AIR PURGING LID

Abstract

A lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base), is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion is provided for sealing the lid to the container. The dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls forming a circular base of the lid. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls is provided for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to a container lid, and more particularly to a lid device for purging air of out of a container holding a liquid.

2. Description of the Related Art

In today's society, distribution and consumption of consumable beverages have experienced significant growth. Many companies are striving to develop more complex and sophisticated packaging mechanisms for securing consumable liquids, such as wine and other beverages. Many of these packaged beverages are to be sold and distributed throughout the world with a need for greater shelf life. Certain beverages, such as wine, require the consumable liquid be protected from atmospheric gases. As such, a need exists for an air purging lid for protecting the liquid from atmospheric gases.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

Many liquids spoil over time when exposed to oxygen and/or other atmospheric gases, and therefore, must be stored in airtight storage containers that minimize the presence of oxygen and other atmospheric gases. However, a need exists for a solution where a lid forms an airtight seal with a suitable container and purges the atmospheric gases out of the container during the installation process, while simultaneously accommodating thermal expansion and contraction of stored fluid.

Accordingly, various device and method embodiments for a lid device are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed (e.g., accordion shaped) portion extending downwardly to a dome (convex) shaped base, is provided for completely purging air out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container, is also provided. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion and dome shaped base are submerged within the stored fluid when installed on a container. The flexible ribbed portion of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) are elongated as necessary from its relaxed state during the installation of the lid to displace enough stored fluid such that the stored fluid rises along the inside walls of the container to purge out all of the atmospheric gases without the fluid flowing over the container's rim. The flexible ribbed portion of the cylindrical sidewalls allows for the lid to elongate and contract while submerged within the stored fluid to accommodate the stored fluid's thermal contraction and expansion. Once the lid is airtight sealed to the container the atmospheric pressure maintains the force against the lid to hold it in its elongated configuration to maintain the fluid level against the rim of the lid with zero headspace. Once the airtight seal is broken the pressure within the container equalizes with the atmospheric pressure allowing the lid to contract along its flexible ribbed portion, which causes the fluid level to drop from the rim of the container.

In addition to the foregoing exemplary method embodiment, other exemplary system and apparatus embodiments are provided and supply related advantages. The foregoing summary has been provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having one of a variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary installation process, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purging lid device having one of a variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 2A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having a one of a variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a seal directly beneath a lid rim in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 2B illustrates an additional exemplary installation process, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having a one of the variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 3A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized

FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary installation process of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized;

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having an flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, sealed to a container having a narrow mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; and

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having an flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, sealed to a container with a flared mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many liquids spoil over time when exposed to oxygen and/or other atmospheric gases, and therefore must be stored in airtight storage containers that minimize the presence of oxygen and other atmospheric gases. For example, during the aging of wine, if a wine is not protected from both microbial spoilage and oxygen at all times it is likely to spoil. Protecting wine usually involves maintaining proper sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels and keeping containers full. Typically, containers for fluids, that are to be protected from atmospheric gases, maintain a space between the top surface of a stored fluid and the underside of the lid of the container (e.g., headspace) at a reduced pressure with respect to the container's ambient environment. This air space (e.g., headspace) must be maintained to accommodate thermal expansion of the fluid to prevent the lid from being blown off of the container, or to prevent the container from rupturing. To minimize the amount of atmospheric gases trapped within the container during the fluid's bottling/packaging process, a lid is typically installed during a gas evacuation and/or displacement process. This is typically achieved by dispensing an inert gas into the space between the fluid and the lid as the lid is installed and/or by performing the lid installation operation within a vacuum chamber. For example, the headspaces in wine is purged by use of an inert gas to effectively remove the oxygen to greatly increases the amount of protection. However, it is nearly impossible to remove all atmospheric gases from the space maintained between the fluid and the container lid. Typically, tall slender containers are preferred to short wider containers because fluids stored in taller slender containers have less exposed surface area to the entrapped atmospheric gases. In the case of wine, the oxygen uptake depends on the surface area exposed to oxygen and the exposure time. The rate of oxidation increases as the exposed surface area increases. As the rate of oxidation increases the shelf life of the wine decreases before the wine spoils.

