EP3037158A1

EP3037158A1 - Device for aerating wine

Info

Publication number: EP3037158A1
Application number: EP15000174.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas Bickford Holbeche
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 2014-12-23
Filing date: 2015-01-22
Publication date: 2016-06-29

Abstract

Wine aerating device comprising a body member (10), a lance member (18) for inserting into a wine to be aerated, the lance member (16) comprising a tube (17) and a diffusor body lance member (16), tube (16) and diffusor body (18) being provided on a first side of the body member (10), and a container (22) containing pressurised gas, provided on a second side of the body member (10) and engageable therewith, a passage (24A,27) for passing pressurised gas from the container (22) through the body member (10), and the lance member (16) into the wine to be aerated being provided, the container (22) being further provided with a closure (42) and the body (10) member being provided with a piercing device (24) such that, upon engagement of the container (24) with the body member (10), the piercing device (24) pierces the closure (42) to allow pressurised gas to enter the passage (24a, 27),
characterized in that the body member (10) is provided with at least one vent (36), which is arranged such that in case of a disengagement of container (22) and body member (10) pressurised air present in the container (22) can escape into the ambient atmosphere through the at least one vent (36).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for aerating or oxygenating wine.
Adding controlled amounts of oxygen to wine, or aerating the wine, is known to improve its taste. Typically, wine is aerated before use via a decanter or carafe. In a recent development wine can also be aerated using a venturi type system whereby the wine is poured from the bottle into an intermediary vessel above the wine glass, and the wine then aerated via the venturi effect as it passes from the intermediary vessel to the wine glass. Both of these aerating methods however are limited in terms of the rate of which air can be introduced into the wine.
It is also known to aerate wine using pressurised gas containing oxygen, e.g. pressurised air. A container containing pressurised gas is particularly provided as a gas cylinder. Herein, the gas from the gas cylinder is diffused into the wine in a controlled manner via a lance member. To ensure safe handling of such an aerating device, it is necessary to ensure that when the gas cylinder is removed from the lance (or from a body member carrying the lance and the gas cylinder) the pressure within the gas cylinder is not substantially above the ambient atmospheric pressure. Thus, it is necessary with prior art devices to essentially release all gas from the cylinder, before removing it. For certain applications, this can be cumbersome, and may, for example, lead to the necessity of removing the device from a bottle of wine, and then having to release remaining gas from the container via the lance.
The invention attempts to facilitate the handling of wine aerating devices.
This object is achieved with a wine aerating device according to claim 1.
The wine aerating device according to the invention comprises a body member, a lance member for inserting into wine to be aerated, provided on a first side of the body member and comprising a tube connected to the body member and a diffusor body, and a container containing pressurised gas, which is provided on a second side of the body member and engageable therewith. The terms "engageable" and "engaged" or "engagement" as used in with the context of the connection of the container and the body member shall refer to the situations in which a closure or seal provided on the container is to be or has been broken by interaction with the body member respectively. Only in the engaged state can pressurised gas can flow from the container into the body member.
There is provided a passage for passing pressurised gas from the container through the body member and the lance member into the wine to be aerated. The container is provided with a closure, as mentioned above, and the body member with a piercing device such that, upon engagement of the container with the body member, the piercing device pierces the closure to allow pressurised gas to enter the passage. The wine aerating device of the invention is characterized in that the body member is provided with at least one vent, which is arranged such that in case of a disengagement of the container from the body member pressurised air remaining in the container can escape into the ambient atmosphere through the at least one vent.
According to the invention, facilitated handling of a wine aerating device is ensured, as any gas or air remaining in the container after use can easily escape from the container via the at least one vent provided. The terms "air" and "gas" are used synonymously throughout this specification.
Preferably, the at least one vent is arranged in such a way that escaping pressurised air is directed away from a user handling the device. Herewith, it is ensured that even relatively high pressures within the container after use of the wine aerating device can be safely handled.
Expediently, the at least one vent is provided in a lateral wall of the body member, especially a wall of a cylindrical portion for receiving the gas container. Providing the vent in a lateral wall of a generally elongate wine aerating device, which is hand held by a user, especially ensures that gas or air escaping from the vent is not directed towards the head of the user.
