Patent Application
20100024660
The present disclosures relate to a method and apparatus for creating carbonated beverages. In particular, the present disclosures are directed to an apparatus used for introducing carbonation while making beverages shaken over ice and other ingredients to create sparkling cocktails.
There have been a number of devices aimed at the home market over the years intended for the carbonation of water and other liquids and beverages. These devices typically have narrow openings through which the liquid ingredients are added. This feature, among other characteristics, renders these devices of limited value for commercial use in restaurants and bars because the narrow opening limits the addition of other ingredients, such as fruit and ice chunks, to the beverage.
The ability to add ice is important to the process of making beverages, such as cocktails, as ice is typically used in a shaken cocktail both to cool and dilute the resulting drink. In the present disclosures, the shaking action also quickly dissolves pressurized carbon dioxide stored in a headspace of the container into the drink, simultaneously cooling, diluting, and carbonating all of the liquid ingredients. Cooling the drink is important not just for taste. Carbon dioxide absorption in liquids is strongly dependent on temperature. The colder the liquid, the more carbon dioxide can dissolve into solution, making the drink more highly carbonated and increasing the duration of carbonation bubbles. Without the ability to easily add ice, all of the ingredients would have to be pre-chilled to achieve acceptable carbonation levels, which would be impractical and inconvenient in most circumstances.
The shaking action also has multiple purposes. Not only does shaking dilute the cocktail and cool the drink, it also agitates the liquid and vastly increases the surface area through which carbon dioxide can dissolve into the liquid. This decreases the amount of time required to adequately carbonate the beverage from hours to seconds.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.
For a better understanding of the present disclosure, the following Detailed Description is intended to be read in association with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure, and is provided in the context of particular applications of the disclosure and their requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Throughout the specification, and in the claims, the term “connected” means a direct physical connection between the components that are connected, without any intermediate components. The term “coupled” means either a direct physical connection between the components that are connected, or an indirect connection through one or more intermediary components.
Briefly described, aspects of the present disclosure are related to an apparatus and method for carbonation of liquids, such as beverages like cocktails. In one illustrative embodiment, the apparatus includes a container with two openings, one small and one large. The small opening includes a self-sealing one-way valve to introduce a gas, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), into the container. The large opening is used to load the liquid and solid ingredients. The large opening includes an O-ring type seal, made of a flexible material, such as rubber, to self-seal the container upon pressurization by the gas. The large opening has a twist-lock or other quick locking configuration for fast opening and closing of the large opening. The container is made from a transparent material to enable a user to see the process of carbonation of the beverage. A light port at the bottom of the container may be provided through which a light may be shone for visual effects. In operation, the user closes the small opening, twists open the large opening and loads the container with liquid, solid ingredients, and ice, and twists the large opening shut. The user then introduces the gas through the small opening and vigorously shakes the container to mix all the ingredients while dissolving the gas in the liquid. The apparatus described herein may be used for producing drinks that are typically shaken over ice and other ingredients, such as chunks of fruits, like those produced in commercial and home bars using a cocktail shaker (for example, Cosmopolitans and Martinis). The apparatus described may be used to produce high-quality highly carbonated cocktails that sparkle much like Champagne.
Although through-out this specification, the descriptions and drawings are directed to a manual cocktail shaker, but the disclosure is not so limited. The same basic system configuration and methods may be used at larger scales, such as a drum container, in which carbonated cocktails may be produced in bulk in a stationary apparatus, without departing from the spirit of the disclosures. Additionally, the same basic apparatus and method may also be used in automated or machine-operated cocktail shakers. And although the descriptions are presented with respect to the preparation of a cocktail beverage using CO2 gas, the same apparatus and process may be used to dissolve other types of gas in other non-beverage liquids for other purposes.
The gas delivery device 104 typically includes or is coupled to a source of gas, such as a pressurized gas tank. In one illustrative embodiment, an actuation button or handle 118 is used to start and stop the flow of gas through the conical nozzle 116. In another illustrative embodiment, the flow of gas may be initiated by simply pressing the conical nozzle 116 against the gas port 106. In one illustrative embodiment, the gas delivery device 104 is a self-contained device including a pressurized gas cartridge and pressure regulator in the body 120. Generally, the nozzle 116 has a conical shape for easy, quick, and secure coupling with the gas port 106. In another illustrative embodiment, the gas delivery device 104 may be connected, via a flexible hose or other similar gas delivery means, to a pressure regulator coupled to a bulk pressurized gas tank (not shown in the figure.) In this embodiment, the gas delivery device 104 includes a handle section, coupled to the flexible hose, having an actuation mechanism, such as a button 118, and a nozzle 116. In one illustrative embodiment, the gas delivery device 104 consists of a disposable CO2 cartridge housed within the body 120, a preset adjustable regulator (not shown), a thumb-actuated valve (not shown) that starts and stops gas flow, and a conical rubber nozzle 116 through which gas flows. It is important that the axis of the conical rubber nozzle 116 be at an angle with respect to the axis of the body 120 containing the CO2 cartridge. This is so that the gas delivery device 104 can easily be held in such an orientation while injecting gas that the CO2 cartridge is not inverted. If the CO2 cartridge were inverted while filling, it could allow liquid CO2 to flow thought the regulator and other gas pathways, possibly freezing them up with dry ice and blocking gas flow.
