Patent Abstract:
A chamber for receipt and retention of a bottled beverage has a dispensing cartridge that interacts with a bottle to remove air therein to preserve the beverage under vacuum and to dispense the beverage under pressure. The vacuum and air pressure within the bottle is applied through a concentric pair of tubes introduced into the bottle as a part of the dispensing cartridge. A reversible pump is in fluid communication with the tubes. The chamber is maintained at a user-selected temperature using a thermoelectric cooling unit.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/204,235 filed on Sep. 4, 2008, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/079,953 for Multi-Bottle Wine Preservation Chilling and Dispensing System, filed on Jul. 11, 2008, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosure relates in general to an apparatus for the preservation, chilling and dispensing of beverages. More particularly, the disclosure relates to such a system for the preservation, chilling and dispensing of distilled spirits and liquors, particularly such spirits or liquors that degrade over time when exposed to the atmosphere, such as wine. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    People throughout the world drink various distilled spirits and liquors; millions drink wine. Numerous types of wine are produced in many countries throughout the world. Most wine is distributed to consumers in bottles. Wine bottles are usually sealed with a cork to prevent exposure to the air and to preserve the wine. Consumers of wine may drink an entire bottle, a significant portion of a bottle or only one glass of wine or champagne at a time. Some consumers may drink a glass of wine a day while others may only drink one glass a week. When a bottle of wine is opened, the seal formed between the bottle and the cork is broken, air enters the bottle and the quality of the wine remaining in the bottle begins to degrade due to oxidation. 
         [0004]    Wine begins to oxidize when it comes in contact with air and more specifically, with the oxygen present in the air. For a short period of time, oxygen and the process of oxidation benefit wine. With many types of wine, it is recommended to let the wine “breathe” before drinking. Breathing or exposing wine to ambient air for a short time allows a small amount of oxidation to induce the release of certain volatile compounds in the wine, which wine drinkers find to have a desirous effect on the wine&#39;s taste. Continued oxidation, however, eventually degrades every type of wine. To slow the degradation of the wine, a majority of wine is stored and preserved in bottles that are sealed with a cork or similar sealing device. However, uncorking or opening a wine 
         [0000]    bottle generally initiates the beginning of the end of a wine&#39;s useful or tasteful life. 
         [0005]    Red wines often degrade faster than white wines. Sweeter white wines tend to last longer, or degrade slower, than other white wines. Once the bottles are opened, most wines last less than a day even if the cork is properly replaced or the wine bottle is closed in a suitable period of time. In fact, the taste of some wines such as pinot noir begins to degrade within thirty minutes after opening the bottle. This is problematic because, as indicated above, often time people do not finish a bottle of wine or champagne on the day the bottle is opened. Accordingly, wine is often wasted because people only consume portions of a bottle and the remaining portions in the bottle lose their taste. 
         [0006]    Attempts to reduce the oxidation and degradation of wine and thus to preserve wine have involved either limiting or eliminating the presence of oxygen to exposed wine surfaces. Since air includes approximately twenty-one percent oxygen, the attempts to preserve wine have involved either limiting or eliminating the presence of air to exposed wine surfaces. Simple procedures such as tightly replacing the cork are marginally effective at limiting the wine&#39;s degradation. 
         [0007]    The problem with such simple procedures is practicality. Since wine is acidic and has a low pH, wine attracts oxygen from the open air. The extra hydrogen molecules of the wine seek electrons from the oxygen in the air. Longer exposures of wine to the open air increase the ionic balancing that takes place. Consequently, when a person forgets to immediately replace a cork after filling one or more glasses of wine, the degradation progresses and increases. 
         [0008]    Numerous other solutions for wine preservation are also known, including systems that replace the air in the head space of the bottle with an inert gas (i.e., neutral or high-pressure systems). Similarly, individual bottle stoppers that allow for the removal of the air within the head space for such time as the stopper can maintain a vacuum within the bottle are also known (i.e., low-pressure systems). The purpose of each of these alternative solutions is to slow the degradation of and extend the life of the wine after the wine bottle is opened. 
