Carbonated water metering system for beverage brewing machines

Abstract

A programmable carbonated beverage production system and related methods of use are provided. The system includes a gas source including carbon dioxide fluidly coupled to a carbonation chamber. The chamber holds chilled water, the water level of which is controlled by a level sensor and, in one embodiment, a pump fluidly coupled to the water source through a cold block. The chamber can be formed within the cold block, which includes parallel coolant and chilled water passages for cooling water from the water source. A regulator reduces the gas pressure from the gas source, partially filling the chamber. A user selects a beverage size via a controller, and the system dispenses carbonated water until a pre-programmed set pressure ratio is reached, indicating the amount of carbonated water corresponding to the selected beverage size. Knowledge of the initial number of moles of gas in the chamber is not required to execute the process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to Related Applications) This application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 317,901, filed on March 8, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a beverage manufacturing machine for supplying cooled carbonated beverages, and more particularly to a carbonation system for cooling, supplying, and metering the carbonated water used in the production of such beverages. 2]

Background Art

[0003] Carbonated water is produced in commercially available carbonated beverage manufacturing machines and dispensers by mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) with cold water under pressure and dissolving a portion of the CO2 in the water. When a dispense valve at the outlet of the carbonation chamber is opened, the carbonated water is pushed out of the system through a dispense tube by the gas pressure. Various flavors such as liquids, syrups, powders, etc. can be mechanically mixed with the carbonated water to make various types of drinks.

[0004] Low - cost water measurement is usually achieved by using a flow meter equipped with wetted parts (e.g., paddles, blades, etc.) that rotate by the momentum of the passing water. To read this movement (usually rotation), a magnet is placed within the wetted part and monitored by electronics associated with this flow meter. However, in the case of carbonated water, two problems occur. First, due to the wetted rotor and the associated local pressure changes, a state occurs where carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the carbonated water, which has an adverse effect on the level of carbonation of the water and the final beverage. Second, since carbonated water is acidic, problems with chemical compatibility between the wetted rotor and the associated magnetic components occur, and the rotor may deteriorate, compromising the accuracy of water flow measurement. It should also be noted that some of the reaction products of phenol in carbonated water and some common metals used in contact with water in the flow meter are toxic and may thereby pose a health hazard.

[0005] Therefore, in order to manufacture chilled beverages while maintaining accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness without reducing the level of carbonation, it is desirable to improve the measurement of carbonated water. [Overview of the project]

[0006] The present invention provides a carbonated water system for cooling, dispensing, and measuring carbonated water for use in a beverage maker, in a manner that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional methods used to prepare carbonated beverages. In one embodiment, the system accurately measures the amount of carbonated water to be dispensed in a non-contact and simple manner by pressure measurement alone. A processor-based programmable controller that controls the dispensing operation of the beverage maker correlates and calculates the amount of carbonated water to be dispensed by comparing the gas pressure drop (i.e., CO2 concentration) in the carbonation system with at least one pre-programmed gas set ratio relating to the distribution of a specific amount of carbonated water selected by the user. Multiple different set ratios can be pre-programmed into the controller, each set ratio relating to the dispensing of different amounts of carbonated water based on a pre-programmed beverage size selected by the user via a user interface.

[0007] For example, during use, a user-operated control panel linked to the controller allows the user to select a specific beverage cup size (7 oz, 9 oz, 12 oz, etc.). Each cup size is associated with a specific pre-programmed gas setting ratio, which in turn is associated with a predetermined amount of carbonated water supplied to fill the cup to the appropriate level based on the user's pre-selected cup size. The amount of carbonated water supplied does not necessarily represent the total volume of the specific cup size used. More precisely, the carbonated beverage is a mixture of still water and other liquids such as flavorings (e.g., instant powder or syrup) to produce the final chilled beverage.

[0008] Advantageously, the carbonation system of the present invention operates in a manner that does not require the precise measurement or metering of the amount of inert gas (i.e., the number of moles of gas) that needs to be initially added to the carbonation chamber, such as CO2, by a metering gas pump, gas flow meter, or other gas measurement techniques. Instead, the carbonation chamber of this embodiment is simply pressurized with CO2 from a gas source (such as a gas cylinder or other container) without the use of a pump until the gas pressure in the chamber reaches equilibrium and equals the gas supply pressure from the gas source. In this system, the initial amount of gas used to fill the carbonation chamber is unknown and irrelevant.

[0009] The gas supply pressure is pre-selected and controlled by a pressure reducing device, such as a gas pressure regulator or regulating valve, installed between the chamber and the gas source. The regulator reduces the pressure of CO2 from the supply source for use in the carbonation system. This carbonated water metering system relies on the ratio of the actual real-time pressure measured in the carbonation chamber during the sale or supply of carbonated water to the initial starting gas pressure in the chamber to determine when to terminate the discharge of carbonated water according to the size of the beverage selected by the user. Therefore, it is not important to measure the amount of carbonated water to be supplied, as various appropriate initial starting gas pressures in the carbonation chamber can be used to one's advantage.

[0010] Since the carbonation chamber is sealed before the automated dispensing or supply of carbonated water begins, the system's carbonation chamber contains a volume consisting of a fixed amount of water and a fixed amount of CO2 occupying the headspace above the surface level of the water in the chamber. As mentioned above, the amount of CO2 added to the carbonation chamber does not need to be known and is not important in the current carbonated water distribution and metering scheme. When the dispensing valve is opened upon discharge from the carbonation chamber, the volume of CO2 in the chamber expands, the gas pressure in the carbonation chamber decreases, and some of the carbonated water, which does not expand significantly because the compressibility of liquids is much lower than that of gases, is pushed out.

