US20140014613A1 - Air purging lid - Google Patents
Air purging lid Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140014613A1 US20140014613A1 US13/545,481 US201213545481A US2014014613A1 US 20140014613 A1 US20140014613 A1 US 20140014613A1 US 201213545481 A US201213545481 A US 201213545481A US 2014014613 A1 US2014014613 A1 US 2014014613A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lid
- container
- fluid
- shaped
- sidewalls
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
- B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
- B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
- B65B7/2842—Securing closures on containers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
- B65D81/245—Internal membrane, floating cover or the like isolating the contents from the ambient atmosphere
Abstract
A lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base), is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion is provided for sealing the lid to the container. The dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls forming a circular base of the lid. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls is provided for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level.
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates in general to a container lid, and more particularly to a lid device for purging air of out of a container holding a liquid.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- In today's society, distribution and consumption of consumable beverages have experienced significant growth. Many companies are striving to develop more complex and sophisticated packaging mechanisms for securing consumable liquids, such as wine and other beverages. Many of these packaged beverages are to be sold and distributed throughout the world with a need for greater shelf life. Certain beverages, such as wine, require the consumable liquid be protected from atmospheric gases. As such, a need exists for an air purging lid for protecting the liquid from atmospheric gases.
- Many liquids spoil over time when exposed to oxygen and/or other atmospheric gases, and therefore, must be stored in airtight storage containers that minimize the presence of oxygen and other atmospheric gases. However, a need exists for a solution where a lid forms an airtight seal with a suitable container and purges the atmospheric gases out of the container during the installation process, while simultaneously accommodating thermal expansion and contraction of stored fluid.
- Accordingly, various device and method embodiments for a lid device are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed (e.g., accordion shaped) portion extending downwardly to a dome (convex) shaped base, is provided for completely purging air out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container, is also provided. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion and dome shaped base are submerged within the stored fluid when installed on a container. The flexible ribbed portion of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) are elongated as necessary from its relaxed state during the installation of the lid to displace enough stored fluid such that the stored fluid rises along the inside walls of the container to purge out all of the atmospheric gases without the fluid flowing over the container's rim. The flexible ribbed portion of the cylindrical sidewalls allows for the lid to elongate and contract while submerged within the stored fluid to accommodate the stored fluid's thermal contraction and expansion. Once the lid is airtight sealed to the container the atmospheric pressure maintains the force against the lid to hold it in its elongated configuration to maintain the fluid level against the rim of the lid with zero headspace. Once the airtight seal is broken the pressure within the container equalizes with the atmospheric pressure allowing the lid to contract along its flexible ribbed portion, which causes the fluid level to drop from the rim of the container.
- In addition to the foregoing exemplary method embodiment, other exemplary system and apparatus embodiments are provided and supply related advantages. The foregoing summary has been provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background.
- In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
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FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having one of a variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary installation process, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purging lid device having one of a variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 2A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having a one of a variety of shaped bases and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a seal directly beneath a lid rim in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 2B illustrates an additional exemplary installation process, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having a one of the variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 3A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized -
FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary installation process of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; -
FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having an flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, sealed to a container having a narrow mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized; and -
FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary air purging lid device having an flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, sealed to a container with a flared mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized - Many liquids spoil over time when exposed to oxygen and/or other atmospheric gases, and therefore must be stored in airtight storage containers that minimize the presence of oxygen and other atmospheric gases. For example, during the aging of wine, if a wine is not protected from both microbial spoilage and oxygen at all times it is likely to spoil. Protecting wine usually involves maintaining proper sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels and keeping containers full. Typically, containers for fluids, that are to be protected from atmospheric gases, maintain a space between the top surface of a stored fluid and the underside of the lid of the container (e.g., headspace) at a reduced pressure with respect to the container's ambient environment. This air space (e.g., headspace) must be maintained to accommodate thermal expansion of the fluid to prevent the lid from being blown off of the container, or to prevent the container from rupturing. To minimize the amount of atmospheric gases trapped within the container during the fluid's bottling/packaging process, a lid is typically installed during a gas evacuation and/or displacement process. This is typically achieved by dispensing an inert gas into the space between the fluid and the lid as the lid is installed and/or by performing the lid installation operation within a vacuum chamber. For example, the headspaces in wine is purged by use of an inert gas to effectively remove the oxygen to greatly increases the amount of protection. However, it is nearly impossible to remove all atmospheric gases from the space maintained between the fluid and the container lid. Typically, tall slender containers are preferred to short wider containers because fluids stored in taller slender containers have less exposed surface area to the entrapped atmospheric gases. In the case of wine, the oxygen uptake depends on the surface area exposed to oxygen and the exposure time. The rate of oxidation increases as the exposed surface area increases. As the rate of oxidation increases the shelf life of the wine decreases before the wine spoils.
