Patent Application
20170158485
The disclosure generally relates to spill prevention for interchangeable containers in a dispensing system, and more specifically to improvements for valves and valve interfaces included in interchangeable containers for preserving liquid contents.
A dispensing system that extends the shelf life of a pourable beverage may include a dispenser and one or more interchangeable containers of liquid that can be removed from, and replaced to, the dispenser. A one-way valve in a container permits pouring of the liquid while preventing ingress of atmospheric oxygen or other contaminants into the container. A second valve may be provided to securely seal the container so that it can be stored and handled without spillage when removed from the dispenser. In certain use scenarios, fluid may be trapped outside the second valve, resulting in spillage when the container is removed from the dispenser. There remains a need for improved pouring systems that mitigate spillage of such interchangeable fluid containers.
A dispenser system for a fluid container includes a two-stage valve having a chamber disposed in-between an active valve and a passive valve. The chamber and related components may be configured to encourage recapture and sealing of pooled fluid in the chamber under a variety of usage scenarios. The chamber may include a reservoir to recapture fluid that has pooled within the spout when the container is angled for a pour. At the same time, a number of channels may divert outbound fluid flow around the chamber during pouring to ensure that this recapture reservoir is not over-filled with fluid during high-flow-rate pouring scenarios. These two techniques may be used alone, or in combination to simultaneously address recapture of statically and dynamically disposed fluid within the spout.
In an aspect, a valve system for dispensing liquid may include an entrance, an exit downstream in a fluid path from the entrance, a first valve providing a one-way path for a fluid from the entrance toward the exit along the fluid path, a second valve for controllably sealing and unsealing the exit, and a reservoir for the fluid, where the reservoir has an open top and a closed bottom, and the reservoir is shaped to dispense the fluid from the reservoir out the exit when the reservoir is tilted off a vertical axis and to retain fluid in the reservoir when the reservoir is on the vertical axis. The valve system may also include one or more channels directing the fluid path from the entrance to the exit and bypassing the reservoir when the fluid is provided from the entrance.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The first valve may include an umbrella valve. The second valve may include a poppet valve. The second valve may include a spring biasing the second valve into a closed position. The valve system may include a removable and replaceable spout including an arm to displace the second valve against the spring into an open position. The valve system may include a container having a variable-sized interior for holding a liquid, the variable-sized interior coupled in fluid communication with the entrance of the valve system.
In an aspect, a device may include a container having a variable sized interior for holding a liquid and a first opening for dispensing the liquid, and a housing engaged with the first opening of the container, the housing operable to control dispensing of the liquid during a pouring operation. The housing may include a chamber formed within the housing, and a second opening on a top portion of the housing providing a first fluid path between an interior volume of the chamber and an external environment, the first fluid path configured to dispense liquid included in the interior volume of the chamber during the pouring operation, and the first fluid path configured to receive air during the pouring operation and excess liquid disposed on the top portion of the housing into the interior volume of the chamber after the pouring operation. The housing may also include one or more flow channels providing a second fluid path between the interior of the container and the external environment, the second fluid path bypassing the interior volume of the chamber, and the second fluid path configured to dispense liquid from the interior of the container to the external environment during the pouring operation.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The housing may include a two-stage valve having a first valve and a second valve, the first valve movable between a first position in which the first fluid path is open and a second position in which the first fluid path is sealed, the second valve opening the one or more flow channels during the pouring operation when the container is disposed at or above a predetermined tilt angle and sealing the one or more flow channels when the container is disposed below the predetermined tilt angle to resist a backflow of air into the interior of the container, where the predetermined tilt angle varies according to an amount of the liquid in the interior of the container. The first valve and the second valve may be configured such that the second valve opens the one or more flow channels only when the first valve is in the first position and the container is disposed at or above the predetermined tilt angle. The second valve may also or instead open the one or more flow channels during the pouring operation when the second valve is exposed to a predetermined cracking pressure caused by the liquid in the interior of the container and may seal the one or more flow channels when the second valve is exposed to pressures below the predetermined cracking pressure to resist a backflow of air into the interior of the container. The first valve and the second valve may be configured such that the second valve opens the one or more flow channels only when the first valve is in the first position and the second valve is exposed to a pressure at or above the predetermined cracking pressure.
In an aspect, an assembly may include a container of a fluid, where the container includes a valve assembly with a poppet, a dispenser having an axis, where the dispenser includes a receiving region shaped and sized to removably and replaceably receive the container, a spout for the dispenser aligned to the axis, where the spout includes a first end for pouring fluid and a second end shaped and sized to mate with the valve assembly of the container when the container is placed for use in the dispenser, a stem on the second end of the spout, where the stem is positioned to displace the poppet in the valve assembly when the container is placed for use in the dispenser thereby facilitating pouring of the fluid out of the spout, and a flexible region within a body of the spout permitting an axial displacement along the axis of the first end of the spout relative to the second end of the spout, where the axial displacement creates an axial spring force to securely mate the second end to the valve assembly and fluidically seal a fluid path from an interior of the container through the valve assembly to the first end of the spout. The assembly may also include a collar for the container, the collar including a rigid exterior and an interior region shaped and sized to receive the container, where one or more of the valve assembly and the collar includes a flange structurally configured to compress the body of the spout as the container is placed into the collar.
In another aspect, a device may include a dispenser including a spout having an exit with a leading edge for pouring a liquid over the leading edge and out of the exit, a container removably coupled to the dispenser, where the container has an interior for holding the liquid and an opening for dispensing the liquid to the spout, and a two-stage valve engaged with the opening of the container and disposed between the interior of the container and the exit of the spout, the two-stage valve operable to control dispensing of the liquid from the container to the spout, the two-stage valve including a chamber having a predetermined volume and a predetermined shape formed between a first valve and a second valve, where the predetermined volume and the predetermined shape of the chamber are selected such that a maximum amount of pooled liquid upstream of the two-stage valve in the spout when the container is disposed at a maximum tilt angle before the liquid pours over the leading edge is less than an unoccupied volume in the chamber available to receive any of the liquid pooled upstream of the two-stage valve when the container is returned to an upright, vertical orientation.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. A volume of air present in the chamber of the two-stage valve when the container is disposed at the maximum tilt angle may be at least equal to a volume of fluid in the spout. The spout may include a releasing arm movable to open the second valve. The device may include a spring biasing the releasing arm. The spout may include a movable seal. A spring may bias the movable seal. The spring may be formed by a flexible region of the spout. The spout may be removable from the dispenser. During pouring, the first valve and the second valve may be opened such that the liquid can travel from the interior of the container through the two-stage valve and into the spout for pouring over the leading edge and out of the exit. The device may include one or more flow channels to bypass the liquid from the interior around the predetermined volume of the two-stage valve during a pour from the container.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the devices, systems, and methods described herein will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the devices, systems, and methods described herein.
The embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which preferred embodiments are shown. The foregoing may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these illustrated embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will convey the scope to those skilled in the art.
All documents mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. References to items in the singular should be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or clear from the context. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or clear from the context. Thus, the term “or” should generally be understood to mean “and/or” and so forth.
Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. The words “about,” “approximately,” or the like, when accompanying a numerical value, are to be construed as indicating a deviation as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to operate satisfactorily for an intended purpose. Ranges of values and/or numeric values are provided herein as examples only, and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of the described embodiments. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the embodiments.
In the following description, it is understood that terms such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.
It will be understood that while the exemplary embodiments herein emphasize the preservation of wine, these techniques may be adapted for use with any fluid, particularly fluids with limited shelf lives and sensitivity to air exposure that are typically poured from a container such as alcohol, milk, juice (e.g., fruit or vegetable), water, and so forth, as well as other liquids that are not for drinking but might nonetheless be usefully preserved and poured in similar fashion.
The rigid container 102 may be formed as a bottle having a top 108, a bottom 110, and a first opening 112 on the top 108. The bottle may be shaped and sized to resemble, e.g., a wine bottle, a beer bottle, a water bottle, a jug, a thermos, a sports-drink bottle, a milk bottle, a flask, and so forth. Alternatively, the rigid container 102 may include other shapes useful for holding or decanting fluids including without limitation, a can-shape, a cone shape, a carton shape, a spherical or ellipsoid shape, a decanter shape, a pitcher shape, and so forth.
The rigid container 102 may be impermeable to air, and may be made from one or more materials including without limitation glass, plastic, metal (e.g., aluminum or steel), ceramic, cardboard, paper products, or any other material or combination of materials providing satisfactory shape, feel, and structural characteristics for uses as contemplated herein. The rigid container 102 may be substantially rigid to enforce a fixed size and shape thereby providing ease of storage, manipulation, and filling, while also protecting its contents.
The rigid container 102 may be made from one part or multiple parts, e.g., it may be divided and split in different locations, either vertically or horizontally, which allows for multiple modalities for manufacturing of the rigid container 102 and insertion of the flexible container 104 therein.
The flexible container 104 may be disposed inside the rigid container 102 when the container 100 is assembled, where the flexible container 104 includes a second opening 114 aligned to the first opening 112 to provide a fluid path from an interior 116 of the flexible container 104 through the first opening 112 of the rigid container 102 to an exterior environment 118. The flexible container 102 may be substantially bottle-shaped. The flexible container 102 may be made from one or more materials including a polyethylene plastic film or the like. In one aspect, the flexible container 102 includes a first liner with an oxygen permeability selected to reduce oxygen diffusion into the interior 116 of the flexible container 104, and a second liner providing an inert layer for contact with a beverage. In particular, the flexible container 102 may be made from a co-extruded film with two or more layers, where an inert layer is in contact with a beverage, and another layer provides an oxygen barrier. The flexible container 104 may instead include only one liner, e.g., a liner that can both reduce oxygen diffusion and provide an inert container for a beverage. The flexible container 104 may also or instead include a film or liner selected to minimize or eliminate the tainting of wine or removal of aromas (i.e., scalping). In other words, the flexible container 104 may be constructed such that it does not alter the aroma, taste, composition, color, and so forth of a fluid contained therein. The thickness of the flexible container 102 may be minimized to maximize collapsibility and minimize residual fluid remaining in the flexible container 102 after dispensing. The flexible container 104 may be elastic or inelastic, i.e., stretchable or non-stretchable. In one aspect, the flexible container 104 is a bag such as a flat welded bag or gusseted bag. More generally, the flexible container 104 may be appropriately designed and constructed in consideration of one or more of the following factors: flexibility, collapsibility, gas permeability, light transparency, sterility, inertness, temperature stability, heat-seal compatibility, recyclability, strength, and so forth.
