Method for preparing a slush from a liquid material, beverage appliance and ice maker

Abstract

The application provides a liquid material smoothie preparation method, comprising the following steps: step one, placing the liquid material in a beverage appliance and cooling the liquid material; step two, applying ultrasonic vibration of a set frequency range to the liquid material at the same time of cooling or when the temperature enters a phase transition critical temperature interval of the liquid material; step three, in the phase transition critical temperature interval, forming ice crystal particles of a set particle size and a round shape in the liquid material through ultrasonic vibration intervention in the ice crystal nucleation and growth process, and finally obtaining a smoothie product made of the liquid material. Through application of ultrasonic vibration of a set frequency range in the phase transition critical temperature interval of the liquid material, ice crystal particles of a set particle size and a round shape are formed in the liquid material, so that the purpose of smooth and delicate taste is achieved when the smoothie is drunk.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of slush preparation technology, specifically to a method for preparing liquid slush, beverage utensils, and an ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] Smoothies are a popular frozen beverage. Traditional smoothies are typically made by mechanically shaving or crushing ice, which involves breaking pre-frozen large blocks of ice into ice chips using an ice shaving or crusher, and then mixing them with liquid ingredients. This method has several technical drawbacks: First, the ice crystal particle size is uncontrollable and unevenly distributed, with large ice chips having sharp edges, resulting in a rough texture and potential for scratching the oral mucosa. Second, ice making and smoothie mixing must be done in separate steps, making it difficult to achieve integrated on-site preparation based on liquid materials, and thus unsuitable for portable or mobile applications. Third, different types of liquid materials, such as coffee, milk, juice, and carbonated beverages, have varying sugar content, gas content, and freezing points. Traditional processes cannot customize process parameters to match the characteristics of different liquid materials, resulting in inconsistent texture and taste in smoothie products.

[0003] Ultrasonic-assisted freezing technology has been researched and applied in the field of food preservation. Existing technologies include freezing and preservation methods that apply ultrasound to solid foods such as strawberries, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots. Ultrasonic vibration is used to refine ice crystals to reduce freezing damage and improve the preservation quality of food. However, the aforementioned existing technologies have the following limitations: First, they are applied to solid food ingredients, which have a dense internal structure. The transmission of ultrasonic energy within these ingredients is constrained by the material properties, making it difficult to achieve uniform intervention of ultrasonic vibration over the entire liquid material. Second, their purpose is freezing and preservation rather than preparing drinkable smoothies. The entire freezing process is lengthy, and there is no precise control over the particle size and morphology of the final ice crystals. Third, existing technologies do not match the ultrasonic vibration frequency to parameters such as the type of liquid material, sugar content, or gas content, nor do they precisely control the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer, making it impossible to achieve targeted intervention in the ice crystal nucleation and growth process. Fourth, existing technologies do not offer a solution for preparing drinkable smoothies on-site within minutes. In patent literature and published papers, there is still a gap in ultrasonic-assisted rapid on-site preparation technology for liquid materials.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies lack a method to rapidly prepare slushie products with rounded ice crystal particles of a set particle size from liquid materials such as pure water, coffee liquid, milk, juice, and carbonated beverages, as well as matching beverage utensils and ice makers for on-site slushie preparation, which fails to meet consumers' demand for high-quality slushie preparation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a method for preparing liquid smoothies, beverage utensils, and an ice maker to meet consumers' demand for high-quality smoothie preparation.

[0006] This invention provides the following technical solution: a method for preparing liquid material smoothies, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Step 1: Place the liquid material into a beverage container to cool it down; Step 2: Simultaneously with cooling or when the temperature enters the critical phase change temperature range of the liquid material, apply ultrasonic vibration within a set frequency range to the liquid material. Step 3: Within the critical temperature range of phase change, the ice crystal nucleation and growth process is intervened by ultrasonic vibration, so that ice crystal particles of a set size and round shape are formed in the liquid material, and finally, a shaved ice product made from the liquid material is obtained.

