Patent Publication Number: US-2012031927-A1

Title: Apparatus for pouring a liquid into a glass in particular wine

Description:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for pouring into a glass a liquid, in particular wine, contained in a container. 
     Due to the evolution of the consumption of wines in restaurants and bars, professionals are equipped with apparatuses making it possible to pour the wine contained in its original bottle into the glass. The wine can thus be gradually tapped from its bottle, to flow into a glass, via a pour spout or similar, whereas, generally, the bottle is kept at an optimal tasting temperature for the poured wine. 
     Most apparatuses of this type currently used use a pressurized gas source, so as to inject said gas into the upper part of the bottle, thereby creating a pressure therein greater than the atmospheric pressure. The pressurized gaseous atmosphere then pushes the surface of the wine contained in its bottle, forcing the wine to rise in a hose up to the pour spout. In practice, these apparatuses pose several problems. Thus, the propulsive gas is provided in the form of a bulky can that must be renewed regularly, which must be connected to the bottle of wine via several expansion valves to bring the gas to an acceptable pressure. Moreover, the extended presence of a gaseous over-pressure in the top part of the bottle of wine tends to alter the flavor of the wine, in particular for sensitive wines. 
     GB-A-1 415 734 proposes an apparatus for pouring an alcohol into a glass. This apparatus comprises a liquid tapping conduit, which can be connected to the bottom part of a bottle of alcohol and through which the alcohol can be pumped from said lower portion, in order to then be poured into a glass. To that end, this apparatus is associated with a special stopper that, by admitting outside air, prevents the appearance of a vacuum in the bottle. This apparatus therefore does not ensure the preservation of the flavor of the liquid. 
     Devices also existing making it possible to create a vacuum in an open bottle, owing to a small, portable device, which is sometimes electric. DE-A-101 44 922 provides an example. These devices are not very widespread because they are tedious to handle and their potential leaks are not automatically offset, which makes them fairly unreliable. Moreover, these devices must be neutralized and released from the bottle each time one wishes to pour a glass, then it is necessary to reactivate the devices to reestablish the vacuum, with the drawbacks mentioned above. 
     The aim of the present invention is to propose an apparatus for pouring into a glass, which is both economical and easy to implement, while limiting the risks of altering the liquid served by said apparatus. 
     To that end, the invention relates to an apparatus for pouring into a glass a liquid, in particular wine, contained in a container, as defined in claim  1 . 
     The idea at the base of the invention is to make it possible to tap the liquid, in particular wine, contained in the container, while maintaining, above said liquid, an air pressure between the first and second predetermined values, therefore at an air pressure below the atmospheric pressure, which ensures the preservation thereof. The gradual removal of the liquid is not hindered by the presence of the partial vacuum in the upper part of the container, since the air pressure is never lowered below the second predetermined value. Thus, the careful management of the vacuum according to the invention makes it possible to do away with using a propulsion gas, which is less restrictive and more economical. 
     Other advantageous features of the apparatus according to the invention, considered alone or according to all technically possible combinations, are specified in dependent claims  2  to  14 . 
    
    
     
       The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, provided solely as an example and done in reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an apparatus according to the invention, and 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of only part of said apparatus, done according to one alternative of the invention. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows an apparatus  1  making it possible to pour wine  3  initially contained in a bottle  4 , which typically corresponds to the bottle in which the wine  3  is marketed and ages, into a glass  2 . 
     The apparatus  1  primarily comprises, on the one hand, a first assembly  10  making it possible to lower the pressure in the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4  and to maintain said pressure in a range of predetermined values, as explained in more detail below, and, on the other hand, a second assembly  20  making it possible to tap the wine  3  from the lower portion  4 B of the bottle  4 , up to the distributor into the glass  2 , also as explained in detail later. 
     The first assembly  10  comprises a vacuum pump  11 , for example an electric pump, connected by a conduit  12  to the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4 , in particular via a sealing stopper  5  that obstructs the upper end neck  4 A 1  of the bottle and which is passed all the way through by the conduit  12 . 
     The vacuum pump  11  is associated with a control pressure switch  13  that is designed to actuate the vacuum pump as long as the gas pressure in the conduit  12  is greater than a first predetermined value designated below under reference P 1 , for example equal, in absolute pressure, to 600 mbars. 
     The assembly  10  also comprises a valve  14  connected, on the one hand, to the conduit  12  and, on the opposite side, to a vent opening  15 . The valve  14  is tared at a pressure equal to a second predetermined value, hereafter designated under reference P 2  and strictly below pressure value P 1 . Thus, in the example where pressure value P 1  is equivalent to 600 mbars, this pressure value P 2  is equivalent to 550 mbars. The taring of the valve  14  is provided to keep this valve closed as long as the gas pressure in the conduit  12  is greater than pressure value P 2  while, once the pressure in said conduit  12  goes below value P 2 , the valve  14  opens and thereby connects the conduit  12  to the open air, via its opening  15 . 
     The assembly  20  includes a self-priming liquid pump  21 , the inlet of which is connected to a conduit  22  that emerges in the bottom  4 B 1  of the bottle  4 , after having passed all the way through the sealing stopper  5 , and the outlet of which is connected to another conduit  23  that emerges in a pour spout  24 . This liquid pump  21  is thus able to suction the wine  3  contained in the lower portion  4 B of the bottle  4 , priming itself automatically, and to send it to the pour spout  24 , from where it can flow into the glass  2 . In practice, the liquid pump  21  is made from so-called food grade materials, i.e. materials compatible with contact with liquid food products. 
     As an example, the liquid pump  21  is a peristaltic pump, preferably reversible so that, with an ad hoc command, the pump can discharge into the bottle  4  the wine stagnating in the conduits  22  and  23 , in particular during a prolonged period of inactivity of the pump to tap the bottle. Other embodiments can be considered regarding the liquid pump  21 , such as an electromagnetic piston pump. 
     As a preferable option, the liquid pump  21  has a constant pumping flow rate, which makes it possible to adjust the poured quantity of wine  3  by counting time. Failing this, the liquid pump  21  is associated with a flow sensor  25  placed in series with the liquid pump, for example at the outlet thereof as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this case, the poured quantity of wine  3  will be determined based on measurements provided by said flow sensor  25 . In practice, in the field of pouring wine by the glass, the flow rate value for the liquid pump  21  is, for example, around 1.5 l/mn. Of course, in a simplified version of the device  1  that can be considered, the pouring can be commanded only based on the arbitrary assessment of the user, without assistance from a dedicated means to measure or adjust the poured quantity of wine. 
     Advantageously, the pour spout  24  integrates a venting means  26  so as to prevent wine retention in the pour spout. Moreover, to also limit the stagnation of wine in the conduit  23 , the latter is preferably made in the form of a flexible tubing, the shortest possible to maximally reduce the circulation path of the wine  3  between the liquid pump outlet  21  and the pour spout inlet  24 . 
     Also advantageously, the pour spout  24  carries an actuator  27  for controlling the liquid pump  21 , for example a switch-button connected to the motor of the liquid pump. 
     An example of operation of the apparatus  1  is as follows. 
     Initially, after having stopped the bottle  4  for the first time, i.e. after having removed its original stopper, typically made from cork, the neck  4 A 1  of the bottle is sealingly obstructed by the stopper  5 . The vacuum pump  11  and its associated pressure switch  13  are then put in use: the pressure switch  13  then measures that the pressure in the conduit  12  is greater than the pressure value P 1 , since it is initially equal to the atmospheric pressure, such that it actuates the vacuum pump  11 . The air pressure in the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4  decreases gradually, until it reaches the pressure value P 1 , at which the pressure switch commands the stop of the vacuum pump. The wine  3  contained in the lower portion  4 B of the bottle is then remarkably maintained owing to the beneficial effect of the partial vacuum reigning the upper portion  4 A of the bottle. 
     When a user wishes to fill the glass  2  with the wine  3  contained in the bottle  4 , he places his glass under the pour spout  24  then, in particular using the switch  27 , he commands the actuation of the liquid pump  21 . After its automatic priming, the liquid pump  21  taps the wine  3  from the bottom  4 B 1  of the bottle  4 , via the conduit  22 , and supplies the conduit  23  with said wine. The glass  2  then gradually fills, until, at the end of a given period, either predetermined in the event the liquid pump  21  has a constant flow or determined in real-time based on flow rate measurements provided by the sensor  25 , the liquid pump  21  stops. The wine  3  then stagnating in the pour spout  24 , or in the conduit  23 , escapes therefrom and flows freely into the glass  2 , in particular under the effect of venting the means  26 . 
     At the same time, tapping the volume of wine  3  suctioned by the liquid pump  21  into the lower portion  4 B of the bottle  4  causes the lowering of the surface  4 C of the wine in the bottle and, as a result, the increase in the intensity of the vacuum in the upper portion  4 A of the bottle. In other words, the pressure in said upper portion  4 A decreases, thereby going from the pressure value P 1  to a lower pressure value, until, if applicable, it reaches the pressure value P 2 , for which the valve  14  opens. Outside air is then admitted into the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4 , via the open flap  14 , until the pressure in this upper portion  4 A again passes above the pressure value P 2 . Thus, the tared valve  14  causes a volume of air offsetting the volume of the wine  3  tapped by the liquid pump  21  to enter the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4 , while maintaining the air pressure in the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4  at a value slightly greater than pressure value P 2 . 
