JPH0547597Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an apparatus for aging alcoholic beverages by the action of ultrasonic waves.

(Prior art) The aging of alcoholic beverages using ultrasonic waves has been known for a long time; for example,
JP-A-56-21587, JP-A-63-192373, etc.
Various proposals have been made. It is also known that if ultrasonic waves are irradiated at high power, the matured flavor will return to its original state within a few days, and that it is more effective to use low power and allow a certain amount of time to maintain the effect. (e.g. ultrasound
TECHNO, July 1989, pp. 50-52, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 192373/1989).

Regarding these proposals, the present inventor conducted follow-up trials and tested them through sensory tests, and it was confirmed that most of them had a large return in taste and were far from being practical. In addition, when irradiating at low power for a long time as in JP-A No. 63-192373, although the problem of flavor returning is solved, the problem of overripening and so-called "wateryness" appears. It cannot necessarily be said that it is preferable. A truly practical ultrasonic ripening method or device that solves the problem of taste reversion and achieves a suitable degree of ripening has not been proposed so far.

(Problem that the invention aims to solve) Therefore, the inventor of this invention changed his thinking and used ultrasonic waves to moderately distribute drinking liquor, which had been divided into sake bottles, tumblers, or glasses, in the presence of the drinker at home or at a restaurant. They came up with the idea that it could be put to practical use if the product was rapidly aged to a certain ripeness level and consumed within a time period that would prevent the flavor from returning. After conducting various studies on the relationship between ultrasonic frequency, ripening time, and taste return, we found that ultrasonic waves at around 20 kHz, which is close to audio waves, require several hours of processing, but there is little return of taste. Ultrasonication at 200 to 1000 kHz has a maturing effect in an extremely short time, but it causes a large return of flavor and is only effective for a short period of time.
It has been found that by treating with Hz ultrasonic waves for about 20 seconds to 2 minutes, a suitable degree of ripeness can be obtained, and furthermore, it is possible to finish drinking before the taste returns.

By the way, in the case of drinking immediately after the aging process, the aging time becomes a waiting time, and sake lovers cannot bear to wait even for tens of seconds to several minutes and feel impatient. There are many cases of boredom, and countermeasures are an important issue.

Therefore, the present invention has been devised to apply ultrasonic treatment to alcoholic beverages in a relatively short period of time just before drinking until they reach an appropriate degree of ripeness, and also to ease the worries of the drinker during the treatment and to overcome boredom. The purpose is to provide a ripening device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) That is, the present invention consists of a sound-receiving liquid storage container which is open at the top and provided with a buffer member at the bottom; An alcoholic beverage comprising a vibrator, the high frequency output of which can be controlled by a controller built into the electric circuit of the high frequency oscillator, and a musical tone generator controlled on and off in conjunction with the high frequency oscillator. This is a simple aging device using ultrasonic waves. In such a device, the sound receiving liquid container preferably includes a heating means.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained based on the accompanying drawings showing one aspect thereof.

In FIG. 1, a sound-receiving liquid storage container 1 that contains a liquid medium such as water, has a cylindrical shape with an open top and can accommodate sake containers such as sake bottles, tumblers, and glasses. It is made of metal, preferably stainless steel, such as SUS304, to a certain size. Further, at the bottom thereof, a buffer member 2 such as a bamboo basket made of a similar metal, a net, or a sponge body made of an ultrasonic inert material is placed. Moreover, it is preferable to provide an overflow port 3 on the upper edge thereof. The sound receiving liquid container 1 formed in this manner includes an ultrasonic vibrator 4, a high frequency oscillator 5, and a musical tone generator 6.
It is mounted and fitted on top of a machine case 7 that houses the following items. The ultrasonic transducer 4 is disposed upward from the bottom of the container 1 so as to direct the sound receiving liquid upward. Also, musical tone generator 6
The speaker is arranged facing outward, and the side wall portion of the machine case 7 facing the speaker is formed into a grille 8. The high frequency oscillator is connected to a power source (not shown) by a lead wire 9.

In this example, all of the high frequency oscillator 5, musical tone generator 6, etc. are housed in the mechanical case 7.
It goes without saying that at least a part of them can be placed outside to form a separate type, and although the ultrasonic transducer 4 is provided at the bottom of the sound-receiving liquid container 1, it is of course also possible to place it on the side. be.

