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EP-4380887-B1 - DIFFUSER NOZZLE FOR IMPROVED CARBONATION DISPENSING

EP4380887B1EP 4380887 B1EP4380887 B1EP 4380887B1EP-4380887-B1

Inventors

  • MUNOZ, BRAD
  • FORGEY, Austin

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220805

Claims (15)

  1. A fluid dispensing nozzle (200), comprising: an inlet section (202) which defines an inlet channel (210) with a first diameter; a restriction region (212) which defines a restriction channel (220) fluidically coupled to the inlet channel, the restriction channel extending along a first predetermined length and having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter; an expansion chamber (222) which defines an expansion channel fluidically coupled to the restriction channel, the expansion chamber having a trumpet shape with a maximum diameter at an outlet (226) of the expansion chamber, wherein the maximum diameter of the expansion chamber is greater than the first diameter; and a diffuser plate (234) positioned at the outlet of the expansion chamber, the diffuser plate comprising a plurality of openings (242) and a mesh insert (240) that is disposed across the plurality of openings.
  2. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the trumpet shape of the expansion chamber (222) comprises a curved expansion section (230) comprising a flared body that extends from the second diameter of the restriction channel (220) and increases in diameter toward the outlet (226) of the expansion chamber.
  3. The nozzle (200) of claim 2, wherein the flared body as viewed through an axial cross section of the expansion chamber (222) forms an exponential curve on each side of and spaced apart from a central longitudinal axis of the expansion chamber; and/or wherein the trumpet shape of the expansion chamber further comprises a linear expansion section (232) extending between a maximum diameter of the curved expansion section (230) and the maximum diameter at the outlet (226) of the expansion chamber.
  4. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the outlet (226) diameter of the expansion chamber (222) is from 10 to 20 times the inlet (224) diameter of the expansion chamber; and/or wherein the expansion chamber has an axial length from 0.10 to 0.20 times the outlet diameter of the expansion chamber.
  5. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the mesh insert (240) has from 100 to 500,000 mesh openings per square foot (1000 to 5,400,000 per square metre).
  6. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the mesh insert (240) includes a plurality of mesh intersections, wherein at least one of the mesh intersections is positioned across a cross section of each of the plurality of openings (242) of the diffuser plate (234).
  7. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the inlet (224) diameter of the restriction region (212) is from 10 to 20 times smaller than the first diameter of the inlet section (202).
  8. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, wherein the restriction region (212) has an axial length greater than the inlet (224) diameter of the restriction region.
  9. The nozzle (200) of claim 1, further comprising a straight tube outlet (248) that defines a straight tube channel (256).
  10. The nozzle (200) of claim 9, wherein the straight tube outlet (248) has a length from 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm); and/or wherein the straight tube channel (256) has a uniform diameter that is equal to a maximum diameter of the expansion body (228); and/or wherein the straight tube outlet has an axial length from 0.50 to 3.0 times the diameter of the straight tube channel.
  11. A beverage dispensing system, the system comprising: a nozzle (30); a carbonator (10) with a water inlet (12), a carbon dioxide inlet (14), and a carbonated water outlet (16); and a carbonated water line (18) extending between the carbonated water outlet and the nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises: an inlet section (202) which defines an inlet channel (210) with a first diameter; a restriction region (212) which defines a restriction channel (220) fluidically coupled to the inlet channel, the restriction channel extending along a first predetermined length and having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter; an expansion chamber (222) which defines an expansion channel fluidically coupled to the restriction channel, the expansion chamber having a trumpet shape with a maximum diameter at an outlet (226) of the expansion chamber, wherein the maximum diameter of the expansion chamber is greater than the first diameter; and a diffuser plate (234) positioned at the outlet of the expansion chamber, the diffuser plate comprising a plurality of openings (242) and a mesh insert (240) that is disposed across the plurality of openings.
  12. The system of claim 11, wherein the carbonator water outlet (16) is fluidically coupled to the restriction channel (220) to provide carbonated water through the restriction channel.
  13. The system of claim 11, wherein the restriction channel (220) is configured to provide a backpressure from the nozzle (200) to the carbonator (10).