It is preferred to provide a flow speed reducing means for reducing flow speed of gas escaping from the at least one vent. This constitutes a further safety measure for safe handling of high gas pressures in the gas container after use of the device. Advantageously, the flow speed reducing means comprise a component, made of a sintered material, especially a sintered ring. Examples of preferably used sintered materials are sintered stainless steel or PTFE. These materials do not react with oxygen. A sintered ring can be arranged coaxially with a plurality of circumferentially provided vents. Such sintered components provide a cost effective means for flow speed reduction and flow diffusion.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the device, the piercing device is provided with a blunt end, especially as a truncated cone. A blunt piercing device ensures that the closure of the container is deformed considerably before it is actually pierced or ruptured. The closure and/or the piercing device is preferably made of a metallic material, for example steel or stainless steel.This allows a good metal to metal seal to be formed between the piercing element and the container before a high pressure seal makes its seal with the face of the container during engagement of the cylinder with the body member. With such a piercing device, the device can be used with containers provided as gas cylinders which are sealed by a weld closure or crimped closure. The piercing device is preferably in the form of a hollow tube, which can pierce the pierceable sealing element to allow gas to escape from the cylinder into the body member. Such a piercing of a closure by means of a blunt end avoids particulate being separated from the closure during piercing.
Advantageously, a piercing of the closure occurs only after a high pressure seal has made its seal with the face or bottom surface of the container.
Preferably, the container is provided in a handle of the device, engagement of the container and the body member being effected by means of corresponding outer and inner threads provided on the handle and a connecting member of the body member, or by means of a coupling nut.
Expediently, the part of the body member being engaged by the container is provided with a cylindrical high pressure seal.
The design of the lance, especially the diffusor body, is chosen to optimize diffusion of pressurised gas received from the container.
Especially, the combination of a pressurised oxygen containing gas (allowing for a large amount of gas to be delivered) and a gas diffusing membrane in connection with such a diffusor body (allowing for a controlled release of this gas) together allows a relatively high flow rate of oxygen gas to be diffused into the wine in a controlled manner. The diffusive effect of the membrane can produce small bubbles which allow the oxygen gas to be diffused efficiently into, and also quickly react, with the wine.
By having the membrane in fibre form, for a given volume of membrane, the membrane can have a large surface area for diffusing oxygen gas into the wine. By increasing this surface area to volume ratio of the membrane, the speed in which the wine can be aerated is also increased. Typically, there may be between one and one hundred hollow fibres in the membrane.
The device may comprise a pressure limiting valve for lowering the pressure of the gas from the container to a predetermined pressure before the gas reaches the diffusor body or the membrane. In this case, the valve may comprise a valve seat and a valve head, wherein the predetermined pressure is maintained by a spring means which controls the separation between the valve seat and the valve head. With the pressure limiting valve, the pressure of the gas passing through to the membrane can be better controlled.
The pressure inside the container, when full, may be between 2MPa and 20MPa. Using a defined pressure range in the container allows the aeration process to be carefully controlled.
The device may comprise a protective sheath, surrounding the diffusor body and the membrane, and containing outlets which allow gas to pass therethrough. The protective sheath protects the membrane, which may be delicate, from damage by accidental contact with the side of the bottle.
A portion or all of the membrane may be made from a hydrophilic material. E.g PTFE This way, the device can be more easily cleaned after it has been immersed in wine. The device may further comprise a mount for mounting the device on the neck of the wine bottle. This allows the diffusor body and the membrane to be positioned towards the centre of the wine volume inside the bottle. In some embodiments, the mount may comprise a bung which is dimensioned to fit in the neck of the wine bottle. The mount may alternatively or additionally comprise a plurality of legs which are each dimensioned to extend down the outside surface of the neck of the wine bottle. It will be appreciated however that the mount may have any shape necessary to achieve the intended positioning effect.
The container, especially a cylinder and the lance member may be co-axial to provide an easily determinable centre of gravity for the device. This axis may extend through the neck of the wine bottle when the device is placed thereon. With this arrangement, when the device is placed on the bottle, the device's centre of gravity is more likely to act through the neck of the wine, ensuring that the device is stable on the bottle.
It will also be appreciated that any form of pressurised gas source may be used. Indeed, the gas container described above may be single use, replaceable or refillable. The device may be manufactured and distributed with or without a pressurised gas container.
The present invention will now be further described with reference to the following figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of an aerator device according to the invention,
Figure 2 shows a section view of a handle and body portion of the aerator device of Figure 1,
Figure 3 shows a section view of the portion of the aerator device, in which the gas cylinder engages the body member (circled portion of Figure 2), in a position before engagement, and
Figure 4 shows the view of Figure 3 after engagement.

