Carbonation machine and a gas canister for a carbonation machine

Abstract

A carbonation machine may include a carbonation head, a holder that is configured to hold a gas canister, the holder comprising a connector with a socket configured to enable linear insertion of a valve of the canister into the socket, the socket including a seal with at least one lateral opening to enable fluidic flow between one or more laterally oriented ports of the valve and a conduit of the holder while preventing leakage of gas from the fluidic flow, and a holding mechanism configured to hold a lateral projection from the canister after insertion of the valve into the socket such that the valve remains in the socket, and an activation mechanism configured to operate the valve to release the gas from the canister when inserted into the socket so as to enable the gas to flow via the conduit to the carbonation head

1 . A carbonation machine comprising:
 a carbonation head;   a holder that is configured to hold a gas canister, the holder comprising a connector with a socket configured to enable linear insertion of a valve of the canister into the socket, the socket including a seal with at least one lateral opening to enable fluidic flow between one or more laterally oriented ports of the valve and a conduit of the holder while preventing leakage of gas from the fluidic flow, and a holding mechanism configured to hold a lateral projection from the canister after insertion of the valve into the socket such that the valve remains in the socket; and   an activation mechanism configured to operate the valve to release the gas from the canister when inserted into the socket so as to enable the gas to flow via the conduit to the carbonation head.   
     
     
         2 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises two gaskets, the lateral opening comprising a gap between the two gaskets. 
     
     
         3 . The carbonation machine of  claim 2 , wherein each of the two gaskets is shaped in the form of an O-ring with flattened faces. 
     
     
         4 . The carbonation machine of  claim 2 , wherein each of the two gaskets has a U-shaped cross section oriented such that openings of the two gaskets face one another. 
     
     
         5 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a single gasket with one or more opening holes. 
     
     
         6 . The carbonation machine of  claim 5 , wherein the gasket has a U-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The carbonation machine of  claim 6 , wherein an opening of the U-shaped gasket faces inward, and the opening holes are located on an outward facing convex surface of the gasket. 
     
     
         8 . The carbonation machine of  claim 6 , wherein an opening of the U-shaped gasket faces outward and the opening holes are located on an inward facing convex surface of the gasket. 
     
     
         9 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a plurality of teeth that are outwardly slidable to enable insertion of the lateral projection and inwardly slidable to prevent removal of the lateral projection past the teeth, wherein a release mechanism to enable removal of the valve from the socket is configured to outwardly retract the teeth to enable passage of the lateral projection. 
     
     
         10 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a yoke with a noncircular opening configured to allow passage of the lateral projection, the lateral projection comprising a noncircular lateral projection, when the noncircular lateral projection is aligned with the opening, and to prevent passage of the noncircular lateral projection when the canister is rotated such that the noncircular lateral projection is not aligned with the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a yoke that is configured to support that lateral projection and a handle that is raisable to enable placement of the lateral projection on the yoke, the handle connected by a raising mechanism to the yoke such that when the handle is lowered, the yoke raises the valve to insert the valve into the socket. 
     
     
         12 . The carbonation machine of  claim 11 , wherein the handle comprises a cover that is configured to cover at least part of the canister when the handle is lowered. 
     
     
         13 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , wherein a base of the carbonation machine includes an opening for placement of the canister, and wherein at least a part of a floor of the opening is uneven so as to cause tilting of the canister when placed into the opening into an orientation that is substantially aligned with the socket. 
     
     
         14 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a cradle that is tiltable outward to enable insertion of the canister into the cradle, the cradle configured to, when rotated inward, to insert the valve into the socket. 
     
     
         15 . The carbonation machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a platform for supporting the canister erectly and configured to, when rotated, to lift the canister to insert the valve into the socket. 
     
     
         16 . A canister for connection to a carbonation machine, the canister configured to hold a pressurized or liquefied gas for enabling the machine to carbonate a liquid, the canister comprising valve that is configured to hold the gas in the canister when closed, and to provide a fluidic connection between the canister and the carbonation machine or a source of the gas when opened, the valve comprising:
 a body that includes at one end a canister port oriented along a longitudinal axis of the body and that is configured to be inserted into the canister, and at least two exterior ports that open laterally to the longitudinal axis and substantially equally spaced about the longitudinal axis;   a poppet that is slidable along the longitudinal axis and which, when in an open position, allows fluidic communication between the exterior ports and the canister port to enable inflow to the canister via said at least two exterior ports or outflow from the canister via said at least two exterior ports, and which, when in a closed position that is more distal to the canister port than the open position, prevents fluid communication between the exterior ports and the canister port;   a resilient restoring structure configured to apply a restoring force to the poppet to maintain the poppet at the closed position;   a plunger with an exterior surface that is exposed to the exterior of the body and configured, when an inward pushing force that overcomes the restoring force is applied to the plunger, to slide the poppet from the closed position to the open position; and   a gasket configured to fluidically isolate the exterior surface of the plunger being from a path of fluidic flow between the exterior ports and the canister port.   
     
     
         17 . The canister of  claim 16 , wherein a cross section of the gasket is U-shaped, an opening of the gasket being oriented toward the canister. 
     
     
         18 . The canister of  claim 16 , wherein the exterior ports are oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . A valve for closing and opening a gas canister, the valve comprising:
 a body that includes at one end a canister port oriented along a longitudinal axis of the body and that is configured to be inserted into the canister, and at least two exterior ports that open laterally to the longitudinal axis and are substantially equally spaced about the longitudinal axis;   a poppet that is slidable along the longitudinal axis and which, when in an open position, allows fluidic communication between the exterior ports and the canister port to enable inflow to the canister via said at least two exterior ports or outflow from the canister via said at least two exterior ports, and which, when in a closed position that is more distal to the canister port than the open position, prevents fluid communication between the exterior ports and the canister port;   a resilient restoring structure configured to apply a restoring force to the poppet to maintain the poppet at the closed position;   a plunger with an exterior surface that is exposed to the exterior of the housing and configured, when an inward pushing force that overcomes the restoring force is applied to the plunger, to slide the poppet from the closed position to the open position; and   a gasket configured to fluidically isolate the exterior surface of the plunger being from a path of fluidic flow between the exterior ports and the canister port.   
     
     
         20 . The canister of  claim 19 , wherein a cross section of the gasket is U-shaped, an opening of the gasket being oriented toward the canister.