JP7515065B2 - Carbon dioxide dissolving device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a carbon dioxide gas dissolving device.

Patent Document 1 describes a manufacturing device for producing carbonated water. This manufacturing device includes a sealed container for storing water, a carbon dioxide gas cylinder in which carbon dioxide gas is sealed at high pressure and for supplying the carbon dioxide gas to the sealed container at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, a carbon dioxide gas transport pipe for connecting the carbon dioxide gas cylinder to the sealed container, a flow rate adjustment valve attached to the carbon dioxide gas transport pipe for adjusting the flow rate of carbon dioxide gas supplied to the sealed container, a first opening/closing valve for starting and stopping the supply of carbon dioxide gas from the carbon dioxide gas cylinder, and a discharge means for removing the produced carbonated water from the sealed container. When producing carbonated water, the first opening/closing valve is opened, the discharge means is closed, and the carbon dioxide gas is brought to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, thereby dissolving the carbon dioxide gas in the water. When discharging the produced carbonated water, the first opening/closing valve is closed and the discharge means is opened.

JP 2012-187516 A

When using the manufacturing device described in Patent Document 1 to dissolve carbon dioxide gas in a beverage, the beverage would first be filled into a sealed container, the sealed container would be sealed, the first opening/closing valve would be opened, and the discharge means would be closed. By pressurizing the carbon dioxide gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, the carbon dioxide gas would be dissolved in the beverage in the sealed container. After that, by closing the first opening/closing valve and opening the discharge means, the beverage with the carbon dioxide gas dissolved in it in the sealed container would be discharged through the discharge means and could be poured into a beverage container such as a glass.

In the above-mentioned method, when the beverage with dissolved carbon dioxide gas is poured from the sealed container through the discharge means into the beverage container, the carbon dioxide gas may be released from the beverage due to the impact the beverage receives, resulting in a loss of carbon dioxide gas. In addition, the task of filling the sealed container with the beverage may be troublesome.

The present invention provides an advantageous carbon dioxide dissolving device and nozzle for dissolving carbon dioxide gas in beverages.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a carbon dioxide gas dissolving device, the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device comprising: a first sealing member forming a first sealed space above a beverage container into which a beverage has been poured; a second sealing member constituting a second sealed space; a flow path connecting the first sealed space and the second sealed space; a first valve disposed in the flow path; a second valve for connecting the second sealed space to the atmosphere or blocking it from the atmosphere; a supply unit for supplying carbon dioxide gas to the beverage in the beverage container; and a controller for controlling an operation of supplying carbon dioxide gas to the beverage by the supply unit and a snifting operation for reducing the gas pressure in the first sealed space after the supplying operation, the controller controls the first valve and the second valve so that the snifting operation is repeated a plurality of times after the supplying operation, and each of the plurality of snifting operations includes an operation of opening the first valve with the second valve closed to connect the first sealed space to the second sealed space, and then closing the first valve and opening the second valve to make the second sealed space atmospheric pressure .

The present invention provides an advantageous carbon dioxide gas dissolving device and nozzle for dissolving carbon dioxide gas in beverages.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to an embodiment. 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating the operation (supply operation) of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation (snift operation) of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation (snift operation) of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation (snift operation) of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation (snift operation) of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device of the embodiment.

The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any desired manner. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

1 shows a schematic configuration of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 of the embodiment. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 dissolves carbon dioxide gas in the beverage 141 poured into the beverage container 140 by applying pressure to the beverage 141 by carbon dioxide gas. Such a process may be called carbonation. The beverage container 140 may have a shape in which the inner diameter of the upper end is larger than the inner diameter of the part below the upper end when the beverage 141 is poured and placed on a table. The beverage container 140 may be, for example, a tumbler. The beverage container 140 used in the embodiment may be, for example, made of metal. The beverage 141 may be, for example, a beer-based beverage (beer, low-malt beer, third beer, etc.), wine, a soft drink, water, etc., but is not limited to these. The beverage 141 may be a beverage in which carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved before being processed by the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1, or may be a beverage in which carbon dioxide gas has not been dissolved. Beer distributed in Japan has, for example, 2.7 to 2.8 GV (gas volume). In one example, the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 is configured to dissolve additional carbon dioxide gas in beer as beverage 141, and can achieve beer in the range of 3.5 to 5.5 GV, for example 4.0 GV.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may include, for example, a first sealing member 10 that forms a first sealed space SP1 above a beverage container 140 into which a beverage 141 has been poured, a second sealing member 20 that forms a second sealed space SP2, and a flow path 30 that connects the first sealed space SP1 and the second sealed space SP2. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may also include a first valve 40 arranged in the flow path 30, a second valve 50 for connecting the second sealed space SP2 to the atmosphere or blocking it from the atmosphere, and a supply unit 60 that supplies carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141 in the beverage container 140. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may also include a controller 100. The controller 100 is connected to the first valve 40 and the second valve 50 by a control line (not shown) and may control the opening and closing operations of the first valve 40 and the second valve 50. The controller 100 may, for example, control the supply operation of the supply unit 60 to the beverage 141, and the sniff operation to reduce the gas pressure in the first sealed space SP1 after the supply operation. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may also include a support stand 130 that supports the beverage container 140.

