Wine distribution method

• US 4,671,329 A
• Filed: 10/14/1986
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Double Eagle Wine Company
• Original Assignee: Sam Kovacevich Jr
• Inventors: Kovacevich, Sam Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thronson, Mark
• Application Number:
  US06/918,228
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/5, 141/85, 141/231, 426/312, 426/392, 426/474
• US Class Current: 141/5
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0835 with one valve
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/00 Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes general disposition of plant in stations for supplying fuel to vehicles B60S5/02; for filling or emptying locomotive water tanks, e.g. water columns, B61K11/00; for refuelling aircraft during flight B64D39/00; liquid- handling ground installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft B64F1/28
• CPC Class Codes: C12G 1/00 Preparation of wine or sparkling wine
• CPC Class Codes: C12H 1/22 Ageing or ripening by storing, e.g. lagering of beer

Abstract

A wine distribution method from winery to retail customer in which the wine is completely enclosed or sealed throughout until it is finally dispensed into a glass or carafe for customers in a restaurant or lounge or other retail establishment. The wine originates in a winery where it is stored in closed containers until it has been properly aged. It is then pumped through a sealed conduit from the winery vats into the closed tank of a tanker truck for shipment to a wholesale distributor. In accordance with this invention the wholesale distributor pumps the wine from the tank of the tanker truck through lines which are closed to air into large holding tanks which are also closed to the atmosphere. When delivered to retail restablishments, the wine is pumped from the holding tanks through a closed or air-tight system which includes a filtering device, into a filling machine which in turn flows the wine through its tubes into smaller canisters connected thereto, the canisters also being closed to the air and having outlet nozzles for air-tight connection at the retail establishment to a pressurized nitrogen tank and to a dispensing conduit which leads to a tap or faucet where the wine is ultimately poured into a glass or carafe from the canister under pressure from the nitrogen tank.

Claims

1. A method of distributing wine in bulk form, comprising the steps of providing completely closed conduit means to flow and transport wine therein without any exposure to the atmosphere beginning with the time when the wine leaves the winery where the wine is first made at a first location until it arrives at a second location remote from said first location and ending when the wine is poured into an open to the air container from which an end use consumer is to then there drink the wine, including the steps of moving the wine from said winery where it is first made to said second location, receiving said wine at said second location, moving said wine from said second location to a final destination where the wine is poured into an open to the air container from which a said end use consumer is to then and there drink teh wine, including the step of pouring said wine into said open to the air container for an end use consumer to then and there drink, said steps of moving the wine from the winery to said end use consumer including the step of flowing and transporting said wine through said completely closed conduit means from said winery to said end use consumer, keeping said closed conduit means having said wine therein mechanically sealed against entry of air throughout the entire time said wine is being flowed and transported from said winery to said end use consumer, keeping said wine from exposure to air during such entire time, mechanically sealing each portion of said conduit means in which said wine is to be flowed against entry of air prior to flowing said wine therein, expelling any existing air therefrom prior to flowing said wine therein, then opening said portion of said conduit means for entrance of said wine therein, said step of expelling the air from said closed conduit means includes the step of filling said closed conduit means with nitrogen to displace said air, including the steps at said second location of flowing said wine into first holding tanks when received from said winery through said closed to air conduit means, flowing said wine from said first holding tanks through said closed to air conduit means to a filling machine, connecting a plurality of small portable closed to air containers to said filling machine by way of closed to air connecting conduits, and flowing said wine from said first holding tanks through said closed to air connecting conduits into said portable closed to air containers for delivery to said final destination.

2. A method of distributing wine in bulk form from a winery to a remote location for end use consumption, including the steps of connecting a first air-tight conduit between a storage container at said winery and a closed container on a vehicle, moving said vehicle to an intermediate location, connecting a second air-tight conduit between said closed container on said vehicle to a relatively large storage container at said intermediate location, connecting a third air-tight conduit between said relatively large storage container at said intermediate location and a filling machine, connecting a plurality of fourth air-tight connecting conduits to a corresponding plurality of smaller portable closed to air containers for delivery to locations remote from said intermediate location, expelling any existing air from said air-tight conduits, containers and filling machine prior to flowing said wine therein, mechanically sealing each of said air-tight conduits, containers and filling machine against entry of air prior to flowing said wine therein, flowing said wine through said first air-tight conduit into said container on said vehicle after it is connected, after said first conduit and container on said vehicle have been mechanically sealed against entry of air, after any existing air has been expelled therefrom and before moving said vehicle to said intermediate location, then flowing said wine through said second air-tight conduit into said relatively large storage container after it is connected, after said second conduit and said relatively large storage container have been mechanically sealed against entry of air and after any existing air has been expelled therefrom, flowing said wine through said third air-tight conduit into said filling machine after it is connected, after said third conduit and said filling machine have been mechanically sealed against entry of air and after any existing air has been expelled therefrom, flowing said wine through said plurality of fourth air-tight connecting conduits into said corresponding plurality of smaller portable closed to air containers after they have been connected, after said connecting conduits and said corresponding smaller portable containers have been mechanically sealed against entry of air and after any existing air has been expelled therefrom, including the steps of delivering said smaller, mechanically sealed portable containers to said remote locations for end use consumption of said wine, and connecting corresponding fifth air-tight conduits between respective ones of said smaller containers and corresponding outlet taps to flow wine from smaller, mechanically sealed portable containers through said taps for end-use consumption of said wine at said remote locations.

3. A method of distributing wine in bulk form from a winery to a remote location for end use consumption as set forth in claim 2 wherein said steps of expelling any existing air from said first air-tight conduit, from said second air-tight conduit, from said third air-tight conduit, from said fourth air-tight connecting conduits, from said containers and from said filling machine includes the steps of filling said air-tight conduits, said containers and said filling machine with nitrogen to displace said air prior to mechanically sealing each of said air-tight conduits, containers and filling machine respectively against entry of air.