EP3003960B1 - Getränkezubereitungskartuschen zur verwendung in einer getränkezubereitungsmaschine - Google Patents

Getränkezubereitungskartuschen zur verwendung in einer getränkezubereitungsmaschine Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3003960B1
EP3003960B1 EP14736134.9A EP14736134A EP3003960B1 EP 3003960 B1 EP3003960 B1 EP 3003960B1 EP 14736134 A EP14736134 A EP 14736134A EP 3003960 B1 EP3003960 B1 EP 3003960B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
beverage
gas
diluent liquid
ingredient
beverage making
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.)
Active
Application number
EP14736134.9A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3003960A1 (de
Inventor
Jitender CHHLIAR
Nicole Zhang
Hongguan Xu
Brock Kolls
Brad GREEN
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.)
CHHLIAR, JITENDER
Coca Cola Co
Original Assignee
Coca Cola Co
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US13/913,235 external-priority patent/US9233824B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,211 external-priority patent/US9630826B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,201 external-priority patent/US20140154380A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,227 external-priority patent/US20140170279A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,320 external-priority patent/US20140154391A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,311 external-priority patent/US20140154368A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,316 external-priority patent/US20140154369A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,304 external-priority patent/US20140150665A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,218 external-priority patent/US20140150670A1/en
Priority claimed from US13/913,309 external-priority patent/US20140154382A1/en
Application filed by Coca Cola Co filed Critical Coca Cola Co
Publication of EP3003960A1 publication Critical patent/EP3003960A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3003960B1 publication Critical patent/EP3003960B1/de
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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
    • 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
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0857—Cooling arrangements
    • 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
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0878—Safety, warning or controlling devices
    • 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
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0888—Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
    • 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
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/0801—Details of beverage containers, e.g. casks, kegs
    • B67D2001/0812—Bottles, cartridges or similar containers

Definitions

  • COCA-COLA® is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Other names used herein may be registered trademarks, trademarks or product names of The Coca-Cola Company or other companies.
  • the handling of high pressure gas for the purpose of sparkling beverage making was typically done using a heavy walled pressure vessel.
  • making a beverage typically involved infusing a gas into water to create carbonated water and then mixing the gas infused water with ingredients to form the beverage.
  • the ingredient and water parts of the beverage were relatively easy to handle, ship, and mix on site or in a factory.
  • the gas on the other hand, had to be delivered to the factory in high pressure vessels by special purpose vehicles and/or produced onsite in the factory.
  • when smaller quantities of the gas were needed to be delivered to an outlet, such as a quick serve restaurant, it was typically done by way of beverage company truck delivery, not a regular postal delivery service.
  • Aroma is a big consumer attribute in many beverages such as teas, coffees, and citrus beverages to name a few; however packaged and pod based system lack the ability to produce aroma rich beverages. As such, making an authentic tea or fresh brewed coffee, or fresh squeezed citrus beverage from package or pod based system was difficult and often relied on or employed unsuccessful techniques.
  • Another shortcoming was the ability to make beverage making systems that deliver an array of high quality sparking (gas infused) and still (non-gas infused) beverages in a small compact form factor and equipment footprint, as to make a system well suited for size constrained locations and countertops. Larger systems that require lots of space for ingredients, tanks, drain tubes, ice making, and other items are too large for many locations and thus unsuited for many new market opportunities.
  • NL 2006195C discloses a method for manufacturing a pressure regulating device for a beverage container. This document further discloses a pressure regulating device, a beverage container and a filling line for beverage containers. The gas container of that device is filled with a certain amount of dry ice which sublimates and pressurises the beverage container.
  • a beverage making machine comprising: a gas storage tank; and a beverage making cartridge that includes a beverage making cartridge enclosure comprising: a gas source portion, the gas source portion further including a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas; at least one beverage ingredient portion comprising a beverage ingredient; and a one-way vent arranged in the beverage making cartridge enclosure venting the gas emitted from the solid gas source, such that it can be captured and stored in the gas storage tank, wherein the gas from the gas storage tank is dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid and mixed with at least one beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • Exemplary embodiments include a dispenser attached to the beverage making cartridge, the dispenser dispenses the beverage diluent liquid and the beverage ingredient to form a beverage.
  • a method comprising: providing a beverage making machine comprising a gas storage tank; providing a beverage making cartridge enclosure comprising: a gas source portion, the gas source portion further comprising a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas; at least one beverage ingredient portion comprising a beverage ingredient; arranging a one-way vent in the beverage making cartridge enclosure that vents the gas emitted from the solid gas source; capturing the gas in the gas storage tank; allowing the gas from the gas storage tank to dissolve in a beverage diluent liquid; and mixing the beverage diluent liquid with at least one beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • Consumables include the supplies which are consumed in forming a beverage.
  • consumables can include, for example and not a limitation, the beverage diluent liquid, the beverage diluent filter 222, which filters the beverage diluent liquid, a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced gas source 202, which emits a gas, and/or a beverage ingredient 214, which is mixed with the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage in vessel 118, and/or other types and kinds of consumables, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the solid gas 202 can be food grade and in solid form, including in ice form.
  • the solid gas 202 can be frozen carbon dioxide (CO2), which can also be referred to as dry-ice, or other gas in solid form, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • CO2 frozen carbon dioxide
  • Dry-ice has a freezing point in the range of -109 Fahrenheit (F) (-42.8°C), as such, in ambient conditions, standard atmospheric pressures, and temperatures, the dry-ice will sublimate, transitioning from a frozen form directly to a gas form; no liquid state.
  • F Fahrenheit
  • Emitted gas 704 can be carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen, or oxygen; however other gas types and blends can be utilized.
  • solid gas source is a gas in frozen form preferably dry-ice also referred to as frozen carbon dioxide; however other gases in frozen or other solid states can be used, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a sublimating gas that is one that transitions from solid ice state to gas state, skipping the liquid state is used.
  • solid gas in ice form, can have an extremely cold surface temperature. The low temperature can make it difficult for a consumer to handle.
  • the solid gas 202 can be packaged in a solid gas package 206 and further collocated within a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210. As the solid gas 202 sublimates, emitting gas, within the solid gas package 206, gas pressure will increase in a sealed confined space. As such, without allowing the emitted gas 704, from the gas source 202, to vent, from the confines of the solid gas package 206, the solid gas package 206 would expand and then likely rupture. To prevent the rupture, a one-way degassing valve 204 can be arranged, within the solid gas package 206, to vent the emitted gas 704 from the gas source 202.
  • a one-way degassing valve 204 can be secured to a solid gas package 206, which contains a solid gas source 202.
  • a vent can be a mechanical pressure valve, or one-way valve manufactured, for example and not a limitation, by PLITEK, FRES-CO SYSTEMS, or other types and kinds of one-way degassing valves, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the solid gas source 202 packaged in a solid gas package 206 having a one-way degassing valve 204, for venting the emitted gas 704 from at least the solid gas package 206 can be further secured in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • the solid gas package 206 also provides the environment in which to keep the solid gas source 202 clean, free from contaminates, and sterile. All desirable traits for applications in making a beverage with the sublimated gas.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to insert into and interlock with a gas storage system 106, better illustrated in at least Figures 15A-B .
  • the gas generation and storage system 106 further comprising a gas storage tank 108 and a gas transfer system 128 and 136, which can comprise pumps, valves, and/or regulators, interconnect in a manner to transfer the emitted gas 704 from the solid gas source 202 to the gas storage tank 108 and from the gas storage tank to other parts of the beverage making machine.
  • a gas storage tank 108 and a gas transfer system 128 and 136, which can comprise pumps, valves, and/or regulators, interconnect in a manner to transfer the emitted gas 704 from the solid gas source 202 to the gas storage tank 108 and from the gas storage tank to other parts of the beverage making machine.
  • a gas vent 140 which is part of the gas storage tank 108, allows pressure from the gas source to increase, reaching a selectable level of 3 to 11 atmospheres, and then venting the excess gas pressure.
  • the pressure level being determined based in part on the safety limitations of the selected gas storage tank and the gas pressures needed to make the desired beverages.
  • Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere, which at sea level has a mean value of -101,325 Pascal or 14.69 pounds per square inch (psi). In general, the term describes pressure.
  • a gas storage tank such as gas storage tank 108 reaching pressure levels of 3 to 11 atmospheres would correspond to -303,975 to -911,925 Pascal or -44.08 to -161.59 psi.
  • a solid gas source 202 such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) is at least one way in which to transport gas safely to a point of use and then allow sublimation to convert the solid to a gas, which can be safely stored at higher pressures, in a gas storage tank 108, for use by the beverage making machine in making of beverages.
  • frozen CO2 dry-ice
  • the gas infused liquid could be characterized as a liquid at 3.8 volumes of gas or just 3.8 volumes.
  • carbonation levels of the gas infused diluent liquid can range up to 5 volumes, with the preferred range for most beverages ranging between 2 to 4.2 volumes.
  • a beverage diluent liquid includes a liquid, such as water, or other liquid that can be mixed with other ingredients to form a beverage.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is mixed with beverage ingredients to form a beverage.
  • the liquid can have gas dissolved into the liquid to form a gas infused beverage.
  • a beverage ingredient includes a concentrated syrup, powder, flavoring, coloring, preservative, concentrate mixture, non-caloric sweetener also referred to as non-nutritive sweetener, caloric sweetener also referred to as a sweetener, nutraceuticals, sweetener enhancers, tea, coffee, a combination thereof, or other types and kinds of substances that can be mixed with a beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • beverage ingredients are concentrated forms of ingredients that can be diluted with a beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • a point of use can include, but not be limited to, a consumer's home, an office, store, restaurant, quick serve restaurant, and/or other points of use where the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making machine cartridges 200 including supplies or other types and kinds of supplies are intended to be used, and as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • points of use can include stores, warehouses, and other places where beverage making cartridges 200 including supplies may be made available for purchase by consumers who then take the supplies to the ultimate point of use where the supplies can be utilized in connection with a beverage making machine 100.
  • the solid gas packaging material 206 can provide thermal insulation to prevent the solid gas 202, in the case where the solid gas is ice, from sublimating too quickly.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be shipped to a point of use location, such as to a consumer, made available in a store, or logistically provided in other ways, as may be required and desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 is not placed in a beverage making machine 100, where the emitted gas 704 can be captured and stored in gas storage tank 108, the emitted gas 704 is vented to the atmosphere and the ice volume reduces. The larger the differential between the surface temperature of the solid gas source 202 and the atmospheric temperature the quicker the solid gas source 202 will sublimate.
  • a suitable insulating material can be utilized as the solid gas packaging material 206. This in combination with providing a solid gas source that is larger than necessary, so that some sublimation on the way to the point of use leaves a sufficient volume of the solid gas source left to pressurize the gas storage tank, will better insure that a full gas storage tank pressurization can be obtained when the solid gas source is inserted into the beverage making machine and allowed to sublimate, pressurizing the gas storage tank 108. Should too much gas be emitted, then the gas vent 140 would vent the excess gas allowing the gas storage tank 108 to reach a full and safe pressure level.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas 202.
  • the solid gas 202 which can be frozen CO2 can be placed directly into the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • the beverage making cartridge can further comprise a one-way degassing valve 204, to vent the emitted gas 704 from the gas source 202.
  • separate solid gas package 206 material is not utilized.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 provides the thermal insulation and barrier properties to prevent the solid gas 202, in the case where the solid gas is ice, from sublimating too quickly in a similar manner as the solid gas package 206.
  • beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 also provides the environment in which the solid gas source 202 stays clean, free from contaminates, and sterile; desirable attributes for applications in making a beverage with the sublimated gas.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to insert into and interlock with a gas generation and storage system 106, as better illustrated in at least Figures 15A-B and as previously disclosed.
  • Barrier properties include a defined barrier against permeation of gases, moisture, liquids, and flavor.
  • barrier properties can be considered characteristics of the packaging material. Some of the many packaging material characteristics can include, without limitation, the ability to insulate, and prevent certain gases or certain wavelengths of light from passing through the barrier, physical strength of the material, and/or other types and kinds of barrier properties.
  • a possible advantage, in the present disclosure, of using a solid gas source that sublimates versus other gas sources, that require wetting to activate or require a carrier material which is not converted to gas, is that the sublimating gas source has little, if any, microbiological contamination concerns.
  • the sublimating gas source of the present disclosure can be packaged in a sterile environment and remains there emitting gas through a sterile one-way vent.
  • solid gas sources that exhibit a cold surface temperatures such cold surface temperature can prevent microbiological growth. As such, with no liquid state, cold temperatures, and little or no contaminates entering the environment, in which the sublimating solid gas source is secured, microbiological contamination is of little concern.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100 in forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 which can further comprise a gas source portion 228 (illustrated in at least Figure 14 ), the gas source portion 228 further comprising a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a one-way vent 204 can be arranged in the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to vent the gas 704 emitted from the solid gas source 202, such that it can be captured and stored in a gas storage tank 108 (illustrated in at least 15).
  • the gas 704 from the gas storage tank 108 can be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702 and mixed with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form the beverage.
  • gas sources that required wetting can be contaminated and sit in a wet moist environment - a petri dish - where microbiological growth can take over and produce molds, yeasts, contribute off flavors and odors to the beverage, and act as a food source for microorganisms including pathogens.
  • This contamination cannot only impair the food safety of the gas source but the emitted gas 704 as well.
  • gas sources that require wetting or some other form of activation or regeneration can be easily contaminated and compromised. This contamination can be transferred to the food products made with these types of gas sources, which in turn can make consumers very sick and impair beverage safety and/or quality.
  • an insulation material 206 seals the solid gas source 202 in a sterile environment and moderates the rate of sublimation of the solid gas source 202.
  • a dispenser 120 (illustrated in at least Figures 19-23 ) can be attached to the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 and arranged to dispense the beverage.
  • a beverage ingredient selector 150 (illustrated in at least Figure 23 ) can be provided for selecting which, if any, of the beverage ingredient 214 are to be mixed with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form the beverage.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can further comprise at least one of a fluid handler 144 (illustrated in at least Figures 19-23 ) for ratio mixing the gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 with the beverage diluent liquid 702 which is absent of the gas 704 to reduce the volumes of the gas in the beverage.
  • a fluid handler 144 illustrated in at least Figures 19-23
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100 in forming a beverage
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 which can further comprise a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230, the gas source portion 228 further comprising a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704, the beverage ingredient portion 230 can further comprise a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a one-way vent 204 arranged in the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to vent the gas 704 emitted from the solid gas source 202, such that it can be captured and stored in a gas storage tank 108.
  • the gas 704 from the gas storage tank 108 can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid and mixed with at least one of the beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100 in forming a beverage, the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a beverage ingredient portion 230, the beverage ingredient portion 230 can further comprise a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a dispenser 120 can be attached to the beverage making cartridge 200, the beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to receive a beverage diluent liquid 702 form a beverage diluent receptacle 102, the dispenser 120 dispenses the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a beverage making cartridge can comprise at least one beverage ingredient 214 packaged in a beverage ingredient package 212 and further packaged into a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • Such beverage making cartridges 200 comprising beverage ingredients can be interlocked into a beverage making machine 100 to provide a matrix of ingredients, which can be combined to form a variety of beverages.
  • a beverage making machine 100 comprising a plurality of beverage making cartridges 200A-C which can be inserted into or otherwise arranged in beverage making cartridge receptacles 110 for gas and 114A-C for beverage ingredients.
  • beverage making cartridges 200A-C have been arranged in the beverage making cartridge receptacles 110 for gas and 114A-C for beverage ingredients, a variety of beverages (gas infused, non-gas infused, and/or otherwise) can be made.
  • a beverage diluent 702 (infused with gas or not, or in some combination, and/or otherwise) can be mixed with the plurality of beverage ingredients 214 to form a beverage.
  • the beverage can be dispensed at the initiation of a consumer, manually, at the beverage making machine 100, by way of wireless device 602, by global network 604 communication with computer control 122, and/or by way of other methods, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the shaded blocks in at least Figures 7-8 and 15A-16 denote a changeable supply, ingredient, or functional device (such as filer 222).
  • a changeable supply can preferably be a beverage making cartridge that can be interchanged to resupply the beverage making machine with solid gas sources, beverage ingredients, filters, and/or other types and kinds of changeable supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage ingredient package 212 also provides an environment in which the beverage ingredient 214 stays clean, substantially free from contaminates, suitable for food contact, and sterile.
  • the beverage ingredient package 212 can exhibit barrier properties which promote extended shelf life for the beverage ingredient 214 inside.
  • barrier properties refer to the beverage ingredient packaging 212 ability, from a materials perspective to, for example and not a limitation, block ingredient damaging light, to block ingress of oxygen or other undesirable gasses that can harm flavor, color, or have other undesirable impacts on the ingredients, to block egress of gases (such as aroma and other gases) through the packaging material, to block ingress of gasses (such as oxygen and/or other gases) and other barrier properties, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage ingredient 214 can include, for example and not a limitation, syrups, concentrates, powders, flavors, colors, nutraceuticals, vitamins, healthy or wellbeing ingredients, sweeteners (caloric or non-caloric), beverage modifiers, beverage enhancers (including sweetness enhancement, aroma enhancements, and/or other types and kinds of beverage enhancers) and/or other types and kinds of beverage ingredient 214, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 packaged in a beverage making enclosure 210.
  • the beverage ingredient 214 can be placed directly into the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • a separate beverage ingredient package 212 is not utilized.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 provides the thermal insulation and barrier properties to meet the shelf life requirements for the beverage ingredient 214, allowing the beverage ingredient 214 to be utilized as a beverage making ingredient, as disclosed herein.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising the beverage ingredient 214 can be arranged to insert into and interlock with the beverage making machine receptacle 114, wherein the beverage making machine 100 can use the beverage ingredient 214 in the making of beverages.
  • FIG. 3 With reference to at least Figures 26A-B , there is illustrated a method of making a beverage making cartridge comprising a solid gas source 202A or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B with aroma precipitate 218 added in a predefined ratio to the solid gas source 202A.
  • a solid gas source 202 and an aroma enhanced solid gas source can both be referred to as a solid gas source 202.
  • the aroma enhanced solid gas source has had some aroma precipitate 218 added to the solid gas source to form the aroma enhanced solid gas source.
  • solid gas source 202 and aroma precipitate 218 are both in frozen state and can be mixed to form a solid gas source having aroma enhancement.
  • the solid gas source material and the aroma precipitate can be mixed in a suitable ratio such that the gas created through sublimation can be stored in the gas storage tank 108 and contain the desired ratio of gas molecules to aroma molecules so that the combined gas plus aroma can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid and add just the right aroma benefit to the beverage.
  • the final beverage comprising the aroma enhanced gas when dispensed, will release the desired amount of aroma to be pleasing to the consumer's olfactory senses; not too weak or too strong, just right.
