WO2011064294A1

WO2011064294A1 - Device for protecting a liquid from oxidation

Info

Publication number: WO2011064294A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/068207
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donato Lanati
Original assignee: Enosis S.R.L.
Priority date: 2009-11-26
Filing date: 2010-11-25
Publication date: 2011-06-03
Also published as: ITAL20090006A1

Abstract

Device for protecting a liquid from oxidation inside a container having an aperture at one end thereof and comprising first means for supplying said liquid inside said container, second means for supplying said liquid outside said container and at least one control unit. There are also provided pneumatic control means at least partially housed into said container and intended to produce an overpressure inside said container and on said liquid when the latter is supplied to the outside, the arrangement being such that following a decrease in the volume of the liquid inside the container, said pneumatic control means increase their volume by an amount equal to the change in the volume of said liquid. The pneumatic control means comprise a variable capacity tank and a pipe supplying and discharging a fluid for filling said tank; there are also provided supply and discharge means for the filling fluid which are connected to said pipe and a supporting structure, which fastens and holds in place the pneumatic control means inside the container. The overall dimensions of said pneumatic means in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the aperture of the container, at least in the collapsed or empty condition of said variable capacity tank, are smaller than the passage port of the aperture of the container, while the supporting structure has means for being fastened to the aperture of the container and the pneumatic control means are fastened to the supporting structure as to overhang into the container.

Description

Device for protecting a liquid from oxidation. The present invention relates to a device for protecting a liquid from oxidation inside a container having an aperture at one end thereof and comprising first means for supplying a liquid inside the container, second means for supplying said liquid outside the container and at least one control unit.

There are also provided pneumatic control means at least partially housed into the container and intended to produce an overpressure inside the container and on said liquid when the latter is supplied outside the container, such that following a decrease in the volume of said liquid inside the container, the pneumatic control means increase their volume by an amount equal to the change in the liquid volume.

Such pneumatic control means comprise a variable capacity tank and a pipe supplying and discharging a fluid for filling the tank, which is supplied and discharged by means supplying and discharging the filling fluid which are connected to said pipe.

Finally there is provided a supporting structure by means of which the pneumatic control means are fastened and held in place inside said container.

The present invention is particulary suitable for wine storage apparatuses .

Currently it is widely known that among factors critically affecting wine preservation, the contact with oxygen may irreversibly compromise the wine quality. This is particularly true as regards preservation into containers used for selling wine or for storing it before bottling it, where the volume of the stored liquid may change.

Usually in these cases containers are reservoirs made of stainless steel, the wine being withdrawn therefrom in amounts as needed, resulting in a filling level that can change over time. Generally, when the container is not completely full, air can enter it, causing wine to be degraded.

Methods and apparatuses intended to limit such phenomenon have been provided with the aim of overcoming such drawback.

According to a first proposed solution, there is provided a container wherein the wine is kept under an inert atmosphere, usually under a slight overpressure.

As an alternative, according to another proposed solution, the container is provided to have movable parts equipped with gaskets, which provide the changing volume to be compensated as the liquid is poured. An example of such technical solution is described in patent FR2291685.

However the drawback of the above mentioned technical solutions consists in the fact that there is the risk of acetification/degradation as the wine held inside the container is subjected to oxidation due to oxygen spreading into the inert gas, or due to its migration through leaky gaskets or when the floating lid is moved. These phenomena are particularly clear in the case of large capacity reservoirs.

In response to such drawbacks some prior art devices use one or more inflatable tanks put into the container, and wherein such inflatable elements act, when they are inflated, for completely filling the empty space left by the liquid dispensed from the container.

Such devices are based on the fact of compensating the volume of the missing liquid inside a container by increasing an element inside it by a corresponding volume, without changing the external volume of the container.

An example of such solution is described in documents DE 3511506 or FR 2640594.

However document DE 3511506 has the drawback of being particularly complicated from the constructive point of view above all as regards the inflatable tank being replaced in case of damage. Such constructional complexity has consequences on adaptability and/or change problem in using the device and particularly the tank into already existing containers.

In addition to all these drawbacks document FR 2640594 provides an elastically expandable tank within it having a high risk of being broken and damaged since the fatigue cycles due to the continuous inflation/deflation actions lead to stresses that cause the material constituting the tank to be torn.

Therefore the invention relates to the improvement of known prior art devices, trying to make them effective as regards their operation and to make them able to be applied to any type of container, in addition it aims at providing a device that by relatively simple and inexpensive means can be easily modified and/or changed if the whole device or a part thereof is damaged.

The invention achieves the above purposes by providing a device for protecting a liquid from oxidation as described hereinbefore and according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the overall dimensions of the pneumatic means in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the container aperture, at least with said variable capacity tank in the collapsed or empty condition, are smaller than the passage port of said container aperture, while said supporting structure has means for being removably fastened to said container aperture .

Moreover said pneumatic control means are fastened to the supporting structure so as to overhang into said container.

Thus the supporting structure carries the pneumatic control means and fastens them into the container such that in the collapsed condition it is possible to remove the pneumatic control means while removing the supporting structure allowing the pneumatic control means to be highly adapted to any type of container and allowing them to be easily replaced and repaired.

Advantageously the means for removably fastening the supporting structure to the container are sealing means such that in the fastened condition said supporting structure seals said aperture, acting as a cap for the container, a cap that, in the opened and collapsed condition of the pneumatic control means, allows them to be easily removed for maintenance and cleaning actions of the container.

According to a preferred embodiment the tank is an element composed of flexible, not stretchable material having a predetermined variable capacity ranging from a specific maximum value, lower than the inner volume of the container, and a specific minimum value, corresponding to the condition with no filling fluid or with the smallest amount of filling fluid inside the tank.