- Often times, the containers themselves are used for consuming the beverages. Since the space between the lid and the fluid is minimized, to reduce the amount of entrapped atmospheric gases, the container is typically filled such that the fluid level is in close proximity to the rim of the container. However, this increases the likelihood that the beverage will spill when opened by a consumer. In addition, in the case where wine is served in a single use drinking container, having the fluid level near the rim of the container, once the lid is removed, makes it difficult for the user to swirl the wine in the glass so as to allow the wine to breathe and to increase the surface area of the wine to smell the wine's various aromas. In these cases it is desirable to have a greater distance between the top surface of the fluid and the rim of the container.
- Because lids are required to maintain a space between the fluid and the lid to accommodate thermal expansion, and because the lid installation process is typically performed in a vacuum chamber, a pressure differential exists between the inside of the container and its external environment. This pressure differential may pull atmospheric gases into the container over time. The oxygen uptake by a fluid depends on the surface area of the fluid exposed to the oxygen and the exposure time. As a result, tall slender containers are preferred for these fluids as opposed to short, wide containers, since taller, more slender containers result in the fluid having less exposed surface area to the space above. In order to accommodate the pressure differential of the lid and containers, both the container and lid walls must be thick enough to withstand the resultant pressures to prevent failure. This may drive up the weight and material usage, and thus increase the costs of the container and lid.
- In contrast, and to address these inefficiencies, the illustrated embodiments, as will be described below, provide a solution that purges all air out of the container upon installation while leaving little to no headspace above the stored fluid. In one embodiment, an airtight barrier is formed with the container and the lid. The lid has an opening area (e.g., wide or narrow) that encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases. The base may also be a flexible membrane and/or an elastic membrane base. It should be noted that throughout the description provided herein, the sidewalls may also be cone shapes, rectangular shaped, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and/or a variety of shapes and sizes based upon the variety of types of containers. For example, in one embodiment, the sidewalls may take on the form of a cone shape and may have either a flexible ribbed portion or the sidewalls may be completely rigid, for being adapted and used in a particular container for eliminating the headspace of the fluid within that particular type of container. In another embodiment, the sidewalls may be cylindrically shaped sidewalls having a flexible ribbed portion (e.g., the accordion shaped) and/or the cylindrically shaped sidewalls may be completely rigid or semi-rigid. A lid rim is provided and has an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container. A flexible membrane base, or a base made a another material having one of a variety of shapes and sizes, may be connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) and forms a circular base of the lid. The flexible membrane base accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. The lid completely purges air out of a container, upon installation, so as to eliminate headspace by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. The lid changes shape to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the stored fluid. Thus, the lid is uniquely designed for achieving an airtight seal with a suitable container and purges all atmospheric gases out of the container when installed, while accommodating thermal expansion/contraction of the stored fluid.
- Moreover, the lid may be designed to function with a variety of container shapes and sizes. The lid can be designed to accommodate any predetermined fluid level within a given container and still purge all of the atmospheric gases out of the container when installed without the increasing the risk of entrapping atmospheric gases. A configuration of the lid with one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion can accommodate multiple fluid levels within a container with the aid of an installation tool which is used to elongate the lid by a variable amount such that the depth in which the lid is submerged into the fluid displaces the necessary amount of fluid needed to purge the atmospheric gases out of the container. The lid purges all atmospheric gases out of the container, which are not dissolved in the fluid, when installed. The lid purges all atmospheric gases out of the container whether the operation is performed within a vacuum or if an inert gas is dispensed to displace the atmospheric gases. The lid can accommodate both thermal expansion and contraction of the stored fluid under a wide range of temperatures. When the seal between the lid and the container is broken or cracked, the pressure is equalized between the inside of the container and its ambient environment allowing the ribbed portion of the cylindrical walls to return to their relaxed retracted state or the allowing the one of the variety of shaped bases of the lid to deform, both of which allow the fluid level along the sides of the container to immediately drop, and thus reduces the chance of the fluid spilling on the consumer. The use of the lid results in a minimal pressure differential between the inside of the container and the lid's external environment. Therefore, volatile gases, dissolved in the fluid, are less susceptible to being pulled out of solution, and the rate of diffusion of atmospheric gases into the container is minimized.
