Gas/liquid infusion system with intelligent level management and adjustable absorption output

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11266956-B2
Application number	US-201815938512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A system features a controller having a signal processor configured to: receive signaling containing information about a liquid level of a gas infused liquid in a liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel, one or more gas input characteristics of a gas provided to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel, and one or more liquid input characteristics of an incoming non-infused liquid provided to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel; and determine corresponding signaling containing information to control a pump that provides the incoming non-infused liquid to the infusion tank/vessel on demand each time a beverage is dispensed with the gas infused liquid from the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel and to maintain a desired liquid level and target equilibrium gas pressure in the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel at a given temperature.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A system comprising:
a liquid level sensor configured to sense a liquid level of a gas infused liquid in a liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel, and provide liquid level signaling containing information about the liquid level sensed;
gas input pressure and flow sensors configured to sense a gas input pressure and flow and provide gas input pressure and flow signaling containing information about the gas input pressure and flow sensed;
liquid input sensors configured to sense a liquid input pressure and flow and provide liquid input pressure and flow signaling containing information about the liquid input pressure and flow sensed; and
a controller having a signal processor configured to:
receive the liquid level signaling, the gas input pressure and flow signaling and the liquid input pressure and flow signaling, and
provide control signaling containing information to vary characteristics of a voltage signal that is output to a pump for providing the incoming non-infused liquid with adjusted flow and pressure conditions to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel in order to control the incoming non-infused liquid and the flow and pressure of the gas provided to the infusion tank/vessel and maintain a desired liquid level and target equilibrium gas pressure in the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel at a given temperature on demand each time a beverage is dispensed with the gas infused liquid from the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel, based upon the signaling received.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the pump is a motor driven pump.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises the pump configured to respond to the corresponding signaling and provide the incoming non-infused liquid to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the gas input pressure and flow sensors comprises a gas flow sensor configured to sense the gas flow of the gas and provide gas flow signaling containing information about the gas flow sensed.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the gas input pressure and flow sensors comprises a gas pressure sensor configured to sense the gas pressure of the gas and provide gas pressure signaling containing information about the gas pressure sensed.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid input sensors comprises a liquid flow sensor configured to sense the liquid flow of the liquid and provide liquid flow signaling containing information about the liquid flow sensed.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid input sensors comprises a liquid pressure sensor configured to sense the liquid pressure of the liquid and provide liquid pressure signaling containing information about the liquid pressure sensed.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein
the system comprises gas infused liquid output pressure and flow sensors configured to sense gas infused liquid output pressure and flow and provide gas infused liquid output pressure and flow signaling containing information about the gas infused liquid output pressure and flow of the gas infused liquid provided from the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel each time the beverage is dispensed; and
the signal processor is configured to receive the gas infused liquid output pressure and flow signaling, and provide the corresponding signaling.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a gas pressure/flow control device configured to respond to the corresponding signaling and control the flow and pressure of the gas provided to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the corresponding signaling includes gas pressure/flow control signaling.

11. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the system comprises a non-infused liquid pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure of non-infused liquid provided from a non-infused liquid tank/vessel to the pump, and provide non-infused liquid pressure signaling containing information about the pressure of the non-infused liquid.

12. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the signal processor is configured to receive the non-infused liquid pressure signaling and provide the corresponding signaling.

13. A method comprising:
sensing, with a liquid level sensor, a liquid level of a gas infused liquid in a liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel and providing liquid level signaling containing information about the liquid level sensed;
sensing, with a gas input pressure and flow sensors, a gas input pressure and flow and providing gas input pressure and flow signaling containing information about the gas input pressure and flow sensed;
sensing, with liquid input sensors, a liquid input pressure and flow and providing liquid input pressure and flow signaling containing information about the liquid input pressure and flow sensed; and
receiving, with a controller having a signal processor, the liquid level signaling, the gas input pressure and flow signaling and the liquid input pressure and flow signaling, and providing control signaling containing information to vary characteristics of a voltage signal that is output to a pump for providing the incoming non-infused liquid with adjusted flow and pressure conditions to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel in order to control the incoming non-infused liquid and the flow and pressure of the gas provided to the infusion tank/vessel and maintain a desired liquid level and target equilibrium gas pressure in the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel at a given temperature on demand each time a beverage is dispensed with the gas infused liquid from the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel, based upon the signaling received.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the pump is a motor driven pump.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises responding with the pump to the control signaling and providing the incoming non-infused liquid to the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises configuring the gas input pressure and flow sensors with a gas flow sensor that senses the gas flow of the gas and provides gas flow signaling containing information about the gas flow sensed.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises configuring the gas input pressure and flow sensors with a gas pressure sensor that senses the gas pressure of the gas and provides gas pressure signaling containing information about the gas pressure sensed.

18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises configuring the liquid input sensors with a liquid flow sensor that senses the liquid flow of the liquid and provides liquid flow signaling containing information about the liquid flow sensed.

19. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises configuring the liquid input sensors with a liquid pressure sensor that senses the liquid pressure of the liquid and provides liquid pressure signaling containing information about the liquid pressure sensed.

20. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises
sensing, with gas infused liquid output pressure and flow sensors, gas infused liquid output pressure and flow and providing gas infused liquid output pressure and flow signaling containing information about the gas infused liquid output pressure and flow of the gas infused liquid provided from the liquid/gas infusion tank/vessel each time the beverage is dispensed; and
receiving, with the signal proc

Assignees

• Flow Control LLC

Inventors

• Perkins Bernard L
• Estrada Jesus
• Patel Akshaykumar

Classifications

• B01F23/23765

  Nitrogen · CPC title

• B67D1/0406 Primary

  with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation (B67D1/0418 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D2001/0487

  Mixture of gases, e.g. N2 + CO2 · CPC title

• B01F23/2362

  for aerating or carbonating within receptacles or tanks, e.g. distribution machines (B01F23/2361 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01F23/2341

  by cascading, spraying or projecting a liquid into a gaseous atmosphere (B01F23/2342 takes precedence) · CPC title