GAS INJECTION ASSEMBLIES FOR BATCH BEVERAGES HAVING SPARGERS

Abstract

A gas injection assembly for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution includes a vessel that receives the liquid, a flow channel that conveys the liquid from the vessel through an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet that is configured to dispense the solution, and a sparger having a porous surface positioned in the flow channel such that the liquid flows across the porous surface and the porous surface injects the gas into the liquid as the liquid flows across the porous surface.

Claims

1. A gas injection assembly for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution, the gas injection assembly comprising; a vessel configured to receive the liquid; a flow channel that conveys the liquid from the vessel through an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet that is configured to dispense the solution; and a sparger having a porous surface positioned in the flow channel such that liquid flows across the porous surface, wherein the porous surface is configured to inject the gas into the liquid as the liquid flows across the porous surface.

2. The gas injection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vessel defines an open end; and further comprising a top cap that covers the open end of the vessel, the top cap defining an intake passageway configured to convey the liquid from the vessel to the upstream inlet.

3. The gas injection assembly according to claim 2, further comprising an intake member defining a central bore that is configured to convey the liquid from the vessel to the intake passageway.

4. The gas injection assembly according to claim 3, wherein the vessel defines a closed end and the intake member includes a first end that couples to the top cap and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the second end of the intake member is positioned in the vessel such that the second end of the intake member is located nearer the closed end of the vessel than the open end of the vessel.

5. The gas injection assembly according to claim 4, wherein the top cap includes a connection device that removably couples the first end of the intake member to the top cap.

6. The gas injection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the porous surface is elongated such that the liquid flows under laminar flow conditions across the porous surface.

7. The gas injection assembly according to claim 6, the flow channel comprises an inner perimeteral surface that extends along a center axis; wherein the porous surface is concentric with the perimeteral surface.

8. The gas injection assembly according to claim 7, wherein the porous surface and the inner perimeteral surface are spaced apart a distance of 1/16 inches.

9. The gas injection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the downstream outlet is configured to dispense the solution back into the vessel.

10. The gas injection assembly according to claim 9, wherein the top cap defines a dispensing passageway configured to convey the solution from the downstream outlet back into the vessel.

11. The gas injection assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a dispensing member defining a central bore that is configured to convey the liquid from the dispensing passageway to the vessel.

12. The gas injection assembly according to claim 11, wherein the vessel defines a closed end; and wherein the dispensing member includes a first end that couples to the top cap and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the second end of the dispensing member is positioned in the vessel such that the second end of the dispensing member is located nearer the closed end of the vessel than the open end of the vessel.

13. The gas injection assembly according to claim 12, wherein the top cap includes a connection device that removably couples the first end of the intake member to the top cap.

14. A gas injection assembly for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution, the gas injection assembly comprising: a first vessel configured to receive the liquid; a second vessel; a flow channel that conveys the liquid from the first vessel through an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet that is configured to dispense the solution into the second vessel; and a sparger having a porous surface positioned in the flow channel such that liquid flows across the porous surface, wherein the porous surface is configured to inject the gas into the liquid as the liquid flows across the porous surface.

15. The gas injection assembly according to claim 14, wherein the porous surface is elongated such that the liquid flows under laminar flow conditions across the porous surface.

16. The gas injection assembly according to claim 15, the flow channel comprises an inner perimeteral surface that extends along a center axis; wherein the porous surface is concentric with the perimeteral surface.

17. The gas injection assembly according to claim 16, wherein the porous surface and the inner perimeteral surface are spaced apart a distance of 1/16 inches.

18. The gas injection assembly according to claim 14, wherein the first and second vessels each define an open end and a closed end; and further comprising: a top cap that covers the open end of the first vessel, the top cap defining an intake passageway configured to convey the liquid to the upstream inlet; and an intake member defining a central bore that is configured to convey the liquid from the first vessel to the intake passageway, the intake member having a first end that couples to the top cap and a second end opposite the first end; wherein the second end of the intake member is positioned in the first vessel such that the second end of the intake member is located nearer the closed end of the vessel than the open end of the vessel.

