Preservation System

Abstract

A method and device for preserving wine or other oxygen sensitive items is disclosed. In some embodiments, the device has a housing, a pressure indicator, a pressure sensor, and a one-way valve. The housing is configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle. The housing has a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle. The housing has an input channel extending through the housing. The pressure sensor is within the housing and is in communication with the closure side. The one-way valve is in the input channel. The pressure sensor is configured to move the pressure indicator to an indicating position when a predetermined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wine bottle closure device, comprising:
 a housing configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle, the housing comprising a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle and an input channel extending through the housing;   a pressure indicator;   a pressure sensor within the housing in communication with the closure side;   a one-way valve in the input channel; and,   the pressure sensor configured to move the pressure indicator to an indicating position when a predefined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a sensor chamber and a chamber channel, the sensor is in the sensor chamber, the chamber channel providing communication from an inlet in the closure side to the sensor chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein in the sensor is a diaphragm, the housing comprises a cam shaft, the cam shaft is connected to the diaphragm, the pressure indicator is connected an end of the cam shaft opposite the diaphragm. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the pressure indicator extends above a top surface of the housing at least when in the indicating position. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined amount of pressure is not above 10 psig. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined amount of pressure is a negative pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the pressure indicator is completely housed within the housing, at or below at top surface of the housing, at least when in the indicating position. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least one annual seal extending about a conical wall of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising an exhaust channel extending through the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising an exhaust channel and an exhaust one-way valve, the exhaust channel extending through the housing, the exhaust one-way valve within the exhaust channel and configured to prevent gas from entering the exhaust channel from a top side of the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the pressure indicator to the indicating position is configured to cause the pressure indicator to hit an element within the housing to cause an audible sound. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure indicator comprises a striking member biased toward a striking location and configured to hit the striking location and cause an audible sound when the predefined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a sparging tube extending from the closure side of the housing and in communication with the input channel. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a signal when the pressure indicator is moved to the indicating position. 
     
     
         16 . A wine bottle closure device, comprising:
 a housing configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle, the housing comprising a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle, a input side configured to be exposed exterior to the wine bottle;   a metering chamber;   an inlet port on the input side of the housing in communication with the metering chamber;   an exit port in communication with the closure side;   a dump valve between the metering chamber and the exit port, the dump valve configured to open when a predetermine open pressure is reached within the metering chamber; and,   a pressure indicator in communication with the metering chamber and configured to provide a visual indication to a user when pressure drops in the metering chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the pressure indicator is a diaphragm. 
     
     
         18 . An inert gas metering device for an oxygen sensitive item container, comprising
 a container closure device comprising an input channel extending through the device;   a metering chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet;   a dump valve in communication with the outlet of the metering chamber and in communication with the input channel of the container closure device, the dump valve configured to open when a predetermined open pressure is reached within the metering chamber; and,   a pressure indicator in communication with the metering chamber and configured to provide a visual indication to a user when pressure drops in the metering chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the pressure indicator is a diaphragm. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the input channel comprises a one-way valve.