Patent Abstract:
A wine dispensing device including a housing holding a gas cylinder. A stem from the gas cylinder extends to the front of the housing and provides gas to a dispense head mounted on a wine bottle. An arm attached to a routing mechanism at the top of the housing allow manipulation of a router on the dispense head. Manipulation by the routing mechanism in a first action purges the gas within the bottle and replaces it with an inert gas. Manipulation by the routing mechanism in a second action dispenses liquid from the bottle.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from prior U.S. provisional application 61/994,669, filed May 16, 2014. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The embodiments relate to a method and device for dispensing liquid, and specifically to a mechanical dispenser that utilizes a preserving gas but does not require a power source. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Machines for dispensing liquids, such as wine, have been marketed for a number of years. One example is the Wine Station® brand liquid dispensing device sold by Napa Technologies®, Inc. of Campbell, Calif. This machine has complex electronic systems to allow for precision pouring of wine (for example in 1 ounce, 3 ounce, or 6 ounce pours), display of information (for example, wine name and pricing), collection and storage of data (including volume poured, information on users, time and date of pour, remaining inventory, errors from improper insertion of a bottle or other problem, etc.) and detection of specific users or operators (for example, using smart cards readers or other card readers). Such features have proved useful in a commercial setting. One object is to provide a simpler system for home use that still allows preservation and dispensing of wine, but does not require electrical systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     A wine dispensing device including a housing holding a gas cylinder. A stem from the gas cylinder extends to the front of the housing and provides gas to a dispense head mounted on a wine bottle. An arm attached to a routing mechanism at the top of the housing allow manipulation of a router on the dispense head. Manipulation by the routing mechanism in a first action purges the gas within the bottle and replaces it with an inert gas. Manipulation by the routing mechanism in a second action dispenses liquid from the bottle. 
     One embodiment includes a wine dispenser including a housing having a base, front, rear and top joined together. Enclosed within the housing is a gas tank having a gas stem extending towards the front of the housing. Within the front of the housing is a bay having opposing slots for receiving a dispense head. The dispense head is sealingly mounted onto the neck of a wine bottle. The rear of the dispense head has a gas input port that receives gas from the gas stem when the dispense head is inserted. An arm extends from the housing below the housing top. The arm is joined to a mechanical valve rotator which allows engagement with a tab on a dispense head. The tab may be rotated in two directions. Rotation in a first direction purges the gas in the head space above the wine and replaces it with an inert gas from the gas tank. Rotation in a second direction allows wine to flow into an intake tube on the dispense head and to a dispense spout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a dispense head with the intake tube detached. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the dispense head of  FIG. 1 , as mounted on a wine bottle. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the dispense head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the dispense head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a manually-activated, single-bottle wine dispenser embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the assembly wine dispenser embodiment of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the wine dispenser embodiment of  FIG. 5  with a gas cylinder shown before insertion. 
         FIG. 8  is an upper perspective view of the upper portion of a gas cylinder. 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of a wine dispenser embodiment showing a modified bay. 
         FIG. 10A  is a side view of a dispense head with a keg adapter. 
         FIG. 10B  is an end view of a keg source slip joinable to the keg adapter of  FIG. 10A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One unique and advantageous feature of the Wine Station wine dispensing system is the unique dispense head. With reference to  FIG. 1 , a profile of a dispense head  10  is shown. This dispense head includes a gas input  16  positioned at the rear of the dispense head when the dispense head is inserted into a wine dispensing machine. Gas input  16  then forms a gas-tight seal with a gas output on the machine. A metered amount of gas then flows through the machine to displace wine. 
     Opposite the gas input  16  is dispense spout  12 . Dispense spout  12  is a hollow tube through which wine flows when wine is dispensed by the dispensing system. A rotatable valve assembly  14  is also controlled by the wine dispensing system when dispense head  10  is attached to a wine bottle and the dispense head inserted into the wine dispense machine such that gas input  16  mates with a gas output on the wine dispensing machine. Rotatable valve assembly may be rotated such that different channels within the rotatable valve assembly  14  align with different passageways within the dispense head. For example, the gas input may be simply aligned with the dispense spout  12  (either directly or as channeled through the tapered cylinder  26  dispense head  10 ). A puff of gas will pass through the dispense spout  12 . This allows the dispense spout  12  to be cleared of any fluid which may be retained within the dispense spout. On the lower side of the dispense head  10  under the valve assembly  14  is an annular cap  18  which sits over the neck of a wine bottle. Within cap  18  is the tapered cylinder  26  which fits into the neck of a wine bottle. At the lower end of the tapered cylinder  26  is a tube mount  20 . Onto mount  20  a tube  22  is mounted. This tube  22  extends to the bottom of a wine bottle. When gas flows from gas input  16  through holes on tapered cylinder  26 , (and there is no other outlet for the gas), a volume of wine is displaced by the gas and will flow into the open bottom end of tube  22  and into a channel in the dispense head  10  and out dispense spout  12 . By metering the gas, selected volume of wine is achieved. 
