Abstract:
An apparatus for illuminating wine or other liquids, whereby the user can limit the amount of sediment that is allowed to escape from the bottle. The apparatus comprises a collar, an arm, a body, a light source, and a switch. The collar can be hingedly attached to the arm with a spring-loaded hinge. The collar can have a hole large enough to accommodate the neck of a majority of wine or other bottles currently manufactured. The body can be attached to the arm via a retaining member, such that the body is freely positionable along the arm. The light source can be fixedly attached to the body, or hingedly attached thereto.

Description:
This Application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/614,567, filed Dec. 21, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD 
   The instant disclosure relates to the field of decanting wine in general and, in particular, to an illuminating apparatus and method that is used to ensure that sediments suspended in the wine are retained in the bottle and do not flow into the decanter used to prepare the wine for consumption. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Of great to concern to wine connoisseurs is the proper handling and decanting of their wine bottles to ensure that proper taste, aroma and texture are preserved. Typically, during the aging process, wine bottles rest on their sides at a slight angle for months, years, or even decades, during which time sediment settles out of the wine. Standing a bottle during opening causes the sediment to return into suspension, which alters the taste of the wine. As stated by Bob Dickinson in his article “Demolishing a Decanting Myth” (Bob Dickinson,  Demolishing a Decanting Myth,  Wine Spectator, Jul. 31, 2005, at 109), sediment, lees, or particulates (referred to herein collectively as “sediment” for clarity) may make wine “inherently bitter and mask[ ] the flavor of the wine.” Some in the prior art have developed techniques and devices for removing sediment prior to consumption of the wine. 
   One method of reducing the amount of sediment present in a glass of wine is to decant the wine. Decanting involves pouring the wine from its original bottle into another receptacle, typically a decanter. The pouring process is stopped immediately prior to when the sediment present in the original bottle would flow into the receptacle. 
   While proper decanting can significantly reduce the amount of sediment poured into the receptacle, it is critical that the pouring process be closely monitored. Because the general presumption is to under-pour, rather than risk introducing sediment into the decanter, 10-15% of the fluid volume of the wine is frequently left in the original bottle. While that percentage loss may not seem substantial, it represents a significant financial loss and diminishment of the potential enjoyment that would have been derived from the wine. 
   As can be seen in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020108672 to Morrison, one prior art approach utilizes pumping and/or pressurized systems to transfer the fluid content of the wine bottle into a receptacle. Morrison uses a complex combination of a siphon, a pump, and a support to draw the wine away from the sediment and into the receptacle unit. While the Morrison system can reduce the amount of sediment introduced into the receptacle, Morrison does not allow the wine pourer to visually inspect and monitor the wine during decanting. Thus, there is still a chance that sediment may be introduced. 
   Another attempt at reducing the amount of sediment introduced into the receptacle is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040035296 to Schaus. The Schaus method utilizes a centrifugal device at the beginning stages of the winemaking process. This centrifugal device separates out the sediment present at that time. However, this process does not account for sediment that develops during aging. This process also does not allow the wine pourer to visually inspect and monitor the wine during decanting. 
   Still others have attempted to reduce the amount of sediment introduced into the receptacle by illuminating at least a portion of the wine as it is poured from the bottle. Some of these illuminating apparatuses involve complex arrangements of pulleys and hand-operated levers, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,047 to Bersano. Others, such as the decanting apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,480 to Fischer, incorporate the light into a curved carrier into which both the wine bottle and decanter are placed. Still others, such as the illuminating device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,066 to Vinding-Diers, incorporate the light into an apparatus that attaches to the wine bottle at multiple points, and which is also used as a handle. 