As a consequence in the condition with the minimum value the pneumatic control means have a size in the radial direction of the container aperture that is smaller than the passage port of the aperture.

The fact of using a tank that is not elastically deformable, but that is flexible and has a variable capacity allows to achieve the purpose of filling the missing volume that was filled by the dispensed wine while keeping optimal operating conditions without running into damages for wear or breaking due to fatigue cycles during steps inflating/deflating the tank itself.

Therefore the tank is already arranged with the needed volume, such characteristic is particularly advantageous in the case of large containers, that, in case of an elastic expandable tank, otherwise woulc^* require a considerable change in the capacity increasing the likelihood of breaking the tank itself.

Preferably the pneumatic control means of the device according to the present invention comprise at least one pipe supplying a filling fluid, arranged within the variable capacity tank.

The supply pipe can be connected to a filling fluid source by means controlling the supply amount of the filling fluid. Pneumatic control means can also comprise at least one pipe for discharging or draining the filling fluid from the variable capacity tank that can be closed or opened.

According to a further improvement the control unit provides a pressure and/or volume control member inside the container, which sets the amount of the filling fluid to be supplied/discharged into said tank by said supply and discharge means.

As already mentioned above the liquid inside the device according to the present invention preferably is wine, which is an "alive" liquid, wherein reactions may change the pressure conditions; whereby the characteristic just described allows to prevent the wine from contacting the oxygen if the pressure decreases since the control system sets the pressure and therefore the capacity of the variable capacity tank on the basis of conditions of the liquid inside the container.

Moreover since wine is generally poured by means of a suction made inside the container towards the outside, a proper control of the pressure inside the container intended to set the capacity of the tank allows the increase in the tank capacity not only to compensate the missing volume of the liquid but in case it can also force the liquid to come out of the container such to facilitate the wine pouring action.

To this end such pressure and/or volume control member inside the container may comprise a flowmeter for the outlet liquid rate.

In particular the pressure and/or volume control member is at least partially housed into the container and it is introduced therein through a passage hole of the supporting structure which acts for fastening the pressure and/or volume control member in place and in a tight manner.

Advantageously the control unit is composed of an element such as a level switch-type or the like that acts for controlling the liquid inside the container. Such level switch is connected to an element such as a pressure switch-type or the like adapted to set the amount of filling fluid to be supplied/discharged inside said tank by said supply and discharge means.

Consequently such unit, by means of said level switch, operate the opening of the supply and discharge means for introducing the filling fluid into the variable capacity tank, upon the liquid is withdrawn and at the same time it allows the tank to be relieved while the container is filled.

By such configuration it is possible to overcome the problems related to the variable capacity tank reaching unbearable pressures which lead to the malfunction of the whole device or cause parts thereof to be broken. During the step emptying and filling the container there is the risk of exceeding such overpressure or depression levels causing the container to explode or implode respectively. Such pressures are due to the fact that at a specific pressure level the filling fluids move at a rate different than that of the poured wine held into the container and produce a lack of balance as regards the volume, and consequently, the pressure.

According to a preferred embodiment the filling fluid supply pipe and the discharge or drain pipe are composed of a single pipe tightly connected with the variable capacity tank and which can be for example connected by a three-way valve system to the outer environment for discharging the filling fluid and to the filling fluid supply source.

Advantageously in order to facilitate the supply and discharge operation of the filling fluid a hole is provided on the supporting structure for the tight passage of the end portion associated to the outer end of the filling fluid supply pipe: such outer end extends outside the container through the supporting structure forming an inlet/outlet spout to which the filling fluid supply and discharge means are connected. The supporting structure in this case lays on the end edge of the container aperture and keeps its condition closing the aperture by means of the supply/discharge pipe tightly passing through the hole.

Particularly the supporting structure can have a peripheral flange laying on the end edge of the container aperture.

Advantageously the supply/discharge pipe can be tightly connected directly to the variable capacity tank.

As an alternative the variable capacity tank may be tightly connected to the supporting structure to which the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe is in turn tightly connected. In this case the hole for the passage of the supply/discharge pipe into the supporting structure is coincident with the aperture of the variable capacity tank.

According to a preferred variant embodiment of the device according to the present invention the variable capacity tank is in the form of a bag with an upper aperture, a perimetral shell wall and a bottom wall. The supply/discharge pipe is composed of a pipe extending for a certain length into the variable capacity tank and for a certain length outside the variable capacity tank, it being fastened to the supporting structure in such a position that the pipe and the tank are oriented with their longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and/or aperture thereof.

In addition it is also possible to provide the supply/discharge pipe to be composed of a tube that can be also of the telescopic type that may extend or not in an adjustable way for a certain length inside the variable capacity tank.

The aperture of the variable capacity tank is in turn connected to the pipe in such a position that in the condition fitted into the container the tank has an upper narrowing in the direction of the aperture.

Particularly in order to allow the pneumatic control means to be removed together with the supporting structure to which they are associated, the pipe and the bag-shaped tank have an overall radius smaller than the radius of the container aperture in the condition with the minimum value of the volume.

Moreover according to such configuration it is possible for the longitudinal axis of the pipe and the longitudinal axis of the variable capacity tank to be substantially coincident, that advantageously allows the tank to be uniformly inflated such that the tank urges the liquid in all the directions, without causing the wine to be subjected to movements that can affect the organoleptic properties thereof.

As an alternative it is possible to provide the supply/discharge pipe to be eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container.

According to an improvement of the present invention the supporting structure is composed of a cap-like element which element has an axial through hole for the passage of the end portion of the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe, as well as a further through hole for the passage of a part of said control unit .