[0011] By monitoring the pressure in the chamber after distribution via a controller equipped with a pressure sensor operably connected to the upper gas portion of the chamber, and using Boyle's gas law (P1V1=P2V2), the controller can automatically calculate the volume change of CO2 gas relative to a pre-programmed gas set ratio, and thus calculate the volume of carbonated water supplied from the chamber, as will be further described here. A water pump controlled by a float or other level sensor can maintain a constant water level in the carbonation chamber before and after the supply of carbonated water. Therefore, the initial volume of gas in the chamber is always a fixed amount determined by the free space above the water level, regardless of the initial pressure of the gas (CO2).

[0012] Knowing the initial gas volume, which is determined by the initial system calibration and fixed by the water level maintained by the aforementioned water pump and associated liquid level sensors, allows for consistent control of the actual amount of carbonated water supplied by the controller without interference from wet flow meters or other devices.

[0013] In one embodiment, a method for preparing a carbonated beverage in a beverage maker is provided, comprising a sealed carbonation chamber having a gas source containing carbon dioxide at an initial gas source pressure, a stationary water source, and a programmable controller configured to perform the following steps: the programmed controller is configured to monitor the chamber gas pressure in the carbonation chamber, add stationary water to the carbonation chamber to a first level, open a gas control valve, allow the inserted gas from the gas source to flow to a pressure reducer so that the pressure reducer reduces the gas source pressure to a lower gas delivery pressure, pressurize the carbonation chamber with carbon dioxide to the gas delivery pressure to produce carbonated water, seal the carbonation chamber, monitor the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber, the user selects a beverage size on a control panel operably coupled to the controller, distributes carbonated water from the carbonation chamber to the user's beverage cup, and stops distributing carbonated water when the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber falls to a pre-programmed value calculated by the controller, corresponding to the ratio of the real-time gas pressure to the initial gas delivery pressure. This method may further include pressurizing the carbonation chamber a second time to a second gas supply pressure different from the first gas supply pressure, the same or a different user selecting the same beverage size on the control panel, and stopping the supply of carbonated water when the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber drops to a value calculated by the controller, which corresponds to a pre-programmed gas setpoint ratio of the real-time gas pressure to the second gas supply pressure. The pre-programmed gas setpoint ratio corresponds to the beverage size selected by the user. In one embodiment, the controller is pre-programmed with a plurality of pre-programmed gas setpoint ratios, each corresponding to a different beverage size.

[0014] In another embodiment, a carbonated beverage manufacturing system includes a head tank configured to hold still water, a solid, thermally communicating cold block, a carbonation chamber formed within the cold block to contain still water, a chilled water passage formed within the cold block and fluidly coupled between the head tank and the carbonation chamber, a coolant passage formed within the cold block and routed parallel to the chilled water passage to transmit cold air from a coolant circulating in the coolant passage to the chilled water passage, and a gas control valve through which the carbonation chamber contains fluidly coupled carbon dioxide. A carbonated beverage manufacturing system comprising a gas source, a gas control valve that can be changed between a closed position that isolates the gas source from the carbonation chamber and an open position that pressurizes the carbonation chamber, the carbonation chamber being pressurized with carbon dioxide to produce carbonated water, a carbonated water discharge valve and injection nozzle fluidly coupled to the carbonation chamber, and a cold block including a product container supported by the beverage manufacturing machine and holding flavorings, wherein when the carbonated water discharge valve is opened, carbonated water is discharged from the carbonation chamber and injected through the product container to produce a carbonated beverage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic system flow diagram of one embodiment of a carbonated beverage manufacturing system for a beverage manufacturing machine according to the present disclosure, and includes a reservoir-type water cooling device.

[0017] [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a beverage supply station for a carbonated beverage maker.

[0018] [Figure 3] This flowchart shows high-level general steps in a method or process for preparing a carbonated beverage according to the present disclosure.

[0019] [Figure 4] This is a schematic system flow diagram of another embodiment of the carbonated beverage manufacturing system of the beverage manufacturing machine according to the present disclosure, including a flash-type water cooling device.

[0020] All drawings are schematic and not necessarily to scale. A part that is referenced in one drawing is considered to be the same part in other drawings that are not explicitly numbered for brevity unless otherwise specified in this document. Herein, references to integer numbers, which may consist of multiple numbers with the same integer prefix but different alphabetical suffixes, shall be interpreted as general references to all numbers with the same integer prefix unless otherwise specified. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Features and advantages of the present invention are illustrated and described herein with reference to exemplary embodiments. The description of these exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered as part of the whole description. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to such exemplary embodiments that illustrate several possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist individually or in other combinations.

[0022] In the description of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, references to directions or orientations are for the convenience of explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as "lower side", "upper side", "horizontal", "vertical", "upper part", "lower part", "up", "down", "uppermost", "bottom", and derivatives thereof ("horizontal", "downward", "upward", etc.) are to be construed as referring to the direction being described at that time or the direction shown in the drawing under discussion. These terms indicating these relationships are for convenience of explanation only and do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a particular direction. Terms such as "attached", "fixed", "connected", "coupled", "interconnected", etc. refer to the relationship in which structures are directly or indirectly fixed or attached to each other through intervening structures, and both movable or fixed attachments or relationships, unless explicitly stated otherwise separately.