   SUMMARY 
   While these illuminators may work, each has its own disadvantage. By way of example, without limitation, the Bersano illuminator is likely to be too large and too expensive for all but the most sophisticated buyers. The Fischer illuminator requires a relatively large surface area over which to operate the device. Vinding-Diers has the advantage of being relatively compact, but the design has several other flaws. For example, as described in column 2, lines 36-38, the upper collar is of a fixed diameter, and requires “an energetic push from the top downward” to be installed over a particular size bottle, and the housing has a “back surface  28  with a profile shaped so as to fit against the outer profile of the shoulder  18  and neck  16  of the bottle in generally confronting relation”. Because the shape of a wine bottle may vary from bottle manufacturer to bottle manufacturer, and even based on the volume of wine in the bottle, the Vinding-Diers apparatus is suitable for only a single style of bottle. Still further, Vinding-Diers discloses that the apparatus described therein should be used as a handle, with the user&#39;s fingers wrapped around the apparatus. However, with the user&#39;s hand in such a position, and given the position of the light within the apparatus, the user&#39;s hand will obstruct his or her view of the wine as it is being decanted. 
   As will be appreciated by wine aficionados, a longstanding need has existed among connoisseurs of fine vintage wines for a new and improved wine decanting method and apparatus that allows the wine pourer to remove almost the entire fluid volume of a bottle of wine, and which also provides enhanced sediment detection. The provision of such a method and apparatus is an objective of the disclosed wine illuminator. 
   Accordingly, the instant disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for illuminating wine during decanting that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed wine illuminator. The objectives and other advantages of the disclosed wine illuminator will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and the appended drawings. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosed wine illuminator as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed wine illuminator and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosed wine illuminator and together with the description serve to explain the principles of at least one embodiment of the disclosed wine illuminator. 
       FIG. 1  is a right perspective view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  is a right elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 5  is a left elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 8  is a right elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 9  is a right elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 10  is a right elevation of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
       FIG. 11  is a rear elevation view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed wine illuminator, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a right perspective view of an exemplary wine illuminator embodiment  100 . As  FIG. 1  illustrates, a wine illuminator  100  can comprise a collar  110 , arm  115 , retaining member  1220 , body  125 , and light source  135 . Collar  110 , arm  115 , retaining member  120 , and body  125  can be made from a variety of materials including, without limitation, wood, plastic, and metal. At least a portion of light source  135  may also be made of such materials. 
   Collar  110  comprises a hole, wherein the hole is large enough to fit over at least a plurality of bottle neck sizes. When collar  110  is positioned around bottle neck  105 , the weight and shape of illuminator  100  can cause the upper edge  111  of collar  110  to engage bottle neck  105  through friction. In an embodiment, the inner surface of collar  110  may comprise a non-skid coating, such as, without limitation, silicone, epoxy, rubber, or the like. An embodiment of collar  110  may comprise one or more rubber O-rings, which also function to limit collar  110 &#39;s ability to slide on neck  105  when frictionally engaged thereon. 
   As  FIG. 1  further illustrates, illuminator  100  further comprises arm  115 . Arm  115  can be hingedly attached to collar  110  via hinge  112 . Hinge  112  permits arm  115 , and illuminator body  125 , to articulate, thereby allowing illuminator  100  to be used with a variety of bottle shapes. In an embodiment, hinge  112  may be spring loaded, such that the collar of light source  135  remains in contact with the hip of bottle  135 , even as the contents of bottle  108  are dispensed therefrom. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , illuminator  100  may also comprise one or more light sources  135  which are operable via switch  130 , which may also control the intensity of the light produced by light sources  135 . Light sources  135  may utilize one or more light bulbs  137  to illuminate the contents of bottle  108 . Such light bulbs may comprise, without limitation, xenon or other halogen-powered light bulbs, light-emitting diodes, tungsten-powered light bulbs, or the like. In an embodiment, inner surface  138  of light source  135  may comprise a reflective coating, thereby allowing a greater portion of the light produced by bulb  137  to be directed into bottle  108 . In an embodiment, light sources  135  are powered by one or more batteries contained within illuminator body  125 . Such batteries can be replaced via door  128 . In an embodiment, illuminator body  125  may also be capable of receiving power from one or more external power sources, such as, without limitation, power generated by a DC power converter. 
