Abstract:
An exemplary method, apparatus and system of crushing a bottle may include a barrel for surrounding a bottle. The barrel may have a main body with a threaded outer surface. A plate may be slidably engaged with an inner surface of the barrel at a first end of the barrel. A nut may be operably engaged with the threads on the outer surface of the barrel. A tab portion may be integral with the plate and the tab portion engaged the nut. A cap may be repeatably attachable to an end of the barrel opposite the plate. Movement of the nut may facilitate movement of the plate and moving the plate in the direction of the lid may crush a bottle within the barrel.

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/859,963, filed Nov. 20, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Carbonated beverages are produced and sold in various flavors and are marketed in various sized bottles and containers. Generally, larger quantities of carbonated beverages are sold in plastic 2 or 3-liter bottles. These bottles are meant to store and distribute multiple servings of a carbonated beverage over time: hours, days or even weeks. It is often less expensive for a consumer to purchase these larger beverage bottles than the smaller bottles or cans. 
   In a carbonated beverage, CO 2  molecules are constantly coming out of solution and evaporating into the atmosphere above, and vice versa, impinging upon the surface and re-entering solution. The rate at which molecules leave solution is governed by the fluid temperature, and the rate at which molecules enter solution is a function of the partial pressure of the dissolved gas above the fluid, which in this case is CO 2 . At a certain partial pressure, CO 2  molecules in the atmosphere may enter at a rate equivalent to the rate of evaporation, leaving the net concentration in stasis. 
   The presence of other gas molecules, specifically those that principally comprise air (N 2  and O 2 ) may have no effect on the CO 2  evaporation rate. N 2  and O 2  molecules may not intercept escaping CO 2  molecules and deflect them back into the liquid. The Ideal Gas Law teaches that the space between individual gas molecules (at other than extreme pressures) is so vast, relatively speaking, that intra-gas interactions can be ignored, which is the underlying principle of Dalton&#39;s Law of partial pressures. Dalton&#39;s Law states that the total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of each constituent gas. 
   Two other laws that govern dissolved gases are Le Chatlier&#39;s principle and Henry&#39;s Law. Le Chatlier&#39;s principle teaches that for a given partial pressure, lowering the temperature of the liquid will tend to increase the percentage of dissolved gas therein, and Henry&#39;s Law instructs that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is a linear function of the partial pressure of that gas above that fluid. 
   Typically, carbonated beverage bottlers may add about 3.7 volumes of CO 2  per volume of beverage. At a temperature of about 72° F., a CO 2  partial pressure of approximately 52 psig may be required to maintain 3.7 volumes of CO 2  in equilibrium. At the typical refrigerator temperature of 40° F., a much lower pressure of about 24 psig may be required to maintain equilibrium, demonstrating the degree to which temperature governs CO 2  solubility. It can be derived that it may require approximately 148,571 psig of air to develop a CO 2  partial pressure of about 52 psig. 
   SUMMARY 
   An exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus may include a barrel for surrounding a bottle. The barrel may have a main body with a threaded outer surface. A plate may be slidably engaged with an inner surface of the barrel at a first end of the barrel. A nut may be operably engaged with the threads on the outer surface of the barrel. A tab portion may be integral with the plate and the tab may be mounted on the nut and a cap may be repeatably attachable to an end of the barrel opposite the plate. 
   An exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing system may include a bottle made of a malleable material. The bottle may have an opening and a lid that may be repeatably sealable to the opening. The exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing system may also include a barrel for surrounding the bottle. The barrel may include a main body with a threaded outer surface. A plate may be slidably engaged with an inner surface of the barrel at a first end of the barrel. A nut may be operably engaged with the threads on the outer surface of the barrel. A tab portion may be integral with the plate and mounted on the nut. A cap may be repeatably attachable to an end of the barrel opposite the plate. 
   An exemplary embodiment of a method of crushing a bottle may include placing a bottle on a plate within a barrel through an opening in the barrel. A cap may be sealed over the opening of the barrel with the bottle inside the barrel. The plate may be moved in the direction of the cap of the barrel and the bottle may be crushed as the plate is moved in the direction of the cap. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Advantages of embodiments of the exemplary bottle crushing device will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary side view of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary top view of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line B-B of  FIG. 3 , with an uncrushed bottle. 
       FIG. 5  is an exemplary top view of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line B-B of  FIG. 3 , with a crushed bottle. 
       FIG. 7  is an exemplary top view of an exemplary embodiment of a barrel of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 8  is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a barrel of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line C-C of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is an exemplary bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a barrel of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 10  is an exemplary bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a cap of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 11  is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a cap of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line D-D of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is an exemplary top view of an exemplary embodiment of a thrust nut of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 13  is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a thrust nut of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line E-E of  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 14  is an exemplary top view of an exemplary embodiment of a pusher plate of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus. 
       FIG. 15  is an exemplary cross-sectional view an exemplary embodiment of a pusher plate of an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing apparatus drawn at line F-F of  FIG. 14 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Aspects of the exemplary bottle crushing device are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the exemplary bottle crushing device. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the exemplary bottle crushing device. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the exemplary bottle crushing device will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the exemplary bottle crushing device. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description, discussion of several terms used herein follows. 
   The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments” does not require that all embodiments of the exemplary bottle crushing device include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , an exemplary embodiment of a bottle crushing device may include a barrel  1  and a cap  7  that can be rotatably attached to barrel  1  or may be attached through any other desired repeatable attachment mechanism. A pusher plate  11 , as seen in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , may be slidably engaged with an inner surface of barrel  1  and a thrust nut  13  can be threadably engaged to an outer surface of barrel  1 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , barrel  1  may contain a plastic bottle  15 , which may include a standard 2-liter beverage bottle or any other desired bottle size, that can be inserted in the barrel  1  so as to crush the bottle  15 . 