  14. The system of claim 11, wherein the carbonator (10) is configured to supply carbonated water to the carbonated water outlet (16) at a first pressure and exit the system at a second pressure, and wherein the expansion chamber (222) is configured to mitigate turbulence of carbonated water exiting the system; wherein the expansion chamber is optionally configured to promote a uniform fluid velocity across a cross section of the expansion channel.
  15. The system of claim 11, wherein the nozzle (200) further comprises a straight tube outlet (248) that defines a straight tube channel (256).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to dispensing nozzle assemblies and more particularly relate to beverage dispensing nozzle assemblies configured to minimize carbonation breakout. BACKGROUND Current post-mix beverage dispensing nozzles generally mix streams of syrup, concentrate, sweetener, bonus flavors, other types of flavoring, and other ingredients with water or other types of diluent by flowing the syrup stream down the center of the nozzle with the water stream flowing around the outside. The syrup stream is directed downward with the water stream such that the streams mix as they fall into a consumer's cup. There is a desire for a beverage dispensing system as a whole to provide as many different types and flavors of beverages as may be possible in a footprint that may be as small as possible. Preferably, such a beverage dispensing system may provide as many beverages as may be available on the market in prepackaged bottles, cans, or other types of containers. In order to accommodate this variety, the dispensing nozzles need to accommodate fluids with different viscosities, flow rates, mixing ratios, temperatures, and other variables. Current dispensing nozzle assemblies may not be able to accommodate multiple beverages with a single nozzle design and/or the dispensing nozzle assembly may be designed for specific types of fluid flow. One known means of accommodating differing flow characteristics is shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,383,966 that describes the use of replaceable fluid modules that are sized and shaped for specific flow characteristics. Even more variety and more fluid streams may be employed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,415 that shows the use of a number of tertiary flow assemblies. US 2020/023292 A1 discloses a method for dispensing a beverage, comprising flowing carbonated water through an inlet of a beverage dispenser valve, lowering the pressure of the carbonated water sufficient to promote carbon dioxide nucleation, flowing the carbonated water through a chamber vented to the environment such that a portion of carbon dioxide nucleated is off-gassed, and introducing a beverage ingredient when the carbonated water reaches a sufficiently low carbonation level. Some current nozzles can be used to dispense carbonated beverages. Some of the current nozzles can be used to mix various flavors into carbonated water to provide multiple carbonated beverage flavors from a single system. Some systems dissolve carbon dioxide in water to form carbonated water, flavor the carbonated water, and dispense the flavored carbonated water from the nozzle, which results in various levels of carbonation and carbonation breakout in the dispensed beverages. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid dispensing nozzle that includes an inlet section which defines an inlet channel with a first diameter, and a restriction region which defines a restriction channel fluidically coupled to the inlet channel. The restriction channel extends along a first predetermined length and has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. The nozzle includes an expansion chamber which defines an expansion channel fluidically coupled to the restriction channel. The expansion chamber has a trumpet shape with a maximum diameter at an outlet of the expansion chamber. The maximum diameter of the expansion chamber is greater than the first diameter; and nozzle includes a diffuser plate positioned at the outlet of the expansion chamber. The diffuser plate includes a plurality of openings and a mesh insert that is disposed across the plurality of openings. In some implementations, the trumpet shape of the expansion chamber includes a curved expansion section including a flared body that extends from the second diameter of the restriction channel and increases in diameter toward the outlet of the expansion chamber. In some implementations, the flared body as viewed through an axial cross section of the expansion chamber forms an exponential curve on each side of and spaced apart from a central longitudinal axis of the expansion chamber. In some implementations, the trumpet shape of the expansion chamber may further include a linear expansion section extending between a maximum diameter of the curved expansion section and the maximum diameter at the outlet of the expansion chamber. In some implementations, the outlet diameter of the expansion chamber is from 10 to 20 times the inlet diameter of the expansion chamber. In some implementations, the expansion chamber may have an axial length from 0.10 to 0.20 times the outlet diameter of the expansion chamber. In some implementations, the mesh insert has from 100 to 500,000 mesh openings per square foot (1000 to 5,400,000 per square metre). In some implementations, the mesh insert includes a plurality of mesh intersections. At least one of the mesh intersections is position