GB2139910A - Carbonating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A header tank 1, filled with fresh water 2, is connected to a carbonating pressure vessel 4, so that water 2 can flow, under gravity, into the vessel 2 to a level 6, ensuring that an air gap 7 remains above the level 6. A replaceable gas cylinder and valve assembly 9 is connected to a gas nozzle 13, Fig. 2 which extends into the water 5 in vessel 4, so that by actuation of the assembly, pressurised gas enters the vessel 4, thereby effecting carbonation of the water 5. Excess gas which builds up in the gap 7 is subsequently utilised to expel carbonated water from the vessel 4. A user-operable rotary control 17 is employed to control water valves 18 and 19 and a gas exhaust valve 15, Fig. 2. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Carbonating apparatus This invention relates to carbonating apparatus and in particular, though not exclusively, to such an apparatus for carbonating water, to which flavoured concentrate may be added to make fizzy beverages.

There are two known types of carbonating apparatus, one being arranged to carbonate water retained in a suitable bottle which is removeable from the apparatus and the second being arranged to carbonate a relatively large amount of water retained in a pressure vessel incorporated in the apparatus. The water, when carbonated, may be used all at once or alternatively, may be kept so that smaller amounts may be used when required.

The present invention is generally concerned with the second type of carbonating apparatus, wherein a relatively large amount of carbonated water is made and subsequently used when required.

Carbonating apparatus of this type, is disclosed in BP.392750, wherein fresh water is drawn from a header tank of the apparatus and carbonated in a pressure vessel, having a bottom inlet and a top outlet. On subsequent opening of the inlet, fresh water is admitted into the vessel via the inlet from a header tank, thereby displacing the carbonated water upwardly in the vessel and out via the outlet.

BP.1595911 shows an improved valve arrangement for such an apparatus.

However, in this known type of apparatus several problems may arise, in that positioning of the water inlet and outlet at/or adjacent opposing ends of the pressure vessel may cause difficulties in removal of the vessel from the apparatus for cleaning purposes.

It would also be necessary to ensure that the header tank constantly contains sufficient fresh water to displace the carbonated water and to flush it out through the outlet.

Moreover, the in-coming fresh water into the vessel may tend to mix with the displaced carbonated water, thereby causing dilution thereof.

It can also be seen from BP1595911 that a rather complex valve arrangement is required to perform the desired sequence of operations.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved carbonating apparatus which substantially alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided carbonating apparatus including a carbonating pressure vessel connected to a reservoir of liquid and capable of being filled to a predetermined level with liquid from the reservoir, means for introducing pressurised gas into the carbonating pressure vessel so filled to carbonate the liquid therein, outlet means from the carbonating pressure vessel, and means for utilising excess pressurised gas disposed above said level to expel the carbonated liquid from said carbonating pressure vessel via said outlet means.

The apparatus preferably further includes, in said means for utilising, a pressure reducing chamber to reduce the pressure of the excess pressurized gas, so that the carbonated liquid is expelled through the outlet means at a lower, more manageable rate than would be the case of the excess pressurised gas were used directly to dispense the carbonated liquid.

The reservoir preferably consists of a header tank disposed above the carbonating vessel, so that liquid from the reservoir may flow by gravity into the vessel.

The apparatus also preferably includes a useroperable control arrangement consisting of a single rotary control to control, inter alia, the flow of liquid from the reservoir into the vessel, the expulsion of carbonated liquid from the vessel out through the outlet means, and the reduction in the pressure of the excess pressurized gas in the vessel above the level of the liquid.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a first part of a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows a complementary part for that shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 whows an alternative complementary part to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a first part of the carbonating apparatus, which controls the utilisation of liquid, preferably water, in the apparatus. A header tank 1, filled with fresh water 2, is connected to a carbonating pressure vessel 4 via an inlet conduit 3, so that some of the water 2 may be allowed to flow, under gravity, (and under the control of a valve to which reference will be made hereinafter) into the carbonating vessel 4to fill the vessel to a predetermined level 6, thereby ensuring that an air gap 7 remains above the level 6 in the vessel 4.

The carbonating vessel 4 is also provided with an outlet conduitS, through which water 5, when carbonated in the vessel 4, may be expelled under the control of a suitable valve.

Figure 2 shows a complementary part for the first part of the carbonating apparatus shown in Figure 1 for controlling the utilisation of gas in the apparatus.

