Device and method for nucleation of a supercooled beverage using an ultrasonic transducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12295398-B2
Application number	US-202318396478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2023
Priority date	Dec 2, 2019
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A beverage nucleation device includes a housing, a beverage receiving area defined by the housing for receiving a beverage container containing a supercooled beverage, and a support configured to support the beverage container in an upright orientation in the beverage container receiving area. The beverage nucleation device may further include an applicator configured to contact a sidewall of the beverage container on the support, wherein the applicator includes an elastomeric material. An ultrasonic transducer of the beverage nucleation device is configured to generate and apply ultrasonic energy to the beverage container via the applicator so as to cause nucleation of the supercooled beverage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for nucleating a supercooled beverage in a beverage container using a beverage nucleation device, comprising:
securing the beverage container containing the supercooled beverage in the beverage nucleation device, wherein securing the beverage container comprises moving a first arm of a beverage container holder into contact with a first portion of a sidewall of the beverage container and moving a second arm of the beverage container holder into contact with a second portion of the sidewall of the beverage container opposite the first portion of the sidewall;
contacting the secured beverage container with an applicator of the beverage nucleation device, wherein the applicator comprises an elastomeric material; and
applying ultrasonic energy to the beverage container via the applicator so as to cause nucleation of the supercooled beverage within the beverage container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms of the beverage container holder are moved by a drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the beverage container comprises securing the beverage container in an upright orientation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein contacting the secured beverage container with an applicator comprises placing a contact surface of the applicator in facing engagement with a sidewall of the secured beverage container.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the ultrasonic energy via an ultrasonic transducer of the beverage nucleation device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the ultrasonic energy for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating completion of nucleation of the supercooled beverage via an indicator of the beverage nucleation device.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying ultrasonic energy having a frequency of 1 kHz to 100 kHz.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein contacting the secured beverage container with the applicator of the beverage nucleation device comprises moving the applicator, by a drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device, from a resting position to an operational position in which the applicator contacts a sidewall of the beverage container.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving, by a drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device, one or more gates of the beverage nucleation device to a closed position prior to applying the ultrasonic energy to the beverage container in order to prevent removal of the beverage container from the beverage nucleation device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
moving, by the drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device, the one or more gates of the beverage nucleation device to an open position, after applying the ultrasonic energy to the beverage container in order to allow the beverage container to be removed from the beverage nucleation device.

12. A method for nucleating a supercooled beverage in a beverage container using a beverage nucleation device, comprising:
securing the beverage container containing the supercooled beverage in the beverage nucleation device;
contacting the secured beverage container with an applicator of the beverage nucleation device, wherein the applicator comprises an elastomeric material;
moving, by a drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device, one or more gates of the beverage nucleation device to a closed position in order to prevent removal of the beverage container from the beverage nucleation device; and
applying ultrasonic energy to the beverage container via the applicator so as to cause nucleation of the supercooled beverage within the beverage container, wherein the ultrasonic energy is applied after moving the one or more gates of the beverage nucleation device to the closed position.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
moving, by the drive mechanism of the beverage nucleation device, the one or more gates of the beverage nucleation device to an open position, after applying the ultrasonic energy to the beverage container in order to allow the beverage container to be removed from the beverage nucleation device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more gates moves between the open position and the closed position by rotating about a hinge.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more gates moves between the open position and the closed position by extending or retracting from a support.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more gates comprise a transparent material such that the beverage container can be viewed through the one or more gates when the one or more gates is in the closed position.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more gates provide an indication that the beverage container should not be removed when the one or more gates is in the closed position.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more gates comprises two gates arranged on opposing sides of a support.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein when the two gates are in the closed position, there is a space between the two gates so as to avoid obscuring nucleation of the supercooled beverage within the beverage container.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein securing the beverage container comprises securing the beverage container in an upright orientation.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Stoenescu Eleonor Dorin
• Jafa Emad
• Johnstone Samuel Luke

Classifications

• B01F31/89

  Methodical aspects; Controlling · CPC title

• B01F31/28

  the vibrations being caused by piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B01F31/202

  for beverage bottles, e.g. within crates or with feeding means for the bottles · CPC title

• B01F2101/14

  Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water · CPC title

• B01F31/86

  with vibration of the receptacle or part of it · CPC title