Beverage bottle and method for maintaining carbonation

Abstract

A bottle and method is provided for storing a carbonated beverage so that the beverage can be dispensed over time without the beverage remaining in the container losing carbonation. The bottle can be comprised of a container having a bladder inserted therein. The annular space between the container and the bladder is accessed through a pressure port by a pump and the container is pressurized such that the bladder is compressed and the useable volume of the bottle is reduced. By reducing the volume, excess air can be prevented from collecting in the bottle.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/360,346, filed on Feb. 27, 2002, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention is related to a container for storing a carbonated liquid.

BACKGROUND

[0003] All over the world carbonated beverages are sold in PET plastic bottles in sizes as large as two to three liters. These bottles are typically resealable and sold to households for multiple use, just as smaller size aluminum, plastic or glass containers are sold for single use. Unfortunately, the carbonation escapes after repeated opening and pouring from the bottle. The carbon dioxide diffuses into air occupying space once occupied by beverage. The larger the volume of air in the PET bottle, the faster carbonation is lost. This often leads to a portion of the beverage contained in the PET bottle being dumped down a drain or thrown away with the PET bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0004] FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a bottle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0005] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the bottle of FIG. 1 including a siphon system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an improved carbonated beverage bottle 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bottle 100 can assist in maintaining the carbonation of a carbonated beverage 112 even after the bottle 100 has been repeatedly opened and a portion of the carbonated beverage 112 has been removed. The bottle 100 allows consumers to consume essentially the total volume of carbonated beverage 112 within the bottle 100 over an extended period of time and after multiple openings.

[0007] An original cap provided by a carbonated beverage manufacturer or a cap sold with the bottle 100 can be used to reseal the bottle 100 each time the bottle 100 is opened. Alternatively, a cap with a siphon and dispensing valve can be used if the consumer desires to have the added convenience of not having to repeatedly open the bottle 100.

[0008] The bottle 100 is comprised of a rigid or flexible container 102 into which and inner flexible bladder 104 is inserted during manufacture of the bottle 100. The container 102 can be comprised of plastic (for example, high-density polyethylene), glass, or metal (for example, aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium), or some other material having similar insulating properties. The flexible bladder 104 can be comprised of a thin flexible plastic or metal foil. As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle 100 can have a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, the bottle 100 can have a contoured or stylized shape. For example, a manufacturer may desire a bottle 100 shaped such that the bottle 100 invokes the manufacturer's trademark, or a manufacturer may desire a bottle 100 shaped such that the bottle 100 has a particular property, such as being compact for easy carrying, or sized to fit a cup holder. One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate the myriad of shapes in which the bottle 100 can be manufactured.

[0009] The inner bladder 104 is fastened in an air tight manner on the inside surface 106 of the container 102. The bladder 104 can be fastened to the surface 106 by adhesives, by heating a portion of the bladder 104 contacting the surface 106, or by forming a seal between two portions of the container 102 that fasten together with a rim of the bladder 104 between the two portions of the container 102. Alternatively, the bladder 104 can be integrally formed with the container 102, for example where a flexible plastic material is used to form both the container 102 and the bladder 104.

[0010] As mentioned above, in one embodiment the bottle can be used with the original manufacturer's cap. The cap 114, mates with a threaded portion of a neck 108, or alternatively, some other narrow or tapered portion of the container 102. In other the bottle 100 has its own sealing means connected with a charging port for filling the bladder 104 with carbonated beverage 112. Carbonated beverage 112 can be filled into the inside of the bladder 104 through the neck 108 or charging port and the bladder 104 will expand as the volume of carbonated beverage 112 increases. After the bladder 104 is filled with the desired amount of carbonated beverage 112, the bottle 100 is sealed with the cap 114.

[0011] An airtight valve 110 can be connected with the container 102 as a pressure port for access to an annular space 116 between the non-wetted surface of the bladder 104 and the container 102. A pump (not shown) optionally supplied with the bottle 100 can be connected with the air tight valve 110 such that the pump communicates with the annular space 116. A consumer activates the pump to fill the annular space 116 with ambient air, or some other fluid from an external source, pressurizing the container 102 and compressing the bladder 104. As carbonated beverage 102 is consumed through an opened bottle 100, or where the bottle 100 is repeatedly opened for pouring carbonated beverage 112 into a separate container, empty air enters to replace the dispensed beverage. Carbon dioxide bubbles to the surface of the beverage 112 and diffuses into any empty air in the bladder 104 (increasing the pressure over time in a typical sealed bottle, thereby causing the familiar ‘hisssss’ when the bottle is opened). Activating the pump before the bottle 100 is sealed collapses the bladder 104 and fills the empty space 118 between the level of the carbonated beverage 112 and the cap 114 with carbonated beverage 112 forced into the space 118. The bottle 100 can then be sealed. As mentioned, the pump can be supplied with the bottle 100. For example, as also mentioned above, the container 102 can be formed in any desired shape including having a recess within an otherwise cylindrically shaped container 102, that can be used to house the pump. Alternatively, a pump may be built into the container 102, for example, as is familiar in athletic shoes having inflatable soles such as Nike™ air pump shoes or Reebok™ DMX shoes.

