GB2498975A - Bottle with air bladder to displacing contents - Google Patents

Abstract

A bag E provided in a bottle or can is in fluid communication with the surrounding atmosphere to enable air B to flow into the bag to displace liquid C decanted out of the bottle. The bag is non permeable so the fluid remains isolated from any contaminants or oxidizing agents in the air. A head U of carbon dioxide or other gas may remain undisturbed above liquid C preventing spoilage and conserving the partial pressure of gas dissolved in the liquid. The flow rate from the bottle can be controlled by varying the length, width or a valve V on the tubes F communicating between the outside environment and the bag or the liquid. There is ideally a mechanism to expel contaminating air from the head space of the bottle. The bag may be attracted to the bottle walls by capillary effect, and preferably is provided with a bypass tube or ridge to allow flow between the bag and the wall. The air in the bag can act as a dampener inhibiting sloshing and glugging.

Description

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Bag in a Bottle Background to the Invention

When a bottle containing a liquid is opened and part used, the remaining contents present at least one of two problems. Two specific cases, for example only, are those of a runner holding a bottle half full of water and a wine drinker who does not want to consume a whole bottle. In both cases, the liquid that has been removed has replaced with air.

In the case of a runner having drunk part of a water bottle, the momentum imparted to the remaining water causes an impulsively imparted splashing action with subsequent unbalance and irritation, to the point where many runners are reluctant to carry water. The study of this type of effect is known as "slosh dynamics" where liquid requires movement at a free surface, and is a branch of Physics known to those skilled in the art. Prior art in this case comes in the form of items such as bladders and flexible bottles, which shrink as liquid is consumed, but may be flexible, fragile and difficult to carry, needing some external means of support.

In the example of the wine, those skilled in the science of oenology know that chemical and biological spoilage mechanisms will rapidly cause the remaining wine to deteriorate, with oxidation being the major factor, especially for white wines. Prior art for this application is extensive, but tends to rely on inert gases, vacuums, pumps and chilling. Other substances, such as paints, glues, perfumes and fragrant oils have similar problems. Some wine is sold as "bag in a box". This sounds similar to the Invention, but the "bag in a box" is an instance of a collapsible bladder that contains wine.

No known prior art offers the simplicity of the invention to be described.

Statement of Invention

The inventive factor that addresses both problems is a "bag in a bottle". It is to be understood that in the following text, where "liquid" or "air" is used, this is by way of example only and is not a limiting description.

A bottle is initially divided into two internal containers by the addition of a deflated airtight bag that has its own small airway to the outside world. There is thus a liquid container and an air container. The means by which liquid is removed is controlled so as to be otherwise airtight. The assembly is therefore a closed system that functions so that when some liquid is removed, the equivalent volume of air that ingresses must fill and expand the bag rather than occupying a volume around the liquid. When liquid removal has finished, some means is required to prevent air ingress to the liquid container before the normal tap or stopper mechanism is closed.

Advantages

This use of an internal bag in a bottle has three major beneficial effects, as fully described later.

Firstly, the invention greatly reduces movement of the remaining liquid.

Secondly, the invention prevents air from coming into contact with the remaining liquid, thus preventing spoilage mechanisms, especially oxidization and air curing, from operating.

Thirdly, the user requirement to suck or permit "glugging" is totally eliminated.

Description of the Invention

The invention will be described by referring to the following drawings.

• Figures 1 illustrates two manifestations of the Torichellian Vacuum effect.

• Figure 2 describes one embodiment of the invention, just before final assembly. Note particularly that the bag and its airway may be secured to the bottle rather than the closure, as in Figure 5.

• Figure 3 shows the closure insertion and shows the invention during pouring.

• Figure 4 shows the invention in the upright storage mode with the closed tap.

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• Figure 5 shows the invention in the "slosh prevention" mode, with a different air pipe connection and closure more optimized for carrying.

In the following descriptions, "container" and bottle" are used interchangeably.

A "closure" is a device such as, for example but not limited, to a screw cap, stopper, lid or cork that normally completely seals a container.

In the description a "closure" may be deliberately modified, for instance but not limited to, so as to incorporate one or more valves, open/shut stoppers, openings or orifices.

A bottle may also be adapted so as to provide a location point and an opening. Other containers and shapes may also be utilized.

The word "liquid" is used hereafter, but the Invention and Claims extend to any contents that could be contaminated or spoilt by contact with any substance forcing ingress to a container to replace the original contents that have been removed, and similarly, any gas or liquid could be present instead of "air" or "atmosphere" as used hereafter, to replace any contents that are removed.

The empty space above or around a liquid is known as "ullage".

