U.S. patent application number 12/683083 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-07 for fluid preservation system and method for use.
Invention is credited to Michelle Arney.
Application Number | 20110163094 12/683083 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44224116 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110163094 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arney; Michelle |
July 7, 2011 |
FLUID PRESERVATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE
Abstract
The present invention provides a fluid preservation system and
method, for preserving fluid in a container, which is simple,
inexpensive, effective, reusable and which also allows for easy use
of the unconsumed fluid after it has been stored. The fluid
preservation system comprises a series of fill members connected
along a flexible filament which is inserted into a container which
contains a partially consumed fluid.
Inventors: |
Arney; Michelle; (San
Francisco, CA) |
Family ID: |
44224116 |
Appl. No.: |
12/683083 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 ;
220/694 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/24 20130101;
C12H 1/12 20130101; Y02W 30/807 20150501; Y02W 30/80 20150501; B65D
81/245 20130101; B65D 39/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/212 ;
220/694 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/38 20060101
B65D090/38; B65D 51/00 20060101 B65D051/00 |
Claims
1. A device suitable for preserving fluid inside a container with
an opening, the device comprising: a plurality of fill members; a
filament connecting the plurality of fill members; and sealing
means for sealing the container with at least one of the fill
members inside the container.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container has a first opening;
the sealing means has a second opening which has an open state and
a closed state; the sealing means is sized to fit inside the first
opening; and the second opening enters the closed state when vacuum
is applied to the sealing means while the sealing means is inside
the first opening.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the container has a first
opening; the sealing means has a second opening which has an open
state and a closed state; the sealing means is sized to fit inside
the first opening; an elongated hollow member which is sized to fit
inside the second opening; whereby inserting the elongated hollow
member into the second opening changes the state of the second
opening of the sealing means from the closed state to the open
state and allows the fluid to exit the container.
4. A method suitable for preserving fluid in a container, the
method comprising: providing a container containing both a volume
of fluid and a volume of gas; providing a plurality of fill
members; providing a filament connecting the plurality of fill
members; providing a container sealing member; introducing at least
one of the plurality of fill members into the container, displacing
at least a portion of the volume of fluid, and reducing the volume
of gas in the container; and sealing the bottle with the container
sealing member.
5. The method of claim 4 further wherein the container has a first
opening; the sealing member has a second opening which has an open
state and a closed state; the sealing member is sized to fit inside
the first opening; and applying vacuum to the sealing member while
the sealing member is inside the first opening causing the second
opening to enter the closed state.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the container has a first
opening; the sealing member has a second opening which has an open
state and a closed state; the sealing member is sized to fit inside
the first opening; providing an elongated hollow member which is
sized to fit inside the second opening; inserting the elongated
hollow member into the second opening; changing the state of the
second opening of the sealing member from the closed state to the
open state; and allowing the fluid to exit the container.
7. A device suitable for sealing a first opening of a container
containing fluid, the device comprising: a container sealing member
having a second opening; the second opening having an open state
and a closed state; an elongated hollow member; the elongated
hollow member sized to fin inside the second opening; whereby
inserting the elongated hollow member into the second opening
changes the state of the second opening from closed to open and
allows the fluid to exit the container.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the preservation of fluid
inside a container.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Containers used for the storage of fluids, such as
beverages, are usually sealed to reduce spillage and contamination
caused by exposure to outside air. Often a beverage is only
partially consumed and resealed after opening. However, since the
volume of fluid within the container has been reduced, potentially
contaminating air is often sealed inside the container along with
the fluid, causing contamination of the fluid.
[0003] For example, one may open a bottle of wine, consume only a
portion of the contents of the bottle of wine, and reseal the wine
bottle so that the remaining wine can be enjoyed at a later time.
However the wine will only retain its flavor and quality for a few
days in the resealed condition because air has entered the bottle
to replace the consumed volume of wine and the air is in contact
with the wine in the resealed condition. The air oxidizes the wine,
which diminishes the flavor and quality of the wine.
[0004] A similar problem exists with other beverages, such as
carbonated beverages, milk, or other beverages which are adversely
affected by air or other gasses entering the container and coming
in contact with the beverage.
