LIQUID DECANTING AND/OR AERATING DEVICE

Abstract: An air-decant device for the aeration and decanting of liquids stored in containers, comprising a pump means (2) which can pump air through the device to the liquid (10) in the container (9) and/or pump liquid (10) from the container (9) over an exposed surface (3) or through a special nozzle (19) to create a dome shaped flow of liquid (20) to aerate the liquid before returning it to the container. In addition, the pump means (2) can pump the liquid (10) from the device via a decanting attachment (15) to decant the same to another container.

Description: Liquid Decanting and /or Aerating Device The present invention relates to a device for the aeration and/or decanting of liquids stored in containers, and particularly to a device for use with wines and spirits. It is important for liquids, such as wines and spirits, to breath/aerate sufficiently before human consumption to enhance the flavour of the same. Conventionally wines and spirits are aerated by manually decanting the liquid from one container to another. This is a time consuming operation and needs to be performed well in advance of consumption of the liquid. Alternative methods are sometimes used but none adequately aerate the liquid without undergoing lengthy aeration processes. An object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows liquid stored in a container to be aerated quickly and thoroughly before use. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which can be used to decant liquids from one container to another container both quickly and easily. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion into the liquid in the container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere or connection to a gas, said tube member communicating with a pump means such that upon activation of said pump means, air or gas is pumped, along said tube member and into said liquid, thereby aerating said liquid without the same leaving the container. Preferably the pump means forces atmospheric air to the bottom or near to the bottom of the container and is allowed to gently bubble to the surface, thereby ensuring that all the liquid in the container is thoroughly aerated. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an air-decant device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion beneath the surface of the liquid in the container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere, said tube member communicating with a pump means such that on activation of said pump means liquid is pumped from said container and out of said second opening end, and said liquid is directed back into said container thereby allowing aeration of said liquid. Preferably the directing means is a funnel means and in one embodiment it has attachment members for location in or on a container. In one embodiment a surface is provided over which the liquid can flow after leaving the second opening of the tube member prior to being directed back into the container via the funnel means. The surface can be any suitable shape for providing aeration of the liquid, for example, a dome shaped surface, a cone shaped surface, a spiral shaped surface, a stepped surface or the like can be used. Alternatively, a nozzle can be provided on the second end of the tube member, which sprays the liquid or forms a dome shaped type flow of liquid and which can then be directed back into the container via the funnel means. Preferably a deflector cap is provided at the second open end of the tube member to aid the flow of liquid towards the funnel means. In one embodiment an attachment member and/or further tubing can be provided for location at the second end of said tubing member to allow liquid to be decanted from the container to a different container. Preferably a filter/air diffuser is provided at the first end of said tube member. The pump means can be electrically operated from the mains, battery operated and/or mechanically operated. Preferably the pump means is contained at least in part within a housing to protect the pump mechanism from the liquid. The housing can provide the surface over which the liquid flows after leaving the second end of the tubing member. Alternatively the housing is provided in addition to the surface over which the liquid flows. The tubing member can be a single piece construction and be a predetermined length, suitable for a particular container. Alternatively the tubing member can comprise a number of elements which are telescopically joined, thereby allowing the length of the tubing member to be altered to fit various sized containers having variable levels of liquid contained therein and also for ease of storage. The same pump means can be used to pump air into the container and pump liquid out of the container. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an air-decant device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion beneath the surface of the liquid in the container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere, said tube member communicating with a pump means and bubble chamber such that on activation of said pump means liquid is pumped from said container into said bubble chamber, said liquid subsequently directed back into said container. In one embodiment said pump means contained within a housing and said housing communicating with the bubble chamber. The second open end of the tube member is located in said bubble chamber and is provided with a bubble nozzle. The bubble nozzle forms a bubble of liquid, thereby allowing the liquid to be gently exposed to the air before being returned to the container, typically via a funnel means. Preferably the bubble chamber is made from a transparent material and is provided with a lid. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that any combination o f the described embodiments can be combined to provide a device falling within the scope of protection of the present invention. The present invention has the advantage that the container of liquid can be aerated or decanted from one container to another container both quickly and easily. This would allow the user to open and thoroughly breath a bottle of wine minutes before the wine is needed. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following Figures, wherein:- Figure 1 is a cross-section of an air-decant device having a stepped cone surface over which liquid can flow and a funnel means; Figure 2 is a cross-section of an air-decant device of Figure 1 having an attachment member for decanting; Figure 3 is a cross-section of an air-decant device located on a bottle of wine; Figure 4 is a cross-section of an air-decant device in operation, showing the flow of wine; Figure 5 is a cross-section of an air-decant device having a spiral shaped surface over which liquid can flow and a funnel means; Figure 5a is a cross-section of the air-decant device of Figure 5 with the tubing member telescopically collapsed; Figure 6 is a cross-section of an air-decant device having a dome shaped surface over which liquid can flow and a funnel means; Figure 7 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 6 having a clockwork motor powered pump; Figure 8 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 7 having an attachment member for decanting; Figure 9 is a cross-section of an air-decant device, having a dome shaped nozzle and a decant outlet cap, located in a bottle of wine; Figure 9a is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 9 having a clockwork motor powered pump; Figure 10 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 9 in operation, showing the flow of wine; Figure 11 is a cross-section of an air-decant device with the pump means provided in a housing and a decant outlet cap; Figure 12 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 11 having an attachment member for decanting; Figure 13 is a cross-section of air-decant device in Figure 11 with the tubing member telescopically collapsed; Figure 14 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 12 with the tubing member telescopically collapsed; Figure 15 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 11 located in a bottle or wine; Figure 16 is a cross-section of an air-decant device in Figure 11 having a single piece construction tube member; Figure 17 is a cross-section of an air-decant device with a bubble chamber communicating the housing of the pump means, located on a bottle of wine; Figure 18 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 17 showing the flow of wine; Figure 18a is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 18 having a clockwork motor powered pump; Figure 19 is a cross-section of the air-decant device in Figure 18 having an attachment member for decanting. Referring to the Figure 1 , there is illustrated an air-decant device comprising a funnel means 1 , a pump means 2, a surface 3 over which the aerating liquid can flow, a deflector cap 4, a tube member 5, a filter/air diffuser 6, a pump control means 7 and a rechargeable battery connection 8. The tube member 5 has a first open end at which the filter/air diffuser 6 is located and a second open end on which the deflector cap 4 is located. In use, the funnel means 1 is located on a top of a bottle of wine 9 and is secured there via attachment members as illustrated in Figure 3. The first end of tube member 5 with the filter/air diffuser 6 is placed below the surface of the wine 10. The second open end with the deflector cap 4 is positioned above the surface of the wine 10 for exposure to the atmosphere. On activation o f the pump control means 7, the wine 10 contained in the bottle 9 is pumped up through tube member 5 by the battery operated pump means 2 from the first open end to the second open end. The deflector cap 4 helps to direct the flow of wine 1 1 over the surface 3. The wine then flows into the funnel means 1 which directs the wine back into the bottle as illustrated in Figure 4. The flow of wine over the surface 3 gently exposes the wine to air, thereby aerating the wine both easily and quickly. The deflector cap 4 can be removed and be replaced by an attachment member 15 for decanting the wine 10 from the bottle 9 to another container (not shown) as illustrated in Figures 2, 8, 12, 14 and 19. The surface 3 over which the wine flows to aerate the same can be a stepped cone surface as illustrated in Figures 1 -4, a spiral shaped surface as illustrated in Figures 5 and 5a or be a dome shaped surface as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. It is noted that other suitably shaped surfaces could also be used which would provide adequate aeration of the liquid, for example a stepped surface could be used. The tube member 5 can be a single piece construction as illustrated in Figures 1 - 10 or comprise a number of elements which are telescopically joined, thereby allowing the length of said tubing member 5 to be altered to fit various sized containers with varying liquid levels and for ease of storage, as illustrated in Figures 5a, 1 1 - 15 and 17- 19. A nozzle 19 can be provided at the second end of tube member 5 in place of deflector cap 4 as illustrated in Figures 9 and 9a. The nozzle results in spraying of the wine and/or allows the formation of a dome shaped type flow of wine 20, which is then directed back into the bottle 9 by funnel means 1 , as illustrated in Figure 10. The pump means 2 can be battery operated and/or electrically operated as in Figures 1 -6 or it can be mechanically operated by a clockwork mechanism, as illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9a, 1 1 , 12 and 18a. The pump means can be located within the funnel means 1 or it could be located outside of said funnel means. The pump control means 7 can be used to turn the air-decant device on or off. In addition, the control means 7 can be used to control the speed and volume of air to the bottom of a bottle and/or control the flow of liquid to the top of the device for exposure to air or decanting. An external connection 8 can be provided on the air-decant device to provide connection to an outside electrical supply and/or recharge the internal batteries in the device. The pump means 2 can be contained within a compact housing 16 and tube member 5 can pass through the same, as illustrated in Figures 1 1 - 16. A bubble chamber 17 can be fitted to the compact housing 16 and a bubble nozzle 19 forms a flow of wine 20 in the form of a bubble, thereby allowing the wine 10 to be gently exposed to the air before being returned to the bottle 9, as illustrated in Figures 18 and 18a. The bubble chamber 17 can be transparent so that the user can see the wine being aerated, although non-transparent chambers of differing colours could also be used. In addition, the bubble chamber 17 can be fitted with a lid 18 so that the wine flow 20 is exposed to atmospheric air and an attachment member 15 can be fitted to allow the wine to be decanted into a different container. The wine flow 20 can be directed back through the compact housing 16 via an inlet pipe and subsequently directed back to the bottle 9.