[0023] Throughout, the ranges disclosed herein are used as a concise representation for describing all values within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the end point of the range. Further, all references to prior patents or patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of a conflict between the definitions in this disclosure and those in the cited references, this disclosure shall prevail.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic system flow diagram of a first embodiment of a carbonated beverage manufacturing system 100 configured to cool, carbonate, supply, and meter / measure carbonated water supplied for use in preparing carbonated beverages in a carbonated beverage maker 101. A carbonation device or part of the system may be integrally incorporated into the beverage maker, or may be a separate unit or module that is fluidly coupled adjacent to the maker but not physically integrated within the common housing of the maker. In one embodiment, system 100 can also be configured to dispense a metered amount of still water separately from, or simultaneously with, the dispensing of carbonated water for preparing carbonated beverages.

[0025] First, referring to FIG. 1, the carbonated beverage manufacturing system 100 includes a reservoir-type cooling device including a cold water tank 111 filled with static water W by at least one water filling valve 113 fluidly coupled to a water source 114. The water source 114 can be any pressurized source of potable water, such as the main water supply system of a commercial, residential, or industrial building or facility. Other water sources can also be used. In some embodiments, the water source pressure can be 1 bar or more and less than 7 bar.

[0026] The water filling valve 113 is operably connected to a level sensor 115 configured to detect a water level L1 within the tank 111 representing a level sensor set point. Suitable commercially available mechanical or electronic water sensors can be used. In one embodiment, the level sensor 115 can be a float switch. By operably combining the combination of the filling valve 113 and the level sensor 115, when the liquid level L1 in the chamber 11 falls below a preselected set point level to the programmable microprocessor-based controller 200 associated with the level sensor and / or the beverage maker 101, it is automatically controlled to fill the chamber 11 with water. When the water level falls below the preselected level, the normally closed filling valve 113 opens by a signal from the level sensor or a mechanical connection, water is added to the tank, and it returns to the original water level. Thereby, the level and amount of the cooled static water in the cold water tank are kept constant. In some embodiments, a pair of filling valves 113 can also be provided for fail-safe redundancy. If there is only one, if the valve fails and opens, the cold water tank 111 will overflow and flood.

[0027] The carbonated beverage manufacturing system includes a plurality of water flow conduits 102 configured as shown in the figure, which fluidically interconnect the wetted fluid components of the system in the manner shown and described herein. In one embodiment, any suitable food-safe / food-grade metal or non-metallic tubing (e.g., plastic) can be used to form the conduits 102 that can accommodate the temperature and pressure conditions that may occur in different parts of the system. Thus, the flow conduits in different parts of the system can be formed from the same or different materials as needed to meet the required conditions.

[0028] The chilled water tank 111 is cooled by a cooling system 122 which includes a commercially available cooling unit 121 and a refrigerant or coolant coil 112 immersed in the still water in the tank. The cooling unit circulates a suitable refrigerant or coolant through a coil in a closed flow loop, cooling the water in the tank to a pre-selected temperature representing the desired temperature of the carbonated beverage or drink supplied by the beverage maker 101. In some embodiments, the coolant may be, for example, R134a, R290, R600, R600a, R127, or others, but are not limited to these.

[0029] The carbonated beverage manufacturing system 100 further includes a carbonation container or chamber 130, at least partially housed within a chilled water tank 111. The chamber contains carbonated water CW, partially filling the chamber. The chamber 130 is at least partially submerged in the water W in the tank to below a set water level L1, and the cooled water in the tank cools the water in the gas-pressurized chamber. The carbonation chamber 130 comprises a hollow body or shell 131 and is made of a suitable food-safe / food-grade metal material configured to accommodate the temperature and pressure conditions occurring within the chamber. In one embodiment, the shell 131 can be cylindrical under pressurized conditions (e.g., 4 bar or more).

[0030] The carbonation chamber 130 defines a fixed total volume Vt composed of a fixed amount of water and a fixed amount of inert gas (not limited to, but such as CO2). The upper part of the chamber defines a headspace Hs containing gas, and the lower part defines a water space. The water level L2 is determined at the interface between the gas and water. Therefore, the headspace Hs that holds the gas forms a headspace gas volume Vc defined between the water level L2 in the chamber 130 and the upper part of the chamber.

[0031] It should be noted that the carbonated water CW in the carbonation chamber 130 is fluidically separated from the "static" (uncarbonated) water W in the chilled water tank 111 within the tank itself. In other words, all parts of the carbonation chamber body or shell 131 are structurally solid and have no openings that fluidly communicate with the static water (uncarbonated water) W in the chilled water tank. This prevents the water in the chilled water tank, which is at a lower pressure than the carbonated water CW in the chamber 130, from being pressurized beyond the supply water pressure from the water source 114. Therefore, the pressure in the chilled water tank 111 may be lower than the pressure in the carbonation chamber 130.

[0032] In one embodiment, a chilled water tank 111 is fluidically coupled to an external carbonation chamber 130 via a water pump 116. The water pump is configured to draw water from the chilled water tank 111 and is directly fluidically coupled to the tank and the carbonation chamber by a flow conduit 102, as shown in Figure 1. The water pump 116 is operable to pressurize water W from the tank 111, and in some embodiments, initially fills the carbonation chamber 130 with still water from the tank 111, maintaining a water level L2 in the carbonation chamber via a level sensor 117 operably coupled between the chamber and the pump. Level L2 represents a set level on the level sensor 117. Similar to the operation of the level sensor 115 described above, the carbonation chamber level sensor 117 is configured to detect level L2 and operate or stop the pump 116 to maintain the water level L2 in the carbonation chamber. In other words, the pump 116 is automatically turned on / off by the level sensor 115. The level sensor 117 may be of the same type as the level sensor 115 or of a different type.

