Patent Publication Number: US-2005139570-A1

Title: Sealed single serve containers for wine

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/454,026 filed Jun. 4, 2003 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD  
      This invention relates to the packaging of wine. More particularly this invention relates to a packaged wine product in sealed single serve containers, which can be closed after opening and from which the wine can be consumed after opening.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Consumers associate quality with the traditional packaging of the cork-sealed 750 ml bottle and do not want to purchase premium wine in totally non-traditional packages. Nevertheless, there are major problems with this traditional packaging of wine. The cork taints or spoils an estimated 3% to 5% of all premium wine. Wine bottles are breakable, are very heavy and are hard to handle, especially in the standard case of 12 bottles, which weighs about 35 lbs. This weight problem contributes to workplace injuries and high shipping costs. Each bottle holds too big a volume (four glasses) for many occasions, it is hard to reseal and hard to store after it is. opened. Because the 750 ml bottle is large, it is often not consumed at one sitting and the wine spoils if it is not consumed within a few days.  
      Consumers, especially the handicapped and the elderly, encounter difficulty extracting the cork. Removing the cork requires a special implement, which must be purchased separately. Consumers also associate the enjoyment of premium wine with the use of stemmed wine glasses. A stemmed wine glass allows one to hold the glass without imparting heat to the wine. It also is designed to maximize the enjoyment of the aroma and bouquet of the wine, allowing the consumer to swirl the wine in the glass and to concentrate the volatile components as they come in contact with the olfactory organ where the glass narrows at its opening. But stemmed wine glasses are not always available when the consumer might wish to enjoy a glass of wine. Most wine glasses are also breakable and therefore not appropriate for use around swimming pools, at sports stadiums and many other situations.  
      There is a need both among consumers and brand owners to provide wine in a package that the consumer still perceives as within the tradition of premium wine but which nevertheless overcomes the problems of cork taint, bottle breakage, injuries and high shipping costs due to excessive weight, spoilage of wine due to excessive volume per container, the requirement for the purchase of a corkscrew, the difficulty of removing a cork, the need for purchasing wine glasses to properly serve and enjoy the wine and the problems associated with the breakage of wine glasses.  
     SUMMARY  
      The invention is directed to a sealed packaged wine product in a single serve container from which the wine can be consumed after opening and a method for packaging wine. The sealed container includes a wine filled receptacle, which has a general truncated “tear drop” design. In a very important aspect, the receptacle is on a stem, which is connected to a base which receptacle/stem/base and which combination forms a plastic stemware container for a single serving of wine.  
      The top of the receptacle has a rim. The rim may include a top surface and a side surface, which extends downward from the top surface. In one aspect, the side surface of the rim includes a frustoconical portion and an undercut closure retaining surface below the frustoconical portion. The closure also includes a removable film seal peelably sealed and removable from the top surface of the rim. After removal of the film seal, no residue is left on the rim that perceptibly impacts visual, tactile or organoleptic properties of the rim or the wine when wine is sipped from the receptacle over the rim to which the film was sealed. The closure also includes a reclosable overcap which snapingly engages the rim. The overcap comprises a top wall and a side wall extending therefrom. The side wall has an interior rib defining a reduced inner diameter for interacting with the rim such as, the frustoconical portion of the side surface of the rim to removably and snapably retain the closure on the receptacle.  
      The stemware container when filled with wine has a center of gravity which is slightly above one half the height of the container, but no higher than about 0.6 to about 0.65 the height of the container to avoid the filled container having a tendency to tip. Due to the very delicate nature of wine and due to the rapid deleterious effect that air and/or oxygen has on wine, the container should minimize the perviousness to oxygen of the receptacle containing the wine. In this connection in an important aspect, the receptacle portion of the container is blow molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Blow molding the PET apparently orients the polymer molecules such that not only does the PET provide a clear glass-like container which is strong, tough and flexible, but also minimizes air and oxygen going though the container to adversely affect the wine. In this aspect of the invention, the blow molding of the PET provides an oxygen barrier that is about 25% to about 50% better than a PET barrier where the polymers have not been oriented by blow molding. Adding at least one oxygen scavenger to the resin, especially blow molded PET, will even further enhance the ability of the resin to exclude oxygen from the interior of the container and protect the wine from the adverse affects of oxygen. These scavengers include a polybutdaiene copolymer, commercially available as Amosorb dfc from British Petroleum, Sharon Center, Ohio; ferrous ion (which converts to ferric ion), commercially available as ActiTuff from M &amp; G Polymers, Inc. in Italy; and nylon MXD-6, commercially available as Monoxbar from Constar, Inc. The combination of the resin, such as the oriented PET and scavengers should provide a minimum shelf life for the wine of at least 6 months, and preferably 9 or more months. Generally the scavengers should be added in an amount from about 2 to about 10 weight percent, based upon the weight of the resin, to achieve such shelf lives.  
