Pressurized Wine Dispensing for Oxidation-Free Volume Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for storing and dispensing wine-in-bag products face challenges such as preservation, space efficiency, precise metering, and aesthetic issues, particularly in commercial environments, where they fail to provide a scalable and modular solution for controlled dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A pressurized liquid storage and dispensing system that stores liquids in an anaerobic environment and uses a controlled pressure source to selectively dispense them through a conduit, allowing for precise volume control and rapid, accurate dispensing without mechanical pumps, which addresses the limitations of previous solutions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wine is stored in traditional bottles and exposed to air for dispensing, then dispensing is simple, but wine deteriorates and spoils due to oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by storing wine in a pressurized environment filled with inert gas (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) to prevent oxidation. The wine container is sealed within this inert atmosphere, and the pressurization system maintains the inert environment throughout storage and dispensing operations, thereby preserving wine quality without traditional bottle limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical bottle-opening and pouring systems with a pressurized dispensing system. Instead of manually opening bottles and pouring, the system uses controlled pressure application to force wine through dispensing nozzles, enabling precise metering and automated dispensing while maintaining wine quality through the inert pressurized environment.
2Productivity
If wine-in-bag products are used to reduce cost, then storage efficiency improves, but precise metering and aesthetic issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual or simple mechanical dispensing mechanisms with a pressurized flow control system. By applying controlled pressure to the wine-in-bag container, the system achieves precise metering of dispensing volume through pressure regulation and flow control mechanisms, enabling accurate portion control while maintaining the space-efficient wine-in-bag format.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using a pressurized gas system to control wine flow from the bag. The pressurization system regulates pressure to achieve precise dispensing volumes, and the hydraulic properties of the wine under pressure enable controlled flow through dispensing nozzles, solving the metering precision problem while maintaining storage efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional bottle dispensing is used, then initial setup is simple, but operational costs increase due to labor and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by implementing an automated pressurized dispensing system that operates without manual intervention. The system automatically maintains pressurization, controls dispensing volumes, and manages multiple wine containers, eliminating the need for continuous human labor in monitoring and dispensing operations, thereby reducing operational costs while maintaining ease of initial setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by maintaining constant pressurization in the storage environment. This continuous pressurized state enables uninterrupted dispensing operations, prevents wine deterioration by continuously excluding oxygen, and allows for efficient batch dispensing without repeated system setup or manual intervention, reducing operational waste and costs.
4Reliability
If wine is stored in pressurized environment, then oxidation is prevented, but dispensing requires additional pressure control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a pressurization system that performs multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains the inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation, provides the driving force for wine dispensing, and enables precise flow control. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise be separate systems into one integrated pressurization mechanism, reducing overall system complexity.
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 enables efficient, precise, and scalable dispensing of liquids over various distances with minimal waste and enhanced wine quality by avoiding oxidation, reducing operational costs, and improving the user experience in both commercial and consumer settings.
Implementation Method 1
storing wine (or other liquids) in a pressurized environment to ensure that the stored liquid does not come into contact with air
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a controlled source of pressure force to apply a sufficient pressure to the pressurized environment to expel the desired volume of the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive system and method advantageously enable superior preserved storage and selective dispensation of liquids by storing wine (or other liquids) in a pressurized environment to ensure that the stored liquid does not come into contact with air, and then by selectively dispensing a portion of the stored liquid, in accordance with a desired dispensing regime, by utilizing a controlled source of pressure force to apply a sufficient pressure to the pressurized environment to expel the desired volume of the liquid in a pressurized stream directed to a dispensing/pouring interface through a conduit or equivalent delivery system. In at least several novel embodiments thereof, the system and method of the present invention are configured for use with wine-in-bag (“WinB”) products.