       FIG. 2  shows another view of the dispense head  10  attached to wine bottle neck  50 . As seen above, cap  18  covers the top of wine bottle neck  50 . Gas input  16  is opposite dispense spout  12 . On the body  40  of dispense head  10  is a valve assembly cap  30 . Extending from valve assembly cap  30  is a rotatable tab  52 . When rotatable tab  52  is rotated (for example, by the motor driven rotating element in the wine dispensing system) different pathways for gas and liquid travel are aligned. For example, if a channel from gas input  16  is blocked by rotation of rotatable tab  52  no gas will flow through the system. This affectively seals the wine bottle as long as any channel leading to dispense spout  12  is also blocked. The sealed wine bottle can then be removed (as long as the rotatable tab  52  remains in this orientation). The bottle can be removed from a wine dispensing system and stored, or replaced with an alternative wine bottle. 
     In a second operation, the channel leading from gas input  16  is connected through to the channel leading into the tapered cylinder  26 . This would cause liquid to flow through tube  22  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), and into a channel in the dispense head  10  that leads to the dispense spout  12 . 
     In a third operation, rotation of rotatable tab  52  directly connects the gas input  16  to dispense spout  12 . This allows a puff of air to flow through the dispense spout to clear it of any liquid. The different pathways allow a number of selectable operations—such as “purge”, “pour” and “puff”. “Purge” is the operation in which the head of gas over the liquid contained in a wine bottle is replaced with an inert gas. This allows preservation of the wine. An inert gas is both introduced and removed through the stopper in the neck of a wine bottle. In the pour operation, gas is introduced into the head space over the liquid in a stoppered wine bottle. This displaces a volume of wine, which travels to the spout through the intake tube. The final operation is the “puff” in which the spout is cleared with a gas puff. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the dispense head  10  again shows the body  40  of dispense head  10  having a dispense spout  12  at one end, and a gas input  16  at the opposite end. A cap  18  is affixed below body  40  and extends above the open end of the wine bottle when the dispense head  10  is attached to the wine bottle. Seated in the valve mount  38  on body  40  is the rotatable valve assembly  14 . This includes the valve assembly cap  30  positioned over rotating valve  34 . The channels discussed above allowing connections of the gas input and wine output are on the underside of rotating valve  34 . This can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,631 which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes herein. Rotating valve  34  has a tab  34 A which may be rotated by the wine dispensing system. An inner O-ring seal  32  seals rotating valve  34  to valve assembly cap  30  to prevent leaks. 
     The underside of the dispense head  10  includes a bottle mount assembly  80 . This includes a cap  18  which extends around the neck of the wine bottle. Within cap  18  are tapered cylinder  26  which fits into a wine bottle neck, as shown in  FIG. 2 . A retainer ring  82  holds intake tube mount  84 . This provides the channel through which the wine will flow when wine is dispersed. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4  the underside of dispense head  10  again shows a dispense spout  12  on one side of the device and gas input  16  on the opposing side. Cap  18  is mounted on body  40  and extends about the back of the wine bottle. A tube mount  20  on tapered cylinder  26  allows attachment of a tube which extends to the bottom of a wine bottle. Gas ports  24  allow the flow of gas into a wine bottle to establish a pressurizable head of gas over the wine in a wine bottle. 
     In the exploded view of  FIG. 5 , the housing includes a housing base  110 , which may have an inserted base weight  108 . Secured onto base weight  108  are rubber feet  106   a - c  secured by mounting screws  104   a - c . Onto base  110  is secured housing front  112   a . An interior structure  112   c  is positioned within the housing, between housing front  112   a  and housing rear  112   d . A partial collar  150  on housing rear braces the gas cylinder  130  within the housing. Gas cylinder  130  includes a gauge  136 , a regulator  132  and a gas supplying stem  134 . 
     Housing front  112   a  holds an insert  160  having a pair of opposed slots  126   a ,  126   b . These slots act as the guides for the dispense head to be frictionally held on the housing, with the gas input port of the dispense head receiving gas flow from the gas stem  134  on the gas cylinder  130 . An arm  118  having a pour handle  118   a  is secured within the housing under the housing top  112   b . A pair of springs  119 ,  121  keeps the handle in position until moved. When a user pushes a handle in a first direction, a head  118   b  rotates a rotating member  129 . The rotating member can be rotated in two directions, by moving handle  118  right or left. In one direction, the valve on the dispense head is rotated in a first direction. This channels gas through the valve and other element such that gas flows into the dispense head, into the container, and out the spout of the dispense head without dispensing liquid. This allows the gas from within a container to be purged and replaced with a non-reactive dispense gas (such as argon). If the handle is pushed in the other direction, the valve is rotated such that the gas flows into the head space over liquid in a wine bottle. Liquid is displaced into an intake tube on the dispense head. The liquid will flow to the dispense spout. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the assembled single bottle, manual dispenser shows the dispense head inserted into a bottle  120 . The system includes a housing  112  having a base  110 . The shape of housing  112  defines an alcove  116 . A dispense head  122  inserted onto a wine bottle  120  allows the wine bottle to hang in the alcove. The dispense head has side runners  124  inserted onto a pair of opposed slots  126  in the upper portion of the housing. An arm  118  has a head at an end opposite the handle which engages with the tab  128  on the rotary valve secured to the wine bottle. 