  • Illustrated in Figure 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a preparation method for creating an aroma enhance gas source that can take advantage of preparation processing techniques such as brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, which can be used to cause aroma vapor 216 to be produced or otherwise released from an ingredient 214A.
  • aroma vapor 216 for example and not a limitation, could be tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed, fresh squeezed citrus aroma when being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma, or other aroma when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • One possible advantage of the present disclosure is to be able to capture and condense aroma vapor 216 from ingredients 214A and brewed ingredients 220 (like coffee and tea) into an aroma precipitate 218.
  • Such an aroma precipitate 218 can be in frozen ice form or other form and can be aroma captured from brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process of tea, coffee, citrus, sweetness enhancers, flavors, and/or other ingredients, precipitate states, or preparation processes, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • Another possible advantage, in the present disclosure is creating a frozen precipitate 218 and mixing with the frozen solid gas source.
  • the aroma is preserved in frozen form and returned to gas vapor form, stored in a gas storage tank where the aroma does not degrade.
  • the true quality of the aroma can be delivered by infusion into the beverage, at the time the beverage is made, making delivering to the consumer in concentrated or syrup form, with aroma enhance gas, a true authentic tea experience, a real fresh brewed coffee experience, a fresh squeezed citrus experience, and/or delivering to the consumer other superior beverage making and enjoying experiences.
  • the aroma vapor 216 can be from brewed ingredients 220 like coffee and tea or an ingredient 214A, or other aroma source.
  • the aroma can be condensed into a precipitate 218 form.
  • the form of the aroma precipitate 218 is frozen ice so that it can be mixed in a predefined ratio with a solid gas source 202A, such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • a solid gas source 202A such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • the ratio-mix combination now forms an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B, which can be packaged in a solid gas source package 206, as illustrated in at least Figure 1A or packaged directly into a beverage making cartridge 200, as illustrated in at least Figure 1B .
  • Figure 3 further illustrates, for example and not a limitation, how the solid gas source 202A or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B can be packaged in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210A-B individually, as solid gas source 202C, illustrated as option 'A' or as solid gas source 202D collocated with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214B, in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210C-D, illustrated as option 'B'.
  • Other Figures, such as at least Figure 5 illustrate how the solid gas source can be collocated with other functional elements, such as dissolver 104 or in at least Figures 19-23 with a dispenser 120.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 arranged to accept a beverage making cartridge 200.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be a thermos filled with bulk water, or other type or kind of beverage diluent receptacle, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage diluent receptacle 102 is arranged to be interoperable with a beverage cartridge receptacle 110/114; 110 for gas only, 114 for beverage ingredients or combinations of gas plus beverage ingredients.
  • the beverage cartridge receptacle 110/114 is configured to allow a beverage making cartridge 200 to be inserted.
  • the beverage making cartridge can comprise a solid gas source 202, beverage ingredient 214, and other functionality such as, for example and not a limitation, a dissolver 104, a dispenser 120, a diluent filter receptacle 116/filter 222, a thermal coupling to the gas source to form a diluent cooler 148, or other functionality, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a solid gas source is present, preferably an aroma enhanced solid gas source, the emitted gas 704 can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid to form an aroma enhanced beverage.
  • these types beverage making machines 100 can be portable thermos, as illustrated in at least Figure 4A , personal drinking vessel, as illustrated in at least Figure 4B , a refrigerated appliances 402 having a beverage diluent water supply, as is illustrated in at least Figure 17 , a sports cooler or community water supply bucket type beverage making machine 100 as is illustrated in at least Figure 24 , a water cooler type beverage making machine 100, as is illustrated in at least Figure 25 , or other types and kinds of bulk water dispensers, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 is hot, the beverage ingredient is coffee, and the solid gas source is coffee based aroma then a refreshing hot coffee beverage with fresh brewed coffee aroma can be made and dispensed to the consumer.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 102 is hot, the beverage ingredient is tea, and the solid gas source is tea based aroma then a refreshing hot tea beverage with fresh brewed tea aroma can be made and dispensed to the consumer.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 is cold, the beverage ingredient is juice, and the solid gas source is fresh squeezed citrus aroma enhanced then a refreshing cold juice beverage with fresh squeezed aroma can be made and dispensed to the consumer.
  • beverage making cartridge receptacle 110 is illustrated in at least Figure 7 as a receptacle for receiving a beverage making cartridge comprising a solid gas source cartridge and beverage making cartridge receptacle 114 is shown as a receptacle for receiving a beverage making cartridge comprising a beverage ingredient.
  • the beverage making cartridge receptacle 110/114 can be a gas cartridge or a beverage ingredient cartridge or a cartridge with at least one of a solid gas and at least one of a beverage ingredient or a combination thereof in the same beverage making cartridge 200.
  • FIG. 4B there is illustrated a beverage making machine 100, which utilizes at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200.
  • this bulk type dispenser 100 often referred to as a personal drink vessel style dispenser, is often carried by a consumer.
  • This bulk type dispenser beverage making machine 100 which comprises a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can make a wide variety of hot or cold beverages.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can come in many flavors, types and kinds of beverages, such as energy boost or nutraceutical enhancers or other benefits, and/or brands. Typical use includes a consumer inserting at least one beverage making cartridge 200 into a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110/114, which is part of the bulk type dispenser beverage making machine 100. Once installed, the beverage making machine 100 can make, from a single installed beverage making cartridge 200, a plurality of hot and cold beverages. When the consumables are used up in the beverage making cartridge 200, the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed and replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200, as needed.
  • FIG. 5 there are illustrated examples of functional block diagrams of various beverage making cartridges 200A-C.
  • these functional bock diagrams 'A', 'B', and 'C' are separate and different representations of three different beverage making cartridges that can be used with a beverage making machines 100 and are suited for bulk water type beverage making machines, such as is illustrated in at least Figures 4A-B , and 24-25 .
  • a fluid flow pathway can involve mixing the beverage ingredient 214A with the beverage diluent liquid received from the beverage diluent receptacle 102A to form a beverage and then returning the beverage to the beverage diluent receptacle 102A.
  • a consumer can then dispense, from the beverage diluent receptacle 102A, by way of a bistable lever actuated valve 146A, the beverage into vessel 118A, as needed.
  • a possible advantage of this configuration is that the beverage can be prepared ahead of the consumer's need and then dispensed as needed.
  • Another possible advantage of this exemplary embodiment can be that if electricity is needed to operate the beverage making machine 100, the beverage could be produced and remain in the beverage receptacle 102A at a location, where there is a power source, and then unplugged to be portable, taken with the consumer to a remote location, where there is not easy access to a power source, and the beverage in the beverage diluent receptacle 102A can be dispensed into vessel 118A, as needed, to be enjoyed by consumers at the remote location.
  • Vessel 118 can be a drinking cup, reseal type bottle, pitcher, drinking mug, potable water container, or other similar type, kind, or reference, as it relates to something a consumer can transport beverages, or put a beverage into and/or drink from.
  • Common beverage packaging vessels can include glass bottles, immediate consumption paper vessels, plastic, or coated cups like the kind use for fountain drinks at a quick serve restaurant, metal cans and bottles, plastic bottles such as PET and other types of polymers, and other types and kinds of vessel containers that are good for holding a beverage, transporting a beverage, storing a beverage or storing beverage making materials and/or allowing a consumer to drink a beverage.
  • the present disclosure does make reference to and therefore a distinction from the term “vessel” or "vessel 118" in the special case of a high pressure vessel, in the context of holding a high pressure gas, or other substance, such as for gas storage tank 108.
  • This type of high pressure vessel for containing and dispensing a high pressure gas, is often a heavy wall metal container, for specific use under certain conditions, where safety is a priority and as such, the design and use of the vessel requires special attention.
  • a fluid flow pathway can cause the beverage ingredient 214A and the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage diluent receptacle 102A to meet and be ratio mixed at or just after dispense, through the dispenser 146A, into the consumer's vessel 118, to form the beverage.
  • Other fluid pathways can be configured and multiple beverage ingredients can be utilized, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • Mixing can be conducted volumetrically or otherwise include a predefined portion of beverage ingredient with a predefined portion of beverage diluent.
  • the ratio mix of a beverage ingredient which is a syrup concentrate, could be one part syrup to five parts beverage diluent liquid.
  • the dispenser 146 can be considered a mixer in exemplary embodiments where the various fluid streams are combined and dispensed to form the beverage.
  • beverage making cartridge enclosure 210B Referring to beverage making cartridge enclosure 210B, reference label 'B', a beverage ingredient 214B, a beverage diluent receptacle 102B, a solid gas source 202A, and a beverage diluent cooler 148A are arranged to cool the beverage diluent liquid 702 and mix at least one beverage ingredient with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage in vessel 118B.
  • the solid gas source could be in ice form and as such have an extremely cold surface temperature, for example and not a limitation, carbon dioxide (dry-ice) has a surface temperature in the range of about -78°C (-109 F).
  • the beverage diluent cooler 148A can be thermally coupled to the beverage diluent receptacle 102B.
  • the cold surface temperature can be communicated through the thermally coupled beverage diluent cooler 148A and cool the beverage diluent receptacle 102B. As the beverage diluent receptacle 102B cools the beverage diluent liquid inside also cools.
  • the beverage ingredient 214B and the beverage diluent liquid can be mixed in different fluid pathways, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, to form a beverage in vessel 118B.
  • a bistable lever actuated valve 146B can be utilized to dispense a beverage into vessel 118B into a vessel.
  • the fluid pathway forms the beverage and stores it in the beverage diluent receptacle 102B until dispensed by a consumer.
  • a fluid pathway can cause the beverage diluent liquid 702, from beverage diluent receptacle 102B, and the beverage ingredient 214B to meet and be ratio mixed at or just after dispense, through the bistable lever actuated valve 146B, into the consumer's vessel 118B.
  • Other fluid pathways can be configured and multiple beverage ingredients can be utilized, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage making cartridge enclosure 210C Referring to beverage making cartridge enclosure 210C, reference label 'C', a beverage ingredient 214C, a beverage diluent receptacle 102C, a solid gas source 202B, a dissolver 104, and a beverage diluent cooler 148B are arranged to cool the beverage diluent and mix at least one beverage ingredient with the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage in vessel 118C.
  • the solid gas source 202B which sublimates to emit a gas, can be arranged with dissolver 104 to dissolve the emitted gas 704, into the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the emitted gas 704 is CO2 then dissolving the emitted gas 704, by way of dissolver 104, into the beverage diluent liquid 702, would carbonate the beverage diluent liquid and ultimately dispense beverage into vessel 118C.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 within the beverage diluent receptacle 102C can be transfer between the dissolver 104, for the purpose of dissolving the emitted gas 704 from the solid gas source 202B into the beverage diluent liquid 702, and then transferred back to the beverage diluent receptacle 102C for storage.
  • the gas 704 infused beverage diluent liquid can remain in the dissolver 104 under pressure, until needed.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 with or without gas infusion can be chilled by the beverage diluent cooler 148B.
  • chilled beverage diluent liquid allows the emitted gas 704 to be more easily dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid, which in turn enables being able to reach higher concentration of dissolved gas volumes within the beverage diluent liquid, referred to as a higher or larger volume of gas to liquid ratio.
  • often cooling the beverage diluent liquid makes a more enjoyable beverage for the consumer.
  • the beverage ingredient 214C can also have multiple fluid pathways, as may be required in a particular embodiment. As example, in one such fluid pathway the beverage ingredient 214C can be transferred, as needed and in the correct quantities, to the dissolver 104 and mixed with the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a possible advantage can be that with the combining of the beverage ingredient and beverage diluent liquid, the mixed beverage may be easier to dissolve the emitted gas 704 into versus trying to dissolve the emitted gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • Another fluid pathway can cause the beverage ingredient 214C to be transferred, as need and in the correct quantities, to the bistable lever actuated valve 146C.
  • the beverage ingredient 214C and the beverage diluent liquid, from the beverage diluent receptacle 102C or the dissolver 104 can be arranged to meet and be ratio mixed at or just after dispense, through the bistable lever actuated valve 146C, into the consumer's vessel 118C.
  • a fluid pathway can cause the beverage ingredient 214C, gas infused beverage diluent liquid from the dissolver 104, and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid from the beverage diluent receptacle 102C to meet at the bistable lever actuated valve 146C, mix, and form beverage in vessel 118C.
  • the combined gas infused and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid act to ratio mix with the beverage ingredient, diluting the beverage ingredient as well as adjusting the final volumes of gas to a desired set point, by diluting down the gas infused beverage diluent liquid with non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid having a high gas infused volume measurement can be mixed down to a lower gas infused volume level when the beverage in vessel 118C is formed.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid, within the dissolver 104 can contain 8 volumes of gas. Mixing, at time of dispense, with non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid in a 50:50 mixture would bring the beverage down in the range of 4 volumes of infused gas (ideally, though often less with pressure changes).
  • an infrared sensor system 160 comprising an infrared light source and an infrared receiver sensor can data communicate with a computer control 122 and be used to look through the beverage diluent liquid.
  • CO2 Carbon dioxide
  • the beverage diluent liquid is clear (like water)
  • the dissolved gas in the beverage diluent liquid will appear opaque to the infrared receiver sensor essentially blocking the infrared light source from reaching the sensor. The more dissolved gas the more opaque.
  • the amount of infrared light passing through the beverage diluent liquid is inversely proportional to the amount of CO2 dissolved in the beverage diluent liquid.
  • This correlation can be used to measure the dissolved CO2 level or volumes in the beverage diluent as the liquid is being dispensed and the gas infused and non-gas infused beverage diluent sources can each be throttled accordingly to set the dissolved volumes level at the desired value.
  • the infrared sensor system 160 determines whether the dissolved CO2 level is too low then the gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be increased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 130, or the non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be decreased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124.
  • the infrared sensor system 160 indicates that the dissolved CO2 level is too high then the gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be decreased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 130, or the non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be increased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124.
  • a beverage ingredient, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 132 can also be mixed with the beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage which can be dispensed into vessel 118.
  • the pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124, 130, and 132 can data communicate with computer control 122 or otherwise are operable and/or controllable by way of computer control 122 or other control systems, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a beverage diluent receptacle 102 for storing a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, the beverage making cartridge 200 is arranged to receive at least portion of the beverage diluent liquid 702
  • a dispenser 120 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can be circulated through the beverage making cartridge 200 to form the beverage and then returned to the beverage diluent receptacle 102 for storage until dispense.
  • the gas 702 can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the gas source portion 228 is arranged to thermally couple the cold surface temperature of the solid gas source 202 to the beverage diluent receptacle 102, cooling the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the dispenser 120 can further comprising a beverage ingredient selector 150, the beverage ingredient selector 150 selects which of the beverage ingredient 214 is to be mixed with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form the beverage. Additionally, the dispenser 120 can further comprise a beverage ingredient selector 150, the beverage ingredient selector 150 selects between dispensing beverage diluent liquid 702 only and dispensing at least one of the beverage ingredient 214 mixed with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a beverage diluent receptacle 102 which can further comprise a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to receive at least the beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage making cartridge 200 including at least one of a beverage ingredient portion 230 and a gas source portion 228, the gas source portion 228 contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704, the gas 704 is dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid 702, the gas source portion 228 is arranged to thermally couple the cold surface temperature of the solid gas source 202 to the beverage diluent receptacle 102, cooling the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dispenser 120 attached to the beverage making cartridge 200 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a beverage making cartridge 200 including at least one of a beverage ingredient portion 230, and a gas source portion 228, the gas source portion 228 contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 for receiving a beverage diluent liquid 702 the beverage diluent receptacle 102 is arranged to dissolve the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702, the gas source portion 228 is arranged to thermally couple the cold surface temperature of the solid gas source 202 to the beverage diluent receptacle 102 cooling the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dispenser 120 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • reference labels 'A', 'B', and 'C' illustrated in Figure 5 there can be other fluid pathways configured, and/or more than one beverage ingredient can be utilized, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage diluent liquid properties such as chemical content, turbidity, odor, pathogens, and other beverage diluent liquid qualities can affect the safety and quality of the beverage formed with the beverage diluent liquid.
  • beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a beverage diluent filter 222 can be inserted into a beverage diluent filter receptacle 116, and can be arranged to remove contaminates, pathogens, and odors, turbidity, and/or other undesirable materials from the beverage diluent liquid rendering the beverage diluent liquid suitable for use and capable of producing a quality beverage.
  • a beverage diluent filter can be active or passive and can comprise technologies such as small micron particle filtering, active carbon, and/or other beverage diluent liquid filter technologies, as may be require and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied into a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • the beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be sized, as may be desired and/or required in a particular embodiment, to hold from several ounces of beverage diluent liquid 702 to several gallons of the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 is preferably water, but can be other liquids such as milk, juice, or other liquids, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can optionally be filtered by way of a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a beverage diluent filter 222 illustrated in at least Figure 6 , being inserted into the beverage diluent receptacle 116.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 properties such as chemical content, turbidity, odor, pathogens, and other beverage diluent liquid qualities can affect the safety and quality of the beverage formed with the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • beverage diluent filter 222 can be arranged to remove contaminates, pathogens, and odors, turbidity, and other undesirable materials from the beverage diluent liquid rendering the beverage diluent liquid suitable for use and capable of producing a quality beverage.
  • a beverage diluent filter can be active or passive and comprise technologies such as small micron particle filtering, active carbon, and/or other beverage diluent liquid filter technologies, as may be require and/or desired in a particular embodiment. If filtering of the beverage diluent liquid 702 is not required in a particular embodiment then the beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be arranged to provide the supply to either or both the dissolver 104 and/or the dispenser 120.
  • valve, mixer, and/or regulator 124 can control the flow of the beverage diluent liquid 702 to the dispenser 120.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 would not be infused with gas.
  • a pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 126 can control the flow of the beverage diluent liquid 702 to the dissolver 104.
  • the dissolver 104 can receive gas from the gas storage tank 108 and under pressure, dissolve the gas into the beverage diluent liquid 702 producing the gas infused beverage diluent liquid.
  • a gas transfer system 128, which can comprise pumps, valves, and/or regulators, can control the supply of gas and pressure level maintained within the dissolver 104.
  • a pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 130 can control the flow of gas infused beverage diluent liquid to the dispenser 120.
  • the beverage making cartridges comprising beverage ingredients can be accessible to a consumer by way of an ingredient storage section 112.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 can be accessible to a consumer as part of the gas generation and storage system 106.
  • a series of pumps, valves, and/or regulators 132A-C can control the flow of the beverage ingredients to the dispenser 120.
  • the gas generation and storage system 106 accommodates a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas source or an aroma enhance solid gas source which can be inserted into a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110.
