JP2003165599A - Foaming acceleration device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foaming acceleration device capable of easily controlling a foaming amount in case of pouring out a foaming beverage such as beer or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The foaming acceleration device has a housing means 3 for housing a foaming beverage 2, a spout 4 for pouring out the foaming beverage 2 housed in the housing means 3, a vibration generating means 5 formed in the spout 4 for vibrating the poured out foaming beverage 2 and a vibration controlling means 8 connected to the vibration generating means 5 for controlling the vibration generating means 5. The vibration controlling means 8 generates vibration for example by an ultrasonic wave. The vibration controlling means 8 may control an amplitude or a period of the vibration generated by the vibration generating means 5. The foaming amount of the foaming beverage can be controllably adjusted by giving an appropriate vibration to the beverage poured out from the spout. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foaming promoting device for promoting foaming of a sparkling beverage such as beer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Equipment such as a beer server for pouring a sparkling beverage such as beer into a jug or a cup is known. As a method for adjusting the amount of foam when pouring beer from a beer server, a simple method such as changing the inclination angle of a cup or the like is known. There is also a method of changing the foaming amount by mixing an appropriate amount of carbon dioxide gas when pouring out the sparkling beverage. Furthermore, there is also a method in which ultrasonic waves are applied to the cup after pouring to generate bubbles.

[0003]

However, the method of adjusting the amount of foam by changing the inclination angle of the cup or the like may cause insufficient foam or excessive foam due to subtle changes in the angle. Therefore, skill was required. Further, in the method of mixing an appropriate amount of carbon dioxide gas, it is necessary to separately prepare carbon dioxide gas, and there is a problem that the running cost is high. In addition, the method of vibrating the cup with ultrasonic waves is complicated because it is necessary to place the cup on the ultrasonic wave generation table after pouring beer.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a foaming promoting apparatus capable of easily controlling the foaming amount when pouring out a sparkling beverage.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a foaming promoting apparatus according to the present invention is a foaming beverage accommodating means for accommodating a sparkling beverage and a spout for pouring out the sparkling beverage contained in the accommodating means. And a vibration generating means attached to the spout for vibrating the sparkling beverage to be dispensed, and a vibration control means connected to the vibration generating means for controlling the vibration generating means.
This vibration generating means generates vibration by ultrasonic waves, for example. The vibration control means may control the amplitude or cycle of the vibration generated by the vibration generation means. The foaming promoting device according to the present invention adjusts the foaming amount of the sparkling beverage in a controllable manner by applying appropriate vibration to the sparkling beverage poured from the spout.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a foaming promoting device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

A cross section of a beer server shown as an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The beer server 1 includes a tank 3 for storing beer 2, a spout 4 for pouring the beer 2 stored in the tank 3, and an ultrasonic generator 5 attached to the spout 4. Furthermore, beer server 1
Includes a valve body 6 arranged between the tank 3 and the spout 4, and a lever 7 interlocking with the valve body 6.

The valve body 6 normally serves as a stopper of the tank 3, that is, the beer 2 contained in the tank 3 is sealed from the spout 4 so as not to flow out from the spout 4. It's Here, when the user operates the lever 7 in a predetermined direction, the valve body 6 opens in conjunction with this operation, and the beer 2 flows out from the tank 3 to the spout 4.

The ultrasonic generator 5 attached to the spout 4 is connected to a control circuit 8 as shown in FIG. 2, which control circuit 8 is, for example, a push button, a lever, a knob and / or a slider. Etc. is connected to an operator 9 that can be directly operated by the user. The control circuit 6 receives an operation signal generated by a user operating the operating element 9, generates a control signal based on this operation signal, and supplies the generated control signal to the ultrasonic wave generator 5 to generate ultrasonic waves. Control the generator 5.

When the beer server 1 is actually used,
The user operates the lever 7 to pour the beer 2 into a cup or the like. At the beginning of pouring, the generation of bubbles is suppressed, and when a predetermined amount of beer is poured, the user operates the operating element 9. As a result, the control circuit 8 turns on the operation of the ultrasonic generator 5. The ultrasonic generator 5 is the spout 4
The beer 2 poured out of the can is vibrated by ultrasonic waves, whereby the beer 2 can be foamed.

As described above, in the beer server 1, the amount of foaming can be easily adjusted by the user operating the operating element 9. In addition, the beer server 1 does not use carbon dioxide gas or the like to foam the beer 2,
Since it is not necessary to place the cup on the ultrasonic wave generation table or the like, there is no cost and no complicated operation is required.

Further, the operator 9 allows not only simple switching of the on / off of the ultrasonic wave generator 5 but also control of the amplitude and cycle of the ultrasonic wave generated by the ultrasonic wave generator 5. Good. This allows the user to more precisely control the amount of foam and the state of foam. Further, since the amount of foaming due to vibration varies depending on the type of beer, it may be possible to store a plurality of ultrasonic wave settings for each beer.

Further, in the concrete example shown in FIG.
Although two ultrasonic wave generators 5 are attached to the inner circumference of the above, the number of ultrasonic wave generators 5 to be attached may be one or three or more. Further, an annular ultrasonic wave generator 5 may be arranged along the inner circumference of the spout 4. In addition, in the tank 3,
You may store sparkling drinks other than beer.

[0014]

As described above, the foaming promoting apparatus according to the present invention is attached to the containing means for containing the sparkling beverage, the spout for pouring out the sparkling beverage contained in the accommodating means, and the spout. Vibration generating means for vibrating the sparkling beverage to be poured out,
Since it is provided with a vibration control means that is connected to the vibration generating means and controls the vibration generating means, the amount of foaming can be easily controlled when pouring the sparkling beverage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a beer server to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of an ultrasonic wave generator of the beer server shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 beer server 2 beer 3 tanks 4 outlet 5 Ultrasonic generator 6 valve body 7 lever 8 control circuit 9 controls

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing a sparkling beverage, a spout for pouring out the sparkling beverage stored in the storage means, and a vibration generating means attached to the spout for vibrating the sparkling beverage to be poured out. And a vibration control unit that is connected to the vibration generating unit and controls the vibration generating unit. 2. The foaming promoting device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating means generates vibration by ultrasonic waves. 3. The foaming promoting device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration control means controls the amplitude or cycle of the vibration generated by the vibration generating means.