- In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of a variety of shaped bases, is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. The lid rim, having an inside portion is connected to the top of one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls) with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container. The one of the variety of shaped bases is connected to the bottom of one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls), having the flexible ribbed portion, and forms a circular base of the lid for facilitating the purging of the atmospheric gases out of the container. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrically shaped sidewalls), having the flexible ribbed portion, is provided for accommodating thermal expansion and for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level such that the lid purges all of the atmospheric gases out of the container. It should be noted that the variety of shaped sidewalls may be comprised and designed to have a variety of structural types, including but not limited to, rigid, semi-rigid, flexible, u-shape, c-shape, accordion shape, V-shape, concave, convex, spiral shaped (e.g., spring like structure), and/or other type of structure types according to the container type. For example, in one embodiment, by way of example only, the sidewalls may be completely rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible and cone shaped, or the sidewall may be cylindrically shaped having a flexible ribbed portion that comprises all or part of the cylindrically shaped sidewalls. With the flexible ribbed sidewalls, the lid may accommodate complete and/or partial purging of the atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to either eliminate or minimize headspace by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid or provide for a small void that is intentionally left between the fluid's top surface and the lid rim. In the scenario with the lid leaves the small void created by only the partial purging of the atmospheric gases, the lid would be designed such that when it is fully elongated it does not displace enough fluid such that the fluid reaches the lid rim. Therefore the void is maintained between the fluid and the lid rim to ensure no fluid spills out of the container when the lid seal is broken. This void can be free of atmospheric gases if the lid installation operation is performed in a vacuum and/or with the aid of an inert gas to displace the gases. This void would be over a minimized surface area of the fluid. Once the seal is broken the elongated flexible ribbed walls would contract to lower the fluid level further away from the container's rim.
- Also, as described below, the variety of shaped bases may have a variety of material types. For example, in one embodiment, by way of example only, the base may be comprised of a flexible membrane having the ability to adjust to a variety of shapes and sizes for accommodating thermal expansion.
- In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to a substantially dome shaped base, is provided for completely purging atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion for sealing the lid to the container, is also provided. The substantially dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, with the flexible ribbed portion forming a circular base of the lid, for facilitating the purging of the atmospheric gases out of the container. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, having the flexible ribbed portion for manipulating the lid from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid to displace an amount of fluid needed to raise the fluid level such that the lid purges all of the atmospheric gases out of the container, is also provided for accommodating thermal expansion.
- In one embodiment, a lid, having an opening area encased by one of a variety of shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to a substantially dome shaped base, is provided for reducing a surface area of a fluid exposed to entrapped gas within a container upon installation so as to minimize head space. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls and an outside portion, is also provided for sealing the lid to the container. The substantially dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls, for forming a circular base of the lid.
- In one embodiment, if any gases are entrapped within the container, the entrapped gases may be contained between a region of the lid and container such that the gases only come in contact with a very small surface area of the fluid. The lid accommodates thermal expansion and contraction of the fluid to prevent the container from rupturing.
- As mentioned previously, in the case of wine, the oxygen uptake depends on the surface area exposed to oxygen and the exposure time. The rate of oxidation increases as the exposed surface area increases. As the rate of oxidation increases, the shelf life of the wine decreases before it spoils. Thus, the lid of the present invention allows for extending the shelf life of the wine by purging the air out of the container at the time of installations.