   Illuminator  100  can be designed such that the light output from light source  135  is aligned substantially perpendicular to bottle  108 , thereby providing a light beam that passes through the wine as it is poured. In an embodiment, light source  135  is hingedly attached to illuminator body  125 , thereby providing the ability to adjust the angle at which light from light source  135  enters bottle  108 . In an embodiment, the surface of light source  135  that rests against bottle  108  may be arranged at an acute angle with respect to illuminator body  125 , thereby permitting light source  135  to properly illuminate bottle  108 . Such light can enhance the user&#39;s ability to detect when sediment is approaching the mouth of bottle  108 . Generally, wine will develop a dust-like or smoke-like appearance that informs the wine pourer that the wine might be contaminated by sediment. In the beginning of the pour, there should be little or no sediment in the wine and light from light sources  135  can pass through the wine generating little or no reflectance. As the contents of bottle  108  are poured, the sediment that descended to the base of bottle  108  during storage can move with the contents of bottle  108  toward neck  105 . Light from light source  135  can reflect off the sediment and act as warning to the wine pourer of the presence of sediment. Once the wine pourer detects that the shimmers of sediment within the light are substantially approaching neck  105 , the wine pourer can halt the decanting or pouring process. 
   In an embodiment, light source  135  may also comprise a photo detector. The photo detector can take an initial reading of the amount of light passing through the wine, and then monitor the light level as the pour progresses. If the photo detector determines that the light level has degraded beyond a pre-set margin, the photo detector can alert the wine pourer, such as through a visual or auditory stimulus, or cause light level to change depending on the light level reading. 
   In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , light source  135  comprises a collar which is designed such that hip  105  of bottle  108  can be at least partially received therein. Such a collar may be designed to also work with bottles having a more gradual taper. In an embodiment, the portion of the collar of light source  135  that contacts hip  105  and/or bottle  108  can be coated with a non-skid coating. An embodiment of light source  135  can also comprise one or more o-rings located around the circumference of light source  135 &#39;s collar. Such o-rings may serve to limit the ability of light source  135  to slide along bottle  108  and/or hip  105 . 
   As  FIGS. 3 and 6  illustrate, illuminator  100  comprises retaining member  120 , which holds illuminator body  125  to arm  115 . In an embodiment, retaining member  120  can be freely positioned along arm  115 . In an embodiment, arm  115  may comprise a plurality of detents or the like, and retaining member  120  may comprise one or more members that mate with at least one of the plurality of detents, thereby limiting retaining member  120 &#39;s ability to move along arm  115  without sufficient external force. In an embodiment, arm  115  may comprise a non-skid coating, which engages retaining member  120  via friction when retaining member  120  is placed at an angle with respect to the plane created by arm  115 , such as may occur when illuminator  100  is positioned on bottle  108 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , arm  115  (which may telescope or be otherwise adjustable) may also comprise one or more stops  116 , which prevent retaining member  120  from coming free from arm  115 . In an embodiment, retaining member  116  can be removed from arm  115 , temporarily hidden within arm  115 , or the otherwise disengaged, thereby permitting illuminator body  125  to be removed from arm  115 . Such removal may be advantageous, for example, to aid in cleaning illuminator  100 . 
   In some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , arm  115  may further comprise a hinge  210 . By introducing a wider range of articulation of arm  115 , hinge  210  can allow illuminator  100  to be fitted to a wider range of bottles  106 . Hinge  210  may further comprise a locking or set screw, wherein the set screw allows hinge  210  to be freely operable when the set screw is in a first state, and to restrict the operation of hinge  210  when the set screw is in a second state. 
   Some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9 , may incorporate an additional hinge  215  in illuminator body  125  adjacent to light source  135 , thereby providing additional flexibility in adapting illuminator  100  to a range of bottle sizes and shapes. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10 , hinge  210  of  FIG. 8  may be omitted and hinge  215  employed by itself. As with hinge  210 , hinge  215  may further comprise a locking or set screw, wherein the set screw allows hinge  215  to be freely operable when the set screw is in a first state, and to restrict the operation of hinge  215  when the set screw is in a second state. Both hinge  210  and hinge  215  may further be spring loaded, thereby facilitating the positioning of, and helping to maintain the orientation of, light source  135  with respect to bottle  108 . 
   While reference has been made herein to specific embodiments and details of a wine illuminator, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Thus, it is intended that the instant application cover the modifications and variations of the disclosed wine illuminator, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.