The valve 106 may, for example, be a one-way valve disposed along the fluid path, i.e., between the interior 116 of the flexible container 104 and the exterior environment 118. The valve 106 may open so that a fluid can be poured from the interior 116 of the flexible container 104 at or above a predetermined tilt angle of the rigid container 102. The valve 106 may also or instead self-seal to resist a backflow of air when the rigid container 102 returns to a tilt angle below the predetermined tilt angle. In general, the term “tilt angle” is intended to refer to a deviation from a normal orientation. For example, the tilt angle may be measured from an upright vertical orientation (i.e., with the valve 106 on top), or from a horizontal orientation as wines or the like are typically stored. More generally, the particular reference angle or reference point for measuring a tilt angle is unimportant, provided that it gives a consistent reference for measuring an amount of tilt imposed on a bottle, e.g., as a pour is initiated or terminated from the bottle.
The flexible container 104 may provide a variable-volume vessel that shrinks or expands according to an amount of fluid contained therein. Thus the flexible container 104 may deflates as fluid is released through the valve 106. In one aspect, at least one of the rigid container 102 or the flexible container 104 may include a means for assisting the flexible container 104 to be resized, e.g., a movable piston, a pressurized roll-up feature (similar to a toothpaste tube), or any other suitable mechanism. Additionally, to ensure that no liquid is trapped in folds of the flexible container 104, and to prevent collapsing of the flexible container 104 when dispensing, the flexible container 104 may be attached (e.g., on the sides or bottom) to the rigid container 102 in any suitable manner and at any suitable location or combination of locations, e.g., via an adhesive or the like. For example an end of the flexible container 104 distal from the valve 106 may be secured to a similarly distal point on the interior of the rigid container 102 in order to prevent folding, creasing, or other undesirable collapse of the flexible container 104 that might prevent fluid from exiting the interior 116.
The valve 106 may include a passive valve that opens at a cracking pressure (i.e., the pressure at which the valve 106 will open) selected to ensure that an opening of the valve 106 along the fluid path (e.g., the chamber 120 shown in the figure) is fully flooded whenever the valve 106 is open during a pour. In other words, the valve 106 may remain closed until fluid fills and closes off the path from the interior 116 to the exterior 118 in at least one location along the path so that air cannot infiltrate the interior 116 of the flexible container 104 along the fluid path. It will be appreciated that the tilt angle to achieve this cracking pressure and release fluid from the interior 116 will vary according to an amount of fluid in the interior 116, with a larger amount of fluid having a greater mass and applying greater pressure to the valve 106 so that the cracking pressure is exceeded with a smaller tilt angle. This general interaction usefully provides a tilt angle that increases as the amount of fluid decreases, thus mimicking the natural pouring action of a conventional wine bottle. By adjusting the cracking pressure, either by design or through manual adjustment during fabrication, a valve 106 may be obtained that achieves the dual design objectives of mimicking a natural pour and fully sealing at least some portion of the exit path with fluid during the pour.
While this general valve action may be achieved with a passive valve such as an umbrella valve, the valve 106 may also or instead include an active valve operable to automatically open the fluid path when the tilt angle exceeds a predetermined tilt angle selected to ensure that an opening 120 of the valve 106 along the fluid path is fully flooded. It will be noted that active components may achieve this function in a variety of ways. For example, the container 100 may include circuitry to detect an actual tilt angle and determine when to open the valve 106, e.g., based on a measured weight of fluid in the container 100 or an estimated mass of fluid based on, e.g., a history of pours from the container 100. As another example, the container 100 may include circuitry to measure a pressure on the valve 106 exerted by fluid during a tilt, or directly monitor the fluid path to determine when it is sufficiently flooded to prevent a backflow of air. As noted above, fully flooding the opening 120, or more generally some point along the fluid path, prevents a backflow of air into the interior 116 of the container 100, or more specifically, the interior 116 of the flexible container 104 inside the container 100.
The predetermined tilt angle may vary according to an amount of fluid in the interior 116 of the flexible container 104. The predetermined tilt angle may also or instead vary to prevent a backflow of air from the exterior environment 118 into the interior 116 of the flexible container 104 during pouring. In one aspect, the predetermined tilt angle is about three degrees from horizontal for a first pour when the interior 116 is full.
The valve 106 may also or instead be operable via a control mechanism 122 integrated into the rigid container 102 and operable to manually open the valve 106 during a pour. This manual operation may, for example, be complemented by automatic or passive valve control to ensure flooding of the fluid path, or this manual operation may override the operation of the valve 106 so that a user can decide to manually control pouring even if beverage contents might be compromised by an exposure to air. In one aspect, the control mechanism 122 includes a button or the like disposed on the rigid container 102, e.g., disposed near the top 108 of the rigid container 102 to permit control from a natural position for a finger or thumb during gripping and pouring.
The valve 106 may include one or more of an umbrella valve, a poppet valve, a check valve, a ball valve, a butterfly valve, a gate valve, a choke valve, a diaphragm valve, a pinch valve, and so forth. The valve 106 may include one or more separate valves or valve components that cooperate to obtain a desire mix of automated and manual control during pouring. For example, in one aspect, the valve 106 includes at least a first valve and a second valve. The first valve may include an umbrella valve and the second valve may include a poppet valve. In an aspect, the valve 106 includes a first valve that opens at a predetermined cracking pressure, and a second valve that is operable to manually close the fluid path and override operation of the first valve to seal the container 100 when not in use. In another aspect, the first valve is a passive valve that opens at a cracking pressure, and the second valve is operable to control a pour through the fluid path. For example, the second valve may be manually operable to close the fluid path when the device is not in use, or the second valve may operate to automatically control a pour through the fluid path in response to a sensed condition or the like.
The valve 106 may be engaged with one or more of the rigid container 102, the flexible container 104, or another component of the container 100, e.g., a component that couples the rigid container 102 and the flexible container 104. The valve 106 may be made from any suitable materials including without limitation one or more of plastic, rubber (or other elastomeric material), metal, and so forth.
The container 100 may include a processor 124 and a sensor 126 to control operation of the valve 106 and otherwise support use of the container 100. The processor 124 and sensor 126 may be disposed in any suitable location(s) in or on the container 100, such as on or within the rigid container 102, the flexible container 104, or the valve 106. The processor 124 may be configured to perform any suitable tasks associated with the container 100, such as to determine the amount of fluid in the flexible container 104 and to calculate the predetermined tilt angle at which to open the valve 106. The processor 124 may also or instead be configured to detect an actual tilt angle and operate the valve 106 according to the actual tilt angle and the predetermined tilt angle. The sensor 126 may be used for one or more of detecting or measuring an amount of fluid, detecting or measuring a property of the fluid (e.g., temperature, pressure, acidity, and so forth), detecting or measuring a tilt angle, or detecting or measuring any other useful property of the container 100, its contents, or components.
The container 100 may include an oxygen scavenger 128 disposed at any suitable location or combination of locations between the interior 116 and the exterior environment 118 in order to mitigate oxygen filtration into the interior 116 of the flexible container 100. For example, the oxygen scavenger 128 may be incorporated into the rigid container 102 as a coating inside or outside of the rigid container 102, or as a material distributed within the material used to fabricate the rigid container. In this manner the oxygen scavenger 128 can be engaged with the rigid container 102, or the materials that make up the rigid container 102 can be fortified with the oxygen scavenger 128 to further minimize oxygen permeation. This may be particularly useful if the rigid container 102 is made from plastic.
The oxygen scavenger 128 may be any oxygen absorber or the like suitable for remove or decreasing the level of oxygen within the interior 116 of the container 100. A variety of oxygen scavengers are known in the art for reducing oxygen in packaged goods, any of which may be adapted for use as the oxygen scavenger 128 contemplated herein. For example, an oxygen barrier resin such as ValOR® Active Bloc 100 from i Corp. may be utilized. Other oxygen barriers are also possible. The oxygen scavenger 128 may also or instead be disposed on the flexible container 104, e.g., as a laminate or a coating, or distribute specifically around joints or seams in the flexible container 104, the valve 106, the rigid container 102, or joints or seams between any of the foregoing.
The container 100 may be shaped and sized to resemble a wine bottle, and the container 100 may be further designed to mimic the feel and user experience of a conventional wine bottle. For example, the container 100 may be shaped and sized to substantially reproduce a 750 ml wine bottle in form, feel, and/or weight. Additionally, the valve 106 may be configured to provide a natural pour for the fluid mimicking a pouring behavior of a standard wine bottle as described herein.
The rigid container 202 may be similar to that described above and may include a top 208, a bottom 210, and a first opening 212. As shown in
The rigid container 202 may further include a vent 236 to permit ingress of atmospheric air into the rigid container 202 as a fluid leaves a flexible container housed therein. As shown in
The neck 230 may be shaped and sized for engagement with the collar 234 of the rigid container 202. The engagement of the neck 230 to the rigid container 202 may form a hermetic seal with the first opening 212 such that a neck opening 244 on the top portion 242 of the neck 230 forms the only opening in the container 200, which if sealed then seals the container 200. The neck 230 may also be sized and shaped for engagement with a flexible container, such as any as described herein. In one aspect, a bottom portion 240 of the neck 230 is fitted to the top of a flexible container forming a hermetic seal with an opening of the flexible container such that the neck 230 acts as a fluid pathway into an interior of the flexible container.
The neck 230 may accommodate the valve 206, or a portion thereof, within its interior. The neck 230 may thus serve to couple the valve 206 and the container 200. The neck 230 may also or instead provide an interface to the dispensing and filling equipment for the container 200, such as a commercial wine bottle filling line.
The top portion 242 of the neck 230 may shaped and sized to accommodate a cap 246. For example, the top portion 242 of the neck 230 may include threads for engagement with an airtight screw cap disposed over the first opening 212 in the top 208 of the rigid container 202. The cap 246 may also or instead be press fit by a bottling system such as a wine bottling system to conform an interior of the cap 246 to an exterior surface of the neck 230 and form a sealed engagement there between.
Manufacturing of the container 200 as described above may include engaging the neck 230 to a flexible container. The neck 230 may then be placed on the top 208 of the rigid container 202 with the flexible container inserted into the rigid container 202. The neck 230 may then be press fitted or otherwise engaged with the rigid container 202. The interior of the flexible container may then be filled with a fluid in a bottling line or the like through the neck opening 244. Because of the configuration of the flexible container inside of the rigid container 202, the flexible container may be filled vertically in a bottling line (as opposed to being filled while lying substantially flat), which can enhance the reduction of headroom air in the filling process. The interior of the flexible container can thus be substantially filled to provide a headroom of air equal to or less than a conventional wine bottle, thus reducing the need to fortify wine with sulfites. After filling, the valve 206 may then be disposed in the neck 230, and the container 200 may be sealed with a cap 246 or the like. In this manner, the container 200 may be designed to be assembled and/or filled in a bottling line, e.g., a wine bottling line.
