The Coca-Cola Company

Alcoa Inc.

Alejandro Jose Santamaria

Scott C Biondich

H Brock Kolls

John E Adams

Katherine W Allen

Ruth Karina Espinel

Gopalaswamy Rajesh

Robert Burton Brownell, Jr

Shaun Blaise Gatipon

Richard R Mathabel

Joshua B Wilson

Howard C Chasteen

Mark A Jacober

Rajesh Gopalaswamy

Darryl J Dawson, Sr

Darl G Boysel

Andrew F Clarke

The disclosure is directed to a beverage nozzle for mixing at least a first beverage ingredient and a second beverage ingredient into a homogeneous mixture. The beverage nozzle comprising a housing comprising a first portion and a second portion and a first inlet in fluid communication with the housing. The first inlet is configured to provide the first beverage ingredient to the housing. The beverage nozzle also includes a second inlet in fluid communication with the housing. The second inlet is configured to provide the second beverage ingredient to the housing. In addition, the beverage nozzle includes a mixing core disposed within the housing. The mixing core is configured to mix the first beverage ingredient and the second beverage ingredient into the homogeneous mixture. Further, the beverage nozzle includes an outlet disposed about the housing, wherein the homogeneous mixture exits the housing by way of the outlet.

Beverage nozzle with mixing core

A beverage nozzle for mixing at least a first beverage ingredient and a second beverage ingredient into a homogeneous mixture is disclosed herein. The beverage nozzle may include a housing having a first portion and a second portion. A first inlet may be in fluid communication with the housing. The first inlet may be configured to provide the first beverage ingredient to the housing. A second inlet may be in fluid communication with the housing. The second inlet may be configured to provide the second beverage ingredient to the housing. The beverage nozzle also may include a mixing core disposed within the housing. The mixing core may be configured to mix the first beverage ingredient and the second beverage ingredient into the homogeneous mixture. An outlet may be disposed about the housing. The homogeneous mixture may exit the housing by way of the outlet.

A method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels includes receiving a plurality of consumer or event data. Further, the method includes configuring a plurality of vessel forming stations based in part on the received consumer or event data. Once the vessel forming stations are configured, a plurality of vessels are shaped by indexing the plurality of vessels through the vessel forming stations. The shaping operation can include shaping by contouring a length of each of the plurality of vessels, selecting a decoration style to be applied to the plurality of vessels based in part on the consumer or event data, and configuring a top-forming station based in part on the consumer or event data.

Method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels

An embodiment of the present invention is a method of remotely managing a vessel forming production line, the method comprising communicating from a remote data processing resource a plurality of consumer or event data to a controller, the controller controls a plurality of vessel forming stations having a plurality of shape forming operations and a plurality of non-shape forming operations, configuring each of the plurality of shape forming operations and the plurality of non-shape forming operations based in part on the plurality of consumer or event data to manufacture the shaped vessel, and manufacturing the shaped vessel. Other embodiments include completing a sales transaction resulting in generation of the plurality of consumer or event data, generating the plurality of consumer or event data based in part on the current status of an event, and decorating the shaped vessel based in part on the plurality of consumer or event data.

Remote control and management of a vessel forming production line

A system and method of forming a vessel may include providing multiple operation wheels configured in opposing facing pairs. Each operation wheel may include multiple work zones, each work zone of an operation wheel being configured in an opposing facing pair with a work zone of another operation wheel to engage the vessel and perform a forming operation on the vessel. Opposing facing pairs of the operation wheels may be linearly pushed to a closed position to engage the vessel, and pulled to an open position. The work zone(s) may perform least one forming operation on the vessel. The vessel may be indexed through the operations at a rotational timing coordinated to index the vessel when opposing facing pairs of the operation wheels are in the open position, the indexing may be clockwise or counterclockwise based on whether a decoration operation is to be performed on the vessel.

