Device for injecting additive fluids into a primary fluid flow

• US 7,159,743 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IMI Cornelius Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brandt, Kevin, Sevcik, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Lien M.
• Application Number:
  US10/938,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 222/135, 222/132, 222/144.5, 222/145.1, 222/145.7, 222/129.1, 222/129.3, 222/129.4
• US Class Current: 222/135
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0043 Mixing devices for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0083 with means for separately dispensing a single or a mixture of drinks

Abstract

A device for injecting additive fluids into a stream of a primary fluid as it passes through a common central bore is characterized by a series of specially formed layers each having a particular fluid flow pattern formed therein. The layers are registered one above the other and sandwiched together to form an integral unit in which there are separate fluid flow channels for each of a desired number of additive fluids. Each channel has an inlet for receiving fluid from an associated pressurized source and a plurality of outlets terminating in angularly spaced relationship around an interior perimeter surface of the common bore. A selection mechanism provides for choosing a desired additive fluid for injection into the primary fluid in a manner coordinated with the flow of the primary fluid through the common bore.

Claims

1. A device for injecting additive fluids into a stream of a primary fluid, said device comprising a body having a central bore for flow therethrough of the stream of primary fluid, and a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body, each said fluid flow channel having an inlet for connection to an associated supply of additive fluid and a plurality of outlet orifices opening into said central bore in equally angularly spaced relationship around an interior perimeter surface of said central bore for emission from said outlet orifices of additive fluid from the associated supply and direction of the emitted additive fluid into the stream of primary fluid flowing through said central bore.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of outlet orifices of each said fluid flow channel lie on a circumference and in a common plane in said central bore.

3. The device as in claim 1, including means for initiating delivery of a selected additive fluid to the inlet to its associated channel for flow through said associated channel to and from said outlet orifices from said channel for direction of the additive fluid into the stream of primary fluid flowing through said central bore.

4. The device as in claim 1, including means for controlling delivery of the selected additive fluid to occur only in response to a flow of the primary fluid through said central bore.

5. A beverage dispenser, comprising a beverage dispensing valve having a nozzle for dispensing a stream of a beverage from said nozzle;

and a device for injecting additive fluid flavorings into the stream of beverage, said device comprising a body having a central bore for flow therethrough of the stream of beverage dispensed from said nozzle and a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body, each said fluid flow channel having an inlet for connection to an associated supply of additive fluid flavoring and a plurality of outlet orifices opening into said central bore in equally angularly spaced relationship around an interior perimeter surface of said central bore for emission from said outlet orifices of additive fluid flavoring from the associated supply of additive fluid flavoring and for direction of the emitted additive fluid flavoring into the stream of beverage flowing through said central bore.

6. The beverage dispenser as in claim 5, wherein said valve nozzle is received in and surrounded by an upper portion of said central bore.

7. The beverage dispenser as in claim 5, wherein said beverage dispenser, is a slush ice dispenser and said valve dispenses from its said nozzle a stream of beverage comprising a stream of slush ice.

8. The beverage dispenser as in claim 5, wherein said plurality of outlet orifices of each said fluid flow channel lie on a circumference and in a common plane in said central bore.

9. The beverage dispenser as in claim 5, including means for initiating delivery of a selected additive fluid to the inlet to its associated channel for flow through said associated channel to and from said outlet orifices from said channel for direction of the additive fluid flavoring into the stream of beverage flowing through said central bore.

10. The device as in claim 5, including means for controlling delivery of the selected additive fluid flavoring to occur only in response to a flow of the beverage through said central bore.

11. A method of injecting additive fluids into a stream of a primary fluid, said method comprising the steps of providing a body having a central bore;

forming a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through the body, such that each fluid flow channel has at one end an inlet and at an opposite end a plurality of outlet orifices opening into the central bore in equally angularly space relationship around an interior perimeter surface of the central bore;

fluid coupling the inlet to each channel to an associated supply of additive fluid;

flowing the stream of primary fluid through the central bore;

in response to performance of said flowing step, delivering additive fluid from a selected supply thereof to the inlet to the associated channel for flow of the additive fluid through the channel and emission from the outlet orifices from the channel; and

directing the additive fluid emitted from the outlet orifices into the stream of primary fluid flowing through the central bore.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of outlet orifices of each fluid flow channel terminate on a circumference and in a common plane in said equally angularly spaced relationship around the interior perimeter surface of the central bore.

13. The method of injecting additive fluid flavorings into a stream of a beverage dispensed from a nozzle of a beverage dispensing valve of a beverage dispenser, said method comprising the steps of providing a body having a central bore;

forming a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through the body, such that each fluid flow channel has at one end an inlet and at an opposite end a plurality of outlet orifices opening into the central bore in equally angularly spaced relationship around an interior perimeter surface of the central bore;

fluid coupling the inlet to each channel to an associated supply of additive fluid flavoring;

operating the beverage dispensing valve to flow a stream of the beverage through the central bore;

in response to performance of said operating step, delivering additive fluid flavoring from a selected supply thereof to the inlet to the associated channel for flow of the additive fluid flavoring through the channel and emission from the outlet orifices from the channel; and

directing the additive fluid flavoring emitted from the outlet orifices into the stream of beverage flowing through the central bore.

14. The method as in claim 13, including the step of positioning the beverage dispensing valve and the body relative to each other so that the nozzle of the beverage dispensing valve extends into an upper end of the body central bore.

15. A device for injecting additive fluids into a stream of a primary fluid, said device comprising a body having a central bore for flow therethrough of the stream of primary fluid, and a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body, each said fluid flow channel having an inlet for connection to an associated supply of additive fluid and a plurality of outlet orifices opening into said central bore for emission from said outlet orifices of additive fluid from the associated supply and direction of the emitted additive fluid into the stream of primary fluid flowing through said central bore, wherein said body comprises a series of layers, each said layer having a central bore formed therethrough and a fluid flow channel formed in at least one surface thereof and said layers being registered one above the other and sandwiched together to form said body having said central bore and said plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body between said inlets to and said outlet orifices from said channels.

16. A device as in claim 15, wherein facing surfaces of at least two adjacent layers have fluid flow channels formed therein which are complementary to each other and register one with the other to form a fluid flow channel through said body.

17. A beverage dispenser comprising:

a beverage dispensing valve having a nozzle for dispensing a stream of a beverage from said nozzle; and

a device for injecting additive fluid flavorings into the stream of beverage, said device comprising a body having a central bore for flow therethrough of the stream of beverage dispensed from said nozzle and a plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body, each said fluid flow channel having an inlet for connection to an associated supply of additive fluid flavoring and a plurality of outlet orifices opening into said central bore for emission from said outlet orifices of additive fluid flavoring from the associated supply of additive fluid flavoring and for direction of the emitted additive fluid flavoring into the stream of beverage flowing through said central bore, wherein said body comprises a series of layers, each said layer having a central bore formed therethrough and a fluid flow channel formed in at least one surface thereof and said layers being registered one above the other and sandwiched together to form said body having said central bore and said plurality of separate fluid flow channels extending through said body between said inlets to and said outlet orifices from said channels.

18. The beverage dispenser as in claim 17, wherein facing surfaces of at least two adjacent layers have fluid flow channels formed therein which are complementary to each other and register one with the other to form a fluid flow channel through said body.