Combination carbonator and plain water booster

• US 5,743,433 A
• Filed: 10/31/1995
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lancer Partnership Limited (Hoshizaki Corporation), Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company)
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Vinson, W. David, Hawkins, John T., Durham, Samuel, Guy, Thomas L. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Derakshani, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US08/550,614
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 222/64, 222/95, 222/105, 222/129.1, 222/129.2, 222/144.5, 222/146.6, 222/386.5, 222/389, 222/395, 261/DIG. 7
• US Class Current: 222/64
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/12 Flow or pressure control devices or systems , e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers

Abstract

A carbonator and plain water booster includes a tank and a bladder mounted within the tank that separates the tank into a carbonated water chamber and a plain water chamber. The carbonated water chamber connects to a water source and a CO₂ source to facilitate the forming of carbonated water, while the plain water chamber connects only to the water source. The pressure of the carbonated water and CO₂ gas within the carbonated water chamber expands the bladder into the plain water chamber, resulting in the pressurizing of the water within the plain water chamber. That pressurization allows the dispensing of plain water with a beverage syrup at a pressure sufficient to maintain a proper mix ratio between the plain water and the beverage syrup.

Claims

1. A carbonator and plain water booster, comprising;

a tank, said tank, comprising;

a first plain water inlet port for inletting water into a carbonated water chamber and a CO₂ inlet port for inletting CO₂ into said carbonated water chamber to facilitate the formation of carbonated water,

a carbonated water outlet port for outletting carbonated water from said carbonated water chamber

a second plain water inlet port for inletting water into a plain water chamber, and

a plain water outlet port for outletting pressurized plain water from said plain water chamber; and

a bladder disposed within said tank for separating said tank into said carbonated water chamber and said plain water chamber and for transferring the pressure created within said carbonated water chamber by the CO₂ and the carbonated water to the plain water within said plain water chamber to pressurize the plain water within said plain water chamber.

2. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 1 wherein said tank includes means for regulating the pressure of the CO₂ within said carbonated water chamber.

3. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 1 wherein said tank includes means for regulating the level of the carbonated water within said carbonated water chamber.

4. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 1 wherein said tank includes means for regulating the level of the plain water within said plain water chamber.

5. A carbonator and plain water booster, comprising;

a tank; and

a wall and a bladder disposed within said tank that separate said tank into a carbonated water chamber, a gas chamber, and a plain water chamber wherein said bladder transfers the pressure created within said gas chamber by CO₂ gas therein to the plain water within said plain water chamber to pressurize the plain water within said plain water chamber.

6. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 5 wherein said tank includes a first plain water inlet port for inletting water into said carbonated water chamber and a first CO₂ inlet port for inletting CO₂ into said carbonated water chamber to facilitate the formation of carbonated water.

7. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 6 wherein said tank includes a carbonated water outlet port for outletting carbonated water from said carbonated water chamber.

8. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 6 wherein said tank includes a second CO₂ inlet port for inletting CO₂ into said gas chamber.

9. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 8 wherein said tank includes a second plain water inlet port for inletting water into said plain water chamber.

10. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 5 wherein said tank includes a plain water outlet port for outletting the pressurized plain water from said plain water chamber.

11. The carbonator and plain water booster according to claim 5 wherein said tank includes means for regulating the pressure of the CO₂ within said gas chamber.