     With reference to  FIG. 7  the housing  112  having base  110  and defined alcove  116  is shown from the side. A gas cylinder  130  removed from this rear of the unit is shown. The gas cylinder  130  includes a stem  134  that extends into the housing and through an opening. This allows the gas intake port on the dispense head to mount onto the gas stem. A Schrader valve on the head opens by pressing into contact with stem  134 , allowing gas to flow into the gas intake port on the dispense head. A regulator  132  provides controllable regulation of the gas pressure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the gas cylinder  130  includes a stem  134  that can provide the gas to a dispense head. A regulator  132  provides adjustable control of the pressure of the supplied gas. A gauge  136  allows a user to view the gas pressure. 
     An alternate embodiment is shown in  FIG. 9 . In this front view of the housing  112  having base  110  shows the alcove  116 . The dispense head is mounted on the opposing slots  126 . The gas stem  134  extends through the housing. A second opening  140  below the gas stem opening on the housing allows adaptation to a keg of wine with the wine dispensing head with keg adapter shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , a wine dispensing head with a keg adapter is shown. As with the wine bottle adapter, a tab  128  is rotated to rotate a valve and align pathways within the valve to dispense liquid or purge gas. The gas is accessed through input port  125 . Wine flows to spout  122  where it is dispensed. In this device, collar  224  is annularly disposed around wine intake  160 . Wine input port  162  can clip onto wine output port  164  in  FIG. 10B  attached to a tube to the keg. The keg has its own pressure source to displace wine. Wine intake  160  functions like the wine intake tube. 
     It is also possible to adapt the present system to keep sparkling wine preserved. The standard dispense head is modified. No intake tube is used, so no pathway to the pour spout exists. The dispense head is placed on a bottle containing sparkling wine, and the gas source allows introduction of the inert gas into the bottle by rotation of the valve. The head space is purged and the inert gas is introduced at a sufficient pressure to prevent the sparkling wine from going flat. 
     The present embodiments are used in an “liberated wine bottle” type system. A “liberated wine bottle” system is any system that allows wine preservation and dispensing in which a sealed wine bottle may be removed from the dispensing system and later replaced into the dispensing system. An illustration of such a liberated wine bottle system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,631, hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes herein.  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a dispense head developed for a liberated wine bottle system. 
     The present embodiments, considered broadly, allow a manually operated liberated wine bottle system. Such a system would include a housing containing a gas source. The gas source would allow a dispense head, mounted on a wine bottle, to both preserve the wine and to dispense wine by displacing a volume of wine. To accomplish this, the gas source is mounted such that a supply stem on the gas tank can dock with a gas input member on the dispense head. In one example, Schrader valve technology is used, and the docking is similar to that of a Schrader valve and a pump head for pumping gas through the Schrader valve. 
     The housing includes a bay where the dispense head is received. When the dispense head is held in this bay, the dispense head docks with the gas source supply stem. A dispense system user actuated drive mechanism engages with the dispense head. The user actuated drive mechanism can be moved by a user into multiple positions. In a first position, the drive mechanism engages with the dispense head to cause gas flow through a stopper in the dispense head and into and out from the head space above the liquid in a bottle onto which the dispense head stopper is mounted. The purged gas is released through a dispense spout on the dispense head. In a second position, the drive mechanism engages the dispense head to cause gas flow through a stopper, into the head space, displacing wine into an intake tube. The wine then flows to a dispense spout. 
     It should be recognized that the system uses a dispense head, but the dispense head is not part of the system. The liquid dispense system must utilize a dispense head, much like a media reading drive would utilize a readable media to function. However the readable media is not part of the reader, and the dispense head is separate from the present system. 
     Such a dispense head must include: 
     a. A gas intake port; 
     b. A dispense spout; 
     c. A stopper, insertable into the neck of a bottle; 
     d. An intake tube extending from the stopper into the bottle; 
     e. Gas passageways through said stopper, such that a head of gas can be introduced over the liquid in a bottle; 
     f. A mechanism to change flow pathways, in which at least two pathways exist. In a “pour” pathway, the gas displaces liquid by flowing through the stopper into the head space and liquid is dispensed in the intake tube and flows to the dispense spout. In a “purge” pathway, liquid flows through the stopper through a first stopper pathway, flows into the head space over the liquid in a bottle, and then flows from the stopper out of the spout. This may be used to purge air from above the wine, replacing it with an inert gas, thereby preserving the wine. It may also be used to purge any remaining liquid from the dispense spout. When not in the pour or purge pathway, the mechanism allows the bottle to be sealed. When the bottle is sealed containing only liquid and the preserving gas, the wine will be preserved, and will not degrade. In contrast, an open bottle of wine exposed to air will, over time, react and begin to degrade. The mechanism is able to be manipulated by a dispense system. For example, a rotary valve has a tab that may be rotated by the system by an engaging rotating member on the system. However, non-rotating mechanism to change flow pathways are envisioned. For example, a linear sliding valve could also be used to align a “pour” and “purge” pathway. 
     In the present invention, a dispense head is defined as a component including above components a-f.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1