Device for carbonating drinking water

Abstract

Device for carbonating drinking water, comprising a carbonation unit (12) comprising a first inlet (22), a second inlet (62), an outlet (42) and a mixing chamber (44), wherein the inlets (22, 62) and the outlet (42) are fluidically connected to the mixing chamber (44) in such a way that drinking water, which flows into the carbonation unit (12) via one of the two inlets (22, 42), and a gas, which flows into the carbonation unit (12) via the other inlet (22, 42), are mixed in the mixing chamber (44), wherein the drinking water mixed with the gas flows out of the mixing chamber (44) via the outlet (42), wherein the carbonation unit (12) is configured in a modular manner such that the carbonation unit (12) comprises a separate housing (20), a separate mixing chamber module (40) and a separate nozzle module (60), wherein the mixing chamber module (40) and the nozzle module (60) are each removably connected to the housing (20), wherein one of the two inlets (22) is arranged on the housing (20), the other inlet (62) is arranged on the nozzle module (60) and the outlet (42) is arranged on the mixing chamber module (42).

Description

[0001] MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0002] - 1 -

[0003] Device for carbonating drinking water

[0004] Description

[0005] The present invention relates to a device for carbonating drinking water.

[0006] Such devices for carbonating drinking water are generally known from the prior art and are used to produce sparkling water. There are basically two known methods of carbonating drinking water. In the first method, drinking water in a bottle is carbonated by means of a gas supply tube that extends into the bottle with the gas inside the bottle. In a second method, the carbonation of the drinking water takes place in a carbonation unit with a mixing chamber, wherein the drinking water can be filled into a water bottle, a glass or cup or a carafe in an already carbonated state. The carbonation unit comprises a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlets and the outlet are fluidically connected to the mixing chamber. The drinking water flows through one of the inlets into the carbonation unit and into the mixing chamber. The gas for carbonation, i.e. CO2, flows through the other inlet into the carbonation unit and thus into the mixing chamber. In the mixing chamber, the drinking water and the gas are mixed, wherein the carbonated drinking water can flow out of the carbonation unit through the outlet.

[0007] The problem of the invention is to provide a device that can be easily and inexpensively manufactured, assembled and adapted to different conditions.

[0008] The problem is solved by the features of claim 1 .

[0009] The device comprises a carbonation unit, which comprises a first inlet, a second inlet, an outlet and a mixing chamber, wherein the inlets and the outlet are fluidically connected to the mixing chamber in such a way that drinking water, which flows into the carbonation unit via one of two inlets, is mixed with a gas, which flows into the carbonation unit via the other inlet, wherein the drinking water mixed with the gas flows out of the mixing chamber via the outlet. The drinking water flowing into the carbonation unit and the gas flowing into the carbonation unit are under pressure, wherein the MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0010] - 2 - pressure is in particular 2 to 8 bar. The pressure is provided by a pump connected in front of each inlet.

[0011] According to the invention, the carbonation unit is configured in a modular manner such that the carbonation unit comprises a separate housing, a separate mixing chamber module and a separate nozzle module, wherein the mixing chamber module and the nozzle module are each detachably connected to the housing, and wherein one of the two inlets is arranged at the housing, the other inlet is arranged at the nozzle module and the outlet is arranged at the mixing chamber module.

[0012] The housing defines the basis of the carbonation unit, such that the nozzle module and the mixing chamber module are mounted to the housing. The nozzle module and the mixing chamber module are mounted to the housing such that the drinking water and the gas can flow into the mixing chamber of the mixing chamber module and mix with one another in the mixing chamber. The drinking water and the gas each flow through a nozzle, which is formed on the nozzle module, on the housing and / or on the mixing chamber module, into the mixing chamber, wherein the inflow of the gas and of the drinking water can be influenced by the design of the nozzles in such a way that the best possible mixing of the gas with the drinking water can be achieved.

[0013] Because the carbonation unit is configured in a modular manner, the carbonation unit can be designed as necessary, wherein the housing defines the base element, which retains its shape identically for each different configuration of the carbonation unit, and the nozzle module and the mixing chamber module can be selected as and mounted on the housing. In this case, for example, the dimensions of the nozzle and thus the flow properties of the fluid flowing through the nozzle module into the mixing chamber can be varied by selecting the nozzle module. By selecting the mixing chamber module as required, the dimensions of the mixing chamber, the shape of the mixing chamber and / or the dimensions of the nozzle, if a nozzle is formed by the mixing chamber module, can be varied. In this way, the best possible mixing of the gas with the drinking water can be achieved under different conditions. MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0014] - 3 -

[0015] Preferably, the first inlet is formed on the housing and the second inlet is formed on the nozzle module. Thus, the drinking water flows into the carbonation unit via the first inlet provided at the housing and the gas, in particular CO2, flows into the carbonation unit via the second inlet provided at the nozzle module.

