ES2405536B1 - BOTTLE PROTECTION AND DOSAGE DEVICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

Protection and dosing device for a bottle, comprising a base (1) with adaptable rubber for supporting a bottle (5), base (1) that is connected through a slide (3) to an arm (2) in the form of? L? inverted with a drive mechanism (9), and with a tight-fitting coupling system (4) with cannula (7) to arrange a bottle (5) on the nozzle, providing a hole (6) for the liquid outlet, and where a pressure regulator system connected to a reservoir (8) of an inert gas through the arm (2) and to the cannula (7) are arranged through the inside of the arm (2).

Description

Protection and dosing device for bottle.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a bottle protection and dosing device, particularly useful for wine bottles and the like, so that once the bottle is opened, the proposed device protects the contents of said bottle from oxygen that degrades its properties. In addition, this device allows the dosing of the liquid contained in the bottle manually by tilting the bottle, so that the fall to the glass is continuous and orderly, while providing a feeling of quality.

Background of the invention

There is a known problem in the state of the art regarding the maintenance of bottled liquids, such as high quality wines and the like, once the bottle is opened.

When a bottle of wine is opened, the oxygen in the air comes into contact with that wine, which causes the properties of the wine to be lost soon and, consequently, its quality.

This problem is considered even more important when it comes to liquids such as high-end wines, which tend to have high prices, since the economic loss will also be high.

Devices for conserving the wine are known, for example, in the state of the art, through a stopper with a meter and a manual pump that tries to take out the oxygen, which although it can extend the life of the wine some days, it is really inefficient, Because every time the cap is removed, oxygen enters and there is no possibility of emptying, so there is always some oxygen left that spoils the wine quickly.

A device is also known, similar to the one described above, which uses an automatic pump, which although it can improve a little to the previous one, continues to maintain the exposed problem. Both this device and the previous one are for home use only.

Somewhat more technological devices, although also for home use, are those that use a protective atmosphere of gas, usually argon or nitrogen, with argon being more efficient. Once the wine is served, the corresponding cap is put on or closed and the injection of the protective gas that expels the oxygen is produced manually or automatically. These devices may extend the life of the liquid contained a few weeks, but its effectiveness remains unsatisfactory, since there is always some oxygen left, in addition to the fact that each time the wine is served, it comes into contact with the oxygen until it is re-inject the protective gas.

A device considered to be the most effective at present comprises a gas cylinder, of considerable dimensions, regulators and valves of considerable size, a flexible plastic tube, a cap with a cannula that reaches the bottom of the bottle and has the gas inlet, as well as a button that actuates to dispense the wine while the protective gas enters. This system, while complying with constant gas protection, has some drawbacks such as its lack of aesthetics, not very ergonomic, difficult to support and impossible to handle with one hand. Nor is it a natural service system by tilting the bottle and the effect of the cannula makes the sensations of wine entering the device and the wine coming out of it, have a different section, so that the wine does not come out constantly and tidy. In addition, the plastic elements that it has, over time allow the entry of oxygen by diffusion. Obviously, although at home level it can be used with some efficiency and with some drawbacks, it can hardly be used professionally and less to serve wine at the table as most customers usually like.

On a professional level, there are some normally highly automated devices, which have the disadvantage that they are made for at least three bottles. At the conservation level they are a good system, since it allows the wines to endure until some month, although at the level of autonomy they are not so recommended. The client must get up to serve himself or the waiter must go to serve him without being able to appreciate the client how and where that wine is served. This is even more serious when it comes to high-end wines that can have a very high price. In addition, these devices can hardly be left on the diner's table without being disturbed.

 All these systems described try to solve the problem of oxidation of the wine, but most of them have certain drawbacks, such as not being able to serve the wine manually by tilting the bottle, not allowing the wine to fall into the glass in an orderly, continuous way and without turbulence or bubbling, they are not autonomous systems,

or that they are only for professional and not private use. In addition, they do not allow adaptation to all existing bottles on the market, nor can they be easily handled with one hand.

Description of the invention

The proposed invention solves in a fully satisfactory manner the problems set forth above. It is a bottle protection and dosing device, preferably for bottles containing wines or similar liquids that can oxidize. The proposed device allows to serve the wine in a traditional way by tilting the bottle, which makes it more natural and takes it away from the sensation of drinking a common beverage in bulk as it happens with the large distributors of fast food and similar drinks.