      In another aspect the container has a reinforced stem which not only enhances the strength of the container to make it a stronger package to endure the rigors of shipping, but the reinforced stem also makes manufacturing easier. In this connection the stemware container includes a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded receptacle structure which has a lower truncated spherical base portion which is effective for holding most of the wine in the stemware container and an upper stem portion extending downward from the spherical portion. The upper stem portion is mechanically interfitted and fixed via welding or an adhesive to a lower stem portion extending upward from the base to form the reinforced stem. The reinforced stem is short to keep it strong, but it is sufficiently flexible so that it can slightly bend, but not break, during shipping or stacking on store shelves. The length of the reinforced stem generally approximates the width of one or two human fingers so that the glass may be held by the stem and not the base of the receptacle. Generally, the reinforced stem has a length from about one half inch to about one and one quarter inch. Preferably the upper stem portion is mechanically inter-fitted with and sonically welded to the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem. The base with its upwardly extending stem may be separately injection molded or blow molded.  
      In yet another aspect, the receptacle includes an upwardly extending frustoconical portion which extends upwardly from the spherical portion to the rim. The frustoconical portion defines a headspace above the wine. The headspace has a diameter at the surface of the wine about equal to or only slightly larger than at the upper portion of the frustoconical portion at the rim of the container. The design of the headspace is such that it will minimize the exposure to the wine to any gas above the level of the wine, but permit the consumer to experience the aroma of the wine as part of a consuming experience when the container is opened. The headspace generally dosed with a gas which is less deleterious to wine than is air or oxygen. Such gases include nitrogen, carbon dioxide and argon. Nitrogen is a more preferred gas with carbon dioxide being less preferred.  
      In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for packaging a wine product that is effective for minimizing adverse effects of oxygen on wine. The method provides a single serving wine package that is a glass-like stemware container, but which is tough and flexible. In accordance with the method, a predetermined volume of wine is added to an oxygen barrier container. A substantially oxygen free atmosphere is maintained in the container by adding a predetermined volume of one or more gases. The container is sealed with a removable film seal effective for minimizing or eliminating air or oxygen from entering the container. A snapable reclosable overcap may be placed over the removable film seal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the container.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the receptacle portion of the container.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the base portion of the container.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view showing the rim of the container engaged with the reclosable overcap.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the container with its reclosable overcap removed.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the container illustrating its center of gravity. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , the oxygen barrier container  10  includes a receptacle  20  supported on a base  30 , and a closure  90 . The base  30  includes a broad lower portion  35  and a lower stem portion  80  extending upward from the broad lower portion  35 . Generally, the lower portion is circular.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1  and further shown in  FIG. 2 , the receptacle  20  may be a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded structure that includes a wall  40  that defines an interior  45 . The receptacle includes a lower truncated spherical portion  47  that is effective for holding most of the wine and a frustoconical portion  48  extending towards a rim  110 . An upper stem portion  70  extends downward from the wall  40 . The upper stem portion  70  maybe mechanically inter-fitted and welded to the lower stem portion  80  to form a reinforced stem. The receptacle  20  can be made so as to hold any volume of liquid but generally will hold about  187 ml of wine and the frustoconical portion  48  of the receptacle  20  will define a volume of about  11  cubic centimeters of headspace. Moreover, the headspace at the surface of the wine at  20  generally will define an area at the surface of the wine which is about equal to or only slightly larger than the area defined by the circumference at the rim  110  to minimize the contact of the wine with the gases in the headspace. The headspace should not be more than about 8% of the volume of the receptacle and is preferably less.  
       FIG. 3  further illustrates the base  30  of the oxygen barrier container  10 . The base may be formed by injection molding as single piece to include a broad circular lower portion  35  and a lower stem portion  80 .  
      The receptacle  20  includes a bottom portion  60  with wall  40  of the receptacle  20  ending in a rim  110  that defines an open upper end  50 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rim  110  includes a top surface  112  and a side surface  115  extending down from the top surface  112 . The side surface  112  includes a frustoconical portion  117  and an undercut closure retaining surface  119 .  
      As further shown in  FIG. 1  and further shown in  FIG. 5 , the closure  90  includes a removable film seal  100  peelably sealed to the top surface  112  of the rim  110 . The closure  90  also includes a snapable reclosable overcap  140 . The reclosable overcap  140  includes a top wall  145  with a sidewall  130  extending downward from the top wall  145 . The sidewall  130  includes an interior rib  120  that defines a reduced inner diameter for interacting with the frustoconical portion  117  of the side surface  115  of the rim  110 .  
       FIG. 6  shows the location of the center of gravity for both an empty and filled container. For the empty container, the center of gravity is slightly below the midpoint of the container. For the filled container, the center of gravity is slightly above the midpoint of the container.  
      Production of Containers  
      The containers of the present invention may be made of any suitable blow moldable thermoplastic resin. Examples of suitable resins include polyesters (including polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate). Less desirable resins include polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile which resins may require larger amounts of oxygen scavengers require development of other active barrier systems to protect the wine or which utilize a layer of resin with scavengers to protect the wine. In an important aspect, the container and most particularly the receptacle  20  is blow molded polyester. In this aspect, a particularly important resin is polyethylene terephthalate where the blow molding orients the polymer molecules to enhance the ability of the receptacle  20  to exclude oxygen. Advantageously, the blow molded PET provides a clear glass-like container and includes oxygen scavengers. The amount of oxygen scavengers required depend upon the surface area and volume of the container, but at least one scavenger in an amount which is effective to preclude more oxygen from entering the receptacle as compared to the same oriented polyester or resin without the oxygen scavenger.  