[0008] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects that the at least one technical solution adopted by the present invention can achieve include at least the following: This invention applies ultrasonic vibration within a set frequency range to the phase transition critical temperature range of liquid materials, causing the formation of rounded ice crystal particles of a set size within the liquid material. The particle size of the ice crystals can be controlled to be less than 100 μm. Compared with traditional shaved ice, the particle size of the ice crystals is significantly reduced, and the particle surface is rounded and without sharp edges, resulting in a delicate and smooth texture when consumed, greatly enhancing the taste experience.

[0009] In this invention, the frequency of ultrasonic vibration is within a set frequency range of 5kHz to 50kHz, and is matched and selected according to at least one parameter among the type of liquid material, sugar content, or gas content. The critical temperature range of phase change is determined according to the type of liquid material. For different liquid materials such as pure water, coffee liquid, milk, juice, and carbonated beverages, the optimal ultrasonic frequency and process parameters can be matched respectively, so as to achieve precise intervention in the ice crystal nucleation and growth process of different liquid materials, overcoming the defects of fixed ultrasonic parameters in the prior art that cannot adapt to the characteristics of different liquid materials.

[0010] This invention uses a control unit to precisely control the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer based on real-time detection results from a temperature detection unit. The transducer can be activated simultaneously with cooling or when the liquid material temperature enters the critical phase transition temperature range. This concentrates ultrasonic vibrations within the critical phase transition temperature range, where ice crystal nucleation and growth are most active, avoiding ineffective energy consumption during non-phase transition stages, improving the utilization efficiency of ultrasonic energy, and shortening preparation time.

[0011] This invention provides a method and beverage apparatus that allows for the on-site preparation of smoothies within a set timeframe before consumption, eliminating the need for pre-freezing large blocks of ice. Liquids such as coffee and juice can be directly prepared into drinkable smoothies within minutes, truly achieving integrated, rapid on-site preparation of liquid materials. This on-site preparation capability fills a gap in existing technology and is suitable for various mobile and fixed scenarios, including cafes, tea shops, aviation, and vehicles.

[0012] In addition to on-site preparation, smoothie products can also be pre-made and maintain the particle size and shape of the formed ice crystals, which facilitates factory pre-production and subsequent delivery and sales. This approach combines both on-site preparation and pre-production business models, thus broadening the scope of application of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0017] Example 1 See Figure 1 This embodiment provides a method for preparing liquid smoothies. This method is applicable to preparing smoothie products with a smooth texture from liquid materials such as pure water, coffee, milk, fruit juice, and carbonated beverages. Taking the on-site preparation of coffee liquid as an example, the specific steps are as follows.

[0018] Step 1: Place the liquid material into a beverage container to cool it down.

[0019] The liquid material to be made into a smoothie (in this embodiment, a beverage with a sugar content of approximately 10% is used as an example) is poured into the container of a beverage vessel. The container is equipped with a cooling module. Once activated, the cooling module continuously cools the liquid material inside the container, gradually reducing its temperature from room temperature at a set cooling rate. In this embodiment, the cooling module uses a semiconductor cooling chip located at the bottom of the container, cooling the liquid material through direct heat conduction. The cooling rate of the cooling module can be adjusted according to the type and total amount of the liquid material to ensure that the temperature of the liquid material drops steadily and uniformly to the critical temperature range of the phase transition.

[0020] Step 2: Simultaneously with cooling or when the temperature enters the critical phase change temperature range of the liquid material, apply ultrasonic vibration within a set frequency range to the liquid material.

[0021] The container is equipped with a temperature detection unit that monitors the temperature of the liquid material in real time and continuously feeds the temperature signal back to the control unit. Based on the detected temperature and type of liquid material, the control unit determines the corresponding critical temperature range for phase change and controls the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer accordingly.

[0022] Specifically, the critical temperature range of phase transition is determined according to the type of liquid material: for pure water, the critical temperature range of phase transition is approximately -2℃ to 0℃; for beverages with a sugar content of approximately 10%, the critical temperature range of phase transition is approximately -3℃ to -1℃ due to the lowering of the freezing point caused by the presence of solute; for milk, due to the presence of protein and lactose, the critical temperature range of phase transition is approximately -3℃ to -0.5℃; for fruit juice (such as orange juice) with a sugar content of approximately 12%, the critical temperature range of phase transition is approximately -4℃ to -1℃; for carbonated beverages, due to the presence of dissolved gases, the critical temperature range of phase transition is similar to that of non-carbonated beverages with similar sugar content, but the gas content will affect the propagation efficiency of ultrasonic vibration in liquid materials, which needs to be considered when matching ultrasonic parameters.

