Flexible Bladder Wine Storage with Perforated Dip Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage containers for oxygen-sensitive liquids like wine, such as rigid barrels and tanks, allow air contact, leading to oxidation, contamination, and quality degradation, necessitating the use of sulfites and extensive labor for topping and cleaning, while wooden barrels introduce additional porosity issues.
Innovation Solution
A flexible bladder made of low oxygen permeable polymer material is placed inside a rigid container, equipped with a dip tube for filling, dispensing, sampling, and venting, minimizing air contact and eliminating the need for sulfites, with a pressure relief valve to prevent overpressure and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rigid barrels and tanks are used for wine storage, then the container provides structural support and ease of manufacture, but air contact occurs leading to oxidation and quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder is nested inside the rigid container, creating a dual-layer system where the inner bladder provides the oxygen barrier while the outer container provides structural support. This nesting arrangement allows both rigid and flexible components to work together, eliminating air contact while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible bladder made of polymer materials with low oxygen permeability to replace the direct contact between wine and rigid container walls. This flexible shell conformally surrounds the wine, providing an effective oxygen barrier while allowing the container to be collapsed as wine is dispensed.
2Reliability
If wooden barrels are used for wine aging, then the barrels provide traditional aging characteristics, but porosity issues allow air diffusion and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible polymer bladder replaces porous wooden barrels by providing a non-porous barrier that prevents air diffusion. The bladder material is specifically selected for its low oxygen permeability, eliminating the porosity problem inherent in wooden containers while maintaining the aging function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the flexible polymer bladder with the rigid outer container to create a composite storage system. The polymer material provides oxygen barrier properties that wooden barrels lack, while the rigid container provides structural support, creating a material composite that solves both aging and protection requirements.
3Productivity
If conventional storage containers are used, then the containers provide basic storage function, but extensive labor is required for topping, cleaning, and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder system is designed to be self-draining through the dip tube with perforations, eliminating the need for manual topping operations. As wine is dispensed, the bladder automatically collapses and maintains its position, and the system can be easily cleaned by removing and replacing the bladder without extensive container cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disposable flexible bladders that can be easily removed and replaced, eliminating the need for extensive cleaning of the storage container itself. The bladder is discarded after use and a fresh one is installed, significantly reducing cleaning labor while maintaining sanitation.
4Reliability
If rigid containers are used for wine storage, then the containers provide structural stability, but headspace air contact degrades wine quality over time
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible polymer bladder provides a conformal seal around the wine, eliminating headspace air contact that occurs in rigid containers. As the bladder collapses during dispensing, it maintains contact with the wine surface, preventing oxygen exposure throughout the storage duration and enabling long-term preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested arrangement of the flexible bladder within the rigid container allows the bladder to collapse as wine is dispensed while the outer container maintains its structural position. This nesting system ensures continuous oxygen barrier protection throughout the entire storage duration without the headspace problems of rigid containers.
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
The system effectively minimizes oxidation and contamination, reduces labor and waste, ensures sanitary conditions, and maintains wine quality by eliminating air contact during storage and aging, allowing for reproducible oaking and microoxygenation control.
Implementation Method 1
bags can be manufactured using modern polymer materials that have low oxygen permeability
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for dispensing and storing liquid, such as wine. The system may include a dip tube coupled to a flexible bladder in an airtight manner. The dip tube may include a dip tube head and a perforated dip tube extension extending from the dip tube head into the contents of the flexible bladder.