With the first sealed space SP1 formed above the beverage container 140, the supply unit 60 supplies carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141 in the beverage container 140, thereby dissolving the carbon dioxide gas in the beverage 141. The supply unit 60 may include, for example, a carbon dioxide gas path 62 that transfers carbon dioxide gas supplied from a carbon dioxide gas supply source (e.g., a carbon dioxide gas cylinder) not shown, a third valve 61 that is disposed in the carbon dioxide gas path 62 and whose opening and closing operation is controlled by the controller 100, and a regulator 66 that is disposed between the third valve 61 and the carbon dioxide gas supply source. The third valve 61 is connected to the controller 100 by a control line not shown. The regulator 66 may reduce the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the carbon dioxide gas supply source to a predetermined pressure (e.g., 0.8 MPa) and supply it to the carbon dioxide gas path 62. The supply unit 60 may also include, for example, a nozzle 63 that is inserted into the beverage 141 in the beverage container 140. A gas injection hole 65 for injecting carbon dioxide gas supplied through the carbon dioxide gas path 62 may be provided in a portion of the nozzle 63 that is inserted into the beverage 141. The lower end of the nozzle 63 may have a conical surface 64. In another aspect, the nozzle 63 includes a tube portion for transferring carbon dioxide gas, and the lower end of the tube portion may have a conical surface 64. The gas injection hole 65 may be provided in the conical surface 64. The gas injection hole 65 may be formed so as to be drilled into the conical surface 64. The number of gas injection holes 65 may be two or more. Alternatively, the number of gas injection holes 65 may be two or more and ten or less, preferably two or more and four or less. The supply unit 60 may supply carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141 so that the pressure of the first sealed space SP1 is within a range of 0.30 MPa or more and 0.45 MPa or less. As a result, when the beverage 141 is beer, its GV value may be 4.0 GV.

The sniffing operation is performed after the supplying operation. The sniffing operation may include an operation of opening the first valve 40 with the second valve 50 closed to connect the first sealed space SP1 and the second sealed space SP2, and then closing the first valve 40 and opening the second valve 50. When the first valve 40 is opened with the second valve 50 closed to connect the first sealed space SP1 and the second sealed space SP2, a part of the carbon dioxide gas in the first sealed space SP1 may move to the second sealed space SP2. When the first valve 40 is closed and the second valve 50 is opened, the carbon dioxide gas in the second sealed space SP2 may be released into the atmosphere until the second sealed space SP2 reaches atmospheric pressure. The controller 100 may control the first valve 40 and the second valve 50, for example, so that the sniffing operation is repeated multiple times.

The first sealing member 10 may have, for example, a cup shape. The inner diameter of the first sealing member 10 is larger than the outer diameter of the beverage container 140, and the first sealing member 10 may include an annular seal member 12 pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the beverage container 140. The first sealed space SP1 may be formed by pressing the annular seal member 12 against the outer peripheral surface of the beverage container 140. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may further include a lifting mechanism 80 that raises and lowers the first sealing member 10. The lifting mechanism 80 may raise and lower the first sealing member 10, for example, by an electric motor or a pneumatic actuator. Alternatively, the lifting mechanism 80 may raise and lower the first sealing member 10 by an operating force applied by an operator while guiding the movement of the first sealing member 10. In this case, the lifting mechanism 80 may include an operating part such as a handle held by the operator and a guide mechanism that guides the first sealing member 10. By lowering the first sealing member 10 using the lifting mechanism 80, the upper part of the beverage container 140 can be inserted into the opening of the annular seal member 12, forming a first sealed space SP1.

