# US 9,040,108 B2 · Device and method for decaffeinating a liquid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,108 B2 - Document ID: US9040108B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/343,400 - Filed: 2012-09-13 - Published: 2014-08-07 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-28 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Guangwei Wang; Declan Patrick Kelly - Inventors: Guangwei Wang; Declan Patrick Kelly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040108B2 ## CPC - A23F 3/36: Reducing or removing alkaloid content; Preparations produced thereby; Extracts or infusions thereof - A23F 3/38: Reducing or removing alkaloid content from tea extract - A23F 5/22: Reducing or removing alkaloid content from coffee extract - A23L 5/30: Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation (cooking A23L5/10) - B03C 5/005: {Dielectrophoresis, i.e. dielectric particles migrating towards the region of highest field strength} - B03C 5/026: {using open-gradient differential dielectric separation, i.e. using electrodes of special shapes for non-uniform field creation, e.g. Fluid Integrated Circuit [FIC]} - A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) ## Abstract The invention proposes a device for decaffeinating a liquid. The device includes at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode which are spaced apart and which are immersed in the liquid; a power supply coupled to the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode and configured to apply power thereto, wherein the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode are configured to generate an electric field in the liquid upon application of the power to attract caffeine molecules in the liquid to the at least one cathode electrode; wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material configured to absorb at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for decaffeinating a liquid, the device comprising: at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode spaced apart from one another and being immersed in the liquid; and a power supply coupled to the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode and configured to apply a power thereto, wherein the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode are configured to generate an electrical field in the liquid upon application of the power to attract caffeine molecules in the liquid to the at least one cathode electrode, wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material configured to absorb at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode, said absorbing material comprises one of porous carbon material, conductive polymer and inorganic adsorbent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a container, wherein the container includes an inlet disposed thereon and configured to receive the liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a membrane disposed in the container between the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode to define a first chamber adjacent to the at least one cathode electrode and a second chamber adjacent to the at least one anode electrode, and configured to cooperate with the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode to separate the liquid into a first part with high caffeine concentration within the first chamber and a second part with low caffeine concentration within the second chamber, wherein the container further includes a first outlet disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber and configured to drain the first part with high caffeine concentration out of the first chamber, and a second outlet disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber and configured to drain the second part with low caffeine concentration out of the second chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein when the inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber, the membrane is an anionic membrane configured to prevent caffeine molecules in the liquid within the first chamber from passing therethrough to the second chamber; and when the inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber, the membrane is a cationic membrane configured to allow caffeine molecules in the liquid within the second chamber to pass therethrough to the first chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, further comprising a filter disposed beneath or in the first outlet configured to absorb at least part of caffeine molecules in the first part with high caffeine concentration when the first part with high caffeine concentration is drained out of the first chamber through the first outlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the filter is made of one of: carbon-based adsorbent, ion exchange resin, polymer, and gel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus for brewing a caffeine-containing liquid, comprising a device for decaffeinating the liquid as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 8 A method of decaffeinating a liquid, the method comprising acts of: providing an electrical field in the liquid using at least one cathode electrode immersed in the liquid and at least one anode electrode immersed in the liquid, for attracting caffeine molecules to the at least one cathode electrode; absorbing at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode using the at least one cathode electrode, wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material, said absorbing material comprises one of porous carbon material, conductive polymer and inorganic adsorbent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of: separating the liquid into a first part with high caffeine concentration and a second part with low caffeine concentration using a membrane disposed between the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode by cooperating with the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the membrane is one of: an anionic membrane and a cationic membrane. ### Claim 11 An apparatus for brewing a caffeine-containing liquid, the apparatus comprising: at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode spaced apart from one another and being immersed in the liquid; and a power supply coupled to the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode and configured to apply a power thereto, wherein the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode are configured to generate an electrical field in the liquid upon application of the power to attract caffeine molecules in the liquid to the at least one cathode electrode,; wherein the at least one cathode electrode is made of or coated with an absorbing material configured to absorb at least part of the caffeine molecules that are attracted to the at least one cathode electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a container, wherein the container includes an inlet disposed thereon and configured to receive the liquid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, further comprising a membrane disposed in the container between the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode to define a first chamber adjacent to the at least one cathode electrode and a second chamber adjacent to the at least one anode electrode, and configured to cooperate with the at least one cathode electrode and the at least one anode electrode to separate the liquid into a first part with high caffeine concentration within the first chamber and a second part with low caffeine concentration within the second chamber, wherein the container further includes a first outlet disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber and configured to drain the first part with high caffeine concentration out of the first chamber, and a second outlet disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber and configured to drain the second part with low caffeine concentration out of the second chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein when the inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber, the membrane is an anionic membrane configured to prevent caffeine molecules in the liquid within the first chamber from passing therethrough to the second chamber; and when the inlet is disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber, the membrane is a cationic membrane configured to allow caffeine molecules in the liquid within the second chamber to pass therethrough to the first chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a filter disposed beneath or in the first outlet configured to absorb at least part of caffeine molecules in the first part with high caffeine concentration when the first part with high caffeine concentration is drained out of the first chamber through the first outlet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the filter is made of one of: carbon-based adsorbent, ion exchange resin, polymer, and gel.