1. Understanding of the operation of the Invention starts with the phenomenon known to Physicists as the Torichellian Vacuum. Depending on the circumstances, this is either useful or a problem. The phenomenon is commonly used in drinking water supplies for small pets. An upended bottle placed with its opening in a saucer does not self empty, due to the force exerted by a Torichellian Vacuum at the top of the bottle in conjunction with the atmospheric pressure at the bottom. (Figure 1, left)

2. As implemented in drinking bottles commonly on sale, if the opening is small, the surface tension of the contents plus the atmospheric pressure exerts enough force at the opening in conjunction with the vacuum above to make the bottle spill proof. In order to extract the liquid, the consumer must suck, or squeeze the sides of the bottle, risking breakage. (Figure 1, right)

3. In all such situations, as the bottle gradually empties, air must force its way in, to overcome the Torichellian Vacuum. This causes a "glug" action, while the liquid flow stops or is erratic. Metal, glass or rigid plastic bottles cannot be squeezed, therefore one problem is that liquid delivery is always erratic.

In the case of wine, the glugging can allow droplets to escape and cause staining of tableware or disturb sediment in the bottle, thus temporarily ruining the contents.

4. It is the vacuum created within a container as liquid is extracted that is the main operating means of the Invention.

5. With reference to the example of Figure 2, the required bottle closure consists of a bottle stopper "A" incorporating a one way valve "V" and/or shut-off tap mechanism "T" permitting liquid "C" to flow. The former is useful for best performance in the example of the runner, as immediate manual shut-off operation may be inconvenient unless tap "T" is spring loaded. An expandable air tight bag "E" is connected to the outside air "B" via a tiny pipe "F" separate from the liquid path and inlet "D". Assume that the bottle is nearly full of liquid "C".

With reference to Figure 3, after the stopper is fully inserted with tap "T" open, only a small amount of air "U" is present. As liquid is poured, a Torichellian vacuum "G" develops inside the bottle. The original gas "U" occupies this same volume. Only one such volume is shown, but there may be several; it does not matter. The reduced pressure in the whole bottle sucks all of the bag surface outwards, the top expanding first due to being at the lowest pressure. Air "B" is drawn into the bag through pipe "F", causing the bag "E" to expand, thus tending to equalize the pressures and thus reducing the aforementioned Torichellian vacuum. The final state is shown in Figure 4, with the bottle upright and the airtight tap or stopper "T" closed.

No pumping whatsoever is necessary to reach the state of Figure 4, as the outside atmospheric pressure of "B" provides the required force that inflates the bag "E". The only user function is to pour in such a way that the liquid "C" outlet through "A" is always covered with liquid so air "B" cannot ingress by that route. To help prevent this, a one way valve "V" is ideally fitted in outlet "A", but this is not absolutely essential. Often, the user may simply close the tap mechanism "T" to stop pouring. Tap "T" may be operated by a sprung extension lever or an alternative mechanism, which would largely remove the need for valve "V". The bag may be made of any suitable material, for example but not limited to, any plastic or metal foil or both. Pipe "F" may be of any length, material, cross sectional area or rigidity as required to ensure correct air flow and

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to help the bag be properly aligned in the bottle. Pipe "F" also helps determine maximum liquid "C" flow rate as flow "C" must equal flow "B".

The example and sequence of Figures 2-4 illustrates an application such as, but not limited to, wine with all orifices in the stopper. This is because the bottle is usually glass or another rigid material that permits long storage periods prior to opening. Extra holes in the bottle are impractical and undesirable. In this case, the stopper and bag would be fitted immediately after the cork or screw cap was removed. The volume of the bag "E" and pipe "F" can easily be less than the volume of the original closure and original ullage.

6. It can be seen that although air "B" has replaced the extracted contents, it is neither in chemical nor physical contact with the liquid, the bag forming a flexible barrier. The small amount of air or gas ullage that was originally in the container stays there. Engineers would call this a Closed System. Therefore no further spoilage mechanism is introduced to the liquid, despite the fact that some of it has been removed. Provided that the volume of bag "E" nears or exceeds that of the bottle, amount of gas "U" in contact with the liquid is only whatever was originally in the bottle. In fact, it is possible to suck on the bottle stopper "A" through valve "V" with the bottle upright, and gas "U" will be drawn out followed by liquid "C", even though no further liquid conduit such as a straw is present. Furthermore, the tendency to "glug" is removed as any liquid that leaves can and must be replaced by air flowing into the bag. Pouring or sucking is very smooth.