  • the beverage making cartridge receptacle 110 is arranged to accept and/or channel emitted gas 704, from the solid gas source, as the solid gas source sublimates and transfers the emitted gas 704 to the gas storage tank 108.
  • Pumps, valves, and/or regulators 136 can effectuate the transfer of the emitted gas 704, from the solid gas source, to the gas storage tank 108.
  • pumps, valves, mixers, and/or regulators 140 can be arranged to vent the gas in over pressure conditions, thus holding the tank at a safe predetermined upper gas pressure limit.
  • the dispenser 120 can be a valve or nozzle configured to consolidate the fluid flows from multiple sources into a single fluid flow which can be directed into a consumer vessel 118 thus forming a beverage.
  • a dispenser can be passive as a component that routes fluids or active having pumps, valves, and/or regulators to control when to dispense liquids and/or to control the mixing ratios of the liquids, and/or for controlling other aspects of beverage making, as maybe required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage cartridge receptacles 114D and 114E these receptacles can be optionally utilized to supply a beverage ingredient which is a sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D and/or to supply a beverage ingredient which is a non-nutritive sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114E.
  • sweetener from beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D and/or non-nutritive sweetener from beverage making cartridge receptacle 114E can be routed to the dispenser 120 and mixed with other fluid streams to form the beverage.
  • a method of making a beverage, in a beverage making machine 100 can include increasing the retained volume of gas in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least one of a beverage ingredient, either sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D and/or non-nutritive sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114E, to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas can then be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can exhibit a higher volume of dissolved gas.
  • Such a method can include mixing on inlet into a dissolver 104 a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid and a beverage ingredient to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage ingredient in this exemplary embodiment can be a sweetener or a non-nutritive sweetener or a combination thereof.
  • the gas can then be injected into the dissolver 104 at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • a predetermined amount of the gas can then be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can then be mixed with other beverage ingredients to form the beverage.
  • the beverage can be dispensed from the beverage making machine 100 into a vessel 118.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration, instead of being more easily released to the atmosphere, such that the volumes of the gas in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus having dissolved the gas into the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • gas dissolving pressure in the present disclosure, is intended to mean the gas pressure necessary to cause the gas to dissolve into a liquid.
  • the liquid can be at some nominal pressure and in order to get the gas to dissolve into the liquid, the pressure of the gas needs to exceed the nominal pressure of the liquid.
  • the gas dissolving pressure is that pressure, which is needed to overcome any nominal liquid pressure and forcible diffuse the gas into the liquid.
  • liquid temperature, surface area of the liquid exposed to the gas, gas dissolving pressure, and other factors work together to determine the average time required to dissolve the gas into the liquid and for the gas infused liquid to reach equilibrium.
  • the "gas dissolving pressure" and the “minimum dissolver gas volumes level” are somewhat related in that the “gas dissolving pressure” needs to be high enough to dissolve or otherwise force the desired “minimum dissolver gas volumes level” of the gas into the liquid.
  • a computer control 122 can selectively formulate and make a wide variety of gas infused and non-gas infused beverages 118.
  • computer control 122 can dispense at least one of a beverage ingredient and gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 in a predetermined volumetric ratio to form a gas infused beverage.
  • the computer control 122 can further comprise a computer readable medium 172 which can be encoded with instructions to operate the beverage making machine 100, the methods of the present disclosure, control operation of the beverage making machine 100, data communicate across the global network 604, with data processing resources 606, with wireless device 602, and/or encoded with instructions for effectuating other types and kinds of activities, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a computer control 122 can be an embedded system, PC computer based design, micro controller based design (examples MOTOROLA, MICROCHIP, ZILOG, others), run LINUX, WINDOWS (examples CE, EMBEDDED, XP, other), ANDROID, or other suitable operating systems, and/or can be other types and kinds of computer control systems, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • computer control 122 can dispense at least one of a beverage ingredient and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 in a predetermined volumetric ratio to form a non-gas infused beverage.
  • the computer control 122 can dispense both gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 in a predetermined volumetric ratio to control the volumes of the gas infused in the final beverage.
  • a gas infused beverage diluent liquid could have a higher than needed volumes of gas dissolved in the liquid, for example and not a limitation, greater than 4 volumes.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with a non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid, which will reduce by dilution the volumes of the beverage formed to the desired level.
  • a possible advantage in this approach is that beverages can be produced with different gas infusion volume levels from the same beverage making machine 100.
  • the adjusted gas-infused volumes level of the beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with at least one of a beverage ingredient to form the final beverage in vessel 118.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a first beverage making cartridge 200, further comprising at least one of a gas source portion 228, the gas source portion 228 contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be arranged to store the gas 704 emitted from the solid gas source 202.
  • a second beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be used for receiving a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dissolver 104 dissolves a portion of the gas 704, from the gas storage tank 108, into the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dispenser 120 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of at least one of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid 702, to form a beverage.
  • the solid gas source portion 228 can further comprise a one-way vent 204, which allows the gas 704 to escape the solid gas source portion while limiting air from entering the solid gas source packaging, wherein the environment enclosing the solid gas source 202 remains sterile while emitting the gas 704.
  • the beverage making machine 100 can further comprise a plurality of valves, a plurality of sensors, a plurality of pumps, and a computer control 122 interconnected with at least some of the plurality of valves, the plurality of sensors, and the plurality of pumps, the computer control 122 receives a beverage selection from a consumer and controls the beverage making machine to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 which can further comprise at least one of a beverage ingredient portion 230 and a gas source portion 228, the beverage ingredient portion contains at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, the gas source portion contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be arranged to store the gas 704 and a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be provided for receiving a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dissolver dissolves a portion of the gas 704, from the gas storage tank 108, into the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dispenser can selectively dispense a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • the dispenser 120 can further comprise a beverage ingredient selector 150 for selecting which, if any, of the beverage ingredient 214 is mixed with the beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making machine can comprise at least one of a beverage cartridge 200 which can further comprise at least one of a beverage ingredient portion 230, a gas source portion 228, and a gas dissolver portion 140, the gas source portion 228 contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a gas storage tank can be arranged to store the gas 704.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can route at least a portion of a beverage diluent liquid 702 to the dissolver portion 104.
  • the dissolver 104 dissolves at least a portion of the gas 702, from the gas storage tank 108, into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • a dispenser 120 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of at least one of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a beverage making cartridge 200 which can further comprise at least one of a beverage ingredient portion 230, a gas source portion 228, and a gas dissolver portion 104, the beverage ingredient portion contains at least one of a beverage ingredient, the gas source portion 228 contains a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be arranged to store the gas 704.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 for routing at least a portion of a beverage diluent liquid 702 to the dissolver portion 104.
  • the dissolver 104 dissolves at least a portion of the gas 704, from the gas storage tank 108, into the beverage diluent liquid 702, the gas source portion 228 is arranged to thermally couple the gas source 202 to the beverage diluent receptacle 102 cooling the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a dispenser 120 selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • the shaded blocks in at least Figures 7-8 and 15A-16 denote a changeable supply, ingredient, or functional device (such as filer 222).
  • a changeable supply can preferably be a beverage making cartridge that can be interchanged to resupply the beverage making machine with solid gas sources, beverage ingredients, filters, and/or other types and kinds of changeable supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • an aroma enhanced solid gas source can be produced and packaged in a beverage making cartridge 200. Since the solid gas source now contains an aroma, the gas produced will contain aroma molecules. As such, the gas must be kept separate from other gas supplies so that the aroma will not mix and/or be diluted by other gas sources. As such, more than one of an aroma enhanced solid gas source can be separately inserted into beverage making cartridge receptacles 110A-B, which are part of the gas generation and storage system 106.
  • the aroma enhanced solid gas source can then sublimate, emitting a gas which can be captured and stored in separate sections of a gas storage tank 108A-B.
  • gas storage tank section 108A is kept from mixing with gas storage tank 108B.
  • Pumps, valves, and/or regulators 138A-B also referred to as gas transfer system 138A-B can separately effectuate the transfer of the different and separated aroma enhanced emitted gas 704, from the solid gas source to separate gas storage tank section 108A-B.
  • gas transfer system 138A-B can separately effectuate the transfer of the different and separated aroma enhanced emitted gas 704, from the solid gas source to separate gas storage tank section 108A-B.
  • pumps, valves, mixers, and/or regulators 140A-B can be arranged to vent the gas in over pressure conditions, thus holding the various tank storage sections at a predetermined upper gas pressure limit when pressurizing.
  • a gas transfer system 128A-B can separately control the supply of separate aroma enhanced gases and pressure level maintained within the dissolver 104.
  • a pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 130 can control the flow of aroma enhanced gas infused beverage diluent liquid to the dispenser 120.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to the beverage diluent receptacle 102 and optionally filtered by way of the beverage diluent filter 222, which can be packaged in a beverage making cartridge 200 and inserted into the beverage diluent filter receptacle 116.
  • Beverage diluent liquid 702 can be routed to either dissolver 104 or the dispenser 120, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124 and 126.
  • Beverage ingredients 214 can be packaged into beverage making cartridges 200 and each of the beverage making cartridges enclosures can be inserted into beverage making cartridge receptacles (for beverage ingredients) 114A-D.
  • a series of pumps, valves, and/or regulators 132A-B can control the flow of the beverage ingredients to the dispenser 120.
  • beverage cartridge receptacles 114C and 114D these receptacles can be optionally utilized to supply a beverage ingredient which is a sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114C and/or to supply a beverage ingredient which is a non-nutritive sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D.
  • sweetener from beverage making cartridge receptacle 114C and/or non-nutritive sweetener from beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D can be routed to the dispenser 120 and mixed with other fluid streams to form the beverage.
  • a method of making a beverage, in a beverage making machine 100 can include increasing the retained volume of gas in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, this can be accomplished by mixing the beverage diluent liquid with a beverage ingredient, either sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114C and/or non-nutritive sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D, to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas can then be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can exhibit a higher volume of dissolved gas.
  • Such a method can include mixing on inlet into a dissolver 104 a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702 and a beverage ingredient to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • This beverage ingredient in this case is sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114C and/or non-nutritive sweetener in beverage making cartridge receptacle 114D.
  • the gas can then be injected into the dissolver 104 at a pressure to cause the gas to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • a predetermined amount of the gas can be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can then be mixed with at least one of a second beverage ingredient 114A-B to form the beverage.
  • the beverage can then be dispensed by way of dispenser 120 into a vessel 118, wherein as the beverage leaves the higher pressure environment of the dissolver 104 and enters standard atmospheric conditions of the vessel 118, the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration instead of being released to the atmosphere such that the volumes of the gas in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus alternative method of dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • a computer control 122 can then selectively formulate and make a wide variety of gas infused and non-gas infused beverages 118.
  • computer control 122 can select at least one of the aroma enhanced gases and infuse at least a portion of the beverage diluent liquid with the aroma enhanced gas by way of the dissolver 104.
  • At least one of a beverage ingredients and an aroma enhanced gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 can be dispensed in a predetermined volumetric ratio to form an aroma enhanced gas infused beverage in vessel 118.
  • computer control 122 can dispense at least one of a beverage ingredient and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 in a predetermined volumetric ratio to form a non-gas infused beverage in vessel 118.
  • the computer control 122 can dispense both aroma enhanced gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702 and non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid 702, in a predetermined volumetric ratio, to control the volumes of the gas infused into the beverage.
  • the aroma enhanced gas infused into the beverage diluent liquid can have a higher than desired volumes of gas dissolved in the liquid, for example and not a limitation, greater than nine volumes.
  • the aroma enhanced gas infused beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with a portion of the non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid. This has the effect of reducing by diluting the volumes of gas to the desired level in the beverage.
  • a possible advantage in this approach is that beverages can be produced with different gas infusion volume levels from the same beverage making machine.
  • the adjusted beverage diluent liquid can then be mixed with at least one of a beverage ingredient to form the final beverage in vessel 118.
  • the shaded blocks in at least Figures 7-8 and 15A-16 denote a changeable supply, ingredient, or functional device (such as filer 222).
  • a changeable supply can preferably be a beverage making cartridge that can be interchanged to resupply the beverage making machine with solid gas sources, beverage ingredients, filters, and/or other types and kinds of changeable supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a single beverage making machine 100 can be configured with more than one dispenser 120.
  • a possible advantage to this configuration is that more than one beverage can be made at a time.
  • high volume beverage making locations such as quick serve restaurants, there is a need to make beverages quickly to meet consumer demand.
  • the beverage making machine 100 of the present disclosure can be configured with more than one dispenser 120 in a single beverage making machine to accommodate the demands of high volume beverage making locations.
  • a dual dispenser 120A-B configuration there is shown in Figure 9 a dual dispenser 120A-B configuration. It is note though that in other exemplary embodiments three, four, or more dispenser 120 can be configured into a single beverage making machine 100, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 there is illustrated one example of a beverage making machine 100 utilizing at least one of a beverage making machine cartridge 200, which is stored in a refrigerated appliance 402, separate from the beverage making machine 100.
  • a refrigerated appliance can be utilized to chill and store the beverage making cartridges 200 instead of leaving the cartridges in the beverage making machine 100.
  • beverage making cartridges 200 there are several possible advantages to storing the beverage making cartridges 200 in a refrigerated appliance 402.
  • One such advantage can be chilling the beverage diluent in a beverage making cartridge 200 in a refrigerated appliance 402 prior to beverage making.
  • chilling the beverage diluent liquid approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid, increases the solubility of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • this can cause the gas infused beverage diluent liquid to reach dissolved equilibrium and hold the gas infusion better when dispensed.
  • throughput of producing gas infused beverage diluent can be increased.
  • beverage ingredients in a beverage making cartridge in a refrigerated appliance 402 can extend the shelf life of the beverage ingredients.
  • sensitive beverage ingredients can include, for example and not a limitation, dairy, soy, fruit based, microbiological sensitive ingredients, and/or other types and kinds of ingredients that are quickly perishable ingredients when exposed to unrefrigerated environments for a prolonged period of time, and/or as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • reference label 'A' illustrates a consumer 302 removing at least one beverage making cartridge 200 from a refrigerated appliance 402.
  • Reference label 'B' illustrates the consumer 302 then placing the beverage making cartridge 200 into a beverage making machine 100.
  • Reference label 'C' illustrates the beverage making machine forming the beverage in vessel 118.
  • Reference label 'D' illustrates the consumer then removing the beverage making cartridge 200, from the beverage making machine, and returning the cartridge to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the consumer can refill the beverage making cartridge with beverage diluent liquid as necessary.
  • consumables such as beverage ingredients and the solid gas source, as required non-refillable beverage making cartridges can be discarded and replaced with new beverage making cartridges to replenish the consumable supply.
  • FIG. 11 With reference also to at least Figures 31A-B , there is illustrated one example of combining beverage diluent liquid fluid flows (with and without gas infusion) with at least one of a beverage ingredient flow to control the volumes of gas in a formed beverage. Illustrated in the Figure are multiple incoming liquid streams that can comprise beverage ingredients, at least two beverage diluent liquids (with and without gas infusion), and/or other types and kinds of liquid streams, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the streams converge on the dispenser 120 or a mixer 150.
  • the mixed streams can then be dispensed to form the beverage having a selectable level of dissolved gas into a vessel 118.
  • one method of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine 100 includes pressurizing a gas storage tank 108, which is arranged to store a gas emitted from the solid gas source.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied into a dissolver.
  • a dissolver 104 can be utilized to dissolve a portion of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid at a minimum dissolver gas volumes level.
  • the minimum dissolver gas volumes level is a higher gas volumes level than what is needed in the final beverage; perhaps in the range of 5-11 gas volumes level.
  • a blended beverage diluent liquid can be created having a selectable target gas volumes level by diluting volumetrically the beverage diluent liquid from the dissolver 104 comprising the gas with the beverage diluent liquid which is absence the gas, to form the blended beverage diluent liquid having the predefined target gas volumes level.
  • the final beverage can be formed and/or dispensed by selectively adding a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the blended beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage.
  • a minimum dissolver gas volumes level includes the least amount of gas volumes dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid, while the beverage diluent liquid is in the dissolver or stored elsewhere in the beverage making machine under pressure.
  • the minimum dissolver gas volumes level is in the range of 3 to 11 gas volume levels, under pressure, inside the beverage making machine. Once dispensed the gas volumes level drops with the corresponding drop from high pressure to atmospheric pressure.
  • a target gas volumes level includes the desired gas volumes level of the final beverage dispensed into vessel 118.
  • the gas volumes level will need to be higher in the dissolver to accommodate for the loss of gas when the gas infused beverage diluent liquid transition from a high pressure environment inside the beverage making machine tanks, tubes, etc. to the low pressure atmospheric conditions with the beverage dispensed into the vessel 118 environment.
  • the target gas volumes level is the gas volumes level you end up with in the when the beverage is formed and dispensed into the consumer's vessel 118. For most cases the target gas volumes level will be less than four volumes of dissolved gas into the final beverage composition.
  • a method of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine can comprise inserting at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 into the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making cartridge 200 including at least one of a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas.
  • a gas storage tank can be arranged to store a gas in a gas storage tank.
  • a beverage diluent liquid can be supplied into the dissolver and the dissolver can dissolve a portion of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid at a minimum dissolver gas volumes level.
  • a blended beverage diluent liquid can be created having a selectable target gas volumes level by diluting volumetrically the beverage diluent liquid, from the dissolver, comprising the gas with the beverage diluent liquid, which is absence the gas, to form the blended beverage diluent liquid having the predefined target gas volumes level.
  • a beverage can then be dispensed or otherwise formed by selectively dispensing a predefined ratio of the beverage ingredient and the blended beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage.
  • a dissolver 104 can be incorporated into the beverage making cartridge 200.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can then be utilized to dissolve the gas into the beverage diluent liquid. This places the functionality for dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid in the beverage making cartridge 200 instead of the beverage making machine 100.
  • a beverage making machine which is not equipped with a dissolver 104 can by way of a dissolver 104 equipment beverage making cartridge 200 make gas infused beverages.
  • an infrared sensor system 160 comprising an infrared light source and an infrared receiver sensor can data communicate with a computer control 122 and be used to look through the beverage diluent liquid. If Carbon dioxide (CO2) is used as the gas and the beverage diluent liquid is clear (like water), the dissolved gas in the beverage diluent liquid will appear opaque to the infrared receiver sensor essentially blocking the infrared light source from reaching the sensor. The more dissolved gas the more opaque. As such, the amount of infrared light passing through the beverage diluent liquid is proportional to the amount of CO2 dissolved in the beverage diluent liquid.
  • CO2 Carbon dioxide
  • This correlation can be used to measure the dissolved CO2 level or volumes in the beverage diluent as the liquid is being dispensed and the gas infused and non-gas infused beverage diluent sources can each be throttled accordingly to set the dissolved volumes level at the desired value.
