US 12,246,959 B2
Beverage dispensing nozzle
Giancarlo Fantappie, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US); and Steven T. Jersey, Laguna Niguel, CA (US)
Assigned to PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed by PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed on May 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/314,939.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/022,068, filed on May 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0347623 A1, Nov. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. B67D 1/00 (2006.01); B01F 23/231 (2022.01); B01F 25/00 (2022.01); B01F 35/71 (2022.01); B01F 23/237 (2022.01); B01F 101/14 (2022.01)
CPC B67D 1/0042 (2013.01) [B01F 23/23123 (2022.01); B01F 25/105 (2022.01); B01F 35/71805 (2022.01); B67D 1/0021 (2013.01); B67D 1/0081 (2013.01); B01F 23/23761 (2022.01); B01F 2101/14 (2022.01); B67D 2001/0094 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beverage dispensing nozzle, comprising:
a housing having an upper end opposite a lower end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
a nozzle tip arranged at the lower end of the housing;
an inlet at the upper end of the housing that is configured to be placed in communication with a source of a base liquid;
a chamber within the housing and in communication with the inlet;
an aerator disposed in the upper end of the housing and in communication with the chamber, wherein the aerator comprises a top plate comprising a central apex at an upper end of the aerator and a first plurality of apertures, and a main plate arranged downstream of the top plate and having a second plurality of apertures configured to restrict a flow of the base liquid through the aerator and to retain a quantity of the base liquid on the top plate of the aerator to avoid backflow of air through the beverage dispensing nozzle;
wherein the lower end of the housing comprises an inner wall extending from the aerator to the nozzle tip having a constant diameter throughout with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a flavor inlet valve in communication with a source of a flavoring and that is arranged downstream of the aerator, wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly into the housing from the inner wall and is configured to dispense the flavoring into the housing; and
wherein no flavor inlet valve is arranged upstream or downstream of the flavor inlet valve, and wherein the flavor inlet valve extends inwardly from the inner wall to a greater extent than any portion of the inner wall downstream of the flavor inlet valve so as to inhibit the flavoring dispensed by the flavor inlet valve from contacting the inner wall.