[0023] In one embodiment, the control unit can activate the ultrasonic transducer simultaneously with cooling, applying ultrasonic vibration as soon as the cooling module begins to cool. In another embodiment, the control unit can set the activation timing of the ultrasonic transducer to occur when the liquid material temperature enters the critical temperature range for phase change, i.e., when the liquid material is about to undergo a phase change. The latter method can more precisely concentrate ultrasonic vibration on the most active stages of ice crystal nucleation and growth, avoiding ineffective energy consumption in non-phase change stages. This is also a significant technical feature that distinguishes it from existing technologies where ultrasonic vibration is applied throughout the entire freezing process.

[0024] The set frequency range for ultrasonic vibration is 5kHz to 50kHz. The specific frequency of ultrasonic vibration within this range is selected based on at least one parameter of the liquid material: type, sugar content, or gas content. For pure water, an ultrasonic frequency of approximately 20kHz can be used; for beverages with a sugar content of approximately 10%, an ultrasonic frequency of approximately 25kHz to 30kHz can be used; for milk, an ultrasonic frequency of approximately 20kHz to 25kHz can be used; for orange juice with a sugar content of approximately 12%, an ultrasonic frequency of approximately 28kHz can be used; for carbonated beverages, the influence of gas content on the transmission of ultrasonic waves in the liquid material needs to be considered, and an ultrasonic frequency of approximately 15kHz to 20kHz can be used to ensure effective transmission of ultrasonic energy in the gas-containing liquid material. The control unit controls the ultrasonic transducer to output ultrasonic vibration at the corresponding frequency based on the selected frequency value, and continues to apply it until the phase transition critical temperature range ends. That is, the start-up time of the ultrasonic transducer corresponds to the time the liquid material is in the phase transition critical temperature range.

[0025] Step 3: Within the critical temperature range of phase change, the ice crystal nucleation and growth process is intervened by ultrasonic vibration to form ice crystal particles of a set size and round shape in the liquid material, and finally, a slush product made from the liquid material is obtained.

[0026] Within the critical temperature range of phase transition, ultrasonic vibration acts on liquid materials through the synergistic effects of acoustic cavitation and acoustic flow, interfering with the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals. Acoustic cavitation generates numerous microbubbles within the liquid material. Driven by the ultrasonic field, these bubbles periodically expand and collapse, creating localized high pressure at the moment of collapse. This provides a large number of uniformly distributed nucleation sites for ice crystal nucleation, enabling the simultaneous formation of numerous small ice nuclei within the liquid material and preventing the preferential growth of a few large nuclei. The acoustic flow effect induces macroscopic and microscopic convection within the liquid material in the ultrasonic field, continuously disturbing the growing ice crystal particles and inhibiting their growth along specific directions. This prevents the ice crystal particles from forming dendritic structures with sharp tips, instead allowing them to grow slowly and evenly throughout the liquid material, ultimately forming ice crystal particles of a predetermined size and a rounded shape.

[0027] The set particle size of the ice crystals can be adjusted by controlling the frequency, power, and start-up time of the ultrasonic vibration. In this embodiment, the set particle size range of the ice crystals is less than 100 μm; in a preferred embodiment, the average particle size of the ice crystals can be controlled at about 30 μm, resulting in a smooth and delicate slush product with a texture close to that of milk compared to ordinary ice slush, exhibiting a high sensory quality.

[0028] In this embodiment, the smoothie product is prepared on-site, meaning it is made within a set time before consumption. Taking a coffee smoothie as an example, after a customer places an order, the coffee liquid is placed into the beverage vessel, and through steps one through three, the smoothie is prepared within minutes and immediately served to the customer. Throughout the on-site preparation process, the beverage vessel is powered by a built-in battery, making it portable and suitable for the on-site preparation needs of cafes, tea shops, and other similar settings.

[0029] The beverage equipment used in this embodiment includes: a container, a refrigeration module, an ultrasonic transducer, a temperature detection unit, and a control unit.

[0030] The container is used to hold liquid materials, has sufficient volume to hold the liquid materials to be prepared into smoothies, and has good sealing properties to prevent the liquid materials from overflowing.

