Beverage Cartridge Parallel-Flow Dispensing to Retain Carbonation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable cartridges for beverage preparation, particularly for carbonated beverages, face issues with carbon dioxide retention and efficient mixing, leading to unsatisfactory results compared to bottled or canned beverages, and require improvements in handling and mass production costs.
Innovation Solution
A disposable cartridge design featuring a flow channel for carbonated water with a reservoir for a liquid ingredient, where the ingredient is dispensed through outlets arranged to merge with the water stream downstream of the dispensing aperture, minimizing disturbance and retaining carbon dioxide, and a sealing system that avoids hindering the water flow, allowing for efficient carbonation and easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a mixing chamber is used to combine liquid ingredient with carbonated water, then mixing efficiency is improved, but carbon dioxide retention deteriorates due to disturbance of the carbonated water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the flow paths of carbonated water and liquid ingredient into distinct channels. The carbonated water flows through a first channel while the liquid ingredient flows through a second channel, preventing premature mixing and maintaining carbonation until the streams merge naturally at the outlet
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a barrier or wall structure that acts as an intermediary between the carbonated water stream and liquid ingredient stream. This barrier prevents direct contact and mixing within the cartridge, allowing both streams to maintain their integrity until they converge at the dispensing outlet
2Reliability
If a seal is placed over the dispensing passage outlet to prevent leakage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the seal may hinder or disturb the carbonated water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed with differentiated properties: it provides effective sealing over the liquid ingredient dispensing passage outlet while being configured to minimize interference with the carbonated water flow path. The seal's geometry and positioning are optimized to create a local sealing zone that does not extend into the carbonated water stream
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structure is segmented to provide separate sealing functions for different outlets. The seal covers the liquid ingredient dispensing passage outlet effectively while leaving the carbonated water dispensing aperture open and unobstructed, allowing independent optimization of sealing and flow characteristics for each stream
3Stability of the object's composition
If the liquid ingredient is dispensed to merge with the carbonated water stream downstream, then carbon dioxide retention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge employs segmented flow channels with distinct paths for carbonated water and liquid ingredient. This segmentation allows the streams to remain separate throughout most of the cartridge length, maintaining carbonation, while enabling controlled convergence at the outlet through simple geometric arrangement rather than complex mixing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the carbonated water and liquid ingredient streams to mix naturally through their own kinetic energy and turbulence as they converge at the outlet. No active mixing mechanism is required - the system uses the inherent properties of the flowing streams to achieve mixing downstream, reducing device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively retains carbon dioxide, ensuring better beverage quality and efficient use of carbon dioxide gas, while simplifying handling and reducing production costs by minimizing disturbances to the carbonated water flow and eliminating the need for complex mixing chambers.
Implementation Method 1
the exterior of the stream of carbonated water shows by itself a sort of turbulence due to the expansion and/or escape of some of the dissolved carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
the merged flow of liquid ingredient is then gradually entrained in the carbonated water stream and becomes mixed therewith
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a disposable cartridge filled with a single serve portion of a liquid ingredient to be combined with a base liquid for the preparation of a liquid product, e.g. a beverage concentrate to be combined with water, e.g. carbonated water, for the preparation of a beverage suitable for human consumption. The cartridge comprises a vertically extending channel that extends to a dispensing aperture in the bottom of the cartridge and one or more dispensing passages extending between a reservoir and the outside of the cartridge. The dispensing passages are provided with outlet openings located adjacent the aperture such that the base liquid and the liquid ingredient are dispensed in parallel flows, the liquid ingredient subsequently coating the exterior of the stream of base liquid, such that actual mixing of the liquid ingredient and base liquid only takes place after both have been dispensed.