Device for changing a liquid contained in a liquid container having a container wall

Abstract

A device for altering a responsive liquid held in a barrel or other liquid container, comprising a transducer for generating vibrational energy in the audio frequency range in response to an audio signal input and a coupler attached to the transducer such that the vibrational energy generated in the transducer is transmitted to the coupling device. The coupling device has a pushing end that extends beyond the front plane of the transducer and, when the device is attached to the barrel wall, the pushing end contacts and presses against the barrel wall. By determining the resonance of the liquid-filled barrel, an audio input signal having a sufficiently high level at a determined resonance frequency can be selected to achieve a maximum response in the liquid contained in the barrel. The device is particularly suitable for the sonic aging of whiskey.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for altering a liquid contained within a liquid container, where the liquid responds to vibrational energy introduced into the liquid; more specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for introducing acoustic energy into a liquid for the purpose of achieving a desired change in the liquid within a relatively short period of time. The present invention is particularly applicable to accelerating the aging of alcoholic beverages (such as whisky or wine) stored in casks or barrels. Background Art

[0002] Alcoholic beverages, particularly whisky spirits and wines, are traditionally aged in casks or barrels, a process that alters the characteristics of the beverage over time to give it more desirable qualities and flavors. Aging is the final stage of the spirit or wine-making process. It "matures" the beverage and is sometimes referred to as giving the beverage a "finish". However, it is characteristic in that aging contributes to the ultimate distinctiveness of the beverage, including its color and flavor.

[0003] Since the proper aging of whisky or wine can take several years, different methods have been proposed to accelerate the physical and chemical changes that underlie the aging process. These include subjecting the liquid within the cask to ultrasonic vibrations and bombarding the cask with audible sounds (including music). In either case, the aim is to agitate the beverage within the cask to facilitate the physical and chemical processes required for accelerated aging. The difficulty with these acoustic wave methods is that introducing energy within the ultrasonic frequency range causes cavitation in the liquid within the cask, which is detrimental to the aging process of the spirit or wine (or other liquid within the cask), while in the lower audio frequency range, particularly within the lower audio frequency ranges where cask resonances are found, it is difficult to introduce sufficient acoustic energy into the liquid within the cask to have any significant effect on the aging process.

[0004] The present invention overcomes the difficulties of the acoustic aging processes proposed heretofore by providing an apparatus and method for effectively coupling vibrational energy within the audio frequency range, particularly within the range of approximately 20 Hz to approximately 1000 Hz, into the liquid within a cask that responds to the agitation produced by such vibrational energy. By operating within these lower frequency ranges, the apparatus and method of the present invention avoid the cavitation problem that results in undesirable end results. The apparatus and method of the present invention are capable of introducing an effective amount of vibrational energy into a given volume of whisky, wine, or other agitation-responsive liquid contained within a cask to effectively accelerate the aging of the liquid. The apparatus and method of the present invention are also capable of achieving accelerated aging of the liquid within the cask with a limited amount of equipment and relatively small external power requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to a device for altering a liquid contained in a liquid container having a container wall, wherein the liquid responds to vibrational energy introduced into the liquid and wherein the container has a determinable resonance frequency in the audio frequency range. The device includes a transducer capable of generating vibrational energy in the audio frequency range in response to a signal input. A coupling device with a protruding pushing end, or simply a "coupler", is attached to the transducer such that the vibrational energy generated in the transducer is transferred to the coupling device. Attachment means are provided for holding the transducer near the wall of the liquid container such that the pushing end of the coupling device attached to the transducer bears against the wall of the liquid container and such that the vibrational energy generated by the transducer at the resonance frequency of the liquid container is effectively transferred through the container wall to the responsive liquid in the container.

[0006] The method of the present invention includes first determining the frequency response and thus the resonance of the barrel with the vibration-responsive liquid contained therein, and subsequently directly coupling a signal containing a frequency based on the determined barrel resonance to the barrel vibrational energy. The direct coupling can be achieved by direct physical contact or indirect contact by which the vibrational energy is directly transferred to the container wall of the barrel.

