WO2008105018A2

WO2008105018A2 - System for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents

Info

Publication number: WO2008105018A2
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000117
Authority: WO
Inventors: Glauco Banna
Original assignee: Glauco Banna
Priority date: 2007-02-26
Filing date: 2008-02-21
Publication date: 2008-09-04
Also published as: ITRM20070106A1; WO2008105018A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents (1; 100; 200), said system providing inflatable means (10; 103; 203), introduced within the container (1; 100; 200), and that can be inflated from outside in such a way to occupy the free volume left by the partially consumed contents of the container.

Description

SYSTEM FOR ELIMINATING GAS CONTACTING LIQUID, SOLID OR GRANULAR CONTENTS WITHIN CONTAINERS AFTER A PARTIAL CONSUMPTION AND/OR USE OF SAID

CONTENTS

The present invention relates to a system for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents.

It is well known that, during everyday life, situations occurs in which, due to the partial use of the contents of a container (e.g., but only for indicative purposes, wine within a bottle, or another foodstuff within a closable container, such as a tin), problems exist for the subsequent consumption of the contents, due to the modification of its organoleptic qualities, if not even impossibility of using it again. Same problems are encountered in other fields different from that of foodstuffs.

Air (or generally speaking of gas) removal from inside a container, present between the contents level and the top of the same container is also useful, if not indispensable, in all those cases requiring removal of gas (air) contacting the product for every reason (e.g. within a fuel tank for a vehicle or a boat, it is advisable removing fuel vapours introducing a container/bag containing extinguishing liquid material for safety reasons of the system, even if not for preserving the fuel).

Thus, the needing exists for a solution permitting solving the above mentioned problem, eliminating gas within the container, permitting maintaining the same features of a product contained within a container, that was originally hermetically closed, also after its opening and partial use, in view of a subsequent use, or in any case maintaining safety conditions. By the term "properties" it is meant not only organoleptic properties, but, for different products, also operative and/or functional features, while by the "safety condition" term it is meant all the conditions preventing possible dangerous conditions with reference to the container contents.

At present, no solution exist permitting that a liquid or semi- liquid product, a foodstuff or not powder product, subjected to deterioration when contacting large amount of air, after the opening of the hermetical container, does not remain in contact with a relatively large amount of air, causing modification of original features. For example, in case contents of a bottle (wine or another liquid beverage), after having consumed part of the product, reduces space occupied by the foodstuffs and increases space destined to containing air, remarkably increasing amount of air, causing deterioration of foodstuff. In some cases, apparatuses are employed, such as a pump, for creating a depression within the rigid container that must be considered palliatives and that cannot be considered as decisive, since they have the problem of gaskets properties, which are modified after some time.

In view of the above, it is well evident the needing of having at disposal a solution as suggested by the present invention, permitting obviating to the above-mentioned drawbacks.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention a system for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents, said system providing inflatable means, introduced within the container, and that can be inflated from outside in such a way to occupy the free volume left by the partially consumed contents of the container.

Preferably, according to the invention, said system further provides relief means for air the volume of which is occupied by the inflatable means.

Preferably, according to the invention, said inflatable means are comprised of a bag or envelope, containing other substances with respect to the gas, i.e. even other liquids (extinguishing material with mechanical pumping). Still according to the invention, an overpressure relief valve is provided in correspondence of said inflatable means.

In an embodiment of the system according to the invention, it provides a first collector, coupling with the inlet/outlet container opening, and through which a unidirectional duct passes for inlet of air and an overpressure relief duct, a second disposable collector, under said first collector, and placed within the container, under said second disposable collector being it provided an inflatable bag, and a peripheral element, so shaped to leave a lateral space for exit of air, and a removable upper cover, that can be placed above said first collector. Preferably, according to the invention, said device is placed on the inlet/outlet opening of the pressure container by screwing or by another coupling system. Always according to the invention, said peripheral element is comprised of a band having projecting fingers.

Furthermore, under said inflatable bag it can be provided an elastic element maintaining said bag in a collected position. According to a further embodiment of the system of the invention, said system provides, within the container, a bulkhead moving under the action of the inflation of said inflatable means.

Finally, according to the invention, lighting means are provided within the container. The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a first section view of a first embodiment of the system according to the invention; figure 2 is a second section view of the embodiment of figure 1 ; figure 3 is a third section view of the embodiment of figure 1 ; figure 4 is a section view of a second embodiment of the system according to the invention; and figure 5 is a section view of a third embodiment of the system according to the invention.

