Needle Guide for Sealed Beverage Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for extracting beverages from sealed containers, such as wine bottles, often introduce air or damage the cork, leading to quality issues and repeated handling of the closure.
Innovation Solution
A beverage extraction device featuring a needle with a guide that allows for insertion and extraction without removing the cork, using a conically shaped engagement system to reduce stress on the needle and shield the tip, along with a gas regulator and flow control valves to manage gas and beverage flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a needle is inserted through the cork to extract beverage, then beverage can be extracted from the sealed container, but air may be introduced into the container causing quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
A gas regulator and flow control valve are introduced as intermediary components between the external environment and the beverage container. These components control the introduction of replacement gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) to displace extracted beverage, preventing air from entering the container and thus avoiding oxidation and quality degradation of the remaining beverage.
2Ease of operation
If the cork is removed for beverage extraction, then access to the beverage is achieved, but the cork may be damaged requiring replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary function of cork removal by using a needle to penetrate the cork minimally. Instead of removing the entire cork, a needle is inserted through the cork to access the beverage, allowing extraction while preserving the cork's structural integrity and sealing capability for future use.
3Ease of operation
If the needle is inserted directly without guidance, then insertion is simple, but bending stress on the needle increases
Solution Approach 1:
A needle guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the needle and the cork. The needle guide provides a constrained pathway that directs the needle along a controlled trajectory during insertion, reducing lateral movements and bending stresses on the needle while maintaining relatively simple operation.
4Ease of operation
If the needle tip is exposed during insertion, then insertion control is direct, but the needle tip is vulnerable to contact and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is nested within a protective sheath or guide structure during the insertion process. The protective covering encloses the vulnerable needle tip, shielding it from contact with external objects while allowing the needle to be inserted through the cork. The protective covering can be retracted or removed once the needle is properly positioned.
Data Source
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AI summary
Devices and methods for guiding a needle in movement through a bottle closure, such as a cork, to extract fluids from the bottle without removal of the cork. A needle may be attached to a device body by a needle base, which includes a surface arranged to engage with a needle guide to guide movement of the needle base and needle relative to the guide. A needle guide may also provide a shield for the needle tip and/or a needle opening.