Oxidation suppressing stopper for wine

Abstract

A stopper and method for its use for selectively retaining a liquid, such as wine, within a bottle and for minimizing oxidation of the bottle's contents. The stopper includes a head portion sized to reside external to the bottle opening and a neck portion sized to fit and be selectively retained within the neck of the bottle. The stopper further has an inert gas entry port for receiving a source of pressurized inert gas and for introducing the inert gas proximate the meniscus of the liquid in the bottle and a gas venting port for discharging gas from the bottle upon the introduction of inert gas thereto. The stopper is provided with a plurality of seals substantially preventing liquid from passing through the stopper when the neck portion is seated within the bottle opening.

1 . A stopper for selectively retaining a liquid within a bottle and for minimizing oxidation of said liquid, said bottle having an expanded region for holding said liquid and a bottle neck between said expanded region and an opening, said liquid forming a meniscus below said opening, said stopper compromising a head portion sized to reside external to said opening and a neck portion sized to fit within said bottle neck and be selectively retained within said bottle neck, an inert gas entry port for selectively receiving a source of pressurized inert gas and for selectively introducing said inert gas proximate said meniscus and a gas venting port for selectively discharging air from said bottle upon the introduction of inert gas thereto and a plurality of seals substantially preventing said liquid from passing through said stopper when said neck portion is seated within said bottle opening. 
   
   
       2 . The stopper of  claim 1  wherein said liquid is wine. 
   
   
       3 . The stopper of  claim 1  wherein said stopper is convertible between an open position in which inert gas can be introduced proximate to said meniscus when said gas venting port is open and a closed position in which inert gas cannot be introduced proximate said meniscus when said gas venting port is closed. 
   
   
       4 . The stopper of  claim 3  wherein said stopper is convertible between open and closed positions by twisting said head portion with respect to said neck position. 
   
   
       5 . The stopper of  claim 1  wherein said neck portion further comprises ridges for securing said neck portion within said bottle. 
   
   
       6 . The stopper of  claim 1  wherein said gas venting port is positioned to discharge air from said bottle as it is displaced by said inert gas. 
   
   
       7 . The stopper of  claim 4  wherein the twisting of said stopper causes a plunger within said neck to move vertically to selectively open and close said stopper to the passage of gas therethrough. 
   
   
       8 . A method for selectively retaining a liquid within a bottle and for minimizing oxidation of said liquid, the bottle having an expanded region for holding said liquid and a bottle neck between the expanded region and an opening, the liquid forming a meniscus below said opening, a stopper comprising a head portion sized to reside external to the opening and a neck portion sized to fit within and be selectively retained within said bottle neck, an inert gas entry port for selectively receiving a source of pressurized inert gas and for selectively introducing said inert gas proximate said meniscus and a gas venting port for selectively discharging gas from said bottle upon the introduction of inert gas thereto, said stopper having a plurality of seals substantially preventing said liquid from passing through said stopper once said neck portion is seating within said bottle opening, said method compromising inserting said stopper through said opening and into said bottle to seal the neck of said stopper therein, placing said stopper in an open position, introducing inert gas proximate said meniscus and causing air which existed proximate said meniscus to vent via a venting port within said stopper and converting said stopper to a closed position in which said inert gas cannot be caused to further pass therethrough. 
   
   
       9 . The method  claim 8  wherein said stopper is convertible between open and closed positions by twisting said head portion with respect to said neck portion. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the twisting of said stopper causes the plunger within said neck region to move vertically to selectively open and close that stopper to the passage of gas therethrough.