In an aspect, sealing the container 200 with the cap 246 may be performed by a bottle capper (e.g., a screw-capping machine) that also assists in the insertion of the valve 206 into the neck 230 of the container 200. For example, the valve 206 may be pre-positioned in the neck 230 and then the screw-capping machine applies a force (typically 400 pounds) to push the valve 206 into the neck 230 while simultaneously closing the container 200 with a tear away screw cap closure. In another aspect that supports screw-capping installation, the valve 206 may be pre-installed in a screw cap such that pre-positioning prior to screw-capping is not needed. Alternately, the valve 206 may be functional as a cork for the neck 230 where an additional cap is not desirable, and the valve 206 may be installed in a similar manner to a corking operation. Regardless, valve 206 installation may occur while the valve 206 is in an open position to allow the headroom air displaced during valve insertion to escape before the valve 206 is closed after installation. Pre-positioning and orientation of the valve 206 may also be incorporated into manufacturing techniques.
One skilled in the art will recognize that other manufacturing techniques may be utilized. For instance, the flexible container may be top loaded into the rigid container 202, bottom loaded into the rigid container 202, side loaded into the rigid container 202 (i.e., a clamp collar design or similar), or the rigid container 202 and the flexible container may be manufactured as one integrated unit that requires no assembly. The rigid container 202 may also or instead include mechanical supports or the like for the flexible container.
One or more of the rigid container 202, the sloped portion 232, the collar 234, and the neck 230 may be specifically shaped and sized to be filled in a standard wine bottling line as known in the art. In this manner, the only additional step to traditional wine bottling may be to install the valve 206. Filling in a traditional bottling line may provide for an opportunity to limit headroom air, thus reducing sulphites added to a wine. In one aspect, the container 200 includes a wine having a sulfite content that is less than wine in a glass bottle, or comparable to wine in a glass bottle (as opposed to boxed wine sulfite contents, which are traditionally higher than those of glass bottled wines).
In one aspect, to be compatible with a wine bottling line as known in the art, the neck 230 has an inner diameter appropriate for accepting a filling tube (e.g., about 0.725 inches). Also, the outer diameter of the neck 230 may be appropriate to interface with a bottling line retaining ring (e.g., about 1.15 inches). The neck 230 may further include a ridge or lip on its top portion 242 that allows for a final sealing process to limit pressure on the container 200. In this manner, a sealing mechanism may grasp the neck 230 under the ridge and push the valve 206, where the neck 230 provides a countering force.
The design of the container 200 may provide for an increased shelf or storage life and, after the hermitic seal is broken, an extended dispensing or drinking life, particularly when used for wine preservation. To this end, because the rigid container 202 may be made from an impermeable material that is hermetically sealed until the moment when dispensing is initiated, and because of the inclusion of the valve 206 as described herein, the container 200 can offer improvements over prior art designs for both shelf life and dispensing life.
Once the container 200 is hermitically sealed, and prior to breaking the hermitic seal(s), e.g., by unsealing the cap 246 or removing the sticker 238, the container 200 may provide an extended shelf life. For example, after the cap 246 and the sticker 238 are placed on the rigid container 202 to seal the interior, the container 200 may be configured to maintain a decay of free sulfur dioxide in the wine—a consequence of oxidation—less than thirty percent in normal environmental conditions. An inverse figure of merit for wine preservation is the amount of dissolved oxygen in the wine, which is preferably maintained at a low level. In one aspect, the sealed container 200 may maintain an amount of dissolved oxygen less than one milligram per liter in a first twelve months in normal environmental conditions. While these levels of wine preservation provide satisfactory storage characteristics for many commercial applications, and compare favorably to some current alternatives such as a bag-in-a-box configurations, the container 200 contemplated herein can provide truly superior preservation performance after a first drink has been delivered from the container 200.
While convention wine bottles will last less than a day, and with a bit of labor such as an evacuation pump, may last several days, the container 200 described herein may preserve wine in a manner suitable for drinking and without loss of flavor for several weeks or more. In one aspect, the container 200 may maintain a decay of free sulfur dioxide in the wine less than sixty percent in the first two weeks after dispensing a drink and while stored in normal environmental conditions. In another aspect the container 200 may maintain an amount of dissolved oxygen in the wine less than one milligram per liter in these conditions. In other words, an embodiment provides a storage life of one or more years and a dispensing life of two or more weeks. This permits storage of unopened containers for an extended period up to or exceeding a year, and further facilitates gradual consumption of a wine or the like over time, reducing spoilage by preventing or reducing exposure to atmospheric oxygen.
The valve will now be discussed in more detail. In general, the valve used in the containers discussed herein may create a natural pouring action for the container. The valve may be passive, active, or any combination thereof. In one aspect, a fluid in the container can open the valve via gravity (i.e., passive activation). In another aspect, another active external force may open the valve, e.g., an electromechanical device with a controller or sensor that can detect tilt and open the valve (i.e., active activation). Either way, the valve can be used within the containers discussed herein such that a user's experience is similar to that of a normal wine bottle when pouring wine from the container.
The cracking pressure may be selected such that, when the valve 500 is engaged with a container filled with fluid, the umbrella valve 512 opens when the container is tilted at or above a predetermined tilt angle, which can vary according to the amount of the fluid in the container. The umbrella valve 512 valve may also or instead self-seal to resist a backflow of air (or fluid) when the container returns to a tilt angle below the predetermined tilt angle.
The one or more holes 514 disposed on the bottom 506 of the valve 500 may be arranged in a radial pattern encompassing 360 degrees around an axis of the valve 500 as shown in the figure so that the valve 500 can open at the desired tilt angle or cracking pressure independent of rotational orientation about an axis of the container or valve. The fluid path may also be generally radially symmetrical in order to similarly facilitate rotation-independent filling of the fluid path to prevent air infiltration.
In general, the valve 600 may include two distinct valves that cooperate to seal a fluid such as wine while not in use and permit pouring of the wine as desired. In one aspect the first valve 608 may be a poppet valve or the like that functions like a removable and replaceable cork, while the second valve 612 may be an umbrella valve or the like that functions as a one-way check valve to prevent infiltration of air during and after pouring.
The valve body 602 of the valve 600 may include a chamber, and more specifically a first chamber 616 and a second chamber 618. The first chamber 616 and the second chamber 618 may be in fluid communication thereby forming a large singular chamber. In another aspect, the first chamber 616 and a second chamber 618 may be separate, distinct chambers within the valve 600.
Where the first valve 608 is a poppet valve as shown in the figure, the first valve 608 may include a head 620, a stem 622, a spring 624, and a base 626 that cooperate such that the first valve 608 functions like a cork for the aperture 610 (and, in some instances, the container as a whole).
The head 620 of the first valve 608 may hermetically seal the aperture 610 thereby isolating the chamber of the valve 600 (and more specifically the first chamber 616 of the valve 600) from the exterior environment 628. The head 620 may be movable within the valve 600, e.g., axially in the direction shown by the arrows 630. The head 620 may also or instead be rotatable within the valve 600, e.g., for locking an axial position of the head 620 within the valve 600. Other locking means are also possible for locking a position of the first valve 608 within the valve 600, e.g., a toggle or the like. These locking means may secure the valve 600 during transportation, prevent contamination during storage and handling, and so forth. The locking means may also or instead lock the valve 600 in an open, or partially open state.
The stem 622 may be used within the valve 600 to align and position the spring 624 for engagement with the head 620 and the base 626. The stem 622 may also or instead engage the base 626. In an aspect, movement of the stem 622 provides fluid communication between the first chamber 616 and a second chamber 618. In one implementation, the stem 622 may plug a portion of the valve 600, e.g., the base 626 in order to separate the first chamber 616 and the second chamber 618.
The spring 624 may provide a force to the head 620 to keep the poppet valve closed such that the aperture 610 is sealed and the chamber of the valve 600 is isolated from the exterior environment 628. In use, when a predetermined force is applied to the head 620 of the poppet valve, e.g., a downward force, the spring 624 may compress thereby allowing movement of the head 620 in the downward direction and unsealing the aperture 610 exposing the chamber of the valve 600 to the exterior environment 628. When the predetermined force is released, or the poppet valve is otherwise unlocked to return to a closed state, the spring 624 may expand and push the head 620 upward to seal the aperture 610 thereby providing a restorative force for the poppet valve. Although the spring 624 is shown as a coil spring in the figures, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the spring 624 may also or instead include another type of spring or energy storage mechanism capable of providing a force to keep the aperture 610 sealed when the valve 600 is in a closed state and the poppet valve is not being actuated with the predetermined force.
The base 626 may be stationary within the chamber of the valve 600, and may divide the valve into the first chamber 616 and the second chamber 618. The base 626 may include fluid pathways to provide fluid communication between the first chamber 616 and the second chamber 618. The base 626 may provide a stationary engagement area for an end of the spring 624 where the spring 624 is disposed between the base 626 and the head 620 of the poppet valve. In an alternate embodiment, the base 626 is movable within the valve 600.
The second valve 612 may include an umbrella valve as shown in the figure. The umbrella valve may include a top portion 632 and a bottom portion 634. The umbrella valve may seal the holes 614 of the valve 600 in the closed state thereby preventing fluid from entering the chamber of the valve 600 (and more specifically the second chamber 618 of the valve 600) from a container disposed below the valve, e.g., a flexible container. The umbrella valve may similarly prevent fluid and air trapped within the chamber of the valve 600 from returning to the container when in a closed state. In general, the umbrella valve may be calibrated at a cracking pressure, such that the weight of a certain amount of fluid (e.g., wine) can open the top portion 632 of the umbrella valve during pouring.
The top portion 632 of the umbrella valve may resemble the top of an umbrella for which the valve is named. When disposed in a sealed position, as shown in
The bottom portion 634 of the umbrella valve may resemble a stem that protrudes through the bottom 606 of the valve 600. The bottom portion 634 may position the umbrella valve within the valve 600 and prevent axial displacement of the umbrella valve. The engagement between the umbrella valve 612 and the valve 600 may thus be facilitated by the bottom portion 634, e.g., through an interference fit or the like.
While in the closed state, the valve 600 may include fluid, e.g., wine or the like, disposed within the chamber of the valve 600. This may be beneficial to the long-term functionality of the umbrella valve 612. Although fluid may be disposed within the chamber of the valve 600, the poppet valve 608 may provide a visually clean appearance. Also, after a pouring operation when the container is straightened, fluid captured on the top 604 of the valve 600 can funnel back into the chamber through the aperture 610. A top surface of the valve 600 may include appropriate sloping to accommodate this funneling. The first valve may then be sealed with fluid in the chamber, which maintains the second valve (e.g., keeps it wet), prevents fluid (e.g., wine) from molding or the like, ensures that fluid does not spill, e.g., while swapping containers (e.g., when using a ‘smart container’ system as contemplated herein), and ensures that the containers can be stored in a refrigerator or the like without the fluid within the valve 600 drying out, which could limit the lifespan of the second valve 612. Because it may be detrimental for the umbrella valve to dry out, it may be desirable for the chamber to provide a relatively large volume along the fluid path between the first valve 608 and the second valve 612. Alternatively, the first or second valve may be designed to resist deterioration under dry conditions, e.g., through the selection of durable materials.
