Wine Maturation Container with Oxygen Permeable Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container assemblies for maturing wine do not adequately address the need for increased volume while maintaining the correct surface-to-volume ratio, supporting the container's shape, elevating it off the ground, allowing full drainage, enabling forklift handling, safe stacking, and eliminating the need for a floating barrier when filled, as well as providing a means to add and remove oak wood.
Innovation Solution
A container assembly with a supported polyethylene body, a frame to prevent bulging, an access opening for forklift tynes, a neck for air flow, an outlet for drainage, and a floating barrier member with a low-density core and plastic film to control oxygen transfer, allowing for vertical stacking and easy addition/removal of oak wood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the container volume is increased, then the storage capacity is improved, but the surface area to volume ratio decreases, affecting oxygen transfer control
Solution Approach 1:
The container body is divided into two functional zones: a main body portion and a neck portion. The neck portion has a smaller cross-sectional area than the main body, creating a gradient in surface area to volume ratio. This segmentation allows the overall container to achieve larger volume while maintaining adequate oxygen transfer control through the neck region's higher surface-area-to-volume ratio.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the container is supported by a frame, then the shape stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container utilizes a flexible polyethylene body that can maintain its shape through material properties rather than rigid external support. The frame structure is simplified to provide minimal bracing only where necessary, allowing the flexible shell to perform structural functions and reducing overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If the container is elevated off the ground, then the drainage efficiency is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A frame structure serves as an intermediary between the container body and the ground/support surface. This frame elevates the container body off the ground to improve drainage efficiency while providing standardized attachment points for forklift tynes, thereby maintaining ease of operation through mechanized handling.
4Device complexity
If the floating barrier member is removed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the oxygen transfer control capability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The container design eliminates the need for a floating barrier member by incorporating oxygen transfer control directly into the container walls through controlled permeability materials. The container structure itself performs the oxygen regulation function that would otherwise require a separate floating barrier device, achieving self-service and reducing overall system complexity.
5Ease of operation
If the neck opening is provided, then the ease of operation for filling and accessing is improved, but the risk of contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with a neck opening that allows filling and access operations to be performed before the container is sealed and placed in storage. This preliminary action approach enables controlled filling under supervision, after which the container can be sealed to prevent contamination during long-term storage and maturation processes.
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 solution enables efficient oxygen transfer control, safe handling and stacking, complete drainage, and convenient oak wood management, ensuring optimal wine maturation and handling processes.
Implementation Method 1
the walls of the body having an oxygen permeability within a predetermined range chosen for the liquid being stored
Implementation Method 2
a floating barrier member for providing a permeable barrier to limit oxygen access from the head space in the container to the surface of the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A container assembly for controlling rate of oxygen transfer from the atmosphere into a liquid stored in the container assembly comprising, a container (1) having a body, the walls of the body having an oxygen permeability within a predetermined range chosen for the liquid being stored, a frame (2) for supporting the container and bracing at least one of the walls of the container against bulging, a pair of access openings (3) beneath the frame for allowing entry of the tynes of a forklift, a neck (7) with an open mouth extending from an upper wall of the body, the upper wall being shaped so as to allow substantially all air to flow out of the body through the neck as the container is filled to the level of the bottom of the neck and, an outlet (4) for draining liquid from the container arranged near a bottom wall of the body.