METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARTRIDGE-BASED CARBONATION OF BEVERAGES

• US 20110226343A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bedford Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novak, Thomas J., Gulla, Shawn, Packard, Ross, Peterson, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/54 Mixing with gases
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/407 with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/41 of liquid ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2362 for aerating or carbonating within receptacles or tanks, e.g. distribution machines B01F23/2361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7131 Breaking or perforating packages, containers or vials
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8049 Details of the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/8061 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0406 with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation B67D1/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/07 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0385 Carbonated beverage handling processes

Abstract

Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. A carbon dioxide source can be provided in a cartridge which is used to generate carbon dioxide gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid. A beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in the same, or a separate cartridge as the carbon dioxide source and mixed with the precursor liquid to form a beverage. The use of one or more cartridges for the carbon dioxide source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making carbonated beverages, e.g., in the consumer'"'"'s home.

Claims

1. A beverage making system, comprising:

a beverage precursor liquid supply arranged to provide a precursor liquid;

a cartridge chamber arranged to hold first and second cartridge portions;

a first cartridge portion in the cartridge chamber, the first cartridge portion containing a carbon dioxide source arranged to emit carbon dioxide gas for use in carbonating the precursor liquid; and

a second cartridge portion in the cartridge chamber, the second cartridge portion containing a beverage medium arranged to be mixed with a liquid precursor to form a beverage;

wherein the system is arranged to carbonate the precursor liquid using the carbon dioxide gas emitted by the first cartridge portion and to mix the beverage medium of the second cartridge portion with the precursor liquid.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide activating fluid supply arranged to provide fluid to the cartridge chamber for contact with the carbon dioxide source to cause the carbon dioxide source to emit carbon dioxide gas.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system mixes the beverage medium with precursor liquid to form a beverage such that none of the beverage contacts the carbon dioxide source.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is arranged to pass carbonated precursor liquid through the second chamber to mix the carbonated precursor liquid with the beverage medium.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide gas supply arranged to conduct carbon dioxide gas emitted by the carbon dioxide source, under pressure greater than the ambient pressure, to beverage precursor liquid provided via the beverage precursor liquid supply to carbonate the precursor liquid.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbonator that includes a membrane that separates a liquid side from a gas side of the carbonator, where the carbon dioxide gas is provided to the gas side and the beverage precursor liquid supply provides precursor liquid to the liquid side such that carbon dioxide on the gas side is dissolved in the precursor liquid on the liquid side.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the precursor liquid supply includes a reservoir and a pump that moves precursor liquid from the reservoir through the carbonator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge chamber is arranged to hold at least the first cartridge portion in the cartridge chamber under a pressure that is greater than an ambient pressure.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are each part of respective first and second cartridges that are distinct from each other.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are part of a single cartridge and the first and second cartridge portions are separated from each other.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are separated by a permeable element.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are separated by an impermeable element.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a carbon dioxide activating fluid supply arranged to control an amount of fluid provided to the cartridge chamber to control an amount of carbon dioxide gas produced by the carbon dioxide source.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and cartridge portions each has a volume that is less than a volume of carbonated beverage to be formed using the cartridge portions.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is arranged to use the first and second cartridge portions over a period of time less than about 120 seconds to form a carbonated liquid having a volume of between 100-1000 ml and a carbonation level of about 2 to 4 volumes.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide source is in solid form.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge chamber includes first and second receiving portions that respectively receive the first and second cartridge portions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second receiving portions are separated and can be opened and closed independent of each other.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a cartridge associated with the first and second cartridge portions is pierced while in the cartridge chamber.

20. A method for forming a beverage, comprising:

providing first and second cartridge portions in a cartridge chamber, the first cartridge portion containing a carbon dioxide source arranged to emit carbon dioxide gas for use in carbonating a liquid, and the second cartridge portion containing a beverage medium arranged to be mixed with a liquid precursor to form a beverage;

providing a fluid to the cartridge chamber to cause the carbon dioxide source to emit carbon dioxide;

carbonating a precursor liquid by dissolving at least a portion of the carbon dioxide emitted from the carbon dioxide source in the precursor liquid; and