[0033] The water pump 116 is configured to operate to increase the water pressure from the chilled water tank 111 to a pressure exceeding the chamber gas pressure Pc in the carbonation chamber, in order to periodically add and fill the chamber 130 (e.g., headspace Hs) with cooled, still water. Any suitable commercially available type of water pump can be used.

[0034] The water pump 116 is dual-operational to directly supply and distribute chilled / cooled still water from the chilled water tank 111 to the beverage maker 101 via an alternative flow path for use in beverage production. Continuing to refer to Figure 1, the system 100 includes a still water discharge flow path conduit 102b, one end of which is fluidically coupled to the carbonation chamber 130 and the other end to the carbonated water injection nozzle 140 of the beverage dispensing station 103 of the beverage maker 101 (see, for example, Figure 2). The beverage dispensing station 103 is configured to receive and support a user's beverage container, such as a cup 104, to which only still water or a mixture of still water and carbonated water can be supplied for beverage production. A still water discharge valve 133 located in the flow path conduit 102b controls the amount of still water supplied via the opening and closing of the valve, under the control of a programmable controller 200, which will be further described herein.

[0035] A branch connection is made between the discharge from the water pump 116 and the discharge channel conduit 102b. This allows the still water to either flow into the carbonation chamber 130 or bypass the chamber and flow directly into the beverage maker 101, depending on whether the still water discharge valve 133 is open or closed. When the discharge valve 133 is closed, still water is pumped into the chamber 130 to initially fill it during system setup, and then the water supply in the chamber is replenished with each carbonated water distribution cycle. Conversely, when the valve 133 is open, water is pumped from the carbonation chamber 130 towards the beverage maker and then towards the still water supply nozzle 141, where the pressure is lower than the gas pressure Pc in the chamber because it is exposed to atmospheric pressure. Thus, the flow automatically follows the path with the least resistance to the beverage maker rather than the chamber. Although the gas pressure in the carbonated water CW is high, still water is prevented from entering the still water discharge channel conduit 102b by a one-way flow check valve 134, which only allows the flow of still water in one direction to the carbonation chamber.

[0036] The carbonated beverage manufacturing system 100 further includes, in the illustrated embodiment, a gas supply system including a pressurized gas source 118, a gas pressure reduction station (including pressure reduction devices such as a gas regulating valve 119 shown in Figure 1), and a gas control valve 120. The gas source 118 is fluidically coupled to the carbonation chamber 130 through a gas conduit 138 via the regulating valve and the control valve. A pressure sensor 135 detects the gas pressure downstream of the control valve in the carbonation chamber 130. The gas control valve can be switched between an open position and a closed position to fill the carbonation chamber 130 with gas from the gas source 118 or to fluidically separate the chamber from the gas source.

[0037] In a non-limiting preferred embodiment for producing chilled carbonated beverages, the gas may be CO2. A suitable type of gas source and supply pressure can be used. In one embodiment, a gas tank or gas cylinder 118a of appropriate capacity can be used, as shown in the figure. The gas supply pressure is approximately 58 bar in one embodiment, but other pressures may also be used.

[0038] The gas control valve 119 (also simply called a gas regulator for brevity) has a set pressure for reducing the gas pressure from the gas source 118 to a lower set pressure representing the gas supply pressure. The reduced-pressure gas supplied by the gas regulator fills the carbonation chamber 130, which is then pressurized to the supply pressure. As a non-limiting typical example, the gas source pressure for a CO2 cylinder gas source is approximately 58 bar, and the pressure regulator set pressure is approximately 4 bar. Other suitable gas source pressures and set pressures can also be used. A suitable commercially available gas pressure regulator can be used.

[0039] In some embodiments, the gas regulating valve 119 can be omitted, and the gas control valve 120 can be equipped with a variable flow throttling valve trim so that the valve can be opened in an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed. In this case, the gas control valve 120 is operably coupled to a pressure sensor 135 that measures the actual real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber 130. Using the throttling gas control valve 120, once the carbonation chamber is pressurized to the gas supply pressure controlled by the gas control valve, the valve can operate in the fully closed position. Any of the above pressure reduction scenarios and devices can be used in the carbonation system of the present invention. In yet another alternative embodiment, if the source pressure is sufficiently low so as not to exceed the maximum pressure design limits of the carbonation system equipment, it is not necessary to reduce the CO2 gas source pressure. In this case, only the gas control valve 120 can be used in the fully open position to initially fill and pressurize the carbonation chamber 130 with gas, and then closed to separate the gas source from the chamber.

[0040] On the carbonated water supply side, the carbonated beverage manufacturing system 100 further includes a carbonated water discharge valve 132 which is fluidly coupled to the carbonation chamber 130 and injection nozzle 140 of the beverage maker 101 via a carbonated water discharge channel 102a. The proximal end of the channel conduit 102a is inserted into the body of carbonated water CW in the carbonation chamber 130 to below the water level L2, so that only the CO2 gas pressure Pc carbonated water in the chamber is drawn in and discharged from the chamber. The distal end of the channel conduit 102a is fluidly coupled to the injection nozzle 140.

