AU2001100273A4

AU2001100273A4 - Wine storage and dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: AU2001100273A4
Application number: AU2001100273A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Marshall Waters
Original assignee: WINESTOCK FINE WINE WHOLESALE
Current assignee: WINESTOCK FINE WINE WHOLESALE
Priority date: 2001-08-15
Filing date: 2001-08-15
Publication date: 2001-11-01
Also published as: AU2001100273B4

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Perishable liquid storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing machine The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 602824v1 KPD PERISHABLE LIQUID SUPPLY AND DISPENSING SYSTEM This invention relates to improvements in machinery for storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing of perishable liquids.

The problems associated with storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing of perishable liquids are overcome by the present invention, which provides a novel alternative for the storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing of perishable liquids. The invention provides a unique method of storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing of perishable liquid in large reusable glass dispensing bottles.

Perishable liquids can be supplied in large bottles adapted to fit the liquid dispenser Container ("the Container"). The Container (13) is effectively sealed from ambient conditions by the bottle (12) when placed in position as shown in the Figure 2. In this arrangement the liquid (10) held in the bottle (12) falls under the gravity into the reservoir. As the liquid (10) falls under gravity a region of low pressure (11) develops that encounters the effect of gravity. While the level of liquid (8) within the Container (13) lies below the lip of the bottle the gas trapped in the upper region of the Container (13) can enter the bottle and rise to the top region alleviating the low pressure and thus permitting more liquid to fall out of the bottle (12) and into the Container This continues until the level of liquid within the Container (13) reaches the lip of the bottle (12), thus preventing gas from entering the bottle (12) and allowing equilibrium to be reached between the weight of liquid (10) still held within the bottle (12) and the low pressure (11) trapped in the upper regions of the bottle This prevents more liquid (10) from falling out of the bottle (12).

As the perishable liquid is poured from the Container by pulling the tap (15) the level of liquid within the Container (13) falls and gas enters the bottle (12) rising through the liquid (10) to relieve the low pressure region (11) and permits more liquid (10) to enter the Container Thus liquid drawn from the Container (13) via the tap (15) is readily replenished by liquid (10) held within the bottle (12).

Inert gas, fed under low pressure from the regulator fills the upper regions of of the Container thus preventing ambient air from coming into the liquid stored within the Container The pressure of the inert gas entering the Container (13) is sufficiently low not to lift the bottle (12) out of the Container especially when there is no more liquid (10) left within the bottle The low pressure of the gas is also ideal for permitting the vertical positioning of the tap (15) to be lifted above the level of the liquid held within the Container (13) thus to minimise the overall height of the reservoir the tap can be lifted vertically to a position that will provide easier access for the purpose of filling a glass.

The Container (13) is effectively sealed against the bottle in order to minimise the escape of inert gas into the ambient environment. The sealing may be presented in a variety of manners, and in fact it may only be necessary to minimise the escape of gases, not eliminate them, as the gas is harmless. In order to minimise the usage of gas it is preferential to prevent inadvertent loss to the atmosphere and thus a seal is shown in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

With respect to Figure 3, when a bottle (12) is emptied of all liquid (10) and needs to be replaced, the bottle is lifted out of the Container (13) and a full bottle (16) is then lowered back into the Container. As the empty bottle (12) is lifted from the Container, inert gas escapes from the Container (13) via the opening (19) into the ambient atmosphere. The inert gas (17) smothers the top of the reservoir thus preventing any ambient air entering the Container The low pressure that inert gas is supplied at by the regulator limits the flow of inert gas into the reservoir and thus limits the rate at which inert gas escapes from the Container during the bottle replacement. As 602824v1 KPD a full bottle of liquid (16) is lowered over the reservoir the inert gas (17) escaping from the Container (13) smothers the lip of the bottle Thus liquid falling from the bottle (16) into the Container (13) remains uncontaminated. When the new bottle (16) is in place the escape of inert gas from the Container (13) is limited, if not altogether prevented.

It should be noted that in the embodiment shown here the lip of the bottle (16) is uncovered, thus liquid can fall from the upturned bottle. In the preferred embodiment a cup is fitted to the lip of the bottle (18) in order to prevent escape of the liquid. Several prior art inventions deal with methods of achieving a cap seal that automatically opens when placed in a reservoir.

The Container includes a perishable liquid chiller device which is used to dispense both chilled and unchilled perishable liquid.

The perishable liquid chiller consists of reservoirs as seen in Figure 1 (4 and 5) into which bottles of liquid (1 and 2) are inverted such that under the effect of gravity liquid contained within the bottles will enter the reservoirs. It must be noted that in the present embodiment both chilled and unchilled reservoirs are present within the same structure. Other embodiments could separate them into individual reservoirs or multiple combinations thereof.

To prevent contamination of the perishable liquid by ambient air, inert gas is fed into the reservoirs under pressure via the regulator displacing all ambient air within the reservoir and thus preventing the contamination of the liquid.

Figure 2 shows a cross section or view of the chilled reservoir. The chilled reservoir differs from an unchilled reservoir only to the extent that a means of chilling the liquid stored within the reservoir is provided. In the preferred embodiment of a chilled reservoir, a refrigeration circuit featuring an evaporator wound fitted into the reservoir, along with a compressor (not shown) and condenser (not shown). Other means of removing heat from the liquid held within the reservoir could be affected, such as pumping a chilled liquid around the reservoir or through a coil immersed in the liquid, of the use of a thermo electrical device that could be implemented to achieve the function of removing heat from the liquid. In the preferred embodiment insulation is placed around the chilled reservoir to reduce the heat transfer from the surrounds.

602824v1 KPD

Claims

1. A method of storage refrigeration, preservation and dispensing of perishable liquid sealed from ambient conditions in a bottle (12) placed in the position shown in the Figure 2 whereby perishable liquid falls under gravity in to a reservoir held in a Container lying below the lip of the bottle (12).

2. A method of storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing of perishable liquid as seen in Figures 2 and 3 consisting of liquid being drawn from the Container (13) via the tap allowing gas trapped in the upper region of the Container (13) to enter the bottle and rise to the top region alleviating the low pressure and permitting more liquid to fall out of the bottle (12) and into the Container (13) until the level of liquid within the Container reaches the lip of the bottle (12) preventing gas from entering the bottle (12) and allowing equilibrium to be reached between the weight of the liquid (10) still held in the bottle (12) and the low pressure (11) trapped in the upper region of the bottle (12) preventing more liquid from falling out of the bottle and preventing oxidisation and spoilage of liquid contained in the bottle.

3. The perishable liquid storage, preservation, refrigeration and dispensing method of Claim 2 consisting of the perishable liquid chiller variation as seen in Figure 1 and Figure 2 used to dispense chilled liquid including reservoirs into which the bottle of liquid is inverted and in the preferred embodiment of a chilled reservoir a refrigeration circuit featuring an evaporate wound fitted to the reservoir, along with a compressor and condenser and insulation placed around the chilled reservoir to reduce heat transfer.

4. The method of preservation of perishable liquid seen in Figure 1, 2 and 3 consisting of the regulator through which inert gas is fed into the reservoirs displacing all ambient air and preventing the contamination of perishable liquid; The method in which when a bottle is emptied of all liquid as seen in Figure 1,2 and 3 and needs to be replaced, the bottle is lifted off the Container (13) and a full bottle (16) is then lowered back into the Container and as the empty bottle is lifted from the Container (13) nitrogen gas escapes from the Container (13) via the opening (19) into the ambient atmosphere and smothers the top of the reservoir preventing any ambient air from entering the Container. 602824v1 KPD