The volume of the second sealed space SP2 can be configured to be, for example, in the range of 10% to 60% of the volume of the first sealed space SP1, preferably in the range of 10% to 30% of the volume of the first sealed space SP1, and more preferably in the range of 10% to 20% of the volume of the first sealed space SP1, but is not limited to this range.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may further include a regulating unit 90 that regulates the rise of the first sealing member 10 after the first sealing member 10 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 80. The regulating unit 90 may include a member that is retracted from the lifting path of the first sealing member 10 (retracted in the depth direction in FIG. 2) before the first sealing member 10 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 80, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and is inserted into the lifting path of the first sealing member 10 after the first sealing member 10 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 80, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, an upward force corresponding to the pressure of the first sealed space SP1 may be applied to the first sealing member 10 by the carbon dioxide gas in the first sealed space SP1. For example, if the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas is 0.5 MPa and the inner diameter of the beverage container 140 is 72 mm, a force of about 200 kgf is applied upward to the first sealing member 10. The restricting portion 90 can be designed to withstand such forces.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 can include a frame structure 120. The frame structure 120 can have, for example, an upper plate 121, a lower plate 122, and a connecting portion 123 that connects the upper plate 121 and the lower plate 122. The restricting portion 90 can restrict the rise of the first sealing member 10, for example, between the lower surface of the upper plate 121 and the upper surface of the first sealing member 10. The lower plate 122 can hold or support the support base 130.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may further include a pressurized supply unit 70 that supplies carbon dioxide gas to the first sealed space SP1 after the first sealed space SP1 is formed. The pressurized supply unit 70 may include, for example, a carbon dioxide gas path 72 that transfers carbon dioxide gas supplied from a carbon dioxide gas supply source (e.g., a carbon dioxide gas cylinder) not shown, a fourth valve 71 that is arranged in the carbon dioxide gas path 72 and whose opening and closing operation is controlled by the controller 100, and a regulator 73 that is arranged between the fourth valve 61 and the carbon dioxide gas supply source. The fourth valve 71 is connected to the controller 100 by a control line not shown. The regulator 73 may reduce the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the carbon dioxide gas supply source to a predetermined pressure (e.g., 0.3 MPa) and supply it to the carbon dioxide gas path 72. After the carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the first sealed space SP1 by the pressurized supply unit 70, the controller 100 may execute the supply operation of carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141 by the supply unit 60. By supplying carbon dioxide gas to the first sealed space SP1 by the pressurization providing unit 70, the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 increases, and pressurization can be provided to the first sealed space SP1. After pressurization is provided to the first sealed space SP1, the supply unit 60 executes an operation of supplying carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141, thereby making it possible to suppress excessive foaming when carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the beverage 141 by the supply unit 60. The pressurization providing unit 70 can supply carbon dioxide gas to the first sealed space SP1 so that the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 is within a range of 0.15 MPa or more and 0.17 MPa or less, for example.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may include a sensor 92 that detects when the regulating unit 90 is in a ready state where it can regulate the rise of the first sealing member 10. The controller 100 may be configured to recognize that the regulating unit 90 is in a ready state based on the output of the sensor 92 provided via a signal line (not shown), and to then enable the supply unit 60 to supply carbon dioxide gas to the beverage 141. The sensor 92 may be a contact or non-contact sensor that detects when the regulating unit 90 is positioned at a position where it can regulate the rise of the first sealing member 10.

The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 may further include a setting unit 110 that sets the type of beverage 141 and the target gas volume of the beverage 141. The controller 100 may control the supply unit 60 according to the type and target gas volume set by the setting unit 110. Here, the computer 100 may control the supply unit 60 so that the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 becomes a pressure corresponding to the target gas volume. Alternatively, the setting unit 110 may set the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 itself as information corresponding to the target gas volume.

The operation of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1 will be described below with reference to Figs. 3 to 7. Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the supply operation of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1. In the supply operation, carbon dioxide gas can be supplied to the beverage 141 in the beverage container 140 by the supply unit 60 while pressure is being provided to the first sealed space SP1 by the pressure providing unit 70. When carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the beverage 141 in the beverage container 140 by the supply unit 60, if the beverage 141 is beer, the beverage 141 can foam considerably. In that case, it is preferable to wait, for example, 30 to 60 seconds after the supply of carbon dioxide gas is stopped before proceeding to the sniff operation so that the foam subsides.

Figures 4 to 7 show a schematic diagram of the sniff operation of the carbon dioxide gas dissolving device 1. In the state shown in Figure 4, the first valve 40 is opened with the second valve 50 closed, and the first sealed space SP1 and the second sealed space SP2 are connected to each other. As a result, a part of the carbon dioxide gas in the first sealed space SP1 moves to the second sealed space SP2, and the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 and the pressure in the second sealed space SP2 can become equal. Next, in the state shown in Figure 5, the first valve 40 is closed and the second valve 50 is opened. As a result, the carbon dioxide gas in the second sealed space SP2 can be released into the atmosphere until the second sealed space SP2 reaches atmospheric pressure.