In the following, the word 'downstream' shall mean towards the lance or membrane end of the gas path and the word 'upstream' towards the cylinder or handle end of the gas path.
The aerating device shown in the Figures comprises a body member 10 for holding a gas cylinder 22 and a diffusion lance 16 the diffusion lance 16 comprising a central tube 17 which connects the body 10 and a diffusor body 18. The lance 16 is arranged downstream of the body member 10. In use, the aerating device is arranged to engage with the neck of a wine bottle which has e.g. a fluid content of 75cl (not shown), via an interface 12. The aerator assembly may be compatible however with larger bottles if desired, for instance a Magnum or a Jereboam.
The interface 12 also connects the body member 10 to tube 16. The interface 12 forms a conical shape, which is dimensioned to fit inside or on the neck of a wine bottle.
Although not shown, a number of optional resilient legs may be present which emanate from the interface 12 and which are shaped to conform to the sloping surface defining the neck of the wine bottle, and which help ensure that the aerator assembly is correctly located over the wine bottle outlet.
The body member 10 is provided with a handle portion 10A and a connecting portion 10B for connecting the tube 16 to a gas cylinder 22 (not visible in Figure 1), arranged within the handle portion 10A. The gas cylinder 22 and the handle portion 10A are arranged upstream of connecting portion 10B.
The handle portion 10A connects to the connecting portion 10B by means corresponding threads. By screwing the handle portion 10A onto connecting portion 10 B, the gas cylinder 22 provided in handle portion 10A is moved axially (i.e. in direction of arrow A) towards the connecting portion 10B. This leads an engagement of the gas cylinder 22 with the body member 10 by interaction with a piercing device, as will be explained below in connection with Figures 3 and 4.
In Figures 2, 3 and 4, more detailed sectional views of portions 10A, 10B together with gas cylinder 22 are shown.
Connecting portion 10B comprises a cylindrical body 11, in which a stepped central bore 11A is provided. In this bore 11A, a piercing device 24, made of a suitable metal and surrounded by an annular seal 25, is arranged. The piercing device 24 is formed as a truncated cone (i.e. with a blunt end), with a central passage 24A. This central passage 24A is connected to a main passage 27 leading axially through the body element into the tube 17 and the diffusor body 18 (not shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4). The conical section of piercing device 24 is surrounded by an annular high pressure seal 30. Also, further components 29A and 29B can be provided in central bore 11, through which passage 27 extends.
The body member 10 is furthermore provided with a cylindrical portion 32 for receiving a head 22A of the gas cylinder 22. The cylindrical portion 32 is provided with gas escape vents 36, in its lateral walls 32 A, whose function will be described further below. Preferably, a number of gas vents are provided circumferentially in the lateral wall of cylindrical portion 32.
Cylindrical portion 32 is surrounded by a ring 38 made from sintered material. Ring 38 is arranged such that it covers the vents 36.
The head portion 22A of the gas cylinder 22 is provided in cylindrical form, and mates with the cylindrical section 32 of the body member. A cylinder neck seal 40 is provided in head portion 22A.
The end of head portion 22A facing piercing device 24 is provided with a closure 42, which, preferably, is provided as a metal pierce diaphragm. In the not engaged (i.e. the"engageable") state shown in Figure 3, the closure 42 abuts the blunt end of piercing device 24. In this state, the closure provides an air tight seal, so that air (or any other feasible oxygen containing gas) remains in the cylinder 22.
By screwing handle portion 10A onto connecting portion 10B, cylinder 22 is displaced axially in the direction of piercing element 24, i.e. in the views of Figures 3 and 4 to the right (arrow A).
As the piercing element 24 has a blunt end due to its conical shape, the closure 42 must be substantially deformed during displacement, before it is ruptured, i.e. pierced. This allows a good metal to metal provisional seal to be formed between the piercing device 24 and the closure 42, even before a bottom surface 22B of head 22A of the gas cylinder 22 contacts the high pressure seal 30, which then provides the main seal during operation of the device.
When the bottom surface 22B of cylindrical section 22A has contacted and is securely pressed against the high pressure seal 30, the device is in a state ready for use. Herein, by actuating a switch 28, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a valve mechanism within body member 10 is activated, allowing pressurised gas from the cylinder 22 to pass through passages 24a, 27 within body element 10 into tube 17 and diffusor body 18. As the exact valve mechanism and diffusion processes are not the subject matter of the present invention, a detailed description will be omitted.
Essentially, by actuating switch 28, pressurised air can be passed into wine to be aerated until the pressure within cylinder 22 is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure.
If a user wishes to remove the cylinder 22 from the body member 10 before it is fully emptied, i.e. while it is still pressurised, by unscrewing handle portion 10B in a direction opposite to the one described above, thus breaking the seal provided by the engagement of high pressure seal 30 and bottom surface 22B, air discharged from the cylinder is released into a void 39 within body member defined by the inner wall of cylindrical portion 32 of the body member 10, the high pressure seal 30 and cylinder neck seal 40, and then through vents 36 Due to the sintered ring 38, provided radially outside the vents, it can be ensured that the gas velocity is reduced, thus minimizing any danger to a user due to escaping high pressure gas. Also, any venting noise is minimized
The high pressure seal 30, typically an O-ring as shown, forms an effective seal for the cylindrical section 32, and effectively limits gas escape, so that during use (i.e. the situation as shown in Figure 4) only the seal pierce region, i.e. the region surrounding piercing device 24 is pressurised, and pressurised air will not escape into the other portions of the body member, such as void 39. Thus, the body member can be made of non pressure bearing material, such as injection moulded polymer, rather than as a machined metal part.
The arrangement of the vents 36 together with the sintered ring 38 ensures that escaping air is directed away from a person using the device, especially away from the handle portion 10A.
A user is thus prevented from being exposed to high pressure gas escaping through the vents 36, should he attempt to remove a cylinder 22 from the body member 10 before it is fully emptied of gas.. The venting occurs sufficiently quickly that a user cannot unscrew the housing completey before all the gas has been vented from a full or partially full cylinder, thus there is no possibility of the exposure to high pressure escaping gas.
Be it noted that the high pressure seal 32 has been described in the form of an O-ring. Also, this seal could be embodied as a face seal by overmoulding a soft polymer face to a cylinder neck boss or configuring the O-ring groove as a face seal.