7. The above description does not preclude the fitting of any convenient valve mechanism arrangement (including, for example but not limited to, airlocks, balls, V mechanisms, springs and diaphragms or flap valves) to the liquid outlet. The only essential is some form of air tight stopper for the liquid path that can be applied, sooner or later, without any air ingress. In fact, as the two chambers inside the bottle are very nearly always balanced in pressure, if a mistake is made there is only a minimal tendency for air to enter the liquid space. When the bottle is turned upright as in Figure 4, by Archimede's principle the bag tends to float. The bag expansion moves towards the top and neck, and the bottom collapses upwards, due to the higher pressure at the bottom of the column of liquid. This tends to form an automatic extra stopper. When a bottle is upright the top of the bag is at atmospheric pressure, therefore even a slight leak in the stopper "A" and valve area "V" does not result in significant flow of external air.

8. The air inlet "D" can remain open at all times if the liquid closure and tap "T" or valve "V" is airtight, which is cheaply achievable. In practice, the process works so well that a well fitting expanding bag can cling to the side of the bottle due to capillary and attractive forces as described in section 12, and close off the flow of liquid by forming a second stopper. This possibility can prevent further pouring and may be circumvented, for example only, by one or more of at least three methods.

8.1. The bag perimeter may be fractionally smaller than that of the bottle inner, and carefully shaped narrowing towards the top, so there is always a gap.

8.2. The side of the bag may be ribbed along the longitudinal axis, creating multiple flow paths. The bag edge seals can suffice.

8.3. A pierced flexible outlet tube can provide a by-pass route down the side, reaching to the bottom.

9. The closed loop system as described above means that no air enters the liquid space. Should a high degree of sterility be required during interrupted use, because the content is very fragile or subject to very quick oxidation or because of possible chemical reaction of the contents with air, this invention provides these requirement as an added benefit if the bag is fitted at original manufacture, in which case its volume must exceed that of the bottle in order to be able to remove all the liquid.

10. The Invention can be used as a separate device to be used immediately after opening any container. Stopper "A", Tap "T" and valve "V" may be combined as required into an assembly that can replace the original closure, for instance but not limited to, a tapered, ribbed plastic stopper designed to replace a screw cap or cork on a bottle where the exact neck diameter is unknown. In this event, the Invention is designed to occupy most or even slightly more of the air space that is always free in the neck of a bottle. Therefore,

when pouring starts there is the minimum practical amount of air present to be a source of oxidation. Containers such as hand operated aerosol bottles, glue bottles and paint tins would be further examples of applications involving contents adversely affected by air.

The expandable bag may later be pressurized in conjunction with a non return valve in orifice "D" of Figure 2 or sealed by additional mechanical means, for the express purpose of conserving contents such as but not limited to Champagne or other fizzy drinks where the retention of dissolved gas is a parameter in the continuing acceptability for consumption of the contents.

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11. As illustrated by Figure 5, it will be appreciated that the Bag "E" and Pipe "F" may also be attached to a bottle, in contradistinction to being located in the closure. Usually a neck area, top shoulder or the bottom of the bottle would be most convenient. For the example of a refillable plastic water bottle that is to be carried, Figure 5 would be a preferred embodiment. It is a more robust solution where a bottle is to be filled having been supplied empty. In this case, the bottle closure only incorporates tap mechanism "T" and valve "V".

12. The physical effects of the invention that are more relevant to the example of the runner with a part empty water bottle will now be described in detail.

Three such effects exist that combine to restrict the flow of liquid.

Firstly, everyone has struggled in trying to separate the two halves of a dry plastic bag. Air pressure holds the two sheets together. An even stronger effect occurs if two plates of material are separated only by a very thin film of liquid. The liquid's surface tension (capillary effect) draws them together with a very high force that is inversely proportional to the thickness of the film. In the case of water, the force can be equivalent to approximately 7Newtons per sq cm or equivalent to a 0.7kG weight per sq cm. Put simply, if it is big enough and properly shaped the bag "clings" to the side of the bottle, wherever it touches, virtually excluding all but a thin film of any liquid content. The bottle and bag can behave almost like a pair of magnets.

This means that a correctly sized and shaped bag forms a barrier between any remaining liquid in one section of the bottle and the liquid in another section. The "attraction" effect acts as an inbuilt spring that gives the bag a tendency to expand, grip the sides, slide only slowly if at all and enclose any remaining small air bubbles, thus reducing the free liquid surface area that permits "sloshing".