[0041] The injection nozzle 140 can be selectively fluidically coupled to a disposable, single-use sealed product container 142 held in the beverage maker 101 at the beverage dispensing station 103. The nozzle is configured to operate to inject carbonated water through the product container when preparing a carbonated beverage. The product container 142 can be any suitable type, such as a rigid or flexible sachet, packet, capsule pouch, cup, or pod, that holds flavored beverage material such as flavorings, in order to produce a variety of carbonated beverages based on the type of flavoring used. The beverage material can be liquid, granular, or powder, in non-limiting examples. The distal end of the nozzle 140 can also be configured to pierce the product container when loaded into the beverage maker 101 by the user. After the beverage is prepared, the product container 142 is discarded.

[0042] The beverage maker 101 includes a programmable system controller 200 operably connected to the carbonation systems 100, 300 and the components shown in Figures 1 and 3, respectively, via a suitable wired and / or wireless communication link 205. Referring, for example, to Figure 1, the controller 200 is configured via programming with appropriate software instructions to control the operation of the carbonation systems and their components, which may include, in various non-limiting embodiments, maintaining water levels L1, L2 in the chilled water tank 111 and carbonation chamber 130 via level sensors 115 and 117, operating gas and water valves described herein, including valves 113, 119, 120, 132, 133, and 134, and sensing the gas pressure in the carbonation chamber 130 via a pressure sensor 135, a cooling unit 121, and a water pump 116. Thus, the controller 200 is operably connected to the level sensors 115 and 117 and can receive data from the sensors regarding water levels L1 and L2.

[0043] The controller 200 is operably coupled and linked to a user-accessible electronic control panel 202, which can be mounted on the beverage maker 101. The control panel is equipped with input devices that allow the user to initiate the operation of the dispenser for dispensing beverages or frothing milk. In some embodiments, the panel 202 includes a touchscreen and may include common accessories used for user programming and interface purposes, such as “hard” buttons, “soft” buttons, and status lights / indicator lights. Here, “hard” buttons refer to physical buttons, and “soft” buttons refer to software-generated buttons displayed on the control panel screen by the controller. The control panel or display can be of a suitable commercially available type.

[0044] The programmable controller 200 may include one or more microprocessors or processors, system-on-a-chip (integrated circuit), or combinations thereof, that control the operation of the beverage maker 101 and execute program or software instructions (such as control logic) that cause the carbonated beverage maker system 100 to perform the operations and methods disclosed herein relating to the preparation of the final carbonated beverage.

[0045] The controller 200 includes a non-temporary, tangible computer or machine-accessible and readable medium, such as memory 201, which stores the software described herein and various system settings or baseline parameters (temperature, pressure, etc.) that can be accessed by the microprocessor. The machine-readable medium memory 201 may include any suitable volatile and non-volatile memory or devices operably and communicably connected to the microprocessor. For example, any suitable combination and type of volatile or non-volatile memory can be used, including, but not limited to, random access memory (RAM) and its various types, read-only memory (ROM) and its various types, hard disks, solid-state drives, flash memory, or other memory and devices operably connected to the medium and writable and / or readable by the processor. Both volatile and non-volatile memory can be used to store program instructions or software.

[0046] The controller 200 includes all other electronic devices / components, peripherals, accessories, power management systems, communication interfaces (wired and / or wireless), etc., which are not mentioned here for brevity, and are typically provided with the controller to provide a fully functional control system.

[0047] Herein, we summarize a method or process 200 for preparing a carbonated beverage using a carbonation system 100 equipped with the beverage maker 101 described herein. For hardware, see Figures 1 and 2 and the preceding descriptions of the components shown therein. Figure 3 provides an overview of the major high-level steps in the process or method referred to below, with details of each step described as necessary. The various actions and operations of the carbonation system and its components described below can be initiated and executed by the system controller 200 alone or in part, unless otherwise specified.

[0048] To initially set the system to carbonate and supply water, the gas control valve 120, discharge valves 132 and 133, and water filling valve 113 are closed. The water pump 116 is turned off. The chilled water tank 111 is first filled with still water W from the water source 114 until it reaches level L1 by opening the filling valve 113 (step 232). The controller 200 performs this step, or, independently of the controller's control, the combination of the level sensor 115 and the filling valve 113 automatically fills the tank and maintains level L1. The water in tank 111 is cooled by activating the cooling system 122, which circulates the coolant through the wetted coolant coil 112, which is in direct contact with the water in the tank (step 234).

[0049] In step 236, the controller 200 activates the water pump 116, which pumps chilled water from the tank 111 into the carbonation chamber 130. The pump 116 continues to operate until the water level reaches level L2, and then stops via the level sensor 117 to control the level of carbonated water WC in the chamber 130, as described above.

[0050] In step 238, the gas control valve 120 is opened, and the gas (CO2) from the gas source 118 (e.g., a CO2 cylinder) flows through the gas regulating valve 119 to the carbonation chamber 130, where its pressure is reduced from the initial gas source pressure P1 in the bottle to a second, lower distribution gas pressure P2. P2 can be considered the gas supply pressure supplied to the carbonation chamber. The gas source is then in fluid communication with the carbonation chamber 130.

[0051] In step 240, the upper part of the carbonation chamber above the water level L2, i.e., the headspace Hs, is pressurized, and CO2 is filled at a low distribution gas pressure P2 until the gas pressure at the outlet of the gas control valve 119 and the headspace Hs reach equilibrium (i.e., until the gas pressure Pc in the carbonation chamber reaches a reduced pressure P2). This occurs automatically and quickly when the gas control valve 120 is opened.

