Patent Grant
9828226
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an adapter for a low pressure compressed gas powered device designed for beverage dispensing and, more particularly, a compressed gas delivery adapter for a wine extraction and preservation device employing pressurized Argon gas to extract a volume of liquid from a bottle or other container.
Description of the Prior Art
Devices for extracting liquids, such as wine, from a sealed bottle using pressurized gas, such as Nitrogen or Argon delivered, sourced from an attachable disposable container are well established. In typical embodiments of gas-powered beverage dispensing devices of the type that do not require removal of the cork or seal of the beverage container, compressed gas to be introduced to a generally sealed bottle or container through a hollow tube inserted therein to enable pressurized liquid to be extracted. Many conventional gas-powered beverage dispensing devices are self contained, using a standard 6.5 gram metal cartridge of compressed gas (oftentimes, Argon) which is removably disposed within a hollow body of the device, typically referred to as the handle (or cup), in order to supply the requisite compressed gas. Accordingly, the handle include a cavity sufficient to receive a standard cylindrical 6.5 gram cartridge of compressed gas. Attaching and tightening the handle with the contained cartridge to the beverage dispensing device engages the gas discharge nipple (or nozzle) of the 6.5 gram cartridge with the beverage dispensing device, thereby forming an airtight seal between an annular tip of the gas discharge nipple and an annular seal inside the beverage dispensing device.
Naturally, such a 6.5 gram gas cartridge will have a limited useful life cycle. Indeed, it is common for conventional 6.5 gram cartridges to only provide 10-15 average sized pours of liquid before the cartridge is exhausted. Once exhausted, the cartridge must be removed and can be disposed, but it must be replaced with a fresh cartridge in order for the gas-powered beverage dispensing device to be used to dispense more liquid.
There exist larger, alternate gas-powered beverage dispensing devices, designed to be connected to a larger source of compressed gas through hoses and fittings or other threaded connections, so as to provide access to a larger supply of compressed gas and ultimately, more pours between each replacement. Such larger devices and their associated compressed gas sources and plumbing are typically more costly than the self-contained devices which utilize a 6.5 gram disposable cartridge. Accordingly, users of self-contained devices who seek the ability to pour a large number of glasses of a beverage without the ever-increasing inconvenience of having to reload gas cartridges so often generally have had no alternatives. Thus, there remains a need for an alternate gas delivery system which would enable owners of existing self-contained gas powered devices, designed to be powered by 6.5 gram gas cartridges, to adapt their device, at reasonable cost, so that the device can be powered by a greater source of compressed gas and/or utilize a refillable cartridge, so as to ultimately lower the costs associated with operating their gas-powered beverage dispensing device.
A compressed gas delivery adapter for use with a conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device is operative to couple the beverage dispensing device to an external source of compressed gas. The compressed gas delivery adapter is structured at one end to attach to a conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device, while mating with and sealing against an annular seal of the beverage dispensing device which typically engages an annular tip of a standard cylindrical 6.5 gram cartridge of compressed gas. At the other end, the compressed gas delivery adapter is configured to receive a hose that is connected to a larger, external compressed gas supply. In this regard, the compressed gas delivery adapter facilitates the delivery of compressed gas from an external gas supply, which may be of any size, to the conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide, for any beverage dispensing device designed to be powered by a standard disposable 6.5 gram cartridge of compressed gas, the ability to quickly connect the beverage dispensing device to a much larger source of compressed gas without significant expense without requiring any temporary or permanent alteration to the beverage dispensing device that would prevent it from being able to quickly return to its original configuration.
Another object of the present invention is to enable users of beverage dispensing devices designed for use with standard 6.5 gram cartridges of compressed gas to significantly increase the volume of liquid available or number of pours which can be made before the supply of compressed gas is exhausted and cartridge replacement is necessary.
These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular
It is understood that the gas manifold 130 is operative to provide a means for supplying pressurized gas to the compressed gas delivery adapter 100. It is contemplated, however, that while the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 is shown with the gas manifold 130, other conventional compressed gas supplying devices may be used alternatively to supply the requisite compressed gas to the compressed gas delivery adapter 100.
In the preferred embodiment, the adapter insert 120 includes a male output port 121 with a cupped annular head 124 designed to hold an O-ring 125, a hex shoulder 123, and a threaded input port 122. The size of the input port 122, as well as the end threads on the surface thereof adapt the input port 122 to connect into the adapter handle 110 as described below. It is contemplated that the adapter insert 120 may be constructed of Delrin plastic, aluminum or other rigid, durable material.
