GB2038953A

GB2038953A - Home Beverage Dispensing Unit

Info

Publication number: GB2038953A
Application number: GB7937400A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Schweppes Ltd
Current assignee: Schweppes Ltd
Priority date: 1978-11-02
Filing date: 1979-10-29
Publication date: 1980-07-30
Also published as: GB2038953B

Abstract

A sealed capsule 10 containing a quantity of flavouring syrup 28 for producing carbonated beverage and including a CO2 container 30, is adapted to be connected, for example by screwing, to a water tank 12, the act of making the connection causing release of CO2 gas from the CO2 container, and the released gas not only serves to carbonate the final beverage, but also forces the syrup to mix with the water to produce the final beverage which is held under pressure for dispensing from a tap 18 of the water tank, by the said released CO2. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Home Dispensing Unit This invention relates to beverage dispensing systems for the dispensing of carbonated beverages.

Carbonated beverages, although they may contain other ingredients, comprise essentially of flavouring medium such as a syrup, water and carbon dioxide gas in solution, the carbon dioxide gas providing the "fizziness" of the drink. The distribution of carbonated beverages for human consumption takes place in two main fashions.

On the one hand, the beverage is prepared at a factory or plant and is bottled in the factory. The bottled beverage is then distributed through normal trade channels to the final consumer. On the other hand it is very common for carbonated beverages to be dispensed directly from a dispensing head, for example in cafeteria or public house, directly into a drinking vessel from which it is to be directly consumed. More recently, there has been shown a great deal of interest in what might be termed "in-home" dispensing of carbonated beverage in which a dispensing unit is stored in the home, and the user simply buys the flavouring syrup in order to enable carbonated beverage to be dispensed.The presently available or proposed "in-home" dispensing units are somewhat expensive, and the present invention is concerned with providing certain apparatus to enable relatively inexpensive "in-home" dispensing of carbonated beverage.

As will be understood as the description of the invention unfolds, the apparatus in which is proposed by this invention directed to convenience carbonated beverage dispensing, rather than bulk dispensing, and in some cases it may be complementary to a larger more expensive "in-home" beverage dispensing arrangement.

The present invention provides apparatus for use in dispensing carbonated beverage comprising a sealed capsule containing a quantity of the syrup for preparing carbonated beverage, said capsule housing or being adapted to house a sealed CO2 container in predetermined position, the arrangement being that the sealed CO2 container when housed in the capsule can be opened selectively in such a fashion as to cause the CO2 gas under pressure to be directed to the chamber containing the flavouring syrup, and the flavoured syrup and gas can be directed to intermingle with a quantity of water to provide the carbonated beverage.

In a preferred construction, the apparatus comprises two elements, namely the aforesaid capsule and a container for the water, and the two elements are adapted to be connected together in such a fashion that the connecting together effects rupturing of the sealed CO2 container, and by the time such rupturing takes place the capsule and water container are so connected that the gas and syrup pass directly into the water container, to provide carbonated beverage therein. The aforesaid water container will be preferably provided with a dispensing outlet valve which can be opened or closed at will in order to effect the dispensing from the container of the finally prepared carbonated beverage.

In a particular advantageous manifestation of the said capsule, it is moulded in plastic and is of circular tablet form having a central axial sleeve in which the CO2 container is housed. The syrup chamber surrounds the sleeve, and one internal end, the lower end in use of the sleeve is threaded so that the capsule can be screwed to an appropriate fitting on the water container, whilst at the upper end of the sleeve and pointing towards the carbon dioxide container is a pointed bar or tang.Flow passages at the ends of the sleeve connect with the syrup cavity and the arrangement is that when the capsule is screwed to the fitting on the water container, the carbon dioxide container is forced into engagement with the barb which punctures the carbon dioxide container and carbon dioxide gas is expelled and passes through the flow passages to the syrup cavity, placing the syrup cavity under a fluid pressure. This pressure forces the syrup through the flow passages at the lower end of the container and through appropriate holes in the fitting of the water container and eventually into intimate contact with the water in the said container producing the carbonated beverage.

Dispensing from the container can take place at will by manipulation of a suitable tap or faucet.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in some detail, and two other adaptations are shown more generally to indicate that the actual structure of the apparatus can take different forms.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in exploded perspective view.of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatic sectional elevation of the capsule shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 and 4 respectively show different adaptations of the apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus shown comprises basically a tablet shaped capsule 10 and a water container 12 of the form shown. The container 1 2 is box shaped, but has a cut away portion 14 for receiving the capsule 10. To connect the capsule 10 to the container it is screwed to the threaded tube fitting 1 6 provided on the top surface of the water container 12.

Container 1 2 is provided with a selectively operable dispensing outlet 1 8 which can be opened and closed by a user for the selective dispensing of carbonated beverage as will be explained hereinafter.