The cocktail shaker 102 may be constructed in many different shapes and sizes without departing from the spirit of the present disclosures.
The disk 208 is typically rigid and made from hard plastics or metal to form a good seal when pressed against the pliable material of the valve 206. The disk 208 typically has an annular ridge on its surface facing the valve 206 to form a gas-tight seal, isolate the valve's opening from its surrounding, and prevent escape of gas during gas injection from the gas port 106. The disk 208 may also have a second annular ridge on the surface facing the underside of the small cap 108 which serves as a low-friction bearing surface, allowing the small cap 108 to slide against the disk while tightening, so that the rotation of the small cap 108 while tightening does not distort the valve and possibly break the integrity of the seal.
The one-way valve 206 may be a duck-bill valve that opens in one direction under gas pressure and self-seals when gas pressure is removed, thus preventing the escape of gas from the cocktail shaker 102. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of one-way valves may be used for this purpose. For example, a spring-loaded ball may be used in a check valve that allows flow of gas in only one direction. A suitable one-way valve may be selected depending on cost, size, and durability requirements. For example, for home use, a one-piece, low-cost rubber duck-bill valve may be used, while for commercial use, a more durable and expensive check valve may be employed.
A strainer 210 may be added to the assembly of the cocktail shaker 102 to prevent solid pieces of material, such as fruit and ice, from falling out when pouring the beverage out of a small opening 212 of the cocktail shaker 102. Surface roughness of the strainer 210 may cause degassing of the liquid as it is being poured through the strainer. For this reason, it is important that the strainer be smooth and have minimal surface area, so as to create as few nucleation sites for forming bubbles as possible. The strainer 210 is simple, smooth, and has minimal surface area, but has a geometry that is still sufficient to keep ice chunks from passing through the small opening. Furthermore, since the strainer 210 is inside the cocktail shaker 102, it is wetted during the shaking process, which further greatly reduces bubble nucleation sites.
The small opening 212 is sealed off when the edge of the valve 206 is pressed against the small opening 212 via the rigid disk 208. The small opening 212 is typically threaded to accept the small cap 108. Twisting the small cap 108 forces the rigid disk 208 onto the valve 206 and the small opening 212, thus sealing it. In one illustrative embodiment, the large cap 110 is integrated with the small opening 212 to form one unit. The large cap 110 may also form a part of the cocktail shaker's internal volume.
The large cap 110 may be threaded at both ends. The end facing the body 112 is threaded to close the large opening 216. In one illustrative embodiment, the fastening mechanism between the large cap 110 and the body 112 is a half-twist large thread for easy and fast thread acquisition and coupling. In another illustrative embodiment, the fastening mechanism is a hook and recess arrangement, such that the large cap 110 is pressed against the body 112 and then twisted a few degrees (not shown in the figure). In this way, hooks built in to the large cap 110 (or body 112) are pressed towards the body 112 to engage recessed receivers built in to the body 112 (or large cap 110) and then twisted so that the hooks are retained in the recesses receivers. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other fastening mechanisms may be used without departing from the spirit of the disclosures. It is critical for usability that the large cap 110 and the body 112 be capable of being quickly engaged and disengaged. In an illustrative embodiment, this is accomplished with a bayonet-style twist break, in which several pegs on the top half engage several channels on the lower half, said channels being slightly inclined, so that when the pegs are engaged in the channels and the two halves are twisted, the top half is drawn down the lower half until the O-ring 214 is sandwiched between the bottom surface of the large cap 110 and the upper surface of the body 112. In another illustrative embodiment, coarse acme- or buttress-style threads may be used to join the large cap 110 and the body 112, but this arrangement may take more time to screw the two halves together. In another illustrative embodiment, the threads may be formed in an interrupted manner in several annular channels to allow for easy engagement, thus mimicking the functionality of the bayonet-style engagement described above.
