Bottling system

Abstract

A container system for liquids, including an in-container mixer/aerator in the exit throat of the container. The mixer/aerator is a cylinder, having axial peripheral grooves, and and axial central bore, divided by axial vanes.

Claims

1. A mixer/aerator, comprising: a cylindrical body extending from a first end to a second end and defining a bore, the bore extending from the first end of the cylindrical body to the second end of the cylindrical body, and a divider dividing the bore into a plurality of sub-bores, the divider comprising a plurality of vanes that are coupled together at a center of the bore and extend from the first end of the cylindrical body to the second end of the cylindrical body, wherein at least one sub-bore of the plurality of sub-bores is bounded by a first flat side of a first vane of the plurality of vanes, a second flat side of a second vane of the plurality of vanes, and a curved side of the cylindrical body that extends between the first flat side and the second flat side.

2. The mixer/aerator of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vanes extends radially from a central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body.

3. The mixer/aerator of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the cylindrical body defines a plurality of grooves extending from the first end of the cylindrical body to the second end of the cylindrical body.

4. The mixer/aerator of claim 3, wherein the grooves of the plurality of grooves are symmetrically arranged about the surface of the cylindrical body.

5. The mixer/aerator of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body is dimensioned to be disposed entirely within a neck of a container.

6. A container system, comprising: a container having a hollow body extending from a first end to a second end; and a mixer/aerator disposed within the hollow body of the container, the mixer/aerator comprising: a cylindrical body extending from a first end to a second end and defining a bore, the bore extending from the first end of the cylindrical body to the second end of the cylindrical body, and a divider dividing the bore into a plurality of sub-bores, the divider comprising a plurality of vanes that are coupled together at a center of the bore and extend from the first end of the cylindrical body to the second end of the cylindrical body, wherein at least one sub-bore of the plurality of sub-bores is bounded by a first flat side of a first vane of the plurality of vanes, a second flat side formed by a second vane of the plurality of vanes, and a curved side of the cylindrical body that extends between the first flat side and the second flat side.

7. The container system of claim 6, wherein an outer surface of the cylindrical body of the mixer/aerator defines a plurality of grooves extending from the first end of the mixer/aerator to the second end of the mixer/aerator such that a respective passage is defined by each groove of the plurality of grooves and an inner surface of the container.

8. The container system of claim 7, wherein the grooves of the plurality of grooves are symmetrically arranged about the outer surface of the cylindrical body.

9. The container system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of vanes extends radially from a central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body.

10. The container system of claim 9, wherein the first vane is connected to the second vane at the central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body.

11. The container system of claim 6, further comprising a cork disposed at least partially within the hollow body of the container such that the cork is disposed adjacent to the mixer/aerator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a sectional front elevation view, taken along view I-I of FIG. 1A, of a container system for liquids, showing the location of the in-container mixer/aerator in the exit throat of the container,

(2) FIG. 1A is a plan view of a container system for liquids shown in FIG. 1,

(3) FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a mixer embodying the principles of the present invention,

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(6) FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(7) FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(8) FIG. 7 is a top view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention, and

(9) FIG. 8 is a section view, taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(10) FIG. 9 is a top view of a variation of the invention in which the axial internal vanes are curved instead of flat, and

(11) FIG. 10 is top view of the mixer/aerator as seen through the open end of the bottle 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) Referring first to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a sectional front elevation view, taken along view I-I of FIG. 1A, of a container system for liquids, showing the location of the in-container mixer/aerator in the exit throat of the container. The bottling system, denoted generally by the numeral 10, includes a bottle 11, that includes a hollow body 12 and a neck 14. The body 12 contains a liquid 16, such as wine. The neck 14 surrounds a hollow bore 18 that allows the liquid 16 to exit the bottle 11.

(13) At the outboard end of the bore 18, is a cork 20 that is removable to allow the liquid 16 to be poured from the bottle 11.

(14) Inward of the cork is a mixer 22, that includes axial channels 24 that allow liquid to turbulently exit the bore 18, and air to enter the bore 18. The turbulent exit of the liquid 16 enhances the “breathing” of the exiting liquid 16.

(15) FIG. 1A is a plan view of a container system for liquids shown in FIG. 1.

(16) FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a mixer embodying the principles of the present invention,

(17) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(18) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(19) FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(20) FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(21) FIG. 7 is a top view of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(22) FIG. 8 is a section view, taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, of a mixer, shown in FIG. 2, embodying the principles of the present invention,

(23) FIG. 9 is an top view of a variation of the invention in which the axial internal vanes are curved instead of flat, and

(24) FIG. 10 is top view of the mixer/aerator as seen through the open end of the bottle 11.