Abstract:
A disposable, self-contained apparatus for preserving the wine remaining after a bottle of wine has been opened and partially consumed. The apparatus reflects a simple design without the need for separate gas cartridges. The apparatus deposits and maintains a layer of inert gas on the surface of the remaining wine thereby displacing the air-containing oxygen that would otherwise adversely react with the wine. All the air in the headspace need not be purged.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of previously filed provisional application Ser. No. 60/685,183, originally filed May 27, 2005, and accorded an Aug. 16, 2005 filing date. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     The present invention is generally directed towards an apparatus for preserving the quality of wine not consumed after a bottle of wine is initially opened. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a disposable bottle top cap of simple design that deposits a layer of inert gas over the remaining wine to preserve its quality.  
         [0006]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0007]     It is well known that once a bottle of wine is opened, the wine&#39;s exposure to air will quickly deteriorate the wine&#39;s quality in as little as one day. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,578. It is the exposure to oxygen—the second most common element in air—that causes the wine to quickly deteriorate by a chemical reaction known as oxidation. Thus, when air is permitted into the headspace of a wine bottle (i.e., the internal volume of the wine bottle not occupied by the remaining wine), and the wine bottle is then re-corked, the oxygen-containing air trapped inside the headspace will quickly oxidize the wine and degrade the wine&#39;s quality.  
         [0008]     Numerous efforts have been made to prevent oxidation of the wine not consumed after the initial corking so that this remaining wine is preserved and its shelf-life extended. These efforts, however, have resulted in complex mechanical devices that are not simple to manufacture, use or maintain. Furthermore, at least some of these devices also require replaceable cartridges.  
         [0009]     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,174 discloses an apparatus that ultimately serves as a wine dispenser. When received by the previously opened wine bottle, the apparatus effectively purges the oxygen-containing air from the headspace with an inert gas. The inert gas is further pressurized inside the headspace such that wine is forced through a vent in the apparatus and dispensed to the user. This bulky item prevents a user from being able to pour wine from a bottle, and also includes complex valves, spigots, insertion tubes and venting channels. This apparatus also requires separate cartridges of inert gas that must be replaced in the apparatus after multiple uses. Other patents disclosing similarly complex mechanical devices and involving increased manufacturing cost are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,396, 5,566,730, 6,530,401 B1, 6,595,109 B2.  
         [0010]     Another common trait of prior art apparatus is that they strive to purge effectively all oxygen-containing air from the headspace. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,576 discloses a capping apparatus wherein inert gas is injected into the headspace from a separate container for up to ten seconds. All but a negligible amount of oxygen-containing air is purged from the headspace. A problem associated with purging all or almost all the air from the headspace is the required increase in design complexity and associated cost.  
         [0011]     To address this problem, it is believed that the air in the headspace need only be displaced from the wine&#39;s surface instead of being completely purged from the headspace. As such, the remaining wine may be preserved because the oxygen molecules are not directly contacting the wine&#39;s surface.  
         [0012]     In sum, the complexity and awkwardness of prior art apparatus that involve replaceable cartridges and the like, combined with the unnecessary complete purging of air in the headspace has created a strong need for a simple, self-contained, inexpensive and disposable alternative that is capable of preserving the quality of wine not consumed when the bottle is initially opened.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention solves the problem of providing a convenient and inexpensive apparatus to preserve non-consumed wine in a wine bottle. The present invention, also referred to as the WINE BLANKET™, is of simple design and does not seek to purge all oxygen-containing air from the headspace of a wine bottle. Instead, the apparatus of the present invention uses the natural force of gravity to place an inert, i.e., food-friendly, barrier layer of gas between the remaining wine and the oxidizing air. This barrier effectively prevents oxidation of the remaining wine.  