[0052] In step 242, the carbonation chamber 130 is fluidically sealed by closing the gas control valve 120. This creates a sealed carbonation chamber 130 with a known total volume Vt (water and gas portion), and simultaneously creates a smaller volume Vc in the headspace Hs above the chamber. This volume is defined above the water level L2 and is automatically maintained by the water pump 116 via the level sensor 117. Thus, the volume Vc remains a fixed small volume in the chamber before dispensing the carbonated water. After closing the gas control valve 120, the controller 200 can measure and confirm (via the pressure sensor 135) that the gas pressure Pc in the headspace Hs of the chamber is equal to the lower gas distribution pressure P2. The system is now ready to supply the carbonated water.

[0053] In step 244, the user selects the desired beverage cup size on the beverage maker's control panel 202. The controller 200 receives the selection and determines the appropriate pre-programmed gas setting ratio corresponding to the selected beverage size. The controller then opens the carbonated water discharge valve 132 and dispenses carbonated water CW from the carbonation chamber 130 (step 246). The carbonated water flows through the carbonated water discharge conduit 102a and is supplied from the nozzle 140, through the product container 142, to the user's cup 104 placed by the user at the beverage dispensing station 103 of the beverage maker 101. The carbonated water is mixed with the flavoring in the product container to produce a flavored carbonated beverage, which is poured into the user's cup.

[0054] As described above, once the user initially selects the size of the beverage cup, the controller 200 continues to monitor the actual real-time gas pressure Pc in the carbonation chamber 130 via the pressure sensor 135. The carbonated water discharge valve 132 measures and monitors the headspace chamber gas pressure Pc in the chamber 130, which decreases as the carbonated water is discharged, and remains open until the controller determines that a pre-programmed gas set ratio has been reached. Once the set ratio is reached, the controller is informed that the desired amount of carbonated water associated with the beverage size selected by the user has been distributed, based on the pre-programmed set ratio value, regardless of the initial starting chamber pressure Pc and the final chamber pressure values. The amount of gas in the carbonation chamber 130 increases as carbonated water is replaced from the chamber, thereby decreasing the gas pressure according to Boyle's law of gases, as described herein. As described here, the pre-programmed gas set ratio can be one of several pre-programmed set ratios associated with dispensing different amounts of carbonated water to user beverage cups 104 of different sizes.

[0055] When this set ratio is reached, the controller recognizes that the correct amount of water has been supplied and closes the carbonated water discharge valve 132 to stop the supply of carbonated water.

[0056] In step 248, after the discharge valve 132 is closed, the controller starts the water pump 116 to replenish the water in the carbonation chamber 130 to level L2. The water pump 116 is then stopped. Next, the controller 200 reopens the gas control valve 120 and repressurizes the chamber 130 with CO2 to distribution gas pressure P2, as described above (step 250). In step 252, the water filling valve 130 is opened based on the water level detected by the level sensor 115 in the chilled water tank 111, and the tank is replenished with water to the starting chilled water level LI. Thus, the carbonation system 100 is ready to start the next carbonated water supply cycle by repeating the above procedure.

[0057] In the preparation of certain types of beverages, it may be desirable to mix carbonated and still water to create a single beverage, or to pour only still water as a still beverage. This can be initiated by the user selecting the appropriate hard or soft button on the control panel 202. In the former case, still water can be added to the user's cup 104 before, after, or simultaneously with the distribution of carbon dioxide from the chamber 130. To distribute still water, the controller 200 opens the still water discharge valve 133 and then activates the water pump 116. Because the injection nozzle 140 is exposed to atmospheric pressure, the pumped water flows towards the nozzle and is discharged from there, rather than flowing towards the carbonation chamber 130. The length of time and amount (volume) of still water pumped is determined based on the size of the cup selected by the user on the control panel 202. This prevents the cup from overflowing or being underfilled.

[0058] It should be noted that the aforementioned process or method for distributing and measuring the amount of carbonated water for beverage preparation does not rely on understanding or quantifying the amount of CO2 initially added to the carbonation chamber 130 (i.e., the number of moles of gas). The controller 200 operates on the principle of pre-programmed gas set ratios of the actual real-time pressure Pc measured in the carbonation chamber when the carbonated water is distributed to the start / initial gas pressure Pc (i.e., gas supply pressure P2) in the chamber. Each set ratio is associated with a respective pre-programmed beverage size selected by the user to prepare a chilled beverage. When the controller 200 monitors the real-time pressure Pc in the carbonation chamber and determines that a set ratio has been reached, the supply of chilled carbonated water is stopped. Advantageously, because the system relies on pre-programmed gas set ratios corresponding to pressure drops, rather than the actual pressure values ​​measured in the carbonation chamber, the carbonation system functions properly regardless of the start or initial pressure in the carbonation chamber 130.

[0059] The carbonation system of the present invention advantageously provides a reliable process for producing chilled carbonated beverages while minimizing equipment costs and complexity. On the gas side of the carbonation system, CO2 flows directly from the gas cylinder through a gas regulator pressure reduction station to the carbonation chamber, without the need for expensive gas pumps or gas flow meters to measure the number of moles of gas added to the carbonation chamber.