         [0009]    Known wine preservation and dispensing devices which use a neutral or over-pressure system typically rely on an inert gas such as nitrogen from a large gas storage cylinder or smaller portable containers. Several types of such nitrogen preservation systems are known. Some systems preserve only one wine bottle and others preserve a plurality of wine bottles. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,477,477; 4,595,121; 4,691,842; and 5,139,179. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,477 discloses an inert gas such as nitrogen dispensed into a wine bottle from a gas storage container such as a gas cylinder or gas cartridge. The inert gas travels through a tube and into the wine bottle. A sealing member is positioned around the tube and fits into the neck of the bottle to seal the bottle opening. The sealing member allows air to pass out of the bottle and the inert gas to be supplied to the bottle. While all of the air is generally not driven from the bottle, the inert gas forms a barrier between the remaining air and the wine. Once the inert gas fills the head space of the wine bottle and a significant amount of the air inside the bottle is displaced, the sealing member and tube are removed from the bottle and the cork is replaced. This manual process is repeated each time the user desires to preserve the wine in the bottle after the bottle has been opened. 
         [0011]    Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,595,121 and 4,691,842 disclose devices for dispensing and preserving degradable liquids such as wine. These devices include a cap or stopper having a gas supply tube and a wine dispensing tube, which is inserted into the opening of a wine bottle. The cap seals the opening of the bottle. A storage cylinder containing a non-degrading gas delivers the gas to the cap and into the wine bottle. The gas displaces the air inside the bottle. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,121, the cap or stopper disconnects from the gas supply tube and wine dispensing tube and remains in the wine bottle opening so that the user can store and preserve the wine for later use. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,842, the plug remains in the wine bottle until the bottle is empty. 
         [0012]    Other known preservation systems employ a portable gas container, which can be transported by a user and attached to an opened wine bottle at remote locations. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,179. In this device, a stopper is inserted into an open wine bottle to seal the bottle opening from the air. A small gas cartridge containing an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide is then attached to the top of the stopper. When the cartridge engages the stopper, the cartridge releases the inert gas into the wine bottle. The inert gas displaces the air inside the bottle and promotes the preservation of the wine as well as the dispensing of the wine from the bottle. The gas cartridge is then disconnected from the stopper. The stopper remains in the wine bottle opening for storage and future use if desired. Other known wine preservation devices use a small portable gas canister or gas cylinder bottle to supply an inert gas to a wine bottle. 
         [0013]    Despite the advantages provided by some of the known systems, the need exists for a system that is capable of maintaining the preservation condition within the bottle without any mandatory action of the user. Further, the need exists for such a system that is suited for aiding in both the maintenance and preservation of the wine or spirits by maintaining the bottle at an appropriate reduced temperature based on the wine or spirit being preserved. Such needed system should preferably also provide a methodology for further preserving the wine or spirit without the need for cartridges or canisters that require repeated re-filling and or which require some remote source for an inert gas. 
         [0014]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following descriptions and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate at least one embodiment and, together with the descriptions, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0015]    A beverage preservation, chilling and dispensing system is provided, which has at least one chilling chamber suited to maintain and dispense a distilled spirit, liquor or a wine. The system may comprise an outer housing for housing the at least one chilling chamber. The front wall of both the outer housing and each of the at least one chilling chambers may include an opening for the provision of a thermally insulated hinged door for access to the interior of the associated chilling chamber. Similarly, above each hinged door may be provided an opening for the insertion of a dispensing cartridge. 
         [0016]    On the interior of the outer housing above each chilling chamber may be provided a plurality of supporting rails on which a dispensing cartridge may be introduced into a respective one of the at least one chilling chamber. In addition to supporting the bottle within the chamber in a hanging position so as to accommodate bottles of varying heights, the dispensing cartridge may additionally comprise cooperative bottle securing, sealing and dispensing mechanisms. The bottle securing mechanism may include a stopper element, which may cooperatively work with a piston and a lower portion of the cartridge to compress the bottle sealing mechanism, a gasket element, for enhancing the fit between the interior surface of the bottle&#39;s neck and the exterior surface of the gasket. In order to engage the compression of the gasket element, a locking handle on the cartridge may be rotated from a first position in which the bottle is freely introduced or removed from the dispensing cartridge to a second position in which the bottle is secured to the cartridge prior to introduction into the at least one chilling chamber along the plurality of supporting rails. 
         [0017]    Passing through the center of the piston, the gasket and stopper element may be provided a pair of concentric passages or airspaces formed by a tube within an opening. The outer concentric passage may be in fluid communication with an air passageway passing through the dispensing cartridge to a connecting port on the back thereof for interaction with a reversible pump which may be used to generate a vacuum within the bottle and/or to pressurize the bottle for dispensing. The inner passage may be the wine dispensing passage, which is in fluid communication with a dispensing head located on the front of the dispensing cartridge. The inner passage allows the dispensed liquid to be driven through it by the heightened pressure within the bottle and to thus be dispensed on demand. 