         [0014]     Unlike the costly, complex designs of the prior art which require separate components and pressurized cartridges of inert gas, the present invention is a one-time-use apparatus that is self-contained. The inert gas used by the WINE BLANKET™ is incorporated into the invention and does not require a separate cartridge. Moreover, after the WINE BLANKET™ is dispensed, it then utilizes the natural force of gravity—as opposed to pressurized cartridges—to lay a blanket of inert gas onto the surface of the remaining wine. Furthermore, apparatus of the prior art are mechanically complicated, awkward, and needlessly attempt to purge the entire headspace of a wine bottle. The WINE BLANKET™ provides convenience and simplicity by using the force of gravity to deposit a layer of inert gas on the remaining wine&#39;s surface to prevent oxidation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0015]     The following is a brief description of the accompanying drawings that further define the present invention:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a sectional drawing of a first preferred embodiment  100  of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an oblique drawing of piercing shaft  3  used in the first preferred embodiment  100 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a sectional drawing of a second preferred embodiment  200  of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a sectional drawing of the third preferred embodiment  300  of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  depicts an embodiment of the present invention including one or more ridges on the shaft. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment  100  of the present invention preferably includes a cylindrical corking shaft  4  and a bottle collar  6 . Shaft  4  and bottle collar  6  may comprise one contiguous element or two separate elements attached to each other. In any event, a cavity  9 , which may resemble a cylindrical bore, preferably extends through the shaft  4  and bottle collar  6 . A bladder  7  containing inert “food friendly” gas is preferably fitted within cavity  9 . One end of a plunger  5  fits snugly into shaft  4  at bottle collar  6 . In operation, the plunger  5  is moved axially downward in cavity  9  by pressing down on plunger  5 , so that bladder  7  is pierced by a hollow piercing shaft  3 . As such, inert gas is transferred from bladder  7 , through piercing shaft  3 , and into the headspace  111  of bottle  113 .  
         [0022]     The foregoing components are now particularly described. The corking shaft  4  may have a shaft outer-diameter (“OD”)  1  that is generally determined by the inner-diameter (“ID”) of the neck of the wine bottle  113  into which the first embodiment  100  of WINE BLANKET™ is inserted. The dimension of shaft OD  1  may vary according to different bottle sizes. In any event, shaft OD  1  is preferably sized to achieve a snug fit between shaft OD  1  and the ID of the neck of the wine bottle  113 . This snug fit ensures that gases within the wine bottle&#39;s headspace  111  are unable to escape after the corking shaft  4  has been inserted into the ID of the neck of the wine bottle  113 . As discussed later, and as shown by the sectional view of  FIG. 1 , corking shaft  4  preferably includes a solid section  23  at its bottom, and a cavity  9  located above.  
         [0023]     The corking shaft  4  may comprise any type of cork, rubber or other suitable material having a modulus that may slightly compress under the forces created by insertion of the corking shaft  4  into the neck of the wine bottle  113 .  
         [0024]     A bottle collar  6  may be contiguous to, or attached on one end of, the corking shaft  4 . The bottle collar  6  may have a cap OD  2  that is larger than shaft OD  1 . The cap OD  2  is preferably larger than the ID of the neck of the wine bottle into which the first preferred embodiment  100  of WINE BLANKET™ is inserted. This avoids the corking shaft  4  from being accidentally inserted past the wine bottle neck and into the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 , and also allows the user to easily remove the WINE BLANKET™ from the wine bottle  113 .  
         [0025]     The insertion end  10  of corking shaft  4  preferably includes a piercing shaft  3  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Piercing shaft  3  is preferably tubular and concludes with a pointed tip for piercing a bladder  7  containing inert gas as described later. The pierce shaft OD  21  of piercing shaft  3  is preferably smaller than the cavity ID  8  discussed later.  
         [0026]     The piercing shaft  3  is preferably located within a hole  25  of the solid section  23 . Piercing shaft  3  may be attached within hole  25  by a pressure fit, an adhesive or other suitable means. Alternatively, the piercing shaft  3  may be attached on top of the hole  25  or form a contiguous part of corking shaft  4 . One end of piercing shaft  3  is generally flush with the insertion end  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The other end of piercing shaft  3  preferably extends up axially through corking shaft  4  and into cavity  9  located within corking shaft  4 .  
