U.S. patent application number 10/586565 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-18 for device method and system for the application of content on to the surface of a beverage.
Invention is credited to Eyal Eliav, Danny Lavie.
Application Number | 20080226783 10/586565 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33485434 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080226783 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lavie; Danny ; et
al. |
September 18, 2008 |
Device Method and System for the Application of Content on to the
Surface of a Beverage
Abstract
In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention,
there is provided a content application device for applying content
onto the surface of a beverage. The device may include a contenting
application head adapted to apply content by agitating the surface
of the beverage in a pattern correlated to the content The device
may further include a digital controller adapted to receive a
content specific signal and to issue control signals to the content
application head, such that the content application head is
actuated to apply the content onto the surface of the beverage.
According to some further embodiments of the present invention, the
device according to may include a content application head which is
adapted to agitate the surface of the beverage by applying drops of
the beverage onto the surface of the beverage or onto the surface
of a froth on the beverage.
Inventors: |
Lavie; Danny; (Ramat
Hasharon, IL) ; Eliav; Eyal; (Tel Aviv, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TIAJOLOFF & KELLY
CHRYSLER BUILDING, 37TH FLOOR, 405 LEXINGTON AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10174
US
|
Family ID: |
33485434 |
Appl. No.: |
10/586565 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
January 20, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IL2005/000067 |
371 Date: |
July 18, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/383 ;
426/422; 426/519; 99/279; 99/646R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 31/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/383 ; 99/279;
426/422; 426/519; 99/646.R |
International
Class: |
A23P 1/00 20060101
A23P001/00; A47J 43/04 20060101 A47J043/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2004 |
IL |
159990 |
Claims
1. A content application device for applying content onto the
surface, of a beverage comprising: a contenting application head
adapted to apply content by agitating the surface of the beverage
in a pattern correlated to the content.
2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a digital
controller adapted to receive a content specific signal and to
issue control signals to said content application head such that
said content application head is actuated to apply the content onto
the surface of the beverage.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said content
application head comprises one or more elements selected from the
group consisting of an electrodes, electromagnetic actuator,
hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and piezo-mechanical
actuator.
4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said content
application head is further adapted to apply drops of the beverage
onto the surface of a froth on the beverage.
5. The device according to claim 4, further comprising: a reservoir
tank in communication with said content application head and
adapted to receive the beverage.
6. The device according to claim 4, further comprising: a movable
tray on which said beverage is located and which is adapted to move
the beverage during the application of the content.
7. A method for applying content onto the surface of a beverage
comprising: agitating the surface of the beverage In a pattern
correlated to the content by using a content application head.
8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving a
content specific signal and issuing control signals to the content
application head such that the content application head is actuated
to apply the content onto the surface of the beverage.
9. A content application system for applying content onto the
surface of a beverage comprising: a. a computing device adapted to
receive a baring signal from a distributed data network; and b. a
contenting application head adapted to apply the received content
by agitating the surface of the beverage in a pattern correlated to
the content.
10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a digital
controller adapted to receive the content baring signal and to
issue control signals to -said content application head such that
said content application head is actuated to apply the content onto
the surface of the beverage.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said content
application head comprises one or more elements selected from the
group consisting of an electrodes, electromagnetic actuator,
hydraulic actuator, pneumatic actuator, and piezo-mechanical
actuator.
12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said content
application head is further adapted to apply drops of the beverage
onto the surface of a froth on the beverage.
13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising: a
reservoir tank in communication with said content application head
and adapted to receive the beverage.
14. The device according to claim 12, further comprising: a movable
tray on which said beverage is located and which is adapted to move
the beverage during the application of the content.
Description
FILED AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to designed surfaces of
foodstuffs and beverages and to means for designing the same.
Printers adapted to use food colorants as injected inks are know in
the art. Moreover, various molding techniques, using jam or edible
confuters as the injected inks are in the public domain.
