GB2206873A

GB2206873A - Storing carbonated drinks

Info

Publication number: GB2206873A
Application number: GB08715468A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brett John Butcher
Original assignee: ATH STEPHEN PHILIP DE
Current assignee: ATH STEPHEN PHILIP DE
Priority date: 1987-07-01
Filing date: 1987-07-01
Publication date: 1989-01-18
Also published as: GB8715468D0

Abstract

In a method of storing carbonated drinks in containers, the container is closed after serving a drink and the pressure within the container is thereafter increased above atmospheric pressure, to reduce the rate at which the remaining contents become decarbonated. The pressure increase can be effected by means of a pump, for instance, a pump incorporated in a closure member for the container.

Description

Storing Carbonated Drinks The present invention relates to storing carbonated drinks.

Carbonated drinks, especially soft drinks, are now commonly sold either in ring-pull cans whose contents are intended to be consumed as soon as the can is opened, or large bottles holding more than one drink.

It has been observed that large bottles are unsatisfactory for storing carbonated drinks in that the carbonation of.the drink tends to be lost progressively.

A portion of the contents may therefore need to be discarded or drunk flat, i.e. uncarbonated.

The present invention addresses this problem and provides a method of storing carbonated drinks in containers, in which the container is closed after serving a drink and the pressure within the container is thereafter increased above atmospheric pressure, to reduce the rate at which the remaining contents become decarbonated.

Preferably the container is closed by means of a closure member incorporating a valve through which fluid, such as air, may be introduced into the container. Fluid is preferably introduced by means of a pump. The pump may be incorporated in the closure member.

The invention also provides a container for carbonated drinks, comprising a removable closure member incorporating a valve which provides a fluid path through which fluid may be introduced into the closed container.

The container may further comprise a pump operable to pump fluid into the container, through the said valve.

The pump may be incorporated in the removable closure member and the pump may be operable to pump air into the container.

Decarbonation of stored drinks arises in the following way. When the container is closed, carbon dioxide boi-ls off from the drink and the gas thus produced increases the pressure in the space above the drink. This process continues until the pressure becomes high enough to stop the carbon dioxide in the drink from boiling off.

Each time the container is opened to pour some drink, the pressure in the space is released into the atmosphere. Consequently, when the container is again closed, further carbon dioxide boils off from the drink.

The drink is therefore partially decarbonated each time the bottle is opened. Decarbonation accelerates as the bottle empties, because the volume of the space increases, but there is a corresponding decrease in the volume of drink left to provide the carbon dioxide required for pressure build-up.

The method of the invention utilizes a container which incorporates means through which the pressure within the container, when it is closed, can be increased. This means is preferably a bottle cap incorporating a valve through which air may be pumped into the otherwise closed container.

When the first drink is poured from a full container, the cap is replaced and a pump is used to increase the pressure within the container above atmospheric pressure. Carbon dioxide will then boil off as described above until pressure equilibrium is reached, but the higher pressure which has been introduced into the container means that less carbon dioxide will be able to boil off (assuming the temperature is not increased).

Consequently, more carbon dioxide remains in the drink.

If the pressure is again pumped up each time the container is closed after pouring further drinks, the overall rate of decarbonation of the drink will be reduced and it is expected that the wastage due to unacceptably high levels of decarbonization will be reduced or eliminated.

The equipment for implementing the method described above requires only simple modification from existing drinks container designs. In a preferred embodiment, a non-return valve is incorporated in the container cap to allow air to be pumped into the container, but not to leak back. It may be necessary to incorporate a pressure relief valve in the cap or container to ensure that the pressure within the container is not raised to unsafe levels.

The valve in the cap may be adapted to allow an external pump, such as a small hand-operated pump to be attached to it when required. Alternatively, it is envisaged that a small pump of appropriate design, possibly hand-operated, could be incorporated into the cap, with the valve.

It will be understood from the above that the present invention can be implemented using standard drinks containers, merely by replacing the caps of those containers by caps incorporating a valve. It is envisaged that many different designs of valve and pump could be used according to requirements of cost, reliability, ease of use etc., but it is to be understood that variations of this sort are within the scope of the present invention.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A method of storing carbonated drinks in containers, in which the container is closed after serving a drink and the pressure within the container is thereafter increased above atmospheric pressure, to reduce the rate at which the remaining contents become decarbonated.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the container is closed by means of a closure member incorporating a valve through which fluid may be introduced into the container.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure is increased by means of a pump.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the pump is incorporated in the closure member.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the pressure is increased by introducing air into the container.

6. A container for carbonated drinks, comprising a removable closure member incorporating a valve which provides a fluid path through which fluid may be introduced into the closed container to increase the pressure within the container above atmospheric pressure.

7. A container according to claim 6, further comprising a pump operable to pump fluid into the container, through the said valve.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein the pump is incorporated in the removable closure member.

9. A container according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the pump is operable to pump air into the container.