The open state of the valve 700 in
Actuation of the poppet valve 708 may be accomplished through applying a predetermined downward force on the poppet valve 708 thereby displacing the head 720 from a first position where it is sealing the aperture 710 to a second position where the aperture 710 creates a fluid pathway between the chamber of the valve 700 (and more specifically the second chamber 718 of the valve 700) and the exterior environment 728. Movement between the first position and the second position may include axial movement of the head 720 sliding at least partially into the valve body 702. Actuation of the poppet valve 708 may also or instead include a manual control (e.g., a push button on the container, the valve body 702, or elsewhere), an automatic electromechanical device having a sensor that detects tilting and opens accordingly (the device may also or instead detect a potential spill and close the poppet valve 708), and so forth.
Actuation of the umbrella valve 712 may be accomplished through application of a cracking pressure that lifts the top portion 732 of the umbrella valve 712 and creates a fluid pathway through the one or more holes 714 from a container below the valve 700 into the chamber of the valve 700 (and more specifically the first chamber 716 of the valve 700). The cracking pressure may be provided by the weight of a fluid applied to the top portion 732 of the umbrella valve 712 through the holes 714 when the container including the valve 700 is tilted at or above a predetermined tilt angle, where the predetermined tilt angle varies according to an amount of the fluid in the container. When the container is straightened, the fluid no longer applies the cracking pressure to the top portion 732 of the umbrella valve 712 and the umbrella valve 712 may self-seal to resist a backflow of air and fluid when the container returns to a tilt angle below the predetermined tilt angle.
A path of the fluid through the valve 700 during a pouring operation will now be described.
When the valve 700 is in an open state, and a container including the valve 700 is tilted at or above a predetermined tilt angle such that fluid provides a cracking pressure to the top portion 732 of the umbrella valve 712, the top portion 732 of the umbrella valve 712 flips upward as shown in
The poppet valve 808 may include a head 820, a stem 822, a spring 824, and a base 826. The umbrella valve 812 may include a top portion 832 and a bottom portion 834.
The valve as contemplated herein and as described above with reference to the figures may, in general, include a first valve that functions like a cork, where a container including the valve is closed (i.e., hermetically sealed), e.g., during storage or transportation. While in an open position, the first valve may allow a second valve to perform the function of pouring a fluid of the container while resisting the backflow of air from the outside environment.
In another aspect, it is possible to deliver the functionality of both storage and pouring while resisting backflow with only a first valve, e.g., a poppet valve. In this embodiment, the poppet valve may be opened at a tilt angle selected to ensure that the valve body is flooded with fluid during pouring, and as such, only fluid can flow out of the valve while air cannot flow into the cartridge. The function of such a valve can be provided by an electromechanical mechanism (e.g., a motor) that opens and closes the poppet valve when the appropriate tilt angles are detected in the act of pouring.
In yet another aspect, it is possible to deliver the functionality of both storage and pouring while resisting backflow with an umbrella valve or the like that is used in conjunction with a cap, e.g., a tear-away screw cap. In this embodiment, the cap may protect the fluid during storage and transportation. After the cap is removed, the pouring (tilting) action may create the cracking pressure necessary to open and pour the fluid through the umbrella valve, while still resisting a backflow of air. Straightening the container (untilting) may close the umbrella valve.
Implementations described herein may provide a desired balance between cracking pressure, flow rate, and residual fluid within the container and valve. For example, excessive cracking pressure may equate to excessive residual fluid. In contrast, not enough cracking pressure may create the risk of the backflow of air.
As described below, a container may include a housing that integrates a variety of features for a richer consumer experience.
The housing 900 may be configured to accept and cooperate with a container (such as any of the containers described herein), recognize the container, and display information relating to the contents of the container on a display. The housing 900 may include electrical and mechanical elements to provide useful features, including without limitation, metering how much fluid is dispensed, controlling how much fluid is being poured out of the container, estimating or tracking the amount of fluid remaining in the container, and so forth.
The housing 900 may include a top end 902 and a bottom end 904. The housing 900 may be shaped and sized to receive a container, such as the rigid container described above. The rigid container may be removably and replaceably coupled to the housing 900, e.g., through an opening 906 in the bottom end 904 of the housing 900. This design may facilitate modular, concurrent use of multiple containers with different fluids contained therein. When engaged, the housing 900 may enclose a majority of the rigid container.
The housing 900 may also include a spout-shaped accessory 908. The spout-shaped accessory 908 may be removably and replaceably coupled to the rigid container, where the spout-shaped accessory 908 is shaped and sized to attach to and enclose the opening of the rigid container. The spout-shaped accessory 908 may include a spout opening 910 along the fluid path to facilitate pouring of the fluid from the interior of the container. The spout-shaped accessory 908 may interface with the container and isolate the fluid path. The spout-shaped accessory 908 may be removable and washable.
The housing 900 may include a control 912 to manually eject a container included in the housing 900. The control 912 may also or instead be used to open and close a valve of the container system (or a separate control may be used for manually controlling the valve or performing other functions). As shown in the figure, the control 912 may include a push button or the like.
The housing 900 may include a display 914, e.g., a touch screen or the like in place of a label. Included within the display 914, or in addition to or in lieu of the display 914, the housing 900 may include a content delivery platform expressed through an LCD display, LED display, OLED display, or other display, which can receive updates through any suitable communications interface. Alternatively, a server 916 or the like may provide back end services to the housing 900.
The server 916 may support delivery of any traditional content to the housing 900 and its display 914, as well as social networking content and the like. A communications interface 920 of the housing 900 may also or instead support a data feed from the housing 900 to the server 916 in order to track user preferences, usage data, purchase orders, and so forth. The housing 900 may also or instead passively monitor the amount of fluid being dispensed using any suitable techniques such as accelerometer data and a pouring algorithm.
In general, the housing 900 may be part of a ‘smart container’ system. In particular the housing 900 may be a Wi-Fi connected device that has sensors to recognize a wine or the like contained therein (e.g., via radio frequency identification (RFID) or the like). The housing 900 may also or instead include one or more of the following features: it can display its label or other pertinent information via the display 914, it can sense and display its ideal drinking temperature, it can measure and control the amount of fluid that is poured (e.g., the housing 900 is capable of free pours or measured pours-1 to 2 oz for tasting, 5 oz for a glass, etc.), and so forth. The spout-shaped accessory 908 may include features to facilitate the elements of the smart container system.
In order to deliver appropriate, relevant content, the housing 900 may identify the container using a variety of different techniques. For example, the container may include an RFID tag or other technology for wirelessly delivering identifying information to the housing 900. A sensor, such as an infra-red (IR) break-beam or the like, may detect when a container has been inserted into the housing 900 so that the housing 900 knows to start scanning for information such as by looking for an RFID tag via a RFID receiver. RFID tags can conveniently alleviate any need for a separate power supply on the container, but other techniques may also or instead be used for short range wireless communications including without limitation Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (or any other species of 802.11 communications), Near Field Communications, and so forth. A contact solution may also or instead be employed, such as identifying chips (much like that in printer cartridges) that identify containers and provide supplemental information about their contents. In one aspect, the RFID tag or identifying chip on the container may include a memory such as a non-volatile memory that can store variable information such as a temperature history or an amount of beverage remaining in the container. An amount of remaining beverage can be downloaded to the housing 900 when coupled to the container, and may be displayed by the housing 900 or otherwise used to manage pouring, display information, or otherwise control operation of the housing 900.
While a variety of suitable wireless techniques for transmitting information are available, other techniques may also or instead be employed. In one aspect, a bar code, QRC symbol, OCR-readable text, or the like may be placed on an exterior of the container in a location where it can be scanned by the housing 900 when the container is inserted therein. In another aspect, a number of electrical contacts in a plug, cradle, or the like may be provided so that the housing 900 can electrically couple to and communicate with the container. In this latter implementation, power may also be provided from the housing 900 to the container via one or more power contacts. In another aspect, particularly useful where a small number of varieties of beverages are used, the container may be mechanically encoded so that the housing 900 can determine contents of the container based on a mechanical engagement with the housing 900. Any technique for encoding information in this manner may be used such as a series of bumps, ridges, holes, slots, or other mechanical features, and combinations of the foregoing.
From a content delivery perspective, the container being inserted into the housing 900 may be identified, either via RFID or some other method, so that the corresponding label and corollary content can be displayed. The communications interface 920 may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, WiMAX, or the like in order to deliver data to a remote server 916 and receive data from same. For example, the housing 900 may deliver purchase requests and consumption data, which may be delivered at any level of granularity. For example, consumption data may track when a container is emptied or replaced, when a drink is dispensed, how much liquid was dispensed, and so forth. At the same time, the housing 900 may receive content, such as detailed information about a particular wine (geography, aging, history, grapes, alcohol content, weather information for the winery or other conditions that might affect wine flavor, serving suggestions (temperature, breathing, and so on), reviews, social network content, commercial content from a vintner, etc.). The housing 900 may also store local information relevant to wine consumption such as current wine temperature, air temperature, amount of beverage remaining, time since the container was first breached, and so forth. Any or all of this information may be presented in the display 914, which, as discussed above, may include a touch screen or other user interface control so that a user of the housing 900 can navigate to relevant information, make purchases, provide feedback or ratings, and so forth.
The foregoing may be advantageously configured for an alignment-independent communications interface that can operate independently of the rotational alignment of a container inside the housing 900. The container may also or instead be mechanically keyed to enforce a specific rotational alignment during insertion. Proper insertion of the container into the housing 900 can be ensured through feedback, e.g., mechanical (a ‘click’ or the like) or otherwise.
In one aspect, the information may provide or enhance a ‘story’ behind the fluid being dispensed (e.g., wine, craft beer, and so forth). Thus, a ‘smart label’ may be provided on the display 914 of the housing 900 for displaying such information. The housing 900 may download the information from a remote server 916 or read information from a container, and present this information in a multi-page or multimedia presentation which may include interactive content delivered, e.g., through a touch screen or the like in which a user can navigate within a user interface supported by the smart label to learn a story behind a wine. Other information generally or specifically related to a fluid may also or instead be provided. This may include without limitation recommended food pairings, recipes, serving suggestions, similar wines, and so forth.
Similarly, some beverages are better consumed if decanted for a period of time after being dispensed. In this case, the housing 900 can alert the user with information on how long the beverage should be decanted.
