WO2004009467A1

WO2004009467A1 - Apparatus and method for maintaining the freshness of a liquid

Info

Publication number: WO2004009467A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/003252
Authority: WO
Inventors: Colin Bryant
Original assignee: Colin Bryant
Priority date: 2002-07-22
Filing date: 2003-07-18
Publication date: 2004-01-29
Also published as: GB0216957D0; AU2003267533A1

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sealing an open wine bottle (2) is disclosed. A wine bottle (2) is partially full and contains wine (4) up to the level shown. A polythene bag (6) is provided for insertion into an opening (8) of the wine bottle (2). An insertion tool (10) is provided in order to push the polythene bag (6) into wine bottle (2). The insertion tool (10) comprises an and sharpened point (12). A user inserts the polythene bag (6) into wine bottle (2) using the insertion tool (10) and then inflates the bag (6).This displaces air from above the level of the wine, thus helping to preserve the wine. A stopper (14) is provided for sealing the bag (6) to the wine bottle (2), and a plastic cap (16) is provided to fit over the opening (8) of the wine bottle (2).

Description

Apparatus and Method for Maintaining the Freshness of a

Liquid

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for maintaining the freshness of a liquid and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus and method for maintaining the freshness of wine in an opened bottle.

When a wine bottle is opened, bacteria living in the wine come into contact with oxygen in the atmosphere. These bacteria cause alcohol in the wine to turn into acetic acid, giving the wine a vinegar-like taste and making the wine go off. Known methods of keeping wine fresh generally involve either limiting access of oxygen to the bottle, or attempting to remove oxygen from the bottle.

One type of device for keeping wine fresh consists of a hand operated suction pump. A seal having a valve is fitted into the neck of- the bottle, and the suction pump is used to remove air via the valve from the space in the bottle above the wine. This type of device suffers from the drawback that the oxygen is not completely removed, only diluted, thereby simply slowing down the oxidising process in the wine.

Another type of prior art device for keeping wine fresh consists of a canister of compressed nitrogen that displaces oxygen from the wine bottle, after which the neck of the wine bottle is sealed. This device suffers from the drawback that the nitrogen canister must be periodically replaced, making this method of keeping wine fresh relatively expensive.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for maintaining freshness of a liquid, the apparatus comprising;

at least one inflatable flexible bag impermeable to the liquid;

an elongate member adapted to be inserted into an opening of a vessel containing the liquid; and

at least one sealing member for sealing the bag to the opening of the vessel.

This provides the advantage of removing a greater proportion of oxygen than that removable by prior art suction pumps, while achieving this more cost effectively than by the use of compressed nitrogen.

In a preferred embodiment, at least said sealing member comprises a deformable stopper having a diameter equal to or greater than that of the opening of said vessel.

This provides the advantage of providing a good seal for preventing the ingress of air.

At least one said deformable stopper may be formed from elastomeric material.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one said bag is formed from polythene.

For hygienic reasons, it is desirable to be able to dispose of each bag after use. By providing a polythene bag, this provides the advantage that the bags are readily available and cheap and therefore ideal for disposing.

According to another aspect of the present invention- there is provided a method of maintaining the freshness of a liquid, the method comprising inserting an inflatable flexible bag, impermeable to the liquid, into the • opening of' a vessel containing the liquid;

pushing a portion of the bag to a point under the surface of the liquid;

inserting the bag such that at least some of .the air between the outer surface of the bag and the inner surface of vessel is displaced from the vessel; and

sealing the bag to the vessel by applying a sealing member to the vessel opening. .

In a preferred embodiment, the method is a method of evacuating the air from a partially full wine bottle and sealing against the ingress of air.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus embodying the present invention, together with an opened wine bottle;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a first step of carrying a method embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a second step of the method of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a third step of the method of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a schematic view of a .fourth step of the method of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a schematic view of the apparatus of Figure 1, without the stopper in place on the bottle; and

Figure 7 is schematic view corresponding to Figure 5, with the stopper in place.

Referring to Figure 1, a wine bottle 2 is partially full and contains wine 4 up to^' the level shown. A polythene bag 6 is provided for insertion into an opening 8 of the wine bottle 2. An insertion tool 10 is provided in order to push the polythene bag 6 into wine bottle 2. The insertion tool 10 comprises a blunt end 11 and sharpened point 12. A stopper 14 of elastomeric material is provided for sealing the bag 6 to the wine bottle 2. Finally, a plastic cap 16 is provided to fit over the opening 8 of the wine bottle 2.

Referring to Figure 2, the first step of sealing the wine bottle 2 is shown. The insertion tool 10 is placed into the polythene bag 6 blunt end 11 first.

Referring now to Figures 3 and .4, the bag 6 is then inserted into the neck of bottle 2 and the insertion tool 10 is. used to push the bag into the bottle . In order to ensure that all of the air from outside of the bag is evacuated when the bag 6 is inflated, it is desirable to push the bag 6 a few centimetres under the surface of the wine 4.

Referring to Figure 4, the insertion tool 10 is then removed from the bag 6 and a user 18 inflates bag 6 by blowing into the bag. By inflating bag 6, any air lying between the outer surface of the bag and the inner surface of bottle 2 is forced out -of the neck of the bottle 2. As there is no air between the bag 6 and the bottle and the surface of the wine when bag 6 is inflated, the bag ^' 6 remains in place due to the air pressure of the atmosphere acting inside bag 6.

Referring to Figure 5, the stopper 14 is then inserted ■ into the neck 8 of the bottle. The stopper 14 may be made from cork or deformable plastics, such that the stopper 14 is in a compressed state when in the neck 8 of the bottle 2,- thus sealing the bag 6 tightly to the inner surface of the bottle

2.

Finally, referring to Figure 6, a plastic cap 16 can then be placed over the neck of the bottle 2 for aesthetic purposes, and also to prevent the protruding part of bag 6 becoming caught and torn away.

In order to remove the polythene bag 6 from the bottle, the user 18 can use the sharp end 12 of insertion tool 10 to pierce the bag. The facilitates easy removal of the bag 6, as air can then penetrate the region between the bag 6 and the inner surface of the bottle 2.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that this method may be used for preservation for liquids other than wine, in particular fruit juices, milk and alcoholic beverages other than wine that are susceptible to decay.

Claims

1. An apparatus for maintaining freshness of a liquid, the apparatus comprising;

at least one inflatable flexible bag impermeable to the liquid;

at least one sealing member for sealing the bag to the opening of the vessel.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one said sealing member comprises a deformable stopper having a diameter equal to or greater than that of the opening of said vessel.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one said deformable stopper is formed from elastomeric material .

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said bag is formed from polythene.

5. An apparatus for maintaining freshness of a liquid, the apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of maintaining the freshness of a liquid, the method comprising inserting an inflatable flexible bag, impermeable to the liquid, into the opening of a vessel containing the liquid; ^• pushing a portion of the bag to a point under the surface of the liquid;

inπatmg tne t>ag such that at least some of the air between., the outer surface of the bag and the inner surface of the vessel is displaced from the vessel;, and • .

sealing the bag to the vessel by applying a sealing member to the vessel opening.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method is a method of _. evacuating the air from a partially full wine bottle and sealing against the ingress of air.

8. A method of maintaining the freshness of a liquid, the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.