Oxygen-Absorbing Beverage Stopper for Opened Wine Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions fail to effectively prevent wine spoilage after opening due to residual oxygen, leading to significant waste and flavor degradation.
Innovation Solution
A beverage sealing cap with a tapered stopper made of recyclable thermoplastic elastomer containing an oxygen absorber, such as iron powder, that removes oxygen from the bottle upon resealing, ensuring freshness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum stoppers are used to seal opened wine bottles, then some preservation effect is achieved, but up to 20% of air remains in the bottle causing oxidation and spoilage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful component (oxygen) from the bottle headspace using an oxygen absorber packet. This directly addresses the limitation of vacuum stoppers by not just sealing the remaining air but actively removing the oxygen that causes oxidation, thereby preventing wine spoilage while maintaining bottle sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The oxygen absorber is pre-prepared and sealed in a packet that is inserted into the bottle before the final sealing step. This preliminary preparation ensures that the oxygen removal mechanism is ready to act immediately when activated, preventing oxidation before it can occur during storage
2Ease of operation
If traditional corks or caps are used to seal wine bottles, then the bottle can be resealed, but oxygen ingress occurs leading to flavor distortion and spoilage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates an inert atmosphere inside the bottle by removing oxygen and replacing it with nitrogen or other inert gases. This inert environment prevents oxidation of the wine even when sealed with a traditional cork or cap, combining the ease of traditional resealing with the protection of an oxygen-free environment
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system combines multiple components with different functions: an oxygen absorber packet containing iron powder or other oxygen-reactive materials, a sealing cap or cork, and potentially nitrogen gas injection. This composite approach integrates both sealing capability and oxygen exclusion in a single system
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
Preserves the flavor of wine for several months by maintaining an anaerobic environment within the bottle, significantly reducing waste and spoilage.
Implementation Method 1
The oxygen absorber contains a substance, such as iron powder, or a mixture of substances, that removes oxygen from the air
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage sealing cap that absorbs oxygen keeps a bottled beverage, such as a bottle of wine, fresh after opening and re-sealing. The beverage sealing cap is made with a thermoplastic elastomer stopper containing an oxygen absorber. When inserted into an opened beverage bottle, the stopper seals the bottle to prevent ingress of air, while the oxygen absorber removes the oxygen present in the air inside the bottle. As a result, the contents of the bottle are preserved in a fresh state, avoiding degradation of flavor and waste due to spoilage.