WO1994012083A1

WO1994012083A1 - A container for controlling the release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid and a method and device for producing said container

Info

Publication number: WO1994012083A1
Application number: PCT/AU1993/000602
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan Don Mcinnes; Gary Francis Cross
Original assignee: Permacrest (Aust) Pty. Limited
Priority date: 1992-11-30
Filing date: 1993-11-25
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Also published as: TW243436B

Abstract

A drinking vessel (10), a method for manufacturing the drinking vessel, an instrument for the manufacture of the drinking vessel as herein disclosed. The drinking vessel (10) is provided with means for controlling/promoting the release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid held in the vessel (10). This means is comprised of at least one discontinuity and/or disruption, such as a scribe line (14) provided in or on an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface of the vessel (10), most preferably in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) (16) and the floor (12) of the vessel (10). The discontinuity and/or disruption is characterized in being located so as not to be readily visible to the naked eye of the user.

Description

A CONTAINER FOR CONTROLLING THE RELEASE OF GAS(ES) FROM AN EFFERVESCENT FLUID AND A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING SAID CONTAINER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to containers for containing effervescent fluids therein, particularly beer, and to methods for producing such containers.

Background of the Invention

The presentation of various types of effervescent drinks is generally enhanced in the consumers' eyes by the display of the released gases from the drinks within the drinking container, and in relation to beers, the display of a distinct head of foam ("head") in the container in which it is served.

Bitter-type cask beers normally need to be "pulled" by special eguipment (handpumps) in the hotel or public house bar in order to generate their head. In contrast, lager-type beers generate their head by the release of carbon dioxide gas as suitably sized bubbles. At the instant of pouring a lager-type beer into a container, the bubbles generated by the agitation may well result in an acceptable head and, although the presence of natural or added surfactants aids the retention of this desirable head, it is very often the case that within minutes of being poured into a conventional container, a lager-type beer will lose its head and then appear flat and lifeless. This can make the appearance of a lager-type beer less attractive to the consumer.

We believe that a conventional container is unable to provide a sustained release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid, or, for beer, sustain a desirable head, because of its normally smooth interior surface. Thus when an effervescent fluid is in contact with the normally smooth interior surface of a container, the dissolved carbon dioxide rapidly reaches a phase equilibrium in which the carbon dioxide remains in aqueous solution and no bubbles are generated. If this equilibrium is left undisturbed, the fluid appears flat and lifeless even though it may well, in fact, still contain significant amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide. Whereas the above is true of lager-type beer in any conventional container with a normally smooth internal surface, it is particularly true of glass containers used in public houses or hotels.

A container which is better able to provide a sustained release of gas(es) from an effervescent fluid or to sustain the head on a lager-type beer would be preferable to a conventional container.

Previous attempts have no doubt been made to deal with the above problems. However such attempts have presumably either been unsuccessful or commercially unattractive. On the other hand, the drinking vessel, presented in accordance with our instant invention, provides a complete solution to the prior art problems - and does so both efficiently and economically.

The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of this prior art device by providing a container or drinking vessel (these terms have the same general meaning and are used interchangeably in this specification) which retains its normal "clear" appearance whilst providing means to control the release of gas(es) from the effervescent fluids provided therein, and, in the case of beer, to maintain a head thereon.

In one broad aspect the invention provides a drinking vessel, for holding effervescent fluids, which incorporates means for controlling/promoting the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held therein, the means, in turn, comprising at least one discontinuity and/or disruption provided in or on an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface of the vessel, the discontinuity and/or disruption being located so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user. In a related aspect the invention provides a drinking vessel, for holding effervescent fluids, which incorporates means for controlling/promoting the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held therein, the means in turn comprising at least one discontinuity and/or disruption, provided in or on an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface of the vessel, the discontinuity and/or disruption being located, so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user, in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of the vessel and the floor of the vessel.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a method for the manufacture of a drinking vessel. The method comprises a step of providing, in or on the smooth internal surface of said drinking vessel adapted to hold effervescent fluids, at least one discontinuity and/or disruption, the discontinuity and/or disruption being effective to control/promote the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held in the vessel and being located, so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user.

Preferably the discontinuity and/or disruption is located in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of the vessel and the floor of the vessel.

Preferably, said at least one discontinuity or disruption is provided by abrasive scoring, abrasion blasting, chemical etching, hardpoint scribing and/or laser scribing in any depth and length on said internal surface. The extent and depth of the discontinuities can be used to control the generation of the phase transition and therefore the size and amount of bubbles. In the case of beers, this in turn can control the size and maintenance of the head.