[0007] The method of the present invention extends to a method of improving the quality of an alcoholic beverage contained in a barrel (most suitably a wooden barrel), comprising the steps of: i) selecting a transducer capable of generating sound energy in the audio frequency range, ii) mounting the transducer outside the barrel containing the liquid alcoholic beverage to be aged so as to transfer the sound energy generated by the transducer to the barrel, iii) placing at least one sensor for detecting pressure fluctuations or acceleration changes indicative of agitation in the liquid alcoholic beverage in the barrel when the transducer mounted on the barrel is energized at different frequencies, the sensor having a sensor output, iv) determining, from the sensor output, one or more resonance frequencies of the barrel in the audio frequency range of the transducer, and v) driving the transducer with a signal containing a sufficient amount of sound energy at the one or more resonance frequencies of the determined barrel to cause one or more resonances in the barrel, thereby enhancing the agitation of the alcoholic beverage in the barrel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a barrel for containing whisky, wine or other agitation-responsive liquid, to which a device according to the present invention is attached, the device including a transducer.

[0009] Figure 2 is a side elevation view thereof.

[0010] Figure 3 is an end elevation view thereof.

[0011] Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof, showing more detail of the bottom of the barrel and the transducer of the device.

[0012] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the transducer as seen in Figures 1-4 and shows a coupler for transferring the vibrational energy generated by the transducer to the barrel wall.

[0013] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the transducer shown in the foregoing figures.

[0014] Figure 6A is an enlarged partial view showing in more detail how the base of the coupler is attached to the voice coil assembly of the transducer.

[0015] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the transducer as shown in Figure 5 and 6 showing an alternative configuration of the coupler device of the apparatus.

[0016] Figure 8 shows the barrel as shown in Figures 1-4 resting on a support frame and an alternative method of securing the components of the transducer in place on the barrel.

[0017] Figure 9 is a flow chart showing the steps of a method for determining the frequency response and thereby determining the resonance of a barrel containing a liquid and advantageously using the determined resonance to excite vibrations in the liquid contained in the barrel.

[0018] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an electronic circuit for driving and controlling the output of the transducer shown in the foregoing figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Embodiments of the invention described herein are intended to accelerate the aging of whiskey or other alcoholic beverages stored in barrels. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to these uses. The described apparatus and methods may also be used to condition liquids contained in liquid containers (including containers other than barrels) where the liquid responds to vibrational energy introduced into the liquid.

[0020] Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1-4 shows a barrel 11 for containing an alcoholic beverage (not shown), having a curved sidewall 15 and flat end walls 17 of the barrel. The barrel is oriented horizontally such that the end walls of the barrel are in a vertical plane and the curved barrel sidewall extends in the horizontal axis direction of the barrel, the axis being designated by the letter X in Figure 2 . Although other barrel orientations may be used, this orientation allows for an advantageous position of the transducer for agitating the liquid in the barrel as described below. The liquid in the barrel may be whiskey, but other vibration-responsive liquids (such as wine) may also be processed in the barrel as described herein.

[0021] The central component of the apparatus and method for generating vibration energy is the transducer 19, and this vibration energy can be transferred to the responsive liquid stored in the barrel 11. The transducer is held in a position facing the sidewall of the barrel and is preferably positioned on the bottom side 21 of the barrel between the end walls 17 of the barrel such that Figure 4 the transducer axis, designated by the letter "A" in Figure 4 , is in a vertical orientation. Although the transducer can be positioned at other locations along or around the barrel, it has been found that for a single transducer, the shown position and the vertical orientation of the transducer achieve the most effective results in altering the liquid within the barrel, particularly when the liquid is whisky.

[0022] The transducer 19 shown in the drawings is a cone driver such as is found in a conventional loudspeaker and is capable of generating vibratory motion within the audio frequency range. However, it is contemplated that other forms of transducers can be used provided they are capable of generating vibratory motion within the audio frequency band, particularly in the lower frequency region of that band. Of particular interest are the resonance frequencies of the barrel, which depend on the barrel size and shape, as well as the barrel material, the barrel wall thickness, and the degree of filling of the barrel; however, the frequencies of general interest are expected to fall within the range of approximately 20 Hz to approximately 1000 Hz. It is at these resonance frequencies that, according to the apparatus and method of the present invention, the vibratory motion can be effectively and efficiently transferred to the responsive liquid within the barrel. This requires the effective coupling of the vibratory motion of the vibrating member of the transducer to the barrel sidewall 15.

