A valve includes a valve body having an inlet for fluid communication with a space or source containing pressurised gas, and at least one outlet. A membrane is arranged between the inlet and the at least one outlet. A membrane puncturing element is arranged for movement between a retracted, inoperative position and an extended position in which it punctures the membrane. An actuating piston is operatively coupled to the membrane puncturing element for moving the membrane puncturing element between its retracted and its extended positions, the actuating piston being received in a piston bore of the valve body. The valve body also includes a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a sealed actuating gas cartridge. A cartridge puncturing device is provided for puncturing the actuating gas cartridge. An actuating gas flow passage communicates actuating gas released from the actuating gas cartridge to the actuating piston bore upon puncturing the actuating gas.

A cartridge loader includes a lever arm, a hinge axle and a cam centered on the hinge axle, and a housing for receiving a cartridge, the housing having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect to an appliance, and the second end adapted to allow the lever arm to open and close, the housing having an aperture exposing an interior of the housing, the aperture shaped to receive the cartridge and the lever arm, wherein the cam is adapted to assist in seating the cartridge in the housing when the lever arm is closed, and ejecting the cartridge when the lever arm is opened.

The present invention relates to a valve assembly configured to be arranged in a cylinder opening of a gas cylinder, comprising a valve housing having a first housing end and a second housing end, a first housing opening arranged at the first housing end and a second housing opening arranged at the second housing end, the first housing opening having an inner diameter, and a bore extending between the first housing opening and the second housing opening, the bore having an inner face, and an inner valve unit arranged in the bore, said inner valve unit having an inner valve housing, and a first end and a second end, the first end having an outer diameter, the outer diameter being larger than the inner diameter of the first housing opening, the first end being configured to abut the inner face at the first opening, whereby a filling valve is provided, the inner face of the first opening being a filling valve seat, the second end comprising an inlet to the inner valve unit, the inner valve unit further comprising a consumption valve arranged at the first end, and a first pressure reduction valve configured to reduce a pressure in the gas cylinder from a first gas pressure to a second gas pressure, wherein the valve assembly further comprises a protection device arranged in connection with and configured to interact with the inner valve unit to hinder unintended gas flow into the gas cylinder. The present invention also relates to a gas cylinder having a gas with a pressure and an opening, to a gas delivering system, to a gas consuming system and to a beverage dispensing system.

A carbonation machine may include a carbonation head, a holder that is configured to hold a gas canister, the holder comprising a connector with a socket configured to enable linear insertion of a valve of the canister into the socket, the socket including a seal with at least one lateral opening to enable fluidic flow between one or more laterally oriented ports of the valve and a conduit of the holder while preventing leakage of gas from the fluidic flow, and a holding mechanism configured to hold a lateral projection from the canister after insertion of the valve into the socket such that the valve remains in the socket, and an activation mechanism configured to operate the valve to release the gas from the canister when inserted into the socket so as to enable the gas to flow via the conduit to the carbonation head

Canisters are provided that include a cylindrical body and a cap welded to the body to define a cavity filled with carbon dioxide or other fluid. The canisters may be loaded into a medical device, e.g., to provide an energy source for operating the device. Methods for making such canisters are also provided.

Canisters are provided that include a cylindrical body and a cap welded to the body to define a cavity filled with carbon dioxide or other fluid. The canisters may be loaded into a medical device, e.g., to provide an energy source for operating the device. Methods for making such canisters are also provided.

A valve includes a valve body having an inlet for fluid communication with a space or source containing pressurised gas, and at least one outlet. A membrane is arranged between the inlet and the at least one outlet. A membrane puncturing element is arranged for movement between a retracted, inoperative position and an extended position in which it punctures the membrane. An actuating piston is operatively coupled to the membrane puncturing element for moving the membrane puncturing element between its retracted and its extended positions, the actuating piston being received in a piston bore of the valve body. The valve body also includes a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a sealed actuating gas cartridge. A cartridge puncturing device is provided for puncturing the actuating gas cartridge. An actuating gas flow passage communicates actuating gas released from the actuating gas cartridge to the actuating piston bore upon puncturing the actuating gas.

This invention relates to a novel method and system for dispensing CO2 vapor without over pressurization from a system having multiple containers. The system includes one or more liquid containers and one or more vapor containers. The system is designed to operate in a specific manner whereby a restricted amount of CO2 liquid is permitted into the vapor container through a restrictive pathway that is created and maintained by a shuttle valve during the filling operation so that equalization of container pressures is achieved, thereby allowing shuttle valve to reseat when filling has stopped. During use, a pressure differential device is designed to specifically isolate the vapor container from the liquid container so as to preferentially deplete liquid CO2 from the vapor container and avoid over pressurization of the system until the vapor container becomes liquid dry. The system can be operated so that at least 50% of the CO2 vapor product is dispensed from the vapor container.

The cartridge includes a body containing the air and a head closing the body. There is a filling channel, which connects the outside of the cartridge to the body and which includes a filling non-return valve preventing the air from exiting the body. The head includes an inflation channel, which connects the filling channel to the body and includes an inflation non-return valve preventing the air from exiting the body. An inflation organ is movably mounted on the inflation channel to permit opening of the inflation non-return valve.

This invention relates to a novel method and system for dispensing CO2 vapor without over pressurization. The system includes one or more liquid containers and one or more vapor containers. The system is designed to operate in a specific manner whereby a restricted amount of CO2 liquid is permitted into the vapor container through a restrictive pathway that is created and maintained by a shuttle valve during the filling operation so that equalization of container pressures is achieved, thereby allowing shuttle valve to reseat when filling has stopped. During use, a pressure differential device is designed to specifically isolate the vapor container from the liquid container so as to preferentially deplete liquid CO2 from the vapor container and avoid over pressurization of the system until the vapor container. The system is operated so that at least 50% of the CO2 product is dispensed from the vapor container. The system also includes novel control methodology for performing pre-fill integrity checks to ensure safety of subsequent dispensing of CO2 liquid from a source vessel to the onsite CO2 containers.