Frozen Beverage Dispensing Machines with Multi-Flavor Valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017320719-A1
Application number	US-201715585974-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 9, 2017
Grant date	—

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 bore through which the base fluid flows and the bore having a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports through which the additive fluid is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid; and an injector 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.

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 2 , wherein the valve has a channel configured to convey the additive fluid from the injector to the plurality of ports.

4 . The beverage machine according to claim 3 , wherein the channel surrounds the bore.

5 . 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.

6 . The beverage machine according to claim 5 , wherein the baffle is configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid from an axial flow to a radial flow.

7 . The beverage machine according to claim 5 , 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.

8 . The beverage machine according to claim 7 , wherein the deflection member comprises a center column and a plurality of fins that radially extend from each other from the center column

9 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the additive fluid comprises one of a first fluid component, a second fluid component, and a mixed fluid component formed from the first fluid component and the second fluid component, and wherein the injector has a manifold that receives the first fluid component and the second fluid component and dispenses one of the first fluid component, the second fluid component, and the mixed fluid component.

10 . The beverage machine according to claim 9 , wherein the manifold further receives and dispenses 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.

11 . The beverage machine according to claim 9 , wherein the injector extends along an injector axis, and wherein the injector has a surface centered about the injector axis and configured to radially inwardly direct the first fluid component, the second fluid component, or the mixed fluid component dispensed from the manifold toward the injector axis.

12 . The beverage machine according to claim 11 , wherein the surface is a frustoconical surface.

13 . The beverage machine according to claim 11 , wherein the manifold is configured to convey the first fluid component and the second fluid component parallel to the injector axis.

14 . The beverage machine according to claim 11 , wherein the injector has a cover removably coupled to the injector and configured to protect the manifold from debris and contamination.

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 comprising: a bore through which the base fluid flows and the bore having an upstream end that receives the base fluid; a perimetral surface that defines a plurality of ports through which the additive fluid is injected to thereby mix with the base fluid; a downstream end that dispenses the mixed beverage; a baffle positioned in the bore downstream of the plurality of ports and configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid to thereby further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid; and a deflection member positioned in the bore downstream of the baffle and configured to further mix the additive fluid into the base fluid, the deflection member comprising a center column and a plurality of fins that radially extend from the center column; and an injector 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;

16 . The beverage machine according to claim 15 , wherein the baffle is configured to redirect the base fluid and the additive fluid from an axial flow to a radial flow.

17 . The beverage machine according to claim 15 , wherein the valve has a channel that surrounds the bore and is configured to convey the additive fluid from the injector to the plurality of ports.

18 . The beverage machine according to claim 17 , wherein the additive fluid comprises one of a first fluid component, a second fluid component, and a mixed fluid component formed from the first fluid component and the second fluid component;
wherein the injector has a manifold that receives the first fluid component and the second fluid component and dispenses one of the first fluid component, the second fluid component, and the mixed fluid component; and wherein the injector has a frustoconical surface centered about an injector axis and configured to radially inwardly direct the first fluid component, the second fluid component, or the mixed fluid component dispensed from the manifold toward the injector axis.

19 . 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; 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; and dispensing the mixed beverage from the downstream end of the bore.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , 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.

Assignees

• Cornelius Inc

Inventors

• Zemko Christopher F
• Difatta Vincenzo

Classifications

• B67D1/07

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

• B67D1/0081

  Dispensing valves · CPC title

• B67D1/0021

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

• B67D1/0048 Primary

  with baffles · CPC title

• B67D2210/0006

  Manifolds · CPC title