[0023] Reference is now made to Figures 5-6 Figures 6 and 6A to describe the transducer 19 shown, and the mechanism for coupling the vibration energy generated by the transducer to and through the barrel wall. As described above, the transducer 19 shown is in the form of a cone driver, suitably a 12-inch cone driver, having a durable but lightweight paper cone diaphragm 23 which is suspended within a metal frame 24, called a "basket", by a bottom "spider" suspension 25 and a top "surround" suspension 27. The transducer also includes a voice coil assembly which consists of an elongated cylindrical bobbin 29 and a voice coil 31 wound around the bottom of the bobbin. (As described below, the voice coil assembly is a conventional design for a cone driver and typically also includes a paper material (not shown) wound around the bobbin above the voice coil to provide a better bonding surface to the driver diaphragm.) The cone diaphragm is attached to the axial extension 28 of the cylindrical bobbin of the voice coil, which bobbin is positioned within the magnetic gap of a magnetic circuit formed by the combination of a magnet 32, a magnetic top plate 33, and a pole piece 35 (collectively referred to herein as the "magnetic circuit assembly"). It can be seen that the pole piece has a central through-hole 34, the bottom of which can be covered by a baffle, such as Figure 6 the baffle 36 shown in Figure 6 .

[0024] In use, when an AC voltage input signal in the audio frequency range is applied to the driver, it generates a current in the voice coil corresponding to the input signal, which in turn produces a vibratory motion in the entire voice coil assembly; the vibratory motion in the voice coil assembly in turn moves the conical diaphragm in the vibratory motion. In a conventional conical driver, the sole purpose of the vibratory motion of the diaphragm is to produce sound. However, here, the vibratory motion of the voice coil assembly is used for another purpose. By transferring it to the illustrated coupler 37, the vibratory energy generated by this motion is coupled to the wall of the barrel containing the liquid responsive to the vibratory energy.

[0025] Reference Figure 5 、 6 and 6A, it can be seen that the coupler 37 is suitably made of a rigid plastic material (such as acrylic or ABS plastic) with low internal damping, having a substantially enclosed forward projecting push end 39 and a cylindrical side wall 41 extending rearward from this push end into the cone of the transducer, the push end projecting beyond the front plane of the transducer (designated by the letter P in Figure 4 and 6 ). It can be seen that the cylindrical side wall of the coupler has a cylindrical groove 43 which extends upward from the base end 45 of the side wall on the inner side of the coupler side wall to receive the cylindrical extension 28 of the bobbin 29 of the voice coil. The base end of the coupler side wall is attached by a suitable adhesive (such as urethane adhesive or epoxy resin) to at least one and preferably both of the bottom edge portion 47 of the driver conical diaphragm and the cylindrical extension of the voice coil bobbin. The adhesive can be applied in the region designated by the letter "R" in Figure 6A , i.e., on the outer surfaces of the bottom edge portion 47 of the conical diaphragm 23 and the cylindrical extension 28 of the voice coil bobbin 29. Again, note that the outer surface of the cylindrical extension 28 of the voice coil bobbin 29 is typically covered with a paper material (such as kraft paper) to facilitate adhesion to this surface.

[0026] The coupler may also have cuts in the side wall and push end of the coupler, designated by reference numerals 49, 51 for example. These cuts serve as vent holes for discharging air through the coupler during the vibratory motion of the transducer; the cut 49 in the coupler side wall additionally provides accessible perforations through which the coupler can be tied to the barrel or other structures described below.