         [0018]    Each chilling chamber may be provided with a thermoelectric cooling unit for regulating the temperature within the associated chilling chamber. Each cooling unit may include a pair of fans. One fan may be associated with a heat absorbing material for withdrawing heat from the air in the chilling chamber. The other fan may be associated with a heat sink for passively radiating the excess heat to the ambient air. The thermoelectric cooling units are operated to manage the temperature within their individual chilling chamber based or a user input temperature setting for the respective chilling chamber. 
         [0019]    Additional advantages of the disclosure are set forth in, or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from, the detailed description as follows. It should also be appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated and discussed features hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitutions of equivalent means and features for those shown or discussed, and the functional or positional reversal of various parts, features or the like. 
         [0020]    Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments of this disclosure may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features, elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or configurations not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description). 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    A full and enabling disclosure, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in this specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a front right perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the beverage preservation, chilling and dispensing system of the present disclosure; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  having three separate chill chambers; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a right view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the system of  FIG. 1  taken along line A-A of  FIGS. 2 and 4 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a front right perspective view of an isolated thermoelectric unit for use in association with each chill chamber; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7A  is an isolated view of a dispensing cartridge in association with a bottle showing the cartridge and bottle in an unlocked configuration; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7B  is an isolated view of a dispensing cartridge absent the dispensing head and in association with a bottle showing the cartridge and bottle in an unlocked configuration; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7C  is an isolated view of the piston in association with a bottle showing the longitudinal slot in the piston for interaction with the locking handle and the additional space within the bottle&#39;s neck for receipt of a lower portion of the dispensing cartridge; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7D  is an isolated view of the piston and locking handle in association with a bottle showing the handle in an unlocked configuration; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8A  is an isolated view of a dispensing cartridge in association with a bottle showing the cartridge and bottle in a locked configuration; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8B  is an isolated view of a dispensing cartridge absent the dispensing head and in association with a bottle showing the cartridge and bottle in a locked configuration; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8C  is an isolated view of the piston and locking handle in association with a bottle showing the handle in a locked configuration; 
           [0035]      FIG. 9A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIGS. 3-5  and  8  showing an isolated view of the piston, dispensing tube and the locking handle in a locked configuration; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9B  is a close-up partial cross-section view of the dispensing cartridge and bottle taken along line A-A of  FIGS. 2 and 4  showing the fluid flow path for the removal and introduction of air from and into the bottle, as well as the fluid flow path for dispensing a beverage from the bottle, wherein the locking handle is in an unlocked position; 
           [0037]      FIG. 9C  is a close-up partial cross-section view of the dispensing cartridge and bottle taken along line A-A of  FIGS. 2 and 4  showing the completion of the fluid flow path for evacuating or pressurizing the bottle wherein the locking handle is in a locked configuration, as well as showing the dispensing carttidge&#39;s interrelationship with the controls for evacuating or pressurizing the bottle, dispensing liquid from the bottle and for releasing the dispensing cartridge from the system; 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  is a partial cross-section view of a dispensing cartridge showing a door-detection assembly for use with each chill chamber; and 
           [0039]      FIG. 11  is a close-up cross-section view of the dispensing head of the dispensing cartridge showing a partial view of the fluid flow path for the dispensed beverage and the check valve for terminating such dispensing. 
       
    
    
       [0040]    Repeated use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present disclosure. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0041]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment or embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are fully represented in the accompanying drawings. Such examples are provided by way of an explanation of the disclosure not a limitation thereof. Still further, variations in characteristics may be practiced, to satisfy particular desired user criteria. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover such modifications and variations as coming within the scope of the present features and their equivalents. 
         [0042]    As disclosed above the present invention is particularly concerned with a preservation, chilling and dispensing system  10  having at least one chill chamber  20  (see  FIG. 5 ) suited to maintain and dispense a distilled spirit, liquor or wine. As best seen in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 , the system  10  includes an outer housing  102  having front, back, right, and left upstanding walls,  104 ,  106 ,  108  and  110 , respectively. The outer housing  102  further includes a top  112  and bottom  114  wall, which together with the upstanding walls  104 ,  106 ,  108  and  110  form an enclosure. The front wall  104  includes at least one opening therein for positioning of a hinged door  118  associated with the at least one chill chamber  20 . Similarly, above each hinged door opening in the outer housing front wall  104  is an opening for the insertion of a dispensing cartridge  122 , such dispensing cartridge  122  being in direct physical contact and fluid communication with a bottled liquid  124  ( FIG. 5 ) to be placed within the system  10 . Further, each of the right and left upstanding walls  108  and  110  are provided with a handle  126  sufficient to support the fully loaded weight of the system  10  during a reorientation or repositioning by a user thereof. 