As an alternative the supporting structure is composed of a basin- like element that is sealed and which has a side wall, a bottom wall and a top wall. The bottom wall may have a hole for the tight connection of the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe while the top wall may have an inlet supplying the filling fluid into the inner compartment of the basin that may be tightly connected to the top wall, such to form a sealed supply chamber.

As for the previous configuration, also in such configuration where the supporting structure is composed of a basin-like element, a through hole is provided for tightly fastening said control unit.

According to such configuration the basin-like supporting structure is secured to the container by removable fastening means allowing the bottom wall of the basin to be in a tight communication with the aperture of the variable capacity tank.

Moreover the supporting structure preferably has a flange for the coupling with the edge of the container aperture .

Advantageously it is possible to provide the top wall to be the element closing the aperture of the container, that is to be a kind of cap-like element by means clamping the top wall, namely the cap, to the remaining supporting structure.

The variable capacity tank can be composed of a tank with any shape, but preferably it has a shape intended to operatively cooperate with the inner shape of the containers usually employed in the technological field of interest, which can have for example a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, an ellipsoidal shape, a bellows shape, a parallelepiped shape and a "cushion" shape.

Moreover advantageously the variable capacity tank is composed of plastics material. In particular the material of the tank is characterized by a liquid resistance, impermeability to the gas with which it is internally inflated, and there is no release of contaminants to the liquid with which it is in contact.

Generally due to this last property it is preferred for the material to be approved according to current laws regarding the contact with food, such as for example FDA (USA) or EFSA (Europe) or for example according to the Japanese law.

Preferably polymer materials are used which are composed of a single layer or preferably multilayer materials in order to maximize performances reducing the permeability and guaranteeing the food-grade of the portion in contact with the liquid. Optionally, the provision of a thin metal layer (for example, by metalizing one of the components of the multilayer) , for example with aluminium, is a possible solution.

Preferably optimal operating conditions of the device for protecting a liquid according to the present invention have a variable capacity tank with a pressure value ranging from 0.1 bar to 1.0 bar.

Considering the characteristics described above the device according to the present invention may be intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture and a cap closing said aperture that can be removably fastened thereto, in which device the supporting structure is made at least partially as an element replacing the cap and having means for being removably fastened to the aperture identical to those of the cap.

As an alternative the device according to the present invention may be advantageously intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture and a cap closing said aperture that can be removably fastened thereto, the supporting structure being composed of the existing cap provided with a through hole for the portion of the supply/discharge pipe outside the variable capacity tank to which said pipe can be fastened.

Finally as an alternative to the last two embodiments described the device according to the present invention can be intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture and a cap closing said aperture which can be removably fastened thereto, the supporting structure being composed of the existing cap provided with a through hole for a inlet/outlet spout tightly connected to a top wall of a sealed basin to the bottom wall of which the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe is connected to which the variable capacity tank is tightly connected, while the basin has means for being removably fastened to said cap closing the aperture.

Finally the device according to the present invention is particularly suitable for making kits to be applied to already existing containers in order to prevent the liquid held into said containers from being oxidized.

These and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clear from the following description of some embodiments shown in the annexed drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic functional block view of the device protecting a liquid from oxidation according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 shows the pneumatic control means of the device of the present invention according to a possible embodiment ,

Figs. 3a and 3b show the pneumatic control means of the device of the present invention according to a further embodiment;

Fig. 4 shows by a schematic diagram how the control unit of the device of the present invention is automatically actuated;

Fig.5 is a kit for making the device of the present invention according to a possible embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a kit for making the device of the present invention according to a possible embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a kit for making the device of the present invention according to a possible embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view, according to a functional block diagram of the device for protecting a liquid from oxidation according to the present invention.

The device is composed of a container 1 adapted to hold a liquid 10, preferably wine, which is introduced into the container by first supply means 5, 50 and it is poured out of the container 1 by second supply means 6, 60.

The container 1 has a control unit 7, 70 and it has an aperture 11 at one end thereof.

With a particular reference to figure 1 it shows a first pipe 5 provided with an on-off valve 50 for supplying the liquid 10 inside the container 1, a second pipe 6 provided with an on-off valve 60, for supplying the wine outside the container 1.

Pipes 5, 6 and 7 are intended to allow standard operating actions of the container 1 to be performed under safe conditions, such as partial emptying, topping up, etc., and they comprise additional components, such as relief valves, level gauges, pressure gauges, etc.

The container 1 houses, at least partially, pneumatic control means 2 intended to generate an overpressure inside the container 1 and on the liquid

10 when the liquid 10 is supplied to the outside through the second supply means 6, 60 of the container

1. The operation of such pneumatic control means 2 is such that following a decrease in the volume of the liquid 10 inside the container 1, the pneumatic control means 2 increase their volume by an amount equal to the change in the volume of the liquid 10.

The pneumatic control means comprise a variable capacity tank 21 and a pipe 22 for supplying and discharging a fluid filling the tank 21. By means of the supply and discharge pipe 22 the tank 21 is connected to supply and discharge means 3 allowing the filling fluid to fill or to be discharged from the variable capacity tank 21.

The operation of the pneumatic control means serves to prevent the liquid 10 from contacting the oxygen that otherwise would fill the change in the volume of the liquid since the fact of substantially preventing it from contacting the oxygen reduces the degree of oxygen contamination that leads to changes in the quality of wine which can be observed in the organoleptic test, both for white and red or rose wine.

The overpressure generated by the pneumatic control means 2 is due to the variable capacity tank 21 being filled with the filling fluid supplied by supply means 3, which may be an inert gas not containing oxygen, preferably composed of nitrogen or other gaseous or liquid fluids.

