WO2008093214A1

WO2008093214A1 - Decanter

Info

Publication number: WO2008093214A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/000199
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Oersig Veggerby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-30
Filing date: 2008-01-30
Publication date: 2008-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-30
Also published as: EP2124683A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a decanter (1 ) comprising two containers (2, 3), characterized by the first container (2) having a tubular discharge body (4) being on the exterior provided with a conical part (5) tapered towards a free end thereof, wherein the conical part (5) is adapted for watertight coupling into a complementary discharge opening (6) in the second container (3), while the opposite end of the discharge body (4) fits into the upper end of the first container (2).

Description

DECANTER

The invention relates to a decanter for red wine, wherein red wine is poured from a container, typically the original bottle, into another container, typically a carafe, whereby red wine is being brought in contact with oxygen in the surrounding air.

Red wine - especially young red wine - with a larger content of tannins may require to be oxidized before consumption. Especially red wine based on the grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah would gain very much in taste by being oxidized. Fruity and low- acid red wines, such as Beaujolais and the like would typically not be in need of separate oxidization before being consumed. The oxygen will "open" up the wine and release its aromatic compounds.

DK 176117 B1 in the name E. S. Petersen is supposed to be the closest prior art and describes a carafe with a conical plug mounted therein and provided with a through- going passage or canal for red wine, which is poured into the carafe.

The object of the present invention is to provide a decanter with good oxidization of red wine, which is poured from a first container into a second container and back into the first container after oxidization. At the same time the decanter shall be simple to handle.

The object is obtained by means of a decanter, which according to the invention, comprises two containers, of which the first container is provided with a substantially tubular discharge body being on the exterior provided with a conical part tapered towards a free end thereof, wherein the conical part is adapted for watertight coupling into a complementary discharge opening in the second container, while the opposite end of the discharge body fits into the upper end of the first container. The first container will preferably be in the form of a carafe with typically slant inner surfaces and is made of e.g. glass, while the second container usually will be the wine bottle of standard size (3/4 litre). When the decanter is being filled with wine through decanting from a wine bottle to a carafe, the wine flows through the discharge body and down along the slant surfaces in a smooth stream, thereby providing a big surface area supporting the oxidizing process. While decanting the wine, the wine bottle and carafe must be coupled watertight to each other in such a way that the wine is maintained in the closed wine-oxidizing system, and accordingly it is appropriate that the conical, outer surface of the discharge body, which is to be coupled watertight with the inside of the opening in the bottle, is comprised of a resilient material, which after use return to its original form, e.g. a plastic material.

The discharge body according to the invention can be mounted releasably or held permanently fixed in the opening of the carafe, whereby it is ensured that the body does not loose its position in the opening, and that the wine flows out freely.

When the decanter according to the present invention is brought into use, a bottle of red wine is opened, and thereafter the complete decanter is positioned with a wine bottle/second container on top having the conical part of the first container protruding into the opening of the second container/wine bottle. Thereafter, the decanting system is turned upside-down so that the first container is positioned beneath the wine bottle and the wine flows from the wine bottle [down into the container through the conical part of the discharge body and replaces a corresponding volume of air. Finally, the decanting system is again turned so that the wine bottle is now positioned under the first container, whereby the wine will flow back into the wine bottle, but now in an oxidized condition.

This process may be repeated until the wine has reached a satisfactory oxidization.

When the wine is oxidized, it will in a preferred embodiment flow from a bottle to a carafe and essentially follow the slant sides of the carafe, whereby the wine "spreads" out over a larger surface area to allow for the best possible oxidization.

In a further preferred embodiment, the discharge body is fixed to the first container by fixing or locking means. In one such embodiment a multi-part skirt is adapted to interlock with the discharge body, whereby the opening of the first container is sandwiched between said skirt and said body.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in closer detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows two positions (one in phantom) of a decanting system comprising a carafe and a wine bottle,

Fig. 2 shows a discharge body in larger scale, and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the discharge body showing only one of the loose skirts for interlocking with the discharge body.