[0005] A similar problem exists with other fluids, such as
chemicals, either liquid or gaseous, which are affected by exposure
to air or other gasses.
[0006] To counteract these problems, several approaches have been
taken to minimize a fluid's contact with contaminating gases. Most
of these approaches have taken place in the beverage field.
[0007] Vacuum sealers have been used to seal wine bottle in an
attempt to remove as much air as possible from the wine bottle
during the resealing process. These devices only pull a light
vacuum, however, and do not remove all the air from the bottle. As
a result, wine is still contaminated relatively quickly.
[0008] Nitrogen has been used to replace the air in wine bottles
since nitrogen is less contaminating than air to wine. However,
this approach is cumbersome and requires replacement pressurized
nitrogen cartridges.
[0009] Patent application 2004/0081739 describes the concept of
pouring marbles, anatomically shaped or otherwise, into a wine
bottle after it has been partially consumed. However this approach
does not allow the marbles to be removed easily from the bottle.
The approach also would make pouring the remaining fluid from the
bottle, after the marbles have been introduced, a very messy and
cumbersome operation.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,311 describes a fluid preservation
system that is an integral part of the fluid storing container
itself and not a separate device which can be used with various or
standard containers. The patent also describes, briefly, a wine
preservation method of pouring conventional marbles into an opened
wine bottle to displace some of the oxygen in the wine bottle. This
is shown in FIG. 1E. However, only the use of conventional,
disconnected, marbles is disclosed. Like patent application
2004/0081739, above, this approach would make pouring the remaining
fluid from the bottle, after the marbles have been introduced, a
very messy and cumbersome operation. Removing the marbles before
pouring the wine would also be messy and difficult.
[0011] There remains a need to provide a simple, effective,
inexpensive and reusable way to preserve fluid inside a container
which allows the fluid to be easily used after resealing the
container and storing the container for some period of time.
SUMMARY
[0012] The present invention provides a solution which overcomes
the shortcomings of the prior art. The present invention provides a
fluid preservation system and method, for preserving fluid in a
container, which is simple, inexpensive, effective, reusable and
which also allows for easy use of the unconsumed fluid after it has
been stored. The fluid preservation system comprises a series of
fill members connected along a flexible filament which is inserted
into a container which contains a partially consumed fluid.
[0013] In one embodiment the container may be a wine bottle and the
fluid may be wine. In this case the fill members may be glass beads
which are strung on a filament which is made of a flexible material
which is impervious to the wine and strong enough to hold the glass
beads without breaking, such as nylon or PTFE thread. After the
wine is opened for the first time, and a portion of the wine in the
wine bottle is consumed, the fluid preservation system, including
glass beads connected by a filament, is introduced into the bottle
until the majority of the air left in the bottle has been
displaced. The bottle is then resealed with the fluid preservation
system in place inside the bottle. Some of the fluid preservation
system may remain outside of the bottle or the entire fluid
preservation system may be placed in the bottle. A sealing member
may be designed to work with the fluid preservation system so that
the wine bottle can be sealed while the fluid preservation system
is in place. For example, the sealing member may be a rubber
stopper which is sealed using vacuum, where the stopper has a slit
down the length of its side which allows the filament of the fluid
preservation system to snuggly rest between the stopper and the
inside surface of the opening of the bottle, while maintaining the
air-tight seal.
[0014] The sealing member may also be a rubber stopper which is
sealed using vacuum where the stopper has a slit or holes in the
interior of the stopper. The slit or holes may serve both to allow
a vacuum pump to pull a vacuum through the holes/slit and also as a
conduit for the filament of the fluid preservation system. In this
case, the material of the stopper would need to be soft and
flexible enough to maintain the seal around the filament.
[0015] The bottle may be also be resealed with any type of sealing
member including a standard cork or with a standard sealing member
made of metal, rubber or any other material. The bottle may also be
resealed with a vacuum sealer, electronic or manual, such as that
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,633, which is herein incorporated by
reference, or the Vacu Vin wine saver manufactured by Vacu Vin BV
located in Kalfieslaan, the Netherlands or PRESORVAC vacuum and
pressure seal pumps/stoppers manufactured by Epicurean
International Products, LLC. The bottle may also be resealed using
a nitrogen sealer such as The Keeper wine preserver made by
Winekeeper, located in Santa Barbara, Calif.