6, the first valve 40 is opened with the second valve 50 closed, and the first sealed space SP1 and the second sealed space SP2 are connected to each other. As a result, a part of the carbon dioxide gas in the first sealed space SP1 moves to the second sealed space SP2, and the pressure in the first sealed space SP1 and the pressure in the second sealed space SP2 can become equal. Next, in the state shown in FIG. 7, the first valve 40 is closed and the second valve 50 is opened. As a result, the carbon dioxide gas in the second sealed space SP2 can be released into the atmosphere until the second sealed space SP2 reaches atmospheric pressure. In this manner, the sniffing operation can be repeated multiple times. Finally, both the first valve 40 and the second valve 50 are opened, and the first sealed space SP1 can be brought to atmospheric pressure. The sniffing operation as described above is effective in suppressing the intense foaming of the beverage 141 when the beverage 141 is returned to atmospheric pressure from a state in which it is pressurized by carbon dioxide gas.

Thereafter, the restriction of the first sealing member 10 by the restricting portion 90 is released, and the first sealing member 10 can be moved upward by the lifting mechanism 80, as illustrated in FIG. 2. According to this embodiment, a beverage in which carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved or added can be obtained with a simple operation.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention.

1: Carbon dioxide dissolving device, 10: First sealing member, 20: Second sealing member, 30: Flow path, 40: First valve, 50: Second valve, 60: Supply unit, 61: Third valve, 62: Carbon dioxide path, 63: Nozzle, 64: Cone surface, 65: Gas injection hole, 70: Pressurization unit, 71: Fourth valve, 72: Carbon dioxide path, 80: Lifting mechanism, 90: Regulating unit, 92: Sensor, 100: Controller, 110: Setting unit, 120: Frame structure, 121: Upper plate, 122: Lower plate, 123: Connection unit, 130: Support stand, 140: Beverage container, 141: Beverage

Claims (13)

A first sealing member that forms a first sealed space above the beverage container into which the beverage has been poured;
A second sealing member that defines a second sealed space;
a flow path that communicates the first sealed space with the second sealed space;
A first valve disposed in the flow path;
a second valve for connecting the second sealed space to the atmosphere or isolating the second sealed space from the atmosphere;
a supply unit for supplying carbon dioxide gas to the beverage in the beverage container;
a controller for controlling a supply operation of carbon dioxide gas to the beverage by the supply unit and a sniff operation for reducing a gas pressure in the first sealed space after the supply operation;
the controller controls the first valve and the second valve such that the sniffing operation is repeated a plurality of times after the supplying operation;
Each of the plurality of sniffing operations includes an operation of opening the first valve with the second valve closed to communicate the first sealed space with the second sealed space, and then closing the first valve and opening the second valve to make the second sealed space atmospheric pressure .
A carbon dioxide gas dissolving device characterized by the above. the controller opens both the first valve and the second valve after the plurality of sniffing operations.
2. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1 . The inner diameter of the first sealing member is larger than the outer diameter of the beverage container, and the first sealing member includes an annular seal member that is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the beverage container, and the first sealed space is formed by pressing the annular seal member against the outer peripheral surface of the beverage container.
3. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1 or 2. Further comprising a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the first sealing member,
By lowering the first sealing member by the lifting mechanism, an upper portion of the beverage container is inserted into the opening of the annular seal member, and the first sealed space is formed.
4. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 3 . The lift mechanism further includes a regulating portion that regulates the ascent of the first sealing member after the first sealing member is lowered by the lift mechanism.
5. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 4 . The pressure supply unit further includes a pressure supply unit that supplies carbon dioxide gas to the first sealed space after the first sealed space is formed,
The controller performs the supplying operation after the carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the first sealed space by the pressurization providing unit.
6. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 5 . a sensor that detects that the regulating unit has reached a preparatory state in which the regulating unit can regulate the rise of the first sealing member, and the controller enables the supply unit to supply carbon dioxide gas based on an output of the sensor after the regulating unit has reached the preparatory state.
7. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 6 . The pressure supply unit further includes a pressure supply unit that supplies carbon dioxide gas to the first sealed space after the first sealed space is formed,
The controller performs the supplying operation after the carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the first sealed space by the pressurization providing unit.
5. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1, the dispenser includes a nozzle adapted to be inserted into the beverage in the beverage container;
A gas injection hole for injecting carbon dioxide gas is provided in a portion of the nozzle that is inserted into the beverage.
9. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1, The lower end of the nozzle has a conical surface, and the gas injection hole is provided in the conical surface.
10. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 9 . The number of the gas injection holes is two or more.
The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 10 . A setting unit for setting the type of beverage and the target gas volume of the beverage is further provided,
The controller controls the supply unit in accordance with the type and the target gas volume set by the setting unit.
12. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1 . The beverage container is a tumbler.
13. The carbon dioxide gas dissolving device according to claim 1 .