Abstract
A device for filling a container with a carbonated liquid. The device includes a container port for connecting the container to the device, at least one liquid line via which the carbonated liquid can be conducted from a liquid source to the container, and at least one pressure relief valve with which a target pressure in the liquid line is adjustable when filling the container. In addition, a sanitary tap with a corresponding device and a method of filling a container with a carbonated liquid is provided.
Claims
1. A device for filling a container with a carbonated liquid, the device comprising: a container port for connecting the container to the device; at least one liquid line via which the carbonated liquid is adapted to be conducted from a liquid source to the container; and at least one pressure relief valve with which a target pressure in the liquid line is adjustable when filling the container.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure relief valve has a closing element which is acted upon by a spring element with a closing force such that the at least one pressure relief valve opens at a target pressure which is lower than the pressure in the liquid source.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the target pressure is at least 0.1 bar lower than the pressure in the liquid source.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure relief valve is arranged in a vent line of the container.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure relief valve is arranged in the liquid line.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure relief valve closes when the line pressure in the liquid line is lower than the target pressure.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure relief valve opens when the line pressure in the liquid line reaches the target pressure.
8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a connector with which the device is releasably attachable to a sanitary tap.
9. A sanitary tap comprising: a valve body with an outlet; a liquid source for a carbonated liquid; and a device according to claim 2.
10. A method of filling a container with a carbonated liquid, the method comprising: providing the carbonated liquid in a liquid source; filling the container with the carbonated liquid from the liquid source via at least one liquid line; and setting a target pressure in the liquid line using at least one pressure relief valve.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a sanitary tap with an embodiment of a device;
[0022] FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a device in a side view; and
[0023] FIG. 3 is the device in a sectional view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sanitary tap 9 with a first embodiment of a device 1 in a schematic representation. The sanitary tap 9 has a valve body 10 with which the sanitary tap 9 is attached to a support 23, which in the present case is a working surface. Further, the sanitary tap 9 includes a mixing valve 14 to which cold water can be supplied from a cold-water source 16 and hot water can be supplied from a hot-water source 15 via a hot water line 26. By means of the mixing valve 14, the cold water and the hot water is miscible to a mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. The mixed water temperature is adjustable via a lever 12 by a user of the sanitary tap 9. The mixed water can be conducted from the mixing valve 14 via a mixed water line 27 through an outlet 11 of the valve body 10 to an outlet opening 13 of the sanitary tap 9. Furthermore, the sanitary tap 9 comprises the device 1, which includes a liquid source 5. The liquid source 5 is formed here in the manner of a carbonator tank. The liquid source 5 can be fed cold water via the cold-water line 24 from the cold-water source 16 and CO2 via a CO2 line 25 from a CO2 source 17, which in this case is a pressurized tank. The cold water can be enriched with CO2 by the liquid source 5 under pressure and passed as a carbonated liquid via a liquid line 4 through the outlet 11 of the valve body 10 to a container port 3, which here is formed as the outlet opening 13, and through which the carbonated liquid can be filled into a container 2. Also arranged in the liquid line 4 is a pressure relief valve 6, which comprises a closing element 21 for at least partially closing the liquid line 4, and a spring element 22, with which the closing element 21 can be acted upon by a closing force. When starting a filling process, the carbonated liquid is provided, i.e., produced in the liquid source 5. After opening a valve, not shown here, the carbonated liquid flows from the liquid source 5 through the liquid line 4 in the direction of the pressure relief valve 6. This increases the line pressure in the liquid line 4 until reaching a target pressure at which the closing force of the spring element 21 of the pressure relief valve 6 is overcome, so that the closing element 21 of the pressure relief valve 6 at least partially opens up the liquid line 4. After the (automatic) opening of the pressure relief valve 6 upon reaching the target pressure in the liquid line 4, the carbonated liquid flows further via the liquid line 4 in the direction of the outlet opening 13, through which the carbonated liquid flows to the container 2. By means of the pressure relief valve 6, the line pressure in the liquid line 4 is set substantially constant to the target pressure while the container is being filled.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a device 1 in a side view. The device 1 has a connecting means 8, which is designed here in the manner of a quarter-turn fastener. By means of the connecting means 8, the device 1 is releasably attachable to a dispensing device or sanitary tap 9, not shown here. In particular, the device 1 with the connecting means 8 can be fastened to a mousseur 18, which is arranged, for example, on or in an outlet opening 13 of the sanitary tap 9. The second embodiment of the device 1 is thus formed in the manner of an adapter, which can be fastened via the connector 8 to a dispensing device or sanitary tap 9.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows the second embodiment of the device 1 in a sectional view. The device 1 has a housing 19, to which a container 2 can be detachably fastened via a container port 3, which is designed here in the manner of a quarter-turn fastener. Furthermore, the device 1 has a liquid line 4, via which a carbonated liquid can be conducted from a liquid source 5, not shown here, to the container 2. The liquid line 4 extends through the housing 19. In addition, the device 1 comprises a pressure relief valve 6, which is arranged in a vent line 7. The vent line 7 also extends through the housing 19 and connects a receiving space 29 of the container 2 for the carbonated liquid to the environment 28 of the device 1. When starting a filling process, initially an ambient pressure of about 1 bar prevails in the receiving space 29 of the container 2. The carbonated liquid flows via the liquid line 4 into the receiving space 29 of the container 2, whereby the pressure in the liquid line 4 and the receiving space 29 increases by compressing the air in the receiving space 29 and by at least partially outgassing the carbonated liquid in the receiving space 29. Upon reaching the target pressure in the liquid line 4 and the container 2, a closing force of a spring element 22 on a closing element 21 of the pressure relief valve 6 is overcome, so that the closing element 21 at least partially opens up the vent line 7. As a result, the air and/or the CO2 can escape from the receiving space 29 via the vent line 7 into the environment 28, so that the target pressure in the liquid line 4 and/or the receiving space 29 of the container 2 is (substantially) set constant to the target pressure. Additionally, the pressure relief valve 6 here can be manually actuated via a valve operating lever 20. The pressure relief valve 6 is formed here in the manner of a proportioning valve, which allows for a steady transition between a closed position and an open position. In this way, a sudden drop in pressure in the liquid line 4 and the receiving space 29 can be avoided, which could otherwise lead to an undesirably strong frothing of the carbonated liquid in the receiving space 29 of the container 2.
[0027] By means of the present invention, a carbonated liquid can be filled into a container with low CO2 consumption with a high concentration of CO2.
[0028] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims
