Patent ID: 7114707

Claim:
A carbonation apparatus comprising: a carbonation chamber; a source of water; a water inlet valve connecting the source of water to the carbonation chamber; a source of carbon dioxide gas; a carbon dioxide inlet valve connecting the source of carbon dioxide gas to the carbonation chamber; a rotatable mixer within the carbonation chamber; a gas exhaust valve connected to the carbonation chamber; a gas exhaust silencer connected to the gas exhaust valve, the gas exhaust silencer comprising a housing having at least one inlet and one outlet, the housing having an internal cavity with a filter therein, the internal cavity being in fluid communication with a first inlet, the first inlet receiving gas being relieved from the carbonation chamber, the outlet being in fluid communication with the first inlet and receiving gas after the gas passes through the filter, wherein the housing has at least two inlets, a second inlet receiving water vented from the carbonation chamber, the vented water being mixed with the relieved gas, the outlet receiving the mixed water and gas; and a carbonated water dispensing valve connected to the carbonation chamber.