         [0043]    On the front wall  104  of the outer housing  10  is located a user interface  128  for individual selection of an individual one of the at least one chill chamber  20 . As part of the user interface  128 , a user may individually set the temperature of each chill chamber  20  through the use of an up/down temperature adjustment feature  130 . Alternatively, the user interface  128  may allow a user to set the temperature of each available chill chamber  20  based on the type of liquid stored therein. By way of example, but not limitation, the user interface  128  may partially include a look-up table based on a type of wine to be stored. Therefore, by selecting for example, a Chablis, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Zinfandel, the user interface  128  may be triggered to set the temperature of the selected chill chamber  20  to the generally accepted optimum storage temperature for the wine type indicated. In addition to the user interface  128 , each chill chamber  20  may be individually provided with a chamber temperature indicator  116  and a chamber activation/deactivation switch  132  on the front wall  104  of the outer housing  102 . The chamber temperature indicator  116  informs the user that the bottled liquid  124  within the chamber  20  is within a predefined range of the user set temperature. Additionally, each chill chamber  20  may be provided with an internal light for illuminating the chamber as dictated by a user. 
         [0044]    As best seen in  FIG. 5 , the system  10  includes at least one chill chamber  20  recessed within the outer housing  102 . Similar to the construction of the outer housing  102 , each chill chamber  20  includes right, left and rear upstanding walls, as well as top and bottom walls for encompassing an enclosure. The front of the chill chamber may be flush with the front wall  104  of the outer housing  102 . The front of the chill chamber preferably coincides with the opening in front wall  104  for insertion of the chill chamber  20  and includes a thermally insulated hinged door  118  which is affixed in said opening so as to complete the chill chamber&#39;s enclosure  20 . Between the door and the chill chamber  20  may be provided a sealing gasket (not shown) to ensure-a complete closure of the door  118  and to enhance the thermal efficiency of the chill chamber  20 . 
         [0045]    As with the outer housing opening for the dispensing cartridge  122 , a corresponding opening (not shown) is provided in the top wall of the chill chamber  20  for receipt of the dispensing cartridge  122  and an associated container, such as, but not limited to a bottle  124 . As such, the opening in the top of the chill chamber  20  must extend to the forward periphery of the top of the chill chamber  20 . The dispensing cartridge  122  completes the chill chamber enclosure  20  in one embodiment through an insertion on a slide-rail system  120  ( FIGS. 7A ,  7 B,  8 A and  8 B) mounted on the side of the cartridge  122  and within the outer housing  102 . Such a mounting system provides both the physical support for the cartridge/bottle combination, as well as appropriate alignment of the cartridge  122  to complete the fluidic connection required for proper operation of the system  10  once inserted into the chill chamber  20 . 
         [0046]    As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , each chill chamber  20  includes an individual thermoelectric unit  30  suited for regulation of the temperature within the chill chamber  20 . Each unit  30  comprises a cool side fan  134  for movement of the air within the chill chamber  20 . Additionally, the cool side fan  134  passes the air over a cooling material  136  which cools the air within the chill chamber  20 . In so doing, the thermoelectric unit  30  is capable of regulating the temperature within the chill chamber  20  within a range of temperatures as determined by a user input as discussed above. 