[0027] The transducer 19 must be held in a position close to the barrel side wall so that the push end of the coupler connected to the transducer cone firmly contacts the side wall 15 of the barrel 11. In the case of the coupler as shown in Figures 5-6 , the barrel contact is achieved by a small forwardly projecting contact surface 53 which concentrates the force transmitted through the coupler to the barrel wall. (This contact is best shown in Figure 4 .) InFigures 1-4 The strap 55 shown in Figures 1-4 is used as a fastening means for holding the coupler in place. It can be seen that the strap is suitably made of a stable, low-elasticity material (such as polyester webbing), which can pass through the cutout 49 in the coupler sidewall and be wrapped around the barrel and tightened to force the coupler against the sidewall of the barrel. What can be considered the rear part of the transducer - the basket and magnetic circuit assembly - is separately held in place by other fastening means, which in this case is preferably an elastic fastening means, such as the elastic cord 57, which holds the transducer in place compliantly. Using an elastic fastening means for the basket and magnetic circuit assembly will allow the transducer to operate within a linear range and has been found to improve the results.

[0028] Figure 7 The transducer 19 as described above is shown, which has an alternative design of the transducer coupler. In this case, the transducer coupler 61 is in the form of a straight cylinder, which has a top edge 63 that serves as the pushing end of the coupler. In this case, the pushing end of the coupler is open, rather than having a closed configuration as in the previous embodiment. Cutout openings 67 in the cylinder sidewall 69 are provided to receive one or more fastening straps, such as Figures 1-4 the strap 55 shown in Figures 1-4 . As with the coupler embodiments described previously, the pushing end formed by the top edge 63 of the coupler projects beyond the front plane of the transducer, such that when the transducer is mounted to the sidewall as described above, only the pushing end of the coupler contacts the barrel sidewall. Here, the contact is made on the opposite polar side of the top edge 63 of the coupler.

[0029] Figure 7 The coupler embodiment shown in Figures 1-4 can also suitably be made of a rigid plastic material and is similarly attached at its base end to the conical diaphragm of the transducer and / or the voice coil bobbin of the voice coil assembly of the transducer. The coupler of this embodiment is easier to manufacture and easier to tie onto the barrel. The sidewall of the barrel can be altered to increase the surface contact area between the pushing end of the coupler and the barrel wall; however, this is not necessary.

[0030] Figure 8 A whisky barrel 11a supported on a barrel support frame 70 is shown, similar to Figures 1-4 the barrel 11 shown in Figures 1-4 , and additionally shown is the transducer 19 coupled to the barrel wall as described above. The barrel support frame is configured to support the barrel in its preferred horizontal position. However, rather than being tied directly to the barrel as Figures 1-4 shown in Figures 1-4 , the transducer basket and magnetic circuit assembly ("TBMCA") is held in place by an elastic fastening means, such as Figure 8The elastic cord 71) shown is elastically fastened to the bucket support frame. Appropriately, there will be two elastic cords on each side of the bucket body. The hook ends 72 of the elastic cords are hooked at one end to the transducer basket and at the other end to a suitable part of the support frame, such as the bucket strut protrusion 73 of the bucket support frame. The strap 77 with the tensioning clamp 79 shown passes through the above-mentioned cutout in the coupler sidewall to tie the transducer coupler to the bucket wall, similarly as described above. The additional adjustable strap 78 is also wound around the bucket for tying the bucket to the support frame. In both cases, the straps are preferably made of a stable low-elasticity material and are tightly tensioned around the bucket.

[0031] The different ways of attaching the transducer to the above-mentioned bucket wall (using elastic cords wound around the bucket as shown or attached to a fixed frame) result in the transducer basket and the magnetic circuit assembly being elastically held in place, rather than being in a fixed stationary position as is usually the case when mounting a transducer to the baffle wall of a speaker enclosure. The elastic fastening device for TBMCA effectively creates a system of two moving masses on springs. The main moving mass is the TBMCA itself, and this mass is coupled through a spring (the diaphragm suspension) to a second moving mass (the diaphragm is essentially massless) consisting of the voice coil assembly, the coupler, and the bucket ("VCB"). It is noteworthy that in the case where the TBMCA is directly attached to the bucket, the TBMCA mass is also coupled to the VCB mass through an auxiliary spring (elastic fastening), thus providing an auxiliary path for the vibrational energy of the TCBMA to couple to the bucket (effectively the VCB mass) and thus to the liquid inside the bucket. However, it is believed that in this direct fastening configuration, the TBMCA vibrational energy reaching the liquid inside the bucket through this auxiliary path will be relatively small, and most of the TBMCA vibrational energy transferred to the liquid inside the bucket through the VCB mass will be transferred through the main path of the coupler through the diaphragm suspension.