The discontinuities and disruptions of the normally smooth internal surface may be random or regular and carried out in any area of the internal surface of the container, but to maximise the effect whilst maintaining the attractive - A - appearance of a smooth interior surface on the container it is preferred that the discontinuities however formed are present only on the bottom of the inner surface of the container, on the lower end of the wall(s) of the container, and/or on the inner shoulder between the floor and the wall(s) of said container.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides an instrument for manufacture of a drinking vessel, comprising: vessel support means to support said vessel; scribe means, such as a needle, adapted to be provided substantially adjacent the bottom interior surface of said vessel; and, rotating means to rotate one or both of said vessel and said scribe means to scribe a discontinuity and/or disruption in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of the vessel and the floor of the vessel.

Preferably, said scribe means incorporates bias means to control/adjust the depth of penetration of said scribe means into the surface of said vessel.

Also preferably, said support means comprises a shoulder or shaped body of a non-abrasive material adapted to abut at least a portion-of the inner surface of said vessel and thereby prevent relative movement between said vessel and said shoulder or shaped body.

Also preferably, said rotating means is comprised of a shaft attached between said support means and said scribe means.

Perhaps most preferably, said drinking vessel is a beer glass.

It will therefore be understood that the provision of one or more discontinuities in the internal surface of the container which disrupt the otherwise substantially smooth interior surface of the container provides many sites which become available to allow efficient phase transition for gas(es), such as carbon dioxide, from molecular solution to multi-molecular aggregations in the gas phase.

In this way there is a controlled release of carbon dioxide gas or other gas(es) in the effervescent fluid in the container provided with the aforesaid means to enhance the product appearance and saleability when served in the container.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:-

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 shows elevational and end views, respectively, of a device for providing the discontinuity or disruption to the inner surface of the container; and,

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show enlarged elevational, end and sectional views, respectively, of the etching instrument of the device of Figures 3 and 4.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a container in the form of a glass 10 for containing effervescent fluids, such as beer is constructed in accordance with the invention. These drawings show a glass 10 wherein just the shoulder 15 between the wall(s) 16 and the bottom or floor 12 of the glass is provided with a "scribe" therearound. One or more "scribe" or "discontinuity" or "disruption" may be provided, however, in its simplest configuration just one "scribe" line 14 may be sufficient. The depth of the line or lines 14 need only be quite shallow, say in the order of 50 microns, but this is not especially critical.

There are various methods of treating the interior surface of a glass container in such a manner that the transition of carbon dioxide or other gas(es) from aqueous solution to the gas phase is controlled to give small bubbles of such gas or mixture of gas(es). The preferred method is one wherein treatment itself is hidden within the concentricity of the glass itself and is virtually invisible to the casual observer, such that it does not detract from the appearance of the glass container or from the appearance of the liquids contained therein.

Figures 3 to 7 illustrate an instrument which is designed such that a suitable scribing tool 20, or the like, can be carefully inserted into the glass container 10 and the tool angle adjusted to be positioned substantially perpendicularly to an imaginary tangent to the bottom inner shoulder of the glass container 10.

Such a tool 20 may, for example, comprise an etching needle 22 tipped with, for example, diamond, tungsten-carbide or other suitable abrasive material and a bias means or spring 29 to supply a variable spring-loaded pressure, the tool being operated in a rotary action to give a precisely controlled mechanical etch 14 to the bottom inner shoulder 15 of the glass container 10. The depth of the mechanical etch 14 is controlled by the pressure applied by the bias means spring 23 to the tip of the etching needle 22.

The accurate positioning of the tool 20 is enabled by the provision of a support device 31 to support the glass container 10 without marking the inner surface of the glass container 10.

This is enabled by the inclusion of various features, which may include fabricating the support device 31 of a durable material that will not mark the glass walls, shaped in such a way that it becomes a mechanical bearing situated at least partly within the glass container 10.

The exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 3 to 6 show the tool 10 being supported by and attached to a shaft 24 which in turn is rigidly supported horizontally by connection of the various components may be facilitated by welding, by bolts 28 and/or otherwise a vertical post 25 attached to a flat base 26.

At the post end, the shaft 24 may run through the centre of a dome hemisphere 27 constructed of, for example, plastics or foam material large enough to accept the open end of a range of glass containers 10 and the shaft 24 may be threaded and supplied with locking nuts 28 and a coiled spring or bias means 23 in such a way that the plastic hemisphere 27 is tended to be forced towards the post end by the insertion of the glass container 10 over the tool 20.