[0060] Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the carbonated beverage manufacturing system 300 in conjunction with a beverage maker 101 for preparing chilled carbonated beverages. The operation of the system 300 and the method for preparing carbonated beverages described herein is essentially the same in all important features and will not be repeated here for brevity. However, the current system has undergone some changes and substitutions of equipment, as follows:

[0061] In this embodiment of the carbonated beverage manufacturing system 300, the reservoir chiller of the aforementioned carbonation system 100, which immerses a cooling coil 112 and uses a chilled water tank 111 that holds cooled still water as a source of cooled still water, is replaced with a flash chiller 301. Advantageously, this high-speed chiller is more compact, thereby reducing the space requirements of the chiller and carbonation system and miniaturizing the carbonated beverage maker 101. Furthermore, the elimination of a large chilled water reservoir (i.e., chilled water tank 111) saves energy consumption and associated costs associated with maintaining a cooled reservoir. This flash chiller operates on an "on-demand" basis. However, other features of this beverage maker remain the same, including the beverage distribution station 103 and associated carbonated water injection nozzles 140 and still water supply nozzles 141.

[0062] Referring to Figure 4, the flash chiller 301 generally consists of a solid metal cold block 302 formed by casting, molding, or other means, with the coolant passage 312, the cooled (static) water passage 320, and the carbonation chamber 330 integrally formed as recessed negative features (i.e., openings or voids) within the cold block. These features, shown within the dashed physical boundary of the cold block 302 in Figure 4, are located within the cold block. Any suitable polygonal or non-polygonal metal block can be used here. Any metal with a thermal conductivity suitable for rapidly and efficiently transferring cold air from the coolant circulating in the coolant passage 312 within the block to the chilled water passage 320 and the carbonation chamber 330 can be used. In one non-limiting embodiment, the cold block may be formed of, for example, cast aluminum.

[0063] The coolant passage 312 and the chilled water passage 320 are each spirally configured, forming parallel, roundabout paths through the cooling block 302 in close proximity to each other, thereby facilitating heat transfer (i.e., transfer of cold air from the coolant to the still water circulating in the chilled water passage). The passages 312 and 320 may be wound around the carbonation chamber 330 inside the passages within the cold block 302. The cold air is transferred radially inward to the carbonation chamber. In one embodiment, the carbonation chamber 330 may be a cylindrical recess or cavity within the cold block. The passages 312 and 320 and the carbonation chamber 330 are all fluidically separated from each other within the cold block.

[0064] In this embodiment of the carbonation system 300, a still water head tank 311 is provided upstream of the cold block 302 between the water source 114 and the carbonation chamber 330 in the cold block. The level sensor 115 and water supply valve 113 in this embodiment control the level L1 and maintain the amount of still water W in the head tank 311 instead of the water level in the cold water tank 111 in the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 and described above. The function and operation of the level sensor and the filling valve are otherwise the same.

[0065] In this embodiment, a water pump 116 draws water from the head tank 311 via a cold block 302 to fill the carbonation chamber 330 with cooled water CW and maintain its water level. The water is rapidly cooled as it flows through the spiral cold water passage 302 within the block and is then sent into the carbonation chamber 330.

[0066] The same alternative flow path used to deliver chilled, non-carbonated water through a still water supply nozzle 141 to the user's beverage cup 104 at the beverage dispensing station 103 of the beverage maker 101 is also used in this system 300. To supply only still water, a flow meter 310 may be optionally provided in the chilled water flow path between the cold block 302 and the water pump 116 to measure the amount of chilled water supplied by the pump as needed. The flow meter 310 is operably and communicatively linked to a system controller 200 that measures the amount of chilled still water supplied. The controller can either automatically control the amount of still water supplied based on the cup size selected by the user and entered into the control panel 202 described herein, or the user can manually control the amount of still water added to the cup using hard or soft buttons (i.e., software buttons) on the control panel.

[0067] To increase the volume of the carbonation chamber 330 of the cold block 302, an auxiliary gas reservoir 350 can be optionally provided, as shown in Figure 3. The gas reservoir 350, which may be a metal container such as a tank, can be fluidly coupled to the gas conduit 138 between the carbonation chamber 330 and the gas control valve 120. In other embodiments, the gas reservoir 350 may be directly fluidly coupled to the gas-filled headspace Hs above the carbonation chamber 330. During operation, the CO2 gas pressurizes the headspace Hs within the chamber 330, the reservoir 350, and the gas conduit 138 downstream of the gas control valve 120 and the chamber to the same pressure (e.g., 4 bar). Thus, the effective total volume of CO2 for carbonating the cooled water stored in the carbonation chamber 330 is the sum of the volumes of each of the aforementioned pressure-holding components.

[0068] Adding the auxiliary gas reservoir 350 offers several advantages. First, the increased gas volume provided by the gas reservoir 350 allows for a smaller carbonation chamber 330 and its associated cold block 302, reducing the size of the cold block and lowering associated manufacturing costs. Second, since the reservoir only needs to be fluidly coupled to the carbonation chamber 330 within the block, it is easier to find available space for the reservoir within the beverage maker 101 than for a larger cold block. This means that all available space within the beverage maker 101 can be used to accommodate the reservoir 350. Furthermore, the increased gas volume (i.e., CO2) supplied by the gas reservoir 350 reduces the volume of CO2 lost in headspace Hs when carbonated water CW is dispensed. This results in less of a drop in the carbonation level of the water each time carbonated water is dispensed, thus increasing the "effervescence" of the dispensed carbonated water. However, in other embodiments, the gas reservoir 350 may be omitted, and the carbonation chamber 330 within the cold block 302 may be made larger.

