Carbonating device

#The present invention relates to a carbonating device for loading a liquid with a pressurized gas. Such carbonating devices usually serve to mix tap water or so-called still water with carbon dioxide or CO2. By using such a carbonating device, the arduous carrying of drinks crates can be significantly reduced in particular in areas in which the tap water is safe to drink. Suitable additives such as e.g. syrups are now available on the market, so that with the help of the carbonating device, the most varied non-alcoholic drinks can be prepared and mixed with carbon dioxide.

#Carbonating devices generally have a filling device which can be connected sealed off to a vessel containing the liquid, the filling device having a filling valve and actuation elements for this purpose, with which the connection between the inside of the vessel and the pressurized section of the filling device can be established. In order e.g. to make water into a sparkling, carbonated drink, a vessel filled with water is connected sealed off to the filling device. The filling valve is then opened by means of the actuation elements and the water-filled vessel is pressurized in a carbon-dioxide atmosphere. Naturally, a pressure container filled with carbon dioxide must be connected to the carbonating device for this purpose. The solubility of carbon dioxide in water is relatively high and increases linearly with the pressure as the pressure rises at room temperature at low pressures up to approx. 10 bar. Thus e.g. at room temperature and approx. 4 bar pressure, approx. 4 standard litres CO2 gas dissolve in one litre of water (a standard litre represents a gas volume of 1000 cm3 under so-called standard conditions, i.e. at room temperature and atmospheric pressure). Sometimes, carbon dioxide also forms in the water, breaking down into water and CO2 when the pressure is relieved, the CO2 gasses out from the water and causes the beading of gas bubbles generally known of carbonated drinks.

#A large number of such carbonating devices are now available on the market. Despite the many undisputed advantages of such carbonating devices, the customary carbonating devices nevertheless have a whole range of disadvantages.

#Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention become clear by means of the following description of a preferred version and the associated figures.

#There is shown in:

#FIG. 1 a view of the carbonating device in section,

#A carbonating device according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1. A suitable vessel 1, which contains the liquid to be gassed, is connected in sealed manner to the filling device 3. The carbonating device has a rear space 8 in which a pressure container 9 is arranged. A valve which can be opened or closed by the actuation button 2 is provided on the pressure container 9. To gas the liquid, only the actuation button 2 need be pressed. Gas then flows out of the pressure container 9 via the nozzle 18 into the vessel 1. The pressure increases and carbon dioxide dissolves in the liquid. The gassing process is ended by releasing the actuation button 2. It can clearly be seen that the nozzle 18 has a removable nozzle head 19. In addition, the rear space 8 is sealed by a rear part 10 which has a locking device 11. This locking device 11 is composed of a movable part 11 attached to the rear part 10 and, in the locked position, engages in the base of the carbonating device.

#FIG. 2 shows a top view of the carbonating device, the rear space being shown in section. The blow-off or pressure-relief valve 12 which connects the inside of the vessel 1 to the rear space 8 can be clearly seen. If the pressure in the vessel increases too much, the blow-off valve opens and the excess pressure is blown into the rear space 12. As already described above, under certain circumstances, liquid can emerge from the blow-off valve. Therefore, a collecting device 14 is provided in the rear space underneath the blow-off valve 12. Any liquid which emerges drops into the collecting device 14 and can be removed together with the collecting device 14 from the carbonating device as required.

#The locking device 11 can be clearly seen in FIG. 2. The rear part 10 can be removed from the rear space when the locking device 11 is moved into the opened position. When closing the rear space with the rear part, the process is reversed.