Method and apparatus for injecting a gas into a beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11554352-B2
Application number	US-201816483018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2018
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques and methods for dispersing a volume of gas in a beverage contained in an unpressurized container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing a beverage, the method comprising:
submerging at least a portion of the delivery device within a beverage contained within an unpressurized container;
initiating a first flow of gas through outlet pores of the delivery device into the beverage while the container remains unpressurized; and
rinsing the delivery device with an external flow of a cleansing liquid while a second flow of gas is permitted through the delivery device;
halting the external flow of the cleansing liquid while the second flow of gas is permitted through the outlet pores of the delivery device; and
resuming the external flow of the cleansing liquid while the second flow of gas is permitted through the outlet pores of the delivery device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the first flow of gas through the delivery device occurs before submerging the delivery device into the beverage.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unpressurized container is open to the atmosphere.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising serving the beverage to a customer from the unpressurized container.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering the beverage to a customer within 3 minutes of stopping the first flow of gas through the delivery device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unpressurized container holds between 6 and 50 ounces of fluid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first flow of gas comprises nitrogen, wherein the first flow of gas is maintained for 2 seconds to 3 minutes.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising halting the first flow of gas for 2 seconds to 30 seconds.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising initiating at least a second flow of gas through the delivery device into the beverage.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second flow of gas is maintained for 2 seconds to 3 minutes.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage comprises coffee.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beverage comprises tea.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the submerging at least the portion of the delivery device within the beverage comprises pouring the beverage over at least a portion of the delivery device and into the unpressurized container.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the submerging at least the portion of the delivery device within the beverage comprises inserting the portion of the delivery device comprising an outlet into the beverage contained within the unpressurized container.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising wetting the outlet pores of the delivery device with a cleansing liquid and allowing the cleansing liquid to wick into the outlet ports.

16. The method of claim 1 comprising, before submerging the delivery device into a beverage, rinsing the delivery device with an external flow of cleaning liquid and pulsing flow of gas through the outlet pores of the delivery device concurrently with the rinsing.

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Schacht Alexander
• Cummer Michael

Classifications

• B01F23/2361 Primary

  within small containers, e.g. within bottles · CPC title

• B01F35/1453

  by means of jets of fluid, e.g. air · CPC title

• C12C11/11

  Post fermentation treatments, e.g. carbonation, or concentration (methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00) · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23F3/16 Primary

  Tea extraction; Tea extracts; Treating tea extract; Making instant tea · CPC title