Moreover the pneumatic control means 2 are fastened and kept in place at least partially inside the container 1 by means of a supporting structure 23.

As shown in figure 1 the variable capacity tank 21 is in the collapsed or empty condition and the overall dimensions of the pneumatic control means 2 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the aperture 11 of the container 1 are smaller than the passage port of the container aperture 11.

The supporting structure 23 has means for being removably fastened to the aperture 11, which are shown in details hereinafter in figure 3a, and the pneumatic control means 2 are fastened as to overhang into the container 1 by means of the supporting structure 23.

Particularly it may be noted that by removing the supporting structure 23 also the variable capacity tank 21 and the supply and discharge pipe 22 can be easily removed since they are fastened to the supporting structure 23 and their overall dimensions in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the aperture 11 of the container 1 are smaller than the passage port of the aperture.

Particularly the variable capacity tank 21 is an element composed of flexible, unstretchable material, having a predetermined volume variable from a specific maximum value, lower than the inner capacity of the container 1, and a specific minimum value, corresponding to the condition with no filling fluid or with the smallest amount of filling fluid inside the tank 21 such as shown in figure 1.

According to a variant embodiment, the pneumatic control means 2 comprise at least one pipe supplying the filling fluid that can be connected to a filling fluid source by means controlling the supply amount of the filling fluid and at least one pipe for discharging or draining the filling fluid from the variable capacity tank 21 and which discharge or drain pipe can be closed or opened.

Figure 1 shows a further variant embodiment of the device according to the present invention where the supply pipe and the discharge pipe are composed of a single pipe 22 which is tightly connected to the variable capacity tank 21 and which can be alternately connected by a three-way valve system 32 to the outside environment and to the filling fluid supply source 31.

Therefore the pipe 22 can inflate the variable capacity tank 21 when it is connected to the filling fluid source 31, while it deflates the tank 21 by discharging the filling fluid into the outside environment or into suitable reservoirs that can be connected to the three-way valve system 32.

The control unit 70 provides a member for controlling the pressure and/or volume inside the container 1 which sets the amount of the filling fluid to be supplied/discharged in the tank 21 by said supply and discharge means 31.

In particular such control unit 70 is provided at least partially housed into the container 1, introduced therein through a passage hole 12 provided on the supporting structure 23 allowing not only the control unit 70 to pass through it inside the container 1 but also allowing the control unit 70 to be tightly fastened in place.

According to a possible variant embodiment the control unit 70 is composed of an element such as a level switch-type or the like that acts for controlling the level of the liquid 10 inside the container 1. Such level switch is connected to an element such as a pressure switch-type or the like adapted to set the amount of filling fluid to be supplied/discharged inside the tank 21 by said supply and discharge means.

With particular reference to figure 1, the pressure switch acts, by means of the line 7, on the three-way valve system 32 and on the filling fluid source, in order to set the amount of fluid and to alternately connect the tank 21 to the outer environment and to the filling fluid supply source 31 depending on the operating conditions of the device of the present invention and depending on the conditions of the liquid 10 inside the container 1.

As it will be described in details in figure 4, it is possible to provide the control unit 70 to be automatically, semi-automatically or manually operated. The level switch-type element can have sensors detecting the level of the liquid which send an actuation signal to the pressure switch element. Such actuation signal directly controls the operation of the pressure switch consequently automatically operating the three-way valve system 32, or it is converted into an alarm signal like an acoustic signal requiring the manual intervention on the pressure switch element for operating the three-way valve system 32.

As an alternative it is possible to provide the liquid level to be controlled by a user visually defining the liquid level and deciding as a consequence to manually act on the pressure switch element in order to operate the three-way valve system 32.

Advantageously it is possible to provide the liquid inlet and outlet pipes 5 and 6, to be composed of a single pipe controlled by a valve system instead of valves 50 and 60 alternately allowing the wine to be supplied and discharged from the same pipe. In figure 1 the supporting structure 23 has a flange laid upon the end edge of the aperture 11 of the container 1, and it has a passage hole for the tight passage of the end portion associated to the external end of the filling fluid supply pipe 22. The external end extends outside the container 1 through the supporting structure 23 forming an inlet/outlet spout.

According to the variant embodiment shown in figure 1, the pipe 22 supplying/discharging the filling fluid is tightly connected directly to the variable capacity tank 21, while according to a possible not shown embodiment the variable capacity tank 21 is tightly connected to the supporting structure 23 to which the pipe 23 supplying/discharging the filling fluid is in turn tightly connected.

In this case the hole for the passage of the supply/discharge pipe 22 into the supporting structure 23 is coincident with the aperture of the variable capacity tank 21.

Figure 2 shows a variant embodiment of the device for the protection of wine according to the present invention, in particular of pneumatic control means of the device itself.

As described above, the variable capacity tank 21 can be composed of a tank having any shape, but preferably it has a shape intended to operatively cooperate with the inner shape of containers that are usually used in the technological field of interest, which can have for example a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, an ellipsoidal shape, a bellows shape, a parallelepiped shape and a "cushion" shape.

According to a variant embodiment, the variable capacity tank 21 is in the form of a bag with a top aperture a shell perimetral wall and a bottom wall, while the supply and discharge pipe 22 is composed of a pipe extending for a certain length inside the variable capacity tank 21 and for a certain length outside the variable capacity tank 21.

The pipe 22 is fastened to the supporting structure 23 in such a position that the pipe 22 and the tank 21 are oriented with their longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container 1 and/or of the aperture 11 thereof, the aperture 11 of the variable capacity tank 21 being connected to the pipe 22 in such a position that in the condition fitted inside the container 1 the tank 21 is at a level lower than the upper narrowing of the container 1 in the direction of the aperture 11.