The capsule 10 is a sealed unit and is shown in diagrammatic sectional elevation in Fig. 2.

Considering the capsule 10 to be shown in Fig. 1 as the correct way up, on the underside the capsule 10 is provided with an aperture 20 which is normally sealed by cap 22, cap 22 also preventing the ingress of dust into the inside of sleeve 24. Aperture 20 is co-axial with internal sleeve 24 which extends between top and bottom of the capsule and in fact is integral therewith, the capsule being moulded in plastics material. Surrounding the sleeve 24 is a syrup cavity 26 containing a quantity of syrup 28, whilst inside the sleeve 24 is frictionally held a CO2 container 30, (preferably of commercially available form) containing a quantity of carbon dioxide in a liquid form. At the top and bottom of the sleeve 24 are flow passages 32 and 34 and facing the top end of the carbon dioxide container 30 is a barb or tang 36.Cap 22 seals the apertures 34 to prevent undesired leakage of syrup, and said holes 32 and 34 may in any case be of such size that the syrup will not flow therethrough under gravity alone.

The lower internal region of the sleeve 24 is threaded as shown at 38 to enable the capsule 10 to be screwed to the container 1 2 as described.

In order to use the apparatus, which may for example be located inside a domestic refrigerator, the user fills container 1 2 with a predetermined quantity of water. In this regard, container 12 may be provided with a suitable filling mark and will in any event have a closeable inlet for the quantity of water. Next, the capsule 10 is simply screwed onto the fitting 1 6. The effect of this is to bring the carbon dioxide container 30 into engagement with the barb or tang 36 thereby puncturing the carbon dioxide container and causing a release of carbon dioxide gas under pressure. This gas is forced through passages 32 to pressurise the chamber 26.The syrup is forced through the passages 34 by the CO2 gas and then through holes 40 provided in the fitting 16, and the syrup and CO2 gas are brought into intimate contact with the water in the container 12, thereby to create the final carbonated beverage. It should be noticed that the whole system will be pressurised by the CO2 gas i.e. the cavity 26 and also the interior of the container 12. Dispensing of individual quantities of carbonated beverage from the container 12 is effected simply by manipulation of the valve of the dispensing outlet 18.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus described will be extremely convenient in use, because a housewife need only buy replacement capsules which will come ready with the quantity of syrup and also CO2 container. It is possible to provide the capsule 10 so that the user inserts the carbon dioxide container. Small carbon dioxide caontainers are in fact at present used for the carbonation of water, and it may be that the apparatus for the invention will be designed for use with carbon dioxide containers produced by other manufacturers and usable at present in the production of carbonated water called soda water.

Fig. 3 shows in perspective view that the apparatus may be embodied as a shelf unit in a refrigerator, whilst Fig. 4 indicates that the apparatus may be used as a unit for use on a refrigerator door.

It is generally desirable that carbonated beverages should be served chilled because the carbon dioxide gas is retained in solution much easier at lower temperatures.

As far as possible, the components of the apparatus will be fabricated in plastics material and will preferably be moulded components. The capsule can be designed to be a "throw-away" item or a returnable item as desired.

Claims

1. A sealed capsule having a quantity of syrup for preparing carbonated beverage, said capsule housing or being adapted to house a sealed CO2 container in predetermined position the arrangement being that sealed CO2 container, when housed in the capsule can be opened selectively in such a fashion as to cause the CO2 gas under pressure to be directed to the chamber containing the flavouring syrup for the propulsion of the syrup to intermingle with a quantity of water to provide a beverage and for the purposes of carbonating such beverage.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, including a container for water which is complementary to said capsule in that the capsule and water container are adapted to be connected together in such a fashion that the connecting together effect rupturing of the sealed CO2 container, and by the time such rupturing takes place the capsule and water container are so connected that the syrup and gas pass directly into the water container to provide a carbonated beverage therein.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the water container has a closable inlet and a dispensing outlet valve which can be opened or closed at will in order to effect the dispensing from the container of the finally prepared carbonated beverage.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said capsule is of circular tablet form having a central axial sleeve in which the CO2 container is housed.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the syrup chamber surrounds the sleeve, and one internal end (the lower end in use), of the sleeve is threaded so that the capsule can be screwed to an appropriate fitting on the water container, whilst at the upper end of the sleeve and pointing towards the carbon dioxide container is a pointed bar or tang and flow passages at the ends of the sleeve connect with the syrup cavity and the arrangement is that when the capsule is screwed to the fitting on the water container, the carbon dioxide container is forced into engagement with the barb which punctures the carbon dioxide container and carbon dioxide gas is expelled and passes through the flow passages to the syrup cavity placing the syrup cavity under a fluid pressure.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the capsule is of molded plastics material.

7. Apparatus for use in dispensing carbonated beverage substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or Figs. 1,2, and 3 or Figs. 1, 2 and 4 for the accompanying drawings.