Frozen beverage dispensing machines with multi-flavor valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10138107-B2
Application number	US-201715585974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A beverage machine includes a valve that receives a base fluid and dispenses a mixed beverage comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid. The valve has a bore through which the base fluid flows, and the bore has a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports through which the additive fluid is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid. An injector is coupled to the valve and configured to radially inject the additive fluid into the base fluid through the plurality of ports as the base fluid flows through the bore such that the additive fluid mixes into the base fluid to form the mixed beverage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage machine comprising:
a valve that receives a base fluid and dispenses a mixed beverage comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid, the valve having a perimetral surface that defines a bore through which the base fluid flows and a channel that surrounds the bore and through which the additive fluid flows to a plurality of ports defined in the perimetral surface through which the additive fluid is radially injected into the bore to thereby mix with the base fluid; and
an injector coupled to the valve and configured to inject the additive fluid into the channel such that the additive fluid flows through the channel and the plurality of ports to thereby mix into the base fluid to form the mixed beverage, wherein the injector has:
an injector axis along which the injector extends;
a surface centered about the injector axis and configured to radially inwardly direct the additive fluid toward the injector axis along which the additive fluid is injected into the channel; and
a manifold configured to receive a plurality of fluid components and dispense the plurality of fluid components, wherein the surface radially inwardly directs the plurality of fluid components toward the injector axis such that the plurality of fluid components mix and form the additive fluid.

2. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the additive fluid is injected into the base fluid in a direction that is transverse to the base fluid as the base fluid flows through the bore.

3. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the bore has an upstream end that receives the base fluid and a downstream end that dispenses the mixed beverage; and wherein the valve comprises a baffle positioned in the bore downstream of the injector and configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid to thereby further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid.

4. The beverage machine according to claim 3 , wherein the baffle is configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid from an axial flow to a radial flow.

5. The beverage machine according to claim 3 , wherein the valve further comprises a deflection member positioned in the bore downstream of the baffle and configured to further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid.

6. The beverage machine according to claim 5 , wherein the deflection member comprises a center column and a plurality of fins that radially extend from each other and from the center column.

7. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the manifold is further configured to receive and dispense a gas, and wherein the injector is further configured to inject the gas into the valve to thereby clear residual additive fluid from the valve.

8. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the surface is a frustoconical surface.

9. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the manifold is configured to convey the plurality of fluid components parallel to the injector axis.

10. The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the injector has a cover removably coupled to the injector and configured to protect the manifold from debris and contamination.

11. A method of dispensing a mixed beverage comprising a base fluid and an additive fluid, the method comprising:
receiving, with a valve having a bore with an upstream inlet end, the base fluid, wherein the bore has a downstream end and a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports, the valve defines a channel that surrounds the bore and through which the additive fluid flows to the plurality of ports;
injecting, with an injector coupled to the valve, the additive fluid through the plurality of ports radially into the base fluid as the base fluid flows through the valve such that the additive fluid mixes with the base fluid to form the mixed beverage, the injector having:
an injector axis along which the injector extends;
a surface centered about the injector axis and configured to radially inwardly direct the additive fluid toward the injector axis such that the additive fluid is injected into the channel; and
a manifold configured to receive a plurality of fluid components and dispense the plurality of fluid component, wherein the surface radially inwardly directs the plurality of fluid components toward the injector axis such that the plurality of fluid components mix and form the additive fluid; and

dispensing the mixed beverage from the downstream end of the bore.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a baffle in the bore downstream of the injector to further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid; and
providing a deflection member in the bore downstream of the baffle to further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the base fluid is a frozen slush fluid, and further comprising:
receiving, with a controller, a signal from an user input device that flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve is blocked; and
rapidly reciprocating a piston rod, with an air cylinder piston, based on the signal from the user input device into and between a closed position in which the piston rod blocks flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve and an open position in which the piston rod is moved such that the frozen slush fluid flows through the valve, and wherein rapid reciprocation of the piston rod clears the valve of frozen particles that block flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
sensing, with a flow sensor, absence of flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve when a piston rod is in the open position; and
determining, with a controller that is in communication with the flow sensor, that frozen particles block flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve based on signals from the flow sensor; and
rapidly reciprocating a piston rod, with an air cylinder piston, based on the signals from the flow sensor into and between a closed position in which the piston rod blocks flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve and an open position in which the piston rod is moved such that the frozen slush fluid flows through the valve, and wherein the rapid reciprocation of the piston rod clears the valve of frozen particles that block flow of the frozen slush fluid through the valve.

15. A beverage machine comprising:
a valve that receives a base fluid and dispenses a mixed beverage comprising the base fluid and an additive fluid, the valve having:
a perimetral surface that defines a bore through which the base fluid flows and a plurality of ports; and
a channel that surrounds the bore and through which the additive fluid flows to the plurality of ports such that the additive fluid is radially injected into the bore to thereby mix with the base fluid; and

an injector coupled to the valve and configured to inject the additive fluid into the channel such that the additive fluid flows through the channel and the plurality of ports, the injector comprises:
an injector axis along which the injector extends;
an interior chamber extending along the injector axis;
a manifold configured to receive a plurality of fluid components and dispense the plurality of fluid component into the interior chamber; and
an interior surface centered about the injector axis and configured to radially inwardly direct the plurality of fluid components dispensed into the interior chamber toward the injector axis such that the plurality of fluid components mix and thereby form the additive fluid.

16. The beverage ma

Assignees

• Cornelius Inc

Inventors

• Zemko Christopher F
• Difatta Vincenzo

Classifications

• B67D1/0048 Primary

  with baffles · CPC title

• B67D1/07

  Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus {(B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B67D1/0021

  the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers · CPC title

• B67D1/0081

  Dispensing valves · CPC title

• B67D2210/0006

  Manifolds · CPC title