Often times, the containers themselves are used for consuming the beverages. Since the space between the lid and the fluid is minimized, to reduce the amount of entrapped atmospheric gases, the container is typically filled such that the fluid level is in close proximity to the rim of the container. However, this increases the likelihood that the beverage will spill when opened by a consumer. In addition, in the case where wine is served in a single use drinking container, having the fluid level near the rim of the container, once the lid is removed, makes it difficult for the user to swirl the wine in the glass so as to allow the wine to breathe and to increase the surface area of the wine to smell the wine's various aromas. In these cases it is desirable to have a greater distance between the top surface of the fluid and the rim of the container.

Because lids are required to maintain a space between the fluid and the lid to accommodate thermal expansion, and because the lid installation process is typically performed in a vacuum chamber, a pressure differential exists between the inside of the container and its external environment. This pressure differential may pull atmospheric gases into the container over time. The oxygen uptake by a fluid depends on the surface area of the fluid exposed to the oxygen and the exposure time. As a result, tall slender containers are preferred for these fluids as opposed to short, wide containers, since taller, more slender containers result in the fluid having less exposed surface area to the space above. In order to accommodate the pressure differential of the lid and containers, both the container and lid walls must be thick enough to withstand the resultant pressures to prevent failure. This may drive up the weight and material usage, and thus increase the costs of the container and lid.

In contrast, and to address these inefficiencies, the illustrated embodiments, as will be described below, provide a solution that purges all air out of the container upon installation while leaving little to no headspace above the stored fluid. In one embodiment, an airtight barrier is formed with the container and the lid. The lid has an opening area (e.g., wide or narrow) that encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases. The base may also be a flexible membrane and/or an elastic membrane base. It should be noted that throughout the description provided herein, the sidewalls may also be cone shapes, rectangular shaped, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and/or a variety of shapes and sizes based upon the variety of types of containers. For example, in one embodiment, the sidewalls may take on the form of a cone shape and may have either a flexible ribbed portion or the sidewalls may be completely rigid, for being adapted and used in a particular container for eliminating the headspace of the fluid within that particular type of container. In another embodiment, the sidewalls may be cylindrically shaped sidewalls having a flexible ribbed portion (e.g., the accordion shaped) and/or the cylindrically shaped sidewalls may be completely rigid or semi-rigid. A lid rim is provided and has an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container. A flexible membrane base, or a base made a another material having one of a variety of shapes and sizes, may be connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and forms a circular base of the lid. The flexible membrane base accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. The lid completely purges air out of a container, upon installation, so as to eliminate headspace by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. The lid changes shape to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the stored fluid. Thus, the lid is uniquely designed for achieving an airtight seal with a suitable container and purges all atmospheric gases out of the container when installed, while accommodating thermal expansion/contraction of the stored fluid.

Moreover, the lid may be designed to function with a variety of container shapes and sizes. The lid can be designed to accommodate any predetermined fluid level within a given container and still purge all of the atmospheric gases out of the container when installed without the increasing the risk of entrapping atmospheric gases. A configuration of the lid with one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion can accommodate multiple fluid levels within a container with the aid of an installation tool which is used to elongate the lid by a variable amount such that the depth in which the lid is submerged into the fluid displaces the necessary amount of fluid needed to purge the atmospheric gases out of the container. The lid purges all atmospheric gases out of the container, which are not dissolved in the fluid, when installed. The lid purges all atmospheric gases out of the container whether the operation is performed within a vacuum or if an inert gas is dispensed to displace the atmospheric gases. The lid can accommodate both thermal expansion and contraction of the stored fluid under a wide range of temperatures. When the seal between the lid and the container is broken or cracked, the pressure is equalized between the inside of the container and its ambient environment allowing the ribbed portion of the cylindrical walls to return to their relaxed retracted state or the allowing the one of the variety of shaped bases of the lid to deform, both of which allow the fluid level along the sides of the container to immediately drop, and thus reduces the chance of the fluid spilling on the consumer. The use of the lid results in a minimal pressure differential between the inside of the container and the lid's external environment. Therefore, volatile gases, dissolved in the fluid, are less susceptible to being pulled out of solution, and the rate of diffusion of atmospheric gases into the container is minimized.

