Abstract:
An apparatus and method for protecting against oxidation wine stored in an open-mouth container. The apparatus includes a weight-activated piston covering the mouth which maintains contact with the wine surface, and a valve which expels air from the container as the volume of wine slowly decreases.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to protecting wine against oxidation and spoilage resulting from ullage in aging and other storage containers. More particularly, the invention is an apparatus for maintaining such containers in a full state, including a weight-activated piston totally covering and contacting the liquid surface, and a method for implementing the apparatus.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Protracted oxidation is harmful to the color, taste, composition and quality of wine. Consequently, prevention of oxidation and resultant spoilage due to prolonged air contact is a major concern during wine production, aging and storage. A common practice is to minimize oxidation by periodically adding wine to “top up” a container so as to reduce or temporarily eliminate the ullage (i.e., the amount by which the container falls short of being full) which develops as volume becomes depleted due to evaporation, seepage, sampling and the like. This process can be time consuming and costly, and exposes the wine to air each time the container is opened.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,583 to E. P. Mastrocola is directed to an apparatus and method for maintaining a peak level of wine aging in a container such as a barrel or cask. A tube running through a bung in the container is in fluid comunication with a wine reservoir suspended over the container. Wine flowing from the reservoir through the tube and into the container replaces any evaporating or otherwise escaping wine. A single reservoir can supply wine to a plurality of containers by using a corresponding plurality of tubes, each passing, respectively, through a bung in each container.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,115 to R. N. Engebreth discloses an inflatable bladder within a wine aging container which is free of contact with the container inner surface and in fluid communication with a reservoir of water disposed above the container. Water entering the bladder causes it to expand, replacing any lost volume of wine. A valve allows air displaced by the expansion to escape from the container. A single reservoir can protect a plurality of containers by delivering water through manifold ducts with branch lines each connected to a bladder inside a container.  
           [0007]    Both references teach using a reservoir external to a container to provide a liquid infusion which compensates for the ullage. However some wine-makers may view such reservoirs to be undesirable because of space constraints within an aging room if they opt to stack containers vertically, or because they fear the possibility of leakage such as might occur, for example, following an earthquake in northern California impacting the Napa and Sonoma valleys.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In view of the foregoing considerations, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for eliminating ullage in a wine container, such as a wooden barrel, a metallic tank lined with wood, or a thermoplastic tank, which is securely integrated with the container, and a method for implementing the same.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to eliminate the need for manually topping off wine containers.  
           [0010]    Still another object of the invention is to enable wine to be stored without ullage in each of a plurality of containers connected in series.  
           [0011]    Other objects of the invention will become evident when the following description is considered with the accompanying drawings.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    These and other objects are met by the present invention which in a first aspect provides an apparatus for protecting against oxidation wine stored in a container having an open mouth and determined by a wall with an interior surface, and a bottom having an outlet. The apparatus includes: a piston covering the mouth and in slidable contact with the interior surface; a weight in contact with the piston; and a valve extending through the piston and in communication with the container interior.  
           [0013]    In a second aspect the invention provides an apparatus for protecting against oxidation wine stored in a container having an open mouth and determined by a generally cylindrical wall with an interior surface, and a bottom having an outlet. The apparatus includes a cylindrical piston determined by parallel, circular upper and lower faces, and a peripheral surface orthogonal to the faces and circumscribed by an O-ring assembly having upper and lower O-rings in slidable contact with the interior surface. The apparatus further includes a rod orthogonal to the piston faces having a circular cross-section and a lower end attached to the piston upper face. The apparatus further includes a cylindrical weight having a bore therethrough which closely receives the rod so that the weight contacts the piston upper face. The apparatus further includes a valve orthogonal to the piston faces, extending through the piston, which has a lower end proximate to the piston lower face.  
           [0014]    In a third aspect the invention provides a method for protecting against oxidation wine stored in a container having an open mouth and determined by a wall with an interior surface, and a bottom having an outlet. The method includes: (a) covering the container mouth with a weight-activated piston in slidable contact with the interior surface; (b) removing air displaced from the container when the piston initially moves downward until it contacts the wine surface; and (c) maintaining contact between the piston and wine surface, and removing air displaced thereby, as the volume of wine gradually decreases.  
