Vacuum Wine Stopper With Integrated Pump And Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wine stoppers do not effectively manage air inside the bottle after sealing, leading to oxidation and a decrease in wine quality due to inability to discharge air, affecting the taste and preservation of remaining wine.
Innovation Solution
A wine stopper equipped with a vacuum pump, measurement assembly, and automatic control system that creates a vacuum in the bottle by drawing out air, ensuring a consistent vacuum level and preventing oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the original cork is pressed back to the bottle opening, then outside air cannot enter the wine bottle, but the air inside the bottle cannot be discharged, which still affects the taste and quality of the wine
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the functions of sealing and vacuuming into distinct components: a sealing assembly with a sealing member that closes the bottle opening, and a vacuum system with a vacuum pump connected through a communication hole in the cork. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be simple while adding vacuum capability independently, resolving the contradiction between preservation quality and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cork is designed with multi-functionality: it serves both as a seal (blocking outside air) and as a vacuum conduit (allowing air removal through the communication hole). The sealing member provides the sealing function while the integrated vacuum pump system provides the vacuum function, making the overall system universal in addressing both sealing and air removal needs.
2Reliability
If a vacuum pump is added to remove air from the bottle, then wine quality preservation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum pump system is merged with the sealing assembly into an integrated unit. The vacuum pump, communication hole, sealing member, and control circuit are combined in a unified structure that fits into the bottle opening. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system while maintaining the vacuum function for wine preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates automatic control features where the microcontroller automatically controls the vacuum pump operation based on sensor feedback about the bottle's internal pressure or vacuum level. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual operation and complex user intervention, simplifying the system's operational complexity while ensuring reliable wine preservation.
3Reliability
If automatic control is implemented to maintain vacuum level, then wine freshness is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device implements a feedback control system where sensors monitor the vacuum level or air pressure inside the bottle, and the microcontroller adjusts the vacuum pump operation accordingly. When the vacuum level drops below a threshold, the pump activates to restore it; when the threshold is met, the pump stops. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent wine freshness while using a simple on/off control strategy rather than complex continuous regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device prevents oxidation by maintaining a vacuum environment that excludes oxygen from contact with the wine. By actively removing air and maintaining negative pressure, the system accelerates the prevention of oxidative degradation, ensuring wine freshness through a straightforward vacuum maintenance approach rather than complex chemical preservatives.
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 wine stopper maintains the quality of remaining wine by automatically controlling the vacuum level, preventing air from entering and ensuring the wine remains fresh by removing air from the bottle, thus preserving the taste.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump for vacuuming the wine bottle
Implementation Method 2
a measurement assembly for detecting a vacuum degree of the interior of the wine bottle is set in the chamber
Implementation Method 3
the silicone plate seals the cavity at one end thereof in the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wine stopper capable of being vacuumized, the wine stopper comprising a base capable of covering an outer side of a wine bottle, and a shell enclosing a cavity with the base. A boss capable of being clamped in a bottle opening is arranged on one side, away from the shell, of the base. The wine stopper further comprises a power source arranged in the cavity and a vacuum pump capable of creating a vacuum in the wine bottle, a through hole capable of communicating the vacuum pump with the interior of the bottle is provided in the boss, a measurement assembly capable of measuring a vacuum degree of the interior of the wine bottle is arranged in the cavity, and the measurement assembly is electrically connected with the vacuum pump.