Method of forming a vessel

Bottle

An embodiment of the present invention is a method of coordinating vessel shaping style and decoration, the method comprising receiving a vessel in a decoration operation, the vessel having a formed shape style, determining the formed shape style, selecting based in part on the formed shape style a decoration style, and decorating the vessel with selected decoration style. Other embodiments include selecting the decoration style based in part on the vessel top form style, selecting the vessel top form style based in part on the decoration style, and selecting a pathway to index the vessel across the operation wheel through the shaping operation.

Method of coordinating vessel shape style and decoration style

An embodiment of the present invention is a method of shape forming vessels, the method comprising selecting a pathway to index the vessel across an operation wheel, indexing the vessel, controlling rotational indexing direction of the vessel across selected pathway, and operating on the vessel as the vessel is indexed across the operation wheel along selected pathway. Other embodiment include shaping by contouring length of the vessel, applying decoration to the vessel, wherein the decoration is added at a precise location based in part on reference to the registration spot, and using a controller to select the pathway based in part on desired shape of the vessel.

Method of shape forming vessels controlling rotational indexing

An embodiment of the present invention is a method of performing non-shape forming operations during vessel shaping, the method comprising indexing a cylinder across a pathway of at least one of an operation wheel, the operation wheel further having a plurality of work zones, performing at the plurality of work zones a plurality of operations on the cylinder in a sequence of a first shaping plurality of operations followed by a non-shaping plurality of operations followed by a second shaping plurality of operations, and effectuating transformation of the cylinder into a shaped vessel. Other embodiment include applying decoration to the cylinder contoured surface during non-shaping operations, trimming the cylinder during non-shaping operations, and top-forming the cylinder during non-shaping operations, to name a few.

Method of performing non vessel shaping operations during vessel shaping

An embodiment of the present invention is a vessel forming station comprising a plurality of operation wheels, the plurality of operation wheels are configured in opposing facing pairs, a plurality of linear drives are interconnected with the plurality of operation wheels, the plurality of linear drives push opposing facing pairs of the plurality of operations to a closed position causing opposing facing pairs of the operation wheels to engage the vessel and perform operations on the vessel, the linear drives pull the plurality of operation wheels to an open position allowing the vessel to be indexed to other operation positions, and a conveyor system positioned between opposing facing pairs of the plurality of operation wheels engages the vessel and indexes the vessel through the plurality of operations.

Vessel forming station

An embodiment of the present invention is a vessel forming production line comprising a plurality of vessel forming stations having at least one of an operation wheel, at least one of a conveyor, and a controller, the conveyor indexes a vessel across the operation wheel, the controller coordinates movement and operation of the operation wheel and the conveyor, a second conveyor transfers the vessel between the plurality of vessel forming stations, and a plurality of cylinder feeders feed the vessel into at least one of a pathway through the plurality of vessel forming stations, wherein the plurality of vessel forming stations are organized into a scalable matrix configuration allowing a plurality of different shaped vessels to be manufactured simultaneously. Other embodiments include a plurality of linear drives configured to cause opposing pairs of operation wheels to engage the vessel and perform operations on the vessel.

Vessel forming production line

The present invention provides a can lid having an air passage that focalizes air flow to the pour spout opening during pouring in a manner that provides a laminar flow without substantial surging. More particularly, the present invention provides a container including a can lid, a severable pour spout in the can lid, and at least one air passage integrated into the can lid extending from the severable pour spout by a dimension to provide a focused air flow to an interior of the container to a spout opening when severed.

Vent tube for liquid container

A can end is provided that has a three part chuck wall. The first chuck wall has an angle of 20 degrees to 35 degrees as measured from an axis perpendicular to the can end. The second chuck wall has an angle of 4 degrees to 27 degrees as measured from the axis. The third chuck wall has an angle of 18 degrees to 32 degrees as measured from the axis. Tooling adapted to manufacture the can end is also provided. Additionally, a seaming chuck is provided that has a recess that is adapted to avoid contact with radii of curvature along the chuck wall during seaming of the can end to a can body.

Growing community of inventors

Suwanee, GA, United States of America

Alejandro Jose Santamaria