In Fig. 1 , a decanter 1 according to the present invention comprises a first container 2 and a second container 3, wherein the first container 2 is provided with a tubular discharge body 4 being on the exterior provided with a conical part 5 tapered towards a free end thereof, wherein the conical part 5 is adapted for watertight coupling into a complementary discharge opening 6 in the second container 3, while the opposite end of the discharge body 4 fits in the upper end of the first container 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the decanter according to the invention, the first container is comprised of a carafe 2, typically made of glass, wherein the wine can be observed. The other container will typically be a bottle 3 of red wine.

Experiments with the decanter 1 have been carried out using a glass carafe 2 with a volume of 1.5 litres, while the wine bottle contains 0,75 litre. This will provide enough air to oxidize the red wine in a closed system.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least the outer conical part of the discharge body 4 is comprised of a resilient plastic, and by moving the bottle and carafe together, a watertight coupling therebetween is provided. It would be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the carafe 2 and the discharge body 4 can have any form, provided it can be guaranteed that no leakage will occur and consequently wine be wasted; as a matter of fact, these parts can be provided as one single unit component.

When the decanter 1 is brought into use, the conical part 5 of the first container 2 is introduced in the opening 6 of the second container/wine bottle 3, whereupon the system is turned with the wine bottle 3 above the first container 2 (position to the left). Now the wine will flow from the wine bottle 3 down into the container 2 through the conical part 5 of the discharge body 4 and replace a corresponding volume of air. The system is then turned back to its initial position (shown in phantom), and the wine bottle 3 is now positioned beneath the first container 2, and the wine will flow into the wine bottle 3 and is now oxidized. In order for the oxidization of the wine in the said closed system to work properly, the dimensions of the through-going passage in the discharge body 4 are essential. The discharge body 4 in the first container 2 is provided with a passage, a first section thereof being cylindrical and a second section thereof being conical.

The first section of the passage is formed at the tip end of the conical part 5, and the second section of the passage tapers from the inner of the first container 2 in gradual transition to the cylindrical section.

In a preferred embodiment (Fig. 2) of the decanter, the cylindrical section of the passage has preferably a diameter D1 of 5-15 mm; especially 10 mm, while the larger diameter D2 of the conical section of the passage is preferably 12-22 mm; especially 17 mm. The ratio L1 :L2 between lengths L1 , L2 of the cylindrical and the conical sections, respectively, are preferably between 1.20 and 1.35, especially 1.26. Said ratio and diameters impact the ability of the decanting system 1 to completely move all wine between containers 2, 3.

In a further preferred embodiment (Figs. 2 and 3) of the invention the discharge body 4 further comprises two or more locking skirts 7 fitting into a groove 8 in the outer surface of said body 4 and surrounding the upper end of the first container 2. The locking skirts 7 are preferably bonded to the discharge body 4, especially glued thereto.

Claims

1. Decanter (1) comprising two containers (2, 3), characterized by the first container (2) having a tubular discharge body (4) being on the exterior provided with a conical part (5) tapered towards a free end thereof, wherein the conical part (5) is adapted for watertight coupling into a complementary discharge opening (6) in the second container (3), while the opposite end of the discharge body (4) fits into the upper end of the first container (2).

2. Decanter according to claim 1 , characterized by the discharge body (4) in the first container (2) having a passage, whereof a first section is cylindrical and a second section is conical.

3. Decanter according to claim 2, characterized by the first section of the passage being formed at the tip of the conical part (5) and the second section of the passage tapering from the inner of the first container (2) in gradual transition to the cylindrical section.

4. Decanter according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by the cylindrical section of the passage preferably having a diameter (D1) of 5-15 mm; especially 10 mm, while the larger diameter (D2) of the conical section of the passage is preferably 12-22 mm; especially 17 mm, the ratio (L1 :L2) between lengths (L1 , L2) of the cylindrical and the conical sections, respectively, being between 1.20 and 1.35; especially 1.26.

5. Decanter according to any of claims 1-4, characterized by the discharge body (4) further comprising two or more locking skirts fitting into a groove in the outer surface of said body (4) and surrounding the upper end of the first container (2).

6. Decanter according to claim 5, characterized by the locking skirts being bonded to the discharge body (4), especially glued.