In addition, the device of the invention allows to keep and keep the wine inside a bottle once opened, avoiding contact with oxygen from its opening, and thus avoiding oxidation and degradation. Unlike other devices of the state of the art, this device does not use a cannula to the bottom of the bottle, having a nozzle with a maximum hole for the passage of wine, discounting the gas inlet hole, being a constant section from the surface of the nozzle along the entire path to even the exit of the bottle. This also ensures that the output of the wine through the nozzle is orderly, without bubbling and avoiding turbulence. In addition, once the bottle is opened and disposed on the device, it is not removed again until the end of the bottle, which avoids the opening and closing actions of the bottle and the oxygen enters.

The device of the invention also allows reducing the number of necessary elements, obtaining a device that occupies very little space and has a reduced weight, being manageable with only one hand.

Thus, the protection and dosing device for the bottle, as already mentioned, especially for those bottles containing wine and other similar liquids, comprises a base, preferably circular with adaptable rubbers to regulate the bottle width clamping . The base is attached to an arm in "L" inverted through a kind of slide, so that raising or lowering this arm in "L" is able to adjust the height for the correct hold of the bottle. Thus, the device of the invention adapts to the majority of widths and heights of the existing bottles in the market.

The "L" arm comprises inside a gas tank, usually argon, or even nitrogen, to protect the wine from the oxygen atmosphere. This tank is rechargeable and the gas is conducted at low pressure by means of an internal valve from the bottom of the tank to the neck of the bottle, passing internally, passing internally through the “L” arm, and finally reaching the wine through of a capillary that gives that protective atmosphere in slight overpressure, also helping to dose and serve by taking a very regular trickle.

The "L" arm comprises a high pressure gauge and a low pressure gauge to control the pressure. Normally it will be regulated within the range of 10 to 5 bars at high pressure and from 0.30 to 0.15 relative bars at low pressure. There is also a high-precision pressure regulator between the pressure gauges, as well as a non-return valve and a stopcock.

In the final upper part of the “L” arm, the coupling area is arranged with the bottle once it is opened. It consists of a system of coupling closure on the bottle, as an expansion seal with a rubber that screwed on the top of the neck of the bottle. This closing coupling system has the particularity that it has a through hole of maximum section, discounting the gas inlet hole, which allows the maximum passage of liquid and makes the surface of that section coincide along the entire path to the outlet through the nozzle. The gas inlet orifice is coupled to a stainless steel cannula long enough to remove gas bubbles from the liquid outlet area and prevent mixing by leaving bubbles through the nozzle. But it is not necessary that the cannula be very long, since the natural inclined position of serving the wine will cause the gas, usually argon, to rise in the direction of the bottom of the bottle as in all traditional systems, which logically will imply circular section of reduced size. In this case, it can be used to make a through hole of any section that takes full advantage of the available space, taking into account that in the neck of the bottle there must also be room for the rubber that will expand to make the seal.

To serve the wine from the bottle, simply tilt the bottle naturally, and press a button on the outside of this arm in "L". To facilitate the inclination of the bottle, the “L” arm has a handle to hold the device easily and with one hand.

The tank is refillable every time the liquid in the bottle has just been consumed. For domestic use, since an individual would not be able to recharge the tank for domestic use, the deposit of argon or nitrogen materializes in a small disposable canister tank that will be placed in a housing intended for it. In this way, each time the bottle is finished, the tank will be discarded and a new one will be placed for each bottle that is opened.

Description of the drawings

To complete the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of the practical realization thereof, a set of drawings is accompanied as an integral part of said description. where for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the protection and dosing device for the bottle of the invention, arranged on a bottle, where the interior of the device with all its components can be seen.

Figure 2 shows a view of the device of the invention placed on a bottle.

Figure 3.- shows a schematic view of the nozzle of the device's closing coupling system, showing the separate holes for the cannula and for the passage of the liquid, which will be of the same section as the exit hole of the liquid.

Figure 4.- shows a view of the device of the invention arranged in a wine bottle, in the natural position in which the wine is served, which unlike other devices of the prior art, is the same inclined position as when the wine from the bottle is served without a device.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

The proposed invention concerns a protection and dosing device for the bottle, which allows to keep the protected liquid inside the bottle from its opening until it is emptied. In addition, it achieves a controlled dosage, avoiding spurts and splashes. It is a device that can be used both at the restaurant level and at the particular level.

The protection and dosing device for the bottle, in particular, for those bottles containing wine or similar liquids that may undergo oxidation over time, comprises a base (1) with adaptable rubbers for supporting a bottle (5), base (1) that is attached through a slide

(3) to an arm (2) in the form of an "L" inverted with a drive mechanism (9), and with a hermetic closing system (4) with cannula (7) to place on the nozzle of a bottle ( 5), providing a hole (6) for the exit of the liquid, and where through the inside of the arm (2) a pressure regulator system connected to a reservoir (8) of an inert gas passing through the arm (2) ) and to the cannula (7).