         [0047]    In order to generate the cooling effect of material  136 , an electrically generated temperature differential is created between the cooling material  136  and a heat sink  138  which is thermally isolated from the cooling material  136  by an insulator layer  140 . In a well-known manner, the application of electrical energy across two different semi-conductive materials generates a temperature differential across the materials. In the thermoelectric units  30  in use in the system  10 , the electrical energy flow is arranged such that the temperature differential generated results in a lower temperature on the chill chamber side of the thermoelectric unit  30 , which allows for regulation of the temperature within the chill chamber  20 . Such arrangement also generates an elevated temperature at heat sink  138  which must be managed. In order to rid the system  10  of the excess heat, heat sink  138  resides within a large air flow passage  142  containing inlet and exhaust openings  144  and  146  in the back wall  106  of the outer housing  102 . It is through the exhaust openings  146 , that the heat sink  138  radiates the generated heat from within the system  10 . To aid in such heat transmission to the ambient, the heat sink  138  is associated with a hot side fan  148  sized sufficiently to draw air into the air flow passage  142  through inlet openings  144  across the heat sink  138  and out the exhaust openings  146 . To ensure sufficient air flow through the air flow passage  142 , the outer housing is provided with at least one standoff  150  which maintains the back wall  106  of the outer housing  102  away from any surface near which it may be placed. In operation, condensation will form on the cool side of the thermoelectric unit  30 . Such condensation requires collection for later dissipation back into the atmosphere. To provide for such a capability, as seen in  FIG. 5 , each thermoelectric unit  30  is provided with a condensation drain tube  206  and a collector tray  208  which allows for collection of the condensation in a single location for evaporation back into the atmosphere. 
         [0048]    As mentioned above and best seen in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B,  8 A,  8 B and  9 A- 9 C, the bottled beverage  124  is supported within the chill chamber  20  by its dispensing cartridge  122 . Each cartridge is provided with an elongated plug or piston  152  shaped to fit within a contoured passage running through the cartridge  122 . A first end of the piston  152  is maintained above the upper surface  194  of the dispensing cartridge  122 . The opposing second end of the piston  152  extends beyond the bottom of the cartridge  122  for insertion into a bottle  124  and is associated with a stopper element  154  which is wider than the contoured passage through which the piston  152  passes, thus preventing the inadvertent removal of the piston  152  from the contoured passage. The stopper element  154  is physically secured to the piston  152 , such as for example by way of threaded connection or by being pinned together or both. Secured between the bottom of the cartridge  122  and the top of the stopper element  154  is a gasket element  156 . 
         [0000]    of solenoids  196  may be used to manage the operational connections between the various chambers  20  and the pump  170 . 
         [0049]    As indicated by arrows in  FIGS. 9A-9C , such arrows indicating the direction of and passages utilized for fluid flow during evacuation and pressurization of the bottle, where the locking handle  158  is in an unlocked condition ( FIG. 9B ) primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162  terminates at a wall of the central passage  160  and is prevented from fluid communication with a secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and ultimately reversible pump  170 . As seen in  FIG. 9C , however, where the locking handle  158  is in a locked configuration the linear upward movement of piston  152  aligns primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162  with secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and reversible pump  170 , which allows the system to evacuate or pressurize the bottle  124 . Within the fluid flow path between secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and reversible pump  170  is preferably located at least one liquid collection housing  174  for trapping any liquid inadvertently drawn through primary and secondary vacuum/pressurization conduits  162  and  172 . Trapping of such liquid prevents aspiration of the liquid into the pressure sensor (not shown) or the reversible pump  170 . At the end of the secondary conduit  172  opposite the end at which it interfaces with the central passage  160 , there exists an inlet/outlet junction  176 . Junction  176  connects the secondary conduit  172  with primary vacuum/pressurization hose  178  whose opposing end connects to the reversible pump  170 . As noted above, where a plurality of chill chambers  20  is supported by a single pump  170 , a bank of solenoids  196  may precede the pump  170  in the above-described fluid flow path. It is only through the linear upward movement of the piston  152  and the resultant initiation of fluid communication between primary conduit  162  and secondary conduit  172  that the pump may be connected to the internal atmosphere of the bottle  124  for generation of the sub- or super-atmospheric pressure conditions as demanded by a user. 
         [0050]    As described above and in operation, after insertion of the concentric dispensing tube  164 , the piston  152 , the stopper element  154 , the interleaved gasket element  156  into the open end of a bottle  124  and after levering the locking handle  158  into a locked Such change in position is the result of the linear upward movement of the piston  152  within the contoured passage of dispensing cartridge  122 . 
         [0051]    In securing the bottle  124  to the dispensing cartridge  122  by rotation of the locking handle  158  to its locked position, the upward linear motion of the piston  152  generates an identical upward linear motion of stopper element  154  because it is secured to the lower end of piston  152 . Such upward linear movement of stopper element  154  axially compresses annular gasket element  156  between the stopper element  154  and the bottom of the contoured passage of the cartridge  122  as best seen in  FIG. 9C . Preferably gasket element  156  is a rubber-like compound; its compression forcing it to expand radially. Such expansion serves to generate a complete airtight seal between the gasket element  156  and the interior of the neck of the bottle  124 . Further, the frictional force between the gasket element  156  and the bottle  124  is sufficient to allow for the dispensing cartridge  122  to maintain even a full bottle  124  in a hanging configuration. Use of such a method of securing the bottle  124  is particularly useful for allowing the chill chamber  20  to accommodate bottles  124  of varying sizes and heights. 
