Apparatus for preparing and dispensing whipped beverages

• US 6,305,269 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gus J. Stratton
• Original Assignee: Gus J. Stratton
• Inventors: Stratton, Gus J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/518,118
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 993/231, 993/233, 992/75, 222/129.1, 222/459, 366/165.1, 366/165.2, 366/137.1
• US Class Current: 99/323.1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/005 with means for converging streams
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0085 electro-mechanical

Abstract

An apparatus for producing and dispensing whipped soft drinks, hot chocolate and beverages which does not use mechanical whipping such as rotating blades, but rather accomplishes the whipping of the mixture of syrup and water used to produce the beverage by intermixing within a vented mixing chamber intersecting streams of syrup and water that are directed toward the intersection point under pressure. The apparatus embodies solenoid valves to control the flow of syrup and water into the mixing chamber of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing and dispensing a whipped beverage comprising a mixture of syrup, water and air, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a vented mixing chamber;

(b) syrup injection means for injecting a stream of syrup into said vented mixing chamber along a first path;

(c) water injection means for injecting a stream of water into said vented mixing chamber along a second path that intersects said first path at an intersection point to impinge upon said stream of syrup to form a first mixture of syrup and water, said water injection means comprising a water injection nozzle that includes a generally tubular shaped body portion and a flattened end portion defining an elongated slit for directing the water toward said intersection point at a velocity sufficient to cause a turbulent mixing of the water and syrup; and

(d) a dispensing means operably associated with said vented mixing chamber for dispensing said whipped beverage.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said syrup injection means comprises:

(a) a syrup receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(b) a source of syrup in communication with said inlet of said syrup receiving chamber; and

(c) a first valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of syrup toward said mixing chamber.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first valve means comprises a first solenoid valve.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said water injection means comprises:

(a) a water receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(b) a source of water in communication with said inlet of said water receiving chamber; and

(c) a second valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of water toward said mixing chamber.

5. The apparatus as defined in 4 claim in which said second valve means comprises a second solenoid valve.

6. An apparatus for producing and dispensing a whipped beverage comprises a mixture of syrup, water and air, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a base having a cup-supporting platform;

(b) a hollow housing superimposed over said base;

(c) a mixing block disposed within said hollow housing, said mixing block having a mixing chamber;

(d) vent means provided in said mixing block for venting said mixing chamber to atmosphere;

(e) syrup injection means for injecting a collimated stream of syrup into said mixing chamber of said mixing block along a first path, said syrup injection means comprising;

(i) a syrup receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(ii) a source of syrup in communication with said inlet of said syrup receiving chamber;

(iii) a first valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of syrup toward said mixing chamber, said first valve means comprising a first solenoid valve; and

(f) water injection means for injecting a collimated stream of water into said mixing chamber of said mixing block along a second path that intersects said first path at an intersection point to impinge upon said stream of syrup to form a first mixture of syrup and water, said water injection means comprising;

(i) a water receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(ii) a source of water in communication with said inlet of said water in receiving chamber;

(iii) a second valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of water and toward said mixing chamber, said second valve means comprising a second solenoid valve; and

(iv) a water injection nozzle in communication with said source of water, said water injection nozzle comprising a body portion having a flattened end portion defining an elongated water injection port; and

(g) dispensing means operably associated with said mixing chamber for dispensing said whipped beverage.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 including switch means for operating said first and second solenoid valves.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including switch operating means pivotally connected to said mixing block for operating said switch means.

9. An apparatus for producing and dispensing into a receptacle a whipped beverage comprising a mixture of syrup, water and air, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a base having a cup supporting platform;

(b) a hollow housing superimposed over said base;

(c) a mixing block disposed within said upper hollow housing, said mixing block having a mixing chamber;

(d) vent means provided in said mixing block for venting said mixing chamber to atmosphere, said vent means comprising an air passageway formed in said mixing block;

(e) syrup injection means for injecting a stream of syrup into said mixing chamber of said mixing block along a first path, said syrup injection means comprising;

(i) a syrup receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(ii) a source of syrup in communication with said inlet of said syrup receiving chamber;

(iii) a first valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of syrup toward said mixing chamber, said first valve means comprising a first solenoid valve;

(f) water injection means for injecting a stream of water into said mixing chamber of said mixing block along a second path that intersects said first path at an intersection point to form a first mixture of syrup and water, said water injection means comprising;

(i) a water receiving chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being in communication with said mixing chamber;

(ii) a source of water in communication with said inlet of said water in receiving chamber via a water injection nozzle that includes a generally tubular shaped body portion and a flattened end portion defining an elongated water injection port for directing the water toward said intersection point at a high velocity to cause a turbulent mixing of the air, water and syrup;

(iii) a second valve means disposed between said inlet and said outlet for controlling the flow of water toward said water injection nozzle, said second valve means comprising a second solenoid valve;

(g) a dispensing means operably associated with said mixing chamber for dispensing said whipped beverage.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 including switch means for operating said first and second solenoid valves.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 further including switch operating means pivotally connected to said mixing block for operating said switch means, said switch operating means comprising a lever arm pivotally connected to said mixing block for engagement by the receptacle.