In one illustrative embodiment, the volume of the cocktail shaker 102 is divided between an upper volume formed by the large cap 110 and a lower volume formed by the body 112. The large opening 216 is the dividing surface between these lower and the upper volumes. The ratio of the lower and upper volumes is important. The lower volume is designed to contain a predetermined number of units of beverages, for example, three 12-ounce glasses. The upper volume is designed to hold enough gas at a predetermined pressure to carbonate the entire volume of beverage held in the lower volume. The predetermined CO2 gas pressure for sparkling drinks is typically about 60 PSI (pounds per square inch). This pressure level strikes a good balance between carbonation rates for the volume of liquids being carbonated, and economy of CO2 usage, which is especially important when using disposable CO2 cartridges.
The area of the large opening 216 is also important. This area needs to be big enough to easily introduce ice and other solid ingredients like fruit wedges, but small enough to limit the force of gas pressure acting on the large cap 110 and body 112. Generally, the force, due to gas pressure, acting on and pushing apart the large cap 110 and body 112 equals the gas pressure multiplied by the surface area of the large opening 216. So, the larger the area of the large opening 216, the more force is applied to the large cap 110 and body 112. For example, if the radius of the opening is doubled, the force against the fastening mechanism coupling the large cap 110 and body 112 (e.g., threads) quadruples. In general, the opening should be as small as possible while still allowing the easy introduction of ice and use of a muddling stick.
In one illustrative embodiment, a bottom stand or cap 114 is used to provide stability for the cocktail shaker when set on a flat surface, such as a bar counter or a table. The bottom stand 114 may additionally improve handling of a potentially wet and slippery cocktail shaker 102 (for example, due to condensation caused by cold cocktail shaker 102.) The bottom stand 114 may also be slightly weighted to balance the cocktail shaker 102 during shaking, putting less stress on hands and wrist. The bottom stand 114 also forms a non-skid surface for placing the cocktail shaker 102 on tables and provides shock absorption if the cocktail shaker 102 is dropped. In one illustrative embodiment, an annular hole is provided in the middle bottom stand 114, allowing for a light to be shown into the container from the bottom while filling with gas, producing some rather spectacular visual effects.
In an illustrative embodiment, an O-ring 214 is employed to seal the large opening 216. As further described below with respect to
The gas port 106 has a circular shape on its upper surface, as shown in
In operation, a typical usage pattern starts when a user breaks the large cap 110 and the body 112 apart and adds the required ingredients to the lower half of the container. These ingredients may include, but are not limited to, ice, various alcohols and juices, fruit wedges, etc. In one illustrative embodiment, the bottom of the cocktail shaker 102 is rounded both for strength, and to facilitate “muddling” of fruits if this is called for in the particular cocktail recipe. After the drink is mixed, the top half, i.e., the large cap 110, of the cocktail shaker 102 is locked onto the bottom section, the body 112. Only finger-tight force is required, as gas pressure on the O-ring 214 will actually complete the seal between two sealing surfaces (the large cap 110 and the body 112) by pushing the O-ring 214 against the sealing surfaces. Requiring a small manual force for locking up the cocktail shaker 102 such that it is completely gas-tight at high pressures is important for efficient and easy use in repeated applications for making many cocktails in a private or commercial setting. The small cap 108 on top is then tightened to render the entire cocktail shaker 102 gas-tight at high pressures. Next, the gas, for example, CO2, is injected using the gas source 104. The nozzle 116 is pressed against the conical surface of the gas port 106 to inject the gas. The user then activates gas flow by pressing the button 118 or a lever (not shown) in the handle of the gas delivery device 104, and gas flows into the internal space 306 of the cocktail shaker 102. A pressure regulator in the gas delivery device 104 cuts off gas flow at the desired predetermined pressure.
When the desired pressure has been reached, as indicated by the visible cessation of gas flow through the liquid, the user removes the nozzle 116 from the gas port 106. The user then shakes the container for a few seconds, such as approximately five seconds, to cool, dilute, and carbonate the drink. The cocktail shaker 102 is then left to sit for a few more seconds, for example, 10-15 seconds, to let the foam dissipate to minimize the foaming when the small cap 108 is removed. To pour the drink, the cap is slowly removed, and the cocktail is ready to be poured. Slow removal of the small cap 108 is important to prevent agitating the highly carbonated liquid, causing rapid foam production and subsequent gushing. In one illustrative embodiment, the small cap 108 has relatively fine threads of low pitch, enabling the slow removal of the small cap 108 and gradual depressurization of a headspace enclosed by the large cap 110. The built-in strainer 210 keeps ice and/or fruit chunks from being poured into the drink.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/085,395, filed Jul. 31, 2008, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61085395 | Jul 2008 | US |