In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of a variety of shaped bases, is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. The lid rim, having an inside portion is connected to the top of one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container. The one of the variety of shaped bases is connected to the bottom of one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls), having the flexible ribbed portion, and forms a circular base of the lid for facilitating the purging of the atmospheric gases out of the container. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls), having the flexible ribbed portion, is provided for accommodating thermal expansion and for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level such that the lid purges all of the atmospheric gases out of the container. It should be noted that the variety of shaped sidewalls may be comprised and designed to have a variety of structural types, including but not limited to, rigid, semi-rigid, flexible, u-shape, c-shape, accordion shape, V-shape, concave, convex, spiral shaped (e.g., spring like structure), and/or other type of structure types according to the container type. For example, in one embodiment, by way of example only, the sidewalls may be completely rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible and cone shaped, or the sidewall may be cylindrically shaped having a flexible ribbed portion that comprises all or part of the cylindrically shaped sidewalls. With the flexible ribbed sidewalls, the lid may accommodate complete and/or partial purging of the atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to either eliminate or minimize headspace by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid or provide for a small void that is intentionally left between the fluid's top surface and the lid rim. In the scenario with the lid leaves the small void created by only the partial purging of the atmospheric gases, the lid would be designed such that when it is fully elongated it does not displace enough fluid such that the fluid reaches the lid rim. Therefore the void is maintained between the fluid and the lid rim to ensure no fluid spills out of the container when the lid seal is broken. This void can be free of atmospheric gases if the lid installation operation is performed in a vacuum and/or with the aid of an inert gas to displace the gases. This void would be over a minimized surface area of the fluid. Once the seal is broken the elongated flexible ribbed walls would contract to lower the fluid level further away from the container's rim.

Also, as described below, the variety of shaped bases may have a variety of material types. For example, in one embodiment, by way of example only, the base may be comprised of a flexible membrane having the ability to adjust to a variety of shapes and sizes for accommodating thermal expansion.

In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to a substantially dome shaped base, is provided for completely purging atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container, is also provided. The substantially dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, with the flexible ribbed portion forming a circular base of the lid, for facilitating the purging of the atmospheric gases out of the container. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, having the flexible ribbed portion for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level such that the lid purges all of the atmospheric gases out of the container, is also provided for accommodating thermal expansion.

In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to a substantially dome shaped base, is provided for reducing a surface area of a fluid exposed to entrapped gas within a container upon installation so as to minimize head space. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls and an outside portion, is also provided for sealing the lid to the container. The substantially dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, for forming a circular base of the lid.

In one embodiment, if any gases are entrapped within the container, the entrapped gases may be contained between a region of the lid and container such that the gases only come in contact with a very small surface area of the fluid. The lid accommodates thermal expansion and contraction of the fluid to prevent the container from rupturing.

As mentioned previously, in the case of wine, the oxygen uptake depends on the surface area exposed to oxygen and the exposure time. The rate of oxidation increases as the exposed surface area increases. As the rate of oxidation increases, the shelf life of the wine decreases before it spoils. Thus, the lid of the present invention allows for extending the shelf life of the wine by purging the air out of the container at the time of installations.