Nevertheless, a content application device, system arid method,
using simple colorant-free edible material is yet not
available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In accordance with some embodiments of the present
invention, there is provided a content application device for
applying content onto the surface of a beverage. The device may
include a contenting application head adapted to apply content by
agitating the surface of the beverage in a pattern correlated to
the content. The device may further include a digital controller
adapted to receive a content specific signal and to issue control
signals to the content application head, such that the content
application head is actuated to apply the content onto the surface
of the beverage. According to some further embodiments of the
present invention, the device according to may include a content
application head which is adapted to agitate the surface of the
beverage by applying drops of the beverage onto the surface of the
beverage or onto the surface of a froth on the beverage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may
be implemented in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be
described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to
the accompanying drawing, in which
[0004] FIG. 1 schematically illustrated a method of hydraulically
printing on top of a froth of a coffee cup according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0005] FIG. 2 schematically illustrated a front view of hydraulic
printer according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0006] FIG. 3 schematically illustrated a top view of hydraulic
printer according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 4 schematically illustrated a top view of a designed
coffee cup according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0008] FIG. 5 schematically illustrated a side view of hydraulic
printer head according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 6 schematically illustrated a side view of hydraulic
printer head according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 7 schematically illustrated a side view of `brush type`
hydraulic printer head according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 8 schematically illustrated an online hydraulic
designing method according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 9 schematically illustrated an online mechanical
designing method according to another embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0013] FIG. 10 schematically illustrated an manually mechanical
designing means and method according to another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding
of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled
in the art that the present invention may be practiced without
these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods,
procedures, components and circuits have not been described in
detail so as not to obscure the present invention.
[0015] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the
following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the
specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing",
"computing", "calculating", "determining", or the like, refer to
the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or
similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or
transform data represented as physical, such as electronic,
quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories
into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within
the computing system's memories, registers or other such
information storage, transmission or display devices.
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention may include apparatuses
for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be
specially constructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise
a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by
a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program
may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but
is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical
disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs),
random access memories (RAMs) electrically programmable read-only
memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable and programmable read only
memories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, or any other type of
media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and capable of
being coupled to a computer system bus.
[0017] The processes and displays presented herein are not
inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus.
Various general purpose systems may be used with programs in
accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to
construct a more specialized apparatus to perform the desired
method. The desired structure for a variety of these systems will
appear from the description below. In addition, embodiments of the
present invention are not described with reference to any
particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a
variety of programming languages may be used to implement the
teachings of the inventions as described herein.
[0018] The following description is provided, alongside all
chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person
skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the
best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this
invention. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to
those skilled in the art since the generic principles of the
present invention have been defined specifically to provide either
hydraulic or mechanic printer useful for designing the surface of a
first foodstuff or beverages containing a skin portion, a method
printing the same and a method for advertising said design.
[0019] The term `piercing` is referring according to the present
invention to either penetrating or etching of the skin of a
foodstuff or beverages to at least a portion of its thickness; or
to such a foodstuff or beverages which is perforated its all
thickness.
[0020] The term `foodstuff and beverages` is referring according to
the present invention to any edible composition or matrix in a
solid, liquid or gel forms, cold or hot, characterized by a certain
color and/or a texture; wherein said foodstuff and beverages
comprising at least in their portion a surface characterized by a
certain color and/or a texture; and further wherein said color
and/or a texture of the aforementioned foodstuff and beverages is
differ noticeably from the aforementioned color and/or a texture of
the surface.
[0021] The tern `coffee` and/or `coffee cup` is referring according
to the present invention to any coffee and coffee-like foodstuff
and beverages, selected in a non-limiting manner from coffee,
milked-coffee, espresso, cappuccino, black-coffee, grained coffee,
ice-coffee, filtered coffee, cocoa products, coffee substitutes,
products of cocoa substitutes, chocolate products, milk chocolate
drink, ice creams or any combination thereof.
[0022] The term `froth` is referring according to the present
invention to any foamed milk or cream, milk products,
milk-substitutes or any colloidal or emulsified foodstuffs. The
term `design` is referring according to the present invention to
any outlines selected in a non-limiting manner from any two
dimensions or three dimensions, monochromatic, gray scaled or
colored blueprint-like presentations, figures, ornamentations,
decorations, patterns, logos, comics, figurative characters,
freehand-like draws, written texts, numbers, time indications or
any combination thereof
[0023] A hydraulic printer according to one embodiment of the
present invention is provided useful for designing the surface of a
first foodstuff or beverages containing a skin portion by a means
of a second foodstuff or beverages. This printer comprising inter
alia the following five ingredients: (a) at least one container
containing said first foodstuff or beverages; (b) a movable
printing head adapted to be maneuvered in a lateral movement; (c)
at least one reservoir tank containing said second foodstuff or
beverages in communication with said printing head; (d) a movable
tray on which said container is located, adapted to be maneuvered
in a longitudinal movement; and (e) a controller (e.g., a computer,
a computing unit etc) adapted to control the operation of said
printing head and said tray in a predetermined manner; wherein a
predetermined measure of said second foodstuff or beverages is
enforced throughout said printing head simultaneously to the tray
movement, in the manner that said second foodstuff or beverages is
piercing said skin of said first foodstuff or beverages hence the
designing of the said surface is obtained.
