Membrane seal and knife combination for a post-mix beverage dispensing system

Abstract

A post-mix beverage dispensing system is disclosed which comprises a syrup dispenser provided with a rupturable membrane which seals the discharge end thereof and a vent with a vent cap on the opposite end thereof. An opening device is provided comprising a cylindrical piercing knife and a socket for receiving the membrane seal end of the syrup container. Due to the unique structure of the opening device, the rupturable membrane is effectively pierced and displaced upon insertion thereof into the socket, thus providing unobstructed continuous flow of the syrup from the container into an associated valve body.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An opening device to be used in a post-mix beverage dispenser, together with a disposable syrup container, said container having a neck portion with an opening sealed by a rupturable membrane from which said syrup will flow when said membrane is ruptured, said device comprising a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket member forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said cylindrical piercing means and the inner wall of said socket member for receipt of the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, and the inner wall of said neck and the outer wall of said piercing means being parallel, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having an angular truncated cutting edge with a pyramidal piercing element on the apex thereof, said socket member being provided with a seal for securely receiving the neck of said syrup container into the compartment formed between said piercing means and socket member. 
     
     
       2. The opening device of claim 1, wherein said truncated cutting edge is so designed that the blade portion thereof will circumscribe about a 240° section in said rupturable membrane. 
     
     
       3. The opening device of claim 1, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       4. The opening device of claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.3.Iaddend., wherein said slot extends from said cutting edge to said discharge port of said socket member. 
     
     
       5. A gravity flow, post-mix beverage dispenser comprising in combination: a disposable syrup container terminating at one end in a neck sealed by a rupturable membrane and at the other end in a recessed vent opening having means for sealing said opening, and   an opening device for said syrup container which comprises a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket member forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said piercing .[.knife.]. .Iadd.means .Iaddend.and the inner wall of said socket member for receiving the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, and the inner wall of said neck and the outer wall of said piercing means being parallel, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having an angular truncated cutting edge with a pyramidal piercing element on the apex thereof, said piercing means being provided for displacing said rupturable membrane upon the insertion of the neck of the container into said compartment.   
     
     
       6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       7. The dispenser of claim 6, wherein said slot extends from said cutting edge to said discharge port of said socket member. 
     
     
       8. An opening device to be used in a post-mix beverage dispenser, together with a disposable syrup container, said container having a neck portion with an opening sealed by a rupturable membrane from which said syrup will flow when said membrane is ruptured, said device comprising a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket member forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said cylindrical piercing means and the inner wall of said socket member for receipt of the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, and the inner wall of said neck and the outer wall of said piercing means being parallel, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having a cutting edge with a blade portion and a flat blunt portion, said blade portion puncturing said membrane along an arc commensurate therewith to form a flap and said blunt portion precluding the puncturing of a portion of said membrane opposite thereto to form a hinge, whereby said flap is folded about said hinge against said inner wall of said .[.socket member.]. .Iadd.neck.Iaddend., said socket member being provided with a seal for securely receiving the neck of said syrup container into the compartment formed between said piercing means and socket member. 
     
     
       9. The opening device of claim 8, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       10. The opening device of claim 9, wherein said slot extends from said blunt portion to said discharge port of said socket member. 
     
     
       11. A gravity flow, post-mix beverage dispenser comprising in combination: a disposable syrup container terminating at one end in a neck sealed by a rupturable membrane and at the other end in a recessed vent opening having a cap for sealing said opening, and   an opening device for said syrup container which comprises a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket member forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said piercing means and the inner wall of said socket member for receiving the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, and the inner wall of said neck and the outer wall of said piercing means being parallel, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having a blade portion and a blunt portion, said blade portion puncturing said member along an arc commensurate therewith to form a flap, and said blunt portion precluding the puncturing of a portion of said membrane opposite thereto to form a hinge, whereby said flap is folded about said hinge against said inner wall of said socket member.   
     
     
       12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       13. The drainage of claim 12, wherein said slot extends from said blunt portion to said discharge port of said socket member. 
     
     
       14. An opening device to be used in a post-mix beverage dispenser, together with a disposable syrup container, said container having a neck portion with an opening sealed by a rupturable membrane from which said syrup will flow when said membrane is ruptured, said device comprising a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket means forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said cylindrical piercing means and the inner wall of said socket member, for receipt of the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing meand for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having a cutting edge on a top end thereof. 
     
     
       15. The opening device of claim 14, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       16. The opening device of claim 15, wherein said slot extends from said cutting edge to said discharge port of said socket member. 
     
     
       17. A gravity flow, post-mix beverage dispenser comprising in combination: a disposable syrup container terminating at one end in a neck sealed by a rupturable membrane and at the other end in a recessed vent opening having means for sealing said opening, and   an opening device for said syrup container which comprises a cylindrical piercing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said piercing means and socket member forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said piercing means and the inner wall of said socket member for receiving the neck of said container.Iadd., said piercing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket and the diameter of the outer wall of said piercing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the piercing means and the neck, .Iaddend.and drainage means through said outer wall of said piercing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said piercing means having a cutting edge on a top end thereof.   
     
     
       18. The dispenser of claim 17, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical piercing means. 
     
     
       19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein said slot extends from said cutting edge to said discharge port of said socket member. .Iadd. 
     
     
       20.  An opening device to be used in a post-mix beverage dispenser, together with a syrup container, said container having a neck portion with an opening sealed by a displaceable member from which said syrup will flow when said member is displaced, said device comprising a cylindrical pushing means surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said socket member having a discharge port at the bottom thereof, said pushing means and socket means forming an annular compartment surrounding said discharge port defined by the outer wall of said cylindrical pushing means and the inner wall of said socket member, for receipt of the neck of said container, said pushing means and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said pushing means being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the pushing means and the neck, and the inner wall of said neck and the outer wall of said pushing means being parallel, and drainage means through said outer wall of said pushing means for permitting syrup flow from said annular compartment to said discharge port, said pushing means having an actuator edge on a top end thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       21.  The opening device of claim 20, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said cylindrical pushing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The opening device of claim 21, wherein said slot extends from said actuator edge to said discharge port of said socket member. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.23.  An apparatus to be used in a post-mix beverage dispenser, together with a syrup container, said container having a neck portion, sealed by a displaceable member, from which said syrup will flow when said displaceable member is displaced, said apparatus comprising: a cylindrically-shaped opening device surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped socket member, said opening device having a discharge port at the bottom thereof;   said opening device and said socket member forming an annular compartment, defined by the outer wall of said opening device and the inner wall of said socket member, for receipt of said neck of said container, said opening device and said neck being substantially concentric when the neck is in the said socket, the diameter of the outer wall of said opening device being only slightly less than the diameter of the inner wall of said neck, providing minimum clearance between the opening device and neck, and the inner of said neck and the outer wall of said opening device being parallel; and drainage means through said outer wall of said opening device for permitting syrup flow said annular compartment to said discharge port, whereby overflow of syrup from the top of said annular   
     
     
        compartment is minimized. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein said drainage means comprises a slot through the wall of said opening device. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The apparatus defined in claim 24, wherein said opening device further includes a top edge adapted to displace said displaceable member when said neck of said container is 
     
     
        seated in said annular compartment. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26.  The apparatus defined in claim 25, wherein said slot extends from said top edge to said discharge port. .Iaddend.