Claims: Claims 1. A device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion beneath the surface of the liquid in said container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere or gas, characterised in that said tube member communicates with a pump means so that on activation of said pump means, air or gas is pumped from said atmosphere, along said tube member and into said liquid, thereby aerating said liquid. 2. A device according to claim 1 characterised in that the pump means forces atmospheric air to the bottom or near to the bottom of the container and the air is allowed to gently bubble to the surface of the liquid. 3. A device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion beneath the surface of the liquid in said container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere, characterised in that said tube member communicates with a pump means so that on activation of said pump means liquid is pumped from said container and out of said second opening said liquid being directed back into said container, thereby allowing aeration of said liquid. 4. A device according to claim 3 characterised in that the directing means is a funnel. 5. A device according to claim 3 wherein a surface is provided over which the liquid can flow after leaving the second open end of the tube member prior to being directed back into the container via the funnel means. 6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the surface is any suitable shaped for providing aeration of the liquid. 7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the surface is dome shaped. 8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the surface is cone shaped. 9. A device according to claim 6 wherein the surface is spiral shaped. 10. A device according to claim 6 wherein the surface is stepped. 1 1. A device according to claim 3 wherein a nozzle is provided on the second open end of the tube member which sprays the liquid, and the liquid is then directed back into the container via the funnel means. 12. A device according to claim 3 wherein a nozzle is provided on the second open end of the tube member which forms a dome shaped type flow of liquid therefrom, and the liquid is then directed back into the container via the funnel means. 13. A device according to claim 3 wherein a deflector cap is provided at the second open end of the tube member to aid the flow of liquid towards the funnel means. 14. A device according to claim 3 wherein an attachment member and/or further tubing is provided for location at the second open end of the tube member to allow the liquid to be decanted from the container to a different container. 15. A device according to any preceding claim wherein a filter/air diffuser is provided at the first end of the tube member. 16. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the pump means can be electrically operated from the mains. 17. a device according to any preceding claim wherein the pump means can be battery operated. 18. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the pump means can be mechanically operated by clockwork means. 19. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the pump means is contained at least in part within a housing. 20. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the housing is distinct from the surface over which the liquid flows after leaving the second end of the tubing member. 21. A device according to any preceding claim characterised in that the housing is the surface over which the liquid flows after leaving the second opening of the tubing member. 22. A device according to any preceding claim characterised in that the tubing member is a single piece construction. 23. A device according to any preceding claim characterised in that the tubing member comprises elements which are telescopically joined. 24. A device according to any preceding claim characterised in that the same pump means can pump air into the container and pump liquid out of the container. 25. A device for aerating a liquid stored in a container, said device comprising a tube member having a first opening for insertion beneath the surface of the liquid in the container, and a second opening for location above the surface of the liquid for exposure to the atmosphere, characterised in that said tube member communicates with a pump means and bubble chamber, such that on activation of said pump means liquid is pumped from said container into said bubble chamber, said liquid subsequently directed back into said container. 26. A device according to claim 24 characterised in that the bubble chamber is contained within a housing. 27. An electric, battery or clockwork powered device that can quickly and thoroughly allow wine to breath by bubbling air through wine from the bottom or close to the bottom of a bottle or by pumping wine to the top of the device and allowing it to flow over an exposed surface and/or by pumping wine through special nozzles that allow wine to form a dome or bubble thereby airing the wine before returning it to the bottle and a device that in some embodiments allows the electric or clockwork powered pump to be sued to decant liquids from one container to another.

Inventors: WEATHERILL NEIL KENNETH, WEATHERILL, NEIL, KENNETH
Applicants: WEATHERILL NEIL KENNETH, WEATHERILL, NEIL, KENNETH
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B01F3
IPC codes: A47G23, B01F3, B01F15