GB2425769A - Preserving a beverage in an opened bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

A seal such as a stopper, plug or bung, for preventing the ingress of air into a bottle comprising a body (5) and first and second valves (9, 10) extending through the body. The first valve (9) is connectable to a gas supply, preferably a supply of carbon dioxide, at a one side of the body (5) to allow the supply of into a bottle (16). The second valve (10), when a gas pressure inside the bottle (16) exceeds air pressure outside the bottle (16) by a predetermined minimum, gas escapes through the second valve (10). The result is that air/gas inside a bottle (16) is substantially replaced by a chosen gas, the chosen substantially not leading over time to any drink in the bottle (16) going off. If the chosen gas is carbon dioxide and the drink is carbonated, the gas will inhibit or prevent diffusion of dissolved carbon dioxide out of the drink.

Description

SEAL FOR A CONTAINER FOR LIQUID

The present invention relates to a seal for preventing the ingress of air into a container and for allowing gas to be supplied therethrough into a container.

It is a well-known problem with bottled drink, especially with alcoholic bottled drink, that once a bottle is opened for the first time, outside air enters the bottle and the drink begins to oxidise. The taste of the drink rapidly deteriorates thereafter.

It is a further problem with bottled carbonated drink that once opened for a first time, the drink becomes flat. This is due to carbon dioxide dissolved in the drink diffusing into air.

Storing of bottled drink once the bottle has been opened is therefore plainly a problem, particularly where the drink is of high monetary worth such as some flat or carbonated wines or Champagne (RTM). Champagne in particular goes flat very soon after being opened and a vendor selling Champagne by the glass is therefore obliged, once a bottle has been opened, to rapidly sell all of the bottle or to accept the expense of unsold Champagne. Similarly, a consumer who purchases and opens a bottle of Champagne is obliged to consumer the bottle rapidly if the drink is not to go flat. The taste of wine also deteriorates quickly and after one or two days is normally too oxidised to be of pleasure to the palate.

According to the present invention, there is provided a seal for preventing the ingress of air into a container and for allowing gas to be supplied therethrough into a container, comprising a body and first and second valve means, said first and said second valve means being carried by and extending through said body, said first valve means being connectable to a gas supply at a one side of the body to allow the supply of gas to an other side of said body, said second valve means, when a gas pressure at the other side of said body exceeds a gas pressure at the one side of said body by a predetermined minimum, allowing gas to pass from said other side to said one side. Three embodiments of a seal and a sealing system according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic of seal of a first embodiment, Figure 2 shows a schematic cross section through line A-A of the seal of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a schematic of the seal of Figures 1 and 2 sealing a bottle, Figure 4 shows a schematic of a seal of a second embodiment, and Figure 5 shows a schematic cross section of a seal of a third embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a seal having a generally frustoconical body 5 made of rubber having a side 6, a first surface 7 and a second surface 8. A first valve 9 and a second valve 10 are carried by and extend through the body 5. The first valve 9 has a first end 11 extending from the first surface 7 and the second valve 10 has a first end 12 forming part of the first surface 7. First and second valves 9, 10 have respective second ends 13, 14 forming part of the second surface 8. The first end 11 of the first valve 9 is attachable to and detachable from gas supply apparatus (not shown). The second end 14 of the second valve 10 opens to outside air.

The gas supply apparatus comprises a canister of carbon dioxide, a hose and a connector. The connector has a passage therethrough and includes a supply switch in the form of, for example, a trigger, the supply switch being normally closed to block the passage and operable to open the passage. The hose is attached at one end to the canister of carbon dioxide and at the other end to the connector. The connector is connectable to the first end 11 of the first valve 9.

The hose, the passage when the supply switch is open and the inside of the canister are in fluid communication.

The first valve 9 is a one-way valve that allows the passage of gas therethrough when the pressure at the first end 11 exceeds the pressure at the second end 13 and prevents the passage of gas from the second end 13 to the first end 11. The second valve 10 is a one-way valve which allows gas to pass therethrough from the second end 14 to the first end 12 when the pressure at the second end 14 exceeds the pressure at the first end 12 by a predetermined minimum and prevents the passage of gas from the first end 12 to the second end 14. Such valves are known. The minimum is predetermined by selection of valve.

Referring next to Figure 3, the seal is shown securely engaged in a neck 15 of a bottle 16 to prevent the ingress of air into the bottle 16 and the egress of gas or air out of the bottle.

In use, the seal is attached to the bottle as shown in Figure 3. The first valve 9 is then connected to connector of the gas supply apparatus.

The gas supply apparatus is operative to provide carbon dioxide to the first end 11 of the first valve 9. Carbon dioxide passes from the canister through the hose to the connector and through the passage in the connector to the first valve 9. The carbon dioxide from the canister is at a high pressure relative to atmospheric pressure. When connected to the first valve 9, the connector is operated by operation of the supply switch to provide carbon dioxide at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure to the first end 11 of the first valve 9.

Carbon dioxide passes through the first valve 9 to the inside of the bottle 16 to mx with the air previously there to form a gas mix. The pressure of the gas mix inside the bottle 16 increases until the difference in pressure between the pressure of the gas mix at the inside of the bottle 16 at second end 14 of the second valve 10 exceeds the gas pressure outside the bottle at the first end 12 of the second valve by the predetermined minimum. When this predetermined minimum is exceeded, the gas mix passes in part from the inside of the bottle 16 through the second valve 10 to the outside of the bottle 16. The supply of gas continues thereafter until the gas mix inside the bottle 16 substantially consists of carbon dioxide. The supply switch of the gas supply apparatus is then operated to stop the supplying of carbon dioxide.