- Turning now to
FIG. 1A , an exemplary air purginglid device 100 having one of a variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) and one of a variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion is depicted. InFIG. 1A , alid 100 has anopening area 101 that is encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A with a flexibleribbed portion 104B extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106. (It should be noted that inFIG. 1A , the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and the flexibleribbed portion 104B are represented respectively with 104A and 104B for purposes of illustrating the flexibleribbed portion 104B of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A. However,FIGS. 1B-C are simply labeled as 104 to include the flexibleribbed portion 104B as part of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A. In other words, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A ofFIG. 1A may include the flexibleribbed portion 104B in bothFIGS. 1B-C , but is only listed generally as 104.) Thelid 100 displaces a fluid by forcing the fluid up along the outside of thesidewalls 104A and a container up to alid rim 102 thereby eliminating the headspace. Thelid rim 102 is provided and has aninside portion 102A connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and anoutside portion 102B for sealing the lid to the container. (It should be noted that thelid rim 102 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A or may be detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). Thelid rim 102, as well as other parts of thelid 100, may be flexible and/or pliable for forming and securing the lid to the container. Thelid rim 102 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of geometric shapes or positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. Thelid rim 102 may be shaped and constructed for “snapping” the lid onto the container for securing thelid 100 to the container. Moreover, thelid rim 102 may include one of a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for thelid 100 to be sealed and/or secured to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. For example, thelid rim 102 may have a sticky, glue like substance that is applied to the underneath portion of thelid rim 102, and a user or machine may press or form thelid rim 102 to the container with the glue or adhesive material attaching (e.g., bonding/sealing) thelid rim 102 to the container. Moreover, the use of a snapping design of thelid rim 102 may be used in conjunction with the adhesive material for both “snapping” and sealing thelid 100 and thelid rim 102 to the container. Thelid 100 may also included threads for twisting thelid 100 onto a container and the threads may be located and designed on a portion of thelid rim 102 and/or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A. - The one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base and/or flexible membrane base) 106 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A and forms a circular base of the
lid 100. It should be noted that the one of a variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A or may be a detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). Theribbed portion 104B of thesidewalls 104A allows for the contraction and elongation of thelid 100 about the longitudinal axis of the container to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, respectively, of the stored fluid in the container. The one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 prevents gas from being trapped underneath thelid 100 by having a substantially convex or dome shape while being submerged in fluid within the container. The dome shapedbase 106, as well as theentire lid 100, provides for zero permeability to oxygen (e.g., the permeability including that of the dome shapedbase 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexibleribbed portion 104B of thelid 100 and of the junction zone between thelid 102 and a container). The zero permeability makes it possible to conserve a wine or other liquid in the long term, preferably more than ten months, without exceeding a tolerable quantity of oxygen. To do this, the cylindrical sidewalls with the flexibleribbed portion 104B of thelid 100, the dome shapedbase 106, and other parts of thelid device 100 are made of a material that is not permeable or practically not permeable to oxygen in the long term. - If a user requires any part of the
lid 100, including the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexibleribbed portion 104B, and/or the rim of thelid 102 to not be entirely “zero permeable”, the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A with the flexibleribbed portion 104B, and/or thelid rim 102 of thelid 100 must have a very low overall permeability, after thelid 100 has been installed onto a container, with a permeability of not more than 10 cubic centimeters per square meter per 24-hour period (cm3/m2/24 h), so as to conserve a wine or fluid for at least ten months. However, if it is not required to store the wine/liquid for more than ten months, based upon a users preference and need, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexibleribbed portion 104B of thelid 100, the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106, and other parts of thelid device 100 may be greater than or less than the 10 cubic centimeters per square meter per 24-hour period (cm3/m2/24 h), for conserving a wine or fluid for a required period of time. - The flexible