19. The gas injection assembly according to claim 18, wherein the top cap includes a connection device that removably couples the first end of the intake member to the top cap.

20. A method for injecting a gas into a liquid to form a solution, the method comprising: receiving the liquid in a vessel; conveying the liquid from the vessel through a flow channel, wherein the flow channel conveys the liquid from the vessel through an upstream inlet to a downstream outlet; and injecting gas into the liquid with a sparger having a porous surface positioned in the flow channel, wherein the porous surface is configured to inject the gas into the liquid as the liquid flows across the porous surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present disclosure is described with reference to the following Figures. The same numbers are used throughout the Figures to reference like features and like components.

[0022] FIG. 1 is an example gas injection machine for batch beverages.

[0023] FIG. 2 is an example vessel and closure mechanism.

[0024] FIG. 3 is an example gas injection assembly with an intake member and without a dispensing member.

[0025] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the gas injection assembly of FIG. 3 with the intake member and the dispensing member.

[0026] FIG. 5 is an example sparger.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross section view of an example gas injection device.

[0028] FIG. 7 is another example sparger.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a cross section view of another example gas injection device.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an example intake member.

[0031] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an example dispensing member.

[0032] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of an example top cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In the present disclosure, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The different apparatuses and methods described herein may be used alone or in combination with other apparatuses and methods. Various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

[0034] Through research and experimentation, the present inventors have developed a machine configured to quickly and effectively inject a gas into a liquid to form a solution (e.g. a consumable flavored beverage). The machine can inject gas (e.g. nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide) alone or in combination as a mixed gas composition into the liquid through a gas injection device. The concentration of a gas and/or the ratio of the mixed gas composition to be injected into the liquid can be adjusted to various levels. As described in the above-incorporated U.S. Patent Applications and U.S. Patents, an operator can place a liquid (such as a beverage including but not limited to water, flavoring syrups, and additives) into a vessel and convey the liquid to the gas injection device where a sparger injects the gas into the liquid to form a solution.

[0035] The examples described and depicted in this disclosure can be utilized in combination with the apparatuses and machines disclosed in the above incorporated U.S. Patents, U.S. Patent Publication, and U.S. Patent Applications.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a beverage machine 1 includes a housing 2, an operator input device 6 configured to receive an input from an operator, and a gas injection assembly 10 configured to inject a gas or mixed gas into a liquid to form a batch or single serve beverage or solution (FIG. 1 depicts a portion of the gas injection assembly 10; see also FIGS. 3 and 4 for an example gas injection assembly 10). The housing 2 includes side panels 4, and a rear panel (not shown).

[0037] Referring to FIG. 2, the gas injection assembly 10 includes a container or vessel 20 and a closure mechanism 30. The vessel 20 is configured to receive the liquid into which the gas is injected. The vessel 20 has an open end 21 and an opposite closed end 22. The vessel 20 can be transparent such that the operator can view the solution contained by the vessel 20. A peripheral flange 23 extends radially and peripherally around the open end 21. In certain examples, the vessel 20 can be a pressure vessel.

[0038] The closure mechanism 30 has a retainer 32, a top cap 34, and a clamping mechanism 38. Reference is made to the above incorporated pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/138,643 filed on Apr. 26, 2016 for further description of the closure mechanism 30 and related components. A flexible seal 40 is configured to cover the open end 21 of the vessel 20. The clamping mechanism 38 clamps the top cap 34 onto the open end 21 of the vessel 20 such that the flexible seal 40 is sandwiched between the top cap 34 and the open end 21 of the vessel 20.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the gas injection assembly 10 defines a flow channel 42 that conveys a liquid from an upstream inlet 43 configured to receive the liquid to a downstream outlet 44 configured to dispense the solution. The flow channel 42 has an inner perimeteral surface 46 that extends along an axis 47. The flow channel 42 can be defined by tubing or piping 48 and/or a gas injection device 50 (described further herein). As depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the solution is dispensed from the downstream outlet 44 into a second vessel 28 which is configured to receive and/or contain the solution. The second vessel 28 can be a cup or other suitable container which can be delivered to a consumer. A nozzle or valve (not shown) can be included to selectively control the flow of the solution (i.e. an operator can activate flow of the solution by opening the nozzle or valve). In other alternative examples, the solution can be dispensed back into the vessel 20.

