Rotary Cabonator
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorsVictor Henry Quittner, William J. Moore, Jonathan Kirschner, Ian Stewart Fitzpatrick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present application provides a rotary carbonator for use with a beverage dispensing system. The rotary carbonator may include an off-center carbonator chamber, a rotor positioned within the off-center carbonator chamber, and a number of vanes extending from the rotor. The vanes may define within the off-center carbonator chamber a first number of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second number of vane cavities with a decreasing area. A water inlet and a gas inlet may be positioned about the first vane cavities and a carbonated water outlet may be positioned about the second vane cavities.
Claims25
A rotary carbonator for use with a beverage dispensing system, comprising:
- an off-center carbonator chamber;
- a rotor positioned within the off-center carbonator chamber;
- a plurality of vanes extending from the rotor;
- the plurality of vanes defining within the off-center carbonator chamber a first plurality of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second plurality of vane cavities with a decreasing area;
- a water inlet and a gas inlet positioned about the first plurality of vane cavities;
- and
- a carbonated water outlet positioned about the second plurality of vane cavities.
A method of carbonating water on demand, comprising:
- rotating a plurality of sliding vanes in an off-center carbonator chamber;
- wherein the plurality of sliding vanes defines a first plurality of vane cavities with an increasing area and a second plurality of vane cavities with a decreasing area;
- flowing water into the first plurality of vane cavities;
- flowing carbon dioxide into the first plurality of vane cavities;
- mixing the water and the carbon dioxide in the second plurality of vane cavities;
- and
- flowing carbonated water out of the second plurality of vane cavities.
A beverage dispensing system, comprising:
- a nozzle;
- one or more concentrates in communication with the nozzle;
- and
- a rotary carbonator producing a flow of carbonated water in communication with the nozzle.
A positive displacement pump for use with a flow of water and a flow of carbon dioxide to form a flow of carbonated water, comprising:
- a water cylinder with a water piston therein to meter a portion of the flow of water;
- a carbon dioxide cylinder with a carbon dioxide piston therein to meter a portion of the flow of carbon dioxide;
- a mixing cylinder with a mixing piston therein to mix the flow of water from the water cylinder and the flow of carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide cylinder to form the flow of carbonated water;
- and
- a crankshaft to maneuver the pistons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.