The housing 900 may include a memory 918. The memory 918 may store data including without limitation user feedback, ratings, notes or the like, which may be retained for private use by the consumer or shared in a social networking platform. This data may also be used, e.g., with the consumer's permission, to provide recommendations of wines with similar tastes, pricing, marketing information/offers, and so forth.
In another aspect, the housing 900 may be used to manually, automatically, or semi-automatically order replacement beverages based on a user's consumption history. Thus, the housing 900 may operate as a home wine management device that, e.g., determines when a container has been finished and proactively inquires whether the consumer would like to order another container. The consumer may also, either using the smart label interface or separately in a web interface for the server 916 or the like, establish a collection of favorites that can be automatically re-ordered when nearing completion of the container.
The communications device 1016 may include an RFID receiver, quick response (QR) code reader, or the like. The communications device 1016 may identify and extract information from the container to be inserted into the housing 1000. As shown in the figure, the communications device 1016 may be mounted in close proximity to the top of the inserted rigid container. Other locations are also possible.
The sensor 1018 may include any of the sensors as described herein including without limitation a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an accelerometer, an optical sensor, and so forth. The sensor 1018 may be configured to provide specific environmental information related to a fluid in the container, e.g., a beverage for consumption. For instance, a temperature sensor can measure the temperature of the container, either directly or indirectly, e.g., using a contact or non-contact temperature sensing technique. This temperature (or other sensed property) can be compared to the ideal serving temperature of the container, and the housing 1000 can alert the user as to whether or not the beverage is within its ideal serving temperature range. The housing 1000 can also offer a suggested time to wait before the beverage is within the ideal serving temperature range. As shown in the figure, sensors 1018 may be mounted in various locations of the housing 1000, including on the board having the secondary microcontroller 1024. Other locations are also possible.
The housing 1000 or container can also monitor temperature (or other properties) over time. By logging temperature in the container, temperature history may be downloaded and processed by the housing 1000 when the container is inserted so that, e.g., a consumer can be alerted of potentially spoiled or unsafe contents.
In an aspect, a contactless IR temperature sensor is used to simplify mechanical design and potentially increase the longevity of the device. The sensor 1018 may be located relatively low on the container or in a floating device disposed in the fluid in the container in order to measure a liquid temperature even when the fluid level is low.
A variety of other sensors or monitoring functions may also or instead be usefully incorporated into the housing 1000. By way of non-limiting example, the housing 1000 may monitor contents of the container either by direct sensing or by inference based on, e.g., how much has been dispensed. This may be used to display information on the display 1014 relating to, e.g., the number of drinks left in a bottle, the volume of liquid remaining, or any other suitable information relating to the remaining contents. In another aspect, a sensor 1018 may be used to track whether a container has been used before, and if so, when it was first breached, how often it has been removed from and returned to the housing 1000, and so forth. This information can be used to display useful shelf life remaining on the beverage in the container. Other information such as temperature history (as discussed above) may be used to augment this calculation and more accurately predict useful shelf life. For certain beverages, such as unfiltered beverages with sediment or carbonated beverages that can be pressurized by physical agitation, it may be appropriate to determine how long the container has remained still. An accelerometer or other suitable sensor 1018 may be used to track motion of the container or housing 1000 and evaluate whether it might be inappropriate to access a beverage at a particular time.
In one aspect, during pouring, the housing 1000 may use flow rate, tilt angle, previous estimates of remaining beverage in the container, or other information to estimate and update the amount of beverage remaining in the container to present to the user. The housing 1000 may also actively manage measured pours, either in response to user positioning of the housing 1000 or in response to the use of a particular button or other control. For example, the housing 1000 may include a finger operated button (e.g. on the neck or other convenient location) that can be depressed to measure a one ounce tasting pour or a five ounce full glass of wine. Similar buttons may also or instead be provided in the user interface of the display 1014. In another aspect, the housing 1000 may automatically stop a pour with an actuated valve or other mechanism. The pour may, for example, stop after a standard wine glass pour, or the user may control the amount of fluid dispensed in a pour using, e.g., user preferences in the display 1014. The housing 1000 may also or instead provide a user notifications such as an audio, visual, or tactile alerts that a certain pour amount has been reached.
The processor 1020 may be disposed on a circuit board and be configured to work in conjunction with a memory to provide a user interface (UI), e.g., in the display 1014, and to otherwise receive and transmit data and control operation of the housing 1000. The processor 1020 may run on a Linux/Android platform or any other suitable hardware, firmware, or operating system.
The processor 1020 may support content delivery. Various informational assets, e.g., information for display on the smart label described above or usage data gathered from the consumer for communication to a remote server, may be stored locally, such that the content is available in the absence of connectivity. In addition to software upgrades and the like, the housing 1000 may periodically check for updates to the content, which can be downloaded and stored locally as new content is made available. In the same manner, usage data may be relayed back to a server in a periodic or event driven manner such that the user's drinking profile can be kept up to date.
The housing 1000 may also include secondary processing devices including without limitations microcontrollers, co-processors, digital signal processors, and the like. For example, a secondary microcontroller 1024 may be used to gather sensor data, manage power, support signal processing functions, communicate such data to the processor 1020, and so forth. In one aspect, the secondary microcontroller 1024 may be a lower power device relative to the processor 1020 in order to advantageously offload maintenance tasks and lower level functions, such as power management, battery charging, temperature sensing, RFID readings, accelerometer readings, and so forth. The secondary microcontroller 1024 may also monitor an accelerometer or other sensor(s) or device(s) and “wake up” the processor 1020 and other system components when bottle activity is detected, e.g., when the housing 1000 is touched or picked up.
The control 1022 may include a manual control such as a button or the like for various functions as described herein. For example, in one aspect, a user can press (or activate) the control 1022 to initiate a container swap. In an aspect, to swap containers, a user presses the control 1022 on the housing 1000 to eject a container and insert another one. Because of the design of the containers as contemplated herein, full or incomplete containers can be stored as appropriate, either vertically or horizontally.
The control 1022 or another component may also or instead be used to hold the container in place when the housing 1000 is transported and ensure proper sealing between the container and the intended flow path of the liquid through the housing 1000.
The housing 1000 may be powered by a battery or any other suitable electrical energy storage device or system. There are several options for charging a battery, including contact and non-contact solutions. For example, inductive charging may be employed using any suitable wireless coupling technique for short range transmission of power. In another aspect, the housing 1000 may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug for coupling to a USB cable or docking station, which may provide power to the battery through a local charging circuit or the like. In another aspect, a proprietary contact coupling may be provided in a docking station, which may be coupled to an external power source for directly charging the battery or for powering a local charging circuit on the housing 1000, e.g., via a docking station coupling/interface 1026. More generally, any other standardized or proprietary coupling configuration may also or instead be employed to charge the battery as desired.
The housing 1000 may include a housing opening 1028 on its top end, where the housing opening 1028 is disposed along a fluid path of the container to facilitate pouring of the fluid from the interior of the container. The housing opening 1028 may also cooperate with the spout-shaped accessory 1008 for engagement on the housing 1000.
The housing described above with reference to the figures may actively or passively open the container in a variety of manners. For example, the housing may simply open the container when the container is inserted into the housing, and keep the container open until it is removed, or the housing may provide a manual opening/closing mechanism to open and close the container. In another aspect, the housing may actively (e.g., with sensors and actuators) or passively (e.g. through a non-powered switch or other mechanism) open and close in response to pouring motions, e.g., when the housing is tipped or when pressure is exerted on a valve or the like. This permits the housing to pour naturally while also closing during non-use to limit oxygen exposure and preserve shelf-life. In one aspect, the housing may mimic the natural pouring behavior of an opened bottle or beverage container, so that no additional or unnatural motions or actions are required from a user other than tipping the housing to pour, or possibly tipping the housing in combination with activating a button or other control. In another aspect, the housing may include a spill-proof mechanism. This may, for example, be a passive mechanical system that seals automatically when the housing rapidly changes position, or this may be an electromechanical system using inertial sensors or the like to detect motion that is associated with accidental tipping or the like, and to actively seal the container during suspected accidents.
The container 1102 may be any as discussed herein, and may include a rigid container 1108 and a flexible container 1110. The rigid container 1108 may include a first opening 1112 having a collar 1114 that engages with a neck 1116, where the neck 1116 is engaged with the flexible container 1110 forming a fluid pathway through a second opening 1118 thereof.
The housing 1104 may be configured for engagement with the container 1102. The engagement between the housing 1104 and the container 1102 may be through any known means in the art including without limitation a snap fit, an interference fit, a clasp, a latch, a screw fit, and so forth. The engagement between the housing 1104 and the container 1102 may allow for the spout opening 1120 of a spout-shaped accessory 1122 on the housing 1104 to be in fluid communication with the interior 1124 of the flexible container 1110 through the neck 1116, i.e., as permitted by the valve 1106.
In one aspect, when the container 1102 is inserted into the housing 1104, a mechanism 1132 mechanically holds the container 1102 in place in such a manner that the container 1102 does not fall out accidentally during pouring and other handling of the container system 1100. The mechanism 1132 may also or instead ensure a proper seal between the container 1102 and housing 1104 such that no liquid leaks beyond the intended flow path during dispensing and no air infiltrates the interior 1124 of the container 1102. It will be understood that these three functions of preventing air infiltration, maintaining a fluid path, and mechanically retaining the container 1102 in the housing 1104, may be performed collectively by a single mechanism or by several different mechanisms operating independently or collectively.
In another aspect, a guillotine design is employed to hold the container 1102 in place. In this configuration, a ring, collar, clasp, or similar may hold the container 1102 in place until the user dispenses the container 1102 from the housing 1104, e.g., through a user interface on a display of the housing 1104 or by manually pressing a button or the like on the housing 1104, which releases the mechanism and disengages the container 1102.
The housing 1104 may form a sealed path for dispensing the fluid contained in the container 1102. In particular, the spout-shaped accessory 1122 may interface with the top of the container 1102 to create a sealed path to pour the fluid from the interior 1124.
The valve 1106 of the container 1102 can be passively or actively actuated by the housing 1104 to enable pouring of the fluid while maintaining a natural pouring action for a user. For example, in an aspect, the housing 1104 includes a valve control 1126 including a sensor 1128 configured to detect a valve condition and an actuator 1130 to open or close the valve 1106 in response to the valve condition. The valve condition may depend upon a tilt angle being achieved, user input through an interface on the housing 1104 or a mechanical control, a sensed condition of the container 1102 or the fluid disposed therein, and so forth. In an aspect, the valve 1106 is automatically opened when the container system 1100 is in a pouring position, and closed when in an upright position. In this manner, the container system 1100 may provide a natural experience of pouring a beverage without requiring the operator to do anything beyond what is required to pour a standard bottle.
One of ordinary skill will recognize that other means for automatically opening and closing the valve 1106 in response to a valve condition or a container condition are also possible and are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.