[0031] A refrigeration module is installed inside the container to cool the liquid material inside. In this embodiment, the refrigeration module is located at the bottom of the container and cools the liquid material through direct contact or heat conduction. The refrigeration module can use a semiconductor refrigeration chip (Peltier element) or a micro compressor refrigeration system. The micro compressor refrigeration system has higher refrigeration efficiency and is suitable for applications requiring high cooling rates.

[0032] An ultrasonic transducer is installed inside the container to output ultrasonic vibrations within a set frequency range to the liquid material inside. The ultrasonic transducer includes a surface transducer, which directly contacts the liquid material or couples with it through the container wall, converting electrical energy into mechanical vibrations, which are then transmitted to the liquid material in the form of ultrasonic waves. Using a surface transducer instead of a point transducer allows the ultrasonic vibrations to be transmitted to the liquid material via surface radiation, ensuring that the liquid material within 1.5 times the size of the transducer's radiation surface can effectively receive ultrasonic intervention, thereby guaranteeing the consistency of the ice crystal particle size and morphology throughout the liquid material. In this embodiment, both the cooling module and the surface transducer are located at the bottom of the container, and can be integrated into a single bottom module, achieving both uniform cooling of the liquid material and effective application of ultrasonic vibrations.

[0033] The temperature detection unit is used to detect the temperature of liquid materials in the container. It can use thermistors, thermocouples or infrared temperature sensors to monitor the temperature changes of liquid materials in real time and transmit the temperature data to the control unit.

[0034] The control unit is electrically connected to the refrigeration module, ultrasonic transducer, and temperature detection unit. Based on the detected temperature of the liquid material, it controls the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer and intervenes in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals. The control unit can be a microcontroller (MCU) or a programmable logic controller with a built-in control program. Based on preset parameters such as the type of liquid material, sugar content, or gas content, it automatically determines process parameters such as the critical temperature range of phase change, ultrasonic vibration frequency, ultrasonic power, and ultrasonic start-up duration. It then automatically controls the operation of the beverage equipment according to these parameters, achieving intelligent control of the liquid material smoothie preparation process.

[0035] In this embodiment, the beverage utensil is powered by a built-in battery, making it easy to carry and use.

[0036] Example 2 This embodiment provides a pre-processing scheme for preparing liquid material smoothies, a modified scheme for beverage utensils, and a specific implementation method for an ice maker.

[0037] I. Pre-production scheme for liquid material smoothies In this embodiment, the smoothie product is pre-made, meaning it is prepared in advance while maintaining the particle size and shape of the formed ice crystals for subsequent packaging, storage, or distribution. Taking the batch pre-production of freshly squeezed orange juice as an example, the specific steps are as follows.

[0038] Step 1: Place the liquid material into a beverage container to cool it down.

[0039] A batch of liquid material (in this embodiment, freshly squeezed orange juice with a sugar content of about 12% is used as an example) is placed in the container of a beverage vessel. After the refrigeration module is started, the liquid material in the container is continuously cooled down according to the set cooling rate, and the temperature of the liquid material is gradually reduced from the initial temperature to the critical temperature range of phase change.

[0040] Step 2: Simultaneously with cooling or when the temperature enters the critical phase change temperature range of the liquid material, apply ultrasonic vibration within a set frequency range to the liquid material.

[0041] The temperature detection unit monitors the temperature of the liquid material in real time and transmits the temperature signal to the control unit. Based on the detected liquid material temperature, the control unit activates the ultrasonic transducer once the temperature enters the critical phase transition temperature range determined according to the type of liquid material (for orange juice with a sugar content of approximately 12%, the critical phase transition temperature range is approximately -4℃ to -1℃). The set frequency range for ultrasonic vibration is 5kHz to 50kHz; the ultrasonic vibration frequency is selected within this range based on at least one parameter of the liquid material's type, sugar content, or gas content: in this embodiment, the orange juice has a sugar content of approximately 12%, and the ultrasonic vibration frequency is selected to be approximately 28kHz. The control unit also controls the activation duration of the ultrasonic transducer to ensure that ultrasonic vibration is continuously applied throughout the entire critical phase transition temperature range of the liquid material, thus fully intervening in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals.