A replaceable gas cylinder and valve assembly 9 is connected to a gas control head 10, the gas valve of the assembly 9 being actuated by depression of carbonating button 11. On opening of the valve, pressurised gas is released from the cylinder, through tube 12, and out of nozzle 13 into the water 5 in the carbonating vessel, thereby effecting carbonation of the water.

During the process of carbonation, excess gas builds up in the air gap 7 above the water level 6, and when the gas pressure reaches a predetermined upper value, which may be for example approximately 160psi, an exhaust valve 15 vents into a pressure reducing chamber 14. This chamber 14 may be provided with a secondary exhaust valve 16, which is arranged to open above a predetermined lower pressure level, which may be for example 20psi. When dispensing of the carbonated water is required, valve 15 is opened mechanically to allow the gas at 160psi to enter the pressure reducing chamber 14, wherein the gas pressure is reduced to the lower pressure.The pressure reducing chamber 14 therefore reduces the gas pressure in the air gap 7 to a fraction of the original pressure, thereby reducing the rate at which the carbonated water is expelled from the carbonating vessel 4 via the outlet conduit 8.

A user-operable rotary control 17 is employed to control water valves 18 and 19 and exhaust valve 15.

In operation, commencing with the header tank 1 containing water 2 but with carbonating vessel 4 being empty, valve 18 is opened by turning control 17to a "FILL" position. Fresh water then flows from the header tank 1 into the carbonating vessel 4 via inlet conduit 3, displaced air from the carbonating vessel 4 appearing as bubbles in the remaining water 2 in the header tank 1. When the water level 6 reaches the bottom end of the conduit 3, no more air can escape from the carbonating vessel 4 so that no more water can flow in from the header tank 1, thereby causing the bubbles in the tank 1 to stop and air is trapped in the gap 7 above the water level 6.

The control 17 is then turned to a "CARBONATE" position, which closes valve 18 and causes an interlock (not shown) to allow carbonating button 11 to be depressed. The depression of carbonating button 11 causes the gas control valve to open, thereby releasing pressurised gas from the cylinder into the water 5 in the carbonating vessel 4, via tube 12 and nozzle 13. Excess pressurised gas builds up in the air gap 7 until the pressure reaches the upper pressure, which causes exhaust valve 15 to vent.

This signal therefore indicates to a user of the apparatus that carbonation of the water 5 is complete and that the carbonating button 11 should no longer be depressed.

The rotary control 17 is then turned to a "DIS PENSE" position which causes exhaust valve 15 to be mechanically opened, thereby allowing the pressure of approximately 160 psi to vent into the pressure reducing chamber 14. The pressure in chamber 14 is controlled by the secondary exhaust valve 16, which vents above the predetermined lower pressure. There is therefore a substantially uniform pressure equal to this lower value in chamber 14 and air gap 7.

By further rotation of control 17, valve 19 is opened, thus enabling the gas pressure existing in air gap 7 and chamber 14 to expel the carbonated water 5 up and out of the outlet conduit 8.

If only a small amount of the carbonated water 5 is required, by rotation of the control 17 in the opposite direction, valve 19 is caused to close, thereby stopping the flow of carbonated water out from conduit 8 and trapping the remaining pressure within the carbonating vessel 4 and chamber 14, until more carbonated water is required.

This sequence of operations is recommenced by continuation of rotation of the control 17, which closes all the valves before reaching the "FILL" position once again.

Figure 3 shows an alternative part of the carbonating apparatus to that shown in Figure 2, for controlling the utilisation of pressurised gas. The alternative embodiment in Figure 3, wherein like parts are labelled with like reference numerals with respect to Figure 2, is preferably used in conjunction with the part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. The sequence of operations in the apparatus, in accordance with the second embodiment is substantially the same as for Figure 1 and 2, up until the completion of the carbonation to the water 5.

When the pressure in the air gap 7 reaches the upper pressure, exhaust valve 20 vents, indicating that carbonation is complete. Control 17 is then rotated to the "DISPENSE" position, which mechanically opens valve 21, thereby venting the pressurised gas into pressure reducing chamber 22. This chamber 22 has a sufficiently large volume to cause the gas pressure to drop to the lower pressure, thereby obviating the requirement of a secondary exhaust valve, as in the chamber 14 in Figure 2. The carbonated water may then be expelled from carbonating vessel 4 in the same manner as for the apparatus in Figures 1 and 2.

