Decanter stopper with a vacuum pressure indicator

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for preserving wine in a decanter. The system comprises a stopper adapted for engaging and airtight sealing the mouth of the decanter; the stopper comprises a valve assembly operable to draw and maintain a pressure differential within the decanter and a pressure indicator operable to indicate vacuum pressure within the vessel. The system further comprises a pump operable to engage the valve assembly and to draw gas from within the decanter to an external atmosphere.

1 . A stopper for a vessel, the stopper comprising: 
 a cylindrical body having a lower potion adapted for insertion into the vessel mouth and for forming an airtight seal therein and an enclosed upper portion having a first and a second openings;    a valve assembly disposed within the first opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body, wherein the valve assembly is operable to draw and maintain a pressure differential within the vessel; and    a pressure indicator disposed within the second opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body for indicating vacuum pressure within the vessel.    
   
   
       2 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure indicator comprises a pressure sensor operable to measure vacuum pressure within the vessel and a display means for displaying in a human-readable form the measured vacuum pressure.  
   
   
       3 . The stopper of  claim 1  further comprising an elastic sheath dispose around the lower portion of the cylindrical body, the sheath having a plurality of ridges extending radially outward for forming an airtight sealing contact with the vessel mouth.  
   
   
       4 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 a rigid cover having an orifice therethrough and a flange; a spring;    a valve extending through the spring and through the orifice of the cover; and    an elastic frame having a circumferential lip defining a groove for engaging the flange of the cover, wherein the lower portion of the frame is adapted for insertion into the first opening in the upper portion of the stopper and wherein the upper portion of the frame is adapted for engaging a pump.    
   
   
       5 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 an elastic outer frame having a lower flange extending radially inward to define a lower orifice having a sealing surface and an upper flange portion extending radially outward and having a circumferential groove on the inner surface thereof;    a rigid inner frame having an upper flange extending radially outward to engage the circumferential groove and an upper flange extending radially inward to define an upper orifice;    a valve extending through the upper orifice to the lower orifice and having a flange extending radially outward for engaging the inward extending upper flange of the inner frame and a lower portion for engaging the sealing surface of lower orifice of the outer frame.    
   
   
       6 . The stopper of  claim 5 , wherein a lower portion of the outer frame is adapted for insertion into the first opening in the upper portion of the stopper, and an upper portion of the outer frame is adapted for engaging a pump.  
   
   
       7 . A system for preserving a beverage in a vessel, the system comprising: 
 a stopper adapted for engaging and airtight sealing the vessel mouth, the stopper comprising (i) a valve assembly operable to draw and maintain a pressure differential within the vessel, and (ii) a pressure indicator operable to indicate vacuum pressure within the vessel; and    a pump operable to engage the valve assembly and to draw therethrough gas from within the vessel to an external atmosphere.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the stopper comprises a cylindrical body having a lower potion adapted for insertion into the vessel mouth and for forming an airtight seal therein and an enclosed upper portion having a first opening and a second opening.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the valve assembly is disposed within the first opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body of the stopper.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure indicator is disposed within the second opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body of the stopper.  
   
   
       11 . The stopper of  claim 7 , wherein the pressure indicator comprises a pressure sensor operable to measure vacuum pressure within the vessel and a display means for displaying in a human-readable form the measured vacuum pressure.  
   
   
       12 . The stopper of  claim 7 , wherein the pump comprises one of a manual pump and an electric pump.  
   
   
       13 . The stopper of  claim 7  further comprising an elastic sheath dispose around the lower portion of the cylindrical body, the sheath having a plurality of ridges extending radially outward for forming an airtight sealing contact with the vessel mouth.  
   
   
       14 . The stopper of  claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 a rigid cover having an orifice therethrough and a flange; a spring;    a valve extending through the spring and through the orifice of the cover; and    an elastic frame having a circumferential lip defining a groove for engaging the flange of the cover, wherein the lower portion of the frame is adapted for insertion into the first opening in the upper portion of the stopper and wherein the upper portion of the frame is adapted for engaging the pump.    
   
   
       15 . The stopper of  claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 an elastic outer frame having a lower flange extending radially inward to define a lower orifice having a sealing surface and an upper flange portion extending radially outward and having a circumferential groove on the inner surface thereof;    a rigid inner frame having an upper flange extending radially outward to engage the circumferential groove and an upper flange extending radially inward to define an upper orifice;    a valve extending through the upper orifice to the lower orifice and having a flange extending radially outward for engaging the inward extending upper flange of the inner frame and a lower portion for engaging the sealing surface of lower orifice of the outer frame.    
   
   
       16 . The stopper of  claim 15 , wherein a lower portion of the outer frame is adapted for insertion into the first opening in the upper portion of the stopper, and an upper portion of the outer frame is adapted for engaging the pump.  
   
   
       17 . A method for preserving a beverage in a vessel using a stopper adapted for insertion into the vessel mouth, the method comprising the steps of: 
 the stopper airtight sealing the vessel mouth;    providing a path through the stopper for withdrawing air from within the vessel into the external atmosphere, thereby drawing a vacuum within the vessel;    detecting a vacuum pressure within the vessel;    displaying in a human-readable form an indication of the detected vacuum pressure within the vessel; and    airtight sealing the air path through the stopper to maintain the pressure differential within the vessel.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of detecting a vacuum pressure drop within the vessel.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of displaying in a human-readable form an indication of the the detected vacuum pressure drop.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of providing a valve assembly operable to provide the air path through the stopper.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of providing a valve operable to airtight seal the air path through the valve assembly.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a step of providing a pressure indicator operable to measure vacuum pressure within the vessel and display the measured pressure in a human-readable form.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , fuirther comprises the step of providing a pump adapted to engage the valve assembly and to draw air from within the vessel to an external atmosphere.  
   
   
       24 . A system for preserving a beverage, the system comprising: 
 a vessel for storing the beverage therein, wherein the vessel is operative to withstand an internal pressure higher than an external atmospheric pressure,    a stopper adapted for engaging and airtight sealing the vessel mouth, the stopper comprising (i) a valve assembly operable to draw and maintain a pressure differential within the vessel, and (ii) a pressure indicator operable to indicate vacuum pressure within the vessel; and    a pump operable to engage the valve assembly and to draw therethrough gas from within the vessel to an external atmosphere.    
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the stopper comprises a cylindrical body having a lower potion adapted for insertion into the vessel mouth and for forming an airtight seal therein and an enclosed upper portion having a first opening and a second opening.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the valve assembly is disposed within the first opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body of the stopper.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the pressure indicator is disposed within the second opening of the upper portion of the cylindrical body of the stopper.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the pressure indicator comprises a pressure sensor operable to measure vacuum pressure within the vessel and a display means for displaying in a human-readable form an indication of the measured vacuum pressure.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising an elastic sheath dispose around the lower portion of the cylindrical body, the sheath having a plurality of ridges extending radially outward for forming an airtight sealing contact with the vessel mouth.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the pump comprises one of a manual pump and an electric pump.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the vessel is operative to withstand an internal vacuum pressure of about 50 inHg or less.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the vessel is made of a rigid transparent material, comprising one or more of glass, Plexiglas, and plastic.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the thickness of the vessel wall is greater than 3 mm.