         [0052]    As best shown in  FIG. 9A , passing through the piston  152 , the stopper element  154 , and the gasket element  156  is a central passage  160 . As will be discussed in more detail below, this central passage  160  cooperates with a primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162  to allow for the creation of a sub-atmospheric pressure condition within the bottle  124  when preservation of the bottle&#39;s contents are intended or to allow for the creation of a super-atmospheric pressure condition within the bottle  124  when dispensing of the liquid therein is desired. Within the central passage  160  is placed a concentric dispensing tube  164  which at a first end extends into the bottle  124  and which at a second end is associated with the dispensing head  166  of the dispensing cartridge  122  and is sealed by a spring-biased check valve  168 . 
         [0053]    The system  10  is provided with at least one reversible pump  170  ( FIG. 5 ) for generation of the sub-atmospheric and super-atmospheric pressure conditions within said bottle  124 . Where multiple chill chambers  20  are serviced by a single pump  170  a bank of solenoids  196  may be used to manage the operational connections between the various chambers  20  and the pump  170 . 
         [0054]    As indicated by arrows in  FIGS. 9A-9C , such arrows indicating the direction of and passages utilized for fluid flow during evacuation and pressurization of the bottle, where the locking handle  158  is in an unlocked condition ( FIG. 9B ) primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162  terminates at a wall of the central passage  160  and is prevented from fluid communication with a secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and ultimately reversible pump  170 . As seen in  FIG. 9C , however, where the locking handle  158  is in a locked configuration the linear upward movement of piston  152  aligns primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162  with secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and reversible pump  170 , which allows the system to evacuate or pressurize the bottle  124 . Within the fluid flow path between secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172  and reversible pump  170  is preferably located at least one liquid collection housing  174  for trapping any liquid inadvertently drawn through primary and secondary vacuum/pressurization conduits  162  and  172 . Trapping of such liquid prevents aspiration of the liquid into the pressure sensor (not shown) or the reversible pump  170 . At the end of the secondary conduit  172  opposite the end at which it interfaces with the central passage  160 , there exists an inlet/outlet junction  176 . Junction  176  connects the secondary conduit  172  with primary vacuum/pressurization hose  178  whose opposing end connects to the reversible pump  170 . As noted above, where a plurality of chill chambers  20  is supported by a single pump  170 , a bank of solenoids  196  may precede the pump  170  in the above-described fluid flow path. It is only through the linear upward movement of the piston  152  and the resultant initiation of fluid communication between primary conduit  162  and secondary conduit  172  that the pump may be connected to the internal atmosphere of the bottle  124  for generation of the sub- or super-atmospheric pressure conditions as demanded by a user. 
         [0055]    As described above and in operation, after insertion of the concentric dispensing tube  164 , the piston  152 , the stopper element  154 , the interleaved gasket element  156  into the open end of a bottle  124  and after levering the locking handle  158  into a locked configuration, the bottle  124  will be secured to the dispensing cartridge  122  as described above. Further, the primary and secondary vacuum/pressurization conduits  162  and  172  will have been brought into fluid communication for vacuum/pressurization operations within the bottle  124 . The cartridge/bottle combination is inserted into a secured position within the chill chamber  20  and the outer housing  102  on a slide-rail system  120 . Once securely inserted the cartridge/bottle combination can only be removed after activation of a release button  182  ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 - 5  and  9 C) located on an upper surface of outer housing  102 . Proper positioning of the cartridge/bottle combination ensures secured air-tight fluid communication between the inlet/outlet junction  176  of the cartridge  122  and the primary vacuum/pressurization hose  178  connected to the pressure sensor (not shown) and the reversible pump  170 . 