[0016] The container may be sealed using a sealing member after the
fluid preservation system is wholly or partially inserted into the
container. Preferably, the fluid preservation system displaces as
much gas as possible from the container so that the fluid remaining
in the container is exposed to a minimal volume of gas after the
container is sealed.
[0017] The sealing member may or may not be incorporated into the
fluid preservation system. The filament of the fluid preservation
system may reside between the sealing member and the opening of the
container after sealing. The filament may also reside within the
perimeter of the sealing member after sealing, such as through a
hole or slit in the center of the sealing member. The filament may
also reside in a groove or slit on the outside of the sealing
member after sealing. The filament may also terminate inside the
container and therefore not reside inside or next to the sealing
member.
[0018] A pouring spout may also be used in conjunction with the
fluid preservation system and the sealing member such that the
pouring spout is inserted through the sealing member or between the
sealing member and the container. This allows the user to pour the
contents of the container easily without removing the fluid
preservation system.
[0019] The sealing member may also be removed from the container
before the contents of the container are poured from the container.
The fluid preservation system may also be removed from the
container before the contents of the container are poured from the
container.
[0020] The fluid may be any liquid or gas and may even be a
consumable solid-like material such as honey, jelly, flour or tar.
The fluid may be a food or beverage or may be an industrial
material such as acid or a cleaning solution. The container may be
any container, either rigid or flexible. The fill members may be of
any shape and material and may be solid or deformable. The fill
members may float on or sink in the fluid in the container. The
filament may be made of any material including plastic, nylon,
PTFE, polymer, silk, or metal. The sealing member may be reusable,
or temporary. The sealing member may be a cork, plug, cap,
screw-top, vacuum seal, stretch seal, zip-lock seal, heat seal,
adhesive seal or other type of seal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIGS. 1A-1B are views of two different configurations of a
fluid preservation system.
[0022] FIGS. 2A-2B show the fluid preservation system in use in a
wine bottle.
[0023] FIGS. 3A-3E show various configurations of filling
members.
[0024] FIGS. 4A-4B show two configurations of filaments.
[0025] FIGS. 5A-5D show various configurations of a sealing
member.
[0026] FIGS. 6A-6B show two configurations of pouring spouts.
[0027] FIGS. 7A-7B show a pouring spout inserted into a sealing
member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] FIG. 1A shows a fluid preservation system. Multiple fill
members 20 are shown in FIG. 1A connected to each other in an
elongated fashion by filament 22. The fill members 20 may be fixed
to the filament or slidably connected to the filament. The fill
members may also be removably attached to the filament.
[0029] FIG. 1B shows a fluid preservation system with a sealing
member. The sealing member 26 may be placed anywhere on the fluid
preservation system. The sealing member may be permanently attached
to the fluid preservation system or it may be removably attached to
the fluid preservation system. The sealing member may be
incorporated (i.e. sold with) the fluid preservation system or it
may be separate, for example the sealing member may be the user's
own cork or vacuum wine sealer.
[0030] The sealing member may be made out of any material including
rubber, cork, plastic, metal or any other material or combination
of materials. The sealing member may be a cork, plug, cap,
screw-top, vacuum seal, stretch seal, zip-lock seal, heat seal,
adhesive seal or any other type of sealing member.
[0031] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a fluid preservation system in use to
preserve partially consumed wine in a wine bottle. FIG. 2A shows an
open wine bottle 28 which contains unconsumed wine 30. Air 32 is
also present in the bottle. The wine bottle has a top 34 which
contains an opening 36.
[0032] FIG. 2B shows the fluid preservation system after it has
been inserted into the partially consumed wine bottle depicted in
FIG. 2A. The unconsumed wine 30 has been displaced by the fill
members 20 which are part of fluid preservation system 38 so that
some or all of the air 32 has been displaced from the wine bottle
28 and the volume of contaminating air in the bottle has been
greatly reduced or eliminated. Sealing member 26 is in place in the
opening 36 (not visible) at the top of the wine bottle 34.
