A) et ladite chambre de production de gaz (D), l'actionnement de ladite première soupape (V₁) introduisant de l'eau à réactif depuis ladite première chambre à eau pour réactif (A) dans ladite chambre de production de gaz (D), ce qui permet de produire un premier volume de gaz CO₂;
    un système de régulation de pression (24) pour maintenir une pression prédéterminée dans l'espace supérieur de ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W), ledit système de régulation de pression (24) comprenant une chambre à eau (34) en communication fluidique avec l'espace supérieur présent dans ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W);
    une seconde soupape (V₂) servant à établir une communication fluidique sélective entre ladite seconde chambre pour réactif (B) et la chambre à eau (C) dudit système de régulation de pression (24), l'actionnement de ladite seconde soupape (V₂) provoquant l'introduction de l'eau à réactif depuis ladite seconde chambre pour réactif (B) dans ladite chambre à eau (C);
    une troisième soupape (V₃) servant à établir une communication fluidique sélective entre ladite chambre à eau (C) et ladite chambre de production de gaz (D), auquel cas, à la suite de la gazéification de l'eau dans ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W), ladite troisième soupape (V₃) peut être actionnée de manière à introduire l'eau provenant de ladite chambre à eau (C) dans ladite chambre de production de gaz (D), de manière à produire un second volume de gaz CO₂;
    une quatrième soupape (V₄) servant à introduire de façon sélective au moins une partie du second volume de gaz CO₂ dans l'espace supérieur de ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W) uniqiuement lors du vidage d'au moins une partie correspondante de l'eau gazéifiée à partir de ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W), auquel cas la pression dans l'espace supérieur de ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W) est en équilibre avec la pression présente dans ladite chambre de production de gaz (D).
  2. Dispositif de gazéification selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ladite chambre de production de gaz (26) comprend une cartouche (28) contenant un premier réactif (Rc) servant à produire ledit premier volume de gaz CO₂, et un second réactif (Rp) servant à produire ledit second volume de gaz CO₂, lesdits premier et second réactifs étant séparés par un intervalle d'air.
  3. Dispositif de gazéification selon la revendication 2, dans lequel lesdits premier et second réactifs sont constitués de bicarbonate et d'un acide à l'état de poudre.
  4. Dispositif de gazéification selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'actionnement sélectif desdites première et seconde soupapes (V₁, V₂) inclut la fixation dudit couvercle (20) audit réservoir d'eau et auxdites première et seconde chambres à eau pour réatifs (W, A, B), lesdites première et seconde soupapes (V₁, V₂) comprenant chacune un élément de ressort (30) qui est comprimé lors de l'application dudit couvercle (20) et est libéré lors du retrait dudit couvercle (20).
  5. Dispositif de gazéification selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit conduit destiné à introduire ledit premier volume de gaz CO₂ dans ledit réservoir d'eau comprend en outre au moins un diffuseur de CO₂ (32) disposé sur un fond intérieur de ladite chambre formant réservoir d'eau (W), et dans lequel ledit conduit est en communication fluidique avec ladite chambre de production de gaz (D).
EP88117098A 1987-10-15 1988-10-14 Appareil automatique portable pour carbonater l'eau ne nécessitant par d'appareillage électrique Expired - Lifetime EP0312080B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT88117098T ATE92363T1 (de) 1987-10-15 1988-10-14 Tragbare, automatische vorrichtung zum anreichern von wasser mit kohlensaeure ohne elektrische bauteile.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10868487A 1987-10-15 1987-10-15
US108684 1987-10-15

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0312080A1 EP0312080A1 (fr) 1989-04-19
EP0312080B1 true EP0312080B1 (fr) 1993-08-04

Family

ID=22323528

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88117098A Expired - Lifetime EP0312080B1 (fr) 1987-10-15 1988-10-14 Appareil automatique portable pour carbonater l'eau ne nécessitant par d'appareillage électrique

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0312080B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH01139128A (fr)
CN (1) CN1019172B (fr)
AT (1) ATE92363T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU606220B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE3882879T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2563195T3 (es) 2010-02-01 2016-03-11 Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. Método y aparato para carbonatación basada en cartucho de bebidas
US9936834B2 (en) 2010-02-01 2018-04-10 Bedford Systems Llc Method and apparatus for cartridge-based carbonation of beverages
US9700852B2 (en) * 2012-08-28 2017-07-11 So Spark Ltd. System, method and capsules for producing sparkling drinks
US9382119B2 (en) 2014-01-27 2016-07-05 So Spark Ltd. Rapid high-pressure microwave thermal decomposition system, capsule and method for using same

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE45734C (de) * G. F. GRAF in Hanau a. Main Kohlensäure-Entwickler mit selbsttätiger Druckregulirung
DE7114C (de) * O. ZWIETUSCH in Mihvaukee im Staate Wisconsin, N.-A Automatische Kohlensäure - Entwickelungs-Apparat für hohen Druck
JPS5825053B2 (ja) * 1979-07-24 1983-05-25 工業技術院長 高圧高温印加によるチオ・ニツケル・フエライト（ＮｉＦｅ↓２Ｓ↓４）の製造方法
US4304736A (en) * 1980-01-29 1981-12-08 The Coca-Cola Company Method of and apparatus for making and dispensing a carbonated beverage utilizing propellant carbon dioxide gas for carbonating
GB2139910B (en) * 1983-05-17 1987-04-29 Thorn Emi Domestic Appliances Carbonating apparatus
GB8417772D0 (en) * 1984-07-12 1984-08-15 Thorn Emi Domestic Appliances Carbonating apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE92363T1 (de) 1993-08-15
CN1033751A (zh) 1989-07-12
AU2391888A (en) 1989-06-08
JPH01139128A (ja) 1989-05-31
DE3882879T2 (de) 1994-03-17
EP0312080A1 (fr) 1989-04-19
DE3882879D1 (de) 1993-09-09
JPH0446610B2 (fr) 1992-07-30
AU606220B2 (en) 1991-01-31
CN1019172B (zh) 1992-11-25

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