Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of the In~re.,lion
This invention is a device that permits the extraction of small qua~ Itilies of
wine from a larger container without significantly exposing the remaining
wine in the larger container, and the device, to air. Pouring a ~olliol~ of
wine from a larger container, and then capping it as a means of protecting
what remains does not work. Over time, air which has entered the bottle
to ~isrl-lce the extracted wine will cause the remaining wine to deteriordle
in quality. The same result would occur if wine were extracted from the
larger container by the use of a syphon technique, H the wine was disrl?ced
by air. If, however, the syphon were modified so that rather than the wine
being displaced by air, it was disrl~ced by an inert gas, say nitrogen, then
the remaining wine in the larger container would retain its quality. In
tion~ if the materials used in the construction of the syphon (which are
exposed to air outside the container) are made of, or protected by, high
oxygen barrier materials, then any wine that remains within the syphon
device will also be protected.
Objects and Advantages ol the Invention
The invention is intended to allow the user to extract small amounts of wine
from a large container over an exlen.led period of time. Wine that remains
either in the container or within the device may be there for an extended
period of time and it will be protected from exposure to air. The device is
simple to operate and inexpensive to acquire because it uses a simple
syphon technique. A non-pressurized gas source (say nitrogen) contained
in a collapsible high oxygen-barrier, bag-like container is required for the
system. The device is simple to operate. The invention can employ a
flexible syphon hose in situations where glass is involved, thereby
eliminating the possibility of breaking the glass of the tubing or the conlai"erthat a more rigid hose might tend to do. Where glass is not a factor, a
more rigid hose or tubing could be used.
These objects and other advantages may be achieved by the present
invention which comprises a conduit for syphoning wine from a container
and a second conduit connecting the interior of the container to a source
of inert gas contained in a cc"~psible bag so that the volume of wine
removed is replaced by inert gas rather than air. Prerer~L,ly the apparatus
including the bag is oxygen-barrier material.
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Briet Description of the Drawings
The invention may be better understood by reference to a desc,i~ tio" of
one embodiment illusLralecl in the alLached drawings.
Figure 1 is a side view diagram of the syphon device installed on a
wine conla;ner.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the tube in Figure 1.
2 ~ ~704~
Description of the Prefer.ed Embodiments:
The pr~fer,ecl embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a
stopper (1) that fits snugly into the bottle opening and seals the bottle so
as not to permit air to enter the bottle. The stopper has two vents, one is
for the syphon tube (2) and the other (3) is for a tube which attaches to the
inert gas source (6). Both the syphon tube and the tube for the inert gas
source fit snugly into the stopper so as not to permit air to enter the bonle.
It is conle" ,~.latecl that when a quantity of wine is drawn from the bottle thewine flow will be stopped by the use of a control valve (5). Wine will remain
in the syphon hose so that the syphon does not have to be primed when
it is next used. Due to the fact that the wine will remain in the syphon hose
it is important that the hose be protected with or made of high oxygen
barrier material. The syphon tube is to be made of or protected by a high
oxygen barrier material (4).
It is coi1le" ,pldled that the inert gas source will be connected to the syphon
device for an extended period of time until all of the wine has been emptied
from the bottle. Periodically some of the inert gas may be drawn into the
wine bottle to replace wine that is extracted. It is therefore important that
the inert gas source remains pure to maintain the quality of the wine
remaining in the bottle. If air was to penetrate into it then as it ~lis,Ql~ced
wine extracted from the bottle the wine could be contaminated by the air.
The inert gas is therefore to be contained in material that does not permit
air to penetrate nor will it permit the inert gas to escape.
The inert gas is not to be pressurized and consequently the container (6)
in which the inert gas is to be stored is to be made of a colla,osiL e bag-like
",alerial. The inert gas container is to be attached snugly to the inert gas
tube (3) so as not to permit air to enter the bottle containing the wine.
The syphon tube must be impervious to liquid and at the same time have
high oxygen barrier characteristics. Rigid or flexible tubing that has these
characteristics would be suitable. A second alternative is two layer flexible
tubing. The inside layer is made of material that is impervious to liquid while
the second layer is sealed material with low oxygen permeability
characteristics. Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the syphon
hose at the point indicated by 9 in Figure 1. The liquid impervious tube is
shown at 2. The low oxygen permeability material which encases the inner
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tube, is shown at 4. The outer layer is sealed to the inner layer at 7 and 8.
Oxygen barrier material of this nature is known and available in the food
packaging industry.
Modifications and variations of the illustrated embodiment may be employed
without departing from the inventive concept herein.