[0069] The carbonated beverage manufacturing system 300 described herein includes a pair of air pumps 380, one for the carbonated water discharge channel conduit 102a and the other for the still water discharge channel conduit 102b. Each air pump is located downstream of the respective carbonated water discharge valve 132 or still water discharge valve 133, as shown in the figure. A one-way flow air check valve 381 prevents the inflow of still water or carbonated water back into the pump from the discharge channel conduit. The air pumps 380 are used to blow out any residue inside the carbonated water discharge channel conduit 102a and the still water discharge channel conduit 102b after each supply cycle of carbonated beverage or still water, ensuring that no residual water remains in the channel conduit for the next supply cycle.

[0070] As can be readily seen from the above description, a number of devices and operating scenarios are possible using the various embodiments of the beverage preparation system disclosed herein, in which an auxiliary liquid can be heated and frothed and a beverage extracted.

[0071] While the foregoing description and drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be understood that various additions, modifications, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope and the scope of the equivalents set forth in the appended claims. In particular, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented in other forms, structures, arrangements, proportions, sizes, and other elements, materials, and components without departing from its spirit or essential features. Furthermore, various variations are possible within the scope of the present disclosure of the methods / processes described herein. Those skilled in the art will also understand that embodiments can be applied with many changes to the structure, arrangement, proportions, sizes, materials, and components to be particularly suited to specific environmental and operating requirements without departing from the principles described herein. Accordingly, the embodiments currently disclosed should be considered in all respects to be exemplary and not limiting. The appended claims should be broadly interpreted to include other variations and embodiments of the present disclosure, which can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a carbonated beverage using a beverage manufacturing machine, wherein the method is: A sealed carbonation chamber is prepared, having a fixed volume and a gas source containing carbon dioxide at an initial gas source pressure, a stationary water source, and a programmable controller. The aforementioned programmable controller is A step of monitoring the chamber gas pressure in the carbonation chamber, A step of adding still water to the carbonation chamber up to the first level, Steps to open the gas control valve, The steps include: flowing the inserted gas from the gas source to a pressure reducing device, and the pressure reducing device lowering the initial gas source pressure to a lower gas delivery pressure; A step of pressurizing the carbonation chamber with carbon dioxide to a gas delivery pressure lower than the above in order to produce carbonated water, The step of sealing the carbonation chamber, A step of monitoring the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber, The user selects a beverage size on a control panel operably connected to the controller. The steps include distributing carbonated water from the carbonation chamber to the user's beverage cup, and The step of stopping the distribution of carbonated water when the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber falls to a value calculated by the controller, which corresponds to a pre-programmed ratio of the real-time gas pressure to a lower gas supply pressure. A method characterized by being configured to perform the following.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pre-programmed gas setpoint ratio corresponds to the beverage size selected by the user.

3. The method according to 1 or 2, characterized in that the controller has a plurality of pre-programmed gas setting ratios, each corresponding to a different beverage size.

4. The method according to 1 or 2, characterized in that, after distributing the carbonated water, a water pump fluidically coupled between the stationary water source and the carbonation chamber is selectively operated to maintain the first level of stationary water in the carbonation chamber by adding stationary water to the carbonation chamber when the stationary water level in the carbonation chamber falls below the first level.

5. The method according to 4, wherein the water pump is controlled by a level sensor configured to monitor a first level of still water in the carbonation chamber, and the level sensor activates the water pump when the level of still water in the carbonation chamber falls below the first level.

6. The method according to 4, further comprising the step of starting the water pump to pump still water from the still water source into the beverage cup before or after the step of distributing the carbonated water.

7. The method according to 6, further comprising the step of opening a stationary water discharge valve fluidly coupled to the water pump in order to start the water pump.

8. The method according to 7, characterized in that the still water discharge valve is closed when the water pump adds still water to the carbonation chamber.

9. The method according to 1 or 2, wherein the stationary water source includes a chilled water tank that holds the stationary water, and further comprises the step of circulating a coolant through the stationary water to cool the water.

10. The method according to 9, characterized in that the carbonation chamber is at least partially immersed in the still water in the cold water tank to continue cooling the water in the carbonation chamber.

11. The method according to 4, wherein the stationary water source includes a cold block that forms a stationary water passage parallel to and fluidly separate from the coolant, and further comprises the step of circulating the coolant through the coolant passage for cooling the stationary water.

12. The method according to 11, further comprising a still water passage that pumps water from a head tank containing still water and circulates the still water through the still water passage to the carbonation chamber via the water pump.

13. The method according to 1 or 2, further comprising a controller that monitors the gas pressure in the carbonation chamber via a pressure sensor operably coupled to the carbonation chamber.

14. The method according to 13, characterized in that the pressure reduction device is a gas control valve coupled to the pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the gas in the carbonation chamber.

15. The method according to 1 or 2, characterized in that the dispensing step includes the step of flowing the carbonated water through a product container containing a flavoring to produce a flavored carbonated beverage.

16. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the number of moles of carbon dioxide in the carbonation chamber is unknown when the carbonation chamber is first pressurized and the carbonated beverage is dispensed.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressurizing step includes pressurizing the carbonation chamber and simultaneously pressurizing an auxiliary gas reservoir, wherein the auxiliary gas reservoir is in fluid communication with the carbonation chamber.

18. The carbonation chamber is pressurized a second time to a second gas delivery pressure different from the lower gas delivery pressure, The steps involve the same user or another user selecting the same beverage size in the control panel, and When the real-time gas pressure in the carbonation chamber falls to a value corresponding to the same value as the pre-programmed gas setting ratio of the real-time gas pressure to the second gas delivery pressure calculated by the controller, the distribution of carbonated water is stopped. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

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