Turning now to FIG. 1A, an exemplary air purging lid device 100 having one of a variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion is depicted. In FIG. 1A, a lid 100 has an opening area 101 that is encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A with a flexible ribbed portion 104B extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106. (It should be noted that in FIG. 1A, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and the flexible ribbed portion 104B are represented respectively with 104A and 104B for purposes of illustrating the flexible ribbed portion 104B of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A. However, FIGS. 1B-C are simply labeled as 104 to include the flexible ribbed portion 104B as part of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A. In other words, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A of FIG. 1A may include the flexible ribbed portion 104B in both FIGS. 1B-C, but is only listed generally as 104.) The lid 100 displaces a fluid by forcing the fluid up along the outside of the sidewalls 104A and a container up to a lid rim 102 thereby eliminating the headspace. The lid rim 102 is provided and has an inside portion 102A connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and an outside portion 102B for sealing the lid to the container. (It should be noted that the lid rim 102 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A or may be detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). The lid rim 102, as well as other parts of the lid 100, may be flexible and/or pliable for forming and securing the lid to the container. The lid rim 102 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of geometric shapes or positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. The lid rim 102 may be shaped and constructed for “snapping” the lid onto the container for securing the lid 100 to the container. Moreover, the lid rim 102 may include one of a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for the lid 100 to be sealed and/or secured to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. For example, the lid rim 102 may have a sticky, glue like substance that is applied to the underneath portion of the lid rim 102, and a user or machine may press or form the lid rim 102 to the container with the glue or adhesive material attaching (e.g., bonding/sealing) the lid rim 102 to the container. Moreover, the use of a snapping design of the lid rim 102 may be used in conjunction with the adhesive material for both “snapping” and sealing the lid 100 and the lid rim 102 to the container. The lid 100 may also included threads for twisting the lid 100 onto a container and the threads may be located and designed on a portion of the lid rim 102 and/or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A.

The one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base and/or flexible membrane base) 106 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and forms a circular base of the lid 100. It should be noted that the one of a variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A or may be a detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). The ribbed portion 104B of the sidewalls 104A allows for the contraction and elongation of the lid 100 about the longitudinal axis of the container to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, respectively, of the stored fluid in the container. The one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 prevents gas from being trapped underneath the lid 100 by having a substantially convex or dome shape while being submerged in fluid within the container. The dome shaped base 106, as well as the entire lid 100, provides for zero permeability to oxygen (e.g., the permeability including that of the dome shaped base 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion 104B of the lid 100 and of the junction zone between the lid 102 and a container). The zero permeability makes it possible to conserve a wine or other liquid in the long term, preferably more than ten months, without exceeding a tolerable quantity of oxygen. To do this, the cylindrical sidewalls with the flexible ribbed portion 104B of the lid 100, the dome shaped base 106, and other parts of the lid device 100 are made of a material that is not permeable or practically not permeable to oxygen in the long term.

If a user requires any part of the lid 100, including the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion 104B, and/or the rim of the lid 102 to not be entirely “zero permeable”, the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A with the flexible ribbed portion 104B, and/or the lid rim 102 of the lid 100 must have a very low overall permeability, after the lid 100 has been installed onto a container, with a permeability of not more than 10 cubic centimeters per square meter per 24-hour period (cm³/m²/24 h), so as to conserve a wine or fluid for at least ten months. However, if it is not required to store the wine/liquid for more than ten months, based upon a users preference and need, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion 104B of the lid 100, the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, and other parts of the lid device 100 may be greater than or less than the 10 cubic centimeters per square meter per 24-hour period (cm³/m²/24 h), for conserving a wine or fluid for a required period of time.

The flexible ribbed portion 104B of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A may be only a predetermined length of the entire sidewalls 104A or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A maybe designed entirely with a flexible ribbed shape 104B. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A may be designed and suited according to a users preference. The flexible ribbed portion assists the lid 100 in purging the atmospheric gases out of the container by extending into the fluid by a predetermined length according to a users preference when the lid rim 102 makes contact with the container. For example, the flexible ribbed portion allows for manipulating the lid 100 from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid. Thus, the lid purges out all of the air out of a container upon installation, so as to eliminate headspace by forming an airtight barrier between the container, the liquid inside the container, and the lid 100. In other words, when the lid 100 is installed, the surface level of the fluid is contacting every portion of the lid 100 and the container, with all of the gas/air removed between the lid and the container.

The lid 100, lid rim 102, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion 104B, and the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 may be comprised of a variety of materials, such as plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane material, fibrous materials, rubber materials, glass, elastic materials, flexible materials (e.g., a flexible membrane), cork, metallic materials and/or other material or combination of materials known in the art, which are suitable for such an application. Each portion of the lid 100 may be made of the same material or each identified part of the lid 100 may be constructed of a different material, which is suitable for such an application.