[0033] In the embodiment showed in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the fluid
preservation system is used as follows. First, an unopened bottle
of wine is opened, and some of the wine is poured from the bottle
and consumed, resulting in bottle 28 containing both unconsumed
wine 30 and air 32 as depicted in FIG. 2A. Fluid preservation
system 38 is inserted into the wine bottle 28 through the opening
of the wine bottle 36 by inserting a fill member at one end of the
fluid preservation system into the opening of the bottle and
allowing additional fill members to enter the bottle as needed.
Once enough fill members have entered the bottle to displace a
significant volume of the air in the bottle, the sealing member 26
is inserted into the opening of the wine bottle 36. The sealing
member may be inserted next to the filament 22 of the fluid
preservation system so that the filament is between the bottle and
the sealing member, or the filament may be within the sealing
member. The sealing member may incorporate a slit or groove in its
inside or along its outside. The sealing member may be incorporated
into the fluid preservation system or it may be separate. The
filament may also be completely contained in the bottle after
sealing.
[0034] Depending on the number of fill members necessary to
displace the air in the bottle, some fill members may remain
outside of the bottle after the air in the bottle is displaced.
This is shown in FIG. 2B. The fill members 20 may be slidable along
filament 22, or they may be removable. The fill members may also be
fixed to the filament. The length of the filament may be longer
than the combined diameters or lengths of the fill members so that
there is a gap 40 in the fluid preservation system which allows for
the insertion of the sealing member 26 into the opening of the
bottle 36. The length of the filament is sufficiently long to allow
the bottle to be filled, but not so long that it renders the fluid
preservation system unwieldy. In the case of a wine bottle, the
length of the filament may be about 100-300 cm.
[0035] FIGS. 3A-3F show some possible variations of fill member
configurations. The fill members may be any shape including
spherical, cylindrical, elongated, rectangular, triangular, or any
other shape. The fill members may be a predetermined shape, or may
be deformable. The fill members may be made out of glass, metal,
plastic, polymer, rubber, silicone, or any other material or
combination of materials. The fill members may be inert, or
reactive with the fluid in which they are placed. Fill members
which are reactive may further reduce contamination of the fluid in
the container via the reaction. The diameter or width of the fill
members is preferably sized smaller than the diameter or width of
the container opening into which they are inserted, however the
fill members may be larger than the container opening if the fill
members are deformable. A typical cross sectional width or diameter
of a fill member is preferably less than about 20 mm.
[0036] There may be an opening in the fill member to allow for the
filament to connect the fill members. The opening may be a hole 42
as shown in FIG. 3A or an inner slit 44 as shown in FIG. 3B. The
opening may be an outer slit 46 which extends to the outside
surface 48 of the fill member as shown in FIGS. 3C-3E. The outer
slit may be used if the fill member is removable from the filament.
A cylindrical fill member with a hole 42 is shown in FIG. 3F.
[0037] FIGS. 4A and 4B show some possible shapes of a filament.
FIG. 4A shows a circular cross sectional filament. FIG. 4B shows a
rectangular cross sectional filament. The filament may be any cross
sectional shape. The filament may be made out of any material
including nylon thread, PTFE, metal, silk, or any other suitable
material or combination of materials. The filament may be a ribbon
which is considerably wider than it is thick.
[0038] FIGS. 5A-5D show some possible designs of a sealing member.
FIG. 5A shows a sealing member with rings 50 and an inner hole 52.
The rings may aid the sealing member in preventing outside air or
gasses from entering the container that the sealing member is
sealing. The sealing member may or may not have rings 50. The inner
hole allows the filament to pass through the sealing member. The
sealing member may slide on the filament or be fixedly connected to
the filament. The sealing member may be attached to the filament
before or after the fluid preservation system has been introduced
into the container. The sealing member may also not be connected to
a filament.
[0039] FIG. 5B shows a sealing member with an inner slit 54. The
inner slit may be shaped to allow a ribbon shaped filament to pass
through the sealing member. Other shaped filaments may also be used
with a sealing member with an inner slit. The inner slit may be
shaped so that the sealing member may be sealed using vacuum. The
sealing member may slide on the filament or be fixed to the
filament. The sealing member may be attached to the filament before
or after the fluid preservation system has been introduced into the
container. The sealing member may also not be connected to a
filament.
