Method of measuring carbonation levels in open-container beverages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10041863-B2
Application number	US-201514678258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Carbon dioxide levels in an open-container beverage are measured by transferring a quantity of the beverage to a vessel. A closure is secured onto the vessel to form an enclosed volume containing the beverage. A probe is inserted through the closure to contact the beverage, and a sample is transferred from the vessel to a measurement instrument to determine the carbon dioxide level. The methods allow for significantly greater precision and reliability in measuring carbonation levels of open-container beverages relative to currently available techniques.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of measuring carbon dioxide volume levels in an open-container beverage, the method comprising:
providing an open-container beverage in an open container;
transferring a quantity of the beverage from the open container to a vessel different from the open container to at least partially fill the vessel;
securing a closure onto the vessel to form an enclosed volume containing the quantity of the beverage;
inserting a probe through the closure to contact the beverage;
transferring a sample of the beverage from the vessel to a carbon dioxide measurement instrument; and
quantitatively determining the carbon dioxide volume level of the sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of reducing the temperature of the beverage contained in the vessel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature of the beverage is reduced by placing the vessel in an ice bath.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide level of the sample is determined by the steps of:
placing the sample in an expandable measurement chamber;
expanding a volume of the measurement chamber; and
measuring an equilibrium pressure of the expanded volume.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the volume of the measurement chamber is expanded by displacing a piston-type injector fitted fluid-tight to the measurement chamber.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the volume of the measurement chamber is expanded by displacing a flexible membrane.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the membrane is constructed from an elastomer.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:
expanding the volume of the measurement chamber to a second expanded volume; and
measuring an equilibrium pressure in the second expanded volume.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising a step of applying ultrasonic energy to the measurement chamber.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying pressurized gas to the head space of the vessel.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide level of the sample is determined by the steps of:
contacting the sample with a CO 2 -selective membrane; and
measuring the amount of permeate passing through the membrane.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide level of the sample is determined by the steps of:
passing infrared radiation through the sample; and
measuring the angle of refraction to determine the carbon dioxide level.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage is a carbonated soft drink.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage is carbonated water.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage is provided in an opened can.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage is provided in an opened bottle.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage is dispensed from a fountain dispensing device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the beverage is provided in a disposable cup, and the disposable cup together with the beverage are placed into the vessel.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Bakharev Aleksey
• Moise Herriot
• Zheng Min Feng

Classifications

• G01N7/14

  by allowing the material to emit a gas or vapour, e.g. water vapour, and measuring a pressure or volume difference {(determining urea G01N33/48742)} · CPC title

• G01N7/00 Primary

  Analysing materials by measuring the pressure or volume of a gas or vapour · CPC title

• G01N2001/2232

  using a membrane, i.e. pervaporation · CPC title

• G01N2001/2285

  Details of probe structures · CPC title

• G01N21/4133

  Refractometers, e.g. differential · CPC title