           [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the detailed description that follows, which is accompanied by drawing figures. In the figures and description, numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross-section of an apparatus according to the invention integrated with a wine container, the apparatus including a weight-activated piston covering the container mouth, and an air valve.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1A is a cut-away perspective of the FIG. 1 apparatus and container.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 schematically shows an outlet of the FIG. 1 container connected to the first of a plurality storage containers connected in series. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    While the present invention is open to various modifications and alternative constructions, the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings will be described herein in detail. It is to be understood, however, there is no intention to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed. On the contrary, it is intended that the invention cover all modifications, equivalences and alternative constructions failing within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.  
         [0020]    As used herein, the word “container” means a wooden barrel, a metallic tank lined with wood, or a thermoplastic tank. Where used herein, the word “attached” means that the two parts referred to (e.g., the piston and rod) are joined in a permanent combination, preferably by welding. Where used herein, the word “connected” means that the two parts referred to (e.g., a tube or pipe end inserted into a rubber stopper) are not permanently joined.  
         [0021]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, an apparatus  10  according to the invention includes a generally cylindrical piston  12  determined by generally parallel, generally circular upper and lower faces  12 U,  12 L, respectively, and a peripheral surface  12 S generally orthogonal to faces  12 U,  12 L. Surface  12 S is circumscribed by a double O-ring assembly  14  having upper and lower O-rings  14 U,  14 L, respectively, which are closely received within the open mouth  16  of a generally cylindrical container  18  filled to a preselected level with a quantity of wine  20  having an upper surface  20 S, and are in slidable contact with the interior surface  18 S of the container. Container  18  has a bottom  18 B with an outlet  22 . Piston  12  has therethrough an air valve  24  having an upper end  24 U, and a lower end  24 L which terminates proximate to face  12 L. A rod  26  with a generally circular cross-section of a preselected diameter and having upper and lower ends  26 U,  26 L, respectively, is attached at end  26 L to face  12 U so that the centers of the rod end and face are generally congruent. Rod  26  is closely received by and passes through generally circular bore  28 H of a generally cylindrical weight  28 , so that the weight rests on face  12 U. Preferably, valve  24  is disposed sufficiently close to the periphery of piston  12  that there is sufficient clearance between the valve and weight to allow the weight to move down the rod onto the piston without interference.  
         [0022]    After container  18  is filled with wine to a preselected level, weight  28  exerts a gravitational force on piston  12 , causing the piston to move downward until face  12 L contacts surface  20 S. Air compressed by the downward motion of the piston is expelled through valve  24 . As the wine ages and ullage gradually develops, the piston lowers corespondingly so that face  12 L remains in contact with surface  20 S.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, container  18  is in fluid communication with a first storage container  30  by means of piping  32  connected at an end  32 A to outlet  22 , and at an end  32 B inserted through a first hole  34 A of a stopper  34  disposed in a bung  36  of the container  30 . Installed within the piping  32  is an adjustable valve  38  to regulate the rate at which wine flows from container  18  into container  30 . Referring to FIG. 2, container  30  is in fluid communication with a second storage container  40  by means of piping  42  terminating in a T-joint  44  inserted at an end  44 E through a second hole  34 B of stopper  34 , and inserted at an end  42 A through a first hole  46 A of a stopper  46  disposed in a bung  48  of container  40 . T-joint  44  bifurcates in an air valve  50 . Stopper  46  has a second hole  46 B through which is inserted an end  52 E of a T-joint  52  which bifurcates in an air valve  54  and a piping  56 . Preferably, the stoppers are made of a hard rubber. In this manner a plurality of storage containers substantially filled with wine  20  can be connected in series. With valve  38  open, wine will flow into container  30  through piping  32  when sufficient hydrostatic pressure is exerted by piston  12  on surface  20 S. This will cause the wine within container  30  to be topped out and the air displaced by the added wine to be expelled through valve  50 . With container  30  filled to capacity, additional wine entering the container will cause the excess to flow via piping  42  into container  40 . In this manner a series of storage containers can be maintained at peak capacity and prevented from developing ullage.