     If applicable, if the pressure in this upper portion  4 A rises to a value greater than pressure value P 1 , for example due to an excessively long response time of the valve  14 , this value is detected by the pressure switch  13 , which then commands the actuation of the vacuum pump  11  so as to again lower the pressure below the pressure value P 1 . Furthermore, this additional action of the vacuum pump  11  can be regularly implemented via the pressure switch  13  if the sealing of the stopper  5  is not strictly perfect. 
       FIG. 2  shows an alternative embodiment of the conduit connecting the bottom  4 B 1  of the bottle and the inlet of the liquid pump  21 . Rather than producing this conduit in a single piece like the conduit  22  in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the conduit  22 ′ shown in  FIG. 2  is formed by two distinct parts, i.e. a part  22 ′A placed inside the bottle  4 , extending from the bottom  4 B 1  to the neck  4 A 1  thereof, and a part  22 ′B that, outside the bottle, connects the part  22 ′A to the inlet of the liquid pump  21 . When the apparatus  1  is in service, the opening of the conduit portion  22 ′B, opposite the opening connected to the liquid pump  21 , is sealingly connected to the opening of the portion  22 ′A, situated at the neck  4 A 1  of the bottle  4 , as in  FIG. 2 . In this way, the wine  3  tapped from the bottom  4 B 1  under the action of the liquid pump successively supplies the portions  22 ′A and  22 ′B. 
     In practice, the end of the portion  22 ′A, opposite that emerging in the bottom  4 B 1  of the bottle  4 , is secured to, or even integral with, a sealing bearing discoidal element  5 ′A on the mouth of the neck  4 A 1  of the bottle  4 . The conduit portion  22 ′A can thus be arranged inside the bottle, without running the risk of escaping therefrom. This support element  5 ′A delimits a through hole  5 ′A 1  through which the conduit  12  is passed. Advantageously, the conduit  12  and the conduit portion  22 ′B are connected to a same support element  5 ′B which, when the apparatus  1  is in service, forms, jointly with the support element  5 ′A, a stopper  5 ′ functionally similar to the stopper  5  considered in  FIG. 1 . 
     The interest of the alternative of  FIG. 2  is that, rather than having to regularly clean the entire conduit  22 , the user can, upon each change of bottle  4  to be tapped, take a new conduit portion  22 ′A from a store of clean pieces. Thus, the conduit portion  22 ′, intended to be placed inside the bottles  4 , can easily be changed, the user permanently having at least one clean conduit portion  22 ′A while the other conduit portions  22 ′A that have already been used can be cleaned at the same time. 
     Several possibilities for removable connections between the conduit portions  22 ′A and  22 ′B are possible. A first solution consists of mechanically fastening the two elements  5 ′A and  5 ′B to each other. Another solution consists of using the element  5 ′B to firmly press the element  5 ′A against the mouth of the neck  4 A 1  of the bottle  4 , so as to crush said element  5 ′A sealingly against the bottle neck. In the latter case, it may be particularly advantageous to produce the elements  5 ′A and  5 ′B according to the teachings of WO-A-2008/152235: the stopper  5 ′, formed by two elements  5 ′A and  5 ′B, is then similar to what is called a vacuum tapping head in the aforementioned document, with the understanding that, in the context of the present invention, the stopper  5 ′ accumulates a vacuum function and a wine tapping function, as previously explained. In particular, taking inspiration from the teachings of WO-A-2008/152235, the stopper  5 ′ can be made by providing that its element  5 ′B moves in a mechanically guided manner relative to the element  5 ′A resting on the neck  4 A 1  of the bottle  4 . 
     Various modifications and alternatives to the apparatus  1  described above can also be considered. Examples include:
         Rather than venting the opening  15  of the valve  14 , this opening can be connected to a dedicated gas source, typically a cartridge of a neutral gas, such as nitrogen, argon, etc., or a cartridge of carbon dioxide, as shown in broken lines in  FIG. 1  under reference  16 ; in this way, neutral gas or carbon dioxide is injected into the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4  each time the valve  14  opens to offset a volume of wine  3  tapped by the liquid pump  21 ; the admission into the bottle  4  of oxygen contained in the air is thus limited, without, however, the gas source used serving to propel the wine outside the bottle, since the pressure in the upper portion  4 A of said bottle is kept at a value below the atmospheric pressure, more precisely between the pressure values P 1  and P 2  as explained above; and/or   The arrangement and dimensioning of the conduits  12 ,  22  or  22 ′ and  23  are not limited to the diagrammatic illustration of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; for example, rather than connecting the valve  14  to the conduit  12  of the vacuum pump  11 , this valve  14  can be directly sealingly connected to the upper portion  4 A of the bottle  4 , i.e. via its own conduit, passing all the way through the plug  5  or  5 ′.