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

• US 8,356,730 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• 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:
  US13/358,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 2221291-1294, 222/132, 222/135, 222/144.5, 222/145.1, 222/145.5, 137/12.5
• US Class Current: 222/1
• 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 method of gradually reducing the pressure of a pressurized, carbonated fluid, comprising:

injecting a pressurized, carbonated fluid at a first pressure into a discharge head, the discharge head having;

a first fluid passage in fluid communication with a discharge nozzle, the first fluid passage having a non-linear flow path;

an inlet opening for receiving the pressurized, carbonated fluid; and

an outlet opening communicating with the discharge nozzle, wherein the first fluid passage is formed between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, wherein the first fluid passage has a helical increasing cross-sectional area that increases along the length of the first fluid passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening wherein the first fluid passage extends circumferentially from the inlet opening to the outlet opening;

forming a depressurized, carbonated fluid at a second pressure lower than the first pressure by causing the pressurized, carbonated fluid to flow through the inlet opening, the first fluid passage, and the outlet opening; and

dispensing the depressurized, carbonated fluid from the dispensing head.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

injecting a second fluid through a second fluid passage located in the dispensing head, the second fluid passage separated from the first fluid passage;

mixing the depressurized, carbonated fluid and the second fluid in the discharge head to form a mixed beverage; and

dispensing the mixed beverage from the dispensing head.

3. The method according to claim 1, where the pressurized, carbonated fluid is gradually reduced to a pressure that is substantially near atmospheric pressure.

4. The method according to claim 1, where the step of discharging the pressurized, carbonated fluid from the source includes discharging pressurized, carbonated water.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second fluid is a flavored syrup.

6. The method according to claim 2, where the steps of injecting the second fluid includes injecting non-carbonated water into the discharge head and the step of mixing further includes mixing the depressurized, carbonated fluid, the second fluid, and a third fluid in the discharge head to form the mixed beverage.

7. The method according to claim 2, where the method of gradually reducing the pressure of a pressurized, carbonated fluid further includes the steps of injecting a third fluid into the discharge head and mixing the depressurized, carbonated fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid in the discharge head to form a mixed beverage.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second fluid passage has a linear flow path and the first fluid passage for the pressurized, carbonated fluid is formed to extend at least partially in a curve around the second discharge passage.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbonated fluid source is adjacent to the discharge head.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbonated fluid source is remote from the discharge head.

11. A method for discharging a beverage, comprising:

providing a nozzle defining a space, the nozzle being selectively removable;

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

providing a second dispensing head positioned within the space, the second dispensing head having a second discharge passage at least partially surrounding the first discharge passage, wherein the second discharge passage has a second flow path, and wherein the second discharge passage has an inlet opening for receiving a fluid stream and an outlet opening through which the fluid stream is discharged and is further shaped to have a helical increasing cross-sectional area that increases along the length of the first fluid passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening;

dispensing a first fluid from the first dispensing head; and

dispensing a second fluid from the second dispensing head.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising providing the second dispensing head with at least two second discharge passages, each of the second discharge passages having an inlet opening for receiving the fluid stream and an outlet opening through which the second fluild is discharged, both of the second discharge passages having a cross-sectional area that increases from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising providing the first dispensing head with at least two first dispensing head fluid passages opening into the nozzle for discharging the beverages.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first discharge passage extends at least in part in a linear path and the second discharge passage extends at least partially in a curve around the first discharge passage.

15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising providing the first discharge passage with 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.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising dispensing the first fluid along a first path and dispending the second fluid along a second path that intersects with the first path.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising locking the nozzle to the beverage dispensing head.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first fluid is a syrup and the second fluid is water.

19. The method according to claim 11, 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.