[0032] The above device can be advantageously used to excite resonances within the audio frequency range of interest (in most cases, it will occur below 1000 Hz) in a bucket (or other container). By driving the transducer at or near these resonance frequencies, the vibrational energy generated by the transducer can be effectively transferred to the liquid inside the bucket. At these frequencies, the bucket wall effectively becomes a diaphragm with essentially no mass, putting the vibrational energy into the liquid inside the bucket for stirring the liquid, such as accelerating the aging of spirits inside the bucket. The signal content for driving the transducer fastened to the bucket will need to be optimized for the bucket resonance frequencies. This optimization can be done manually or through a feedback loop.

[0033] A manual method for optimizing signal content involves an open-loop system where sensors (such as accelerometers or hydrophones) deployed in and / or on the barrel are manually used to measure the "energy spectrum" and / or "transfer function" (frequency response) to identify the resonant frequencies of the barrel. These measurements can be performed using a single-channel or dual-channel FFT spectrum analyzer, but other analysis methods can also be used. As part of this manual fine-tuning process, enhanced equalization can be applied to the audio path at the resonant frequencies so that the input signal can best excite the resonance and maximize the vibration. This manual process can be repeated at defined time intervals (days / weeks / months) throughout the aging process to make adjustments for changes in the resonance (if they drift).

[0034] The above-mentioned manual method for optimizing signal content is reflected in Figure 9 which shows that the figure illustrates generating resonance in the barrel to stir the response liquid in the barrel to an extent sufficient to produce a desired effect (such as accelerating the aging of whiskey). As a first step, vibration sensors such as those described above are deployed to measure the vibration (acceleration) in the barrel wall and preferably also the vibration (sound pressure) in the liquid contained in the barrel. This step is represented by block 81. Next, the vibration energy within the audio spectrum is directly coupled to the barrel (block 83). Then, the output of the deployed sensors is used to determine the frequency response of the barrel and the vibration-responsive liquid contained in the barrel (block 85). Using the determined frequency response of the barrel and the liquid, the frequency at which the vibration energy in the liquid contained in the barrel can be effectively excited (agitated) can be determined (block 87). In the next step of the method (represented by block 89), an audio input signal containing the frequency determined in the previous step (block 87) is used to directly couple the vibration energy to the barrel (such as through the above-mentioned device). At the determined resonant frequencies, the vibration energy needs to be sufficient to excite effective vibrations in the liquid contained in the barrel. The direct coupling of the sound energy to the barrel provides an effective coupling of the vibration energy to the liquid in the barrel, meaning that less power is required to effectively agitate the barrel liquid at these resonant frequencies compared to hitting the barrel with sound.

[0035] Figure 10 A simple system for optimizing the signal content input to a transducer using a feedback loop is shown. A signal input 91 and the signal path to the transducer 19 are shown, which includes a signal processor 93, a limiter 95, and an amplifier 97. The output of the amplifier is connected to the transducer 19, and the transducer can be fastened to the barrel 11 in the above-mentioned manner or fastened to as Figure 8The fixed bracket shown. The sensor denoted by the letter A is deployed in the barrel to measure the sound pressure in the liquid in the barrel caused by the vibration of the transducer. The additional sensor denoted by the letter B is connected to the outside of the barrel wall to measure the acceleration in the wall. As shown in block 99, the output of the sensor is used to detect resonance, and this information is fed back to the signal processor 93. Different types of feedback systems are envisioned and will now be briefly described.