[0042] Step 3: Within the critical temperature range of phase change, the ice crystal nucleation and growth process is intervened by ultrasonic vibration to form ice crystal particles of a set size and round shape in the liquid material, and finally, a slush product made from the liquid material is obtained.

[0043] Under the intervention of ultrasonic vibration, a large number of round ice crystal particles with a diameter of less than 100μm are formed in orange juice. The ice crystal particles are evenly dispersed in the liquid medium of orange juice to form a smoothie product. By adjusting the frequency and power of ultrasonic vibration, the average particle size of the ice crystal particles can be further controlled within the range of about 30μm to 50μm, so that the smoothie product has an excellent delicate taste.

[0044] After pre-processing, the prepared smoothie product is stored in a designated low-temperature storage environment (e.g., maintained at -5°C to -8°C) to preserve the particle size and morphology of the formed ice crystals. This low-temperature storage, below the critical phase change temperature range of the liquid material, prevents the ice crystals from remelting during storage and avoids coarsening and morphological changes in the ice crystal particles. This ensures that the smoothie product maintains a fine particle size and rounded shape throughout subsequent packaging, distribution, and consumption, guaranteeing that the smoothie product ultimately received by consumers has the same taste and quality as when it was prepared on-site.

[0045] II. Modifications of Beverage Utensils The beverage appliance in this embodiment has the same main structure as that in Embodiment 1, including a container, a cooling module, an ultrasonic transducer (including a surface transducer), a temperature detection unit, and a control unit. The difference is that the cooling module and the surface transducer are located on the side wall of the container, rather than at the bottom of the container.

[0046] Specifically, the surface transducer is attached to the inner surface of the container's sidewall, and the cooling module is arranged on the outer or inner sidewall of the container, conducting cold energy and ultrasonic vibration to the liquid material through the sidewall. This arrangement keeps the bottom of the container flat, facilitating stable placement of the container, while the larger contact area of ​​the sidewall promotes the uniform distribution of ultrasonic vibration and cold energy in the liquid material.

[0047] In another variant, the cooling module and surface transducer can also be located on the top cover of the container, through which cooling energy and ultrasonic vibration are conducted to the liquid material, which is suitable for specific process scenarios that require ultrasonic energy to be applied from above.

[0048] Regardless of whether the cooling module and surface transducer are located at the bottom, side wall, or top of the container, the control unit uses the same control logic to control the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer based on the detected temperature of the liquid material, and intervenes in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals.

[0049] In this embodiment, the beverage equipment is powered by an external power source, which is suitable for mass production in fixed locations (such as factories and commercial kitchens). The external power source can provide more sufficient power to drive the refrigeration module and ultrasonic transducer with greater power, thereby improving the efficiency of mass production.

[0050] III. Ice Maker This embodiment also provides an ice maker that can use liquid water as raw material to produce shaved ice products in batches with ice crystal particles of a set particle size and a round shape.

[0051] The ice maker includes a main body, an ice-making module, a temperature detection unit, and a control unit.

[0052] The body serves as the outer shell of the ice maker, providing mechanical support and protection for the entire machine. The interior of the body is equipped with a heat insulation structure to reduce heat exchange between the ice-making module and the external environment, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0053] The slush-making module, located within the machine body, holds liquid water and forms the slush product. The module includes a cooling module and an ultrasonic transducer. The cooling module cools the liquid water within the module, gradually reducing its temperature to the critical phase change temperature range (approximately -2°C to 0°C for liquid water) according to a set cooling rate. The ultrasonic transducer, under the control of the control unit, applies ultrasonic vibrations within a set frequency range (5kHz to 50kHz) to the liquid water when its temperature enters the critical phase change temperature range. This interferes with the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals, resulting in spherical ice crystal particles of a set size.

[0054] The temperature detection unit is used to detect the temperature of the liquid water in the ice-making module. The temperature detection unit is electrically connected to the control unit and continuously transmits real-time temperature data to the control unit.