Coming first to observe figures 1 - 3 of the enclosed drawings, it is shown a first embodiment of the system according to the invention applied on a bottle 1.

System according to the invention provides a collector, generically indicated by reference number 2, to be placed on the bottleneck 1 , and providing above a removable plug 3.

Collector 2 provides a part 4, to be introduced within the opening of the bottleneck, and though which an air passage unidirectional valve 5 (according to arrow A), and a relief vale 6 (according to arrow B) pass. By reference number 7 it is further indicated outlet spout of liquid contents.

A disposable collector 8 is provided under collector 2, to which band 9 and bag 10 are coupled on the lower part.

An elastic 11 is provided under said bag 10, tending to keep the bag in a collected condition (see particularly figures 1 and 2).

Operation of the system according to the invention is very simple. After having opened bottle 1 , removing original plug, and after having partially consumed its contents, the system according to the invention is placed on the same. By introducing air through the valve 5 (arrow A), bag 10 is inflated (figures 2 and 3), partially freeing from elastic 11 until reaching grazing level of residual contents within the bottle, thus limiting at most space available for air that could modify original properties of the contents.

When new part of the bottle contents must be consumed, it will be sufficient removing removable plug 3, and normally pouring its contents through the lateral opening (arrows C) from space between bottleneck and collector 4, and in case bag 10 is partially inflated, between bottle edge and band 9 (see figures 2 and 3).

Once taken the wished amount of bottle 1 contents, a new amount of air is inputted within the bag 10, in order to restore the situation not providing air between bag 10 and the contents.

When the contents are exhausted, it is possible removing the system according to the invention for a following use, in this case being it sufficient replacing collector 8, with the (disposable) bag 10 and bands 9.

In this case, it has been used a polyethylene bag that, if suitably folded and compacted, occupies a very reduced space.

Bands 9, and its fingers 9', is comprised of a material compatible with the contents of the container (particularly foodstuff acceptable), but with a sufficient resistance to squeezing (that could occur after the inflation of the bag 10). Bag 10 can be realised with a colour and/or decoration permitting its observing from outside.

Observing now figure 5, it is shown an embodiment of the system according to the invention for a container 100, containing a granular product, and from which the same product is taken from above, removing the cover 101. Within the container 100 it is provided a movable bulkhead 102, separating the product from bag 103.

A valve 104 is provided on cover 101 for outlet of air, while under (or laterally) the container 100 it is provided a valve 105 for inflating the bag 103. After having taken the product removing the cover 101 , it is placed again, and thus bag 103 is inflated by valve 105. at the same time, bulkhead 102 rises, by the action of the greater volume of the bag 103, and air above granular product exits through valve 104. in this embodiment it is not necessary replacing the bag 103 when the product is terminated, since it never comes into contact with the same product, so that it si sufficient deflating the same and filling again the container 100. Observing now figure 5, it is shown an embodiment very similar to the embodiment of figure 3. In this case, being the product a liquid product, it is in the lower part of the container 200.

Product is taken from tap 204, while bag 203 is deflated through valve 205, permitting passage of air in both directions. The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. System for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents, said system being characterised in that it provides inflatable means, introduced within the container, and that can be inflated from outside in such a way to occupy the free volume left by the partially consumed contents of the container.

2. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that it further provides relief means for air the volume of which is occupied by the inflatable means.

3. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said inflatable means are comprised of a bag or envelope, containing other substances with respect to the gas, i.e. even other liquids (extinguishing material with mechanical pumping).

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an overpressure relief valve is provided in correspondence of said inflatable means.

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it provides a first collector, coupling with the inlet/outlet container opening, and through which a unidirectional duct passes for input of air and an overpressure relief duct, a second disposable collector, under said first collector, and placed within the container, under said second disposable collector being it provided an inflatable bag, and a peripheral element, so shaped to leave a lateral space for exit of air, and a removable upper cover, that can be placed above said first collector.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said device is placed on the inlet/outlet opening of the pressure container by screwing or by another coupling system.

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said peripheral element is comprised of a band having projecting fingers.

8. System according to one of the preceding claims 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that under said inflatable bag it is provided an elastic element maintaining said bag in a collected position.

9. System according to one of the preceding claims 1 - 4, characterised in that it provides, within the container, a bulkhead moving under the action of the inflation of said inflatable means.

10: System according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that lighting means are provided within the container.

11. System for eliminating gas contacting liquid, solid or granular contents within containers after a partial consumption and/or use of said contents according to each one of the preceding claims, substantially as illustrated and described.