DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARBONATED DRINKS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device for the production of carbonated beverages, in particular water, suitable to be installed either horizontally or vertically.

Devices have existed for some time to prepare and supply water with carbon dioxide added in a completely automatic way and with a high level of concentration of CO ₂ gas.

The patent US 2588677 describes a device of simple design, that is simple to produce and to assemble and operates for long periods of time without requiring particular maintenance, and capable of supplying large or small quantities of carbonated water simply by feeding it with water and CO ₂ gas.

In recent times products have become established for domestic use, suitable to produce carbonated water by simply feeding them through connection to the mains water supply and to a carbon dioxide bottle.

Devices of this type are very simple, as they require a container into which water is sprayed in a carbon dioxide atmosphere; in these conditions the water absorbs the gas and collects on the bottom of said container and can be drawn through a pipe into which it is driven by the pressure of the mains water supply and of the gas. Therefore, two zones are distinguished in the container. A lower zone, the level of which is maintained constant, in which the water that has already absorbed the gas collects, and an upper zone, into which the water is sprayed, in which the gas is also present.

To draw the carbonated water, the delivery pipe must lift from the lower zone of the container, while the incoming water must pass through a pipe that flows out in the upper zone. The position for inflow of the gas is less restrictive, as in any case this collects in the upper part of the container.

Said containers generally have an elongated cylindrical shape and can be positioned either vertically or horizontally, depending on the place in which they are to be installed. Normally, vertical containers are installed in the unit under the kitchen sink, while horizontal containers are installed under this unit, with evident advantages in terms of use of space.

The problem that this poses consists in the fact that, to comply with the conditions above, the pipes for supply of water to be treated and of the carbon dioxide and the pipe to draw the treated water are in different positions in the two cases, and therefore, according to prior art, it is not possible to satisfy both installation requirements with a single product.

The present invention overcomes said problem by proposing a device for the production of carbonated beverages, in particular water, but also fruit juices, in which the arrangement of the pipes for supply of the beverage to be treated and of the carbon dioxide and the pipe for drawing the treated beverage are positioned in a manner, according to claim 1 , such that this product can be installed either vertically or horizontally.

The device according to the invention is of the type comprising:

• a container in which two zones are distinguished: a first zone A, in the lower part of said container, occupied by the beverage with C0 ₂ added, and a second zone B, above said first zone A, filled with CO ₂ gas, said two zones A and B being separated by a surface S;

• a first pipe for supplying the beverage to which CO ₂ is to be added, which flows out above said surface S;

• a second pipe (4) for supplying CO ₂ gas, which flows out above said surface S;

• a third pipe to draw said beverage with CO ₂ added, which lifts from below said surface S;

• a probe to maintain substantially constant the position of said surface S;

and is characterized in that said first and second pipe

• are located on the same head of the cylindrical container;

• are positioned on the same side of the plane of symmetry P, of said cylindrical container, parallel to said separation surface S of the two zones, A and B, respectively occupied by the liquid and by the gas, when the device is in horizontal position, and in particular above said separation surface S.

The fact that the same product can be used for the two installations allows a reduction in production costs, but above all advantages in terms of logistics in relation to the management of a single product, with a reduction in warehouse stocks. Another important fact is that the final use can change the type of installation, should this become necessary at a later date.

Other beverages, such as orange juice, can also be treated.

The invention shall now be described, by way of non-limiting example, according to a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

• Figs. 1 and 2 show the device according to the invention installed horizontally;

• Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention installed vertically.

With reference to the accompanying figures, the numeral (1 ) indicates a device for the production of carbonated water according to the invention. Said device comprises a container (2) of elongated cylindrical shape, provided with a pair of L- shaped elements (2a), suitable for fixing to a support surface. When the device (1 ) is operating, the container (2) is partially filled with water. In these conditions two zones are distinguished: a first zone A, in the lower part of the container (2), occupied by the water, and a second zone B, above the first, filled with CO ₂ gas. If the device (1 ) is installed horizontally, the two zones are arranged with the separation surface S parallel to the axis of the cylinder (2), while when the device (1 ) is installed vertically, said separation surface S is perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder (2).

The device (1 ) also comprises a first pipe (3), for inflow of the water to be treated, which flows into the upper zone B, occupied by the CO ₂ , a second pipe (4), for inflow of the C0 ₂ , which also flows into the upper zone B, and a third pipe (5) for drawing the treated water, which lifts from the lower zone A, occupied by the water.