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary installation process 110, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. The lid 100 may be placed above the container 158 that is filled with a predetermined about of fluid (e.g., wine) 155. An installation tool 108 may be used to elongate the lid 100 from its relaxed state and hold it in this position during the installation of the lid 100 so that the lid 100 displaces the appropriate amount of the fluid 155 such that the fluid 155 is at or near the rim of the container 150 at the time the rim of the lid 102 makes contact with the rim of the container 150. As the lid 100 is lowered into a container 158 and submerged into the fluid 155, the displaced fluid 155 rises on up along the inner portion 160 of the container 158 and purges the air/gases entirely out of the container 158. The base 106 is shaped to prevent air/gases from being trapped underneath the lid 100 and facilitate the purging of air/gases out of the container 158. Once the lid is lowered to an appropriate depth (e.g., the users desired preference based on the type of container and the level of fluid 155), the lid rim 102 makes contact with the rim of the container 150 and is bonded and sealed 112 to the container rim 150. The installation tool 108 is then removed. If the installation procedure is performed in a vacuum, once it is removed from the vacuum and exposed to atmospheric pressure the lid 100 may elongate allowing the fluid 155 to fill any voids within the container 158.

FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary removal process 125 of a sealed air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. To remove the lid 100, an upward force is applied to one end of the lid 100, more specifically to the lid rim 102. The seal (see FIG. 1B 112, the seal point) may be broken using upward force to break the seal between the lid 100 and the rim of the container 150. If the lid 100 has threads, the act of twisting the lid breaks the seal 112 of the lid 100 and the container 158. Once the seal between the rim of the container 150 and the lid rim 102 is broken, the pressure within the container 158 equalizes with that of its ambient environment. The lid 100 retracts to the lid's 100 original shape, and thus, reduces the amount of fluid 155 the lid 100 displaces within the container 158. The fluid 155 level on the inner side 160 of the container 158 drops in the container 158. The retraction of the lid's 100 shape is achieved by employing a flexible ribbed portion in the lid's sidewalls. The fluid 155 level along the inside portion 160 of the container 158 is lowered away from the rim of the container 150. This allows the liquid to be lowered down the glass (e.g., container) in a controlled fashion without spilling the liquid over the rim of the container 150.

FIG. 2A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device 200 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a seal directly beneath a lid rim in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. In FIG. 2A, a lid 200 has an opening 201 area that is encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 extending downwardly to a flexible membrane base 206. The opening area is simply the area between cylindrical walls, including from the top of the lid rim 202 and the bottom of the lid 200. As is further illustrated in FIG. 2A and also illustrated below in FIG. 2B, the lid rim 202 is provided and has an inside portion 202a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 and an outside portion 202b for sealing the lid 200 to the container. The lid rim 202 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. Moreover, the lid 200 may include a seal 212 that is pre-attached to the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 prior to the installation of the lid 200. The seal 212 may be of a variety of adhesive or compressible type materials, which allows for the lid 200 to be sealed to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. The compressible type materials may include, but are not limited to, rubbers, silicones, cork, natural, and or synthetic type compressible materials. The seal 212 allows for the lid 200 to seal immediately upon installation and making contact with the container 200.

The flexible membrane base 206 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 and forms a circular base of the lid 200. The flexible membrane base 206 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. The flexible membrane base 206 prevents gas from being trapped underneath the lid 200 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged in fluid 255 within the container 250 with the aid of an installation tool 208 maintaining the convex shape (see FIG. 2B). The flexible membrane 206 may deform to a concave shape once the seal 212 engages the container while the lid 200 is submerged in the fluid 255 (see FIG. 2B) until the lid rim 202 makes contact with the container 258 (see FIG. 2B).

FIG. 2B illustrates an additional exemplary installation process 225, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. An installation tool 208 may be used to hold the flexible membrane base 206 in a convex configuration. As the lid 200 is lowered into a container 258, the flexible membrane 206 and the lid walls 204 displace the fluid 255 and force the fluid 255 upwards along the sides of the inside walls 260 of the container 258, which purges the air/gases entirely from the container 258. The lid 200 remains partially submerged in the stored fluid 255 after the lid is installed. The lid 200 is submerged into the stored fluid 255 with the flexible membrane 206 held in a dome shape by the installation tool 208 such that, if any gases are entrapped during the installation process, the gases are forced into a small annular shaped volume near the perimeter of the lid rim 202 and the container's 250 rim, such that only a very small surface area of the fluid 255 would be left exposed to the entrapped gases, thus slowing the process of oxidation.