In the preferred embodiment, the adapter handle 110 defines an elongated cylinder having two bores therein. A first, larger bore extends from the top end 101 to form the cavity that is just deep enough to seat the hex shoulder 123, when the adapter insert 120 is in place in the adapter handle 110, to position the male output port 121 at a depth which mimics the depth of a 6.5 gram cartridge nipple when the cartridge is positioned for use in the handle of a conventional beverage dispensing device. A second, smaller bore extends from the end of the first bore entirely through the adapter handle 110, having a threaded surface 112 at where it begins near the top end 101 of the adapter handle 110 and where it ends near the bottom end 105 of the adapter handle 110. In this regard, the smaller bore provides an integral conduit through which gas can pass through the body of the adapter handle 110. The threaded surface 112 near the top end 101 receives the input port 122 to allow the adapter insert 120 to be attached to the adapter handle 110, while the bottom threads 106 near the bottom accommodates a conventional female quick connect (not shown) which is used to selectively connect a gas supply. It is contemplated that the adapter handle 110 may be constructed of Delrin plastic, aluminum, or other rigid, durable material.
Assembled, the adapter handle 110 and adapter insert 120 combine to form the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 that replaces both a conventional high pressure gas (generally argon) cartridge and the handle which houses the cartridge on the conventional beverage dispensing device. As such, when connected to a supply of compressed gas (typically argon, but any desired gas may be employed), the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 is able to supply low pressure compressed gas directly to an unmodified conventional beverage dispensing device.
As illustrated in
The threaded walls define 102 with female threads which match the male threads of a conventional beverage dispensing device which typically enable the attachment and tightening of its housing. When the adapter insert 120 is in place in the adapter handle 110, its cupped (and/or threaded) annular head 124 is operative to accept an O-ring 125 which, when tightened against the annular seal inside the beverage dispensing device allows the formation of an airtight seal. It is contemplated that this airtight seal is substantially the same style of airtight seal as that made with the annular tip of the gas cartridge discharge nipple and the annular seal inside the beverage dispensing device.
It is contemplated that a source gas such as high purity argon may be introduced at a low pressure to the manifold 130 from a supply line 131 through a standard compressed gas fitting 132. The flexible output tubing 139 may be of various lengths depending upon needs.
It is contemplated that a low pressure gauge 135 may be employed to indicate the pressure contained within the manifold 130. In addition, the manifold 130 may include additional ports 134 to allow it to accommodate additional industry standard female quick connects with self-contained check valves (as with the port used by the flexible output tubing 139).
In one embodiment, the gas manifold 130 with which the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 is employed is designed to enable 1 to 4 devices to connect to the same source supply of compressed gas (such as argon) without interruption to other dispensing devices already in use.
Advantageously, while conventional gas cartridges of self-contained beverage dispenser devices provide enough compressed gas to deliver 10-15 average size servings before requiring the device owner to replace the small argon gas cartridge, the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 potentially allows for the provision of an unlimited (at least not limited by gas supply) number servings without requiring such replacement maintenance. While some may find the capacity of conventional gas cartridges adequate for personal use situations, there is little dispute that in an circumstance wherein many servings of beverage are desired, whether in rapid succession or over an extended period of time, the hard requirement for frequent cartridge changes can be problematic. Significantly, use of the compressed gas delivery adapter 100 not only allows owners of gas driven dispensing device to connect a reusable cylinder to a larger source of compressed gas and pour beverages without frequent interruptions, it also allows for the use of compressed gas that is delivered to the beverage dispensing device at a much lower (and potentially safer) pressure.
It is appreciated that although a beverage dispensing device handle replacing implementation is described, a compressed gas delivery adapter in accordance with the present invention can be used with any gas powered device having a cavity in any location which normally houses a standard 6.5 gram compressed gas cartridge. In addition, it is understood that the compressed gas delivery adapter may be resized/reshaped and otherwise adapted to accommodate other cartridge sizes. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the gas supply line 131 may take a modified form, defining a larger and/or higher pressure rated hose. Of course, such an embodiment would require additional material and cost, but would work just as well as that shown in the illustrated embodiments.
The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/053,253 filed Sep. 22, 2014.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2160043 | Threm | May 1939 | A |
| 3976221 | Martin | Aug 1976 | A |
| 3986535 | Meckstroth | Oct 1976 | A |
| 4126161 | Sterling | Nov 1978 | A |
| 4228933 | Elson | Oct 1980 | A |
| 4406314 | Gomersall | Sep 1983 | A |
| 4702396 | Gwiazda | Oct 1987 | A |
| 5022565 | Sturman | Jun 1991 | A |
| 5458165 | Liebmann, Jr. | Oct 1995 | A |
| 6036054 | Grill | Mar 2000 | A |
| 6216921 | Spruill | Apr 2001 | B1 |
| 6530401 | Angehrn | Mar 2003 | B1 |
| 7100799 | Gruenewald | Sep 2006 | B2 |
| 7273069 | Nelson | Sep 2007 | B1 |
| 8020588 | Wang | Sep 2011 | B2 |
| 8348097 | Nishino | Jan 2013 | B2 |
| 20100155419 | Nishino | Jun 2010 | A1 |
| 20110204093 | Lee | Aug 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62053253 | Sep 2014 | US |