  • the infrared sensor system 160 determines whether the dissolved CO2 level is too low then the gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be increased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 130, or the non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be decreased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124.
  • the infrared sensor system 160 indicates that the dissolved CO2 level is too high then the gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be decreased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 130, or the non-gas infused beverage diluent liquid flow can be increased, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124.
  • a beverage ingredient, by way of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 132 can also be mixed with the beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage which can be dispensed into vessel 118.
  • the pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulators 124, 130, and 132 can data communicate with computer control 122 or otherwise are operable and/or controllable by way of computer control 122 or other control systems, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a dissolver 104 for dissolving gas into the beverage diluent liquid, such method being effectuated by way of a gas permeable hollow fiber tube style dissolver 104.
  • a gas permeable hollow fiber tube can be used as a dissolver 104.
  • beverage diluent liquid 702 can enter the dissolver, by way inlet 154.
  • a series of small gas permeable tubes forming a dissolving chamber 152A can allow the beverage diluent liquid to pass through the dissolver 104 and exit the dissolver 104 by way of an outlet 158.
  • Gas 704 under pressure can enter the dissolver by way of a gas inlet 156.
  • the tubes are permeable to the gas 704 and as such, the gas passes through the walls of the tubes and dissolves in the beverage diluent liquid.
  • Surface area of the beverage diluent liquid is increased with this design making it easier for the gas 704 to dissolve in the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a series of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 130, as well as gas transfer system 128 can control the inlet, dissolving of the gas 704, and outlet of the beverage diluent liquid 702 operating the dissolver 104 in an on demand continuous batch method to produce gas infused beverage diluent liquid for use in beverage making.
  • the dissolver 104 can be a gas permeable hollow fiber tube, as illustrated in Figure 12 and the steps for dissolving gas into the beverage diluent liquid can comprise introducing the beverage diluent liquid 702 into the gas permeable hollow fiber tube dissolving chamber 152A, the gas permeable hollow fiber tube dissolving chamber 152A receives a fixed volume of the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the gas 704 can then be injected, at a gas dissolving pressure to obtain the minimum dissolver gas volumes level, into the gas permeable hollow fiber tube dissolving chamber 152A.
  • a brief time period is allowed so that the beverage diluent liquid and the gas inside the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber 152A to dissolve into one another and reach equilibrium.
  • the brief time period can range from a few seconds to minutes depending on factors such as beverage diluent liquid volume and temperature, gas pressure, desired volumes of gas diffused into the beverage diluent liquid, permeability of the small fiber tubes (how easy does it pass the gas to the beverage diluent liquid), beverage forming requirements, and/or other factors.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can be released from the gas permeable hollow fiber tube dissolving chamber 152A, and exit the dissolver 104, ready for use in beverage forming.
  • the gas as a fluid moving force, can be used to eject the gas infused beverage diluent liquid from the gas permeable hollow fiber tube dissolving chamber 152A.
  • a series of pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 130, as well as gas transfer system 128 can control the inlet, dissolving of the gas 704 and outlet of the beverage diluent liquid 702, operating the dissolver 104 in an on-demand continuous batch method to produce gas infused beverage diluent liquid for use in beverage making.
  • a beverage making machine 100 for making a beverage having an increased retained volume of gas 704 in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least ones of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid, and then dissolving the gas 704 into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid versus dissolving the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid only, the beverage making machine comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient receptacle 114 for receiving a beverage making cartridge 200 which further comprises at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a beverage diluent receptacle 102 can be included for supplying a beverage diluent liquid.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be included for supplying a gas 704.
  • a dissolver comprising a gas inlet 156, a sweetener inlet 164, a non-nutritive sweetener inlet 166, a beverage diluent liquid inlet 154, at least a first dissolving chamber 152B, and a second dissolving chamber 152D each having an inlet end 168 for receiving the sweetener 214A, the non-nutritive sweetener 214B and the beverage diluent liquid 702, and an outlet end 170 where the sweetener 214A, the non-nutritive sweetener 214B, the beverage diluent liquid 702, and combinations thereof can exit, each of the first dissolving chamber 152B and the second dissolving chamber 152D is partitioned and arranged to prevent mixing between the first and the second dissolving chamber 152B/152D, each of the first and second dissolving chamber 152B/152D is also arranged to allow the gas 704 supplied, from the gas inlet 156, to permeate
  • a computer control 122 comprising a computer readable medium 172 encoded with instructions for mixing on inlet into the dissolver 104 a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702 and a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid, the beverage ingredient 214 being a sweetener 214A or a non-nutritive sweetener 214B or a combination thereof.
  • the gas 704 can be injected into the dissolver 104 at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas 704 to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • a predetermined amount of the gas can be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with at least one of a second beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • the beverage from the beverage making machine can be dispensed into a vessel.
  • Resultant in this embodiment is that, as the beverage leaves the higher pressure environment of the dissolver 104 and enters standard atmospheric conditions of the vessel 118, the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas 704 to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration, instead of being more easily released to the atmosphere, such that the volumes of the gas 704 in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus having dissolved the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • a beverage making machine 100 for making a beverage that has an increased retained volume of gas in the beverage, after dispense, into a vessel 118 can be effectuated by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least ones of a beverage ingredient, either sweetener 214A and/or non-nutritive sweetener 214B in this embodiment, to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas 704 can then be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can exhibit a higher volume of dissolved gas.
  • the beverage making machine 100 can comprise at least one of a beverage ingredient receptacle for receiving a beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient, a beverage diluent receptacle 102 for supplying a beverage diluent liquid 702, a gas storage tank 108 for supplying a gas 704, and a dissolver 104 comprising a gas inlet 156, a sweetener inlet 164, a non-nutritive sweetener inlet 166, a beverage diluent liquid inlet 154, at least a first dissolving chamber 152B, and a second dissolving chamber 152D, each having an inlet end 168 for receiving the sweetener 214A, the non-nutritive sweetener 214B and the beverage diluent liquid 702, and an outlet end 170 where the sweetener 214A, the non-nutritive sweetener 214B, the beverage diluent liquid 702, and combinations thereof can exit the chamber, each
  • a computer control 122 can be used to effectuate the making of a beverage.
  • the computer control 122 can comprise a computer readable medium 172 encoded with instructions for selecting a beverage type containing a sweetener 214A, a non-nutritive sweetener 214B, or a combination thereof, wherein two of the beverage ingredient can be the sweetener 214A and the non-nutritive sweetener 214B. Based on the beverage type selection, a first and/or second case can follow.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage diluent inlet 154 and the sweetener 214A, from the sweetener inlet 164 can be mixed to form the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • Fluid flow can then direct the enhanced beverage diluent liquid through the first dissolving chamber 152B.
  • the gas can be injected into the dissolver 104, by way of gas inlet 156, at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage can then exit the dissolver proximate the outlet end 170, by way of outlet 158, and optionally mixed further with other beverage ingredients and ultimately dispensed into the vessel 118.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702, from the beverage diluent inlet 154 and the non-nutritive sweetener 214B, from the non-nutritive sweetener inlet 166 can be mixed to form the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • Fluid flow can then direct the enhanced beverage diluent liquid through the second dissolving chamber 152D.
  • the gas can be injected into the dissolver 104, by way of gas inlet 156, at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage can then exit the dissolver proximate the outlet end 170, by way of outlet 158, and optionally be mixed further with other beverage ingredients and ultimately dispensed into the vessel 118.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas 704 to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration, instead of being more easily released to the atmosphere, such that the volumes of the gas in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus having dissolved the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • the dissolver 104 can further comprise a third dissolving chamber 152C for dissolving gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only, the third dissolving chamber 152C also having the inlet end 168 and the outlet end 170 and is partitioned, by a partition 162, and arranged to prevent mixing between the first dissolving chamber 152B, the second dissolving chamber 152D, and the third dissolving chamber 152C is arranged to allow the gas 704 supplied, from the gas inlet 156, to permeate liquids in the third dissolving chamber 152C.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can enter a dissolver 104 tank.
  • the tank can be sized for convenient capacities and as necessary to support the demand of consumer's making quantities of beverages, from the beverage making machine 100, over a predetermined time period. As example, maybe an eight to thirty two ounce tank is suitable for home and office use, whereas maybe a thirty two to sixty four or one hundred twenty eight ounce tank is suitable for quick service restaurants.
  • the gas under pressure can be injected and dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • a brief time period is allowed so that the beverage diluent liquid and the gas inside the tank dissolve into one another and reach equilibrium.
  • the brief time period can range from a few seconds to minutes depending on factors such as beverage diluent liquid volume and temperature, gas pressure, desired volumes of gas diffused into the beverage diluent liquid, surface area of the gas liquid interface and/or other factors and dependent on the particular embodiment and beverage forming requirements.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can be released from the tank, the dissolver 104, and used in beverage forming.
  • a refrigerator can be used to chill the beverage diluent liquid inside and/or outside the dissolver 104 tank.
  • Other embodiments can also include vents to release gas in dissolver 104 tank over pressure situations, dip tubes to draw the beverage diluent out of the tank, by way of the top of the tank, by removing the liquid from the bottom first.
  • aerators, recirculation pumps, and other devices can also be used in specific embodiments to improve the performance of the tank style dissolver 104, as may be required and/or desire in a particular embodiment.
  • gas permeable hollow fiber tube style dissolver 104 of at least Figure 12 and the tank style dissolver 104 of at least Figure 13 are just two examples of dissolvers 104.
  • other types and kids of dissolvers 104 can be configured and implemented, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100 in forming a beverage.
  • Beverage making cartridge 200 can even include a beverage diluent receptacle 102 for holding the beverage diluent liquid 702. Such feature being particularly useful when it is desired to remove the beverage making 200 cartridge from the beverage making machine 100 and store the cartridge in a refrigerated appliance, such as refrigerated appliance 402 (illustrated in at least Figure 10 ). Furthermore, fluid handling components 144 (illustrated in at least Figures 19-20 and 22-23 ), mixers 150, and beverage diluent filters 222 can be integrated into the design of a particular beverage making cartridge 200, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a gas source portion 228 is a portion of the beverage making cartridge 200 that has been sectioned off or otherwise dedicated to housing the solid gas source 202.
  • Such sectioning off can include relative position in a beverage making cartridge 200, a physical barrier through which entry and exit are controlled, sealed areas and/or sterile areas to keep contaminates from infiltrating, and/or other similar constructs in the spirit of being able to locate the solid gas source 202 in a particular location, within the beverage making cartridge 200, and interface the gas source portion 228 and solid gas source 202 to operate with the beverage making machine 100 and deliver the desired outcome of being able to make beverages.
  • a beverage ingredient portion 230 is the portion of the beverage making cartridge 200 that has been sectioned off or otherwise dedicated to housing the beverage ingredient 214.
  • Such sectioning off can include relative position in a beverage making cartridge 200, a physical barrier through which entry and exit are controlled, sealed areas and/or sterile areas to keep contaminates from infiltrating, and/or other similar constructs in the spirit of being able to locate the beverage ingredient 214 in a particular location, within the beverage making cartridge 200, and interface the beverage ingredient portion 230 and beverage ingredient 214 to operate with the beverage making machine 100 and deliver the desired outcome of being able to make beverages.
  • Illustrated in at least Figure 14 are several beverage making cartridge exemplary embodiments that utilize a solid gas source, a beverage ingredient, or both.
  • the functionality of the various cartridge configurations 'A'-'G' can be interchangeable to form other unique cartridge combinations, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the cartridge combinations and their permutations, in at least Figures 5 , 14 , 19-23 can be combined with more or less of the shown elements and functionality to form other cartridge combination.
  • cartridge combinations and their permutations in at least Figures 5 , 14 , 19-23 , can be combined with other Figures, concepts, and teachings in the present disclosure to form yet other combinations of unique beverage making cartridge designs and/or functionality, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100, in forming a beverage, can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, which comprises a gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202, that through sublimation, emits a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can comprise a one-way vent arranged to allow the gas to escape from the gas source portion while keeping the gas source portion sterile.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100, in forming a beverage, can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, which comprises a gas source portion 202 comprising a solid gas source 202, that through sublimation, emits a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid and a beverage ingredient portion comprising a beverage ingredient 214, the beverage ingredient 214 is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio of the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • the beverage making cartridge can further comprise a wall 232 that is movable to force the beverage ingredient 214 to exit the beverage ingredient portion.
  • the beverage ingredient portion can further comprise a fluid handler 144 through which the beverage ingredient 214 can be extracted from the beverage ingredient portion.
  • the gas source portion and the beverage ingredient portion can be arranged to prevent the gas source from contacting the portions of the beverage diluent liquid and the beverage ingredient 214 used to form the beverage.
  • the gas source portion can further comprise a carbonation gas and an aroma enhancing gas.
  • the carbonation gas can be carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen, oxygen, an inert gas, or other types and kinds of gas, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can further comprise a one-way vent 204 arranged to allow the gas to escape from the gas source portion while keeping the gas source portion sterile.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100, in forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 which can further comprise a gas source portion 202 and a beverage ingredient portion 214 that are attached together and separated by an impermeable barrier 226, the gas source portion comprising a solid gas source 202, that through sublimation emits a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient and comprising a wall 232 that is movable to force the beverage ingredient to exit the beverage ingredient portion, the beverage ingredient is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio with the beverage diluent liquid to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine, in forming a beverage can comprise, as illustrated in reference label 'C', a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230, which are attached together and separated from each other by an impermeable barrier 226, the gas source portion 228 further comprising a solid gas source 202, that through sublimation emits a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion comprising a beverage ingredient 214, the beverage making cartridge 200 having a plane, as better illustrated in reference label 'E' where the gas source portion 228 is located below the plane and the beverage ingredient portion 230 is located above the plane, wherein the gas source portion 228 is arranged to interact with the beverage making machine 100 to dissolve the gas into the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient portion 230 is arranged to interact with the beverage making machine 100 to provide the beverage ingredient 214 for mixing with the beverage
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for use by a beverage making machine 100 in forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 further comprising a beverage ingredient portion 230 which comprises a beverage ingredient 214.
  • the beverage ingredient 214 being dispensed and mixed with the beverage diluent liquid (with or without gas infusion) to form the beverage in a vessel 118.
  • the beverage ingredient portion 228 can further comprise an inlet port 238 through which beverage diluent liquid 702 (with or without gas infusion) can enter the beverage ingredient portion 228 and mix with the beverage ingredient 214.
  • the beverage ingredient portion 228 can further comprise an outlet port 240 through which beverage diluent liquid 702 (with or without gas infusion) can exit the beverage ingredient portion 228 after mixing with the beverage ingredient 214.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, which comprises a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230, that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 partially surrounding the beverage ingredient portion 230 and comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214, the gas source portion 228, and the beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 which are used to form a beverage, the beverage ingredient 214 is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio, with the beverage diluent liquid 702, to form the beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage, can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, which comprises a gas source portion 228, a beverage ingredient portion 230 and vessel portion 118 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214, and the vessel portion 118 arranged to receive the beverage ingredient 214 from the beverage ingredient portion 230 and receive the beverage diluent liquid 702, the gas source portion 228 and the beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 which are used in the vessel portion 118 to form a beverage, the beverage ingredient 214 is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage, can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, which comprises a gas source portion 228, a beverage ingredient portion 230, and at least one of a beverage diluent liquid receptacle 102, a dissolver 104, a dispenser 120, fluid handling components 144, mixer 150, beverage diluent filter 222, (further illustrated in at least Figures 5 and 19-23 ), and/or other types and kinds of functional components, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 which comprises a gas source portion 228, a beverage ingredient portion 230, and at least one of a beverage diluent liquid receptacle 102, a dissolver 104, a dispenser 120, fluid handling components 144, mixer 150, beverage diluent filter 222, (further illustrated in at least Figures 5 and 19-23 ), and/or other types and kinds of functional components, as may be required and/or desired in
  • the gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, and the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214.
  • the gas source portion 228 and the beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 used to form a beverage, the beverage ingredient 214 is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio with the beverage diluent liquid 702 (with or without gas infusion) to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 comprising a gas storage portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 further comprising a beverage ingredient 214, for use in mixing, with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage, the gas source portion 228 and beverage ingredient portion 230 being closed to an external environment.
  • a movable part 234 is attached to the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, the movable part 234 being movable relative to the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to open the gas source portion 228 and/or the beverage ingredient portion 230 for emission of gas from the gas source portion 228, and/or for introducing a beverage diluent liquid 702 into or permitting the beverage ingredient 214 to exit the beverage ingredient portion 230, the gas source portion 228 and beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 which are used to form the beverage, the beverage ingredient 214 is dispensed and mixed in a pre-defined volumetric ratio with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 comprising a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 230 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214, the gas source portion 228 and the beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 which are used to form the beverage.
  • a movable part 234 attached to the beverage making cartridge enclosure the movable part 234 being movable relative to the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to configure the beverage making cartridge 220 for use in forming the beverage
  • a lock element 236 that prevents movement of the movable part 234 to configure the beverage making cartridge 200 for use in forming the beverage, the lock element 236 being releasable by a user.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage, can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 comprising a gas source portion 228, a beverage ingredient portion 230 and a vessel portion 218 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 compromising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214 for use in mixing with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage, and the vessel portion 118 arranged to receive the beverage ingredient 214 from the beverage ingredient portion 214 and receive the beverage diluent liquid to mix the beverage diluent liquid with the beverage ingredient 214, the gas source portion 228, the beverage ingredient portion 230 and the vessel portion 118 are arranged to prevent the solid gas source 202 from contacting the portions of the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 which are used to form the beverage, wherein the beverage making
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 comprising a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas through a one way vent 204 of the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214 for mixing with the diluent liquid to form a beverage, the beverage ingredient 214 exiting the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 by way of a beverage ingredient outlet 240, as reference in reference label 'D', wherein the one way valve 204 illustrated in at least Figure 1B and the beverage ingredient outlet 240, as reference in reference label 'D', are located on a same side of the beverage making cartridge enclosure, the gas source portion 228 and the beverage ingredient portion 230 are arranged
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 for forming a beverage can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 comprising a gas source portion 228 and a beverage ingredient portion 230 that are separated from each other, the gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 for emitting a gas to be dissolved in a beverage diluent liquid 702, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising a beverage ingredient 214 for use in mixing with the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage, the beverage ingredient portion 230 comprising an outlet 240, as reference in reference label 'D', through which the beverage ingredient 214 exits the beverage ingredient portion 230, wherein the gas source portion 228 is movable relative to the beverage ingredient portion 230 to force the beverage ingredient 214 to exit the beverage ingredient portion 230 through the outlet 240, as reference in reference label 'D', of the beverage ingredient portion, the gas source portion 228 and the beverage ingredient portion 230
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhance solid gas source 202B inside, as illustrated in at least Figures 1A-B and 3 , can be inserted or otherwise interlocked into place, within a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110.