At this point, the lid 200 may be sealed to the container 258 as the seal 212 on the lid 200 engages the container 258 inner walls 260. In order to minimize the pressure differential within the container 258 with respect to the lid's 200 external environment, and also to accommodate any thermal expansion or contraction of the fluid 255 inside of the container 258, while the lid 200 is installed/sealed, the flexible membrane 206 of the lid 200 deforms such that the volume of the fluid 255 being contained by the lid 200 and the container 258 increases or decreases as needed. The lid 200 may be installed onto the container 258 with or without the aid of a vacuum chamber and with or without the use of an inert gas to displace the atmospheric gases. In other words, a variety of installation and/sealing methods may be employed to secure the lid 200 to the container 258. In addition, the lid 200 may be dimensioned to interface with a wide variety of container 258 shapes and sizes and accommodate a wide range of desirable fluid 255 levels within a given container 258. The lid 200 may be secured to the container 258 by heat-sealing, adhesive bonding, threading, or press fitting. If the configuration of the lid 200 uses a seal 212 and is not bonded to the container 258, the lid may be pressed into the container 258 and held in place by the compressed seal 212.

FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purging lid device 275 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. To remove the lid 200, the seal may be broken using upward force on the lid 200 to move the seal 212 past the container rim 250. Once the seal between the rim of the container 250 and the lid seal 212 is broken, the pressure within the container 258 equalizes with that of its ambient environment and the flexible membrane 206 of the lid 200 inverts from a convex to a concave shape, and thus, reduces the amount of fluid 255 the lid displaces within the container 258. The fluid 255 level along the inside portion 260 of the container 258 is lowered away from the rim of the container 250 in a controlled fashion without spilling the liquid over the rim of the container 250 when the lid 200 is removed from the container 258. As the fluid 255 is lowered downward and away from the lid rim 202, the flexible membrane base 206 is able to adjust from the convex shape to a concave shape while being removed from the container 250. This adjustment results from the pressure of the fluid 255 pushing upwards on the flexible membrane 206 while the fluid 255 is being lowered down along the inner side 260 of the container 258 and the walls 204 of the lid 200. Upon the lid 200 being completely removed from the container 258, the flexible membrane base 206 retracts back to the convex position, which is the natural resting state of the flexible membrane.

FIG. 3A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. FIG. 3A illustrates the additional exemplary air purging lid device 300 having a rigid dome shaped base 306 and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. In an alternative embodiment, the air-purging device maintains its shape when installed in the container 358 (see FIG. 3B) rather than having a deformable membrane or a flexible ribbed shaped portion of the cylindrical walls. The lid 300 has an opening area 301 that is encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 306. The lid 300 displaces a fluid by forcing the fluid up along the outside of its sidewalls 304 and the container towards the lid rim 302 thereby minimizing the headspace. The lid rim 302 is provided and has an inside portion 302A connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 and an outside portion 302B for sealing the lid to the container. (It should be noted that the lid rim 302 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 or may be detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). The lid rim 302, as well as other parts of the lid 300, may be flexible and/or pliable for forming and securing the lid to the container. The lid rim 302 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of geometric shapes or positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. The lid rim 302 may be shaped and constructed for “snapping” the lid onto the container for securing the lid 300 to the container. Moreover, the lid rim 302 may include one of a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for the lid 300 to be sealed and/or secured to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. For example, the lid rim 302 may have a sticky, glue like substance that is applied to the underneath portion of the lid rim 302B, and a user or machine may press or form the lid rim 302 to the container with the glue or adhesive material attaching (e.g., bonding/sealing) the lid rim 302 to the container. Moreover, the use of a snapping design of the lid rim 302 may be used in conjunction with the adhesive material for both “snapping” and sealing the lid 300 and the lid rim 302 to the container. The lid 300 may also included threads for twisting the lid 300 onto a container and the threads may be located and designed on a portion of the lid rim 302 and/or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304.

