Patent Abstract:
A preserving device for preserving a liquid fluid may include a container for storing the liquid fluid; a piston to engage the interior surface of the container and to move within the container to compress the liquid fluid; and a replaceable lid for the container to allow the liquid fluid to enter the container and to allow the liquid fluid to escape the container as the piston is moved within the container

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to wine bottling and more particularly to wine bottling and preserving. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    When a bottle of wine or similar liquid is opened, air enters the bottle and the process of oxidation of the wine begins. Any wine that is not consumed within a short period of time is ruined as a result of the oxidation. Some external devices to the bottle like a pump or balloon helps to keep the air out of the bottle. However, these types of devices merely slow the process of oxidation and does not completely stop the oxidation. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A preserving device for preserving a liquid fluid may include a container for storing the liquid fluid; a piston to engage the interior surface of the container and to move within the container to compress the liquid fluid; and a replaceable lid for the container to allow the liquid fluid to enter the container and to allow the liquid fluid to escape the container as the piston is moved within the container. 
         [0004]    The liquid fluid may be wine. 
         [0005]    The replaceable lid may be threadably connected to the container. 
         [0006]    The container may be connected to a base to mount on a support surface. 
         [0007]    The base may be connected to a stem which is connected to the piston. 
         [0008]    The stem may be threadably connected to the piston. 
         [0009]    The stem may be threadably connected to the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the container of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the stem of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the base of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the piston, stem and base of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spout of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a lid of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the piston of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the wine preserving device of the present invention in a first position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the wine preserving device of the present invention in a second position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  illustrates an exploded view of another portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  illustrates an exploded view of another portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  illustrates an exploded view of the wine preserving device of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  illustrates a perspective view of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wine preserving device  100  of the present invention which may include a base  102  which may connect with a support surface (not shown), which may be a truncated conical shape, or other appropriate shape and which may be threadably connected to a stem  104 . The base  102  may be hollow or solid and may be formed from metal, plastic, wood or other appropriate material. The stem  104  may be a longitudinal rod being threadably connected to the base  102  and threadably connected to the piston  106 . The stem  104  may be sufficiently long so that the piston  106  may extend from the bottom of the container  108  to the top of the container  108  so that no oxygen may be present within the container  108  to oxidize the wine or other fluid. The stem  104  may be hollow or solid and may be formed from metal, plastic, wood or other appropriate material. 
         [0030]    The piston  106  may include a disk shaped portion which may frictionally cooperate with the interior walls of the container  108  and the piston  106  may seal the container  108  to prevent the fluid which may be wine from flowing beyond the piston  106 . The piston  106  may be hollow or solid and may be formed from metal, plastic, wood or other appropriate material. 
         [0031]    The container  108  may be cylinder shaped and may be opened on both ends and may cooperate with the piston  106  and may cooperate with a lid  110 . Both the lid  110  and the container  108  may be threadably connected and provide a seal to retain the wine within the container  108 . 
         [0032]    The lid  110  may include a central aperture  114  which may be in fluid communication with a valve  112  to drain the fluid which may be wine from the container  108  to the valve  112  and through the mouth of the valve  112 . The valve  112  may be threadably connected to the lid  110 . The lid  110  and valve  112  may be hollow or solid and may be formed from metal, plastic, wood or other appropriate material. 
         [0033]    In operation, fluid such as wine may be combined with air and placed into the container  108 , and the piston  106  may advance into the container  108 . Since the air will above the fluid which may be wine, the air is pushed out through the valve  112 . The piston  106  advances until all the air has been removed from the container  108  leaving the container  108  free from air. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  illustrates the container  108  which may be shaped as a cylinder having each end open to a container central aperture  116  which may extend the entire length of the container  108 . The container  108  may include threads at one end to engage the lid  110 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates the stem  104  having threads on each end to connect to the base  102  and the piston  106 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  illustrates the conical base  102  having threads to engage the threads of the stem  104 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  illustrates conical base  102  connected to the stem  104  which may be connected to the piston  106 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  illustrates the valve  112  which may connect to the lid  110 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  illustrates the lid  110 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  illustrates the piston  106 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 9  illustrates another embodiment of the wine preserving device  200  which may include a container  209  which may be in the shape of a cylinder or other appropriate shape and which may store fluid such as wine to be preserved. A central shaft  203  which may be solid or hollow may extend through the container  209  to facilitate the movement of the piston  205  which may be a cylinder shape and which may include a seal  206  to form a friction fit with the interior surface of the container  209 , allowing the piston  205  to move the fluid such as wine. The bottom of the container  209  may engage a base  207  to seal the container with a seal  208 . The shaft  203  may extend through the base  207  to allow the base to travel along the shaft  203 .  FIG. 9  shows that the piston  205  is substantially at the top of the container  209  pushing substantially all of the fluid such as wine into the passageway  213  and through the valve  211 . The shaft  203  may be connected to the support base  215 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 10  illustrates the piston  205  being at a lower position allowing the portion of the container  209  above the piston  205  to be filled with the fluid such as wine. Furthermore, the base  207  has moved along the shaft  203 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 11  illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0044]      FIG. 12  illustrates an exploded view of another portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0045]      FIG. 13  illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0046]      FIG. 14  illustrates an exploded view of another portion of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0047]      FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0048]      FIG. 16  illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0049]      FIG. 17  illustrates an exploded view of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0050]      FIG. 18  illustrates a perspective view of the wine preserving device of the present invention. 
         [0051]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1