ribbed portion 104B of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A may be only a predetermined length of theentire sidewalls 104A or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A maybe designed entirely with a flexibleribbed shape 104B. The one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 104A may be designed and suited according to a users preference. The flexible ribbed portion assists thelid 100 in purging the atmospheric gases out of the container by extending into the fluid by a predetermined length according to a users preference when thelid rim 102 makes contact with the container. For example, the flexible ribbed portion allows for manipulating thelid 100 from a relaxed state to an elongated state while being submerged into a liquid. Thus, the lid purges out all of the air out of a container upon installation, so as to eliminate headspace by forming an airtight barrier between the container, the liquid inside the container, and thelid 100. In other words, when thelid 100 is installed, the surface level of the fluid is contacting every portion of thelid 100 and the container, with all of the gas/air removed between the lid and the container. - The
lid 100,lid rim 102, the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with the flexibleribbed portion 104B, and the one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 106 may be comprised of a variety of materials, such as plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane material, fibrous materials, rubber materials, glass, elastic materials, flexible materials (e.g., a flexible membrane), cork, metallic materials and/or other material or combination of materials known in the art, which are suitable for such an application. Each portion of thelid 100 may be made of the same material or each identified part of thelid 100 may be constructed of a different material, which is suitable for such an application. -
FIG. 1B illustrates anexemplary installation process 110, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. Thelid 100 may be placed above thecontainer 158 that is filled with a predetermined about of fluid (e.g., wine) 155. Aninstallation tool 108 may be used to elongate thelid 100 from its relaxed state and hold it in this position during the installation of thelid 100 so that thelid 100 displaces the appropriate amount of the fluid 155 such that the fluid 155 is at or near the rim of thecontainer 150 at the time the rim of thelid 102 makes contact with the rim of thecontainer 150. As thelid 100 is lowered into acontainer 158 and submerged into the fluid 155, the displacedfluid 155 rises on up along theinner portion 160 of thecontainer 158 and purges the air/gases entirely out of thecontainer 158. Thebase 106 is shaped to prevent air/gases from being trapped underneath thelid 100 and facilitate the purging of air/gases out of thecontainer 158. Once the lid is lowered to an appropriate depth (e.g., the users desired preference based on the type of container and the level of fluid 155), thelid rim 102 makes contact with the rim of thecontainer 150 and is bonded and sealed 112 to thecontainer rim 150. Theinstallation tool 108 is then removed. If the installation procedure is performed in a vacuum, once it is removed from the vacuum and exposed to atmospheric pressure thelid 100 may elongate allowing the fluid 155 to fill any voids within thecontainer 158. -
FIG. 1C illustrates anexemplary removal process 125 of a sealed air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a flexible ribbed portion in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. To remove thelid 100, an upward force is applied to one end of thelid 100, more specifically to thelid rim 102. The seal (seeFIG. 112, the seal point) may be broken using upward force to break the seal between the1B lid 100 and the rim of thecontainer 150. If thelid 100 has threads, the act of twisting the lid breaks theseal 112 of thelid 100 and thecontainer 158. Once the seal between the rim of thecontainer 150 and thelid rim 102 is broken, the pressure within thecontainer 158 equalizes with that of its ambient environment. Thelid 100 retracts to the lid's 100 original shape, and thus, reduces the amount offluid 155 thelid 100 displaces within thecontainer 158. The fluid 155 level on theinner side 160 of thecontainer 158 drops in thecontainer 158. The retraction of the lid's 100 shape is achieved by employing a flexible ribbed portion in the lid's sidewalls. The fluid 155 level along theinside portion 160 of thecontainer 158 is lowered away from the rim of thecontainer 150. This allows the liquid to be lowered down the glass (e.g., container) in a controlled fashion without spilling the liquid over the rim of thecontainer 150. -
FIG. 2A illustrates an additional exemplary air purginglid device 200 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a seal directly beneath a lid rim in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. InFIG. 2A , alid 200 has anopening 201 area that is encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 extending downwardly to aflexible membrane base 206. The opening area is simply the area between cylindrical walls, including from the top of thelid rim 202 and the bottom of thelid 200. As is further illustrated inFIG. 2A and also illustrated below inFIG. 2B , thelid rim 202 is provided and has an inside portion 202 a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 and an outside portion 202 b for sealing thelid 200 to the container. Thelid rim 202 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. Moreover, thelid 200 may include aseal 212 that is pre-attached to the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 prior to the installation of thelid 200. Theseal 212 may be of a variety of adhesive or compressible type materials, which allows for thelid 200 to be sealed to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. The compressible type materials may include, but are not limited to, rubbers, silicones, cork, natural, and or synthetic type compressible materials. Theseal 212 allows for thelid 200 to seal immediately upon installation and making contact with thecontainer 200. - The
