AU2001100274A4 - System and method for transportation, supply, storage, preservation and dispensing of wine other liquids - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT SYSTEM METHOD FOR TRANSPORTATION, SUPPLY, STORAGE, PRESERVATION AND DISPENSING OF WINE AND OTHER PERISHABLE

LIQUIDS.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 601977v1 KPD PERISHABLE LIQUID SUPPLY AND DISPENSING SYSTEM This invention comprises of a novel, unique and improved method for the transportation, supply, storage, preservation and dispensing of wine and other perishable beverages. The system may be applicable to other perishable liquids such as olive oil and fruit juices however wine has been used here to describe the novelty of the invention.

To date businesses such as restaurants, cafes, pubs and hotels in the business of providing to customers wine by the glass ("Wine Retailers") traditionally use 750ml bottles in which to store and dispense wine. Wine Retailers purchase large quantities of wine in 750ml bottles, which are transported in boxes of 12 to the Wine Retailer's premises where they are stored. Each 750ml bottle contains 5 standard glasses of wine, and each bottle must be opened, poured, corked and recorked manually each time a fresh glass of wine is dispensed. Once emptied the bottles cannot be reused for the storage of wine as proper corkage is required to ensure wine remains fresh and that spoilage through oxidation does not occur. There are a number of disadvantages associated with the single 750 ml bottle method of wine supply, storage and dispensing ("the Single Bottle System").

As a result of oxidation once a bottle of wine is opened the quality of the wine remaining in the open bottle decreases rapidly. This increases the potential for wastage for Wine Retailers using Single Bottle System to store and dispense wine.

The Single Bottle System requires that employees of Wine Retailers manually open, dispense and re cork bottles each time a glass of wine is required this being an ineffective use of time and labour at the Wine Retailers expense.

High packaging costs are incurred due to single use packaging increasing costs for both the Wine Retailer and the environment.

High transportation costs incurred by the Wine Retailer as a result of the need to replenish stock of single bottles in the market place.

The problems associated with the Single Bottle System are overcome by the present invented system, which provides a novel alternative to the Single Bottle System of Wine transportation, supply, storage, preservation and dispensing. The mechanism provides a unique method of point of sale storage for Wine Retailers through transportation and supply of non retail reusable glass dispensing bottles and dispensing through use of a Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine.

Wine is delivered from the winery or other wholesale suppliers to a local refilling facility in reusable bulk tanks. Wine is then transferred from the bulk tanks and filled directly into non retail reusable glass dispensing bottles.

The Reusable Glass Dispensing Bottle is transported in a reusable shipping outer to the premises of Wine Retailers. Each Reusable Glass Dispensing Bottle is then transferred on to a Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine which holds two non retail Reusable Glass Bottles for the purpose of dispensing wine at varied quantities as required.

Once the Reusable Glass Dispensing Bottle is transferred onto the Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine spoilage of wine as a result of oxidation and other contamination is avoided. Each time a portion of wine is dispensed from the dual bottle dispensing machine the dispensed wine is replaced with inert gas which maintains a gas cover on the liquid whilst it is in the machine, preventing spoilage.

Wine is dispensed from the Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine through a valve and tap operation allowing the wine to be dispensed when required in varied portions. As wine is dispensed from the 601977v1 KPD Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine it passes through a refrigerated dispensing bowel that modifies the temperature to the correct delivery temperature of the wine as required.

Once the glass dispensing bottle is empty it is replaced by a full bottle on the dual bottle dispensing machine. The empty glass bottle is replaced in its shipping outer.

Periodically the empty glass bottles in their shipping outers are returned to the local refilling facility when a new order is delivered. Reusable Glass Dispensing Bottles returned to the local refilling facility are cleaned and refilled with wine that has been delivered from the winery, wine wholesaler or distributor.

601977v KPD

Claims (4)

1. Transportation, supply, cleaning and refilling of receptacles for wine and other perishable beverages to bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs and other wine and perishable beverage retailers in bulk non retail reusable glass bottles.

2. The Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine comprising of fittings adapted to hold bulk non retail glass bottles containing perishable alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages for storage and dispensing.

3. The Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine of claim 2 comprising of its valve and tap fittings adapted to provide for manual dispensing of perishable alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

4. The Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine of claim 2 comprising of its gas injecting features providing for the replacement of dispensed alcoholic and non alcoholic perishable beverages with inert gas for the purpose of limiting spoilage though oxidation. The system of transport, supply, storage, preservation and dispensing of wine and other perishable beverages consisting of; the transport of perishable alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages in the bulk non retail glass bottles of claim 1; the storage of wine and other perishable beverages in the bulk non retail reusable glass bottles of claim 1 upon the Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine of claim 2; the preservation of wine in the bulk non retail bottles of claim 1 upon the Dual Bottle Dispensing Machine of claims 2 3 through use of the gas injecting features of claim 4; the dispensing of perishable alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages through valve and tap fittings of claim 3. AN APPLICANT 10 August 2001 Winestock Fine Wine Wholesale Pty Ltd 601977v1 KPD