Needle for accessing a beverage in container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850965-B2
Application number	US-201816211709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A needle for accessing a container having a closure, such as a cork of a wine bottle. The needle includes first and second lumens each having a D-shaped cross section and a flat surface. The first and second lumens are attached with the flat surfaces in contact, and each lumen may have an outlet opening at a distal end. The needle may be used with a beverage dispenser that operates by introducing gas into a container via one lumen, and receives beverage from the container via another one of the lumens.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A needle for accessing a beverage in a container, comprising:
a first lumen having a first cross sectional size and a first D-shaped cross section with a first flat surface;
a second lumen having a second cross sectional size and a second D-shaped cross section with a second flat surface, the second cross sectional size being smaller than the first cross sectional size, the first and second lumens each extending from a proximal end to a distal end and being attached together with the first and second flat surfaces in contact with each other; and
a hub attached at the proximal ends of the first and second lumens, the hub being arranged to connect the first and second lumens to a beverage dispenser and put at least one of the first and second lumens in fluid communication with a portion of the beverage dispenser.

2. The needle of claim 1 , further comprising a pointed end at the distal ends of the first and second lumens.

3. The needle of claim 2 , wherein the first and second lumens are constructed and arranged to penetrate through a cork of a wine bottle by inserting the pointed end through the cork.

4. The needle of claim 1 , wherein the first lumen includes a first opening at a distal end of the first lumen to receive beverage liquid into the first lumen, and the second lumen includes a second opening at a distal end of the second lumen to deliver gas into the container.

5. The needle of claim 4 , wherein the first and second openings are on opposed sides of the needle relative to each other.

6. The needle of claim 4 , wherein the first and second lumens define a cross sectional shape with a major axis that is perpendicular to the first and second flat surfaces and extends along a largest dimension of the cross sectional shape, where the cross sectional shape is as viewed in a plane perpendicular to a length of the first and second lumens, and wherein the first and second openings are located on respective lines arranged at an angle of 50 to 90 degrees to the major axis.

7. The needle of claim 6 , wherein the first and second openings are centered on respective lines arranged at an angle of 60 to 70 degrees to the major axis.

8. The needle of claim 4 , wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening.

9. The needle of claim 4 , wherein the first and second openings are elongated and extend in a direction along a length of the first and second lumens.

10. The needle of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a body with a gas port that extends through the body and fluidly communicates with the second lumen.

11. The needle of claim 10 , wherein the hub includes a first gasket positioned distal of the gas port and a second gasket positioned proximal of the gas port.

12. The needle of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a body with forward and rear tabs that extend away from each other in a direction perpendicular to a length of the first and second lumens.

13. The needle of claim 12 , wherein the forward tab is longer than the rear tab.

14. The needle of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a body with an opening at a proximal end of the body, the opening being in fluid communication with the first lumen.

15. The needle of claim 1 , wherein the hub is constructed and arranged to support the first and second lumens to penetrate through a cork of a wine bottle by inserting the distal ends of the first and second lumens through the cork.

16. A needle for accessing a beverage in a container, comprising:
a first lumen and a second lumen attached to the first lumen, the first and second lumens together defining a cross sectional shape and extending from a proximal end to a distal end;
the cross sectional shape having a major dimension along a major axis and a minor dimension along a minor axis that is perpendicular to the major axis, the minor dimension being smaller than the major dimension;
wherein the needle is configured to be inserted through a cork of a wine bottle along a pathway such that the distal end of the first and second lumens passes entirely through the cork, the needle configured to allow the cork to reseal to resist passage of fluid through the pathway upon withdrawal of the needle from the cork.

17. The needle of claim 16 , further comprising:
a hub attached at the proximal ends of the first and second lumens, the hub being arranged to connect the first and second lumens to a beverage dispenser and put at least one of the first and second lumens in fluid communication with a portion of the beverage dispenser.

18. The needle of claim 16 , wherein the first lumen includes a first opening at a distal end of the first lumen to receive beverage liquid into the first lumen, and the second lumen includes a second opening at a distal end of the second lumen to deliver gas into the container.

19. The needle of claim 18 , wherein the first and second openings are on opposed sides of the needle relative to each other.

Assignees

• Coravin Inc

Inventors

• Sweezey Andrew S
• Rider Michael

Classifications

• B67D1/0004

  the beverage being stored in a container, e.g. bottle, cartridge, bag-in-box, bowl · CPC title

• B67D1/0042

  Details of specific parts of the dispensers · CPC title

• B67D2001/0487

  Mixture of gases, e.g. N2 + CO2 · CPC title

• B67D2001/0481

  Single inert gas, e.g. N2 · CPC title

• B67D1/0885

  Means for dispensing under specific atmospheric conditions, e.g. under inert gas · CPC title