Particularly as already shown in figure 1, the supply/discharge pipe 22 and the bag-like tank 21 in the condition with the minimum volume value have an overall radius smaller than the radius of the aperture 11 of the container 1.

The supporting structure 23, in addition to fasten the pneumatic control means so as to overhang into the container 1, serves also as a closure element for the aperture 11 of the container 1.

Figures 3a and 3b show a variant embodiment of the supporting structure 23, in particular of the supporting structure 23 particularly suitable for the device of the present invention according to the embodiment described in figure 2.

The supporting structure 23 is composed of a caplike element which element has an axial through hole for the passage of the end portion of the supply/discharge pipe 22 of the filling fluid.

According to a possible variant embodiment the supporting structure 23 has a peripheral flange 231 laying upon the end edge of the aperture 11 of the container 1 and it has a passage hole for the tight passage of the supply/discharge pipe 22, in particular for the end of the pipe 22 outside the variable capacity tank 21. Thus the external end of the pipe 22 by its axial extension outside the supporting structure constitutes the inlet/outlet spout to which means supplying and discharging the filling fluid can be connected, while it axially extends inside the supporting structure to provide a tight connection to the aperture of the variable capacity tank 21.

The supporting structure 23 has means 4 for being removably tightly fastened to the container 1. Such fastening means can be composed of any fastener commonly used in the prior art .

According to a possible embodiment the fastening means 4 are composed of a threaded screw which is fastened at one end thereof to the outer shell surface of the container 1, such that the screw has a single degree of freedom of motion, corresponding to the rotation of the screw about an axis passing through the end fastened and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the screw.

According to such configuration, the cap-like supporting structure 23 has seats housing the screw such that during the rotational movement when the screw is housed into the seats it is possible to keep it in a fixed position by means of closure elements provided with a threaded through hole said screw being engaged therein, such that by rotating it about the screw, such closure element is translated towards the supporting structure such to compress the supporting structure 23, particularly the flange, against the rim of the aperture 11 of the container 1.

Figures 3a and 3b show a further variant embodiment of the pneumatic control means 2 of the device according to the present invention.

In such variant embodiment the supporting structure 23 is composed of a sealed basin-like element having a side wall 235, a bottom wall 236 and a top wall 237.

The bottom wall 236 has a tight connection hole

238 for the supply/discharge pipe 22, particularly for its end outside the variable capacity tank 21, while the top wall 237 has an inlet/outlet spout 239, tightly connected to the top wall 237 such to form a sealed supply chamber 234.

As described above the inlet/outlet spout 239 can be connected to means 3 supplying/discharging the filling fluid in order to inflate/deflate the variable capacity tank 21.

Moreover there are provided means for removably fastening the basin-like element to the container 1, such that in the not fastened condition it is possible to remove the basin-like element while removing also the pneumatic control means 2.

Even in this embodiment the supporting structure

23 is the closure for the aperture 11 of the container 1, therefore there is provided a flange for the coupling to the edge of the aperture 11 of the container 1.

Particularly in figure 4b at the aperture 11 the container has a radial narrowing and an axial extension of the edges of the aperture 11 such that a seat housing the basin- like element is formed having the contact flange in a radial extension of the top surface 237.

Finally it is possible to provide the top surface 237 to be the closure element, that is the cap, for the aperture of the container 1, there being provided means for securing said cap-like element to said supporting structure 23.

Figure 4 shows by a schematic diagram how the control unit of the device according to the present invention is automatically acutated.

It has to be noted that figure 4 is a functional principle example, therefore it does not provide any constructional references, but only approximate references in order to better explain the function of each individual component of the device according to the present invention.

The control unit 70 is composed of a control electronic unit 701, in communication with two solenoid valves 702 and 703 that regulate the operation of the control pneumatic means by alternating the steps inflating/deflating the variable capacity tank 21.

The valve 703 is connected to filling fluid supply means, while the valve 702 is connected to a filling fluid outlet.

The control electronic unit 701 is also connected to a level sensor, a level switch 704, which acts for controlling the liquid level inside the container 1, which level sensor 704 has a maximum limit and a minimum limit for the liquid level and it controls the liquid level to have always an intermediate value ranging from the minimum level to the maximum level .

The level sensor 704 controls the liquid level, and, if the liquid has a value greater then the maximum value, the sensor 704 operates the valve 702 such to discharge the filling fluid provided into the variable capacity tank 21 through the same valve 702 in order to decrease the volume inside the container 1. If the level is lower than the minimum value, the sensor 704 operates the valve 703 in order to allow the variable capacity tank 21 to be filled by the means supplying the filling fluid in order to increase the volume inside the container 1 and to restore the level of the liquid 10 back to the predetermined level.

The level sensor 704 can be for example composed of two photoelectric cells, or it is possible to provide prior art known systems, such as for example float-type sensors, probes, pressure transducers and ultrasounds .

Moreover according to an improvement shown in figure 4, in order to avoid overpressure and/or depression problems inside the container 1 it is possible to provide a double-acting valve 705. The valve 705 can be set as to operate on the basis of threshold values of the pressure inside the container 1, such that if the pressure value inside the container 1 is greater than a specific value, the valve 705 allows pressure to be relieved in order to prevent overpressures. On the contrary if the pressure value inside the container 1 is lower than a specific minimum value, the valve 705 allows fluid to be delivered into the variable capacity tank 21; in this case it is possible to provide the valve to be also connected to the filling fluid supply means described above.

Figure 5 shows a kit for making the device according to the present invention according to a possible embodiment, intended to be used with already existing containers.

In particular in figure 5 such kit is composed of pneumatic control means composed of a variable capacity tank 21 and a pipe 22 supplying and discharging the fluid for filling said tank 21 having all the characteristics already described above. Moreover there is provided a control unit 7, 70 also made according to the characteristics described above.