In another aspect, a manually activated open and close feature such as twist of the top of the housing 1104, a button on the housing 1104, or any other control feature, may be provided such that a user can manually open and close the valve 1106.
The housing 1104 may include a stopper or the like that can be inserted to protect contaminants from entering the housing 1104 or container 1102.
The results of the container system discussed above, i.e., using the combination of the container and the housing, may also be achieved independently through either the container or the housing. One or more of the container and the housing may also or instead rely on an external mechanism that interfaces with and actuates a valve on the container or the housing.
It may be useful for the container systems described herein to have an estimate of how much beverage is remaining, particularly where the housing or container is opaque and thus precludes visual inspection. To perform this estimation, the flow rate of the beverage out of the container system can be estimated based upon the remaining beverage and the tilt angle of the container system using any suitable physical or empirical model for a particular valve configuration. These flow rates may be integrated over time during pours to predict how much beverage has been poured out during a single pour. This amount may then be subtracted from the known total remaining in the container system. In one aspect, the containers can be assumed to start completely full and further assumed to be only used with a specific housing so that the container system can independently estimate usage. In another aspect, the amount of beverage can be stored on an RFID tag on the container, and updated in any suitable manner such as after each pour or whenever the container is removed from the housing.
X, Y, and Z axis acceleration data can be provided by an accelerometer on the container system. Using this data and knowing an orientation of X, Y, and Z axes relative the container system, the pitch can be calculated using the equation below.
This equation is dependent on accelerometer orientation in the container system, and can change based on this orientation. As such, it is preferred that the accelerometer remain firmly fixed in place.
The X, Y, and Z acceleration vectors may be read in by a microprocessor and the pitch calculation may be performed on board the microcontroller.
The ‘pouring profile,’ which is a characterization of the amount of beverage being poured out of a container system at a given fixed angle can thus be characterized. Several examples are discussed below.
The derivative of the line 1306 in
Also, because the relationship between time and the amount of liquid poured out of a container system can be measured, a relationship between flow rate (mL/s) and the amount of liquid poured out can be determined, as shown in the figure discussed below.
In the first graph 1400 of
In the second graph 1410 of
As shown by
Several pouring profiles at different fixed angles can be constructed, and a regression can be run on each individual one, yielding a best fit equation describing the relationship between flow rate and residual liquid at a given fixed angle. For instance, at each angle measured, a polynomial equation in the form y=mx+b can be fitted to the data measured.
These m and b coefficients vary from angle to angle, but when they are plotted versus the sine of their corresponding angles, a linear correlation can be found, as shown in the figure discussed below.
In the first graph 1500 of
In the second graph 1510 of
Using the best fit lines pictured in
The equations for the lines in
Using an iterative approach, an estimate of beverage remaining can be computed. For example, if the container starts at with 0 mL poured out, and it is tilted to 20 degrees, the flow rate can be calculated by using the lines in
The latest estimated amount of liquid left in a container may be recorded at the end of a pour to be used as the starting point for the next set of calculations, and also to give a real time indicator of how much liquid is remaining in the container (e.g., expressed through a set of LEDs on the housing, or otherwise shown on the display).
It will be appreciated that the above mathematical derivation and other graphical depictions are provided by way of example only. Depending on the shape of the container, properties of any internal flexible container or sealing container, and the shape and mechanics of the valve, as well as numerous other factors, the actual behavior may vary significantly.
Other techniques may also or instead be used to measure the remaining liquid including without limitation optical analysis of the interior of the container or the fluids therein, weight of the container (which may be measured, e.g., using a suitable arrangement of pressure sensors, piezoelectric elements, or the like), and so forth.
Advantages of the systems and devices discussed herein may include extended preservation of contents, the ability to be filled in a traditional bottling line, low headroom air that leads to low sulphite contents (similar to, or below that of a glass bottle), the ability to include a 750 ml bottle size, aesthetically pleasing bottle packaging, long shelf life and drinking life, and so forth.
Additionally, the systems and devices may enhance the ability of a consumer to appreciate the story of the beverage, which can be richly retold through any suitable multimedia using the display capabilities of the ‘smart’ system. Additional benefits may include guidance on a proper serving (e.g., proper temperature and suitable breathing time), accurate serving sizes through free or measured pours, shopping assistance (e.g., through purchasing from a user interface), and targeted information such as promotions, offers, and recommendations based on user profile and drinking profile. For a beverage producer, benefits may include access to user demographics and drinking data, as well as the ability to communicate a rich story for the beverage beyond the label.
Devices, systems, and methods for spill prevention are now described. The following devices, systems, and methods may be used, e.g., with any of the systems, devices, and techniques described above, or any other dispensing system using interchangeable fluid containers or the like.
As discussed above, a dispenser for use with an interchangeable container of fluid facilitates consumption of a beverage gradually over time, e.g., one glass at a time. The dispensing system may usefully reduce spoilage by preventing exposure of the beverage to atmospheric oxygen or other contaminants. The container may be removably attached to the dispenser in a manner that permits pouring of a liquid in the container through the dispenser's neck/spout. The container may be removed from the dispenser, e.g., before it is empty, and may automatically reseal in response to such a removal. The container or another container may subsequently be replaced into the dispenser for further decanting. Implementations may thus include mechanisms for a user to switch among beverage containers before they are empty so that a user can have access to many types of beverages (e.g., different wines) at the same time, or over a span of several days, weeks or months, without requiring multiple dispensers.
The dispenser may also usefully mitigate spilling or leakage when switching or using a container. For example, residual fluid in the neck/spout of the dispenser may usefully be recaptured (e.g., in the container and/or in the dispenser) within a sealed volume of the container so that the residual fluid is preserved and does not spill when the container is removed/replaced. In order to ensure that the residual fluid does not exceed the recapture capacity of the container or dispenser, various techniques may be used. For example, a two-stage valve may include a fluid reservoir or chamber between two valves in a flow path through the spout: a one way valve to seal the container while not pouring, and a spring loaded poppet valve or the like downstream of the one way valve to seal the container when it is removed from the dispenser. In one aspect, the reservoir, e.g., the chamber enclosed by the two valves when the poppet valve is closed, has sufficient capacity to receive pooled fluid in the two-stage valve when the container is turned upright after a pour, and preferably little or no additional volume in order to reduce entrapment of air within the chamber after sealing. The two-stage valve may also or instead include channels to flow outbound fluid around the reservoir during pouring. By channeling the flow of fluid around the reservoir in this manner, the reservoir can remain empty and available to receive return fluid while the pouring occurs. The channeling may be especially advantageous during peak pouring rates or other similarly high-throughput states, where the reservoir might otherwise be filled by the high flow rate fluid.
In general, accumulated residual liquid in the dispenser, spout, or container downstream of the sealing valve—e.g., liquid that could remain in the spout and spill during the switching of containers—is referred to herein as “pooling,” “pooled liquid,” “residual liquid,” and the like. When the container is removed from the dispenser and the spring valve closes, any of this pooled liquid might become trapped in the neck or spout of the dispenser and may spill when the container is removed.
Two types of pooling may exist—dynamic pooling and static pooling. Dynamic pooling can occur when the dispenser is briskly pouring liquid and a fluid path for a liquid is filled by a large or maximum flow rate, and a corresponding volume of (dynamic) fluid within the fluid path. When a pour is ended quickly, any residual liquid within this fluid path (e.g., that is not decanted) may remain in the neck/spout of the dispenser. While the various valve designs described herein generally contemplate a reservoir between two differently-purposed valves, the amount of fluid in the fluid path may exceed the capacity of this reservoir, particularly when a flow rate is high and/or a pour is terminated quickly. By contrast, static pooling generally occurs when the dispenser is pouring liquid slowly such that an amount of residual liquid accumulates (in a nearly steady state manner) in the neck/spout of the dispenser above a sealing valve. In either case, any fluid exceeding the capacity of the reservoir can create spillage when a container is removed from a dispenser and the cartridge is sealed.
The dispensing device 1600 (which may be otherwise referred to herein as the dispenser) may include a spout 1602 having an exit 1603 with a leading edge 1606 for pouring a liquid over the leading edge 1606 and out of the exit 1603.
The dispensing device 1600 may further include a container 1604. The container 1604 may include an interior 1605 for holding the liquid and an opening 1607 for dispensing the liquid to the spout 1602. The container 1604 may include a bottle or the like as shown in the figure. The container 1604 may also or instead include a collapsible or flexible housing, e.g., where the interior 1605 includes a variable-sized volume for holding the liquid, or some combination of these, such as a collapsible bag within a rigid bottle.
The dispensing device 1600 may include a valve assembly 1650. The valve assembly 1650 may include a two-stage valve engaged with the opening 1607 of the container 1604 and disposed between the interior 1605 of the container 1604 and the exit 1603 of the spout 1602. The valve assembly 1650 may be operable to control dispensing of the liquid from the container 1604 to (and out through) the spout 1602.
The valve assembly 1650 may include a chamber or reservoir 1620 formed between a first valve 1630 and a second valve 1640. One of ordinary skill will recognize that the terms “chamber” and “reservoir” may be used interchangeably herein, particularly when referring to the volume disposed between the first valve 1630 and the second valve 1640, unless explicitly stated to the contrary or otherwise clear from the text.
The first valve 1630 may include a passive valve such as an umbrella valve or any of the other passive valves described above. The first valve may respond, for example, to the orientation of the dispenser 1600 or the like to permit flow of liquid from the interior 1605 under suitable conditions. The second valve 1640 may include an active valve such as a poppet valve or any other valve that can be controllably mechanically opened and closed at appropriate times. During pouring, the first valve 1630 and the second valve 1640 may be opened such that the liquid can travel from the interior 1605 of the container 1604 through the valve assembly 1650 and into the spout 1602 for pouring over the leading edge 1606 and out of the exit 1603.
The reservoir 1620 may have a predetermined volume and a predetermined shape. The predetermined volume and the predetermined shape of the reservoir 1620 may be selected such that a maximum amount of pooled liquid upstream of the valve assembly 1650 in the spout 1602 when the container 1604 is disposed at a maximum tilt angle before the liquid pours over the leading edge 1606 is less than an unoccupied volume in the reservoir 1620 available to receive any of the liquid pooled upstream of the valve assembly 1650 when the container 1604 is returned to an upright, vertical orientation. In this configuration, the reservoir 1620 may be capable of receiving any returning fluid as a pour is concluded. Still more specifically, the shape of the reservoir may be balanced so that after a pour, when in the upright position, the fluid substantially fills but does not substantially overfill the capacity of the reservoir 1620. This is explained in further detail below.