[0036] A classical negative feedback system, in which the sensor output is fed back to a linear controller (such as a PID or possibly a MIMO controller) to form negative feedback. Here, classical control theory applies. An error signal is generated and used to drive the amplifier and the transducer(s). As in a typical negative feedback system, the signal at the sensor is matched to the signal at the input by the loop gain. In this case, the acceleration (sensed by the accelerometer) will be matched to the electrical audio input. The electrical input will be an external audio signal and may also be an internal audio signal mixed with it. For example, the internal audio signal can be a sine wave set at a known resonance frequency to make the acceleration approach a constant amplitude, thus generating optimal vibration and fluid agitation.

[0037] In classical negative feedback, the extent to which the sensor signal matches the input will depend on the amount of loop gain. The loop gain is always limited to achieve stability. The stability requirement for a negative feedback system is that there is no positive feedback at frequencies where the loop gain is 1 or greater. Since the phase shift increases with increasing frequency due to the delay between the actuator and the sensor ("plant"), roll-off is typically applied in the loop in the form of a low-pass filter, i.e., the dominant pole, to ensure that the gain is <1 before the phase reaches 180°. The roll-off itself also generates a phase shift, so it is typically limited to the first order (-6 dB / oct). At frequencies below the unity gain frequency, the loop gain can typically only increase (as the frequency decreases) by 6 dB / oct.

[0038] Example. In a barrel filled with whiskey, the phase shift from the transducer is measured by the accelerometer, and the observed phase shift reaches 180 degrees at a frequency of 300 Hz, even when the accelerometer is placed very close to the driver. As a result, a large amount of loop gain cannot be applied because the gain must be less than 1 between 200 - 300 Hz. To keep the feedback loop stable, a maximum loop gain of 20 dB at 25 Hz and a drop to 0 dB loop gain at 250 Hz need to be applied. The disadvantage of this method is that it results in relatively weak tracking of the acceleration.

[0039] Automated measurement and monitoring with automatic adjustment. In this embodiment, the accelerometer sensor is not in a negative feedback loop, but rather its signal is fed into a system that measures the spectrum, transfer function, or other properties of the audio automatically to make decisions about the equalization of the audio fed to the amplifier and actuator. The system can take many forms. For example, it can adjust the equalization and overall gain in the audio, drive the amplifier to optimize or maximize the acceleration at the resonance frequency. It can also adjust the limiter or non-linear signal processing or activate internal audio signals such as noise or sine waves to optimize the acceleration or vibration again.

[0040] Positive feedback with controlled instability. The concept of the system is that instead of implementing negative feedback, positive feedback is implemented so that the loop remains at the edge of oscillation or weakly oscillating at one or more resonance frequencies.

[0041] Although the various embodiments of the present invention have been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the described embodiments or to the specific details of the described embodiments. It should be understood that variations of the described embodiments are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for altering a liquid contained within a liquid container having a container wall, wherein the liquid responds to vibrational energy in the audio frequency range introduced into the liquid, the apparatus comprising: a transducer for generating vibrational energy in the audio frequency range in response to an audio signal input, the transducer having a frame and a conical diaphragm suspended within the frame, and the transducer further having a voice coil assembly including a bobbin having a bottom and an extension, and the voice coil assembly further having a voice coil wound around the bottom of the bobbin, the conical diaphragm being attached to the extension of the bobbin; a coupler attached to one or both of the conical diaphragm of the transducer and the extension of the bobbin of the voice coil assembly of the transducer such that vibrational energy generated by the voice coil assembly of the transducer in the audio frequency range is transferred to the coupler, and wherein the coupler is configured to transfer vibrational energy generated by the voice coil assembly of the transducer in the audio frequency range to the wall of the container in response to an audio signal input to the wall of the container when the transducer is held adjacent to the wall of the container.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the coupler is configured to transfer vibrational energy generated by the transducer in the audio frequency range to the wall of the container by direct contact with the wall of the container.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the transducer has a defined front plane and the coupler has a pushing end extending beyond the front plane of the transducer, and wherein vibrational energy generated by the transducer in the audio frequency range in response to an audio signal input is transferred to the wall of the container by direct contact of the pushing end of the coupler with the container wall.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the coupler has a pushing end projecting forward configured to contact the wall of the container and a base end attached to the voice coil assembly of the transducer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, further comprising a fastening means for holding the coupler attached to the voice coil assembly of the transducer adjacent to the wall of the liquid container such that the coupler transfers vibrational energy generated by the voice coil assembly of the transducer to the container wall and thus to the responsive liquid within the container.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the fastening means for holding the coupler to the wall of the container includes a cutout in the coupler for receiving a fastening strap or cord wound around the container.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the transducer includes a fixed rear portion to which the coupler is not attached, and wherein the fastening means includes separate means for elastically holding the fixed rear portion of the transducer in place relative to the coupler and the container.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The fixed rear portion of the transducer is elastically held directly to the container.