      The receptacle  20  portion of the oxygen barrier container  10  is made using a one-step injection stretch blow molding process. The process starts by feeding raw resin pellets through a dehumidifying dryer to remove moisture absorbed by the atmosphere. The dried pellets may then be fed into a heated barrel where they are compressed and melted by a rotating screw. The melted resin is then injected into an injection mold that is cooled with chilled water. The resin is cooled slightly, but rapidly, by the cold mold which hardens the resin into a preform. The preform is not cooled below a temperature at which it cannot be blow molded.  
      Hot preforms are indexed to a conditioning station where they may be adjusted. Preforms are placed between two open blow mold halves and the mold is closed. A stretch rod is used to stretch the preform to the length of the blow mold while simultaneously introducing high pressure air to blow the preform like a balloon. When hot resin touches the inside of the chilled blow mold, it cools and becomes rigid. The blowing and stretching is effective for biaxial orientation to the resins which improves strength and oxygen barrier properties as compared to unstretched material. Heating the resin, such as PET, to about its glass transition temperature permits it to be oriented.  
      The resin may have the scavengers added at the throat of the injection molder when the preform is made (such as if Amosorb dfc is used) or may need moisture to activate it, if ActiTuff is used. Alternatively the container may be made in layers by using a multilayer procedure, as is known, where scavengers migrate to a layer in the resin which does not interface with the wine. In this aspect the oxygen scavenger does not necessarily have to be approved for food use by governmental authorities because it will not be extracted from the resin into the wine.  
      The base  30  of the container  10  may be injection molded. The receptacle portion  20  and base portion  30  may be joined by known methods such as ultrasonic welding or solvent welding.  
      Filing and Sealing of Containers  
      The oxygen barrier container  10  is filled with wine and packaged in a continuous operation of filling and sealing by known methods which may include sparging of the container with small amounts of gaseous or liquid nitrogen before and/or after filling and by filling in an oxygen free environment. In an important aspect, the oxygen barrier container  10  is filled in a way and in an amount effective for minimizing the surface area of the wine to any gas in the headspace of the container. Providing a volume of 187 ml of wine is effective for minimizing the surface area of the wine.  
      After filling, the oxygen barrier container  10  is sealed with a closure  90  that includes a removable film seal  100  peelably sealed and removable from the top surface  112  of the rim  110 . The removable film seal  100  may be made of material which acts as a barrier to oxygen. Examples of the materials that can be used for the removable film seal  100  include a heat sealable foil laminates produced by packaging suppliers, such as Selig and Unipac. Sealing of the removable film seal  100  may be done using a known method such as induction sealing which may be done by companies such as, Enercon Industries Corporation (Menomonee Falls, Wis.).  
      Induction sealing is a non-contact heating process that accomplishes the sealing of a container with a closure that may include a heat sealable foil laminate inside of the closure. The closure may include a layer of pulpboard or foam, a layer of wax, aluminum foil and a layer of heat activated polymer that is compatible with the container material. This type of innerseal which leaves a pulpboard or foam liner inside of the cap is commonly referred to as a 2-piece innerseal.  
      In another aspect, sealing may be accomplished with a single piece innerseal which functions the same as the two-piece innerseal, but as its name suggests, nothing is left inside of the cap. There are various combinations of innerseal materials, some are foam backed and some paper backed. They may also be custom printed with a customer&#39;s logo or trademark, or can contain some type of generic message, such as “sealed for freshness.” They may be very aggressive (welded) and have to be destroyed to be removed or they may be peelable for easy removal.  
      The standard induction sealer has two main components: the power supply and the sealing head. The power supply is an electrical generator capable of operating at the medium to high frequencies required for the induction sealing process. It supplies the induction sealing head with the current necessary to create the electromagnetic field. The power supply rating required for a specific application will depend upon the size of the closures and the speed of the production line.  
      The sealing head consists of a plastic housing with a conductor wound to form an inductive coil inside. The head produces an electromagnetic field when energized by the power supply. The most common shapes used in induction sealing are the flat head and the tunnel head. A tunnel head concentrates the current around the sides and above the cap creating a more uniform electromagnetic field and a more consistent seal. A flat head disperses the magnetic field more widely allowing a larger area (and larger cap) to be sealed.  
      There is a third possible component to the induction sealer which is a water recirculator. The water recirculator is a water-to-air heat exchanger which cools the sealing head by pumping water through the sealing head coil via leads connecting the two.  
      The sealing process takes place after the filling and capping operation. The capped containers simply pass underneath the induction sealing unit which is mounted on the conveyor. As they do so, they pass through the electromagnetic field created by the induction heater. An electromagnetic current called an eddy current is inducted into the foil resulting in a resistance-type heating effect.  
      Numerous modifications and variations in practice of the invention are expected to occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the foregoing detailed description of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that the configurations of the container should advantageously be made in an ascetically pleasing way. Consequently, such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.