Carbonated beverage nucleation accessory

• US 10,477,997 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BREW MUSE LLC
• Original Assignee: Bryce Bunkers
• Inventors: Bunkers, Bryce
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thien S
• Application Number:
  US15/356,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 99277, 992771, 993231, 426112, 426115, 4263304, 426329, 426487
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2233 related to the evolution of bubbles in carbonated beverages
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/04 Polymers of ethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/10 Polymers of propylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49996 Successive distinct removal operations

Abstract

I disclose a method for increasing a quantity of gas bubbles in a head of foam of a beverage in drink ware, comprising providing and sinking a portable nucleation accessory into the beverage. The nucleation accessory features a plurality of nucleation sites etched into a smooth outer surface of the accessory. Each nucleation site comprises a pit which pulls and aggregates gases out of solution until the gases forms a bubble. When the bubble becomes sufficiently buoyant, it detaches from the nucleation site and rises to an upper surface of the beverage. A plurality of nucleation sites producing bubbles in this way build a head of foam on the upper surface of the beverage. Nucleation sites may be arranged to appear as lines or areas to a naked eye.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

placing a nucleation accessory into a beverage container, wherein the nucleation accessory includes a body that includes top and bottom surfaces and a rounded outer surface that extends around an axis between the top and the bottom surfaces, and wherein the body includes a bore extending completely through the body from the top surface to the bottom surface along the axis, and at least one recess in the rounded outer surface of the body, wherein the bore further includes at least one recess formed on a surface thereof facing the axis;

pouring a beer into the beverage container that includes the nucleation accessory, wherein a carbon dioxide gas is dissolved within the beer, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas attaches to the at least one recess in the outer surface of the body and to the at least one recess formed on the surface of the bore facing the axis; and

generating, by the at least one recess in the outer surface of the body and the at least one recess formed on the surface of the bore facing the axis, bubbles within the beer due to gas bubble nucleation to generate a head of foam.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface comprises a plurality of lines etched into the outer surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of lines comprises a zigzag line that extends circumferentially around an entirety of the outer surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of lines further includes a first plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the zigzag line and the top surface, and a second plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the first plurality of diamond shaped lines and the top surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface is a rectangular recess etched into the outer surface of the body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface is etched in the outer surface at a depth between 0.025-0.063 centimeters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleation accessory is made of a material that is chemically inert to the beer and the carbon dioxide gas, non-porous to the beer and the carbon dioxide gas, and does not erode in the beer or the carbon dioxide gas.

8. A method comprising:

pouring a beer into a beverage container, wherein a carbon dioxide gas is dissolved within the beer;

placing a nucleation accessory into the beer within the beverage container, wherein the nucleation accessory includes a body that includes top and bottom surfaces and a rounded outer surface that extends around an axis between the top and the bottom surfaces, wherein the body includes a bore extending completely through the body from the top surface to the bottom surface along the axis, at least one recess in the rounded outer surface of the body, and at least one recess formed on a surface of the bore facing the axis, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas attaches to the at least one recess in the rounded outer surface of the body and to the at least one recess on the surface of the bore facing the axis; and

generating, by the at least one recess in the rounded outer surface of the body and the at least one recess on the surface of the bore facing the axis, bubbles within the beer due to gas bubble nucleation to generate a head of foam.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface comprises a plurality of lines etched into the outer surface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of lines comprises a zigzag line that extends circumferentially around an entirety of the outer surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of lines further includes a first plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the zigzag line and the top surface, and a second plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the first plurality of diamond shaped lines and the top surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface is a rectangular recess etched into the outer surface of the body.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one recess in the outer surface is etched in the outer surface at a depth between 0.025-0.063 centimeters.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the nucleation accessory is made of a material that is chemically inert to the beer and the carbon dioxide gas, non-porous to the beer and the carbon dioxide gas, and does not erode in the beer or the carbon dioxide gas.

15. A method comprising:

submerging a nucleation accessory within a carbonated beverage, wherein the nucleation accessory includes a body that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer surface that extends between the top surface and the bottom surface and around an axis, and a bore that extends completely through the body between the top surface and the bottom surface along the axis, and wherein the outer surface includes a plurality of recesses within the outer surface at a depth of 0.025-0.063 centimeters, and wherein carbon dioxide dissolved in the carbonated beverage attaches to the plurality of recesses; and

generating, by the plurality of recesses, bubbles within the carbonated beverage due to gas bubble nucleation, wherein the plurality of recesses in the outer surface includes a zigzag line that extends circumferentially around an entirety of the outer surface, a first plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the zigzag line and the top surface, and a second plurality of diamond shaped lines etched in the outer surface between the first plurality of diamond shaped lines and the top surface,

wherein the bore further includes a plurality of recesses on a surface thereof facing the axis, such that bubbles are also generated within the carbonated beverage due to gas bubble nucleation by the plurality of recesses on the surface of the bore facing the axis.