Patent Publication Number: US-2007108144-A1

Title: Magnetic treatment device for beverages including a rack and associated methods

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of magnetic treatment and, more particularly, to the field of magnetically treating beverages to change properties thereof and associated methods.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is recognized that the flavor of some beverages may be enhanced by exposure to a magnetic field, which alters the molecular properties. U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,614 to Peiffer, for example, describes reducing the sensory perception of acids and tannins in alcoholic beverages by treating the beverage with a magnetic field. This treatment is asserted to give the alcoholic beverage a more aged flavor.  
      Accordingly, a number of products have been developed to expose beverages to magnetic fields to enhance flavor. Some of these products also attempt to enhance user convenience when magnetically treating beverages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,401 to Lee discloses a container including surrounding sidewalls that have a plurality of magnets mounted on the inner side of the surrounding sidewalls to improve the flavor of fermented substances, such as wine, sauce, and tobacco. Another example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,319 to Yu which discloses a beverage magnetizing container that exposes a beverage within the container to a magnetic field to promote preservation. The magnetic field is created by permanent magnets in the sidewalls, base, or cap of the container.  
      Other products magnetically treat beverages during initial processing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,942 to Freije, III discloses a liquid treatment unit that includes a pipe having a plurality of magnets coupled thereto. The magnets treat liquid as it passes through the pipes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,353 to Ceccarani discloses an apparatus for accelerating the aging of alcoholic beverages. The apparatus exposes beverages to low-frequency polarized pulsating magnetic fields.  
      U.S. Published Application No. 2003/0228399 to Flick, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a user-friendly and effective device for treating a single beverage container, for example. The device includes a base and a plurality of posts extending upwardly from the base. Each post may carry one or more neodymium permanent magnets. In some embodiments, the posts may be slidable with respect to the base to accommodate different sized containers. The magnetic treatment may enhance the flavor of beverages, particularly spirits, such as wine or liquor, by imparting an aged flavor.  
      Despite the continuing developments relating to magnetic treatment of beverages, there may still exist a need for an easier to use treatment device that can treat more than a single beverage container at a time, if desired.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage treatment device that may effectively magnetically treat beverage containers, such as containing wine or other spirits, and provide an associated method for making such a device.  
      These and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a beverage treatment device comprising a rack defining a plurality of beverage container holding positions for holding beverage containers in a generally horizontal orientation, and a plurality of permanent magnets associated with the rack for causing a magnetic field in the beverage container holding positions. The rack may define the plurality of beverage container holding positions in vertically stacked courses. For example, the vertically stacked courses may have a decreasing number of beverage container holding positions from lower to higher courses. In addition, adjacent ones of the vertically stacked courses may be nested for additional compactness.  
      The rack may comprise a pair of spaced apart first and second frames, and a plurality of struts interconnecting the first and second frames. In these embodiments, the plurality of permanent magnets may include a first set of permanent magnets carried by the first frame, and a second set of permanent magnets carried by the second frame. Additionally or alternatively, the permanent magnets may be carried by the interconnecting struts. Each of the plurality of permanent magnets may comprise a neodymium magnet.  
      The first and second frames may each comprise a plurality of rings joined together at adjacent peripheral portions thereof. For example, the first and second frames and the interconnecting struts may comprise integrally molded plastic. The rack may further comprise a plurality of feet depending from lowermost portions of the first and second frames.  
      A method aspect of the invention is for making a beverage treatment device. The method may include forming a rack defining a plurality of beverage container holding positions for holding beverage containers in a generally horizontal orientation, and associating a plurality of permanent magnets with the rack for causing a magnetic field in the beverage container holding positions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the beverage treatment device in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a frame of the beverage treatment device as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a frame of another embodiment of the beverage treatment device in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a strut of still another embodiment of the beverage treatment device in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a strut of yet another embodiment of the beverage treatment device in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime and multiple prime notations are used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.  
      Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a beverage treatment device  10  in accordance with the invention is now described. The beverage treatment device illustratively includes a rack  15  defining a plurality of beverage container holding positions  16  for holding beverage containers in a generally horizontal orientation, one such beverage container  12  being illustrated for clarity of explanation. The treatment device  10  also includes a plurality of permanent magnets  17  carried by the rack  15  for causing a magnetic field in the beverage container holding positions  16 .  
      The rack  15  illustratively defines the plurality of beverage container holding positions  16  in lower and upper vertically stacked courses. For enhanced stability, the vertically stacked courses have a decreasing number of beverage container holding positions from lower to higher courses. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower course has three side-by-side container holding positions, and the upper course has two side-by-side holding positions. As also shown in the illustrated embodiment, adjacent ones of the vertically stacked courses may be nested for additional compactness and stability. This configuration of decreasing holding positions  16  and/or nesting can be extended to greater than the two illustrated courses as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
      The rack  15  includes a pair of spaced apart first and second frames  20 ,  21  and a plurality of struts  23  interconnecting the first and second frames. The first and second frames  20 ,  21  each comprises a plurality of rings joined together at adjacent peripheral portions thereof. For ease and efficiency of manufacturing, the first and second frames  20 ,  21  and the interconnecting struts  23  may comprise integrally molded plastic. The rack  15  also includes a plurality of feet  25  depending from lowermost portions of the first and second frames  20 ,  21 .  
      The plurality of permanent magnets  17  illustratively includes a first set of permanent magnets carried by the first frame  20 , and a second set of permanent magnets carried by the second frame  21 . Of course in other embodiments, the magnets  17  may not be needed in association with both of the frames.  
      Referring now additionally to  FIG. 3 , another embodiment of the device  10 ′ is explained. In this embodiment, the magnets  17 ′ are illustratively in the form of a split sleeve that is carried by the outside of the frame  21 . This is in contrast to the device  10  of FIGS.  1  and  2  wherein the magnets  17  were carried internally to the frames  20 ,  21 .  
      Turning now additionally to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , other embodiments of the magnetic treatment device  10 ″,  10 ′″ are now described. In the internal embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the permanent magnet  17 ″ is carried internal to the strut  23 ″. Similarly, in the external embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the permanent magnet  17 ′″ is carried external to the strut  23 ′″. These magnets  17 ″,  17 ′″ carried by the struts  23 ″,  23 ′″ may be used independently or in combination with the magnets  17 ,  17 ′ described above as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
      Of course, those of skill in the art will appreciate other mounting arrangements for the magnets  17 - 17 ′″ as contemplated by the present invention. In addition, each of the plurality of permanent magnets  17 - 17 ′″ may comprise a neodymium magnet which provides a strong magnetic field from a small physical volume as will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art.  
      Returning again to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for simplicity of explanation, a method aspect of the invention is for making a beverage treatment device  10 . The method may include forming a rack  15  defining a plurality of beverage container holding positions  16  for holding beverage containers  12  in a generally horizontal orientation, and associating a plurality of permanent magnets  17  with the rack for causing a magnetic field in the beverage container holding positions. Forming the rack  15  may comprise forming the rack so that the beverage container holding positions are in vertically stacked courses. In some embodiments, the vertically stacked courses may have a decreasing number of beverage container holding positions from lower to higher courses. Additionally, adjacent ones of the vertically stacked courses may be nested.  
      Forming the rack  15  may comprise forming a pair of spaced apart first and second frames  20 ,  21 , and forming a plurality of struts  23  interconnecting the first and second frames. Associating the permanent magnets  17  with the rack  15  may comprise positioning a first set of permanent magnets to be carried by the first frame, and positioning a second set of permanent magnets to be carried by the second frame.  
      Additionally or alternatively, associating the permanent magnets  17 ″,  17 ′″ with the rack may comprise positioning the permanent magnets to be carried by the interconnecting struts  23 ″,  23 ′″ ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Each of the first and second frames  20 ,  21  may comprise a plurality of rings joined together at adjacent peripheral portions thereof. Forming the first and second frames  20 ,  21  and forming the interconnecting struts  23  may advantageously comprise integrally molding same from plastic. Each of the plurality of permanent magnets  17  may comprise a neodymium magnet.  
      Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.