Portable systems and methods for adjusting the composition of a beverage

• US 10,512,358 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirkul, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lifefuels Inc. (Infuze, LLC)
• Inventors: Perrelli, Jonathon, Lawson-Shanks, Robert, Lyons, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thien S
• Application Number:
  US16/157,062
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 99275, 99285, 99290, 99295, 993232, 426 89, 426433, 426477
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/18 of rigid material
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/005 Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/521 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a computer or a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/14 Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23611 Portable appliances comprising a gas cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2205 Controlling the mixing process from a remote server, e.g. by sending commands using radio, telephone, internet, local network, GPS or other means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2807 the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3222 with additional means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0016 the beverage being stored in an intermediate container before dispensing, i.e. pre-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0019 based on volumetric dosing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0078 Ingredient cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00146 Component storage means

Abstract

The systems and methods provide a container assembly comprising: a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid; an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container; one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including: an onboard gas tank; a valve assembly; and a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between: an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet.

Claims

1. A container assembly comprising:

a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid;

an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container;

one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and

a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including;

an onboard gas tank;

a valve assembly; and

a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and

wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between;

an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

the container assembly further including a computer processor that controls both (a) the valve assembly to modulate the flow of gas so as to control an amount of gas that is input into the liquid in a gas dispense event, and (b) the additive dispensing assembly.

2. The container assembly of claim 1, the gas dispensing assembly including a valve intake pipe that provides gas flow from the onboard gas tank to the valve assembly and a valve outlet pipe that provides gas flow from the valve assembly to the gas outlet.

3. The container assembly of claim 1, the gas outlet including a gas one-way valve, and the gas one-way valve prevents the liquid from flowing into the gas dispensing assembly.

4. The container assembly of claim 3, the container assembly further including a dispense platform that forms a lower portion of the container, and the gas one-way valve is positioned in the dispense platform.

5. The container assembly of claim 3, the container assembly further including a dispense platform that forms a lower portion of the container, and the gas one-way valve is positioned in a raised spout so as to be positioned above the dispense platform.

6. The container assembly of claim 3, the additive dispensing assembly including an additive one-way valve through which additive is dispensed, from one of the vessels, into the liquid, and the container assembly further including a dispense platform at a lower portion of the container, and

wherein both the additive one-way valve and the gas one-way are positioned in the dispense platform.

13. The container assembly of claim 1, the onboard gas tank provided adjacent a housing that houses one of the vessels;

and the container assembly further including a lower support platform and a bottom support platform, and

the onboard gas tank extending between the lower support platform and the bottom support platform, and

the housing extending between the lower support platform and the bottom support platform.

14. The container assembly of claim 13, wherein both the onboard gas tank and the housing are in the shape of a cylinder, between the lower support platform and the bottom support platform.

7. A container assembly comprising:

a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid;

an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container;

one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and

a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including;

an onboard gas tank;

a valve assembly; and

a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and

wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between;

an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

the gas dispensing assembly including at least one selected from the group consisting of an electro-mechanical assembly, a motor and a drive motor, and the gas dispensing assembly mechanically connected to the valve assembly so as to variably move the valve assembly between the open position and the closed position.

8. The container assembly of claim 7, the drive motor mechanically connected to the valve assembly through a gear box.

9. The container assembly of claim 7, the valve assembly includes a rotating valve insert that rotates, in a valve housing, to provide the open position and the closed position.

10. The container assembly of claim 7, the container assembly further including a computer processor that controls the valve assembly to modulate the flow of gas so as to control an amount of gas that is input into the liquid in a gas dispense event.

11. The container assembly of claim 10, the gas is CO2, and the amount of gas that is input, into the liquid in the gas dispense event, results in variance in the amount of CO2 contained in the liquid.

12. The container assembly of claim 10, the computer processor configured to dispense gas at a predetermined time lapse after dispensing of one of the additives, of the one or more additives.

15. A container assembly comprising:

a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid;

an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container;

one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and

a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including;

an onboard gas tank;

a valve assembly; and

a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and

wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between;

an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

the gas dispensing assembly further including a gas intake assembly associated with the onboard gas tank, and the gas intake assembly including a valve that provides for the onboard gas tank to be refilled from an external gas source.

16. The container assembly of claim 15, the valve is a one-way valve, and an inlet to the onboard gas tank is positioned at a bottom of the container assembly.

17. The container assembly of claim 15, the gas intake assembly including an engagement collar for positioning the container assembly on a refill station, and the engagement collar provided with at least one engagement mechanism for securing the container assembly to the refill station.

18. The container assembly of claim 17, the at least one engagement mechanism is at least one selected from the group consisting of (a) a threaded arrangement and (b) a twist-lock coupling;

and the valve is a poppet valve that is openable in conjunction with the container assembly being positioned upon the refill station.

19. A container assembly comprising:

a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid;

an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container;

one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and

a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including;

an onboard gas tank;

a valve assembly; and

a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and

wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between;

an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and

the gas dispensing assembly including a manual assembly, which is mechanically connected to the valve assembly so as to variably move the valve assembly between the open position and the closed position.