Carbonation chamber with sparger for beverage carbonation

• US 4,466,342 A
• Filed: 02/22/1983
• Issued: 08/21/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Foods Corporation 250 North Street White Plains NY, Peter Anthomy Basile Blara Ann Annese and DENN Is James Cowell
• Original Assignee: General Food Corporation (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Colwell, Dennis J., Basile, Peter A., Annese, Clara Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Jenkins, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US06/468,235
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 99/275, 99/323.1, 99/323.2, 261/DIG. 7, 261/121 R, 261/18 R, 426/591, 426/561, 426/477, 426/78, 426/86, 220/23
• US Class Current: 99/323.1
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/40 Effervescence-generating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/07 Carbonators

Abstract

An improvement in a pressurizable container used to prepare a carbonated beverage from a water-based liquid and carbon dioxide generating chemical reactants comprises the use of a carbonation chamber having an upper compartment for holding the chemical couple and a lower compartment with a bottom sparger surface for releasing, as uniformly small bubbles, the generated carbon dioxide into a beverage to be carbonated. The bottom sparger surface permits the rapid carbonation of a beverage without agitation and also minimizes the transfer of the resultant products of the chemical reaction to the beverage.

Claims

1. A pressurizable container for preparing therein a carbonated beverage from a water-based liquid and carbon dioxide-generating, chemical reactants designed to rapidly carbonate the liquid without agitation, comprising:

a. a container having an opening therein providing access to the contents thereof;

b. A carbonation chamber, insertable into said opening in the container for holding therein the chemical reactants and for substantially isolating the resultant chemical products of the chemical reaction to prevent their adversely affecting the palatability of the beverage, said chamber having

(1) an upper compartment for holding therein the chemical reactants and a quantity of water to promote the reaction,

(2) a lower compartment having a bottom sparger for releasing the generated carbon dioxide into a beverage in the container, said sparger having a porosity controlled to provide a first rapid flow of gas through the beverage in the form of large bubbles of CO₂ generated from the chemical reaction and a second moderate flow of small bubbles which rapidly dissolve in the beverage without increasing head space pressure to the point the reaction stops said second moderate flow sufficient to carbonate to a level of 3.5 volumes or more of CO₂ per volume of the beverage,

(3) means to provide for the passage of CO₂ from said upper compartment to said lower compartment.

2. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom sparger surface releases carbon dioxide therethrough, as uniformly small bubbles to carbonate the liquid within the container within 30 minutes of initiating the reaction.

3. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bottom sparger surface has pores which are less than 10 microns in diameter.

4. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bottom sparger surface has pores which are from about 0.3-1.0 micron in diameter.

5. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 1, said container having a circular opening in the top thereof, said carbonation chamber having a circular cross section with a diameter such that it fits snugly within said circular opening, and having a rim around the top thereof with a greater diameter than said circular opening such that the chamber is suspended in the container from said rim which is positioned on top of the circular opening.

6. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 5, including a closure for engaging and sealing the access opening of the container, said closure having a flat top to provide a stable base for the covered container when it is placed in an inverted position, said closure designed to promote rapid wetting of reactants in a confined reaction area to accelerate initial head space pressurization.

7. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 6, said container being a wide mouth bottle, and said container and closure both being threaded for engagement with each other.

8. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 7, said container having a cylindrically shaped neck, said circular opening being in the top thereof, and said carbonation chamber being cylindrically shaped to fit snugly within said cylindrical neck.

9. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 8, including a vent valve provided in said closure to allow venting of excessive carbon dioxide from the interior of the pressurized container prior to disengagement of the closure from the container.

10. A pressurizable container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, said container having a cylindrically shaped neck with said circular opening being in the top thereof, said carbonation chamber being cylindrically shaped to fit snugly within said cylindrical neck.