  • a series of pumps, mixers, valves, and/or regulators 136 and 128, which can also be referred to as the gas transfer system 128 and 136, can be arranged to receive the emitted gas 704 from the interlocked beverage making cartridge 200, by way of the beverage making cartridge receptacle 110, and proceed to transfer the gas storage tank 108.
  • the emitted gas 704 pressure from the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising the solid gas source is typically not much more than standard atmospheric pressure and is somewhat regulated and determined by the selection of the venting parameters of the sterile one-way vent 204, and other considerations; however the pressures in the gas storage tank 108 can reach upwards of several hundred pounds per square inch (several million Pascals) and is a pressure that is really only limited by the gas storage tank vessel limits and the capability to transfer the emitted gas 704 from low pressure to storage tank higher pressure environments, by way of gas transfer system 136.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 could contain several ounces of a solid gas, such as frozen carbon dioxide (dry-ice), after sublimation a storage tank having received the emitted gas 704 could be pressurized with enough gas for many liters of gas infused beverage product.
  • a solid gas such as frozen carbon dioxide (dry-ice)
  • dry-ice frozen carbon dioxide
  • An "ounces-of-dry-ice-to-liters-of-beverage-product" determination can vary on a number of factors including dissolver 104 technology and techniques, properties of the beverage diluent liquid 702, efficiency of sublimation and gas transfer and final beverage gas infused volumes of gas preference, as well as other types and kinds of factors, as may be desired and/or required in a particular embodiment.
  • a gas transfer system 128, which can comprise pumps, mixers, valves, and/or regulators, can control the supply of gas and pressure level maintained within the dissolver 104.
  • pumps, valves, mixers, and/or regulators 140 can be arranged to vent the gas in an over pressure conditions, thus holding the tank at a predetermined upper gas pressure limit.
  • the shaded blocks in at least Figures 7-8 and 15A-16 denote a changeable supply, ingredient, or functional device (such as filer 222).
  • a changeable supply can preferably be a beverage making cartridge that can be interchanged to resupply the beverage making machine with solid gas sources, beverage ingredients, filters, and/or other types and kinds of changeable supplies, as may be required and/or other types and kinds of changeable supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a gas storage system 106A can be a tank configuration and/or style.
  • a tank configuration and/or style can be an openable tank, for receiving the solid gas 202, and allowing the solid gas source 202 to sublimate, emitting a gas, which pressurize the gas within an internal tank 108 portion.
  • the gas storage system 106 tank configurations and/or styles can then be used in beverage dispensing system 100, to be used to infuse the pressurized gas into beverage diluent to form gas infused beverages 118.
  • a tank configuration can be separable tank halves, such as illustrated in gas storage system 106A.
  • Another configuration can be a hinged tank halves, such as illustrated in gas storage system 106B.
  • Yet another configuration can be screwable threaded tank halves, such as illustrated in gas storage system 106C.
  • a tank configuration can comprise a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110, for receiving a beverage making cartridge 210, such as illustrated in gas storage system 106D, or other similar type, kind or combination of gas storage system 106A-D, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the solid gas source 202 in a beverage making cartridge 210 or otherwise, can be inserted into the gas storage system.
  • the tank halves can then be interlocked together, sealing the solid gas 202 inside in a manner that allows the sublimation of the solid gas source 202 emitting a gas 704 to pressurize the gas tank 108 portion of the gas storage system.
  • a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110 provides access to an interconnect with a beverage making cartridge 210, which contains at least a solid gas source 202
  • the solid gas source can be allowed to sublimate, emitting a gas 704, which pressurizes the gas tank 108 portion of the gas storage system 106D.
  • FIG. 16 there is illustrated one example of a gas generation and storage system 106 having multiple gas storage portions 108A-C.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 having at least one of a solid gas source or an aroma enhance solid gas source inside, as illustrated in at least Figures 1A-B and 3 .
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into or otherwise interlocked in place, within a beverage making cartridge receptacle 110A-C.
  • a variety of different kinds of gasses 704, if desired can be used in beverage making machine 100.
  • different kinds of aroma enhanced gases can be used to aroma enhance beverages.
  • At least Figure 3 illustrates these features.
  • such aroma vapor could be tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed or fresh squeezed citrus aroma when being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma or other types and kinds of aroma when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed or fresh squeezed citrus aroma when being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma or other types and kinds of aroma when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • the different aroma enhanced gases must be kept separate so that they don't mix.
  • Figure 16 illustrates one example of how different aroma enhanced gas sources, in beverage making cartridges 200A-C, can be inserted into different beverage making cartridge gas source receptacles 110A-C and transfer the different aroma enhanced gasses to a storage tank 108A-C, wherein 108A, 108B, and 108C are different sections within the gas storage tank, sectioned off specifically for holding different aroma enhanced gases and preventing them from mixing.
  • a gas transfer system 138A-C can be arranged to receive the emitted gas 704, from the interlocked beverage making cartridge 200A-C, by way of the beverage making cartridge receptacle 110A-C, and proceed to transfer the gases to separate storage tank portions 108A-C.
  • the emitted gas 704 pressure, from the beverage making cartridges 200A-C, from the solid gas sources, is typically not much more than standard atmospheric pressure and is somewhat regulated and determined by the selection of the venting parameters of the sterile one-way vent 204; however the pressures in the storage tank can reach upwards of several hundred pounds per square inch (several million Pascals) and is really only limited by the gas storage tank vessel limits and the capability of the gas transfer system 138A-C to transfer the emitted gas 704 from low pressure to storage tank higher pressure environments.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 could contain two to three ounces of a solid gas, such as frozen carbon dioxide (dry-ice), after sublimation a storage tank having received the emitted gas 704 could be pressurized with enough gas for many liters of gas infused beverage product.
  • a solid gas such as frozen carbon dioxide (dry-ice)
  • dry-ice frozen carbon dioxide
  • An "ounces-of-dry-ice-to-liters-of-beverage-product" determination can vary on a number of factors including dissolver 104 technology and techniques, properties of the beverage diluent liquid 702, efficiency of sublimation and gas transfer and final beverage gas infused volumes of gas preference, as well as other types and kinds of factors, as may be desired and/or required in a particular embodiment.
  • a pump, valve, mixer, and/or regulator 128A-C can control the supply of gas and pressure level maintained within the dissolver 104.
  • pumps, valves, mixers, and/or regulators 140A-C can be arranged to vent the gas in over pressure conditions, thus holding the tank at a predetermined upper gas pressure limit.
  • upper gas pressure limit in the present disclosure, is intended to mean the desired highest pressure level allowed in the gas storage tank 108 also referred to as 108A-C in at least Figure 16 . This is the maximum pounds per square inch (psi) or other convenient unit of measure (e.g. Pascals), at which all excess gas pressure will be vented out of the gas storage tank to keep the gas storage tank safe and at no more than the upper gas pressure limit.
  • psi pounds per square inch
  • Pascals e.g. Pascals
  • FIG. 17 there is illustrated one example of a refrigerated appliance 402 having a beverage making machine 100 embedded.
  • the embedded beverage making machine 100 utilizes at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 to make a beverage.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into or otherwise interlocked in a beverage making dispense 100 by way of beverage making cartridge receptacle 110/114.
  • beverage making cartridge receptacle 110 is illustrated in at least Figure 7 as a receptacle for receiving a solid gas source cartridge and beverage making cartridge receptacle 114 is shown as a receptacle for receiving beverage ingredient.
  • the beverage making cartridge receptacle 110/114 can be a beverage making cartridge 200 gas cartridge or a beverage making cartridge 200 beverage ingredient cartridge or a beverage making cartridge 200 with both at least one of a solid gas and at least one of a beverage ingredient in the same beverage making cartridge 200.
  • the system and methods of the present disclosure can be used to make gas infused and non-gas infused beverages, with and without aroma enhancement.
  • the beverage making machine 100 can data communicate by way of a computer control, such as computer control 122 or other types and/or kinds of computer control across a global network 604 with data processing resources 606.
  • Data processing resources 606 can be websites, online stores, and factory ordering systems, servers, mobile devices, computer networks, and/or other types and kinds of data processing resources, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • Such data communications can include ordering supplies, such as supplies 504, checking inventory, transacting business in an online account, data communicating market information, beverage data, inventory data, service needs, and other types and kinds of data communications, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • Supplies 504 can include various types and kinds of beverage making cartridges 200.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can include beverage ingredient 214, solid gas sources 202A, aroma enhanced solid gas sources 202B, beverage diluent filters 222, cartridge configurations and functional components, cartridge based beverage diluent liquid receptacles, and/or other types and kinds of supplies, functional technologies, and/or combinations thereof, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the computer control 122 can further comprise a computer readable medium 172 which can be encoded with instructions to operate the beverage making machine 100, the methods of the present disclosure, control operation of the beverage making machine 100, data communicate across the global network 604, with data processing resources 606, with wireless device 602, and/or encoded with instructions for effectuating other types and kinds of activities, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a computer readable medium 172 which can be encoded with instructions to operate the beverage making machine 100, the methods of the present disclosure, control operation of the beverage making machine 100, data communicate across the global network 604, with data processing resources 606, with wireless device 602, and/or encoded with instructions for effectuating other types and kinds of activities, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • global network or “global network 604,” in the present disclosure, is intended to mean the internet or other network which facilitates the ability to network and access the beverage making machine with remote computer systems, transact commerce, reorder supplies, check status of shipments, gain information about products, communicate with customers and consumers, and/or data communicate globally between data processing resources such as servers, personal computers, mobile devices, and other digital devices, including the beverage making machine 100 of the present disclosure.
  • a possible advantage, in the present disclosure is that a solid gas source 202 under little to no pressure conditions can be shipped to the point of use. At the point of use, the solid gas source is inserted into the beverage making machine 100 where it sublimates to pressurize a gas storage tank 108.
  • the present disclosure overcomes the limitation of not being able to ship high pressure gas by shipping the gas in solid form at no or low pressure and then generating the high pressure gas when inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service is used, in the present disclosure's, to refer to the ability to overcome the limitation of not being able to ship high pressure gas by shipping a solid gas source 202, from which a high pressure gas can be generated therefrom at point of use.
  • a wireless device 602 is a wireless device such as a smart phone and other similar wireless phones, IPAD and other tablet computers, readers such as the AMAZON KINDLE and other similar readers, and/or other mobile portable wireless digital devices, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a consumer 302 can utilize wireless device 602 to interact with the beverage making machine 100, by way of computer control 122. Such interaction can be by way of WIFI, BLUETOOTH, a 3G or 4G mobile networks, emails, text messages, and/or other types an kinds of interaction and data communication technologies both wired and wireless, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the consumer's wireless device 602 can also data communicate across a global network 604 with data processing resources 606.
  • Such data communications with data processing resources 606 can include ordering supplies, such as supplies 504.Supplies 504 can include various types and kinds of beverage making cartridges 200.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can include beverage ingredient 214, solid gas sources 202A, aroma enhanced solid gas sources 202B, beverage diluent filters 222, and/or other types and kinds of supplies and combinations thereof, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the orders can be processed and supplies 504 shipped, by way of a delivery service 502, to the point of use.
  • the delivery service 502 can include postal service, cargo service, air transport service, overnight service, courier service, no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service, and other types and kinds of deliver service, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • delivery service 502 can also include places where supplies 504 can be picked up by a consumer such as in a store and/or include other places that are convenient and/or preferred by the consumer, and as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage machine 100 can be configured to monitor beverage making cartridge supply levels and either automatically reorder supplies across the global network 604 with data processing resources 606 and have the supplies 504 delivered by delivery service 502 without consumer 302 intervention or consumer 302 can initiate, confirm, or authorize any steps in the process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a consumer 302 can use wireless device 602 to check the inventory level status of the beverage making cartridges and/or supply of gas by wired or wireless data communication with the computer control 122 or the beverage making machine 100. Based on the determination and results returned to the consumer 302, the consumer can decide and initiate a supply reorder across the global network 604 with data processing resources 606 and have the supplies 504 delivered by delivery service 502.
  • a consumer 302 can access data processing resources 606, by way of a global network 604, to make discovery of available supplies 504 for the beverage making machine 100.
  • discovery can be, for example and not a limitation, available or new beverage flavors, solid gas sources, aroma enhanced solid gas sources, diluent filters, and/or make other types and kinds of discovery.
  • the consumer can then order the desired supplies across the global network 604 with data processing resources 606 and have the supplies 504 delivered by delivery service 502, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, a solid gas source 202, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, a dissolver 104, a dispenser 120, and a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-D.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise consumables such as a solid gas source, at least one beverage ingredient, and the necessary functional components to effectuate forming a beverage.
  • Fluid handling components 144 can include pumps, mixers, valves, regulators, and/or other gas or liquid handling and/or routing, regulating, or control types and kinds of devices.
  • fluid handling components can be standard size or miniature size when it is needed to incorporated such components into a beverage making machine.
  • the fluid handling components can be micro scale when needed to fit into a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • the fluid handling components can be embodied as microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components and/or other micro scale technologies when needed.
  • MEMS microelectromechanical system
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 includes the necessary solid gas source 202 and/or at least one beverage ingredient 214 with the necessary functional components to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the functional components can include, for example and not a limitation, dissolver 104, beverage diluent filter 222, dispenser 120, beverage diluent cooler 148, fluid handling components 144, and/or other functional components, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be placed into a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can comprise a solid gas source 202, a dissolver 104, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, and a dispenser 120 can be arranged to transfer fluids from outside the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to the inside where a beverage can be formed or otherwise dispensed.
  • a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-D, micro-scale in nature can selectively be utilized to control the flow of fluids, ingredients, and gases through the beverage making cartridge 200, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the dissolver 104 can be arranged to receive emitted gas 704 from the solid gas sources 202, at least a portion of the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage receptacle 102, and selectively at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • the dissolver 104 dissolves the emitted gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 and can optionally mix the beverage diluent liquid with the beverage ingredient 214 to form the beverage in vessel 118.
  • the beverage ingredient 214 can be routed to and dispensed from the dispenser 120.
  • a dispenser 120 can comprise a bistable lever actuated valve 146, by which the dispenser 120 can be operated to dispense at least the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • a series of fluid handling components 144A-D can be selectively utilized, as needed, to control the fluid flow, through the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 is preferably configured to be inserted into a bulk water type beverage making machine 100, such as illustrated in at least Figures 4A-B and 24-25 .
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comes in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and can easily be inserted into a beverage making machine 100, and be utilized by consumers to make a plurality of beverages from a single beverage making cartridge 200.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed, discarded, and/or recycled, being replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, a diluent filter 222, a dispenser 120, and a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-C.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise consumables such as, at least one beverage ingredient, a beverage diluent filter 222, and the necessary functional components to effectuate forming a beverage.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be placed into a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can comprise a beverage diluent filter 222 to filter the incoming beverage diluent liquid, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, and a dispenser 120 can be arranged to transfer fluids from inside the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to the outside where a beverage can be formed and dispensed.
  • a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-C, micro-scale in nature can selectively be utilized to control the flow of fluids and ingredients through the beverage making cartridge 200, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the dispenser 120 can be arranged to receive at least a portion of the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage receptacle 102 by way of the beverage diluent filter 222, and selectively at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a dispenser 120 can comprise a bistable lever actuated valve 146, by which the dispenser 120 can be operated to dispense at least the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214, to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • a series of fluid handling components 144A-C can be selectively utilized, as needed, to control the fluid flow, through the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 is preferably configured to be inserted into a bulk water type beverage making machine 100, such as illustrated in at least Figures 4A-B and 24-25 .
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comes in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and can easily be inserted into a beverage making machine 100, utilized by consumers to make a plurality of beverages from a single beverage making cartridge 200, and then when the consumables are used up, the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed and discarded, being replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to chill the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a solid gas source 202, and optionally at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • a beverage making machine 100 can comprise a beverage diluent receptacle 102 and optionally a gas storage tank 108. Alternatively, if gas isn't needed for infusion into the beverage diluent liquid 702 then the gas 704 can be vented to the atmosphere and the gas storage tank 108 can be eliminated.
  • the gas 704 can be vented into the beverage diluent receptacle which is holding the beverage diluent liquid 702 where the gas can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 and can be thermally coupled, by way of a beverage diluent cooler 148, to the beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • the surface temperature of the solid gas source can be extremely cold.
  • frozen carbon dioxide (dry-ice) can have a surface temperature of -109F.
  • a beverage diluent cooler 148 can comprise a metal or other thermally conducting materials designed to transfer the cold surface temperature of the solid gas source to the beverage diluent receptacle 102, which can also be fabricated from metal or other thermally conducting material, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can be configured to chill the beverage diluent liquid 702, which is inside the beverage diluent receptacle 102, by way of thermally coupling the beverage diluent cooler 148 between at least the solid gas source 202 and the beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a dispenser 120 can comprise a bistable lever actuated valve 146, by which the dispenser 120 can be operated to dispense at least the chilled beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214, to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, a dissolver 104, a solid gas source 202, a dispenser 120, and a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-D.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise consumables such as at least one beverage ingredient, a solid gas source 202, and the necessary functional components to effectuate forming a beverage.
  • a beverage diluent cooler 148 thermally is arranged and couples the solid gas source 202 with a beverage diluent receptacle 102, which contains a beverage diluent liquid 702, such that the cold surface temperature of the solid gas source 202 chills the beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be placed into a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can comprise a solid gas source 202, a dissolver 104, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, at least a portion of a beverage diluent cooler 148, and a dispenser 120.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be arranged to transfer fluids from outside the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to the inside where a beverage can be formed and dispensed.
  • a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-E, micro-scale in nature can selectively be utilized to control the flow of fluids, ingredients, and gases through the beverage making cartridge 200, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the dissolver 104 can be arranged to receive emitted gas 704 from the solid gas sources 202, at least a portion of the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage receptacle 102, and selectively at least one of a beverage ingredient 214.
  • the dissolver 104 dissolves the emitted gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 and can optionally mix the beverage diluent liquid with the beverage ingredient 214, to form and dispense the beverage into vessel 118.
  • the beverage ingredient 214 can be routed to and dispensed from the dispenser 120.
  • a dispenser 120 can comprise a bistable lever actuated valve 146, by which the dispenser 120 can be operated to dispense at least the beverage diluent liquid 702 and the beverage ingredient 214 to form and dispense a beverage into vessel 118.
  • a series of fluid handling components 144A-E can be selectively utilized, as needed, to control the fluid flow, through the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 is preferably configured to be inserted into a bulk water type beverage making machine 100, such as illustrated in at least Figures 4A-B and 24-25 .