9. A device for altering a liquid contained in a liquid container having a container wall, wherein the liquid responds to vibrational energy introduced into the liquid in the audio frequency range, the device comprising: A transducer for generating vibrational energy in the audio frequency range in response to an audio signal input, the transducer having a frame and a conical diaphragm suspended within the frame, and the transducer further having a voice coil assembly, the transducer having a defined front plane, the voice coil assembly including a bobbin having a bottom and an extension, and the voice coil assembly further having a voice coil wound around the bottom of the bobbin, the conical diaphragm being attached to the extension of the bobbin; A coupler having a proximal end and a pusher end extending beyond the front plane of the transducer, the proximal end of the coupler being attached to one or both of the conical diaphragm of the transducer and the extension of the bobbin of the voice coil assembly of the transducer, such that vibrational energy in the audio frequency range generated by the voice coil assembly of the transducer is transferred to the coupler, and the pusher end of the coupler is configured to contact and press against the wall of the liquid container when the transducer is held against the wall of the container.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the coupler includes a notch for receiving a tie strap or cord that wraps around the container to keep the pusher end of the coupler in contact with the container wall.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the coupler includes a plurality of notches for ventilation holes and for receiving a tie strap or cord that wraps around the container to keep the pusher end of the coupler in contact with the container wall.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the coupler has a cylindrical sidewall extending from the proximal end of the coupler to the pusher end of the coupler.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the pusher end of the coupler has a substantially closed end having a forwardly protruding contact surface for contacting the wall of the container.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the pusher end of the coupler is open and formed by the forward top edge of the coupler, wherein the forward top edge of the coupler provides contact between the coupler and the wall of the container.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein, the coupler is shaped like a cylinder.

16. A device for altering a liquid contained in a liquid container having a container wall, wherein the liquid responds to vibrational energy introduced into the liquid, and wherein the container has a determinable resonance frequency in the audio frequency range, the device comprising: A transducer for generating vibrational energy in the audio frequency range in response to an audio signal input, the transducer having a frame and a conical diaphragm suspended within the frame, and the transducer further having a voice coil assembly, the audio signal input including a determined resonance frequency of the container, the transducer having a defined front plane, the voice coil assembly including a bobbin having a bottom and an extension, and the voice coil assembly further having a voice coil wound around the bottom of the bobbin, the conical diaphragm being attached to the extension of the bobbin. A cylindrical coupler having a proximal end and a pushing end extending beyond the front plane of the transducer, the proximal end of the coupler being attached to one or both of the conical diaphragm of the transducer and the extension of the bobbin of the voice coil assembly of the transducer such that vibrational energy in the audio frequency range generated by the voice coil assembly is transferred to the coupler, and the pushing end of the coupler being configured to contact and bear against the wall of the liquid container. A fastening device for holding the transducer near the wall of the liquid container such that the pushing end of the coupler attached to the transducer bears against the wall of the liquid container, wherein vibrational energy generated by the transducer at the resonance frequency of the liquid container is transmitted through the container wall to the responsive liquid in the container.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, the fastening device includes a plurality of cuts for vent holes and for a fastening band or cord that wraps around the container to hold the pushing end of the coupler in contact with the container wall.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, the transducer includes a fixed rear portion to which the coupler is not attached, and wherein the fastening device includes means for elastically and directly holding the fixed rear portion of the transducer to the container.

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