In another alternative embodiment, the pressure reducing chamber 22 may be made partially or completely of an elastic material, so that the chamber increases in volume to accommodate the pressurised gas, thereby reducing the pressure thereof to the lower pressure. This has a further advantage in that, when some of the carbonated water 5 has been used, the elastic chamber can contract, thereby altering the volume occupied by the trapped gas, so that the pressure may be maintained at this lower value.

The header tank 1 is preferably detachable from the apparatus, so that one or more tanks containing fresh water may be chilled in a refrigerator before the water is carbonated in the carbonating vessel 4.

The tank 1 therefore requires either a self-sealing valve in the base thereof, which is caused to open when the tank is positioned on the apparatus with the valve disposed over the top end of the conduit 3, thereby allowing the chilled water to flow into the carbonating vessel 4, or a manually removable plug device.

The header tank 1 may also be shaped so that a number thereof may be easily stacked for storage purposes.

Each tank preferably has a capacity of approximately 2 litres of water, whilst the carbonating vessel 4 preferably accommodates approximately 0.5 litres of water.

It can be seen from the drawings that the carbonating vessel 4 preferably has a rounded bottom to enable the streams of bubbles of gas emitted from the nozzle to carbonate all of the water 5. The nozzle 13 may also have an alternative suitable shape to ensure that all of the water 5 is carbonated.

Moreover, all of the gas and water inlets and outlets are positioned adjacent the top of the carbonating vessel 4 and pass through a top membey which is a fixture in the apparatus. Thus the vessel may be easily detached from the apparatus for cleaning purposes.

The carbonating vessel 4 may be constructed of polycarbonate and may be shielded from a user by means of a separate protective wall of any suitable material, e.g. plastics material, for safety reasons due to the relatively high pressure therewithin when carbonating is effected.

The carbonating apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, can be further advantageous in that the pressurised gas, in the air gap 7 above the water level 6, tends to ensure that the carbonated water 5 does not lose its fizziness, if it is not used as soon as it has been carbonated.

If, for any reason, the carbonating button 11 should be depressed when there is no water in the carbonating vessel 4, causing the vessel to fill with pressurised gas it may be desirable to employ a safety exhaust valve, which vents at the lower pressure. Such a valve may have a floating closure member which closes the valve and prevents it from venting when there is sufficient water for carbonation in the vessel, by floating on the surface of the water. The valve therefore only vents the pressurised gas, to reduce the pressure to the lower value, when the vessel is completely or partially empty of water.

The inlet conduit 3 may be divided longitudinally to allow the water 2 to flow down one half thereof into vessel 4 and the displaced air to rise up the other half of the conduit, thereby preventing air-locks forming therein.

Instead of providing a rotary control 17 to control the valves and a separate carbonating button 11, it may be desirable to incorporate the entire sequence of operations on a single control, which may, for example, be rotated to open and close the valves in the sequence and depressed to carbonate the water.

It can therefore be envisaged that the present invention provides an improved carbonating apparatus which may be made into a substantially compact unit, suitable for domestic use, having a relatively simple valve arrangement and sequence of operations, and which can easily be decomposed for cleaning purposes.

Claims (9)

1. Carbonating apparatus including a carbonating pressure vessel connected to a reservoir of liquid and capable of being filled to a predetermined level with liquid from the reservoir, means for introducing pressurised gas into the carbonating pressure vessel so filled to carbonate the liquid therewithin, outlet means from the carbonating pressure vessel, and means for utilising excess pressurised gas disposed above said level to expel the carbonated liquid from said carbonating pressure vessel via said outlet means.

2. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and including a pressure reducing chamber for reducing the pressure of said excess pressurised gas priorto said gas being utilised to expel said carbonated liquid.

3. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said reservoir consists of a header tank disposed above said carbonating pressure vessel, so that liquid from said reservoir is capable of flowing by gravity into said vessel.

4. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 and including a user-operable control arrangement for controlling, inter alia, flow of liquid from said reservoir into said vessel, the expulsion of carbonated liquid from said reservoir out through said outlet means and the reduction in the pressure of the excess pressurised gas.

5. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said control arrangement consists of a single rotary control.

6. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said control arrangement includes a depressable carbonating button for introducing pressurised gas into said vessel.

7. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said reservoir is provided with self-sealing valve means, to enable it to be detachable from said vessel.

8. Carbonating apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said vessel is shielded from a user of the apparatus by a protective wall member around said vessel.

9. Carbonating apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.