[0040] FIG. 5C shows a sealing member with an outer slit 56. The
outer slit may allow the sealing member to be thread onto the
filament more easily since the sealing member can be placed on the
filament anywhere along the filament's length. The sealing member
may slide on the filament or be fixed to the filament. The sealing
member may be attached to the filament before or after the fluid
preservation system has been introduced into the container. The
sealing member may also not be connected to a filament.
[0041] FIG. 5D shows a sealing member with an outer groove 58. The
outer groove may allow a bulkier filament to rest between the
opening of the container and the sealing member without adversely
affecting the seal of the sealing member. The outer groove may also
allow the sealing member to be thread onto the filament more easily
since the sealing member can be placed on the filament anywhere
along the filament's length. The sealing member may slide on the
filament or be fixed to the filament. The sealing member may be
attached to the filament before or after the fluid preservation
system has been introduced into the container. The sealing member
may also not be connected to a filament.
[0042] The sealing member may also have no hole or slit. For
example, the sealing member may be a conventional cork used to
bottle wines or may be a cap, plug, screw top, stretch seal (such
as plastic wrap), or any other type of seal. The sealing member may
be made out of a polymer, metal, glass, cork, rubber, silicone, or
any other suitable material or combination of materials. The
sealing member is sized so that it comfortably seals the opening of
the container. For example, an opening of a wine bottle is
generally about 2 cm and a sealing member for a wine bottle may be
about 1-5 cm in diameter. The diameter may be tapered so that
insertion into the container is easier.
[0043] FIGS. 6A and 6B show two possible configurations of a
pouring spout. The pouring spout may be a simple tubular structure
such as that shown in FIG. 6A. The cross sectional shape of the
pouring spout is shown here to be spherical, but may be any shape.
FIG. 6B shows another possible configuration of the pouring spout.
This configuration has a flare 60 which allows the fluid to pour
more controllably from the container. In this configuration the
insertion end 62 of the pouring spout is the end opposite to the
flare.
[0044] FIGS. 7A and 7B show how the pouring spout is inserted into
a sealing member with an inner slit. FIG. 7A shows the pouring
spout 64 and sealing member 26 with an inner slit 54 before the
pouring spout is inserted into the sealing member. FIG. 7B shows
the sealing member 26 after the pouring spout 64 has been inserted
into it.
[0045] The pouring spout may be inserted into the sealing member
while the sealing member is inside the opening of the container.
The pouring spout may be inserted next to the filament of the fluid
preservation system (not shown) so that both the pouring spout and
the filament of the fluid preservation system occupy the same
opening of the sealing member. The pouring spout and filament may
also not occupy the same opening. The insertion of a pouring spout
allows the user to dispense fluid from the container without
removing the fluid preservation system. The pouring spout may be
inserted into a hole or slit in the center or side of the sealing
member. The pouring spout may also be inserted through the surface
of a sealing member, for example, if the sealing member is a thin
cap or has an area of thin material which can be easily broken. The
pouring member may have a sharpened edge at the inserting end to
more easily enter the sealing member.
[0046] The pouring spout is preferably made of a rigid material
such as metal, glass or polymer or any combination of materials.
The pouring spout may also be made of a more flexible material
which has bee rolled into a tube to make it more rigid. The pouring
spout is generally longer than the sealing member so that it can
extend through the sealing member while allowing an extension on
the outside for pouring. Preferably, the length may be about 2-8
cm.
[0047] The fluid preservation system may be used with or without
the pouring spout.
CONCLUSION
[0048] The fluid preservation system invention provides a fluid
preservation system and method for introducing volume displacing
fill members, such as beads, into a container which is partially
filled with a fluid, such as wine.
[0049] The present invention also provides the means for easily
removing the fill members from the fluid by connecting multiple
fill members to each other.
[0050] The present invention also allows for a sealing member for
sealing the container after a portion of the fluid has been
consumed and after the fill members have been introduced into the
container.
[0051] The present invention also allows for the pouring of the
fluid from the container so that the preserved fluid can be easily
and neatly consumed.
* * * * *