Therefore, this device is adjustable both in the width of the bottle base, through the support gums of the base (1) adjustable and adaptable, and in height thanks to the guided sliding system (3), which can be raised and lowered the arm (2) and leave it fixed when the bottle (5) is placed.

The device of the invention serves both for use at the level of restaurants, bars and the like, and at the level of the particular user. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, when the device is used for restaurants, the reservoir (8) can be found inside the arm (2), being a rechargeable reservoir when the liquid in the bottle (5) runs out. Normally, this inert gas will be argon or nitrogen, so a particular user cannot have a system for recharging at home. For these cases, and in another preferred embodiment of the invention for particular use, the tank (8) can be found outside the arm (2), by way of refilling, discarding it and replacing it with another tank full of inert gas at the end the liquid in the bottle (5). The user could have these small tanks filled at home to change them once the load of the one in use is finished.

To facilitate the grip of the bottle together with the device, the arm (2) has a grip handle (10). In this way it is achieved that the user who serves the contents of the bottle can do so with one hand in a comfortable and natural way, in the same way that it would be done if the device does not exist in the bottle (5).

In addition, to be able to get the user to serve with one hand the contents of the bottle (5), the handle (10) and the drive mechanism (9) must be found on the surface of the arm (2) at a distance that allows activation and operation with the same hand. Normally, they will be next to each other, to the side, even on the handle itself (10) could be arranged the actuation mechanism (9), which can be materialized in a trigger, a push button or any other similar appropriate that may be appropriate depending on of how the drive mechanism (9) and handle (10) are arranged.

The pressure regulating system comprises a low pressure gauge (11), a high pressure gauge (12), a high safety valve (13) and a low safety valve (13 '), a regulator (14), a backflow valve

(15) and a stopcock (16), as well as the connections between the different elements of the system. All this can be seen in detail in Figure 1. The pressure will be regulated within the range of 10 to 5 bars at high pressure and from 0.30 to 0.15 bars at low pressure.

An important part of the described device is in its closing coupling system (4) to the bottle (5), which makes the cannula (7) not have to reach the bottom of the bottle (5), as well as get better 5 results in terms of maintenance than existing existing devices. This hermetic coupling system (4) with cannula (7) has a nozzle (17) with a hole (18) for the cannula (7) and another through hole

(19) of the same section as the outlet orifice (6), maintaining said section during the liquid path from said nozzle (17) to the orifice (6), see Figure 3. Thus, when serving the contents no bubbling occurs from the bottle, the liquid drops steadily and splashes are also avoided.

Claims (11)

1. Protection and dosing device for a bottle, characterized in that it comprises a base (1) with adaptable rubbers for supporting a bottle (5), base (1) that is connected through a slide

(3)

 to an inverted "L" shaped arm (2) with a drive mechanism (9), and with a hermetic closure system (4) with a cannula (7) to place a bottle (5) on the nozzle, disposing a hole (6) for the exit of the liquid, and where through the inside of the arm (2) a pressure regulating system connected to a reservoir (8) of an inert gas passing through the arm (2) and up to the cannula (7).

2. Protection and dosing device for bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank

(8)

 It is inside the arm (2), being rechargeable when the liquid in the bottle (5) runs out.

3.- Protection and dosing device for bottle, according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank

(8)

 It is located on the outside of the arm (2), discarding it and replacing it with another tank filled with inert gas at the end of the liquid in the bottle (5).

4. Protection and dosing device for the bottle, according to previous claims, characterized in that the arm (2) has a grip handle (10). 5. Protection and dosing device for the bottle, according to previous claims, characterized in that the handle (10) and the drive mechanism (9) are located on the surface of the arm (2) at a distance that allows activation and operation with The same hand. 6. Protection and dosing device for the bottle, according to previous claims, characterized in that the actuation mechanism (9) is a trigger, a push button or any other suitable similar. 7. Protection and dosing device for the bottle according to previous claims, characterized in that the pressure regulating system comprises a low pressure gauge (11), a high pressure gauge (12), a high safety valve (13) and a Low safety valve (13 '), a regulator (14), a non-return valve (15) and a stopcock (16), as well as the connections between the different system elements. 8. Protection and dosing device for a bottle according to previous claims, characterized in that the sealing system (4) hermetic with cannula (7) has a nozzle (17) with a hole (18) for the cannula (7) and another through hole (19) of the same section as the outlet hole (6), maintaining said section during the liquid path from said nozzle (17) to the hole (6). 9.- Protection and dosing device for the bottle, according to previous claims, characterized in that the pressure will be adjusted within the range of 10 to 5 bars at high pressure and from 0.30 to 0.15 bars at low pressure. 12 4 13 17 14 11 7 9 10 2 8 13 ’ FIG. one 1 6 12 9 3  FIG. 2   18  FIG. 3   SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 201131924 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 28.11.2011 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: B67D1 / 04 (2006.01) RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

X

EN 1067493U U (NEW CELLARS CLIMATIC S L) 16.05.2008, 1-9

page 2, line 54 - page 4, line 32; figures 1-2.