FIG. 3B illustrates an additional exemplary installation process 325 of an air purging lid device having a rigid dome shaped base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. The lid 300 has an opening area 301 that encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 extending downwardly to rigid dome shaped base 306. Once the lid is lowered to an appropriate depth (e.g., the users desired preference based on the type of container and the level of fluid 355), the underside of the lid rim 302b makes contact with the rim 350 of the container 358 and is bonded and sealed 312 to the container rim 350. The lid 300, when installed, displaces a fluid 355 by forcing the fluid 355 up along the side of the vertical sidewalls 304 of the lid 300 and the inside walls 360 of the container 358. The resultant level of the fluid 355 when the lid 300 is fully installed in the container 358 is approximately halfway up the lid's 300 cylindrical walls 304. The resultant fluid 355 surface area exposed to the open space within the container 358 is minimized. The resultant void between the fluid's 355 top surface and the lid 300 rim 302 accommodates any thermal expansion of the fluid. The lid rim 302 is provided and has an inside portion 302a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 and an outside portion 302b for sealing the lid to the container rim 350. The lid rim 302 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of container 358 shapes and sizes. The rim 302b of the lid 300 may employ a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for the lid 300 to be sealed to a container 358. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives.

The vertical one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto the container 350. Thus, the lid 300 reduces the surface area of the stored fluid 355 exposed to any entrapped gas within the container 358. The lid 300 still purges some of the air out of the container 358 mechanically, but the resultant fluid 355 level, on the sides of the lid, must be kept low enough to prevent it from spilling out of the container 358 when the lid is removed while still maintaining a void capable of accommodating any thermal expansion of the fluid 355. The bottom surface may deform slightly.

Below, FIG. 4A-B, the two different exemplary configurations of the lid with a deformable membrane are depicted. In the first configuration (see FIG. 4A) the seal is near the rim of the container while in the second configuration (see FIG. 4B) the seal is near the necked region of the container. The configurations shown are for both a flared mouth and a narrow mouth container.

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device 410 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls), sealed to a container having a narrow mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, a lid 400 has an opening area that encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 extending downwardly to a flexible membrane base 406. The lid 400, when installed, displaces a fluid 455 by forcing the fluid 455 up along the side of the vertical sidewalls 404 of the lid 400 and the inner walls 460 of the narrow mouth container 458 up to a lid rim 402. The resultant fluid 455 surface area exposed to the open space within the narrow mouth container 458 is minimized. The lid rim 402 is provided and has an inside portion 402a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and an outside portion 402b for sealing the lid to the rim 450 of the narrow mouth container 458. The lid rim 402 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of narrow mouth container 458 shapes and sizes. Moreover, the lid rim 402 may include a seal 412 that is pre-attached to the lid rim 402 prior to the installation of the lid 458. The seal 412 may be of a variety of adhesive and/or compressive type materials, which allows for the lid 400 to be sealed to the narrow mouth container 458. The seal 412 is near the rim of the narrow mouth container 458 and the lid rim 402. The flexible membrane base 406 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and forms a circular base of the lid 400. The flexible membrane base 406 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. The flexible membrane base 406 prevents gas from being trapped underneath the lid 400 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged in fluid 455 within the narrow mouth container 458 with atmospheric pressure maintaining the convex shape. The flexible membrane 406 may adjust to a concave shape while being submerged in the fluid 455 until the lid rim 202 makes contact with the narrow mouth container 450. The vertical/one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto the narrow mouth container 458.

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device 425 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) sealed to a container with a flared mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. It should be noted that the ribbed design described herein, such as in FIG. 1A, may be used, adapted, and/or designed to work for flared mouth container as well as narrow mouth containers and also other type of containers. In short, it should be noted that the various lid designs described herein may be applied and used in a variety of types of containers and the examples described herein are used as examples for illustration purposes only and not as limiting examples. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, a lid 400 has an opening area that encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 extending downwardly to a flexible membrane base 406. The lid 400, when installed, displaces a fluid 455 by forcing the fluid 455 up along the side of the vertical sidewalls 404 and a flared mouth container 475 up to a lid rim 402. The resultant fluid 455 surface area exposed to the open space within the wide mouth container 475 is minimized. The lid rim 402 is provided and has an inside portion 402a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and an outside portion 402b for sealing the lid to the flared mouth container 475. The lid rim 402 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of flared mouth container 475 shapes and sizes. Moreover, the lid rim 402 may include a seal 412 that is pre-attached to the lid rim 402 prior to the installation of the lid 100. The seal 412 may be of a variety of adhesive and/or compressive type materials, which allows for the lid 400 to be sealed to the flared mouth container 475. The seal 412 may be located below the container rim 451 such that the seal 412 is compressed against the narrowed portion of the inside walls 460 of the container 475.