[0055] The control unit is electrically connected to the refrigeration module, ultrasonic transducer, and temperature detection unit. Based on the detected liquid water temperature, it controls the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer to intervene in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals, thereby forming ice crystal particles of a set size and a rounded shape. Specifically, when the temperature detection unit detects that the liquid water temperature has entered the phase change critical temperature range (approximately -2°C to 0°C), the control unit issues a command to start the ultrasonic transducer and controls its operation according to preset process parameters (including the ultrasonic vibration frequency of the liquid water, approximately 20kHz, ultrasonic power, and ultrasonic start-up duration). Once the formation of ice crystal particles within the phase change critical temperature range has reached the target state (i.e., the ice crystal particle size meets the set size requirement and is rounded), the control unit issues a command to stop the ultrasonic transducer, completing the preparation of one batch of shaved ice products. By precisely controlling the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer through the control unit, the ice maker can batch produce ice crystal particles with a diameter of less than 100μm and a round shape. In a preferred embodiment, the average particle size of the ice crystal particles can be controlled within the range of about 30μm to 50μm. The resulting smoothie product has a delicate and uniform texture and can be directly supplied to beverage preparation equipment or used for the batch preparation of commercial smoothie products.

[0056] This invention integrates an ice-making module, a refrigeration module, an ultrasonic transducer, a temperature detection unit, and a control unit into a single machine body. It precisely controls the ultrasonic vibration parameters based on the characteristics of liquid water, forming ice crystal particles of a set size and round shape in batches. This enables the large-scale and standardized preparation of pure water ice smoothies, which can be widely used in the catering industry, food processing, and other scenarios.

[0057] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Therefore, substitutions of equivalent components, or equivalent changes and modifications made within the scope of protection of the present invention, should still fall within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the technical features, technical features and technical solutions, and technical solutions in the present invention can be freely combined and used.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a liquid material smoothie, characterized by, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Place the liquid material into a beverage container to cool it down; Step 2: Simultaneously with cooling or when the temperature enters the critical phase change temperature range of the liquid material, apply ultrasonic vibration within a set frequency range to the liquid material. Step 3: Within the critical temperature range of phase change, the ice crystal nucleation and growth process is intervened by ultrasonic vibration, so that ice crystal particles of a set size and round shape are formed in the liquid material, and finally, a shaved ice product made from the liquid material is obtained.

2. A method of preparing a liquid material smoothie according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frequency range is set from 5kHz to 50kHz.

3. A method of preparing a liquid material smoothie according to claim 2, characterised in that, The set particle size range for ice crystals is less than 100 μm.

4. The method for preparing liquid material smoothies according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step two, the critical temperature range of phase change is determined according to the type of liquid material, and the frequency of ultrasonic vibration is selected within the frequency range according to at least one parameter among the type of liquid material, sugar content, or gas content.

5. The method for preparing liquid material smoothies according to claim 3, characterized in that, Smoothie products are prepared on-site or pre-made; On-site preparation refers to making smoothies within a set time before consumption; Pre-made refers to the process of pre-forming slush products while maintaining the particle size and shape of the formed ice crystals.

6. A beverage apparatus for implementing the method of claim 1, characterized in that, include: Containers used for holding liquid materials; A refrigeration module, installed inside the container, is used to cool the liquid material inside the container; An ultrasonic transducer is installed inside a container to output ultrasonic vibrations within a set frequency range to the liquid material inside the container. Temperature detection unit, used to detect the temperature of liquid materials inside the container; The control unit is electrically connected to the cooling module, ultrasonic transducer, and temperature detection unit. Based on the detected temperature of the liquid material, it controls the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer and intervenes in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals.

7. The beverage utensil according to claim 6, characterized in that, An ultrasonic transducer includes a surface transducer, a cooling module, and the surface transducer is located anywhere in the bottom, side wall, or top cover of the container.

8. The beverage utensil according to claim 7, characterized in that, The beverage equipment is powered by either a built-in battery or an external power source.

9. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: Organism; The ice smoothie module, located inside the machine, is used to hold liquid water and form ice smoothie products; the ice smoothie module includes a refrigeration module and an ultrasonic transducer; Temperature detection unit, used to detect the temperature of liquid water in the ice-making module; The control unit is electrically connected to the cooling module, ultrasonic transducer, and temperature detection unit. Based on the detected liquid water temperature, it controls the start-up timing and duration of the ultrasonic transducer to intervene in the nucleation and growth process of ice crystals, so as to form ice crystal particles with a set particle size and a round shape.

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