Beverage making machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017190555-A1
Application number	US-201715462087-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a beverage making machine comprising a first beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a gas source portion, the gas source portion contains a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas, and a gas storage tank arranged to store the gas emitted from the solid gas source. The beverage making machine further comprising a second beverage making cartridge comprising at least one of a micro ingredient, a beverage diluent receptacle for receiving a beverage diluent liquid, a dissolver dissolves portion of the gas, from the gas storage tank, into the beverage diluent liquid, and a dispenser selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of at least one of the micro ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid, to form a beverage. Exemplary embodiments include a computer control arranged to receive a beverage selection from a consumer and control the beverage making machine to form beverages.

First claim

1 . A beverage making machine comprising:
a beverage making cartridge comprising a solid gas source that, through sublimation, emits an aroma enhanced gas, wherein the solid gas source comprises a ratio of a frozen aroma and a second solid gas source; a gas storage tank arranged to store the aroma enhanced gas; a beverage diluent receptacle for receiving a beverage diluent liquid; a dissolver adapted to dissolve a portion of the aroma enhanced gas, from the gas storage tank, into the beverage diluent liquid; and a dispenser selectively dispensing a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid with the dissolved aroma enhanced gas to form a beverage.

2 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the aroma is captured from vapor release during a preparation process for coffee, tea, or citrus.

3 . The beverage making machine of claim 2 , wherein the preparation process is brewing, fermenting, or squeezing an ingredient.

4 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the aroma is a sweetness enhancing aroma.

5 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the beverage ingredient is packaged in the beverage making cartridge.

6 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the dissolver is configured to dissolve up to nine volumes of the aroma enhanced gas into the beverage diluent liquid.

7 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the dissolver is further configured to hold the beverage diluent liquid at a multiple of atmospheric pressure for a time period to allow the aroma enhanced gas to dissolve into the beverage diluent liquid and reach equilibrium.

8 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , where the beverage comprises between two and five volumes of the aroma enhanced gas.

9 . The beverage making machine of claim 1 , wherein the beverage making cartridge comprises a one-way vent configured to allow the aroma enhanced gas to escape the cartridge while preventing air from entering the package through the one-way vent.

10 . The beverage making machine of claim 9 , wherein the beverage making cartridge further comprises an insulation material that seals the solid gas source to moderate a rate of sublimation of the solid gas source.

11 . A method of making a beverage in a beverage making machine, the method comprising:
inserting a beverage making cartridge into the beverage making machine, the beverage making cartridge comprising a solid gas source that, through sublimation, emitting an aroma enhanced gas, wherein the solid gas source comprises a ratio of a frozen aroma and a second solid gas source; pressurizing a gas storage tank by sublimation of the solid gas source, the gas storage tank being arranged to store the aroma enhanced gas; supplying a beverage diluent liquid into a dissolver; dissolving, by way of the dissolver, a portion of the aroma enhanced gas into the beverage diluent liquid at a dissolver gas volume level; dispensing selectively a predefined ratio of a beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid with the dissolved aroma enhanced gas to form a beverage.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the aroma is captured from vapor release during a preparation process for coffee, tea, or citrus.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the preparation process is brewing, fermenting, or squeezing an ingredient.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the aroma is a sweetness enhancing aroma.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the beverage ingredient is packaged in the beverage making cartridge.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the dissolver gas volume level is up to nine volumes of the aroma enhanced gas in the beverage diluent liquid.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein dissolving the portion of the aroma enhanced gas comprises holding the beverage diluent liquid at a multiple of atmospheric pressure for a time period to allow the aroma enhanced gas to dissolve into the beverage diluent liquid and reach equilibrium.

18 . The method of claim 1 , where the formed beverage comprises between two and five volumes of the aroma enhanced gas.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the beverage making cartridge comprises a one-way vent configured to allow the aroma enhanced gas to escape the cartridge while preventing air from entering the package through the one-way vent.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second solid gas source is dry ice.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Green C Brad
• Kaplita Stan
• Kolls Brock

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A47J31/407

  with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means · CPC title

• B67D2001/0092

  Containers for gas, for, e.g. CO2, N2 · CPC title

• B67D1/1204

  for ratio control purposes · CPC title

• A47J31/4403

  Constructional details · CPC title