Home carbonating apparatus

Apparatus for carbonating a beverage by adding carbon dioxide to the beverage when said beverage is contained in its original container, and wherein said original container has an aperture or mouth of a selected size and shape, said apparatus comprising:

• a unitary and solid housing defining a threaded connecting cavity suitable for receiving the mouth of said original container for securing said housing to said original container in a gas-tight manner, and wherein said housing further defines a cartridge cavity and a single fluid pathway extending between a first port terminating at said connecting cavity and a second port terminating at said cartridge cavity, said pathway being the sole fluid passage in said housing;
• a gas conduit tube having a first and further end, said first end of said conduit tube permanently connected in a gas tight manner to said fluid pathway at said first port such that when said housing is secured to said liquid container, said further end of said gas conduit tube extends to the interior and proximate the bottom of said original container so that a continuous gas-tight pathway exists from said further end of said gas conduit tube, through said conduit tube, through said pathway in said housing to said cartridge cavity;
• a removable cover for opening and selectively sealing in a gas-tight manner said cartridge cavity;
• a one shot disposable cartridge having a frangible seal and said cartridge having a shape substantially the same as said cartridge cavity, said one shot cartridge sealed container having carbon dioxide pressurized to provide a pressure of between 80 PSI and 120 PSI in said original container when said container is about half full;
• and
• actuating mechanism for rupturing said frangible seal of said one shot disposable cartridge such that when said disposable cartridge is inserted in said cartridge cavity and said cover means is in place to seal such cartridge cavity in a gas-tight manner, said mechanism may be activated to rupture said frangible seal such that said pressurized carbon dioxide gas escapes from said cartridge cavity through said pathway and out of said gas tube so that said bubbles of CO.sub.2 move up through said beverage contained in said original liquid container thereby carbonating said beverage.

Apparatus for adding carbon-dioxide (CO.sub.2) to consumable liquids contained in a container having an aperture of a selected size and shape, said apparatus comprising:

• a unitary and solid housing defining a threaded connecting cavity for securing said housing to said aperture of said liquid container in a gas-tight manner, said housing further defining a cartridge cavity and a single fluid pathway extending between a first port terminating at said connecting cavity and a second port terminating at said cartridge cavity, said pathway being the sole fluid passage in said housing;
• gas conduit means having a first and further end, said first end of said gas conduit permanently connected in a gas tight manner to said fluid pathway at said first port such that when said housing is secured to said liquid container said further end of said gas conduit means extends in to the interior of said liquid container so that a continuous gas tight pathway exists from said further end of said gas conduit, through said conduit, through said pathway in said housing to said cartridge cavity;
• cover means for selectively opening and closing said cartridge cavity to provide pressurized sealing thereof;
• a one shot disposable cartridge having a frangible portion and a shape suitable for being received in said cartridge cavity, said one shot sealed cartridge containing carbon-dioxide (CO.sub.2) under pressure;
• and
• actuating mechanism for rupturing said frangible portion of said one shot disposable cartridge when said cartridge is in said sealed condition for containing pressure such that said pressurized carbon dioxide escapes from said cartridge cavity through said pathway in said housing and out of said further end of said gas conduit so that bubbles of pressurized CO.sub.2 move up through a consumable liquid contained in said liquid container thereby carbonating said liquid.