         [0027]     The piercing shaft  3  is preferably made of a material that is resilient enough to pierce bladder  7  when bladder  7  is pressed onto piercing shaft  3 . However, it is also preferred that piercing shaft  3  comprise a material that may be manufactured inexpensively and efficiently. It is also preferred that the material of shaft  3  not react with the inert gas. For example, piercing shaft  3  may comprise suitable plastics or the like.  
         [0028]     The cavity  9  of first preferred embodiment  100  is defined by a cavity ID  8  that is sufficiently smaller than shaft OD  1  so that corking shaft  4  has sufficient rigidity. The cavity  9  generally runs axially through bottle collar  6  and corking shaft  4  and stops at the solid section  23  at insertion end  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The distance between the bottom end of cavity  9  and the bottom of insertion end  10 , i.e., the height of solid section  23 , is preferably thick enough to contribute to the rigidity of corking shaft  4 .  
         [0029]     The bladder  7  contains a safe, food-friendly inert gas. The bladder  7  preferably comprises a material resilient enough to contain a volume of inert gas but which may be collapsed down and also punctured by piercing shaft  3 . The inert gas contained within bladder  7  preferably has a density greater than air at the same pressure (i.e., atmospheric pressure).  
         [0030]     After a wine bottle has been opened and partially consumed, the first preferred embodiment  100  of WINE BLANKET™ may be used to preserve the quality of the remaining wine as follows. The user generally inserts the corking shaft  4  into the neck of the wine bottle. The shaft OD  1  (of shaft  4 ) preferably fits snugly with the ID of the neck of the wine bottle so that gases do not escape from the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 . It is preferred that the corking shaft  4  be fully inserted into the neck of the wine bottle such that the bottom edge of bottle collar  6  abuts the lip of the wine bottle.  
         [0031]     After insertion of the first preferred embodiment  100 , the user may gently press the plunger  5 , causing the bladder  7  to slide towards the piercing shaft  3 . The user may then continue to supply sufficient force to the plunger  5  causing the bladder  7  to move far enough in an axial direction through cavity  9  so that it impinges upon piercing shaft  3 .  
         [0032]     In the process of sliding bladder  7  axially through cavity  9 , the bladder  7  comes into contact with, and is pierced by, the piercing shaft  3 . In this manner, the inert gas is released from the bladder  7 , forced through the hollow piercing shaft  3  and ultimately deposited into headspace  111 . The user may continue to press down on plunger  5  thereby fully collapsing bladder  7  and transferring all of the inert gas through piercing shaft  3  and into headspace  111 . Beside the force of internal pressure provided by the collapsing bladder  7 , the natural force of gravity will cause the inert gas to travel through the piercing shaft  3  and into the headspace  111  of the wine bottle (assuming that the wine bottle  113  is right-side up). Because the inert gas is denser than the air contained within the headspace  111 , the inert gas will continue down the headspace  111  (toward the surface of the remaining wine) under the natural force of gravity. Ultimately, when equilibrium is reached, the inert gas generally displaces the oxygen-containing air that had been located at the surface of the remaining wine, and blankets the surface of the remaining wine with a thin layer of inert, food-friendly gas.  
         [0033]     As the inert gas is introduced into the headspace of the wine bottle, the headspace will naturally become pressurized. An oxygen vent  14  with a one-way valve  127  will allow for the release of the less dense air that is displaced by the more dense inert gas. More specifically, the oxygen vent  14  preferably extends within shaft  4  and bottle collar  6  from the insertion end  10  to the cap end  11 . As such, the oxygen vent  14  is in proximity to the upper portion of the headspace  111  occupied by the less dense air that has been displaced by the more dense inert gas acting under gravity and pressure from the collapsed bladder  7 . The first preferred embodiment  100  generally displaces only enough air from the headspace  111  as is necessary to allow the inert gas to be introduced into the headspace  111  without significant pressurization of the headspace  111 .  
