Patent Publication Number: US-10328397-B2

Title: Systems and methods for a wine aeration apparatus

Description:
FIELD 
     The present document relates to a system for aerating wine, and in particular to systems and method for a wine aeration apparatus having a glass with an aeration insert disposed therein for aerating wine. 
     Wine is an alcohol beverage made from fermented grapes or other kinds of fruit. Wine tasting is a sensory examination and evaluation of wine. Prior to tasting wine, certain wines can benefit from being aerated by either decanting the wine or aerating the wine using a wine accessory. During aeration, a younger wine&#39;s exposure to air often “relaxes” the drink, thereby making it smoother and better integrated in aroma, texture, and flavor. In particular, wine accessories that conveniently aerate wine may be desired in the absence of a decanter or more expensive wine accessory. As such, there is a need in improvements in wine accessories, such as aeration apparatuses, that allow for convenient aeration of wine without a decanter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of one embodiment for a wine aeration apparatus having a glass with an aeration insert disposed within the glass for allowing wine to be aerated when the glass is tiled at an angle; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the aeration insert shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the aeration insert of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an opposing side view of the aeration insert shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the aeration insert of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the aeration insert of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the wine aeration apparatus of  FIG. 1  illustrating wine being poured through the aeration insert; and 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the wine aeration apparatus of  FIG. 7  illustrating the poured wine being aerated through the aeration insert. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings. The headings used in the figures do not limit the scope of the claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of a wine aeration apparatus comprising a glass with an aeration insert disposed within the glass for aerating wine are described herein. The aeration insert may have an aeration body that is configured to be inserted into the glass and retained therein for allowing wine to be aerated when being poured out from the glass. Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the wine aeration apparatus are illustrated and generally indicated as  100  in  FIGS. 1-8 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 , one embodiment of the wine aeration apparatus  100  includes a glass  102  configured to receive an aeration insert  104  therein for aerating wine as shall be discussed in greater detail below. In some embodiments, the glass  102  may have a generally tapered glass body  107  that defines a peripheral lip  109  forming an opening  111 . In addition, the opening  111  is in communication with an interior surface  118  that forms an interior portion  124  configured to receive the aeration insert  104  such that the aeration insert  104  contacts the interior surface  118  of the glass  102 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , the aeration insert  104  may have a generally circular-shaped insert body  106  configured to be inserted through the opening  111  of the glass  102 . The insert body  106  forms a top portion  108  and a bottom portion  110  with a peripheral edge  122  formed around the periphery of the aeration insert  104 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the aerator insert  104  includes an aerator  112  that extends outwardly from the top portion  108  of the insert body  106 . The aerator  112  defines a plurality of apertures  116  that communicate with an inner portion  117  ( FIG. 6 ) formed by the aerator  112  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . During aeration, the plurality of apertures  116  allows the wine to be aerated when the glass  102  is oriented at an angle that permits the wine to flow from the inner portion  117  to the top portion of the aerator insert  104 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4-8 , the peripheral edge  122  of the aeration insert  104  defines a notch  114 . The notch  114  of the aeration insert  104  collectively forms an opening with the interior surface  118  of the glass  102 , which allows the flow of wine from the top interior portion  126  to the bottom interior portion  128  of the glass  102  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the peripheral edge  122  of the aeration insert  104  is configured to contact the interior surface  118  of the glass  102  in a frictional engagement such that the aeration insert  104  is wedged tightly within the glass  102 . In some embodiments, peripheral edge  122  of the aeration insert  104  is engaged to the interior surface  118  of the glass  102  by an epoxy, a non-toxic FDA-approved silicone glue, or a tight frictional fit between the glass  102  and the aeration insert  104 . In other embodiments, the aeration insert  104  may be made integral with the glass  102  during manufacturing of the wine aeration apparatus  100 . 
     In some embodiments the glass  102  may have an interior surface  118  with a generally tapered configuration which allows the aeration insert  104  to be inserted into the interior portion  124  of the glass  102  until the peripheral edge  122  establishes a tight frictional contact with the interior surface  118  such that the aeration insert  104  is not easily dislodged. In some embodiments, the interior surface  118  may have a generally straight configuration, a curved configuration, a generally asymmetrical configuration, or a generally symmetrical configuration configured to engage the aeration insert  104 . 
     In one method of use, wine may be poured through the opening  115  of the aeration insert  104  as illustrated by fluid flow A in  FIG. 7  and allowed to collect within the bottom interior portion  128  of the glass  122 . Once sufficient wine is collected, the glass  102  may be tipped at an angle such the collected wine flows from the bottom interior portion  128  and into the top interior portion  126  through the plurality of apertures  116  of the aerator  112  as indicated by fluid flow B in  FIG. 8 . The action of the wine flowing through the plurality of apertures  116  aerates the wine as it enters the top interior portion  116  of the glass  102 . Once aerated, the wine may be poured into another glass or drank directly from the glass  102 . 
     In another method of use, the glass  102  may be tipped at an angle such that the poured wine collects within the top interior portion  126  of the glass  102  around the aerator  112  when poured into the glass  102 , thereby causing the wine to flow through the plurality of apertures  116  and into the bottom interior portion  128 . Once aerated, the wine may be poured either back through the aerator  112  or through the opening  115 . 
     It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teachings of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.