The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 22, 1995
Filed:
Apr. 28, 1994
Robert Notar, Knittlingen, DE;
Udo Schwander, Karlsruhe, DE;
The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, GA (US);
Bosch-Siemens Hausgerate GmbH, Munich, DE;
Abstract
Apparatus including a circulating pump inside a carbonator tank which blends CO.sub.2 with still water and which is started and stopped for predetermined time periods in repetitive cycles having an on/off ratio ranging between 1:10 and 1:20. A timing circuit controls the operating and non operating times of the circulating pump so that sufficient carbonation of the water with CO.sub.2 gas is achieved along with the formation of an ice bank on the cooled wall of the storage tank. During intervening periods when the circulating pump is not operating, the carbonated water arranges itself in layers according to its density so that the relatively warmer water sinks while the colder water together with any ice particles or small pieces of ice floating therein join together, becoming fixed to the ice bank in the upper portion of the carbonator. During the next operating cycle of the circulating pump, these particles are frozen together and become relatively harmless to the extent that the shutoff valve and output carbonated water line remains unobstructed. Whenever carbonated water is removed from the storage tank or fresh water is supplied to the storage tank, the circulating pump is again started for an additional on-period time interval which is greater than the normal on-period.