The flexible membrane base 406 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and forms a circular base of the lid 400. The flexible membrane base 406 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. The flexible membrane base 406 prevents gas from being trapped underneath the lid 400 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged in fluid 455 within the flared mouth container 475 with atmospheric pressure maintaining the convex shape. The flexible membrane 406 may adjust to a concave shape while being submerged in the fluid 455 until the lid rim 402 makes contact with the flared mouth container 475. The vertical/one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto the wide mouth container 475.

While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, the skilled artisan will appreciate that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a shaped base;

shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to the shaped base;

a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;

a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;

wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid provides zero permeability to oxygen.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaped sidewalls have an inner and an outer portion, wherein the lid displaces the amount of fluid need to raise the fluid level in the container by forcing the fluid up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and an inner portion of the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shaped sidewalls have a flexible ribbed portion for:

extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,

completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and

allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shaped sidewalls have a substantially rigid portion for:

allowing at least a portion of the shaped sidewalls to be continuously submersed within the fluid,

partially purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby minimizing headspace, and

creating a void between the lid rim a top surface of the fluid for allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shaped sidewalls have one of at least an L-shape, v-shape, straight, cylindrical, curved, angled, cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and square shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lid rim:

has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and

seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of:

the shaped base prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base,

the shaped base has a flexible membrane for at least one of: adjusting to one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure by expanding and contracting in the fluid, and adjusting to a substantially convex shape after being submerged in the fluid, and

the shaped base has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material and have one of at least a cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and dome shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an installation tool for being inserted into the opening area for installing the lid onto the container, wherein the shaped sidewalls are partially submerged below the fluid level and the shaped base is completely submerged within the fluid.

10. A method of manufacturing an apparatus, comprising:

providing a shaped base;

providing shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to the shaped base;

providing a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;

providing a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;

wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.

11. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10, wherein providing the lid further includes providing the lid having for zero permeability to oxygen.

12. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10, wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing an inner and an outer portion of the shaped sidewalls, wherein the lid displaces the amount of fluid need to raise the fluid level in the container by forcing the fluid up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and an inner portion of the container.

13. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12, wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing a flexible ribbed portion for:

extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,

completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and

allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.

14. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12, wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing a substantially rigid portion for:

allowing at least a portion of the shaped sidewalls to be continuously submersed within the fluid,

partially purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby minimizing headspace, and

creating a void between the lid rim a top surface of the fluid for allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.

15. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12, wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing the shaped sidewalls having one of at least an L-shape, v-shape, straight, cylindrical, curved, angled, cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and square shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container.

16. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12, wherein providing the lid rim includes providing the lid rim that:

has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and

seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.

17. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10, wherein one of:

the shaped base prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base,

the shaped base has a flexible membrane for at least one of: adjusting to one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure by expanding and contracting in the fluid, and adjusting to a substantially convex shape after being submerged in the fluid, and

the shaped base has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material and have one of at least a cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and dome shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base.

18. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12, further including providing an installation tool for being inserted into the opening area for installing the lid onto the container, wherein the shaped sidewalls are partially submerged below the fluid level and the shaped base is completely submerged within the fluid.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially dome shaped base;

shaped sidewalls, having a flexible ribbed portion, extending downwardly to the substantially dome shaped base;

a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the substantially dome shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;

a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;

wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the shaped sidewalls have a flexible ribbed portion for:

extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,

completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and

allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lid rim:

has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and

seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the substantially dome shaped base:

prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the substantially dome shaped base, and

has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the substantially dome shaped base.