[0016] A quick-connect mechanism is preferably arranged at the first inlet, at the second inlet and / or at the outlet, whereby a connection hose or a connection pipe can be easily connected to the carbonation unit. The quick-connect mechanism is configured in particular such that the components need only be inserted in order to fix the components at least in the radial and longitudinal direction, so that no tools are required for assembly and disassembly. For example, a quick-connect mechanism of this type is a so-called, generally known John Guest connector.

[0017] Preferably, the housing, the mixing chamber module and / or the nozzle module are each manufactured in one piece. The housing, the mixing chamber module and / or the nozzle module are made of plastic. The fact that the housing, the mixing chamber module and / or the nozzle module are designed in one piece and made of plastic can reduce the manufacturing and assembly effort. The housing, the mixing chamber module and the nozzle module are particularly manufactured by injection molding, wherein the manufacture of these components can be carried out particularly cost- effectively and easily with a wide variety of geometries.

[0018] Alternatively, the nozzle module can comprise a base body and a nozzle tip, wherein the nozzle tip is detachably connected to the base body, i.e. in a form-fitting or forcefitting manner. This can additionally provide a modular design of the nozzle module. The modular design of the nozzle module allows the dimensions of the nozzle to be varied by exchanging the nozzle tip, wherein the basic element of the nozzle module is always retained. The nozzle tip can be made of a different material, for example a metal or ceramic, than the base body, which is made of plastic.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the inlets extend parallel to one another. This allows the space required for the device to be reduced by aligning the connecting hoses or connecting pipes connected to the inlets in a common direction. In this way, the carbonation unit can be configured as an elongated assembly, wherein MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0020] - 4 - the space transverse to the parallel longitudinal axes of the inlets can be kept as small as possible. Alternatively, the inlets can be aligned such that the longitudinal axes of the inlets enclose an angle between 0° and 90° to each other or enclose an angle of exactly 90° to each other.

[0021] Preferably, the carbonation unit is configured such that the gas and the drinking water flow into the mixing chamber in the same direction. In this case, the nozzles through which the drinking water and the gas flow into the mixing chamber are aligned in the same direction, so that the gas and the drinking water flow in the same direction. This improves the mixing of the gas with the drinking water.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle module and the mixing chamber module are inserted into the housing, wherein the nozzle module and / or the mixing chamber module are connected to the housing by a quick-connect mechanism. This can simplify the assembly and disassembly of the carbonation unit, wherein, when assembling the carbonation unit, the nozzle module and / or the mixing chamber module only need to be inserted into the housing at a predefined point. The nozzle module and the mixing chamber module are fixed in the longitudinal direction or against the insertion direction automatically when they are inserted, by means of the quick-connect mechanism. When disassembling, only the quick-connect mechanism needs to be unlocked by moving an element provided for this purpose, wherein the nozzle module or the mixing chamber module can be removed after unlocking. In this way, different nozzle modules and / or mixing chamber modules can be replaced quickly and easily. A seal is arranged in a cavity between the outer circumferential surface of the mixing chamber module and / or the nozzle module and the inner circumferential surface of an opening receiving the mixing chamber module or the nozzle module, in order to seal a housing interior from the external environment.

[0023] Preferably, the nozzle module is inserted into the mixing chamber module in sections. In the assembled state, the nozzle module and the mixing chamber module are inserted into the housing in such a way that the nozzle module is additionally inserted into the mixing chamber module at least with the front end. A nozzle is provided on the section inserted into the mixing chamber module. This allows the drinking water or gas, MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0024] - 5 - which flows through the nozzle module into the mixing chamber, to flow directly into the mixing chamber without the need of a flow channel provided at the housing. A seal is arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle module section, which extends into the mixing chamber module, and the inner circumferential surface of a nozzle module receiving bore of the mixing chamber module, in order to prevent leakage of the gas and the drinking water via the gap between the mixing chamber module and the nozzle module.

