Beverage Dispensing System with Needle Extraction and Seal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dispensing beverages from sealed containers, such as wine bottles, often introduce reactive gases or damage the closure, leading to quality issues and limited reuse.
Innovation Solution
A beverage dispensing system that secures to the bottle neck, using a needle or conduit to extract the beverage without removing the closure, and injects pressurized gas to facilitate dispensing while maintaining the seal, utilizing a non-optical reader for container identification and a computer system for inventory management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a needle or conduit is inserted through the closure to extract beverage, then beverage can be dispensed without removing the closure, but the closure may be damaged or gas may be introduced into the bottle
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the beverage extraction function from the closure removal function by inserting a needle or conduit through the closure. This allows the closure to remain in place while still enabling beverage dispensing through the inserted conduit, thus maintaining the seal integrity while achieving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A needle or conduit acts as an intermediary element that passes through the closure to establish a fluid pathway. This intermediary allows beverage extraction without removing the closure, and when properly designed, minimizes damage to the closure and prevents gas introduction into the bottle.
2Productivity
If pressurized gas is injected into the bottle via the needle to facilitate beverage flow, then beverage dispensing is enabled, but gas may be introduced into the bottle which can affect beverage quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses inert or food-grade pressurized gas that is safe for contact with beverages. This inert atmosphere prevents chemical reactions with the beverage while providing the necessary pressure to facilitate beverage flow through the needle, thus enabling productivity without causing harmful effects to beverage quality.
3Ease of operation
If the closure is removed for beverage extraction, then complete access to the beverage is achieved, but the closure cannot be reused and air may enter the bottle
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary function (beverage flow path) through the closure by inserting a needle or conduit, rather than removing the entire closure. This allows the closure to remain in place and be reused, preventing loss of substance while maintaining ease of operation for beverage access.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables multiple dispensings without affecting beverage quality, maintaining the seal, and allowing for precise control of dispensing rates and tracking of beverage quantities, while preventing gas introduction into the bottle.
Implementation Method 1
an identification element arranged to be secured to the beverage container and that includes a tag arranged to provide non-optical information to a non-optical reader of the beverage dispenser and that uniquely identifies the tag from other tags
Implementation Method 2
pressurized gas may be injected into the bottle via the needle while the bottle is positioned in the bottle support sleeve
Implementation Method 3
The injected gas may be pressure regulated, e.g., to a pressure of 1.38 - 3.45 bar (20-50psi), or not regulated. For example, pressure in the bottle may allow beverage to flow through the needle and out of the bottle
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for dispensing beverage from a container (700), such as wine from a wine bottle. An identification element (11) may be secured to a beverage container (700) and include a tag (13) and optically readable code (12) that uniquely identify the container (700). A dispenser (1) may dispense beverage from a container (700), and be able to read the tag (13) of the identification element (11). Information regarding characteristics of beverage in the beverage container (700) may be associated with a corresponding identification element (11) and include a brand, type, vintage or volume of beverage in the container.