Secondly, by reference to Figure 5, the liquid movement is further reduced due to the pipe "F". Any impulsive pressure on the bag causes some air "B" to be forced out, but if tap "T" or valve "V" is closed, a partial Torichellian Vacuum "G" is immediately created in the liquid space, which reduces the impulsive force. The air flow in "F" will tend to reverse. This is a damping and smoothing action partly dependent on the diameter of pipe "F", immediately reducing the tendency for liquid to flow in the gaps between bag and bottle. The diameter of pipe"F" will be quite small in this mode of use, as liquid flow rate is not very large.

The fact that the bag is effectively stuck to the sides in many places adds to the robustness of the solution and increases the damping obtained, as the bag is not free to move- rather it tends to progress along the surface to which it is attached.

A third damping phenomenon exists due to the well known Venturi effect. If gas or liquid flow occurs through any path between two separated surfaces, this introduces a pressure drop that tends to draw the two plates together, thus reducing the flow. This effect tends to cause discontinuous flow if either surface is flexible, which is the case in this Invention. When the surfaces touch, usually towards the top or edge, this augments the attraction effect already described, and the gaps therefore dynamically close. On the opposite bottom face the bag distorts, and the crumpled surface further restricts the flow.

13. The engineering of the locus of the bag diameter relative to the bottle shape must therefore ensure that as the bottle is emptied large surface areas of bag and bottle are in contact in several nearly complete annular sections, thus dividing the bottle into several smaller, partly isolated volumes.

By suitably compromising the attracted area as described in section 8, and leaving a small free path for the liquid, a "damping system" may be engineered that permits adequate water flow for drinking, but prevents most if not all of the "sloshing" that so annoys runners by means of reducing the free flow of liquid and having little or no free liquid surface area.

14. In all applications, in the event of unwanted ullage being present in the liquid space, this situation may be corrected. It will be appreciated that if there has been a mistake, or malfunction in valve "V", ullage "U" may include unwanted air from atmosphere "B".

Any of a multiplicity of simple pump devices can be used to suck out unwanted air from contact with the remaining contents, such removed air being automatically replaced by a matching increase in the air contained in the bag. Even manual sucking is possible, as described previously in section 6. Alternatively, the bag may be pumped up - the net effect is the same.

For example, the bottle is placed upright as in Figure 4 and the liquid stopper tap "T" opened. Suction may be applied to tap "T" until all unwanted ullage "U" is removed. Alternatively, a pump is operated into opening "D" and pipe "F" until the bag has expanded, replacing the air. Only a tiny pressure is necessary, as the contents are all at the bottom and the bag is on top. When the bag has expanded, the unwanted air has gone and the liquid is seen to touch the bottom of the bag, then the tap "T" may be closed.

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Claims (10)

Claims

1. A system of extracting the contents of a container and replacing the void so formed with any gas or material for the present surrounding the bottle without said gas or material coming in contact with the remainder of the original contents by means of an expandable gas or material tight bag, thus conserving the original environmental conditions and substances in contact with said remaining contents.

2. A means of ensuring that whatever volume of conservation material was originally in the container, such as for example but not limited to, carbon dioxide above a liquid subject to oxidization, remains in the container to continue its original function of spoilage prevention, the excess volume being replaced by the expanded bag made of any suitable material including but not limited to plastic and metal foils.

3. A means of ensuring that any external substance (especially including oxygen) or microorganism that may cause spoilage by, for example but not limited to, chemical, organic, inorganic or bacterial contamination having ingressed to replace extracted contents, comes into neither chemical nor physical contact with the remaining contents.

4. A means of conserving the presence of dissolved gases in a substance without the use of a second gas in contact with the substance that may cause spoilage due to chemical interaction or absorption.

5. A means of controlling the pouring rate of the contents by varying the passage linking the expandable bag to the outside environment, either by a fixed length or width of tube or a controllable valve fitted onto said tube or to the exit point.

6. A means of removing, for example but not limited to, oxygen or any other gas or liquids that may ingress into volume previously occupied by the contents due to the actions of removing some of the said contents of a container without taking preliminary precautions.

7. A means of controlling, shaping or adding to the bag cross sectional area and surface smoothness so that due to the "attraction" capillary effect, it forms a barrier between two sections of the bottle or container by clinging to the sides, thus further preventing the external environment from interacting with the contents.

8. A means of reducing the "attraction" capillary effect in limited areas by, for example but not limited to, a bypass tube, inbuilt ridges or bag shaping or so as to permit essentially complete removal of the contents without further removal of the stopper.

9. The combination of claims 7 and 8 with an air damping effect so as to greatly reduce movement known as "sloshing" of the contents when the bottle is subject to movement, having been partially emptied.

10. The use of an inflatable bag to exclude air from spoilable contents in situations where a can or container is used rather than a bottle.