         [0034]     The blanketing layer of inert gas that ultimately settles on the surface of the remaining wine generally acts as a barrier, substantially preventing oxygen molecules in the headspace  111  from coming in direct contact with the wine. Oxidation is thus substantially prevented, and because the inert gas is safe and food-friendly, no significant chemical reactions occur between the inert gas and the remaining wine.  
         [0035]     Thereafter, the user may remove the first preferred embodiment  100  of WINE BLANKET™ from the wine bottle and discard it. The remaining wine will have been subject to only minimal oxidization, thus helping preserve the integrity of the wine that existed when the wine bottle was first opened. The inert gas that acted as a protective barrier for the non-consumed wine harmlessly dissipates into the air after the first preferred embodiment  100  of WINE BLANKET™ is removed and the wine poured.  
         [0036]     Alternatively, as seen in  FIG. 3 , a second preferred embodiment  200  of the WINE BLANKET™ preferably includes a cylindrical corking shaft  4  and a bottle collar  6 . Shaft  4  and bottle collar  6  may comprise one contiguous element or two separate elements attached to each other. In any event, a cavity  9 , which may resembles a cylindrical bore, preferably extends through the shaft  4  and bottle collar  6 . One end of a plunger  5  fits snugly into cavity  9  at bottle collar  6 . Attached to plunger  5 , and located within cavity  9 , is a rigid inner chamber  13 . The rigid inner chamber  13  contains inert “food friendly” gas. In operation, the rigid inner chamber  13  is moved axially through cavity  9  (towards piercing shaft  3 ) by pressing down on plunger  5 . Upon contact with the piercing shaft  3 , the rigid inner chamber  13  is pierced by a hollow piercing shaft  3 . As such, inert gas is allowed to transfer through piercing shaft  3  and into the headspace  111  of bottle  113 .  
         [0037]     The second preferred embodiment  200  preferably relies entirely on the force of gravity to cause the inert gas to travel through the piercing shaft  3  and into the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 . Because the inert gas is denser than the air contained within the headspace  111 , the inert gas will continue down the headspace  111  toward the surface of the remaining wine under the natural force of gravity. Ultimately, when equilibrium is reached, the inert gas generally displaces the oxygen-containing air that had been located at the surface of the remaining wine, and blankets the surface of the remaining wine with a thin layer of inert, food-friendly gas. The second preferred embodiment  200  preferably employs a rigid inner chamber  13  that does not collapse. As such, there is no significant pressurization within headspace  111  because the addition of food friendly gas into headspace  111  is coincident with an increase in the volume of the system (i.e., the volume of headspace  111  is increased because it now includes the volume of rigid inner chamber  13 ). Consequently, there is little or no pressurization of the headspace  111  when the inert gas is introduced via the piercing shaft  3 . Thus, the second preferred embodiment  200  of WINE BLANKET™ preferably does not include an oxygen vent  14 .  
         [0038]     Alternatively, as seen in  FIG. 4 , a third preferred embodiment  300  of the WINE BLANKET™ preferably includes a cylindrical corking shaft  4  and a bottle collar  6 . Shaft  4  and bottle collar  6  may comprise one contiguous element or two separate elements attached to each other. In any event, a cavity  9 , which may resemble a cylindrical bore, preferably extends through the shaft  4  and bottle collar  6 . One end of a plunger  5  fits snugly into cavity  9  at bottle collar  6 .  
         [0039]     After a wine bottle has been opened and partially consumed, the third preferred embodiment  300  of WINE BLANKET™ may be used to help preserve the quality of the remaining wine as follows.  
