Supercooled beverage nucleation and ice crystal formation using a high-pressure gas
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorsAlan Lee Hawkins, Ryan West
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to a beverage nucleator system that can initiate ice crystal nucleation by application of a directed flow of pressurized gas to the exterior of the fluid container containing a supercooled beverage. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a beverage nucleator system for a supercooled beverage container which may include a frame having a beverage container aperture for receiving a beverage container therein and a gas outlet positioned within the beverage container aperture for directing a flow of pressurized gas at a beverage container received therein.
Claims12
A beverage nucleator system for a supercooled beverage container, comprising:
- a frame including a beverage container aperture sized to receive the beverage container therein;
- a gas outlet positioned within the beverage container aperture for directing a flow of pressurized gas at an exterior of the beverage container received therein, the gas outlet comprising a nozzle coupled to a valve, the nozzle controlling the direction and flow characteristics of the pressurized gas, the nozzle being located in a side wall of the beverage container aperture, wherein the valve is movable between an open position and a closed position for controlling the flow of the pressurized gas through the gas outlet, where the valve is biased in the closed position;
- and
- a timer coupled to a switch for controlling a timing of the valve in the open position,
- wherein the flow of pressurized gas provides a point transmission of input energy to cause ice crystal nucleation within the beverage container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.