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US 5,021,219 AGranted
Gas generator for a carbonated drink dispenser
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorsArthur G. Rudick, Ashis S. Gupta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chemical type CO.sub.2 gas generator for a carbonated drink dispenser, which while embodied in several different implementations, commonly includes a first and a second liquid reagent container with the second reagent container including a reaction chamber for generating a carbonating gas when the two reagents are mixed. The containers are coupled so that the first reagent transfers from the first container to the reaction chamber of the second container when the pressure of the generated gas falls below a predetermined value.
Claims16
Self-regulating gas generator apparatus for producing a carbonating gas utilized in a carbonated drink dispenser and which generates the gas by a chemical reaction comprising:
- first container means for holding a first chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser;
- second container means for holding a second chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser,
- a reaction chamber integral with said second container means for generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser when said first and second reagents are mixed;
- said first and second container means respectively comprising a pressurized centralized inner chamber and an adjoining outer annular chamber located within a common housing, wherein pressure in the inner chamber is initially greater than the pressure in the outer chamber and wherein the pressure in the outer chamber increases due to gas generation therein,
- means coupled between said inner and outer chambers for controlling the transfer of said first reagent from said inner chamber to said outer chamber, said means for controlling the transfer of reagent between said inner and outer chambers comprising means responsive to a pressure differential between said chambers to enable reagent flow therebetween to effect gas generation when the pressure in said inner chamber is greater than the pressure in said outer chamber and the pressure in said outer chamber drops below a preset value and to inhibit reagent flow when the pressure in the outer chamber is equal to that of said inner chamber and further when the pressure in said outer chamber is greater than that of the inner chamber,
- discharge means for feeding the generated carbonating gas from said second container means to a drink dispenser,
- said common housing for said inner and outer chamber further including a generally flat base region constructed for mounting a support surface of the drink dispenser and including openings therein to the inner and outer chambers, and additionally including fluid coupling means intermediate said openings and said pressure responsive means and said discharge means.
4 more elements
Self-regulating as generator apparatus for producing a carbonating gas utilized in a carbonated drink dispenser and which generates the gas by a chemical reaction comprising:
- first container means for holding a first chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for a drink dispenser;
- second container means for holding a second chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser;
- a reaction chamber integral with said second container means for generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser when said first and second reagents are mixed;
- said first and second liquid container means comprising outer end portions of a double acting piston assembly including a pair of adjoining piston cylinders having respective piston head members located therein and joined together by a common piston rod whereby expansion in one piston cylinder is accompanied by compression in the other piston cylinder,
- means coupled between said outer end portions of said piston assembly for controlling the transfer of said first reagent from said first container means to said second container means when the pressure of the generated carbonating gas falls below a predetermined value;
- and
- discharge means for feeding the generated carbonating gas from one of said outer end portions to the drink dispenser.
4 more elements
Self-regulating gas generator apparatus for producing a carbonating gas utilized in a carbonated drink dispenser and which generates the gas by a chemical reaction comprising:
- first container means for holding a first chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for a drink dispenser;
- second container means for holding a second chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser;
- a reaction chamber integral with said second container means for generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser when said first and second reagents are mixed;
- said first container means comprising a flexible inner container means including a liquid first reagent and being located in a liquid volume of second reagent contained in said second container means, said second container means comprising an outer container means,
- means coupled between said first and second container means for controlling the transfer of said first reagent from said first container means to said second container means when the pressure of the generated carbonating gas falls below a predetermined value, said means for controlling the transfer reagent comprising a pump coupled to said flexible container means of said first container means and driven by the gas generated in the reaction chamber of said second container means, said pump constructed so as to raise the pressure of said first reagent;
- valve means coupled between said pump and said second container means and being responsive to the pressure differential between the raised pressure of said first reagent and the gas generated in the reaction chamber of said second container means to transfer said first reagent to said second container when the pressure of the generated gas falls below said raised pressure of said first reagent;
- and
- discharge means for feeding the generated carbonating gas from said second container means to the drink dispenser.
5 more elements
Self-regulating gas generator apparatus for producing a carbonating gas utilized in a carbonated drink dispenser and which generates the gas by a chemical reaction comprising:
- first pressurized container means for holding a first chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for a drink dispenser;
- second pressurized container means for holding a second chemical reagent utilized in generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser;
- a reaction chamber integral with said second container means for generating a carbonating gas for the drink dispenser when said first and second reagents are mixed;
- said first and second container means comprising a pair of adjoining mutually coaxial cylindrical members having at least one common wall therebetween, wherein said first container means comprises an inner container member and said second container means comprises a larger outer container member and wherein pressure in the inner container member is initially greater than the pressure in said outer container member and wherein the pressure in the outer container member increases due to gas generation therein,
- means including a pressure regulator located interiorally of the outer container member and coupled between said inner and outer container members for controlling the transfer of said first reagent from said inner container member to said outer container member, said pressure regulator being responsive to a pressure differential between said container members to enable reagent flow therebetween to effect gas generation when the pressure in said inner container member is greater than the pressure in said outer container member and the pressure in said outer container member drops below a preset value and to inhibit reagent flow when the pressure in the outer container member is equal to that of said inner container member and further when the pressure in said outer container member is greater than that of said inner container member, and
- discharge means for feeding the generated carbonating gas from said second container means to the drink dispenser.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.