As mentioned earlier, static pooling may occur when a user pours slowly from a full or nearly full container 1604, such that residual liquid collects in the spout 1602 of the dispensing device 1600—i.e., the first pooled liquid 1610 shown in the figure. For a properly shaped reservoir and spout, the volume of residual liquid that can collect in the spout 1602 is theoretically equal to a complementary volume of air within the reservoir 1620. The volume within the spout is shown in the figure as a generally triangular shape formed on the bottom by a boundary of the spout 1602. The top of this generally triangular shape (i.e., the top surface of the first pooled liquid 1610) is shown in the figure formed by a line 1612 that connects the highest level 1614 of liquid in the container 1604 and the leading edge 1606 of the spout 1602, which is the level that liquid in the reservoir 1620 and spout 1602 will reach in fluid equilibrium. When the container 1604 is full, the slope of this line 1612 is steep relative to a plane 1618 disposed along an opening of the container 1604 (for illustrative purposes, this plane 1618 is shown at a top of the reservoir 1620), creating a relatively substantial amount of pooling when a user pours a relatively small amount of liquid slowly from the container 1604, or simply tips the container 1604 until fluid is about to pour over the leading edge 1606, as shown.
For a suitably shaped and sized reservoir 1620, a generally complementary volume of air may form above a second pooled liquid 1616 in the reservoir 1620. This region 1608 appears as a generally triangular shape within the reservoir 1620 between a first valve 1630 and a second valve 1640 and above the second pooled liquid 1616. This region 1608 (while this is a “region” in
Thus, in an aspect, a volume of air present in the reservoir 1620 of the valve assembly 1650 when the container 1604 is disposed at the maximum tilt angle, or at an equilibrium pouring angle, may be at least equal to a volume of fluid in the spout 1602.
While this general notion is straightforward, it will be understood that ensuring an adequate recapture volume may depend on a relatively large number of factors. For example, the reservoir 1620 likely contains hardware relating to the valves and so forth, so the actual volume available for fluid may vary significantly. Similarly, the shape of the interior of the container 1604 and the position of the first valve 1630 and the second valve 1640 relative to the leading edge 1606 will all govern the position and amount of pooled fluid. Certain dispensers 1600 may have longer necks and be subject to greater pooling. A desired relationship between the volume of pooled liquid and the volume of air in the chamber or reservoir 1620 of the valve assembly 1650 may be accomplished through one or more of the positioning of the valve assembly 1650 along the dispensing device 1600, the shape and size of an interior volume of the reservoir 1620, the design of the container 1604 (i.e., the positioning of the highest level 1614 of liquid in the container 1604), and so forth.
A link between static and dynamic pooling may also exist. This link can occur when a borderline pooling condition arises, e.g., through a return to dynamic pooling with a rapid change in tilt after a slow/careful initial pour, or through a return to static pooling as equilibrium returns after an abrupt change, or when a new pour is initiated. This can lead to varying conditions, such as where the chamber of the valve assembly 1650 is full at the beginning of a subsequent pour. In this instance, unless the chamber is vacated and the fluid disposed therein is exchanged for air, excess pooling may occur during a subsequent pour, i.e., because there is no vacant capacity in the chamber of the valve assembly 1650 to recapture liquid in transit within the spout 1602 as a flow of fluid through the valve assembly 1650 is initiated. This latter condition may worsen as the excess pooling increases through a number of successive pours. Thus, implementations as described herein may be advantageously used to provide a solution for such conditions, or to mitigate or eliminate such conditions.
Implementations may include features to recapture any such static and dynamic pooling. This may, for example, include designs that provide enough recovery volume (e.g., in the chamber of the two-stage valve assembly 1650) to receive pooled liquid back inside of this chamber. The system may also or instead be designed such that there is never more pooled liquid (under either or both of static and dynamic pooling) than an available volume of the chamber within the two-stage valve assembly 1650.
The container 1604 may include any of the containers described herein. For example, the container 1604 may include a variable-sized interior for holding a liquid, where the variable-sized interior is coupled in fluid communication with an entrance of the valve assembly 1650. The container 1604 may include a first opening 1607 in fluid communication with the valve assembly 1650. The first opening 1607 may include a neck of the container 1604 or dispensing device 1600, or an aperture included therein or at an extremity thereof. More generally, the first opening 1607 may include any opening or combination of openings suitable for dispensing fluid from the container 1604 through the valve assembly 1650. The valve assembly 1650 (or in some instances, simply a housing containing one or more features of the valve assembly 1650 as described herein) may be engaged with the first opening 1607 of the container 1604 and operable to control dispensing of the liquid from the container 1604 as generally described herein.
The spout 1700 may include a body 1701 having a first end 1703 for pouring fluid and a second end 1705 shaped and sized to mate with a valve assembly of a container when the container is placed for use in a dispenser. In one aspect, the spout 1700 may include a flexible region 1702 between its ends that permits axial displacement of one end relative to the other end. In an aspect, the flexible region 1702 may include an elastic region formed by over-molded rubber or the like acting as a living spring within the spout 1700. By incorporating a spring into the body 1701 of the spout 1700, a sealing gasket pressure can advantageously be created and matianed without any sliding parts. A spring force for the flexible region 1702 may be selected so that, when the spout 1700 is placed for use in a container, the flexible region 1702 maintains a sufficient but not excessive sealing force to a fluidic seal between the spout 1700 and the container, e.g., along the face seal 1708. Thus, in an aspect, the body 1701 of the spout 1700 may act as a spring, where the relationship between the releasing arm 1706 and the face seal 1708 (sealing surface) remains fixed.
The spout 1700 may include an interface 1704 for engagement with a valve assembly or the like, e.g., a valve assembly that is included on a container that is inserted into the dispenser. The interface 1704 may include the releasing arm 1706 or any other similar feature structurally configured to mechanically open a valve on a container. The interface 1704 may also include the face seal 1708 structurally configured to create a fluidic seal between the spout 1700 and the container as the valve is opened by the releasing arm 1706. As described above, the spout 1700 may also or instead include any number of flow channels for directing flow outside of and around an interior of a corresponding valve assembly. The spout 1700 may include any corresponding number of grooves 1720 or similar features to accommodate a mechanical engagement with one or more of the valve assembly, the container, or the dispenser, e.g., for sliding into and out of engagement with such components. Such grooves or pathways may also or instead be formed on an interior 1730 of the spout 1700, e.g., for fluid flow within the spout 1700. Thus, in an aspect, such grooves or pathways may align with corresponding grooves or pathways formed in a valve assembly or container.
While an O-ring or similar seal might be used at the physical interface between these components to form a fluidic seal, forming an effective seal on such a gasket typically requires tight manufacturing tolerances and significant force—e.g., axial force exerted by the spout 1700 during coupling to a container. By providing a flexible region 1702 within the body 1701 of the spout 1700, e.g., between one end (which is physically fixed to the dispenser) and another end (which must mate to a container inserted into the dispenser), the spout 1700 can accommodate a wider range of physical dimensions of containers while forming a spring-tensioned seal between the container and the dispenser, more specifically where the valve assembly mates with the spout 1700. For example, the flexible region 1702 of the spout 1700 may accommodate a wide range of gross positional and dimensional tolerances of the components of the device (e.g., the spout attachment, the dispenser housing, and the container latching system), while properly maintaining the desired displacement of the active valve (e.g., poppet valve or other mechanical valve) from a closed to a fully open position through the cooperating geometries of the releasing arm 1706 and the face seal 1708.
Although not shown, it will be understood that the spout 1804 may be coupled to a dispenser or other aesthetic or functional shell for the container 1840. The spout 1804 may be engaged with a neck of the dispenser though one or more engagement features 1805 such as threads (for a screw fit), bayonet (for a twist-lock fit), ridges (for a friction fit), or the like in order to retain the spout 1804 in mechanical engagement with the dispenser during use. The spout 1804 may be integrated into the dispenser or permanently coupled to the dispenser, e.g., using adhesives, epoxies, ultrasonic welding, or the like. In another aspect, the spout 1804 may be removably and replaceably coupled to the dispenser to facilitate removal and cleaning as desired. In another aspect, the spout 1804 may include a sleeve, collar or the like for directly coupling to the container 1840 without a dispenser or other ancillary structure.
The valve assembly 1802 may include a first valve 1806 such as an umbrella valve or other one-way valve or the like between an interior 1830 of the container 1840 and the valve assembly 1802 to provide one way flow of a fluid from the container 1840 and out of the spout 1804. The valve assembly 1802 may also include a second valve 1808 for controllably sealing the container 1840 and/or valve assembly 1802 when the container 1840 is uncoupled from the spout 1804 or a dispenser (not shown) containing the spout 1804.
The spout 1804 may include a flexible region 1810 that can exert an axial spring force at the sealing interface 1812 between the valve assembly 1802 and the container 1840 to form a fluidic seal along the fluid flow path 1801 at an interface between the valves (e.g., the first valve 1806 and the second valve 1808) and the spout 1804. In one aspect, the flexible region 1810 may be formed by a coil spring or other spring mechanism incorporated into the spout 1804 in order to provide a spring force when the spout 1804 is axially loaded. In another aspect, the flexible region 1810 may be formed by a living spring or the like integrated into the body of the spout 1804, such as by providing a number of flexible bellows or other structures that can reversibly collapse and expand to accommodate a decreased axial length of the spout 1804 while providing a contrary axial spring force.
As noted above, the valve assembly 1802 may include a chamber or reservoir 1820 to capture residual liquid that passes into the neck 1814 of the spout 1804.
The interface 1812 between the spout 1804 and the valve assembly 1802 may form a fluidic seal, e.g., with a gasket or other device to retain fluid within the fluid flow path 1801. Engagement of the spout 1804 and the container 1840 may activate the valve assembly 1802 in the container 1840 thereby enabling liquid to be dispensed. To facilitate a proper insertion and engagement, and to accommodate an ergonomic feel, the flexible region 1810 of the spout 1804 may provide an axial spring force during insertion that provides a variable axial force by the spout 1804 against the valve assembly 1802 at the interface 1812 and encourages a fluidic seal along the flow path 1801 at the interface 1812. The spring force of the spout 1804 may also or instead be used for aiding the ejection of the container 1840 from a dispenser, or otherwise decoupling the container 1840 from the spout 1804. Also, the length of the flexible region 1810 of the spout 1804 may be selected to create a spring force that has minimal variation over the spring travel, making the insertion process more consistent across variations in containers 1840.
In general, the container 1840 may include or otherwise be coupled to the valve assembly 1802, and may include any of the containers described herein. The container 1840 may include a body 1844 formed of a rigid material to support the container 1840 during storage and handling. The body 1844 may have an exterior shaped and sized to removably and replaceably couple into a dispenser such as any of the dispensers described herein. As noted above, the spout 1804 may be integrally formed into, permanently attached to, or removable from and replaceable to a dispenser. In other embodiments, the spout 1804 may include a sleeve, collar or similar structure for connecting to the container 1840 independently from a dispenser. In general, the container 1840 contains a fluid within an interior 1830. The interior 1830 may be lined by a flexible membrane or other collapsible structure inside the container that defines a containing volume and conforms to a volume of fluid within the container 1840. This collapsible structure may shrink as the fluid is dispensed in order to maintain a continuous barrier between the fluid and an external environment that might otherwise contaminate or spoil the fluid.