[0012] A pressure relief valve 120 can be provided, either separately or integrated with the air tight valve 110 (as shown) or the pump. After the carbonated beverage 112 is completely consumed, the bladder 104 will likely be nearly completely collapsed. To refill the bladder 104 with more carbonated beverage 112, the relief valve 120 must be activated to equalize the pressure between the atmosphere and the annular space 116, thereby allowing the bladder 104 to fully expand. The relief valve 120 also prevents a user from pumping air into the container 102 to a level that might cause the bottle 100 to fail. The relief valve 120 will not let the pressure in the container 102 rise above a preset limit.

[0013] FIG. 2 is across-section of the bottle 100 having a siphon 220 inserted into the bladder 104 and protruding from the cap 114 (or replacing the cap 114 and protruding from the container 102). The amount of air or fluid pumped through the valve 110 into the annular space 116 is increased to raise the pressure on the bladder 104 sufficiently to force the carbonated beverage 112 up the siphon 220. The siphon 220 can have a dispensing valve 222 connected at the protruding end of the siphon 220 for regulating the of carbonated beverage 112 from the bottle 100. The siphon 220 can also have a beveled distal end 224, thereby helping to avoid blockage by the collapsing bladder 104. The bottle 100 is refilled with carbonated beverage by either first unfastening the cap 114 from the bottle 100 and removing the cap 114 and siphon 220 contemporaneously, or by first removing the siphon 220 prior to unfastening the cap 114.

[0014] The bottle can be used for other liquids as well as for carbonated beverages. For example, using the siphon system the bottle can be used to pressurize any liquid for convenient and optionally metered dispensing, replacing bulkier, larger volume containers that rely on heavy mechanical pumps.

[0015] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalence.

Claims

1. A bottle for storing a liquid, comprising:

a container adapted to be pressurized, the container having:

a bladder adapted to contain the liquid; and

a pressure port for pressurizing the container such that the bladder is compressed; and

a dispensing port of the container.

2. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, wherein the container is one of cylindrical, contoured and stylized in shape.

3. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, including a charging port for providing the liquid to the bladder.

4. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, including a pump selectably insertable into the pressure port for pressurizing the container.

5. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 5, wherein the pump is adapted to provide ambient air to the container for pressurizing the container.

6. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, including a relief valve for depressurizing the container.

7. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 1, including a siphon having a distal end adapted to be inserted into the bladder such that a proximal end of the siphon extends outside the container, which siphon providing a conduit for the liquid.

8. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 7, wherein the siphon includes a valve adapted to regulate a flow of liquid through the siphon.

9. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 8, wherein the distal end of the siphon is beveled.

10. A bottle for storing a liquid, comprising:

a container adapted to be pressurized;

a bladder connected with the container and adapted for containing the liquid;

a pressure port for pressurizing the container such that the bladder is compressed; and

a dispensing port for dispensing the liquid.

11. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 10, including a sealable charging port for providing the liquid to the bladder.

12. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 10, including a pump selectably insertable into the pressure port for pressurizing the container.

13. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 10, including a pump connected with the pressure port for pressurizing the container, wherein the pump is adapted to be manually operated to provide ambient air to the container.

14. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 10, including a siphon having a distal end adapted to be inserted into the bladder such that a proximal end of the siphon extends outside the dispensing port, which siphon providing a conduit for the liquid.

15. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 14, wherein the siphon includes a valve adapted to regulate a flow of liquid through the siphon.

16. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 15, wherein the distal end of the siphon is beveled.

17. The bottle for storing a liquid of claim 10, including a relief valve for depressurizing the container.

18. A method for storing a liquid in a bottle having a container connected with a bladder for containing the liquid, the container having a pressure port for pressurizing the container such that the bladder is compressed, comprising:

connecting a pump with the pressure port;

pressurizing the container with the pump such that excess air is forced out of the bladder;

sealing the bottle such that no excess air enters the bladder; and

disconnecting the pump from the pressure port.

19. The method for storing a liquid of claim 17, further comprising:

depressurizing the container using a relief valve connected with the container;

unsealing the bottle;

filling the bladder with a liquid through a charge port; and

resealing the bottle.

20. The method for storing a liquid of claim 17, further comprising:

inserting a distal end of a siphon into the bladder such that the proximal end of the siphon extends outside the bladder, wherein the siphon includes a valve preventing excess air from entering the bladder once the bottle is sealed.