Dispensing – Floating piston with plural or alternate discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-06
2001-10-02
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Floating piston with plural or alternate discharge
C222S129200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296153
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/965,711, filed Nov. 7, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,922, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure relates generally to a beverage dispensing system configured for portable or fixed installations. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a self-contained, high pressure pneumatic beverage dispensing system that is especially adapted for use on commercial aircraft, railcars, ships, and the like, as well as for installation in golf carts and other such small vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, beverage dispensing systems have required electrical or gasoline power. Therefore, these systems tend to be bulky and usually are unsuitable for portable applications. applications.
Typically, conventional beverage dispensing systems comprise a high pressure carbonator tank plumbed to a carbon dioxide (CO
2
) cylinder through a pressure regulator in which the pressure to be supplied to the carbonator tank is reduced to approximately 90 pounds per square inch (psi). A motorized pump plumbed to a fixed water tap system is used to pressurize the water supplied to the tank to approximately 200 psi. The high pressure water flows into the carbonator tank, overcoming the rising pressure of the CO
2
gas contained therein. As the carbonator tank fills with this high pressure water, a pocket of CO
2
gas that exists above the water is compressed, forcing the CO
2
gas to be absorbed into the water, thereby creating carbonated water. In that these conventional beverage dispensing systems require a constant source of power to operate the pump motor, use of such systems is generally limited to fixed installations.
Although portable beverage dispensing systems that do not require electrical or gasoline powered pumps have been developed, these systems have several disadvantages. One such system is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,179 (Oyler et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,749 (Oyler et al.). Similar to the systems described in the present disclosure, the system described in these patents uses high pressure CO
2
gas supplied by a CO
2
tank to pressurize the water that is supplied to a carbonator tank. Unlike the present systems described in the present disclosure, however, the system described in these patent references uses a low pressure carbonator which typically operates at pressures below 100 psi.
Despite providing for some degree of water carbonation (typically, approximately 2.5%), such low pressure systems do not produce beverages having a commercially acceptable level of carbonation (generally between 3.0% to 4.0%). Experimentation has shown that the pressurized water must be cooled to a low temperature prior to entering the carbonator tank of these systems to achieve absorption of CO
2
gas into the water. This cooling typically is effected by using a cold plate through which the pressurized water passes just prior to being supplied to the carbonator tank.
As mentioned above, low, albeit marginally acceptable, levels of carbonation can be attained with these low pressure systems. One significant drawback of using this method, however, is that the CO
2
gas contained within the carbonated water can be quickly diffused from the water when it is heated to a warmer temperature. Accordingly, when the carbonated water is post-mixed with relatively warm liquids such as concentrated syrups, juices, and the like, the relatively small amount of carbonation contained within the water can be lost quickly.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have a self-contained beverage dispensing system that is completely portable and that produces beverages having a commercially acceptable level of stable carbonation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure relates to a self-contained high pressure pneumatic beverage dispensing system. In particular, the disclosure relates to such a system which includes water pressurization and supply system. In one aspect of the invention, the water pressurization and supply system comprises a water pump having a piston cylinder including first and second ends and a gas inlet in fluid communication with a first side of the cylinder and a water inlet and water outlet in fluid communication with a second side of the cylinder. The water pump further has a piston that is disposed within the piston cylinder between the first and second ends. Configured in this manner, the water pump is adapted to be filled with high pressure gas on the first side of the cylinder through the gas inlet and further is adapted to be filled with water on the second side of the cylinder through the water inlet.
The water pressurization and supply system can further include a water pump control system that comprises a first piston sensor positioned adjacent the first end of the piston cylinder, a second piston sensor positioned adjacent the second end of the piston cylinder, and a water pump control valve operably connected to the first and second piston sensors and in fluid communication with the gas inlet of the piston cylinder. In use, the first piston sensor can send a signal to the control valve when proximity of the piston is sensed to cause the control valve to open to permit high pressure gas to enter the first side of the piston cylinder and pressurize the water contained in the second side of the piston cylinder. Similarly, the second piston sensor can send a signal to the control valve when proximity of the piston is sensed to cause the control valve to close and vent gas contained in the first side of the piston cylinder, thereby permitting the second side of the piston cylinder to be refilled with water.
The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3370759 (1968-02-01), Johansson
patent: 4305531 (1981-12-01), Dooley et al.
patent: 4967936 (1990-11-01), Bingler
Bilskie Richard P.
Oyler Edward N.
Stover Harold F.
Bui Thach H
Derakshani Philippe
S.O.B. Partnership
Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley LLP
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