US2008102178A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and Apparatus for Consumable Powder Reconstitution and Frothing

63
Assignee: NESTEC SAPriority: Aug 12, 2004Filed: Jul 16, 2005Published: May 1, 2008
Est. expiryAug 12, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Beli ThakurJuan Jose GonzalezHanspeter PleischDavid Casey GuerreraStephen Daniel WestfallAlexander A. Sher
A23L 23/10A47J 31/404A47J 31/402A23L 2/39A23L 5/55A47J 31/401A47J 31/4485A23F 5/405A23C 2210/30B67D 1/0052
63
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reconstituting consumable powder(s) with a liquid to provide a food liquid such as milk, cappuccino-type beverage, or soup with or without froth. The powder is introduced into a container ( 15 ) and pre-wetted by an intersecting liquid spray ( 13 a ). Further mixing occurs in the container. The container may have additional liquid streams ( 14 a ) feeding into the container for increased mixing. This food liquid can then be aspirated by the Venturi effect by steam generation to produce a frothed/aerated food liquid.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of reconstituting consumable powder to form a food product comprising the steps of:
 introducing a powder into a container;   pre-wetting the powder to form a pre-wetted powder by introducing a wetting liquid stream into the container such that the wetting liquid stream intersects in mid-air with the powder as the powder is introduced into the container; and   mixing the pre-wetted powder to form a food liquid reconstituted from the powder by introducing a mixing liquid stream into the container.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  including the step of frothing the food liquid to form a frothed food product. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the frothing step is accomplished via the mixing liquid stream such that the mixing step and the frothing step are substantially simultaneous in occurrence. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the frothing step is accomplished via a Venturi device and a steam generator such that the mixing step is separate from and preliminary to the frothing step. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced covering an angle of between 5 and 85 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced covering an angle of between 30 and 70 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced covering an angle of between 45 and 60 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a pressure of at least 5 psi. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a pressure of between 5 psi and 15 psi. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a flow rate of 5 to 50 ml/s. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid is introduced at a flow rate of 16 to 25 ml/s. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a flow rate of 18 to 22 ml/s. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a linear velocity of 500 to 1600 cm/s. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced at a linear velocity of 1000 to 1300 cm/s. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is introduced by a pressure delivery system selected from the group consisting of tap pressure, a pump delivering constant pressure, and a peristaltic pump delivering pulsed pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the mixing liquid stream is introduced in a direction approximately tangential to an inner wall of the container. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the mixing liquid stream includes a first stream and a second stream introduced in directions approximately tangential to an inner wall of the container and at identical heights along the inner wall relative to one another. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the mixing liquid stream includes a first stream and a second stream introduced in directions approximately tangential to an inner wall of the container and at different heights along the inner wall relative to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the container includes an inner wall substantially free from any protuberances. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the container includes an inner wall including at least one baffle. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the container includes from between 1 to 5 baffles. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing the powder includes an introduction of more than one powder. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the powder is selected from the group consisting of powders of milk, whiteners, coffee, tea, cocoa, soup, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method of reconstituting a consumable powder to form a frothed food product, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing a powder into a container;   pre-wetting the powder to form a pre-wetted powder by introducing a wetting liquid stream into the container such that the wetting liquid stream intersects in mid-air with the powder as the powder is introduced into the container;   mixing the pre-wetted powder to form a food liquid reconstituted from the powder by introducing one or more mixing liquid streams into the container combining the food liquid with steam; and   frothing the food liquid by way of a Venturi effect device.   
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for reconstituting consumable powder in a container comprising:
 a receptacle for holding and dispensing powder into a container; and   a liquid delivery means for dispensing a wetting liquid stream and a mixing liquid stream into the container, the wetting liquid stream for pre-wetting the powder in mid-air within the container by wetting the powder as the powder is dispensed in order to form a wetted powder and the mixing liquid stream for mixing the wetted powder with liquid to form a food liquid reconstituted from the powder.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , comprising a pressure delivery means selected from the group consisting of tap pressure, a pump delivering constant pressure, and a peristaltic pump delivering pulsed pressure. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the mixing liquid stream is disposed to deliver liquid into the container in a direction approximately tangential to an inner wall of the container. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the mixing liquid stream includes more than one mixing stream. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the mixing streams are disposed at different heights of the container. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is formed to cover an angle between 5 and 85 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is formed to cover an angle between 30 and 70 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the wetting liquid stream is formed to cover an angle between 45 and 60 degrees from a median of the wetting liquid stream. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the container includes at least one baffle. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , comprising,
 a steam generator for generating steam in communication with the food liquid, and   a Venturi effect device for frothing the food liquid.   
     
     
         35 . An apparatus for reconstituting consumable powder in a container comprising:
 a receptacle for holding and dispensing powder into a container; and   jets for dispensing a wetting liquid stream and a mixing liquid stream into the container, the wetting liquid stream for pre-wetting the powder in mid-air within the container by wetting the powder as the powder is dispensed in order to form a wetted powder and the mixing liquid stream for mixing the wetted powder with liquid to form a food liquid reconstituted from the powder.

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