The tool is configured in such a way that the etching needle compression spring 29 and spacer 30 can be supplied at an appropriate angle to the horizontal shaft. Adjustment and positioning of the etching needle 22 is facilitated by spacers 30 and a retaining plug. The length of spacers 30 and the characteristics of the compression spring 29 can be varied to vary the pressure on the etching needle 22 and thus the depth of the mechanical etch 14 in the container 10.

In operation, the instrument is adjusted to suit the particular glass container to be treated. Each glass container 10 is passed over the shaft 24 and the attached scribing tool 21 and firmly pushed against the plastic hemisphere 27 with its compression spring 23.

The firm pressure is continued until the tool 20 contacts the inner diameter of the glass container 10, centring it, until the etching needle 22 makes contact with the lower inner shoulder of the glass container 10. The firm pressure is continued until the etching needle 22 is compressed against the compression spring 29 by contact with the lower shoulder of the glass container.

The glass container 10, or the shaft 24 containing tool 20, or, the tool 20 above, is then turned- through 360 degrees causing the etching needle to etch around the lower shoulder of the glass container, hiding the result of the treatment in the concentricity rings at the shoulder portion of the glass container.

Whilst particular embodiments of the container and the method of providing at least one discontinuity in an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface have been herein described, it will be appreciated that numerous variations and modifications will be envisaged to persons skilled in the art. For instance, the container could be of any shape or size, and could be fabricated from plastics, glass or any other material. All such variations and modifications should be considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as broadly defined described.

Claims

THE CLAIMS :

1. A drinking vessel, for holding effervescent fluids, which incorporates means for controlling/promoting the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held therein, the means, in turn, comprising at least one discontinuity and/or disruption provided in or on an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface of the vessel, the discontinuity and/or disruption being located so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user.

2. A drinking vessel, for holding effervescent fluids, which incorporates means for controlling/promoting the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held therein, the means in turn comprising at least one discontinuity and/or disruption, provided in or on an otherwise substantially smooth internal surface of the vessel, the discontinuity and/or disruption being located, so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user, in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of the vessel and the floor of the vessel.

3. A container as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein said at least one discontinuity and/or disruption is provided by abrasive scoring, abrasion blasting, chemical etching and/or hardpoint scribing in any depth and length on said internal surface.

4. A drinking vessel, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said effervescent fluid is beer, and whereby, the means for controlling/promoting the release of gas from said beer sustains a head on said beer.

5. A method for the manufacture of a drinking vessel comprising the steps of providing, in or on the smooth internal surface of said drinking vessel adapted to hold effervescent fluids, at least one discontinuity and/or disruption, the discontinuity and/or disruption being effective to control/promote the release of gas(es) from a said effervescent fluid held in said vessel, said discontinuity and/or disruption being located, so as to be not readily visible to the naked eye of a user.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the discontinuity and/or disruption is located in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of said vessel and the floor of said vessel.

7. A method for the manufacture of a vessel as claimed in claims 5 or 6, wherein said at least one discontinuity or disruption is provided by abrasive scoring, abrasion blasting, chemical etching, hardpoint scribing and/or laser scribing in any depth and length on said internal surface.

8. The method for the manufacture of a vessel as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a tool is provided which penetrates the inner surface of said container at a substantially perpendicular angle to the inner surface of said container, and whereby one or both of said tool and said container is/are rotated 360°, one relative to the other.

9. The method for the manufacture of a vessel as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said tool further comprises a bias means to control the depth of penetration of said needle into the inner surface of said container.

10. An instrument for manufacture of a drinking vessel, comprising: vessel support means to support said vessel; scribe means, such as a needle, adapted to be provided substantially adjacent the bottom interior surface of said vessel; and, rotating means to rotate one or both of said vessel and said scribe means to scribe a discontinuity and/or disruption in or on an inner shoulder constituting the junction between the wall(s) of the vessel and the floor of the vessel.

11. An instrument for the manufacture of a drinking vessel as claimed in claim 10, wherein said scribe means incorporates bias means to control/adjust the depth of penetration of said scribe means into the surface of said vessel.

12. An instrument for the manufacture of a drinking vessel as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said support means comprises a shoulder or shaped body of a non-abrasive material adapted to abut at least a portion of the inner surface of said vessel and thereby prevent relative movement between said vessel and said shoulder or shaped body.

13. An instrument for the manufacture of a drinking vessel as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said rotating means is comprised of a shaft attached between said support means and said scribe means.

14. An instrument for the manufacture of a drinking vessel as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein said drinking vessel is a beer glass.

15. A drinking vessel substantially as described herein or substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method for controlling the release of gas(es) from the effervescent fluid provided within a drinking vessel substantially as herein described or substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

17. An instrument for the manufacture of a drinking vessel, substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, any one or more of the accompanying drawings