         [0056]    To allow for operation of the chill chamber  20  to begin the user must close the thermally insulated hinged door  118  of the chill chamber  20 . As seen in  FIG. 10 , located within the leading edge of cartridge  122  is a spring-biased door detection mechanism  180  for detecting the secured or unsecured condition of the door  118 . During closure of the door  118 , an inner surface of the door engages an angled first end  184  of the detection mechanism  180  forcing the mechanism  180  upward. Such movement forces a compression of spring  186  and communicates the status of the door  118  as being closed to the chill chamber&#39;s power supply  204 . Should a user fail to fully close the door  118  after a predefined period of time, the chill chamber&#39;s individual power supply  204  would be terminated to both conserve electrical power consumption by the chamber  20  and to reduce or eliminate the creation of condensation generated as a result of the continuous operation of the thermoelectric unit  30  which would be trying to cool the interior of an open chamber  20 . 
         [0057]    The system  10  is provided with a plurality of user operations buttons, each associated with a printed circuit board for activation of the appropriate components within the system for achieving the selected user-indicated result. For instance, a preservation button  188  is provided. When pressed by a user, the preservation button  188  triggers the reversible vacuum pump  170  to initiate a vacuum operation on the bottle  124  in the chill chamber  20  associated with that preservation button  188 . The vacuum operation reduces the pressure within the bottle  124  to a predefined value. It does this by withdrawing the air through the primary vacuum/pressurization conduit  162 , the secondary vacuum/pressurization conduit  172 , at least one liquid collection housing  174 , the inlet/outlet junction  176 , the primary vacuum/pressurization hose  178 , a pressure sensor (not shown) and into the pump  170 . The preservation button  188  may additionally serve as a lock to prevent dispensing of the liquid by accident. 
         [0058]    The system  10  is further provided with a dispensing button  190 . In one embodiment, the preservation button  188  serves as a lock to prevent unwanted dispensing. In such mode, the pressure sensor monitors the vacuum pressure within bottles  124  in activated chill chambers  20 . Where the sensed pressure has risen to an amount above a predefined level, the reversible pump  170  will automatically activate to maintain the desired sub-atmospheric pressure within the bottle  124 . 
         [0059]    In the above embodiment, the preservation button  188  must be pressed a second time to “unlock” the vacuum pump from its monitoring and sub-atmospheric pressure maintenance duties as described above. Once “unlocked”, the dispensing capability of the system  10  becomes available by pressing the dispensing button  190 . Upon activation of the dispensing button, the reversible pump  170  raises the pressure within the bottle  124  by pumping air into the bottle  124  along the same path as noted above for a vacuum operation, only in reverse. One benefit of the use of the same flow paths is the ability of the pressurizing air to flush any trapped liquid from the liquid collection housing  174  back into the bottle  124  for dispensing. The preservation and dispensing buttons  188  and  190  may also include indicator lights that allow a user to visually determine the status of the system  10  and whether or not a dispensing action may be immediately triggered or whether the preservation button  188  must be depressed to “unlock” the system  10 , before a dispensing operation is allowed. 
         [0060]    When the pressure rises to a sufficient level within the bottle  124 , wine will pass through a filter member  210  ( FIG. 5 ) at an end of the concentric dispensing tube  164 . At the remote end of the concentric dispensing tube  164 , the liquid being dispensed will pass through an outlet junction  192  which is located on the dispensing head  166  of the cartridge  122 . In order to maintain the pressure within the bottle  124  during a preservation operation, as well as to prevent the unintended dispensation of the bottled liquid, check valve  168  is placed in the flow path and is spring-biased against the dispensation of the liquid. A super-atmospheric pressure within the bottle  124  sufficient to drive the liquid up the concentric dispensing tube  164  is also sufficient to overcome the force of the spring  186  and open the check valve  168  an amount that will allow the passage of the liquid. In order to reduce or eliminate splashing of the dispensed liquid, prior to exiting the dispensing head  166 , the liquid may be passed through a screen  198  of such opacity as to slow the speed of the dispensed liquid. Finally, the dispensed liquid will be directed by a diverter  200  down and away from the dispensing head  166  so as to 
         [0000]    be collected into an awaiting vessel. In order to dispense a bottled liquid, the user must maintain the depressed status of the dispensing button  190 . Such a safety feature is to avoid overfilling a smaller collection vessel. Finally, to collect any unintended spills, the system  10  may be provided with a drip tray  202  secured to the lower portion of the front or bottom walls  104  or  114  of the outer housing  102  to collect such spills or drips. 
         [0061]    Although a detailed description of one preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been expressed using specific terms and devices, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure, which is set forth in the following claims. Additionally, it should be understood that aspects of various other embodiments may be interchanged either in whole or in part. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the detailed description contained herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5