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comes in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and can easily be inserted into a beverage making machine 100, utilized by consumers to make a plurality of beverages from a single beverage making cartridge 200, and then when the consumables are used up, the beverage making cartridge can be removed, discarded, and/or recycled, being replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, more than one of a beverage ingredient 214A-B, a diluent filter 222, a dispenser 120, wherein the dispenser 120 further comprising a beverage ingredient selector 150, and a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-D.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise consumables such as, more than one beverage ingredient, a beverage diluent filter 222, and the necessary functional components, as required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, to effectuate forming a beverage.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be placed into a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 can comprise a beverage diluent filter 222 to filter the incoming beverage diluent liquid 702, at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, and a dispenser 120 can be arranged to transfer fluids from outside the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 to the inside where a beverage can be formed and dispensed.
  • a series of optional fluid handling components 144A-D, micro-scale or MEMS scale in nature can selectively be utilized to control the flow of fluids and beverage ingredients through the beverage making cartridge 200, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the dispenser 120 can be arranged to receive at least a portion of the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage receptacle 102, by way of the beverage diluent filter 222, and by way of beverage ingredient selector 150, select at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 for use in forming the beverage.
  • a dispenser 120 can comprise a bistable lever actuated valve 146A-C and the beverage ingredient selector 150, by which the dispenser 120 can be operated to dispense at least the beverage diluent liquid 702 and selectively none or at least one of the beverage ingredient 214, to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the bistable lever actuated valve 146A-C can be movable and positional in more than one position.
  • Figure 23 illustrates, as example and not a limitation, three positions 146A, 146B, and 146C, though more or less positions can be included.
  • Such movement and positioning 146A, 146B, and 146C can in turn configure the beverage ingredient selector 150 to select or otherwise complete pathways, wherein selectively the beverage diluent liquid only or at least one of the beverage ingredients can be chosen by the consumer and used to form the beverage, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a consumer can move and/or position the bistable lever actuated valve in positions 146A, 146B, or 146C.
  • positioning the bistable lever actuated valve in positions 146A, 146B, or 146C configures the beverage ingredient selector 150.
  • a selection of which of the beverage ingredients 214A-B or none of the beverage ingredients to mix with the beverage diluent liquid can be effectuated.
  • flow pathway reference label 'A' perhaps no beverage ingredient is mixed resulting in only beverage diluent liquid being dispensed to form the beverage in vessel 118.
  • beverage ingredient 214A is dispensed with the beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage in vessel 118, flow pathway reference label 'B'.
  • beverage ingredient 214B is dispensed with the beverage diluent liquid to form the beverage in vessel 118, flow pathway reference label 'C'.
  • a series of fluid handling components 144A-D can be selectively utilized, as needed, to control the fluid flow, through the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage ingredients 214A-B and a three position dispenser 120 positions 146A-C are illustrated in Figure 23 ; however any number of beverage ingredients and positions on dispenser 120 can be implemented, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 is preferably configured to be inserted into a bulk water type beverage making machine 100, such as illustrated in at least Figures 4A-B and 24-25 .
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comes in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and can easily be inserted into a beverage making machine 100, utilized by consumers to make a plurality of beverages from a single beverage making cartridge 200, and then when the consumables are used up, the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed, discarded, and/or recycled, being replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200.
  • beverage making machine 100 which utilizes at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200.
  • beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making machine 100 illustrated in the Figure can also be referred to as a bulk beverage diluent liquid type dispenser.
  • a large quantity of beverage diluent liquid such as water, milk, or other liquid can be bulk loaded into the thermos or container like beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • These bulk beverage diluent liquid holding versions of the beverage making machine 100 are typically characterized by having a large beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • Such bulk type dispensers are typically portable and often found at sporting events, picnics, church and social functions, and/or at other types and kinds of events and locations. Furthermore, these bulk type dispensers can use hot or cold beverage diluent liquids and serve a limitless range of beverage types including sports drinks, carbonated drinks, non-carbonated drinks, hot or cold tea based drinks, hot or cold coffee based drinks, dairy drinks, and/or other types and kinds of beverage types, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • Such bulk type beverage making machines 100 also have applicability in the developing world where access to clean water is a challenge. These bulk water beverage making machine 100 tank type facilities or stations can have a big impact on the communities and consumers who don't have the opportunity to experience safe clean high quality flavored beverages very often. As such, water treatment techniques combined with beverage making technology, in simple easy to use forms, is in demand and very much needed around the world.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 comes in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and can easily be inserted into a beverage making machine 100, utilized by consumers to make a plurality of beverages from a single beverage making cartridge 200, and then when the consumables are used up, the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed, discarded, and/or recycled, being replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200.
  • FIG. 25 there is illustrated a beverage making machine 100, which utilizes at least one of a beverage making cartridge 200A-C.
  • this bulk type dispenser 100 often referred to as a water cooler style dispenser, is capable of having more than one beverage making cartridge 200 inserted into the bulk type dispenser 100, in this example labeled 200B and 200C.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can come in many flavors, types, kinds, and/or brands and more than one can typically be inserted into this type of bulk dispenser beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making machine can be utilized by consumers to make a plurality of hot and cold beverages from the installed beverage making cartridges 200B-C, and then when the consumables are used up in one of the cartridges, the beverage making cartridge 200B or 200C can be removed, discarded, and/or recycled, replaced with a new beverage making cartridge 200, as needed.
  • FIGS 26A-B there are illustrated examples of methods of producing aroma enhanced solid gas 202 for use in a beverage making machine 100 to make a beverage. Illustrated in Figure 26A , with reference also to at least Figure 3 , is an exemplary embodiment of a preparation process such as brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, which can be used to cause aroma vapor to be produced or otherwise released from an ingredient.
  • a preparation process such as brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, which can be used to cause aroma vapor to be produced or otherwise released from an ingredient.
  • Such aroma vapor could be tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed, fresh squeezed citrus aroma when being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma, or other aromas when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • one possible advantage of the present disclosure is to be able to capture and condense aroma vapor 216 from ingredients 214A and brewed ingredients 220 into an aroma precipitate 218.
  • Such an aroma precipitate 218 can be in frozen ice form or other form and can be aroma captured from brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process of tea, coffee, citrus, sweetness enhancers, flavors, and/or other ingredients, precipitate states, or preparation processes, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • aroma liquid or vapor added to beverage ingredient degrades over time, such that the benefit of the aroma at the time of use may be negated or significantly impaired simply due to the natural degradation of the aroma when mixed with the ingredient.
  • the present disclosure overcomes this limitation by creating a frozen precipitate 218 and mixing with the frozen solid gas source.
  • the aroma is preserved in frozen form and returned to gas vapor form, stored in a gas storage tank where the aroma does not degrade.
  • the true quality of the aroma can be delivered by infusion into the beverage, at the time the beverage is made, making delivering to the consumer in concentrated or syrup form, with aroma enhance gas, a true authentic tea experience, a real fresh brewed coffee experience, a fresh squeezed citrus experience, and/or delivering to the consumer other superior beverage making and enjoying experiences.
  • the aroma vapor 216 can be from a brewed ingredient 220 like coffee or tea, or an ingredient 214A, or other aroma source.
  • the aroma can be condensed into a precipitate 218.
  • the form of the aroma precipitate 218 is frozen ice so that it can be mixed in a predefined ratio with a solid gas source 202A, such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • a solid gas source 202A such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • the ratio-mix combination now forms an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B, which can be packaged in a solid gas source package 206 as illustrated in at least Figure 1A or directly into a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, as illustrated in at least Figure 1B .
  • Figure 3 further illustrates, for example and not a limitation, how the solid gas source 202A or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B can be packaged in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210A-B individually as solid gas source 202C, as option 'A' or as solid gas source 202D collocated with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214B in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210C-D, as option 'B'.
  • Other Figures, such as at least Figures 5 and 14 illustrate how the solid gas source can be collocated with other functional elements, such as dissolver 104 or in at least Figures 19-23 with dispenser 120.
  • FIG. 26A there is illustrated one example of a method of producing aroma enhanced solid gas 202 for use in a beverage making machine 100 to make a beverage.
  • the method begins in block 1002.
  • an aroma vapor 216 is captured during a preparation process of an ingredient.
  • preparation process typically occurs at a processing plant and can include brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • an ingredient could include, without limitation, tea leaves, coffee, sweetness enhance aroma producing ingredients, or other ingredients, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the method moves to block 1004.
  • the aroma vapor 216 is condensed into an aroma precipitate.
  • the aroma precipitate 218 is frozen and/or otherwise mixable with a solid gas source 202. The method moves to block 1006.
  • the aroma precipitate is mixed with the solid gas source in a predefined ratio forming an enhanced solid gas source 202.
  • the aroma precipitate 218 and the solid gas source 202 are preferably both in a frozen ice state. The method is then exited.
  • an enhanced aroma solid gas source 202 is produced using at least an enhancing compound as part of an ingredient.
  • the enhancing aroma could be tea and the enhancing compound could be tea leaves.
  • the enhancing aroma could be coffee and the enhancing compound could be derived from coffee beans.
  • the enhancing aroma could be fresh squeezed citrus and the enhancing compound could be derived from citrus.
  • the enhancing aroma and the enhancing compound could be selected with the purpose of producing a beverage having an aroma that is perceived olfactory, by a consumer, as sweetness enhancing. The method moves to block 1010.
  • an aroma precipitate is formed, through the conversion of an aroma vapor 216, released during a preparation process, which utilizes the ingredient.
  • a preparation process such as brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, can be used to cause aroma vapor 216 to be produced or otherwise released from an ingredient.
  • aroma vapor 216 for example and not a limitation, could be tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed, fresh squeezed citrus aroma when citrus is being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma, or other aroma when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • the method moves to block 1012.
  • the aroma precipitate 218 and the solid gas source 202A are mixed in a predefined ratio to form the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B.
  • the aroma vapor 216 can be from brewed ingredients 220 like tea or coffee or an ingredient 214A, or other aroma sources.
  • the aroma can be condensed into a precipitate 218.
  • the form of the aroma precipitate 218 is frozen ice so that it can be mixed in a predefined ratio with a solid gas source 202A, such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • a solid gas source 202A such as frozen CO2 (dry-ice) or other frozen gas.
  • the ratio-mixed combination now forms an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 26A there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of producing aroma enhanced solid gas 202 for use in a beverage making machine 100 to make a beverage. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • the ingredient as part of the preparation process, can be brewed.
  • tea aroma can be generated when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma can be generated when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed.
  • the ingredient as part of the preparation process, can be fermented.
  • wine-grape aroma can be generated when wine is fermenting
  • a beer aroma can be generated when beer is fermenting.
  • a tea based aroma enhanced solid gas source is produced.
  • the aroma enhanced solid gas source is packaged in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210.
  • the solid gas source can be placed into a solid gas package 206 and then packaged into a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210, or as illustrated in at least Figure 1B the solid gas source can be packaged directly into the beverage making cartridge, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • FIG. 3 there is illustrated, for example and not a limitation, how the solid gas source 202A or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B can be packaged in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210A-B individually as solid gas source 202C, as option 'A' or as solid gas source 202D collocated with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214B in a beverage making cartridge enclosure 210C-D, as option 'B'.
  • Other Figures, such as at least Figures 5 and 14 illustrate how the solid gas source can be collocated with other functional elements, such as dissolver 104 or in at least Figures 19-23 with dispenser 120.
  • an enhanced aroma can be produced using an enhancing compound as part of an ingredient, an aroma precipitate can be formed through conversion of an aroma vapor released during the preparation process which utilizes the ingredient, a predefined ratio of aroma precipitate can be mixed with the solid gas source to form an aroma enhanced solid gas source, the enhanced solid gas source can be packaged into a beverage making cartridge and the cartridge inserted into a beverage making machine, the aroma enhanced solid gas source can be allowed to sublimate emitting an aroma enhanced gas which can be captured and stored in a gas storage tank, a portion of the aroma enhanced gas can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid, and the beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with a predefined ratio of at least one beverage ingredient to form a beverage.
  • the method begins in block 1026.
  • an enhanced aroma can be produced using at least an enhancing compound, as part of an ingredient.
  • the enhancing aroma could be tea and the enhancing compound could be tea leaves.
  • the enhancing aroma could be coffee and the enhancing compound could be derived from coffee beans.
  • the enhancing aroma could be fresh squeezed citrus and the enhancing compound could be derived from citrus.
  • the enhancing aroma and the enhancing compound could be selected with the purpose of producing a beverage having an aroma that is perceived olfactory, by a consumer, as sweetness enhancing. The method moves to block 1028.
  • an aroma precipitate is formed, through the conversion of an aroma vapor 216, released during a preparation process, which utilizes the ingredient.
  • a preparation process such as brewing, fermentation, or other preparation process, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment, can be used to cause aroma vapor 216 to be produced or otherwise released from an ingredient.
  • aroma vapor 216 for example and not a limitation, could be tea aroma when tea leaves, as an ingredient, are brewed or coffee aroma when coffee, as an ingredient, is brewed, or fresh squeezed citrus aroma when citrus is being squeezed or citrus is processed to extract aroma, or other aroma when brewing, fermenting, squeezing, or other preparation process is used with other ingredients.
  • the method moves to block 1030.
  • the aroma precipitate 218 and the solid gas source 202A are packaged or otherwise mixed and/or combined, in a beverage making cartridge, in a predefined ratio to form the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B.
  • the method moves to block 1032.
  • a portion of the aroma enhanced gas is dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid. This causes the beverage diluent liquid to become gas infused with the combination gas and aroma molecules. The method moves to block 1034.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid is mixed with at least one of a beverage ingredient to form a beverage.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid emits gas and aroma, as the gas diffuses from the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the aroma can provide a pleasurable beverage for the consumer as the aroma molecules interact with the consumer's olfactory senses. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 26B there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of producing aroma enhanced solid gas 202 for use in a beverage making machine 100 to make a beverage. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • At least tea leaves can be used as an enhancing compound.
  • At least coffee can be used as an enhancing compound.
  • At least citrus can be used as an enhancing compound.
  • the beverage making cartridge enclosure 210 including the solid gas source 202A, as illustrated in at least Figure 3 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B can be inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the aroma enhanced solid gas source can be allowed to sublimate emitting an aroma enhanced gas.
  • the emitted gas can be captured and stored in a gas storage tank 108 for use in gas infused beverage making.
  • the enhancing aroma and enhancing compound is selected with the purpose of producing a beverage having an aroma that is perceived olfactory, by a consumer, as sweetness enhancing.
  • the aroma enhanced gas emitted from the aroma enhanced solid gas source is stored in a gas storage tank 108, for use in at least preparing gas infused beverages.
  • a portion of the aroma enhanced gas is dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the amount of gas dissolved can be predetermined and can be measured in a ratio of volumes of gas to one volume of beverage diluent liquid.
  • Dissolved volumes of gas into the beverage diluent liquid in the storage tank can typically range from one to nine volumes, as it is relatively easy to pressurize the dissolver 104 tank (in as least Figure 13 ) or hollow tubes (in at least Figure 12 ) with the stored gas and force higher volumes of gas into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • Finished beverage that is the beverage dispensed into a consumer's vessel 118, at typically normal atmospheric pressures and temperatures often see a finished gas infused beverage of two to four volumes of gas.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is mixed in a predefined ratio with at least one beverage ingredient to form a beverage.
  • the amount of gas dissolved can be predetermined and can be measured in a ratio of volumes of gas to one volume of beverage diluent liquid.
  • both the aroma precipitate and the solid gas source can be frozen prior to mixing both to form the enhanced gas source, as illustrated in at least Figure 3 .
  • a predetermined amount of volumes of aroma enhanced gas can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • supply cartridges 504 illustrated in at least Figure 18 can be supplied to operate a system 100.
  • the supply cartridges 504 can include beverage making cartridges 200 which comprises beverage ingredients 214, solid gas source 202A or aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B (in at least Figure 3 ), beverage diluent filter 222, and/or other types and kinds of beverage making cartridges 200, which comprises other types and kinds of supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage making cartridge 200 can include supplies which can be in inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 can be inserted into a solid gas source receptacle 110 and allowed to sublimate, emitting a gas 704 which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108 and subsequently be dissolved by a dissolver 104 into a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can then be optionally mixed with other beverage ingredients 214 and dispensed through a dispenser 120, to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the method begins in block 2002.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 can be inserted into a gas source receptacle 110.
  • the method moves to block 2004.
  • the solid gas source 202 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 is allowed to sublimate emitting gas 704, which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108. The method moves to block 2006.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 can be inserted into a beverage making cartridge receptacle 114, illustrated in Figure 7 as 114A-C and in Figure 8 as 114 A-B.
  • a beverage ingredient 214 can be a concentrated syrup, powder, flavoring, coloring, preservative, concentrate mixture, non-caloric sweetener also referred to as a non-nutritive sweetener, caloric sweetener also referred to as a sweetener, nutraceuticals, sweetener enhancers, tea leaves, coffee, a combination thereof, or other types and kinds of substances that can be mixed with a beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a beverage.
  • the method moves to block 2008.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be a liquid such as water or other liquid that can be mixed with other ingredients to form a beverage.
  • the liquid can have gas dissolved into the liquid to form a gas infused beverage. The method moves to block 2010.
  • the pressurized gas from the gas storage tank can be dissolved, by dissolver 104, into the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a gas infused beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas can be carbon dioxide (CO2) carbonating the beverage diluent liquid.
  • CO2 carbon dioxide
  • a predefined ratio of at least one of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can be infused with gas or not, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • at least Figures 7-8 illustrate different examples of the beverage diluent liquid fluid flow pathways. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 27A there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of making a beverage. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 contains a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202, which through sublimation emits a gas 704.
  • the solid gas source is formed by combining, in solid form, at least a carbonating gas and an aroma.
  • the solid gas source 202A can be carbon dioxide (dry-ice) in frozen form, or other solid gas and an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B can be a ratio mixture of the solid gas source 202A and an aroma precipitate 218.
  • the aroma enhanced solid gas source sublimates from solid form emitting a gas 704, which comprises at least a carbonation molecule and an aroma molecule for dissolving into a beverage diluent liquid.
  • a gas 704 which comprises at least a carbonation molecule and an aroma molecule for dissolving into a beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage diluent being used to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • more than one of a gas can be segregated into separate portions of the gas storage tank 108A-C (in at least Figure 16 ).
  • different types of gasses and/or different types of aroma enhanced gases can be segregated into separate portions of the gas storage tank 108A-C and kept from mixing. This effectuates that ability to make, for example and not a limitation, a tea with tea aroma enhanced gas and a coffee with coffee aroma enhanced gas, keeping both types of enhanced gas in a storage tank segregated, from each other, to prevent the different gas types from mixing.