Claims

Wine aerating device comprising a body member (10), a lance member (18) for inserting into a wine to be aerated, the lance member (16) comprising a tube (17) and a diffusor body, lance member (16), tube (16) and diffusor body (18) being provided on a first side of the body member (10), and a container (22) containing pressurised gas, provided on a second side of the body member (10) and engageable therewith, a passage (24A,27) for passing pressurised gas from the container (22) through the body member (10), and the lance member (16) into the wine to be aerated being provided, the container (22) being further provided with a closure (42) and the body (10) member being provided with a piercing device (24) such that, upon engagement of the container (24) with the body member (10), the piercing device (24) pierces the closure (42) to allow pressurised gas to enter the passage (24a, 27), characterized in that the body member (10) is provided with at least one vent (36), which is arranged such that in case of a disengagement of container (22) and body member (10) pressurised air present in the container (22) can escape into the ambient atmosphere through the at least one vent (36).
Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vent (36) is arranged in such a way that escaping pressurised air is directed away from a user handling the device.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one vent (36) is provided in a lateral wall (32 A) of the body member (10).
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a flowspeed reducing means (38) for reducing flow speed of gas escaping through the at least one vent (36) is provided.
Device according to claim 4, wherein the flowspeed reducing means comprises a sintered component (38), especially a sintered ring.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piercing device (24) is provided with a blunt end, especially as a truncated cone.
Device according to claim 6, wherein during engagement of the container (22) with the body member (10) a piercing of the closure (42) by means of piercing device (24) occurs after a seal between the closure (42) and the piercing device (24) is effected.
Device according to claim 7, wherein the piercing device and the closure are made of metal, preferably steel.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (22) is provided in a handle portion (10A) of the device, engagement of the container (22) and the body member (10) being effected by screwing the handle onto the body member or by means of tightening a coupling nut.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims 7 or 8, wherein there is provided a high pressure seal (30), which engages with a bottom surface (22B) of container (22) after the seal between closure (42) and piercing device (24) becomes effective.