The musical tone generator 6 mainly plays music, and may also generate tones of natural scenes such as pine trees, the murmuring of a valley river, chirping birds, etc., and is particularly a device that plays music of 20 to 400 Hz and its overtones. It consists of appropriately known performance equipment such as a cassette player and a record player.

Next, in the electric circuit diagram shown in FIG.
The ultrasonic transducer 4 is connected to a high frequency oscillator 5, and the high frequency oscillator 5 is connected to a power source 11. Controller 10
has a tone generator control circuit including a high frequency oscillator 5 and a tone generator 6, and a high frequency output control circuit including a timer 12. In this control circuit, the controller 10 is configured to operate the musical tone generator 6 upon receiving an operation start signal from the high frequency oscillator 5, and to stop it upon receiving a stop signal from the high frequency oscillator 5. Further, the high frequency output is made variable within the range of generated ultrasonic waves from 150 to 450 kHz, and an appropriate processing time is set by a timer 12 in accordance with the set output.

In a further preferred example of the device of the present invention, the sound receiving liquid container 1 is equipped with a heating means 13. Heating means 13
Although heating wires, infrared rays, heating medium circulation methods using coiled pipes, sleeves, etc. may be used, the electric heating method is the simplest. These heating means 13 can be installed either outside or inside the container 1. Further, the heating temperature can be automatically controlled to an appropriate temperature of 50 to 70°C using a known temperature control mechanism (not shown) combined with a temperature sensor.

(Operation) Next, the operation of the device of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

First, a small container, such as a sake bottle, tumbler, or glass, into which alcoholic beverages just before drinking is poured is immersed in a sound-receiving liquid storage container 1 filled with an appropriate amount of sound-receiving liquid, such as water. Next, when the power switch is turned on and the high-frequency oscillator 5 is operated, the sound receiving liquid is irradiated with ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic transducer connected to the high-frequency oscillator 5. At this time, if the ultrasonic wave is adjusted appropriately in the range of 150 to 450 kHz by operating the controller 10 according to the drinker's personality or request, the timer 12 automatically adjusts the ultrasonic wave within the range of about 20 seconds to 2 minutes. The irradiation time is set according to the conditions, and the product is ripened to an appropriate degree of ripeness. During ultrasonic irradiation, the buffer member 2 serves to prevent containers such as sake bottles, tumblers, and glasses from being damaged by vibration. On the other hand, simultaneously with the operation of the high frequency oscillator 5, the musical tone generator 6 starts operating via the controller 10, and music or the like is played to entertain the ears and soothe the mind of the drinker. Completion of ripening is signaled by the cessation of the musical tone, and the processed alcoholic beverage is immediately ready for drinking.

In addition, for those who prefer hot sake, heating means 1
By operating 3, it is possible to warm sake at an appropriate temperature.

(Effect of the invention) Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure and controls the above-mentioned effects, it is possible to produce a small amount of alcoholic beverages that have been aged to a moderately mellow flavor without exhibiting the "wateriness" caused by proper aging. By being able to finish drinking the sake before the taste returns and always drinking it in the state of high-quality aged sake, by selecting the preferred processing time according to the drinker and playing pleasant musical sounds throughout the waiting time. It has the effect of calming anxiety and preventing boredom. In addition, it is possible to prepare hot sake at the same time if necessary, and the device of this invention is a device that uses an appropriate combination of ultrasonic waves, audible waves, and heating to serve alcoholic beverages to customers and other drinkers. Even if it is installed at home, it exhibits excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a specific example of the device of the present invention. Moreover, FIG. 2 is the electric circuit system diagram. 1...Sound receiving liquid storage container, 2...Buffer member, 3...
... Overflow port, 4 ... Ultrasonic vibrator, 5 ... High frequency oscillator, 6 ... Musical tone generator, 7 ... Machine case, 8
...Grill, 9...Lead wire, 10...Controller,
11...power supply, 12...timer, 13...heating means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. Consists of a sound-receiving liquid storage container that is open at the top and provided with a buffer member at the bottom, and an ultrasonic vibrator that is provided facing the sound-receiving liquid and is connected to a high-frequency oscillator. , a simple method of using ultrasound for alcoholic beverages, characterized in that the high-frequency output can be controlled by a controller built into the electric circuit of the high-frequency oscillator, and a musical tone generator is controlled to start and stop in conjunction with the high-frequency oscillator. Aging equipment. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sound receiving liquid container is provided with heating means.