mixing the precursor liquid with a beverage medium to produce a beverage.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the carbon dioxide source is in solid form in the first cartridge portion.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the carbon dioxide source is a charged zeolite.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of carbonating includes providing carbon dioxide gas to a reservoir that contains precursor liquid.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of carbonating includes providing carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source to a gas side of a membrane such that carbon dioxide on the gas side is dissolved in the precursor liquid on a liquid side of the membrane.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising piercing a cartridge associated with the first cartridge portion using a beverage making machine to provide fluid to the cartridge.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are each part of respective first and second cartridges that are distinct from each other.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling an amount of fluid provided to the first cartridge portion to control carbon dioxide gas production by the carbon dioxide source.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of controlling an amount comprises controlling the amount of fluid provided to the first cartridge portion to maintain a pressure of gas produced by the carbon dioxide source to be in a desired range above an ambient pressure.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the carbon dioxide source includes a charged zeolite, and the step of controlling an amount comprises controlling liquid provided to the first cartridge portion so as to cause the charged zeolite to emit carbon dioxide over a period of at least 30 seconds.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

mixing the precursor liquid with the beverage medium in the second cartridge portion.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second cartridge portions have a volume that is less than a volume of carbonated beverage to be formed using the cartridge portions.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the steps of providing a fluid and carbonating are performed over a period of time less than about 120 seconds to form a carbonated liquid having a volume of between 100-1000 ml and a carbonation level of about 2 to 4 volumes.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are part of a single cartridge and the first and second cartridge portions are separated from each other.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are separated by a permeable element.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first and second cartridge portions are separated by an impermeable element.

36-71. -71. (canceled)

72. A kit for forming a beverage, comprising:

a first cartridge including an internal space that is sealed and contains a carbon dioxide source in the internal space, the carbon dioxide source being in solid form and arranged to emit carbon dioxide gas for use in carbonating a precursor liquid, the first cartridge being arranged to have an inlet through which fluid is provided to activate the carbon dioxide source and an outlet through which carbon dioxide gas exits the first cartridge; and

a second cartridge including an internal space that is sealed and contains a beverage medium for use in mixing with the precursor liquid to form a beverage.

73. The kit of claim 72, wherein the first cartridge is piercable by a beverage making machine to form the inlet and accommodate an inflow of liquid and is piercable to form the outlet.

74. The kit of claim 72, wherein the first and second cartridges each have a volume that is less than a volume of beverage to be formed using the first and second cartridges.

75. The kit of claim 72, wherein the second cartridge is arranged to accommodate a flow of precursor liquid through the second cartridge to mix the beverage medium with the precursor liquid.

76. The kit of claim 72, wherein the first and second cartridges are joined together.

77. The kit of claim 76, wherein the first and second cartridges are joined together such that the cartridges cannot be separated from each other, without use of tools, without damaging at least a portion of the first or second cartridge.

78. The kit of claim 76, wherein the first and second cartridges are joined by a welded joint or by interlocking mechanical fasteners.

79. The kit of claim 72, wherein the second cartridge is piercable by a beverage making machine to form an inlet and an outlet to accommodate a flow of precursor liquid through the second cartridge to mix the beverage medium with the precursor liquid.

80. The kit of claim 72, wherein the carbon dioxide source includes a charged zeolite.

81. A cartridge for forming a beverage, comprising:

a container including an internal space that is sealed and contains a carbon dioxide source in the internal space, the carbon dioxide source being in solid form and arranged to emit carbon dioxide gas for use in carbonating a precursor liquid, the container being arranged to have an inlet through which fluid is provided to activate the carbon dioxide source and an outlet through which carbon dioxide gas exits the container for use in carbonating the precursor liquid.

82. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the container is piercable by a beverage making machine to form the inlet and to form the outlet.

83. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the container has at least one portion that is semi-rigid or flexible.

84. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the container includes a second chamber that contains a beverage medium for use in flavoring the precursor liquid to form a beverage.

85. The cartridge of claim 84, wherein the second chamber is isolated from a first chamber in which the carbon dioxide source is contained.

86. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the inlet is located near a bottom of the container and the outlet is located near a top of the container.

87. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the container has a volume that is less than a volume of carbonated beverage to be formed using the cartridge.

88. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the container includes a lid that closes an opening of the container.

89. The cartridge of claim 88, wherein the lid is arranged to be pierced by a beverage making machine to form the inlet and the outlet.

90. The cartridge of claim 81, wherein the carbon dioxide source is a charged zeolite.

91-120. -120. (canceled)