The spout 1804 may include a stem, post, or other mechanical feature (e.g., the releasing arm 1816 shown in the figure) positioned to displace the second valve 1808 in the valve assembly 1802 when the container 1840 is placed for use (e.g., inserted into a dispenser associated with the spout 1804), thereby mechanically opening a portion of the fluid flow path 1801 and facilitating pouring of the fluid out of the spout 1804. In one aspect, the releasing arm 1816 may be manually operable, e.g., using a button or lever disposed on an exterior surface of the container 1840 (or a dispenser in which the container 1840 is housed), so that the second valve 1808 can be opened or closed manually while the container 1840 is coupled to the spout 1804. This permits more complete sealing of the container 1840 for intermediate duration storage without requiring removal of the container 1840 from a dispenser. In another aspect, the releasing arm 1816 may be biased by a flexible biasing member 1818 such as a spring or cantilevered arm in order to better regulate force that is applied to the second valve 1808. The releasing arm 1816 may also or instead be movable, e.g., via a controllable actuator, a slider, or the like.
The dispensing system 1800 may further include a collar 1832 or fitment for the container 1840. The collar 1832 may generally serve to retain the valve assembly 1802 and the container 1840 in a fixed, mechanical engagement to one another to facilitate use with a spout 1804 and dispenser as contemplated herein. In general, the collar 1832 may be coupled to or incorporated into the container 1840, the dispenser, the valve assembly 1802, or some combination of these. In an aspect, a flange 1836 or the like may be can be included in the valve assembly 1802, where the spout 1804 is compressed by the flange 1836 disposed in the valve installed in the collar 1832.
The valve system 1900 may include an entrance 1910, e.g., for receiving a fluid from a container or the like and for directing the fluid through the valve system 1900 and into a spout for dispensing in a pour. The entrance 1910 may include one or more openings that are sealed by a passive valve when the dispensing system is not in use, where the passive valve permits the flow of fluid from the container and into the valve system 1900, preferably a one way flow, through the one or more openings during a dispensing operation. The entrance 1910 may direct fluid into one or more flow channels 1906 as discussed herein. The entrance 1910 may also or instead direct fluid into the valve system 1900, e.g., into a reservoir or chamber 1920 of the valve system 1900.
The valve system 1900 may include an exit 1912 downstream in a fluid path from the entrance 1910. The exit 1912 may be formed at an end of one or more of the flow channels 1906, and may provide a flange or shield to prevent fluid from exiting the flow channels 1906 as a high-velocity jet.
The valve system 1900 may include a first valve 1930 and a second valve 1940 such as any of the valves and valve systems described herein. In general, the first valve 1930 may provide a one-way path for a fluid from the entrance 1910 toward the exit 1912 along the fluid path, and may be configured to open to pour a liquid when a container is tilted to a predetermined tilt angle such that the weight of the fluid provides a cracking pressure to actuate the passive valve. The second valve 1940 may be disposed downstream in the fluid path from the first valve 1930, and may be structurally configured for controllably sealing and unsealing the exit 1912 of the valve system 1900.
The second valve 1940 may include or otherwise be engaged with a spring 1942 or the like. The spring 1942 may bias the second valve 1940 into a closed position. For example, the spring 1942 may be disposed below at least a portion of the second valve 1940 to apply an axial spring force upward to engage an edge of the second valve 1940 against an aperture in the body 1902 of the valve system 1900 thereby sealing the aperture. A force may be applied to the second valve 1940 (e.g., by an attached spout) that counters the spring force to open the second valve 1940. For example, in an aspect, a removable and replaceable spout may include an arm or a post to displace the second valve 1940 against the spring 1942 into an open position.
The valve system 1900 may include a reservoir or chamber 1920 disposed between the first valve 1930 and the second valve 1940 to receive fluid during a pour and/or retain fluid after a pour.
The chamber 1920 may include a top 1922 on a downstream end and a bottom 1924 on an upstream end. The chamber 1920 may be sized and shaped to dispense the fluid from the chamber 1920 out of the exit 1912 when the chamber 1920 is tilted off a vertical axis, and to retain fluid in the chamber 1920 when the chamber 1920 is on the vertical axis. The chamber 1920 may also or instead be sized to recapture residual liquid in a spout when the dispenser is set upright after pouring briskly, e.g., on a table or counter.
As discussed herein, the valve system 1900 may be designed to recapture and preserve transitional fluids in both static and dynamic pooling contexts. To this end, the valve system 1900 may include one or more channels, e.g., flow channels 1906 or the like as described herein. The flow channels 1906 may be structurally configured to direct the fluid path from the entrance 1910 to the exit 1912 while bypassing the chamber 1920. This arrangement may maintain an available volume within the chamber 1920 of the valve system 1900 (of air) for receiving pooled liquid after a pour. In other words, by steering the flow path of liquid around the interior volume of the chamber 1920 and restricting the flow rate, a volume can be maintained within the reservoir sufficiently large to receive pooled liquid when the dispenser is returned upright after a pour.
The flow channels 1906 may be incorporated into or disposed on the body 1902 of the valve system 1900 in any suitable manner. For example, the flow channels 1906 may be disposed along a periphery of the chamber 1920. In one aspect, the flow channels 1906 may provide a high rate flow path toward the exit 1912. These high flow areas may be disposed within, but separate from (i.e., not in direct fluid communication with) the interior volume of the chamber 1920 so that, during high-flow situations, most or all of the fluid entering the valve system 1900 at the entrance 1910 will bypass the chamber 1920. In one aspect, these flow channels 1906 may provide the only flow path from the entrance 1910 such that the reservoir 1920 does not fill with fluid during a pour to stay as empty as possible for receiving pooled fluid after the pour. In another aspect, the valve system 1900 may also include one or more low-rate flow paths to ensure that the reservoir 1920 adequately fills in a low-flow or non-flow situation, e.g., where a dispenser is tilted and stationary as a pour concludes. At the same time, a back path from an external environment into the reservoir 1920 may be provided or maintained during pouring so that, for example, air can enter or leave the reservoir 1920 as the valve system 1900 tilts and the volume of liquid in the reservoir 1920 changes.
The dispensing device 2000 may include a valve system 2010 (which may otherwise be referred to herein as simply the “valve”) engaged with the first opening 2006 of the container 2002 and operable to control dispensing of the liquid during a pouring operation.
The valve system 2010 may include a chamber 2020 formed within a housing 2012 of the valve system 2010. The valve system 2010 may include a second opening 2014 on a top portion 2016 of the housing 2012 providing a first fluid path 2050 between an interior volume of the chamber 2020 and an external environment 2001. The first fluid path 2050 may be configured to dispense liquid included in the interior volume of the chamber 2020 during the pouring operation, where the first fluid path 2050 is configured to receive exchanges of air and liquid between the chamber 2020 and the external environment during pouring operations. The valve system 2010 may also include one or more flow channels 2018 providing a second fluid path 2060 between the interior 2004 of the container 2002 and the external environment 2001 that bypasses the chamber 2020 inside the valve system 2010. The second fluid path 2060 may be configured to dispense liquid from the interior 2004 of the container 2002 to the external environment 2001 during the pouring operation. For example, when the dispensing device 2000 is tilted for a pour during a pouring operation, the liquid may travel from the interior 2004 of the container 2002 through the second valve 2040 (e.g., the one-way valve), into the one or more flow channels 2018, and out to the external environment 2001.
As discussed herein, the valve system 2010 may include a two-stage valve having a first valve 2030 and a second valve 2040. It will be noted that, in the figure, the first valve 2030 is shown as an active valve and the second valve 2040 is shown as a passive valve, where in other figures the first valve is shown and described as the passive valve and the second valve is shown and described as the active valve. As noted above, the terms “first,” “second,” and the like are words of convenience, and are not intended to specifically designate a type or location of valve unless otherwise expressly stated or clear from the context.
The first valve 2030 may be movable between a first position in which the first fluid path 2050 is open and a second position in which the first fluid path 2050 is sealed (in the figure, the first valve 2030 is in the second position), and may be manually displaced, e.g., by insertion of a spout or operation of a manual control or the like. In an aspect, the first valve 2030 being disposed in the second position, e.g., a sealed position, will seal both the first fluid path 2050 and the second fluid path 2060.
The second valve 2040 may be structurally configured to open one or more of the flow channels 2018 when the container 2002 is disposed at or above a predetermined tilt angle so that liquid can be poured from the container 2002. In complementary fashion, the second valve 2040 may seal one or more of the flow channels 2018 when the container 2002 is disposed below the predetermined tilt angle to resist a backflow of air into the interior 2004 of the container 2002. The predetermined tilt angle may vary according to an amount of liquid in the interior 2004 of the container 2002. The second valve 2040 may also or instead open the one or more flow channels 2018 during a pouring operation when the second valve 2040 is exposed to a predetermined cracking pressure caused by the liquid in the interior 2004 of the container 2002 and may seal the one or more flow channels 2018 when the second valve 2040 is exposed to pressures below the predetermined cracking pressure to resist a backflow of air into the interior 2004 of the container 2002. The cracking pressure may be generated when the height of the liquid in the container 2002 is greater than the height of the liquid in the exit of the spout or valve system 2010. The first valve 2030 and the second valve 2040 may be configured such that the second valve 2040 opens the one or more flow channels 2018 only when the first valve 2030 is in the first position and the second valve 2040 is exposed to a pressure at or above the predetermined cracking pressure.
The features of the spouts and valve systems described above may advantageously control fluid flow in a manner that encourages filling, but not overfilling, of a chamber of a valve system so that a user can confidently switch between non-empty containers without risk of atmospheric exposure, leakage, spilling, and so forth.
It will be appreciated that the devices, systems, and methods described above are set forth by way of example and not of limitation. Absent an explicit indication to the contrary, the disclosed steps may be modified, supplemented, omitted, and/or re-ordered without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Numerous variations, additions, omissions, and other modifications will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, the order or presentation of method steps in the description and drawings above is not intended to require this order of performing the recited steps unless a particular order is expressly required or otherwise clear from the context. Thus, while particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure and are intended to form a part of the invention as defined by the following claims, which are to be interpreted in the broadest sense allowable by law.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Prov. App. No. 62/262,658 filed on Dec. 3, 2015. This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/675,095 filed on Mar. 31, 2015 and U.S. application Ser. No. 15/061,294 filed on Mar. 4, 2016. The entire content of each of the foregoing applications is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62262658 | Dec 2015 | US |