[0024] It is acknowledged in this respect that said first foodstuff
or beverages may be equal to the said second foodstuff or
beverages. Additionally or alternatively, said first foodstuff or
beverages may be different in one or more of its ingredients
comparing the said second foodstuff or beverages.
[0025] More specific and according to yet another embodiment of the
preset invention, an hydraulic coffee printer is provided useful
for designing the topical surface of coffee cup containing a froth
by a means of a second coffee. This hydraulic coffee printer may
comprising inter alia the following ingredients: (a) a cup
containing said first coffee; (b) a movable printing head adapted
to be maneuvered in a lateral movement; (c) a reservoir tank
containing said second coffee in communication with said printing
head; (d) a movable tray on which said container is located,
adapted to be maneuvered in a longitudinal movement; and (e) a
controller (e.g., a computer or any processing unit) adapted, to
control the operation of said printing head and said tray in a
predetermined manner; wherein a predetermined measure of said
second coffee is enforced throughout said printing head
simultaneously to the tray movement, in the manner that said second
coffee is piercing said forth of said first coffee so that the
designing of the said forth is obtained.
[0026] It is acknowledged in this respect that said first coffee
may be equal to the said second coffee. Additionally or
alternatively, said first coffee may be different in one or more of
its ingredients comparing the said second coffee.
[0027] Reference is made now to FIG. 1, illustrating an offline or
online process of making the designed coffee cup according to yet
another embodiment of the present invention. Hence, it is in the
scope of the present invention to provide a cost effective method
for designing the surface of a first foodstuff or beverages
containing a skin portion by a means of a second foodstuff or
beverages by means of the hydraulic printer as defined in any of
the above. Said method comprising the step of enforcing a
predetermined measure of said second foodstuff or beverages
throughout the printing head simultaneously to the tray movement,
in the manner that said second foodstuff or beverages is piercing
said skin of said first foodstuff or beverages hence the designing
of the said surface is obtained.
[0028] More specifically, it is also in the scope of the present
invention to provide a novel method for designing the surface of a
first coffee containing froth by a means of a second coffee by
means of the hydraulic printer as defined in any of the above. Said
method comprising the step of enforcing a predetermined measure of
said second coffee throughout the printing head simultaneously to
the tray movement, in the manner that said second coffee is
piercing said froth hence the designing of the said surface is
obtained.
[0029] Reference is made now to FIG. 2, illustrating a front view
of the devise as defined in any of the above, adapted for making
the designed coffee cup according to yet another embodiment of the
present invention. A top view of the same is drawn schematically in
FIG. 3.
[0030] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
foodstuff or beverages which are pierced in at least a portion of
said surface; the color or texture of said foodstuff or beverages
is different in a noticeable measure from the portion of the
surface that was not pierced in the manner that said piercing is
characterized as a design provided said surface. An illustrating
scheme is provided in reference 4, showing a top view of the
designed coffee cup.
[0031] Reference is made now to FIG. 5, presenting a hydraulic
printer according to one embodiment of the present invention,
having high voltage plates adapted to deflect drops on top of the
surface of a coffee cup to be design.
[0032] Moreover, FIG. 6 is presenting an illustration of a printing
head of a hydraulic printer according to yet another embodiment of
the preset invention. Differently, FIG. 7 is presenting an
illustration of a printing brush of a hydraulic printer according
to yet another embodiment of the preset invention.
[0033] It is in the scope of the present invention to provide for
foodstuff or beverages having a designed surface, provided by means
of a hydraulic printer (brash model or injected system) as defined
in any of the above. More specifically, is also in the scope of the
present invention to provide for coffee which its froth pierced in
at least a portion of said topical surface; the color or texture of
said coffee is different in a noticeable measure from the portion
of the froth that was not pierced in the manner that said piercing
is characterized as a design provided said froth. This coffee
having a designed froth may be hence provided by means of a
hydraulic printer and/or by the hydraulic printing method as
defined in any of the above.
[0034] It is in the scope of the present invention to provide the
hydraulic printer as defined in any of the above, wherein the
second foodstuff or beverages is enforced throughout the printing
head by pressure or gravity means, and further wherein said second
foodstuff or beverages is directed to flow between at least two
piezoelectric plates adapted to direct its flow towards the surface
of the first foodstuff or beverages in a controlled manner so the
predetermined design of the said surface is obtained.
[0035] It is also in the scope of the present invention to provide
an assembly for online screening of a predetermined designed on the
surface of food and beverages in any remote location. This assembly
comprising inter alia (a) a processing means adapted to design the
said design; (b) the hydraulic printer as defined in any of the
claims 1 and 2 or in any of its dependent claims; (c) said remote
food and beverages having a surface to be designed; wherein said
processing means are designing the said design and further sending
it description by any inline communication means to the said the
printer so as the said predetermined design of said food and
beverages is provided.
[0036] It is another object of the preset invention to provide a
mechanical printer for designing the surface of a foodstuff or
beverages containing a skin portion by a means of a plurality of
printing pins. This printer comprising inter alia the following
ingredients: (a) a container containing said foodstuff or
beverages; (b) a movable printing head adapted to be maneuvered
specifically determined printing pins from a given array of such
pins; (c) a movable tray on which said container is located,
adapted to be maneuvered in a longitudinal movement; (d) a
controller adapted to control the operation of said printing head
and said tray in a predetermined manner; wherein said plurality of
pins are enforced throughout said printing head simultaneously to
the tray movement, in the manner they are piercing said skin of
said first foodstuff or beverages hence the designing of the said
surface is obtained.
[0037] It is also in a specific scope of the present invention to
provide mechanical printer useful for designing the surface a
coffee cup containing a froth by a means of a plurality of printing
pins. This coffee printer comprising inter alia (a) a cup
containing said coffee; (b) a movable printing head adapted to be
maneuvered specifically determined printing pins from a given array
of such pins; (c) a movable tray on which said container is
located, adapted to be maneuvered in a longitudinal movement; (d) a
controller adapted to control the operation of said printing head
and said tray in a predetermined manner; wherein said plurality of
pins are enforced by said printing head simultaneously to the tray
movement, in the manner they are piercing said froth on top of said
coffee cup hence the designing of the said froth is obtained.
[0038] It is also in the scope of the present invention to provide
a method for designing the surface of a foodstuff or beverages
containing a skin portion by a means of the plurality of printing
pins as defined above; said method comprising the step of enforcing
said printing pins by means of the printing head simultaneously to
the tray movement, in the manner that said printing pins are
piercing said skin of said foodstuff or beverages hence the
designing of the said surface is obtained.
[0039] More specifically, it is in the scope of the present
invention to provide a method for designing the froth of a coffee
cup by a means of the plurality of printing pins as defined above;
said method comprising the step of enforcing said printing pins by
means of the printing head simultaneously to the tray movement, in
the manner that said printing pins are piercing said froth of said
coffee cup hence the designing of the said froth is obtained. It is
still in the'scope of the present invention to provide the
foodstuff or beverages having a designed surface, provided by means
of the mechanical printer and the method as defined in any of the
above. More specifically, it is in the scope of the present
invention to provide a coffee cup having a designed froth, provided
by the mechanical printing machine and method as defined above.
[0040] Reference is made now to FIGS. 8 and 9, presenting schematic
illustrations for a method of printing the design online in the
hydraulic assembly (FIG. 8) and the mechanical assembly (FIG.
9).
[0041] Reference is made now to FIG. 10, showing a photo of a
coffee cup comprising a designed froth, made by a means of a novel
manually operated mold comprising a plurality of printing pins
arranged in a "HI" shape (low array) or time indication "15:10"
shape (higher array).
[0042] Lastly, it is another object of the present invention to
provide a method of doing business, especially by presenting an
efficient and cost effective method for advertising advertisements
of the surface of foodstuffs and beverages comprising the step of
either online or offline designing an advertisement by means of
either hydraulic or mechanical printing it mechanically or
pneumatically on the surface of foodstuffs and beverages.
* * * * *