         [0040]     The third preferred embodiment  300  may encapsulate the food friendly gas in cavity  9 . The cavity  9 , however, has a gas channel  16  that allows the user to transfer the food friendly gas from the third preferred embodiment  300  of WINE BLANKET™ to the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 .  
         [0041]     Prior to activation of the third preferred embodiment  300 , the food friendly gas located within cavity  9  is prevented from exiting by a protective material  15  that covers gas channel  16 . Just prior to activating the third preferred embodiment  300 , the user may manually remove the protective material  15  to allow dispensation of the food friendly gas. The protective material  15  may comprise a tin or aluminum foil, or some other material that may be removable from the bottom of the shaft  4 . The protective material may be attached to the shaft  4  by an adhesive or other suitable means.  
         [0042]     Shortly after removing protective material  15 , the user generally inserts the corking shaft  4  into the neck of the wine bottle  113 . The shaft OD  1  (or corking shaft  4 ) preferably fits snugly with the ID of the neck of the wine bottle so that gases do not escape from the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 . It is preferred that the corking shaft  4  be fully inserted into the neck of the wine bottle such that the bottom edge of bottle collar  6  abuts the lip of the wine bottle  113 .  
         [0043]     After insertion of the third preferred embodiment  300 , the user may gently press the plunger  5 , causing a decrease in the volume of cavity  9 , which consequently pressurizes cavity  9 . Because the increased pressure in cavity  9  will be greater than the pressure in headspace  111 , the food friendly gas within cavity  9  will naturally move through the gas channel  16  and into headspace  111 . The user may then continue to supply sufficient force to the plunger  5  causing all of the food friendly gas to transfer from cavity  9 , through gas channel  16 , into the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 .  
         [0044]     As the food friendly inert gas is introduced into the headspace  111  of the wine bottle  113 , the headspace will naturally become pressurized. An oxygen vent  14  with a one-way valve  127  may be incorporated into the third preferred embodiment  300  to allow for the release of the less dense air that is displaced by the more dense food friendly inert gas. More specifically, the oxygen vent  14  preferably extends within shaft  4  and bottle collar  6  from the insertion end  10  to the cap end  11 . As such, the oxygen vent  14  is in proximity to the upper portion of the headspace  111  occupied by the less dense air that has been displaced by the more dense inert gas acting under gravity and pressure from the activation of plunger  5 . The third preferred embodiment  300  generally displaces enough air from the headspace  111  as is necessary to allow the inert gas to be introduced into the headspace  111  without significant pressurization of the headspace  111 .  
         [0045]     The blanketing layer of inert food friendly gas that ultimately settles on the surface of the remaining wine generally acts as a barrier, substantially preventing oxygen molecules in the headspace  111  from coming in direct contact with the wine. Oxidation is thus substantially prevented, and because the inert gas is safe and food-friendly, no significant chemical reactions occur between the inert gas and the remaining wine.  
         [0046]     Thereafter, the user may remove the third preferred embodiment  300  of WINE BLANKET™ from the wine bottle and discard it. The remaining wine will have been subject to only minimal oxidization, thus helping preserve the integrity of the wine that existed when the wine bottle was first opened. The inert gas that acted as a protective barrier for the non-consumed wine harmlessly dissipates into the air after the third preferred embodiment  300  of WINE BLANKET™ is removed and the wine poured.  
         [0047]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the shaft  4  may include one or more ridges  77 . The ridges  77  extend outward from the shaft  4  and are preferably flexible so that they may compress and/or flex in one direction or another, as shown in the enlargement portion of  FIG. 5 , to help take up space between the shaft  4  and wine bottle. In this manner, ridges  77  help accommodate varying inner diameters of wine bottle necks. Preferably, the shaft  4  is manufactured so that the ridges  77  form a contiguous part thereof. This provides the benefit of sealing the headspace of the wine bottle so that the inert gas may form a blanket on the wine surface.  
         [0048]     The present invention has been described above in connection with several preferred embodiments. The above description is not intended to be limiting and the present invention may include variations of the foregoing.