[0025] Preferably, the mixing chamber module is configured in the form of a tube, whereby the mixing chamber module can be easily manufactured. The first end section of the tubeshaped mixing chamber module is inserted into the housing. A quick-connect mechanism for coupling a connecting hose or a connecting pipe is attached to a second end section.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the mixing chamber module comprises at least one flow channel at an end facing the housing, which extends from the side facing the housing to the mixing chamber, wherein the inlet formed on the housing is fluidically connected to the flow channel. The flow channel is arranged in particular in the area of the nozzle module section that extends into the mixing chamber module. In particular, the flow channel is formed in a wall that defines the opening of the mixing chamber module into which the nozzle module extends. The flow channel extends in the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber module. The fact that the mixing chamber module forms the flow channel, which leads into the mixing chamber and thus forms at least one nozzle, means that the inflow properties of the drinking water or gas flowing in through the first inlet can be easily changed or adjusted, i.e. by exchanging or specifically selecting the mixing chamber module. Preferably, a plurality of flow channels are formed on the end of the mixing chamber module facing the housing, spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0027] The invention will be explained in more detail with the following drawing. MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0028] - 6 -

[0029] The figure schematically shows a device for carbonating drinking water in a crosssection.

[0030] The figure shows a device 10 for carbonating drinking water. Such a device 10 is used in particular to produce sparkling water from still drinking water, which can be taken from a tap.

[0031] The device 10 comprises a carbonation unit 12, which is configured as an inline carbonation unit. The carbonation unit 12 has a modular structure and comprises a housing 20, a mixing chamber module 40 and a nozzle module 60. The housing 20 comprises a through-hole 30, into which the nozzle module 60 and the mixing chamber module 40 are inserted, in such a way that the mixing chamber module 40 and the nozzle module 60 are inserted into the housing 20 on opposite sides of the through- hole 30 and are arranged in alignment with each other in the assembled state, i.e. the longitudinal axes of the mixing chamber module 40 and the nozzle module 60 are arranged in alignment with each other. The mixing chamber module 40 is detachably connected to the housing 20 via a quick-connect mechanism 46. The nozzle module 60 is also detachably connected to the housing 20 via a quick-connect mechanism 68. The quick-connect mechanisms are each configured as plug-in coupling mechanisms, wherein the nozzle module 60 and the mixing chamber module 40 need only be inserted into the through opening 30 during assembly of the carbonation unit 12. During disassembly, only a component of the quick-connect mechanisms needs to be translationally displaced in order to pull out the mixing chamber module 40 or the nozzle module 60. A seal 48, 70 is arranged at each end of the through opening 30, by which a gap between the circumferential surface of the through opening 30 and the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle module 60 and the mixing chamber module 40 is sealed, such that a leakage flow from the through opening 30 to the outside environment can be avoided.

[0032] For the inlet of the drinking water and the gas into the carbonation unit 12, the housing 20 comprises a first inlet 22 and the nozzle module 60 comprises a second inlet 62, wherein drinking water flows into the carbonation unit 12 via the first inlet 22 and the gas, i.e. carbon dioxide, flows via the second inlet 62. The inlets 22, 62, i.e. the MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0033] - 7 - longitudinal axes D1 , D2 of the inlets 22, 62, are arranged parallel to each other. A connection pipe can be connected to each of the inlets 22, 62, wherein the connection of the connection pipe to the housing 20 and the nozzle module 60 is made by a quickconnect mechanism 24, 66, in each case. To pipe the drinking water entering via the first inlet 22 to the mixing chamber module 40, the housing 20 comprises a drinking water flow channel 28 with a channel section 281 forming the inlet 22 and an angled channel section 282. The channel section 282 is angled in such a way that a longitudinal axis D3 of the channel section 282 and the longitudinal axis D2 enclose an acute angle a. As a result, the carbonation unit 12 has a flow path which the drinking water and the gas flow through, which is Y-shaped. As a result, the housing 12 is also configured in the form of a Y-connector.

[0034] To discharge the carbonated or bubbled drinking water from the mixing chamber module 40, an outlet 42, on which a quick-connect mechanism 52 is arranged, is provided at an end of the mixing chamber module 40 facing away from the housing 20.

[0035] The mixing chamber module 40 is configured in the form of a tube and is inserted with a first end section into the through opening 30. An inner circumferential surface of the tubular mixing chamber module 40 defines a mixing chamber 44, in which the drinking water and the gas are mixed. To inject the gas into the mixing chamber 44, the nozzle module 60 projects with a nozzle tip 642, wherein the nozzle module 60 comprises a base body 641 and the nozzle tip 642, into a bore 45 adjoining the mixing chamber 44. A seal 49 is arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle tip 642 and the inner circumferential surface of the bore 45. To inject the drinking water from the drinking water flow channel 28 into the mixing chamber 44, a plurality of flow channels 50 are formed in the wall of the mixing chamber module 40 in the region of the bore 45, which extend from the end face of the mixing chamber module 40 and the mixing chamber 44. At the end facing the mixing chamber 44, the flow channels 50 form a nozzle 51 , which are arranged at a tangential distance from one another.