  • a possible advantage in the present disclosure is that multiple aroma enhanced gas types can be used in the same beverage making machine 100.
  • each of the gases in the separate storage portion of the gas storage tank are arranged as to prevent the gas in each of the portions from mixing.
  • selection of which of the gas from at least one of the gas storage portion to be dissolved into the beverage diluent can be made.
  • supply cartridges 504 illustrated in at least Figure 18 can be supplied to operate a system 100.
  • the supply cartridges 504 can include beverage making cartridges 200 with include beverage ingredients 214, solid gas source 202A or aroma enhanced solid gas source 202B, beverage diluent filter 222, and/or other types and kinds of beverage making cartridges 200 which comprises other types and kinds of supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • beverage making cartridges 200 include supplies which can be in inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 which comprises a solid gas source 202 or an aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 can be inserted into a solid gas source receptacle 110 and allowed to sublimate, emitting a gas 704 which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108 and subsequently be dissolved by a dissolver 104 into a beverage diluent liquid 702.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can then be optionally mixed with other beverage ingredients 214 and dispensed through a dispenser 120, to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the method begins in block 2026.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 and at least one solid gas source, or at least one aroma enhanced solid gas source, or a combination thereof can be inserted into a beverage making beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 2028.
  • the solid gas source 202 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 is allowed to sublimate emitting gas 704, which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108.
  • the method moves to block 2030.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be a liquid such as water or other liquid that can be mixed with other ingredient to form a beverage.
  • the liquid can have gas dissolved into the liquid to form a gas infused beverage. The method moves to block 2032.
  • the pressurized gas from the gas storage tank can be dissolved, by dissolver 104, into the beverage diluent liquid 702 to form a gas infused beverage diluent liquid.
  • the gas can be carbon dioxide (CO2) carbonating the beverage diluent liquid.
  • CO2 carbon dioxide
  • the method moves to block 2034.
  • beverage diluent liquid can be infused with gas or the beverage diluent liquid non-infused, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • at least Figures 7 and 8 illustrate different examples of the beverage diluent liquid fluid flow pathways. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 27B there is illustrated examples of a method of making a beverage. The method begins in block 2036.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 and at least one solid gas source, or at least one aroma enhanced solid gas source, or a combination thereof can be inserted into a beverage making beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 2038.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be a liquid such as water or other liquid that can be mixed with other ingredient to form a beverage.
  • the liquid can have gas dissolved into the liquid to form a gas infused beverage. The method moves to block 2040.
  • a predefined ratio of at least one of the beverage ingredient 214 and the beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage in vessel 118.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can be infused with gas or the beverage diluent liquid non-infused, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • at least Figures 7 and 8 illustrate different examples of the beverage diluent liquid fluid flow pathways. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 27B there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of making a beverage. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • the beverage diluent liquid can be cooled by thermally coupling the beverage diluent cooler 148 with the beverage diluent receptacle 102, which is an arrangement that utilizes the cool surface temperature of the solid gas source to cool the beverage diluent liquid.
  • an initial beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a solid gas source 202 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the solid gas source 202 sublimates producing a gas that can be captured and pressurized in a gas storage tank 108, the gas storage tank being arranged in the beverage making machine 100.
  • the gas can be utilized to form a plurality of gas infused beverages.
  • a replacement beverage making cartridge 200 having a solid gas source 202 can be reordered.
  • reorder condition in the present disclosure, is intended to mean the predetermined point at which it is recommended that the depleted supply should be reordered.
  • This depleted supply point can be when the product is completely exhausted or more preferably when there is sufficient supply remaining to accommodate the time it takes for a regularly scheduled periodic trip, by the consumer, to the grocery store to take place and/or a delivery service to ship the consumer an online order or phone order of the new supply to replace the depleted supply.
  • the beverage making machine 100 can selectively be programmed to trigger the reorder condition based on the needs and preferences of the consumer including, but not limited to, allowing the beverage making machine 100 to determine when a supply needs to be reordered and automatically placing a resupply order by way of a global network 604.
  • a possible advantage, in the present disclosure is that a solid gas source 202 under little to no pressure conditions can be shipped to the point of use. At the point of use, the solid gas source is inserted into the beverage making machine 100 where it sublimated to pressurize a gas storage tank 108.
  • the present disclosure overcomes the limitation of not being able to ship high pressure gas by shipping the gas in solid form at no or low pressure and then generating the high pressure gas when inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service is used to refer to the present disclosure's ability to overcome the limitation of not being able to ship high pressure gas by shipping a solid gas source 202 form which a high pressure gas can be generated therefrom at point of use.
  • the method begins in block 3002.
  • At least one of the beverage making cartridge 200 is inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method move to block 3004.
  • the solid gas source 202 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 is allowed to sublimate emitting gas 704, which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108. The method moves to block 3006.
  • the gas 704 is used to form a plurality of beverage, which reduces the supply of gas in the storage tank 108.
  • the method moves to block 3008.
  • a low gas and/or beverage ingredient, or other low supply level can trigger a reorder condition, at least one of the beverage making cartridges 200 is reordered by way of a global network 604. The method moves to block 3010.
  • block 3010 at least one of the beverage making cartridge 200 is received, having been shipped to replace the depleted supply of gas by way of a no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service. The method moves back to block 3002.
  • a consumer can provide an inventory list of beverages they would like to make with the beverage making machine 100. From the list of beverages the consumer wants to make, a plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 needed to make the selected beverages can be determined. By way of a global network 604 the plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 can be ordered. The plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 can be shipped to the point of use and/or the consumer's location. Upon delivery at the point of use, the beverage making machine 100 can prompt the consumer to insert certain of the plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the plurality of beverage making cartridges can include beverage ingredients, filters, solid gas sources, aroma enhanced solid gas sources, and other types and/or kinds of supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the solid gas sources 202 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 and utilized to pressurize the gas storage tank, which is arranged to be part of the beverage making machine 100. The method begins in block 3012.
  • block 3012 the consumer is allowed to provide an inventory list of beverages that they would like to make with the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 3014.
  • a plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 can be determined based in part of the inventory list of beverages the consumer would like to make with the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 3016.
  • block 3018 the plurality of beverage making cartridges 200 are received by way of a no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service.
  • the method moves to block 3020.
  • the consumer can insert certain of the plurality of beverage making cartridges 200, which comprises a solid gas source or an aroma enhanced solid gas source into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 3022.
  • the solid gas source 202 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 is allowed to sublimate emitting gas 704, which can be captured, stored, and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108. The method is exited.
  • a method of supplying consumables to a beverage making machine 100 there is illustrated a method of supplying consumables to a beverage making machine 100.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 can be shipped to the point of use and/or the consumer's location.
  • certain of the beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can include beverage ingredients, filters, solid gas sources, aroma enhanced solid gas sources, and other types and/or kinds of supplies, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the solid gas sources 202 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 and utilized to pressurize the gas storage tank, which is arranged to be part of the beverage making machine 100. The gas can then be used to make a plurality of beverages. The method begins in block 3024.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 is received by way of a no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service. The method moves to block 3026.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 which comprises a solid gas source or an aroma enhanced solid gas source can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 3028.
  • the solid gas source 202 or the aroma enhanced solid gas source 202 is allowed to sublimate emitting gas 704, which can be captured, stored and utilized to pressurize a gas storage tank 108. The method moves to block 3030.
  • the gas 704 is used to form a plurality of beverage, which reduces the supply of gas in the storage tank 108.
  • the method is exited.
  • FIG. 28B there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of supplying consumables to a beverage making machine. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • a notification to a consumer can be sent to the consumer's wireless device, such as wireless device 602.
  • a notification can be a text message and/or instant message, an email, a verbal recorded notification, a symbol that appears on the consumer's wireless device to indicate action is required or information is available, and/or other types and kinds of notifications, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the method moves to block 3034.
  • the consumer is allowed to reorder supplies, by way of the consumer's wireless device, such as wireless device 602.
  • a supply reorder can be a text message and/or instant message, an email, accessing a website, ecommerce transaction, confirming a payment charge or order acceptance with the consumer's wireless device, providing a verbal recorded order and/or approval, responding to a symbol that appears on the consumer's wireless device to indicate reorder is approved or an order is placed, and/or other types and kinds of supply reordering methods and/or reordering mechanisms, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a consumer is allowed to reorder by way of the computer control 122 that is used to operate the beverage making machine 100, as illustrated in at least Figures 7 and 8 .
  • the solid gas source 202 is frozen carbon dioxide, which can optionally be mixed in a predetermined ratio of the frozen carbon dioxide and a frozen aroma precipitate.
  • the gas 704 can be utilized to form a plurality of beverages. The use of which reduces the supply of gas in the storage tank 108. The method moves to block 3044.
  • At least one of the beverage making cartridges 200 can be reordered, by way of a global network 602, when the gas 704 is depleted, triggering a reorder condition. The method moves to block 3046.
  • At least one of the beverage making cartridges 200 is received having been shipped by way of a no-high-pressure-gas-allowed-delivery-service. The method moves to block 3048.
  • At least one of the beverage making cartridges 200 received is inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 that contain a solid gas source should preferably be inserted upon receiving them at the point of use so that the gas, which may already be sublimating, resultant from the solid gas source warming, can be captured and stored in the gas storage tank rather than just venting to the atmosphere.
  • a beverage making cartridge can contain a solid gas source and at least one of a beverage ingredient.
  • Such a beverage making cartridge can be inserted into the beverage making machine to allow the solid gas source to sublimate pressurizing the gas storage tank.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the beverage making machine and stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 to extend the shelf life of the beverage ingredient, to cool the beverage diluent liquid which may have been added to the beverage making cartridge, and/or for other reasons, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the plurality of beverage making cartridges can be utilized to form a plurality of beverages, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • a notification to a consumer can be sent to the consumer's wireless device, such as wireless device 602.
  • a notification can be a text message and/or instant message, an email, a verbal recorded notification, a symbol that appears on the consumer's wireless device to indicate action is required or information is available, and/or other types and kinds of notifications, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the consumer is allowed to reorder supplies, by way of the consumer's wireless device, such as wireless device 602.
  • a supply reorder can be a text message and/or instant message, an email, accessing a website, ecommerce transaction, confirming a payment charge or order acceptance with the consumer's wireless device, providing a verbally recorded order and/or approval, responding to a symbol that appears on the consumer's wireless device to indicate reorder is approved or an order is placed, and/or other types and kinds of supply reordering methods and/or reordering mechanisms, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridges can be stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 being removed and inserted into a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage needs to be made.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can then be removed from the beverage making machine 100 and returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can be chilled in a refrigerated appliance 402 only being removed and inserted in a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage is formed.
  • chilling the beverage diluent in a beverage making cartridge in a refrigerated appliance 402 prior to beverage making when cold beverage diluent liquid is used in beverage making it is easier to infuse gas and more refreshing to drink a cold beverage.
  • chilling the beverage diluent liquid approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid, increases the solubility of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • this can cause the gas infused beverage diluent liquid to reach dissolved equilibrium and hold the gas infusion better when dispensed. As such, throughput of producing gas infused beverage diluent is increased.
  • beverage ingredients in a beverage making cartridge, in a refrigerated appliance 402 can extend the shelf life of the beverage ingredients.
  • sensitive beverage ingredients can include, for example and not a limitation, dairy, soy, fruit based, microbiological sensitive ingredients, and/or other types and kinds of ingredients that are quickly perishable ingredients when exposed to unrefrigerated environments for a prolonged period of time, or as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 containing only the solid gas source 202 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 and be allowed to sublimate and pressurize the gas storage tank 108. Once the gas storage tank has been pressurized the cartridges useful function is complete and it can be discarded, recycled, or simply remain in the beverage making machine. On the other hand, the beverage ingredient containing beverage making cartridges 200 can be stored in the refrigerated appliance 402 and removed and used with the beverage making machine only when needed to form a beverage, then returned to the refrigerated appliance 402. Referring to Figure 29A , the method begins in block 4002.
  • At least one of a first beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the first beverage making cartridge comprising a solid gas source 202.
  • the solid gas source 202 sublimates emitting a gas 704. The method moves to block 4004.
  • the gas storage tank 108 is pressurized, by way of the solid gas source 202 emitting gas as it sublimates, in anticipation of the beverage making machine 100 being used to make a beverage.
  • the method moves to block 4006.
  • a second beverage making cartridge is stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4008.
  • the beverage making machine 100 is now prepared for making a beverage.
  • the consumer can prepare a beverage by way of the following steps, which starts in block 4010.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can be retrieved from the refrigerated appliance. The method moves to block 4012.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 4014.
  • a supply of beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to the beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • the method moves to block 4016.
  • At least a portion of the gas from the gas storage tank can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the method continues in block 4018.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 29A there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of making a beverage in a beverage making machine 100. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4022.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can be returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can further comprise the beverage diluent receptacle for holding the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is supplied in the beverage diluent receptacle and the beverage making cartridge comprising the beverage diluent receptacle is stored in the refrigerated appliance 402 the beverage diluent liquid is cooled.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is chilled while in the beverage diluent receptacle in the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • cold beverage diluent liquid is used in beverage making it is easier to infuse gas and more refreshing to drink a cold beverage.
  • chilling the beverage diluent liquid approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid, increases the solubility of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • this can cause the gas infused beverage diluent liquid to reach dissolved equilibrium and hold the gas infusion better when dispensed. As such, throughput of producing gas infused beverage diluent liquid is increased.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is chilled in the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage diluent liquid independent and not being part of the beverage making cartridge can be chilled in a separate container in the refrigerated appliance so that when the beverage diluent liquid is supplied to the beverage making machine it is chilled. This helps with the ability to infuse gas into the beverage diluent liquid as well as provides a chilled beverage.
  • the solid gas source 202 is frozen carbon dioxide, which can optionally be mixed in a predetermined ratio of the frozen carbon dioxide and a frozen aroma precipitate.
  • the beverage making cartridges comprising at least a solid gas source and a beverage ingredient can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 so that the solids gas source can sublimate emitting a gas that can be captured and use to pressurize a gas storage tank.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the beverage making machine and stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the refrigerated appliance 402 and inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage can be formed.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can then be removed from the beverage making machine 100 and returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can be chilled in a refrigerated appliance 402 only being removed and inserted in a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage is formed.
  • the method begins in block 4032.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the first beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a solid gas source 202 and at least one of a beverage ingredient.
  • the solid gas source 202 sublimates emitting a gas 704. The method moves to block 4034.
  • the gas storage tank 108 is pressurized, by way of the solid gas source 202 emitting gas as it sublimates, in anticipation of the beverage making machine 100 being used to make a beverage.
  • the method moves to block 4036.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4038.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4040.
  • the beverage making machine 100 is now prepared for making a beverage.
  • the consumer can prepare a beverage by way of the following steps, which starts in block 4042
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be retrieved from the refrigerated appliance 402. The method moves to block 4044.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 4046.
  • a supply of beverage diluent liquid 702 can be supplied to the beverage diluent receptacle 102. The method moves to block 4048.
  • At least a portion of the gas from the gas storage tank can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the method continues in block 4050.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage. The method is then exited.
  • FIG. 29B there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of making a beverage in a beverage making machine 100. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4054.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the second beverage making cartridge 200 can further comprise the beverage diluent receptacle for holding the beverage diluent liquid.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is supplied in the beverage diluent receptacle and the beverage making cartridge comprising the beverage diluent receptacle is stored in the refrigerated appliance 402 the beverage diluent liquid is cooled.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is chilled while in the beverage diluent receptacle in the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • cold beverage diluent liquid is used in beverage making it is easier to infuse gas and more refreshing to drink a cold beverage.
  • chilling the beverage diluent liquid approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid, increases the solubility of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid.
  • this can cause the gas infused beverage diluent liquid to reach dissolved equilibrium and hold the gas infusion better when dispensed. As such, throughput of producing gas infused beverage diluent liquid is increased.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is chilled in the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage diluent liquid independent and not being part of the beverage making cartridge can be chilled in a separate container in the refrigerated appliance so that when the beverage diluent liquid is supplied to the beverage making machine it is chilled. This helps with the ability to infuse gas into the beverage diluent liquid as well as provides a chilled beverage.
  • the beverage diluent liquid is chilled as it passes through the beverage making cartridge.
  • the beverage diluent cooler 148 can be utilized to chill the beverage diluent liquid as it passes through the beverage making cartridge as the beverage is being formed.
  • the beverage making cartridges comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient and a beverage diluent receptacle 102.
  • the beverage diluent receptacle can be filled with a beverage diluent liquid 702 and stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine to chill the beverage diluent liquid, which consequentially can also extend the shelf life of the beverage ingredient.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the refrigerated appliance 402 and inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage can be formed.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can then be removed from the beverage making machine 100, refilled with a beverage diluent liquid, and returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can be chilled in a refrigerated appliance 402 only being removed and inserted in a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage is formed.
  • the method begins in block 4068.
  • a beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 and a beverage diluent receptacle can have a beverage diluent liquid 702 filled into the beverage diluent receptacle. The method moves to block 4070.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100, wherein the beverage diluent liquid 702 is chilled. The method moves to block 4072.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be retrieved from the refrigerated appliance 402. The method moves to block 4076.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the method moves to block 4078.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage. The method is then exited.
  • the beverage making cartridges comprising at least a solid gas source, a beverage ingredient, and a dissolver can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 so that the solid gas source can sublimate emitting a gas that can be captured and use to pressurize a gas storage tank.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the beverage making machine and stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the refrigerated appliance 402 and inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the dissolver within the beverage making cartridge 200 can dissolve a portion of the gas into the beverage diluent liquid and the gas infused beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with the beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can then be removed from the beverage making machine 100 and returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can be chilled in a refrigerated appliance 402 only being removed and inserted in a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage is formed.
  • the method begins in block 4080.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machines,
  • the beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient, a dissolver 104, and at least one of a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas.
  • the method moves to block 4034 referenced in Figure 29B , wherein the step in block 4048 of dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent is accomplished by way of the dissolver which is part of the beverage making cartridge 200 in this exemplary embodiment.
  • the beverage making cartridges comprising at least a solid gas source, a beverage ingredient, and a beverage diluent receptacle can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100 so that the solids gas source can sublimate emitting a gas that can be captured and use to pressurize a gas storage tank.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the beverage making machine, the beverage diluent receptacle filled with a beverage diluent liquid 702, and the beverage making cartridge 200 can be stored in a refrigerated appliance 402 separate from the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridge can be removed from the refrigerated appliance 402 and inserted into a beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage diluent liquid (with or without gas infusion) can be mixed with the beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can then be removed from the beverage making machine 100 and returned to the refrigerated appliance 402.