The bottle is then left sealed until any drink inside the bottle is required.

Figure 4 shows the second embodiment of the seal. Parts common to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and are not further described.

In this embodiment the second valve 10 has an associated switch 20 operable to change the predetermined minimum pressure at which the second valve 10 allows gas to pass from the second end 14 to the first end 12 to zero.

In use, a user operates the switch 20 and the gas pressure at the inside of the bottle 16 and the air pressure outside the bottle equalise. After equalising, the switch re- sets so that gas will gain only be allowed to pass if the pressure difference between the first end 12 and the second end 14 exceeds a predetermined minimum. Valves including such a switch are known.

Figure 5 shows the third embodiment of the seal. Parts common to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and are not further described.

A passage 22 extends through the body 5 and has a first end forming part of the first surface 7 of the body 7 and a second end forming part of the second surface 8 of the body 5. The passage 22 is normally closed and has an associated switch 21 operable to open the passage 22 to allow the pressure at the second end 14 to equalise with that at the first end 12, and therefore the pressure at the inside of the bottle 16 to equalise with that at the outside of the bottle 16. In use, the switch 21 is operated to that effect and then resets so that passage 22 returns to its normally closed position.

The seal claimed and described with reference to the three embodiments described above offers several benefits. As mentioned above, the gas mix inside the bottle following supply of carbon dioxide is substantially carbon dioxide - air previously there, which included oxygen, is substantially removed. Accordingly, oxidation of the drink inside the bottle cannot occur. The gas could be any gas that does not change the taste of the relevant drink and is non-toxic, for example, nitrogen.

However, the supply of carbon dioxide is especially advantageous as its presence serves to inhibit or prevent carbon dioxide dissolved in drink in the bottle from diffusing out of the drink. This results in the drink staying carbonated.

The second and third embodiments both have a respective switch 20, 21 that, while different in these embodiments, is operable in both to equalise the pressure of the gas mix inside the bottle 16 with the pressure outside the bottle 16, as previously mentioned. These switches 20, 21 advantageously facilitate removal of the seal when this is required as, before equalisation, a high pressure at the inside of the bottle with respect to outside air pressure might otherwise lead to the seal shooting' dangerously from the bottle during removal.

It should also be noted that carbon dioxide together with supply apparatus are in place in virtually all bars and restaurants. Only minor modification to such apparatus would usually be required in order to use the seals described above.

Such modification might be the installation of a T-junction in an already present carbon dioxide supply hose so that a new hose could be branched off in order to connect to a seal.

There are many possible modifications that can be made to the present invention.

As already mentioned, any gas that does not change the taste of the relevant drink and is non-toxic can be supplied to prevent oxidation. The gas supply apparatus may be subject to many modifications as will be evident to a person knowledgeable in the art. A rotary pump or similar means might be included in the hose so that the gas supplied to the first valve 9 is always at substantially the same pressure. While the seal shown is for use with a bottle, the seal may be readily adapted for use with drink storage means such as cartons or barrels.

Many means exist for securing a seal to an opened bottle of drink. For example, a known device has a cylindrical body which fits with ease into an opening of a bottle and has two levers extending from the body on respective opposing sides of the body, which are operable to prevent movement of the body in the opening.

Such levers are oppositely operable to contract the body and thereby allow its removal from the opening. The means of operation of such a device are plainly readily applicable to the seal described above, as are many known means having such a purpose.

The body is not necessarily frustoconical in shape - it could be cylindrical or otherwise shaped. The body may protrude from the neck of the bottle to facilitate removal of the seal to provide means for securing to the bottle or for aesthetic purposes - the shape of the protrusion is limited only by function. The body does not have to be rubber - it could be plastic, other materials having sealing properties or others material not having sealing properties but coated with a material having sealing properties.

The first and second valves need not be resistant to liquid as bottles could be kept upright if necessary.

Claims (12)

1. A seal for preventing the ingress of air into a container and for allowing gas to be supplied therethrough into a container, comprising a body and first and second valve means, said first and said second valve means being carried by and extending through said body, said first valve means being connectable to a gas supply at a one side of the body to allow the supply of gas to an other side of said body, said second valve means, when a gas pressure at the other side of said body exceeds a gas pressure at the one side of said body by a predetermined minimum, allowing gas to pass from said other side to said one side.

2. A seal according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined minimum is substantially zero.

3. A seal according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said seal further comprises means operative to allow the gas pressure at said other side substantially to equalise with the gas pressure at said one side.

4. A seal according to claim 3 wherein said means includes a switch.

5. A seal according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said means includes a third valve means.

6. A seal according to any preceding claim including securing means for securing to a bottle that, when secured to a bottle, is at least sufficiently strong not to be caused to move by a force resulting from a difference in pressure between said one and other sides.

7. A seal according to claim 6 wherein said securing means includes a thread for screw attachment to a corresponding screw thread on a bottle.

8. A sealing system for a bottle to prevent the ingress of air into the bottle comprising a seal according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and gas supply apparatus.

9. A sealing system according to claim 8 wherein said gas supply apparatus includes a rotary pump.

10. A sealing system according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said apparatus supplies carbon dioxide.

11. A seal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A sealing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.