Apparatus for storage and aging of wine
OwnerVijay Singhinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for the storage and aging of wine that comprises of a disposable flexible bladder contained within a rigid support container. The flexible bladder has a fill/drain port connected to an internal dip tube that allows the bladder to be filled and emptied repeatedly without any contact with air. This allows the wine to remain fresh and unoxidized during storage and aging. The apparatus can be used in multiple support containers, such as barrels, IBCs, and tanks. The apparatus has no moving parts and uses disposable contact materials that eliminate washing and water usage. Single-use components ensure sanitary operation and this combined with the elimination of oxygen in contact with the wine produces consistently higher quality product.
Claims14
A wine storage system comprising:
- a flexible oxygen resistant bladder for storing and aging wine in;
- a one-way valve adapted to vent liquids and gases from inside the bag in response to an increase in pressure inside the bag;
- and
- means for filling and/or draining fluid from the bladder so that air or gases are removed from the bladder leaving only fluid in the bladder,
- wherein the means for filling and/or draining fluid from bladder comprises a fill/drain port coupled to a weighted dip tube extending to the bottom of the bladder, wherein the fill/drain port is coupled to the bladder in an airtight manner.
A wine storage assembly comprising:
- a flexible bladder resistant to oxygen permeability;
- a flange that includes a vent and a fill/drain port;
- wherein the vent and the fill/drain port are coupled to the bladder via an air-tight connector for introducing and removing wine via a dip tube extending into the flexible bladder;
- wherein the fill/drain port and dip tube cooperate with a pressure source to fill and/or drain fluid,
- wherein the dip tube comprises perforations allowing liquid to enter the tube but preventing sediments inside the bladder from being sucked out during draining.
A method for storing wine comprising:
- connecting an oxygen-resistant bladder to an airtight fill/drain port and a vent in a container;
- pumping wine into the container via a fill/drain port and a dip tube extending to the bottom of the bladder;
- and
- removing gases from the bag leaving only wine,
- wherein removing gases from the bag comprises applying a vacuum to the vent;
- drawing out air in the bladder so that the bladder collapses on itself until no headspace remains, or
- wherein removing gases from the bag comprises pumping wine into bladder until the bladder is full of wine and a wine can be seen coming out of the vent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.