US 11,910,815 B2
Device and method for nucleation of a supercooled beverage
Eleonor Dorin Stoenescu, Stamford, CT (US); Emad Jafa, Brewster, NY (US); and Samuel Luke Johnstone, Great Shelford (GB)
Assigned to PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed by PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 2, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/700,367.
Prior Publication US 2021/0161182 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. A23L 5/30 (2016.01); A23G 9/22 (2006.01); A23G 9/04 (2006.01); B01F 31/86 (2022.01); B01F 31/20 (2022.01); B01F 31/80 (2022.01); B01F 101/14 (2022.01)
CPC A23L 5/32 (2016.08) [A23G 9/045 (2013.01); A23G 9/224 (2013.01); B01F 31/202 (2022.01); B01F 31/28 (2022.01); B01F 31/86 (2022.01); B01F 31/89 (2022.01); A23V 2002/00 (2013.01); B01F 2101/14 (2022.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A beverage nucleation device, comprising:
a housing;
a beverage container receiving area defined by the housing for receiving a beverage container containing a supercooled beverage;
a support configured to support the beverage container in an upright orientation;
an applicator movable from a resting position to an operational position in which the applicator contacts a sidewall of the beverage container on the support;
a drive mechanism configured to move the applicator from the resting position to the operational position;
a beverage container holder configured to retain the beverage container in a static position during application of the ultrasonic energy, wherein the beverage container holder comprises one or more arms configured to be placed in contact with the sidewall of the beverage container, wherein the one or more arms of the beverage container holder comprises a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first arm is configured to be placed in contact with a first portion of the sidewall of the beverage container, and wherein the second arm is configured to be placed in contact with a second portion of the sidewall of the beverage container opposite the first portion of the sidewall; and
an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate and apply ultrasonic energy to the beverage container via the applicator so as to cause nucleation of the supercooled beverage.