Both the pneumatic control means and the control unit are made in order to be applied and tightly housed as individual kit components inside the supporting structure 23 that closes the container 1 and that can have two holes intended for housing the pneumatic control means and the control unit.

The simplicity of the kit allows also the supporting structure not to be provided with the two holes, but the latter may be made in order to allow the pneumatic control means and the control unit to be housed and introduced into the container 1.

Once the pneumatic control means and the control unit are introduced in place they will be able to be connected to the three-way valve system 32 for the standard inflation and deflation operations for the variable capacity tank 21 during the wine filling and pouring operations .

On the contrary figure 6 shows a variant embodiment of the kit just described where the pneumatic control means 2 and the control unit 7, 70 have again the characteristics described in figures 1 to 4, but unlike the previous figure they are previously applied in the supporting structure in their operating position and then are introduced into the container 1. As already described the supporting structure can be later fastened to the container by the removable fastening means .

Figure 7 shows a further variant embodiment of the kit for making the device according to the present invention. The control unit 70 is composed of a pipe that is coaxial and concentric but has a diameter greater than the supply pipe 22.

The pneumatic control means 2 and the control unit 70 are introduced in their operating position into the sealed container 1 through an aperture of the container 1, which is as the cap provided in containers already on the market .

Particularly the control unit can be composed of a pipe communicating with the inside of the container 1 which is the level switch of said control unit.

In this case the supply pipe 22 extends axially towards the outside with respect to the control unit 70 in order to connect the supply pipe 22 to the supply means through the three-way valve system 32, while the level switch is in communication with the pressure swith and consequently with the three-way valve system 32 in order to perform the operation of the device according to the present invention described in figure 4.

With a particular reference to figures 5 to 7, the supply pipe is composed of a tube to which the variable capacity tank is fastened or can be fastened.

At one end thereof there is provided a threaded element like a bushing or the like, which has an abutment shoulder for fastening the tube in a corresponding engagement hole provided or that can be made in a cover-like closure element of already existing containers. Similarly said control unit can be fastened to covers of already existing containers.

A variant embodiment provides both the control unit and the tube to be fastened in place to a supporting structure that in turn is fastened or can be fastened to already existing containers, replacing the cover of the container itself.

Moreover it is possible to provide said bushing to have an axial extension intended to cooperate with all the additional parts of the device according to the present invention, such as for example double-acting valves, pipes supplying and discharging the filling fluid.

REALIZATION EXAMPLES

Three examples are herein provided which disclose a method for using the device of the present invention. Such examples are only by way of example and have not to be considered as limiting the present invention.

Example 1

The inflatable element 2 is composed of a balloon made of silicone elastomer, and it has a radius of 9 cm, the silicone elastomer is of the FDA-approved type, peroxide-cured, able to be inflated up to a radius of at least 30 cm. The container is made of stainless steel with a cylindrical shape, having a radius of 30 cm and an height of 120 cm.

Properties of the cured elastomer used in this example are :

- Modulus at 100% elongation 2 MPa,

- Elongation at break 500%,

- Tensile strength 10 MPa.

The balloon 2 is arranged on the bottom of the container 1, and it is anchored thereto by a joint provided with sealing rings. The gas is supplied by a pipe 3 sealed to the joint. Nitrogen is used as inflating gas. The gas pressure is measured by means of a pressure gauge with an accuracy of 0.05 bar. The initial supply of the liquid is made by a ball valve secured to the bottom of the container. The container 1 is provided with a further relief ball valve on the cover, in order to allow it to be completely filled, and with a cock connected flush with the cover such that it is possible to withdraw the liquid. The complete filling is achieved, after completing the liquid supply, by slightly inflating the bolloon 2 with a pressure of about 0.15 bar, after opening the relief valve on the cover till a certain amount of liquid leaks out. Therefore the valve is closed and the gas flow is stopped.

In this example water is used as the fluid for testing the operation of the system.

After having completely filled with water the container as described above, the sample test occurs. Since the cock is arranged at the top of the container, the inflation of the balloon serves also for providing the slight overpressure necessary for the withdrawal.

The operation withdrawing the liquid is carried on according to the following procedure:

1. Verifying all valves being closed

2. Opening the gas valve up to a desired pressure, at the beginning 0.15 bar;

3. Opening the sample cock;

4. Verifying and/or measuring the outlet flow; and

5. In case changing the inflation pressure of the balloon in order to modulate the outlet flow;

In the present example samples have been taken under an inflation pressure of 0.15 bar, 0.21 bar and 0.24 bar. The inflation pressure of the balloon has been found to be an effective tool for adjusting the withdrawing rate. After each withdrawal the pouring valve is closed and the gas flowing to the balloon is stopped.

Under the pressure of 0.15 bar a very low outlet liquid flow is measured, less than 100 ml/min.

Under the pressure of 0.21 bar a flow of about 800 ml/min is measured.

Under the pressure of 0.24 bar a flow of about 2500 ml/min is measured.

At the end of the test about 20 It of liquid has been withdrawn.

The tightness of the system and the lack of overpressure into the container have been experimentally verified by opening the relief valve of the related pipe 7 arranged above the container 1 during the test. Neither a leakage of liquid nor air suction have been verified. This has been considered as indicative of the proper operation of the system.

Example 2

The same equipment described in example 1 has been used, by using a white wine Fiano di Avellino as the liquid.

The test has been carried out by completely filling with wine the container as described in the example 1, and by settling it for 48 hours. A wine sample has been previously bottled as a reference sample. After 48 hours a sample is taken according to the procedure described in the example 1, in order to verify whether the organolpetic properties of the wine (sample 1) are steady. The sample is taken again after 1 week, after 2 weeks, and after one month (sample 2, 3 and 4) .

