CONTAINER ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED RETAINER ASSEMBLY AND FLAVOR INSERTS FOR AGING A LIQUID

• US 20140202337A1
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bit365
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Roleder
• Inventors: Roleder, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,523,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/277.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 9/04 made up of staves, e.g. barrels for liquids thermally insulated barrels, B65D81/3802
• CPC Class Codes: C12G 3/07 Flavouring with wood extracts, e.g. generated by contact with wood; Wood pretreatment therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12H 1/22 Ageing or ripening by storing, e.g. lagering of beer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A container assembly (10) for retaining a liquid (14) during aging of the liquid (14) includes a container (12), a flavor insert (16), and an insert retainer assembly (18). The container (12) defines a chamber (12A) which receives and retains the liquid (14). The flavor insert (16) imparts a flavor on the liquid (14). The insert retainer assembly (18) is positioned within the chamber (12A) and is secured to the container (12). In one embodiment, the insert retainer assembly (18) includes a retainer rack (32) having an attacher (32C) that selectively and individually engages the flavor insert (16) to inhibit large scale movement of the flavor insert (16) relative to the retainer rack (32).

Claims

1. A container assembly for retaining a liquid during aging of the liquid, the container assembly comprising:

a container that defines a chamber which receives and retains the liquid;

a first flavor insert that imparts a flavor on the liquid; and

an insert retainer assembly positioned within the chamber, the insert retainer assembly being secured to the container, the insert retainer assembly including a retainer rack having a first attacher that selectively and individually engages the first flavor insert to inhibit large scale movement of the first flavor insert relative to the retainer rack.

2. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the first attacher includes a first clip that flexes open when sufficient pressure is applied with the first flavor insert.

3. The container assembly of claim 2 wherein the container has a container longitudinal axis and wherein the first clip inhibits movement of the first flavor insert along an axis that is substantially parallel to the container longitudinal axis.

4. The container assembly of claim 2 wherein the first flavor insert includes a retainer aperture and wherein the first clip fits into at least a portion of the retainer aperture to engage the first flavor insert.

5. The container assembly of claim 4 wherein the retainer aperture is positioned near a distal end of the first flavor insert.

6. The container assembly of claim 2 wherein the first clip includes a pair of engagement regions that are urged apart when sufficient pressure is applied with the first flavor insert, and that biased to move adjacent to each other so that the engagement regions retain the first flavor insert.

7. The container assembly of claim 2 further comprising a second flavor insert that imparts a flavor on the liquid, and wherein the insert retainer assembly includes a second attacher that selectively and individually engages the second flavor insert to inhibit large scale movement of the second flavor insert relative to the retainer rack.

8. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein the second attacher includes a second clip that flexes open when sufficient pressure is applied with the second flavor insert.

9. The container assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second flavor insert that imparts a flavor on the liquid, and wherein the insert retainer assembly includes a second attacher that selectively and individually engages the second flavor insert to inhibit large scale movement of the second flavor insert relative to the retainer rack.

10. The container assembly of claim 9 wherein the container further includes a container aperture that allows for the insertion of the flavor inserts into the insert retainer assembly through the container aperture.

11. The container assembly of claim 10 wherein the insert retainer assembly is selectively rotatable relative to the container.

12. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert retainer assembly and the first flavor insert can be selectively rotated and positioned to create more turbulence in the liquid, and to stir the liquid.

13. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the first attacher includes a first clamp that clamps the first flavor insert.

14. A flavor insert for use with a container assembly for retaining a liquid during the aging of the liquid, the container assembly including an insert retainer assembly having a clip, the flavor insert comprising:

an insert body that is adapted to impart a flavor on the liquid, the insert body including a retainer aperture that receives a portion of the clip to selective secure the insert body to the insert retainer assembly.

15. A method assembling a container assembly that is used for aging of a liquid, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a container that defines a chamber which receives and retains the liquid;

providing a first flavor insert that imparts a flavor on the liquid; and

selectively and individually retaining the first flavor insert in the chamber with an insert retainer assembly positioned within the chamber.