Beverage dispensing nozzle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246959-B2
Application number	US-202117314939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	May 8, 2020
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A beverage dispensing nozzle includes a housing having an upper end opposite a lower end, and an inlet at the upper end that is configured to be placed in communication with a source of a base liquid. The beverage dispensing nozzle further includes a chamber within the housing and in communication with the inlet. An aerator is in communication with the chamber, and the aerator includes a plate having apertures. A flavor inlet valve is in communication with a source of a flavoring and is arranged downstream of the aerator. The flavor inlet valve is configured to dispense the flavoring into the housing. The beverage dispensing nozzle additionally includes a nozzle tip arranged at the lower end of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage dispensing nozzle, comprising:
a housing having an upper end opposite a lower end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
a nozzle tip arranged at the lower end of the housing;
an inlet at the upper end of the housing that is configured to be placed in communication with a source of a base liquid;
a chamber within the housing and in communication with the inlet;
an aerator disposed in the upper end of the housing and in communication with the chamber, wherein the aerator comprises a top plate comprising a central apex at an upper end of the aerator and a first plurality of apertures, and a main plate arranged downstream of the top plate and having a second plurality of apertures configured to restrict a flow of the base liquid through the aerator and to retain a quantity of the base liquid on the top plate of the aerator to avoid backflow of air through the beverage dispensing nozzle;
wherein the lower end of the housing comprises an inner wall extending from the aerator to the nozzle tip having a constant diameter throughout with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a flavor inlet valve in communication with a source of a flavoring and that is arranged downstream of the aerator, wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly into the housing from the inner wall and is configured to dispense the flavoring into the housing; and
wherein no flavor inlet valve is arranged upstream or downstream of the flavor inlet valve, and wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly from the inner wall to a greater extent than any portion of the inner wall downstream of the flavor inlet valve so as to inhibit the flavoring dispensed by the flavor inlet valve from contacting the inner wall.

2. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the flavor inlet valve comprises a poppet valve.

3. The nozzle of claim 2 , wherein the poppet valve comprises a poppet having a head that extends from the inner wall.

4. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the flavor inlet valve is one of a plurality of flavor inlet valves.

5. The nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of flavor inlet valves are arranged around a circumference of the housing in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

6. The nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of flavor inlet valves are arranged in a common plane.

7. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the flavor inlet valve is configured to dispense the flavoring into the housing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

8. A beverage dispensing nozzle, comprising:
a housing having a cylindrical shape extending from an upper end to a lower end along a longitudinal axis, wherein the upper end comprises an inlet that is in communication with a source of a base liquid;
a nozzle tip arranged at the lower end of the housing for dispensing the base liquid and flavoring;
an aerator arranged within the upper end of the housing, wherein the aerator comprises a top plate having a first plurality of apertures, and a main plate arranged downstream of the top plate and having a second plurality of apertures configured to reduce a pressure of a flow of the base liquid through the aerator;
wherein the lower end of the housing comprises an inner wall extending from the aerator to the nozzle tip having a constant diameter throughout with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a flavor inlet valve configured to dispense a flavoring into the housing downstream of the aerator, wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly into the housing from the inner wall; and
wherein no flavor inlet valve is arranged upstream or downstream of the flavor inlet valve, and wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly from the inner wall of the housing to a greater extent than any portion of the inner wall downstream of the flavor inlet valve in order to inhibit the flavoring dispensed by the flavor inlet valve from contacting the inner wall of the housing.

9. The nozzle of claim 8 , wherein a dilution ratio of the flavoring to the base liquid is in a range of 1:100 to 1:900.

10. The nozzle of claim 8 , wherein the top plate comprises a conical shape.

11. A beverage dispensing nozzle, comprising:
a housing having a cylindrical wall extending from an upper end to a lower end of the housing and extending along a longitudinal axis;
a nozzle tip arranged at the lower end of the housing for dispensing the base liquid and flavoring;
an inlet arranged at the upper end of the housing for receiving a flow of a base liquid;
an aerator arranged within the upper end of the housing and configured to reduce a pressure of a flow of the base liquid;
wherein the lower end of the housing comprises an inner wall extending from the aerator to the nozzle tip having a constant diameter throughout with respect to the longitudinal axis; and
one or more flavor inlet valve arranged on the housing downstream of the aerator, wherein all of the one or more flavor inlet valves are arranged around a circumference of the housing in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing, wherein the one or more flavor inlet valves each comprises a poppet having a head, wherein the head of the poppet extends from the inner wall of the housing into an interior volume of the housing to a greater extent than any portion of the inner wall downstream of the flavor inlet valve in order to inhibit flavoring dispensed by the flavor inlet valve from contacting the inner wall, and wherein the one or more flavor inlet valves are configured to be placed in communication with a source of flavoring and selectively dispense the flavoring into the housing.

12. The nozzle of claim 11 , further comprising a chamber in communication with the inlet.

13. The nozzle of claim 12 , wherein the aerator comprises a top plate configured to retain a quantity of the base liquid on the top plate to prevent backflow of air into the chamber.

14. The nozzle of claim 11 , wherein the poppet comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the flavor inlet valve in a closed configuration.

15. The nozzle of claim 11 , wherein the flavor inlet valve comprises a first section arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and configured to be placed in communication with the source of the flavoring, and a second section connected to the housing such that the second section is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

16. The nozzle of claim 11 , wherein the head of the poppet comprises a convex curvature.

17. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein a first diameter of the first plurality of apertures is greater than a second diameter of the second plurality of apertures.

18. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises a greater number of apertures than the second plurality of apertures.

19. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the aerator further comprises a third plate arranged downstream of the main plate and comprising a third plurality of apertures.

20. The nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures of the top plate extend in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Fantappie Giancarlo
• Jersey Steven T

Classifications

• B01F2101/14

  Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water · CPC title

• B01F23/23761

  Aerating, i.e. introducing oxygen containing gas in liquids · CPC title

• B01F35/71805

  using valves, gates, orifices or openings · CPC title

• B01F25/105

  Mixing heads, i.e. compact mixing units or modules, using mixing valves for feeding and mixing at least two components · CPC title

• B01F23/23123

  consisting of rigid porous or perforated material · CPC title