Abstract:
A bottle and method is provided for storing a carbonated beverage so that the beverage can be dispensed over time without the beverage remaining in the container losing carbonation. The bottle can be comprised of a container having a bladder inserted therein. The annular space between the container and the bladder is accessed through a pressure port by a pump and the container is pressurized such that the bladder is compressed and the useable volume of the bottle is reduced. By reducing the volume, excess air can be prevented from collecting in the bottle.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/360,346, filed on Feb. 27, 2002, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention is related to a container for storing a carbonated liquid.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    All over the world carbonated beverages are sold in PET plastic bottles in sizes as large as two to three liters. These bottles are typically resealable and sold to households for multiple use, just as smaller size aluminum, plastic or glass containers are sold for single use. Unfortunately, the carbonation escapes after repeated opening and pouring from the bottle. The carbon dioxide diffuses into air occupying space once occupied by beverage. The larger the volume of air in the PET bottle, the faster carbonation is lost. This often leads to a portion of the beverage contained in the PET bottle being dumped down a drain or thrown away with the PET bottle.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a bottle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the bottle of FIG. 1 including a siphon system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an improved carbonated beverage bottle  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bottle  100  can assist in maintaining the carbonation of a carbonated beverage  112  even after the bottle  100  has been repeatedly opened and a portion of the carbonated beverage  112  has been removed. The bottle  100  allows consumers to consume essentially the total volume of carbonated beverage  112  within the bottle  100  over an extended period of time and after multiple openings.  
         [0007]    An original cap provided by a carbonated beverage manufacturer or a cap sold with the bottle  100  can be used to reseal the bottle  100  each time the bottle  100  is opened. Alternatively, a cap with a siphon and dispensing valve can be used if the consumer desires to have the added convenience of not having to repeatedly open the bottle  100 .  
         [0008]    The bottle  100  is comprised of a rigid or flexible container  102  into which and inner flexible bladder  104  is inserted during manufacture of the bottle  100 . The container  102  can be comprised of plastic (for example, high-density polyethylene), glass, or metal (for example, aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium), or some other material having similar insulating properties. The flexible bladder  104  can be comprised of a thin flexible plastic or metal foil. As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle  100  can have a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the bottle  100  can have a contoured or stylized shape. For example, a manufacturer may desire a bottle  100  shaped such that the bottle  100  invokes the manufacturer&#39;s trademark, or a manufacturer may desire a bottle  100  shaped such that the bottle  100  has a particular property, such as being compact for easy carrying, or sized to fit a cup holder. One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate the myriad of shapes in which the bottle  100  can be manufactured.  
         [0009]    The inner bladder  104  is fastened in an air tight manner on the inside surface  106  of the container  102 . The bladder  104  can be fastened to the surface  106  by adhesives, by heating a portion of the bladder  104  contacting the surface  106 , or by forming a seal between two portions of the container  102  that fasten together with a rim of the bladder  104  between the two portions of the container  102 . Alternatively, the bladder  104  can be integrally formed with the container  102 , for example where a flexible plastic material is used to form both the container  102  and the bladder  104 .  
         [0010]    As mentioned above, in one embodiment the bottle can be used with the original manufacturer&#39;s cap. The cap  114 , mates with a threaded portion of a neck  108 , or alternatively, some other narrow or tapered portion of the container  102 . In other the bottle  100  has its own sealing means connected with a charging port for filling the bladder  104  with carbonated beverage  112 . Carbonated beverage  112  can be filled into the inside of the bladder  104  through the neck  108  or charging port and the bladder  104  will expand as the volume of carbonated beverage  112  increases. After the bladder  104  is filled with the desired amount of carbonated beverage  112 , the bottle  100  is sealed with the cap  114 .  
         [0011]    An airtight valve  110  can be connected with the container  102  as a pressure port for access to an annular space  116  between the non-wetted surface of the bladder  104  and the container  102 . A pump (not shown) optionally supplied with the bottle  100  can be connected with the air tight valve  110  such that the pump communicates with the annular space  116 . A consumer activates the pump to fill the annular space  116  with ambient air, or some other fluid from an external source, pressurizing the container  102  and compressing the bladder  104 . As carbonated beverage  102  is consumed through an opened bottle  100 , or where the bottle  100  is repeatedly opened for pouring carbonated beverage  112  into a separate container, empty air enters to replace the dispensed beverage. Carbon dioxide bubbles to the surface of the beverage  112  and diffuses into any empty air in the bladder  104  (increasing the pressure over time in a typical sealed bottle, thereby causing the familiar ‘hisssss’ when the bottle is opened). Activating the pump before the bottle  100  is sealed collapses the bladder  104  and fills the empty space  118  between the level of the carbonated beverage  112  and the cap  114  with carbonated beverage  112  forced into the space  118 . The bottle  100  can then be sealed. As mentioned, the pump can be supplied with the bottle  100 . For example, as also mentioned above, the container  102  can be formed in any desired shape including having a recess within an otherwise cylindrically shaped container  102 , that can be used to house the pump. Alternatively, a pump may be built into the container  102 , for example, as is familiar in athletic shoes having inflatable soles such as Nike™ air pump shoes or Reebok™ DMX shoes.  
         [0012]    A pressure relief valve  120  can be provided, either separately or integrated with the air tight valve  110  (as shown) or the pump. After the carbonated beverage  112  is completely consumed, the bladder  104  will likely be nearly completely collapsed. To refill the bladder  104  with more carbonated beverage  112 , the relief valve  120  must be activated to equalize the pressure between the atmosphere and the annular space  116 , thereby allowing the bladder  104  to fully expand. The relief valve  120  also prevents a user from pumping air into the container  102  to a level that might cause the bottle  100  to fail. The relief valve  120  will not let the pressure in the container  102  rise above a preset limit.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is across-section of the bottle  100  having a siphon  220  inserted into the bladder  104  and protruding from the cap  114  (or replacing the cap  114  and protruding from the container  102 ). The amount of air or fluid pumped through the valve  110  into the annular space  116  is increased to raise the pressure on the bladder  104  sufficiently to force the carbonated beverage  112  up the siphon  220 . The siphon  220  can have a dispensing valve  222  connected at the protruding end of the siphon  220  for regulating the of carbonated beverage  112  from the bottle  100 . The siphon  220  can also have a beveled distal end  224 , thereby helping to avoid blockage by the collapsing bladder  104 . The bottle  100  is refilled with carbonated beverage by either first unfastening the cap  114  from the bottle  100  and removing the cap  114  and siphon  220  contemporaneously, or by first removing the siphon  220  prior to unfastening the cap  114 .  
         [0014]    The bottle can be used for other liquids as well as for carbonated beverages. For example, using the siphon system the bottle can be used to pressurize any liquid for convenient and optionally metered dispensing, replacing bulkier, larger volume containers that rely on heavy mechanical pumps.  
         [0015]    The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalence.