Method and apparatus for engaging a beverage extraction device with a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9422144-B2
Application number	US-201514661167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2015
Priority date	May 2, 2012
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Devices and methods for clamping a beverage extraction device to a beverage container, such as a wine bottle. One or more clamp arms may be arranged to clamp the extraction device to a wine bottle as well as allow the device to be supported upright on a table top. Clamp arms may include tab and ridge features that operate to properly engage and position a wide variety of different bottle neck shapes relative to the device. The one or more clamp arms may move the bottle neck distally, e.g., toward a resilient pad, so that the neck is suitably positioned relative to the device. Proper positioning and engagement of the neck may allow for desired piercing of a cork or other closure of the bottle by the device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A beverage extraction device, comprising:
a base for supporting components of the beverage extraction device;
at least one clamp arm mounted to the base and movable to clamp a beverage container neck, the clamp arm having a distal portion arranged to engage the container neck and being spring biased to move away from a clamping position;
a locking mechanism arranged to engage the clamp arm in a clamping position such that the clamp arm engages the container neck with a force sufficient to suspend the device on a beverage container;
a body movably mounted to the base; and
a needle having at least one lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the needle being mounted to the body, the needle being arranged to be inserted through a closure at an opening of a beverage container with movement of the body relative to the base.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a gas source fluidly coupled to the needle and arranged to deliver pressurized gas to the at least one lumen at the proximal end of the needle.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the gas source includes a compressed gas cylinder.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a lowermost portion that cooperates with the at least one clamp arm to support the device in the upright orientation on a flat, horizontal surface such that the needle depends from the body with the distal end below the proximal end.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the lowermost portion of the body is a portion of a compressed gas cylinder cover.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes a pair of clamp arms movable relative to each other and wherein the body is slidably movable relative to the base to move the distal end of the needle in a space between the clamp arms.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a detent that resiliently locks the body in an upper position relative to the base.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a rail, and the base includes a channel arranged to receive and guide movement of the rail relative to the base.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the needle is arranged for insertion through a cork of a wine bottle and for delivery of a gas into the wine bottle.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the needle is arranged for insertion through a cork of a wine bottle and for delivery of wine from the bottle.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes a pair of clamp arms movable relative to each other, and wherein the clamp arms are each pivotally mounted to the base and are spring biased such that distal portions of the clamp arms are urged to move toward each other.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the clamp arms have proximal ends that are movable toward each other by a user to move the distal portions of the clamp arms away from each other.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes a pair of clamp arms movable relative to each other, and wherein the clamp arms have distal portions that each have an inner surface with a distal tab and a proximal ridge arranged to contact a neck of a beverage container positioned between the distal portions of the clamp arms.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the distal portions of the clamp arms are spring biased to move toward each other such that the tab and ridge of each clamp arm contacts a beverage container neck and urges the neck to move proximally relative to the clamp arms.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes a pair of clamp arms movable relative to each other, and wherein the base includes a resilient pad between the clamp arms and arranged to contact a beverage container neck clamped by the clamp arms.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a ratchet and pawl mechanism.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a buckle and strap that are engageable with each other.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes first and second clamp arms, and wherein the buckle is mounted on the first clamp arm and the strap is attached to the second clamp arm.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes and handle and bail that is engageable with slots of the at least one clamp arm.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the at least one clamp arm includes first and second clamp arms, and wherein the handle and bail are mounted on the first clamp arm and the slots are arranged on the second clamp arm.

Assignees

• Coravin Inc

Inventors

• Lambrecht Gregory

Classifications

• B67D1/0412 Primary

  the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container · CPC title

• B67D2001/0098

  using a gas · CPC title

• B67D2001/0092

  Containers for gas, for, e.g. CO2, N2 · CPC title

• B67D1/0418

  comprising a CO2 cartridge for dispensing and carbonating the beverage · CPC title

• B67D1/0885

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