No one of the samples 1 to 4 have shown differences in the organoleptic properties if compared with the reference sample.

Example 3

For such test a cylindrical shaped inflatable element 2 has been used which is composed of a FDA- approved multilayer polymer film, and the testing liquid was the wine Barbera del Monferrato. The equipment described in example 1 has been used.

In this case the inflatable element is composed of a cylinder with a radius of 200 cm and an height of 200 cm. composed of a multilayer heat-sealed film made of polymer material, whose wall in contact with the wine is composed of FDA-approved polyethylene.

The test has been carried out by completely filling the container with wine, as described in the example 1, and settling it for 48 h. A wine sample has been previously bottled as the reference sample. After 48h a sample has been taken according to the procedure described for the example 1, in order to verify whether organolpetic properties of the wine are steady (sample la) .

The sample has been again taken after 1 week, 2 weeks, and after one month (samples 2a, 3a, 4a) .

No one of the samples la to 4a showed differences in the organoleptic properties if compared with the reference sample.

The apparatus of the present invention has several advantages .

A first advantage is the fact that it is possible to provide containers and apparatuses purpose-designed and made, or as an alternative it is possible to modify the already existing containers in order to receive the inflatable element, preferably using arrangement and equipment in order to allow the initial complete filling and in order to perform operations related to the use of the container under safe conditions, such as relief valves, level indicators, pressure gauges, etc.

A further advantage is the fact that the whole system described above can be used in order to avoid any type of degradable food liquid to contact the outer environment .

It is obvious from the above description that the invention is not limited to the embodiment just described and illustrated merely by way of non-limiting example, but may be varied and modified, as a whole or in its individual details, according to the particular requirements and conditions of manufacture and use, above all structurally and within technical and functional equivalents without thereby departing from the teaching principle described above and claimed below.

Claims

1. Device for protecting a liquid (10) from oxidation inside a container (1) having an aperture (11) at one end thereof and comprising first means (5, 50) for supplying said liquid (10) inside said container (1), second means (6, 60) for supplying said liquid (10) outside said container (1) and a control unit (7, 70) ,

there being also provided pneumatic control means

(2) at least partially housed into said container (1) and intended to produce an overpressure inside said container (1) and on said liquid (10) when the liquid (10) is supplied outside the container (1) , the arrangement being such that following a decrease in the volume of said liquid (10) inside said container (1) , said pneumatic control means (2) increase their volume by an amount equal to the change in the volume of said liquid (10) ,

said pneumatic control means (2) comprising a variable capacity tank (21) and a pipe (22) supplying and discharging a fluid for filling said tank (21) ,

there being provided means (3) supplying and discharging the filling fluid which are connected to said pipe (22) ,

and there being also provided a supporting structure (23) , by means of which supporting structure said pneumatic control means (2) are fastened and held in place inside said container (1) ,

characterized in that the overall dimensions of said pneumatic control means (2) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the aperture (11) of the container (1) , at least in the the collapsed or empty condition of said variable capacity tank (21) , are smaller than the passage port of said aperture (11) of the container (1) , while said supporting structure (23) has means for being removably fastened to said aperture (11) of the container

and said pneumatic control means (2) being fastened to said supporting structure (23) as to overhang into said container (1) .

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting structure (23) of the pneumatic control means comprise means for being removably tightly fastened to the container (1) such that in the fastened condition said supporting structure (23) seals said aperture (11) .

3. Device for protecting a liquid (10) from oxidation according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said variable capacity tank (21) is an element composed of flexible, unstretchable material, having a predetermined volume variable from a specific maximum value, lower than the inner capacity of said container (1) , and a specific minimum value, corresponding to the condition with no filling fluid or with the smallest amount of filling fluid inside said tank (21) ,

such that in condition with the minimum value said pneumatic control means have a dimension in the radial direction of said aperture (11) of the container smaller than the passage port of said aperture (11) .

4. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pneumatic control means comprise at least one pipe (22) for supplying a filling fluid into the variable capacity tank (21) which pipe (22) is connectable to a filling fluid source by means controlling the supply amount of the filling fluid and at least one pipe (22) for discharging or draining the filling fluid from the variable capacity tank (21) and which discharge or drain pipe (22) can be closed or opened.

5. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said control unit (7, 70) provides a member for controlling the pressure and/or volume inside said container (1) and which control member sets the amount of the filling fluid to be supplied/discharged in said tank (21) by said supply and discharge means.

6. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pressure and/or volume control member is at least partially housed into said container (1) ,

said member being provided at least partially into said container (1) through a passage hole (12) of said supporting structure (23) said member being fastened to such supporting structure (23) .

7. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control unit (7, 70) is composed of an element such as a level switch-type or the like that acts for controlling the level of the liquid (10) inside said container (1) , said level switch being connected to an element such as a pressure switch-type or the like intended to set the amount of filling fluid to be supplied/discharged inside said tank (21) by said supply and discharge means.

8. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe (22) supplying the filling fluid and the discharge or drain pipe are composed of a single pipe (22) tightly connected to said variable capacity tank (21) and which can be alternately connected by a three-way valve system to the outside environment and to the filling fluid supply source.

9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting structure

(23) is laid upon the end edge of said aperture (11) of the container (1) ,

said supporting structure (23) being provided with a passage hole for the tight passage of the end portion associated to the external end of the filling fluid supply pipe (22) , which external end extends outside the container through said supporting structure (23) forming an inlet/outlet spout.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the supporting structure (23) has a peripheral flange laying upon the end edge of said aperture (11) of the container (1) .

11. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe (22) supplying/discharging the pressurized fluid is tightly connected directly to the variable capacity tank (21) .

12. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the variable capacity tank (21) is tightly connected to said supporting structure (23) to which said pipe (22) supplying/discharging the filling fluid is tightly connected, the hole for the passage of the supply/discharge pipe (22) into the supporting structure (23) coinciding with the aperture of the variable capacity tank (21) .

13. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the variable capacity tank

(21) is in the form of a bag with a top aperture a shell perimetral wall and a bottom wall, while the supply and discharge pipe (22) is composed of a pipe

(22) extending for a certain length inside said variable capacity tank (21) and for a certain length outside said variable capacity tank (21) , said pipe

(22) being fastened to the supporting structure (23) in such a position that the pipe (22) and the tank (21) are oriented with their longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and/or of the aperture thereof, the aperture of the variable capacity tank (21) being connected to said pipe (22) in such a position that in the condition fitted inside the container the tank (21) is at a level lower than an upper narrowing of the container (1) in the direction of the aperture (11) .

14. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that said supply/discharge pipe (22) and the bag-like tank (21) in the condition with the minimum volume value have an overall radius smaller than the radius of said aperture (11) of the container (1) .

15. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 14, wherein said supply pipe (22) is eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of said container (1) .

16. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting structure (23) is composed of a cap-like element which element has an axial through hole for the passage of the end portion of the pipe (22) supplying/discharging the filling fluid.

17. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting structure

(23) is composed of a basin-like element that is sealed and which has a side wall (235) , a bottom wall (236) and a top wall (237) ,

said bottom wall (236) having a hole (238) for the tight connection of the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe (22) and the top wall (237) having an inlet (239) supplying the filling fluid into the inner compartment of the basin which inlet is tightly connected to said top wall, such to form a sealed supply chamber (234) , there being provided means for removably fastening said supporting structure (23) to said container (1) .

18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that said supporting structure (23) has a flange for the coupling with the edge of the aperture (11) of the container (1) .

19. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said top wall is the closure element, that is the cap, of the container (1) for closing the aperture (11) , means for clamping said cap- like element to said supporting structure (23) being provided.

20. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said variable capacity tank (21) has a shape intended to operatively cooperate with the inner shape of said container (1) ,

said shape of said tank (21) being selected from the group comprising:

- cylindrical shape;

- spherical shape;

- ellipsoidal shape;

- bellows shape;

- parallelepiped shape;

"cushion" shape.

21. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said variable capacity tank

(21) is composed of a multilayer plastic material.

22. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure value inside said variable capacity tank (21) ranges from 0.1 bar to 1.0 bar.

23. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said device is of the type intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture (11) and a cap closing said aperture that can be removably fastened thereto, in which device the supporting structure (23) is made at least partially as an element replacing the cap and having means for being removably fastened to said aperture (11) identical to those of the cap.

24. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 22, characterized in that it is intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture (11) and a cap closing said aperture that can be removably fastened thereto, the supporting structure (23) being composed of the existing cap provided with a through hole for the portion of the supply/discharge pipe (22) outside the variable capacity tank (21) to which said pipe (22) can be fastened.

25. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 22, characterized in that it is intended to be used as an additional component for already existing containers having at least one aperture (11) and a cap closing said aperture which can be removably fastened thereto, the supporting structure (23) being composed of the existing cap provided with a through hole for a inlet/outlet spout tightly connected to a top wall of a sealed basin to which bottom wall the filling fluid supply/discharge pipe (22) is connected to which the variable capacity tank (21) is tightly connected, while the basin has means for being removably fastened to said cap closing the aperture (11) .

26. Kit for making a device for protecting a liquid from oxidation on already existing containers (1) comprising pneumatic control means composed of a variable capacity tank (21) and a pipe (22) for supplying and discharging a fluid filling said tank (21), a control unit (7, 70)

there being provided a supporting structure (23) for fastening in place said pneumatic control means, there being further provided means (3) for supplying and discharging the filling fluid which are connected to said pipe (22) ,

said pneumatic control means, said supporting structure and said control unit being made according to one or more claims 1 to 26.

27. Kit according to claim 26, characterized in that said pneumatic control means (2) and said control unit (7, 70) are made such to be housed in corresponding holes,

said container (1) having an aperture closed by said supporting structure (23) which supporting structure (23) has two holes, made and/or to be made, for tightly housing said pneumatic control means (2) and said control unit (7, 70) .

28. Kit according to claim 26, characterized in that said pneumatic control means (2) and said control unit (7, 70) are fastened in place into housings provided in said supporting structure (23) ,

said container (1) having an aperture that can be sealed by means of said supporting structure (23) .

29. Kit according to claim 26, characterized in that said control unit is composed of a pipe coaxial and concentric to said supply pipe (22) , said control unit and said pneumatic control means (2) being tightly mounted in their operating position through an aperture of the container (1) .

30. Kit according to one or more of the preceding claims 26 to 29, characterized in that said supply pipe (22) is composed of a tube to which tube said variable capacity tank (21) is fastened or can be fastened,

at one of the two ends of said tube there being provided a threaded element for fastening said tube into a corresponding engagement hole provided or that can be made in a closure element of already existing containers ,

and being possible to tightly fasten also said control unit to said closure element such that said control unit is at least partially inside said container .

31. Kit according to one or more of the preceding claims 26 to 29, characterized in that said supply pipe (22) is composed of a tube to which tube said variable capacity tank (21) is fastened or can be fastened,

said tube and said control unit being provided previously tightly fastened in a closure element,

said closure element being fastened or can be fastened to said container such that in the fastened condition said tube and said control unit are provided in their operating position within the container.