Back to results
US 4,808,346 AGranted
Carbonated beverage dispensing apparatus and method
AssigneeStrenger & Associates
InventorMarshall C. Strenger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeStrenger & Associates
InventorMarshall C. Strenger
Estimating the term…
A carbonated beverage dispensing system for dispensing a mixed beverage consisting of a flavoring constituent contained in an individual serving packet and a base liquid. The dispensing system includes an actuating unit having a platen that is movable between a retracted position in which a flavoring constituent containing packet is positionable into the actuating unit with a rupturable discharge end thereof directed downwardly and an actuated position which progressively presses against a side of the packet for forcing the contents of the packet in a downward direction for rupturing the discharge end of the packet and for expelling the contents thereof into a discharge nozzle. A carbonated water supply is provided for simultaneously dispensing a predetermined quantity of carbonated water into the nozzle for mixing with the expelled flavoring constituent prior to discharging therefrom. The carbonated water supply is adapted for substantially instantaneously carbonating fresh water as it is being dispensed to the mixing nozzle.
A carbonated beverage dispensing system comprising an actuating unit, a generally flat-sided flexible walled packet containing a predetermined individual serving quantity of a flavoring constituent and having a rupturable discharge end, said discharge end of said packet is formed with relatively strong permanently sealed areas which define an unsealed discharge spout, and an arcuate shaped sealed area surrounding said discharge spout for defining an unsealed chamber communicating with said discharge spout, whereby upon application of predetermined external pressure to the container said arcuate shaped sealed area will rupture to permit the controlled discharge of the packaged substance through said unsealed chamber and discharge spout, said actuating unit having a platen that is laterally movable between a retracted position in which said packet is positionable in said actuating unit with the discharge end thereof downwardly directed and an actuated position forcefully pressing against a side of said packet, means for moving said platen from said retracted position to said actuated position for forcing the contents of said packet in said actuating unit in a downward direction for rupturing the discharge end of said packet and expelling the contents downwardly therefrom, and means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of carbonated water for mixing with the expelled contents of said packet to form a carbonated beverage.
In a system for dispensing a beverage made of a predetermined quantity of a flavoring constituent contained in an individual sealed packet having a rupturable discharge end and a predetermined quantity of a base, said liquid system omprising
A carbonated beverage dispensing system comprising an actuating unit, a flexible walled packet containing a predetermined individual serving quantity of a flavoring constituent and having a rupturable discharge end, said actuating unit having a platen that is movable between a retracted position in which said packet is positionable in said actuating unit with the discharge end thereof downwardly directed and an actuated position forcefully pressing against said packet, means for moving said platen from said retracted position to a first ready position in which said platen is in inclined relation and in close proximity to said packet in a predetermined relatively short period, means for moving said platen from said first ready position to said actuated position in a predetermined relatively longer period and in a manner that causes rupturing of the discharge end of said packet and expels the contents downwardly therefrom, and means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of carbonated water for mixing with the expelled contents of said packet to form a carbonated beverage.
A method of dispensing a carbonated beverage comprising the steps of providing predetermined individual serving quantities of a flavoring constituent in individual generally flat sided packets each having a rupturable discharge end, said discharge end of said packet is formed with relatively strong permanently sealed areas which define an unsealed discharge spout, and an arcuate shaped sealed area surrounding said discharge spout for defining an unsealed chamber communicating with said discharge spout, whereby upon application of predetermined external pressure to the container said arcuate shaped sealed area will rupture to permit the controlled discharge of the packaged substance through said unsealed chamber and discharge spout, positioning one of said packets in a carbonated beverage dispenser with the discharge end downwardly directed, advancing a laterally movable platen against a side of said packet to forcefully compress the contents therein downwardly in a manner that ruptures the discharge end of said packet and expels the contents in a downward direction, and simultaneously dispensing a predetermined quantity of carbonated water for mixing with the expelled contents of the packet to form an individual serving of a carbonated beverage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.