   In an exemplary embodiment, thrust nut  13  may engage the tabs  12  of pusher plate  11 , shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . These tabs may slide in corresponding channels  2 . There may be three tabs  12 , or any other desired number of tabs  12 . The number of channels may correspond to the number of tabs  12 , but may also include a lesser or greater number of channels  2  than tabs  12 . As the thrust nut  13  turns it may engage the pusher plate  11  through contact with tabs  12  via channels  2 . The interaction between channels  2  and tabs  12  may allow pusher plate  11  to stay rotatably fixed, yet slidable along the axis of barrel  1  according to the rotation of thrust nut  13 . The channels  2  may be closed at both or either end of barrel  1  to increase the rigidity of barrel  1  and channels  2 . Pusher plate  11  may be inserted sideways through one of channels  2 , allowing pusher plate  11  to be positioned inside barrel  1 . 
   In another exemplary embodiment thrust nut  13  may be rotated, for example counter-clockwise, until pusher plate  11 , is lowered to the bottom of the barrel, as shown in  FIG. 4 . An unopened bottle  15  may be inserted into barrel  1 . Once bottle  15  is inserted into barrel  1 , cap  7  may be rotated such that handle  8  is aligned with any of the three channels  2  in barrel  1 , shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Cap  7 , illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , may be attached to barrel  1  by pushing cap  7  downward such that groove  9  fully receives collar  3  of barrel  1 . Groove  9  may be tapered to aide in facilitating a facile insertion of the collar  3  into the groove  9 . 
   In an exemplary embodiment cap  7  may be rotated, for example counter-clockwise, allowing cap tabs  10  of cap  7  to slide underneath collar  3 . There are may be a corresponding number of cap tabs  10  and channels  2  of barrel  1 , as may be seen in  FIG. 2 . The number of cap tabs  10  may vary and may include any number of desired cap tabs  10 . Cap  7  may be rotated until cap tabs  10  contact corresponding stops  4  underneath collar  3 . Handle  8  of cap  7  can be pulled by the user to assist in the rotation and affixing of cap  7  to barrel  1 . 
   Bottle  15  may be placed inside barrel  1  and the cap  7  may be affixed to the barrel  1 , allowing a user to remove the lid (not shown) of the bottle and dispense its contents. Upon completion of the dispensing, the user may reattach the lid, however, the user may leave the lid unsealed, allowing air or gas to pass between the inside and outside of the bottle  15 . The user may grasp handle  8  and simultaneously grasp one of the knobs  14  attached to thrust nut  13 , as a means of rotating the thrust nut. The user may rotate the thrust nut  13  along threads on barrel  1 , advancing the thrust nut  13  and correspondingly the pusher plate  11 , axially upwards the cap  7 . 
   In another exemplary embodiment thrust nut  13  may be rotated and pusher plate  11  may engage the bottom of bottle  15  forcing it to press against the inner surface of cap  7 . As thrust nut  13  is rotated pressure may increase between pusher plate  11  and cap  7  which may incrementally axially collapse bottle  15 . The user may pull handle  8  to counter knob  14  and stops  4  may prevent cap  7  from rotating relative to barrel  1 , thus keeping cap  7  firmly attached to barrel  1  during use. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 , barrel  1  may include feet  5  on the bottom surface thereof. The feet may be made of rubber, other potentially friction increasing material or any other desired material. Barrel  1  may include three feet  5 , as seen in  FIG. 3 , or any other desired number of feet  5 . Feet  5  may be slidably attached to barrel  1  through the use of nubs  6  on feet  5  that can engage detents in barrel  1  to hold feet  5  in place. Feet  5  may also be attached to barrel  1  by any other desired attachment mechanism. 
   A standard 2-liter bottle may have wall thickness of 0.005″ which may provide a combination of pliability and resistance to deformation. As shown in  FIG. 6 , as bottle  15  collapses the folds in bottle  15  may be compact and shallow, for example about 1″ deep, creating a desired xylophone pattern. 
   In an exemplary embodiment, as bottle  15  collapses, the remaining liquid therein may steadily rise up to the neck of bottle  15 . Once liquid reaches the top of bottle  15 , the user may seal the lid of bottle  13 , whereby securing a desired CO 2  equilibrium within bottle  15 . The user may then continue to rotate thrust nut  13  to apply residual pressure to bottle  15  such that bottle  15  may feel firm to the touch. This process may “pop out” any residual indentations in bottle  15  that could eventually be “popped out” by CO2 pressure, which may ultimately result in a CO 2  pocket that can be exhausted upon the next opening of the lid of bottle  15 . A solid column of liquid or beverage, with minimal gas, may remain as such until the next pour. 
   The user may rotate thrust nut  13 , for example counter-clockwise, as a means of reducing the pressure on bottle  15  before a subsequent pour. This may aide in preventing liquid from overflowing when the lid of bottle  15  is removed. The user may then repeat this process as described. An exemplary embodiment of a bottle crusher may crush bottle  15  until, for example, only one serving, glass full or any other desired amount of liquid or beverage is left in bottle  15 . This process may preserve the desired level of carbonation present in the liquid or beverage until all the liquid is poured out of bottle  15 . 
   When the contents of bottle  15  is removed, as shown in  FIG. 6 , cap  7  may be rotated clockwise until cap tabs  10  are aligned with channels  2 , releasing cap tabs  10  from collar  3 . Cap  7  can then be removed and bottle  15  may be subsequently removed and discarded. Bottle  15  in its crushed state may provide for more efficient disposal in a wastebasket or recycling bin. 
   The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the exemplary bottle crushing device. However, the bottle crushing device should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
   Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the exemplary bottle crushing device as defined by the following claims.