Beverage dispensing system with a head capable of dispensing plural different beverages

• US 8,123,080 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Bethuy, Timothy W., Black, William J., Cahill, Brian T., Schilling, Ronald, Novotny, Paul, Nebbia, Fabio, Perucca, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacyna, J Casimer
• Application Number:
  US12/235,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 222/144.5, 222/132, 222/135, 222/1, 2221291-1294, 222/145.1, 222/145.5, 137/12.5
• US Class Current: 222/129.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/40 Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/105 Mixing heads, i.e. compact mixing units or modules, using mixing valves for feeding and mixing at least two components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0044 for mixing inside the dispensing nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0081 Dispensing valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1272 preventing froth
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/06 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/74 Devices for mixing two or more different liquids to be transferred coin-freed apparatus G07F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0385 Carbonated beverage handling processes

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system includes a base to which a dispensing head is removably attached without additional fasteners. Beverage-forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head regulate the dispensing of the beverage. By selectively opening the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more liquids. A dispensing head includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening at each end of a passage extending through a body, the inlet opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the outlet opening.

Claims

1. A beverage dispensing head for discharging a beverage, comprising:

a nozzle defining a space;

a first dispensing head positioned within the space, the first dispensing head having a first discharge passage; and

a second dispensing head positioned within the space, the second dispensing head having at least two second discharge passages at least partially surrounding the first discharge passage, wherein each of the at least two second discharge passages have a second flow path, and wherein each of the at least two second discharge passages have an inlet opening for receiving a fluid stream and an outlet opening through which the fluid stream is discharged and wherein each of the at least two second discharge passages are shaped to have a cross-sectional area that increases from the inlet opening to the outlet opening; and

wherein one of the second discharge passages form a helix around the first dispensing head.

2. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the first dispensing head includes at least two first dispensing head fluid passages opening into the nozzle for discharging the beverages.

3. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the first discharge passage extends at least in part in a linear path and the second discharge passages extends at least partially in a curve around the first discharge passage.

4. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 3, wherein the first discharge passage further includes a diverting channel at the discharge outlet that extends in a direction lateral to the linear flow path direction so that fluid discharged from the first and second discharge outlets is directed in different directions as they are discharged from the nozzle.

5. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the first discharge passage extends along a first path and the second discharge passages extends along a second path that intersects with the first path.

6. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is removably attached to the beverage dispensing head.

7. The beverage dispensing head of claim 6, further comprising a selectively releasable locking mechanism that attaches the nozzle to the beverage dispensing head.

8. The beverage dispensing head of claim 1, where the first dispensing head is a syrup dispensing head and the second dispensing head is a water dispensing head.

9. The beverage dispensing head of claim 1, where the first dispensing head is shaped as a cylinder and the second dispensing head is shaped as a ring that surrounds the first dispensing head.

10. A beverage dispensing head for discharging a beverage, comprising:

a nozzle defining a space, the nozzle being selectively removable from the beverage dispensing head;

a first dispensing head positioned within the space, the first dispensing head having a first discharge passage; and

a second dispensing head positioned within the space, the second dispensing head having at least two second discharge passages at least partially surrounding the first discharge passage and forming a helix, wherein the second discharge passages have a second flow path, and wherein the second discharges passage each have an inlet opening for receiving a fluid stream and an outlet opening through which the fluid stream is discharged and are further shaped to have cross-sectional area that increases from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

11. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 10, wherein the first dispensing head includes at least two first dispensing head fluid passages opening into the nozzle for discharging the beverages.

12. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 10, wherein the first discharge passage extends at least in part in a linear path and the second discharge passages extends at least partially in a curve around the first discharge passage.

13. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 12, wherein the first discharge passage further includes a diverting channel at the discharge outlet that extends in a direction lateral to the linear flow path direction so that fluid discharged from the first and second discharge outlets is directed in different directions as they are discharged from the nozzle.

14. The beverage dispensing head according to claim 10, wherein the first discharge passage extends along a first path and the second discharge passages extends along a second path that intersects with the first path.

15. The beverage dispensing head of claim 10, further comprising a selectively releasable locking mechanism that attaches the nozzle to the beverage dispensing head.

16. The beverage dispensing head of claim 10, where the first dispensing head is a syrup dispensing head and the second dispensing head is a water dispensing head.

17. The beverage dispensing head of claim 10, where the first dispensing head is shaped as a cylinder and the second dispensing head is shaped as a ring that surrounds the first dispensing head.