[0040] The gas injection assembly 10 includes the gas injection device 50 that injects the gas into the liquid to form the solution having a selected ratio of liquid and gas. The gas injection device 50 defines a hole 45 that extends transversely to the flow channel 42. The hole 27 includes a connector member (not shown), such as screw threads, quick disconnect device, or the like. The gas injection device 50 includes an injector or sparger 53 (described herein) for injecting the gas into the liquid. Reference is made to FIGS. 5 and 7 which depict example spargers and FIGS. 6 and 8 which depict cross sectional views of example gas injection devices 50 without the sparger 53.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, the sparger 53 has a connector member 56, a porous surface 54, and a non-porous surface 55. The sparger 53 is received in the hole 45 such that the sparger 53 is positioned in the flow channel 42 (see FIG. 3). The connector member 56 of the sparger 53 couples to the connector member of the hole 45. The connector member 56 can be any suitable connector member such as friction joints, adhesive, screw threads, quick disconnect devices, and the like. In one example, the sparger 53 includes screw threads that engage or mate with screw threads of the hole 27. The porous surface 54 is configured to inject the gas into the liquid through the porous surface 54 as the liquid flows or conveys across the porous surface 45. The porous surface 54 is concentric with the inner perimeteral surface 46. Careful selection of the distance between the porous surface 54 and the inner perimeteral surface 46 allows for repeatably consistent injection of gas into the liquid. The distance between the porous surface 54 and the inner perimeteral surface 46 optimally ranges from 1/16 and inches (e.g. the porous surface and the inner perimeteral surface are spaced apart a distance of 1/16 inches). The porous surface 54 is stainless steel expanded mesh having a plurality of pores having diameters between 0.2 and 5.0 microns such that the bubble size of the gas in the solution in consistent. In certain examples, the sparger 53 is tapered from upstream to downstream.

[0042] Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the closure mechanism 30 includes a top cap 34 that defines an intake passageway 35 (see FIG. 11) configured to convey the liquid from the vessel 20 to the upstream inlet 43. In alternate examples of the gas injection assembly 10 (such as examples that dispense the solution back into the vessel 20), the top cap 34 defines a dispensing passageway 36 (see FIG. 11) configured to convey the liquid from the downstream outlet 44 back to the vessel 20.

[0043] The gas injection assembly 10 includes an intake member 60 defining a central bore 61 (see FIG. 9) that is configured to convey the liquid from the vessel 20 to the intake passageway 35 defined by the top cap 34. The intake member 60 includes a first end 62 that couples to the top cap 34 and a second end 63 opposite the first end 62. The second end 63 of the intake member 60 is positioned in the vessel 20 such that the second end 63 of the intake member 60 is located nearer the closed end 22 of the vessel than the open end 21 of the vessel 20. The first end 62 of the intake member 60 is coupled to the top cap 34 with a connection device 64.

[0044] In certain alternative examples, the solution is dispensed from the downstream outlet 44 back into the vessel 20. The gas injection assembly 10 can include a dispensing member 65 defining a central bore 66 that is configured to convey the liquid from the dispensing passageway 36 to the vessel 20. The dispensing member 65 includes a first end 67 that couples to the top cap 34 and a second end 68 opposite the first end 67. The second end 68 of the dispensing member 65 is positioned in the vessel 20 such that the second end 68 of the dispensing member 65 is located nearer the closed end 22 of the vessel 20 than the open end 21 of the vessel 20. A second connection device (not shown) couples the second end 68 of the dispensing member 65 to the top cap 34. In some examples, the solution can be dispensed back to a secondary outlet or valve (not shown) of the vessel 20. In still further examples, the vessel 20 comprises a first compartment (not shown) that receives the liquid and a secondary compartment (not shown) into which the solution is dispensed.