Said first and second pipe (3, 4) flow into the zone B occupied by the CO ₂ both in the case of horizontal and of vertical installation, as they simultaneously satisfy the following conditions:

• they located on the same head (20) of the cylindrical container (2);

• they are positioned on the same side of the plane of symmetry P, parallel to said separation surface S of the two zones, A and B, respectively occupied by the liquid and by the gas, when the device (1 ) is in horizontal position, and in particular above said separation surface S.

Naturally, the first condition is necessary to operate the device (1 ) vertically, while the second is necessary to operate it horizontally. By satisfying both these conditions, the device (1 ) can operate in both positions.

In the accompanying figures, the third pipe (5) is rectilinear and exits from the head (20); however, it could also have a different form and exit from any part of the container (2), providing its end lifts from the zone A occupied by the water. A probe (6), suitable to detect the level of the water, is inserted in the second pipe (4), said probe being connected to a solenoid valve (not shown) which shuts off the flow of water from the mains water supply. If the pressure of the mains water supply is insufficient and the device is connected to this through a pump, the probe (6) would be connected to said pump. In practice, when the water reaches the predetermined level (indicated with (7) in Figs 1 and 2, which show the device in horizontal position, and with (7a) in Fig. 3, which shows the device in vertical position), it closes a circuit by electrically connecting the probe (6) to the contact (8), causing closing of the solenoid valve that shuts off the water from the mains water supply or shutting down the pump.

The probe (6) is located in a position such that the water fills the container (2) to approximately 80% of the volume thereof, leaving the volume above free for the CO2, both in horizontal and vertical position. This result is achieved by appropriately adjusting both the distance of the probe from the axis of the cylindrical container (2), and the axial position thereof.

Two partitions are positioned inside the container (2): a first partition (9), perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical container (2), and a second partition (10), which lies on a vertical plane that is positioned between said first pipe (3), for supplying the water to be treated, and said second pipe (4), for supplying the C0 ₂ . Operation of the system is as follows. The water flows through the supply pipe (3) under pressure and strikes the first partition (9) perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical container (2), causing considerable turbulence, which facilitates the absorption of CO ₂ . The second partition (10), which is positioned between the pipes (3), for supplying the water to be treated, and (4), for supplying the CO2, has the function of preventing turbulence from propagating to the probe (6), causing the circuit to close in advance, and consequently stopping the supply flow of the water before the established level (7, 7a) is reached.

The water with CO ₂ added collects in the lower part of the container (2), from where it is drawn through the third pipe (5), being driven by the pressure of the mains water supply.

As can be seen from the accompanying figures, the device (1 ) according to the invention is capable of operating in either a horizontal or vertical position, as the pipes (3), (4) and (5), respectively for supplying the water to be treated, for supplying the CO2 and for collecting the treated water, and of the other elements forming the device (1 ) according to the invention, are positioned in such a manner, in relation to the levels of the water, (7) for the horizontal position and (7a) for the vertical position, as to allow them to perform their function.

In fact, in both cases, all the elements forming the device (1 ) according to the invention are capable of performing their function adequately:

• the first pipe (3), for supplying the water to be treated, flow out above the levels (7, 7a) and therefore the flow of incoming water can break against the first partition (9);

• the second pipe (4), for supplying the C0 ₂ , flows out above the levels (7, 7a) and can therefore form said second zone B saturated with CO2 above said levels (7, 7a);

• The third pipe (5), for drawing the treated water, lifts from the zone occupied by the water and, therefore, is able to draw it;

• the first partition (9) is struck directly by the jet of incoming water, when the device (1 ) is in horizontal position, while when it is in vertical position, this jet must pass through a depth of water, as the level (7a) is such as to completely cover the first partition (9); however, this depth can be made very small, and therefore with no influence on the operation of the device (1 ), by placing said first partition (9) in close proximity to the probe (6);

• the second partition (10) performs its function of preventing turbulence in the zone occupied by the probe (6), as in both cases it is positioned between said first pipe (3), for supplying the water to be treated, and said second pipe (4), for supplying CO2.

In order to obtain a high level of turbulence, the pipe (3) for supplying water is preferably located at a higher position relative to the water level (7), when the device (1 ) is in horizontal position, while this position is completely irrelevant when the device (1 ) is in vertical position.

From the description above it is evident that with a single device it is possible to satisfy both horizontal and vertical installation requirements, said result being novel, as it cannot be obtained with prior art devices.

The device (1 ) has been described in relation to the treatment of water. However, it is also able to treat other beverages, such as orange or lemon juice.

The invention has been described purely by way of non-limiting example according to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art may find numerous other variants, all falling within the scope of protection of the claims below.