X

US 2011204093 A1 (LEE NATHAN TYLER) 25.08.2011, 1-9

paragraphs [0026-0065]; Figures 1-16.

X

FR 2945526 A1 (A LA COM et al.) 19.11.2010, 1-9

page 1, line 1 - page 9, line 16; Figures 1-7.

X

US 2010006603 A1 (WEINBERG MORGAN WILLIAM et al.) 14.01.2010, 1-9

paragraphs [0036-0060]; Figures 1-19.

X

US 2005 178801 A1 (LAMBRECHT GREGORY) 18.08.2005, 1-9

paragraphs [0045-0078]; Figures 1-5.

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 27.02.2013

Examiner E. Álvarez Valdés Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 201131924 Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) B67D Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENES, EPODOC, WPI State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201131924 Date of Completion of Written Opinion: 02.27.2013 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1-9 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-9 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201131924  1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

EN 1067493U U (NEW CELLARS CLIMATIC S L) 05/16/2008

D02

US 2011204093 A1 (LEE NATHAN TYLER) 08.25.2011

D03

FR 2945526 A1 (A LA COM et al.) 11/19/2010

D04

US 2010006603 A1 (WEINBERG MORGAN WILLIAM et al.) 01/14/2010

D05

US 2005178801 A1 (LAMBRECHT GREGORY) 18.08.2005

 2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement The invention described in claim 1 relates to a suitable device for protection and dosing for a bottle, comprising a base, with adaptable rubbers for supporting a bottle, which is connected through a slide to a shaped arm. "L" inverted with a drive mechanism, and with a hermetic closure coupling system with cannula to dispose on the nozzle of a bottle, providing a hole for the exit of the liquid, and where through the inside of the arm a system is arranged pressure regulator connected to a tank of an inert gas through the arm and to the cannula. D01 is considered the prior art document closest to the object of claim 1. Document D01 discloses (references of D01) a suitable device for protection and dosing for a bottle, comprising a base, a hermetic closure coupling system with a cannula to place a bottle on the nozzle, providing a hole for the liquid to escape, and a pressure regulating system (page 2, line 54-page 4, line 32, figure 2). The inventive concept disclosed in the first claim is anticipated in document D01 considering the differences between both documents as mere design variations. It would therefore be obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the characteristics of document D01 and arrive at the invention as disclosed in claim 1. Therefore, the object of this claim meets the novelty requirement, but does not meet the requirement. of inventive activity (Art. 6.1 and 8.1 of Patent Law 11/1986). For their part, documents D02 to D05, each of them separately, propose different design options, which would be evident to the man of the trade, with which the same technical effect proposed in claim 1 is achieved. The remaining claims 2 to 9 disclose: The reservoir is inside the arm, being rechargeable when the liquid in the bottle is finished (claim 2); the tank is located on the outside of the arm, discarding it and replacing it with another tank full of inert gas at the end of the liquid in the bottle (claim 3); the arm has a grip handle (claim 4); the handle and the drive mechanism are located on the surface of the arm at a distance that allows activation and operation with the same hand (claim 5); the actuation mechanism is a trigger, a push button or any other suitable similar (claim 6); The pressure regulating system comprises a low pressure gauge, a high pressure gauge, a high safety valve and a low safety valve, a regulator, a non-return valve and a stopcock, as well as the connections between the different elements of the system (claim 7); the cannula seal system with a cannula has a nozzle with a hole for the cannula and another through hole of the same section as the outlet hole, maintaining said section during the liquid path from said nozzle to the hole (claim 8) ; The pressure shall be regulated within the range of 10 to 5 bars at high pressure and from 0.30 to 0.15 bars at low pressure (claim 9). The technical characteristics disclosed in claims 2 to 9 are mere design variations with respect to those anticipated by documents D01 to D05, each separately, or are considered widely known in the state of the art. Therefore, claims 2 to 9 meet the requirement of novelty, but do not meet the requirement of inventive activity (Art. 6.1 and 8.1 of Patent Law 11/1986). State of the Art Report Page 4/4