[0036] As already described, the nozzle module 60 comprises the base body 641 and a nozzle tip 642, wherein the nozzle tip 642 can be removed from the base body 641 and MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024

[0037] - 8 - replaced when the nozzle module 60 is removed from the housing 20. The nozzle module 60 is detachably connected to the housing 20 via the base body 641 .

[0038] In the process of carbonating the drinking water, the drinking water first flows into the carbonation unit 12 via the first inlet 22 and the gas flows into the carbonation unit 12 via the second inlet 62. The drinking water flows through the drinking water flow channel 28 and flows into an annular channel 29, which is defined by the nozzle module 60 and the housing 20. Starting from the annular channel 29, the drinking water flows into the mixing chamber 44 via the flow channels 50 formed on the mixing chamber module 40. The gas flows through a gas channel 72, which is formed in steps such that the diameter decreases at each step up to the nozzle 74, via a nozzle 74 centrally into the mixing chamber 44. The nozzles of the flow channels 50 radially surround the nozzle 74, wherein the gas and the drinking water flow into the mixing chamber 44 via the nozzles 51 , 74 with a common inflow direction. In the mixing chamber 44, the gas and the drinking water mix in such a way that carbonated drinking water flows out via the outlet 42, which can be removed at a tap.

Claims

MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024- 9 -Claims1 . Device for carbonating drinking water, comprising a carbonation unit (12) comprising a first inlet (22), a second inlet (62), an outlet (42) and a mixing chamber (44), wherein the inlets (22, 62) and the outlet (42) are fluidically connected to the mixing chamber (44) in such a way that drinking water, which flows into the carbonation unit (12) via one of the two inlets (22 , 42), and a gas, which flows into the carbonation unit (12) via the other inlet (22, 42), are mixed in the mixing chamber (44), wherein the drinking water mixed with the gas flows out of the mixing chamber (44) via the outlet (42), characterized in that the carbonation unit (12) is configured in a modular manner such that the carbonation unit (12) comprises a separate housing (20), a separate mixing chamber module (40) and a separate nozzle module (60), wherein the mixing chamber module (40) and the nozzle module (60) are each removably connected to the housing (20), wherein one of the two inlets (22) is arranged on the housing (20), the other inlet (62) is arranged on the nozzle module (60) and the outlet (42) is arranged on the mixing chamber module (42).

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing (20), the mixing chamber module (40) and / or the nozzle module (60) are each manufactured in one piece.

3. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle module (60) comprises a base body (641 ) and a nozzle tip (642), wherein the nozzle tip (642) is detachably connected to the base body (641 ).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (20), the mixing chamber module (40) and / or the nozzle module (60) are made of plastic.MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024- 10 -5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal axes (D1 , D2) of the inlets (22, 62) are arranged parallel to one another.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carbonation unit (12) is configured such that the gas and the drinking water flow into the mixing chamber (44) in a common inflow direction.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle module (60) and the mixing chamber module (40) are inserted into the housing (20), wherein the nozzle module (60) and / or the mixing chamber module (40) are connected to the housing (20) by a quick-connect mechanism (46, 68).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle module (60) is inserted in sections into the mixing chamber module (40).

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein a gap between an outer circumferential surface of the portion of the nozzle module (40) inserted into the mixing chamber module (44) and an inner circumferential surface of a through opening of the mixing chamber module (40) is sealed by a seal (49).

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing chamber module (40) is configured in a tubular manner.11 . Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing chamber module (40) comprises at least one flow channel (50) at an end facing the housing (20), which extends from the side of the mixing chamber module (40) facing the housing (20) to the mixing chamber (44), wherein the inlet (22) formed on the housing (20) is flu idical ly connected to the flow channel (50).MF. P.24001 .WO / DD 13.12.2024- 11 -12. Device according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of flow channels (50) are formed on the mixing chamber module (40) and are spaced apart from one another in the peripheral direction with respect to the longitudinal axis.

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a quick-connect mechanism (24, 66, 52) is arranged at the first inlet (22), at the second inlet (62) and / or at the outlet (42).

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