  • the beverage making cartridges 200 can be chilled in a refrigerated appliance 402 only being removed and inserted in a beverage making machine 100 when a beverage is formed.
  • the method begins in block 4082.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machines,
  • the beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient, a beverage diluent receptacle 102, and at least one of a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas.
  • the method moves to block 4084.
  • the gas storage tank 108 is pressurized, by way of the solid gas source 202 emitting gas as it sublimates, in anticipation of the beverage making machine 100 being used to make a beverage.
  • the method moves to block 4086.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can be removed from the beverage making machine 100. The method moves to block 4088.
  • the beverage diluent receptacle within the beverage making cartridge 200 can be filled with a beverage diluent liquid.
  • the method moves to block 4038 referenced in Figure 29B .
  • FIGS. 30A-B there is illustrated examples of methods of increasing the retained volume of gas 704 in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • it can be desirable to prevent as best possible the dissolved gas in the beverage diluent liquid 702 from breaking out and escaping from the beverage upon dispense into the vessel 118.
  • pressure change from inside the pressurized internal environment of the beverage making machine 100 dissolver 104 interconnected components and tubing to the standard pressure and atmospheric conditions of the consumer's vessel 118 is one factor that can cause outgassing of the gas 704 from the finished beverage.
  • One solution, in the present disclosure can be blending sweetener and/or non-nutritive sweetener with the beverage diluent 702 to create an enhanced beverage diluent liquid and then dissolve gas into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • a possible advantage in the present disclosure is that the enhanced beverage diluent liquid when dispensed into the vessel 118 holds the gas 704 better. In this regard, resulting in a higher dissolved volume of gas 704 in the beverage, as compared to having dissolved the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only.
  • block 5002 there is illustrated a method of making a beverage, in a beverage making machine 100, the method increasing the retained volume of a gas in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid, and then dissolving the gas 704 into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid versus dissolving the gas into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only.
  • the method starts in block 5002 where on inlet into a dissolver 104 a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702 can be mixed with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid, the beverage ingredient 214 being a sweetener or a non-nutritive sweetener or a combination thereof.
  • the method moves to block 5004.
  • the gas 704 is injected into the dissolver 104 at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas 704 to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • gas dissolving pressure in the present disclosure, is intended to mean the gas pressure necessary to cause the gas to dissolve into a liquid.
  • the liquid can be at some nominal pressure and in order to get the gas to dissolve into the liquid, the pressure of the gas needs to exceed the nominal pressure of the liquid.
  • the gas dissolving pressure is that pressure, which is need to overcome any nominal liquid pressure and forcible diffuse the gas into the liquid.
  • liquid temperature, surface area of the liquid exposed to the gas, gas dissolving pressure, and other factors work together to determine the average time required to dissolve the gas into the liquid and for the gas infused liquid to reach equilibrium. The method moves to block 5006.
  • a predetermined amount of the gas 704 can be dissolved into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid. The method moves to block 5008.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can be mixed with at least one of a second beverage ingredient to form the beverage.
  • the method moves to block 5010.
  • the beverage can be dispensed from the beverage making machine 100 into a vessel 118.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas 704 to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration, instead of being more easily released to the atmosphere, such that the volumes of the gas 704 in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus having dissolved the gas into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only.
  • the routine is exited.
  • FIG. 30A there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of increasing the retained volume of gas 704 in the beverage after dispense into a vessel, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • At least one of the beverage making cartridges 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making cartridge 200 can comprise a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704. The method moves to block 5014.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be pressurized and arranged to store the gas 704.
  • the beverage having a selectable target gas volumes level can be created by diluting volumetrically the enhanced beverage diluent liquid from the dissolver 14 which comprises the gas 704, with the beverage diluent liquid 702 which is absent the gas 704, to form the blended beverage diluent liquid having the selected target gas volumes level.
  • the supply of beverage ingredients 214 can be stopped prior to stopping of the supply of the beverage diluent liquid 702 to clean the beverage making machine 100 fluid pathways, in preparation of making a subsequent beverage.
  • the gas as force, is used to eject the gas 704 infused enhanced beverage diluent liquid from the dissolver 104.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can be chilled approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas 704 into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid, wherein solubility of the gas 704 into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid is increased.
  • the dissolver is a gas permeable hollow fiber tube.
  • the dissolver is a tank style dissolver.
  • FIG. 30B there is illustrated examples of increasing the retained volume of gas 704 in the beverage after dispense into a vessel, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the method begins in block 5032.
  • a method of making a beverage in a beverage making machine 100, the method increasing the retained volume of gas 704 in the beverage after dispense into a vessel 118, by mixing a beverage diluent liquid 702 with at least ones of a beverage ingredient 214 to form an enhanced beverage diluent liquid, and then dissolving a gas 704 into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid versus dissolving the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only.
  • combining the beverage diluent liquid with the sweetener and/or the non-nutritive sweetener creates a new matrix of molecules that the gas can diffuse into. This new matrix holds the gas molecules, in the combined liquid, better than trying to infuse the beverage diluent liquid only.
  • the method starts in block 5032 where a beverage type containing a sweetener, a non-nutritive sweetener, or a combination thereof, can be selected wherein two of the beverage ingredient 214 can be the sweetener and the non-nutritive sweetener and the beverage making machine 100.
  • the beverage making machine can further comprise a dissolver 104 which further comprises a gas inlet 156, a sweetener inlet 164, a non-nutritive sweetener inlet 166, a beverage diluent liquid inlet 154, at least a first dissolving chamber 152B, and a second dissolving chamber 152D each having an inlet end 168 for receiving the sweetener, the non-nutritive sweetener and the beverage diluent liquid, and an outlet end 170 where the sweetener, the non-nutritive sweetener, the beverage diluent liquid 702, and combinations thereof can exit the dissolving chamber, each of the first and second dissolving chamber 152B/152D is partitioned and arranged to prevent mixing between the first and second dissolving chamber 152B/152D, each of the first and second dissolving chamber 152B/152D is also arranged to allow the gas 704 supplied, from the gas inlet 156, to permeate liquids in each of the first and second dissolv
  • Block 5034 is the path for when the beverage selected contains the sweetener and block 5044 is the path for when the beverage selected contains the non-nutritive sweetener. In the case where the beverage selected contains a combination of sweetener and non-nutritive sweetener then both pathway 5034 and 5044 are followed.
  • a predefined ratio of the beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage diluent liquid inlet 154 is mixed with the sweetener from the sweetener inlet 164 to form the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • Combining the beverage diluent liquid with the sweetener creates a new matrix of molecules that the gas can diffuse into. This new matrix holds the gas molecules, in the combined liquid, better than trying to infuse the beverage diluent liquid only. The method moves to block 5038.
  • the gas 704 is injected into the dissolver 104 at a gas dissolving pressure to cause the gas to dissolve into the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • the method moves to block 5042.
  • the beverage is dispensed from the beverage making machine into a vessel.
  • the enhanced beverage diluent liquid causes the gas 704 to be retained in the beverage in higher concentration, instead of being more easily released to the atmosphere, such that the volumes of the gas 704 in the beverage, after dispense, is increased versus having dissolved the gas into the beverage diluent liquid 702 only.
  • the routine is exited.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage diluent liquid 702 from the beverage diluent liquid inlet 154 can be mixed with the non-nutritive sweetener from the non-nutritive sweetener inlet 166 to form the enhanced beverage diluent liquid.
  • Combining the beverage diluent liquid with the non-nutritive sweetener creates a new matrix of molecules that the gas can diffuse into. This new matrix holds the gas molecules, in the combined liquid, better than trying to infuse the beverage diluent liquid only. The method moves to block 5048.
  • the fluid flow of the enhanced beverage diluent liquid can be directed into the second dissolving chamber 152D.
  • the method moves to block 5040.
  • beverages having a predetermined level of dissolved gas can be effectuated by combining beverage diluent liquid fluid flows (with and without gas infusion) with at least one of a beverage ingredient flow to control the volumes of gas in a formed beverage.
  • Illustrated in at least Figure 11 are multiple incoming liquid streams that can comprise beverage ingredients, beverage diluent liquids comprising with and without gas, and/or other types and kinds of liquid streams, as may be required and/or desired in a particular embodiment.
  • the streams converge on the dispenser 120 or a mixer 150.
  • the mixed streams can then be dispensed to form the beverage having a selectable level of dissolved gas into a vessel 118.
  • a method of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine 100 begins in block 6002.
  • a gas storage tank 108 can be pressurized and arranged to store a gas. The method moves to block 6004.
  • a beverage diluent liquid can be supplied into a dissolver 104.
  • the method moves to block 6006.
  • a portion of the gas 704 can be dissolved into the beverage diluent liquid at a minimum dissolver gas volumes level. The method moves to block 6008.
  • a blended beverage diluent liquid can be created having a selectable target gas volumes level by diluting volumetrically the beverage diluent liquid from the dissolver 104 comprising the gas, with the beverage diluent liquid 702 which is absence the gas 704, to form the blended beverage diluent liquid having the selected target gas volumes level.
  • the method moves to block 6010.
  • a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the blended beverage diluent liquid can be dispensed to form a beverage having the selected target gas volumes level. The method is exited.
  • a method of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine 100 begins in block 6012.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214 and a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas.
  • the method moves to block 6002.
  • a method of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine 100 begins in block 6014.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of a beverage ingredient 214, a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits a gas 704, and a dissolver 104.
  • the method moves to block 6002.
  • FIGS 31A-B there are also illustrated exemplary embodiments of methods of making a beverage comprising a gas in a beverage making machine 100. Such exemplary embodiments illustrated below can be selectively utilized with the methods of the present disclosure.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising at least one of the beverage ingredient 214.
  • At least one of a beverage making cartridge 200 can be inserted into the beverage making machine 100, the beverage making cartridge 200 comprising a gas source portion 228 comprising a solid gas source 202 that through sublimation emits the gas 704.
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can be introduced into the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber 104 (in at least Figure 12 ), the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber 104 receiving a fixed volume of the beverage diluent liquid 702. The method moves to block 6022.
  • the gas 704 can be injected, at a gas dissolving pressure, into the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber 104 (in at least Figure 12 ), to obtain the minimum dissolver gas volumes level.
  • the method moves to block 6024.
  • the gas infused beverage diluent liquid is released from the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber 104 (in at least Figure 12 ).
  • the gas 704 as force, can be used to eject the gas infused beverage diluent liquid from the gas permeable hollow fiber tube chamber (in at least Figure 12 ).
  • the beverage diluent liquid 702 can be chilled approaching 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0°C) prior to dissolving the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702, wherein solubility of the gas 704 into the beverage diluent liquid 702 is increased.
  • the minimum dissolver 104 gas volumes level is greater than four and the selectable target gas volumes level is between one-half gas volumes and five gas volumes.
  • the predetermined target gas 704 volumes level is between one-half gas volumes and five gas volumes.
  • the minimum dissolver gas volumes level is in the range of up to nine.
  • one or more aspects of the present disclosure can be included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products) having, for instance, computer usable media.
  • the media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present disclosure.
  • the article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately.
  • a processor of the computer system can implement the instructions stored on the computer usable media.
  • At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present disclosure can be provided.

Landscapes

  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine (100), umfassend:
    einen Gasspeichertank (108) und
    eine Getränkezubereitungskartusche (200), umfassend:
    eine Getränkezubereitungskartuschenhülle (210), umfassend:
    einen Gasquellenabschnitt (228), wobei der Gasquellenabschnitt ferner eine Feststoff-Gasquelle (202) umfasst, die durch Sublimation ein Gas (704) abgibt,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie ferner mindestens einen Getränkeinhaltsstoffabschnitt (230) umfasst, der einen Getränkeinhaltsstoff (214) umfasst, und
    einen in der Getränkezubereitungskartuschenhülle angeordneten Einwege-Abzug (204), der das aus der Feststoff-Gasquelle abgegebene Gas derart abzieht, dass dieses aufgefangen und in dem Gasspeichertank gespeichert werden kann,
    wobei das Gas aus dem Gasspeichertank in einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) gelöst und mit mindestens einem Getränkeinhaltsstoff (214) vermischt wird, um ein Getränk zu bilden.
  2. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    ein Isoliermaterial (206), das die Feststoff-Gasquelle in einer sterilen Umgebung einschließt und eine Sublimationsrate der Feststoff-Gasquelle mäßigt.
  3. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    eine Ausschankeinrichtung (120), die an der Getränkezubereitungskartuschenhülle angebracht und dafür eingerichtet ist, ein Getränk auszuschenken,
    wobei bevorzugt die Ausschankeinrichtung eine Getränkeinhaltsstoff-Auswahleinrichtung (150) umfasst, um auszuwählen, welcher der Getränkeinhaltsstoffe gegebenenfalls mit einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) vermischt wird, um ein Getränk zu bilden.
  4. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    einen Getränkeverdünnungsmittelkühler (148; 148A; 148B), der dafür eingerichtet ist, die kühle Oberflächentemperatur der Feststoff-Gasquelle mit einem Getränkeverdünnungsmittelbehälter (102; 102A; 102B; 102C) thermisch zu koppeln, um eine Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) zu kühlen.
  5. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    ein Getränkeverdünnungsmittelfilter (222), das dafür eingerichtet ist, eine Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) zu filtern.
  6. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    mindestens eine Fluidhandhabungseinrichtung (144) zum anteiligen Mischen einer Gas (704) umfassenden Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) mit einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702), die das Gas nicht enthält, um die Volumina des Gases in einem Getränk zu verringern.
  7. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend:
    dass der Inhaltsstoff (214A) einen in diesem gebundenen Aromadampf (216) beinhaltet, wobei der Aromadampf zu einem Aromapräzipitat (218) kondensiert und mit einer Feststoff-Gasquelle (202A) vermischt wird, um eine aromatisch angereicherte Feststoff-Gasquelle (202B) zu bilden.
  8. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 7, wobei das Aromapräzipitat und die Feststoff-Gasquelle beide in Eisform vorliegen und/oder
    wobei nach Einführung der Getränkezubereitungskartusche in die Getränkezubereitungsmaschine die aromatisch angereicherte Feststoff-Gasquelle sublimiert und ein aromatisch angereichertes Gas abgibt.
  9. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 7, wobei es sich bei mindestens einem Inhaltsstoff (214) um Kaffee, Tee oder Zitrus und bei mindestens einem Zubereitungsprozess um Brauen, Fermentieren oder Auspressen handelt und/oder
    wobei mindestens ein Inhaltsstoff (214) ein süßendes Aroma produziert.
  10. Getränkezubereitungsmaschine nach Anspruch 7, wobei bis zu neun Volumina des aromatisch angereicherten Gases in einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) gelöst werden und/oder
    wobei eine Menge des aromatisch angereicherten Gases in einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) derart gelöst wird, dass ein Getränk, wenn dieses in ein Behältnis (118; 118A; 118B, 118C) ausgeschenkt wird, zwischen zwei und fünf in dem Getränk gelöste Volumina des aromatisch angereicherten Gases aufweist.
  11. Verfahren, umfassend:
    Bereitstellen einer einen Gasspeichertank (108) umfassenden Getränkezubereitungsmaschine,
    Bereitstellen einer Getränkezubereitungskartuschenhülle (210), umfassend:
    einen Gasquellenabschnitt (228), wobei der Gasquellenabschnitt ferner eine Feststoff-Gasquelle (202) umfasst, die durch Sublimation ein Gas (704) abgibt,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass mindestens ein einen Getränkeinhaltsstoff (214) umfassender Getränkeinhaltsstoffabschnitt (230) bereitgestellt wird,
    Anordnen eines Einwege-Abzugs (204) in der Getränkezubereitungskartuschenhülle, der das aus der Feststoff-Gasquelle abgegebene Gas abzieht,
    Auffangen des Gases in dem Gasspeichertank, Zulassen, dass sich das Gas aus dem Gasspeichertank in einer Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit (702) löst, und
    Mischen der Getränkeverdünnungsflüssigkeit mit mindestens einem Getränkeinhaltsstoff (214), um ein Getränk zu bilden.
  12. Verfahren nach Anspruch 11, ferner umfassend:
    Einschließen der Feststoff-Gasquelle in einer sterilen Umgebung, um eine Sublimationsrate der Feststoff-Gasquelle zu mäßigen.
  13. Verfahren nach Anspruch 11, ferner umfassend:
    Auffangen eines während eines Zubereitungsprozesses eines Inhaltsstoffs (214) freigesetzten Aromadampfs (216),
    Kondensieren des Aromadampfs zu einem Aromapräzipitat (218) und
    Mischen des Aromapräzipitats mit einer Feststoff-Gasquelle (202A) in einem vordefinierten Verhältnis, um eine aromatisch angereicherte Feststoff-Gasquelle (202B) zu bilden.
  14. Verfahren nach Anspruch 13, wobei das Aromapräzipitat und die Feststoff-Gasquelle beide in Eisform vorliegen.
  15. Verfahren nach Anspruch 13, ferner umfassend:
    Verpacken der aromatisch angereicherten Feststoff-Gasquelle in einer Getränkezubereitungskartusche (200).
EP14736134.9A 2013-06-04 2014-06-04 Getränkezubereitungskartuschen zur verwendung in einer getränkezubereitungsmaschine Active EP3003960B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (13)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201361830775P 2013-06-04 2013-06-04
US201361830767P 2013-06-04 2013-06-04
US13/913,218 US20140150670A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,311 US20140154368A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Beverage Making Cartridges for Use in a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,304 US20140150665A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of Making a Beverage in a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,316 US20140154369A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Beverage Making Cartridges for Use in a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,235 US9233824B2 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of making a beverage including a gas in a beverage making machine
US13/913,309 US20140154382A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of Supplying Consumables to a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,211 US9630826B2 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Beverage making machine
US13/913,320 US20140154391A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of Making a Beverage in a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,227 US20140170279A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of Making a Beverage in a Beverage Making Machine
US13/913,201 US20140154380A1 (en) 2013-06-07 2013-06-07 Method of Producing Aroma Enhanced Gas for Use in a Beverage Making Machine
PCT/US2014/040942 WO2014197619A1 (en) 2013-06-04 2014-06-04 Beverage making cartridges for use in a beverage making machine

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EP3003960B1 true EP3003960B1 (de) 2020-02-12

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EP3969160A4 (de) 2019-05-15 2023-01-25 Flow Control LLC. Kompaktes gesteuertes ventil mit integrierten öffnungen zum präzisen mischen

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EP3003960A1 (de) 2016-04-13
AU2014274897B9 (en) 2018-09-20
CA2913086A1 (en) 2014-12-11
WO2014197619A1 (en) 2014-12-11
AU2014274897B2 (en) 2018-05-24
AU2014274897A1 (en) 2015-12-03

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