flexible membrane base 206 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 204 and forms a circular base of thelid 200. Theflexible membrane base 206 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. Theflexible membrane base 206 prevents gas from being trapped underneath thelid 200 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged influid 255 within thecontainer 250 with the aid of aninstallation tool 208 maintaining the convex shape (seeFIG. 2B ). Theflexible membrane 206 may deform to a concave shape once theseal 212 engages the container while thelid 200 is submerged in the fluid 255 (seeFIG. 2B ) until thelid rim 202 makes contact with the container 258 (seeFIG. 2B ). -
FIG. 2B illustrates an additionalexemplary installation process 225, using an installation tool, of an air purging lid device having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. Aninstallation tool 208 may be used to hold theflexible membrane base 206 in a convex configuration. As thelid 200 is lowered into acontainer 258, theflexible membrane 206 and thelid walls 204 displace the fluid 255 and force the fluid 255 upwards along the sides of theinside walls 260 of thecontainer 258, which purges the air/gases entirely from thecontainer 258. Thelid 200 remains partially submerged in the storedfluid 255 after the lid is installed. Thelid 200 is submerged into the storedfluid 255 with theflexible membrane 206 held in a dome shape by theinstallation tool 208 such that, if any gases are entrapped during the installation process, the gases are forced into a small annular shaped volume near the perimeter of thelid rim 202 and the container's 250 rim, such that only a very small surface area of the fluid 255 would be left exposed to the entrapped gases, thus slowing the process of oxidation. - At this point, the
lid 200 may be sealed to thecontainer 258 as theseal 212 on thelid 200 engages thecontainer 258inner walls 260. In order to minimize the pressure differential within thecontainer 258 with respect to the lid's 200 external environment, and also to accommodate any thermal expansion or contraction of the fluid 255 inside of thecontainer 258, while thelid 200 is installed/sealed, theflexible membrane 206 of thelid 200 deforms such that the volume of the fluid 255 being contained by thelid 200 and thecontainer 258 increases or decreases as needed. Thelid 200 may be installed onto thecontainer 258 with or without the aid of a vacuum chamber and with or without the use of an inert gas to displace the atmospheric gases. In other words, a variety of installation and/sealing methods may be employed to secure thelid 200 to thecontainer 258. In addition, thelid 200 may be dimensioned to interface with a wide variety ofcontainer 258 shapes and sizes and accommodate a wide range ofdesirable fluid 255 levels within a givencontainer 258. Thelid 200 may be secured to thecontainer 258 by heat-sealing, adhesive bonding, threading, or press fitting. If the configuration of thelid 200 uses aseal 212 and is not bonded to thecontainer 258, the lid may be pressed into thecontainer 258 and held in place by thecompressed seal 212. -
FIG. 2C illustrates an exemplary removal process of a sealed air purginglid device 275 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. To remove thelid 200, the seal may be broken using upward force on thelid 200 to move theseal 212 past thecontainer rim 250. Once the seal between the rim of thecontainer 250 and thelid seal 212 is broken, the pressure within thecontainer 258 equalizes with that of its ambient environment and theflexible membrane 206 of thelid 200 inverts from a convex to a concave shape, and thus, reduces the amount offluid 255 the lid displaces within thecontainer 258. The fluid 255 level along theinside portion 260 of thecontainer 258 is lowered away from the rim of thecontainer 250 in a controlled fashion without spilling the liquid over the rim of thecontainer 250 when thelid 200 is removed from thecontainer 258. As the fluid 255 is lowered downward and away from thelid rim 202, theflexible membrane base 206 is able to adjust from the convex shape to a concave shape while being removed from thecontainer 250. This adjustment results from the pressure of the fluid 255 pushing upwards on theflexible membrane 206 while the fluid 255 is being lowered down along theinner side 260 of thecontainer 258 and thewalls 204 of thelid 200. Upon thelid 200 being completely removed from thecontainer 258, theflexible membrane base 206 retracts back to the convex position, which is the natural resting state of the flexible membrane. -
FIG. 3A illustrates an additional exemplary air purging lid device having one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) with a rigid dome shaped base in which aspects of the present invention may be realized.FIG. 3A illustrates the additional exemplary air purginglid device 300 having a rigid dome shapedbase 306 and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. In an alternative embodiment, the air-purging device maintains its shape when installed in the container 358 (seeFIG. 3B ) rather than having a deformable membrane or a flexible ribbed shaped portion of the cylindrical walls. Thelid 300 has anopening area 301 that is encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases (e.g., a domed shaped base) 306. Thelid 300 displaces a fluid by forcing the fluid up along the outside of itssidewalls 304 and the container towards thelid rim 302 thereby minimizing the headspace. Thelid rim 302 is provided and has aninside portion 302A connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 and anoutside portion 302B for sealing the lid to the container. (It should be noted that thelid rim 302 may be one continuous piece with the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 or may be detachable from the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 based upon users preference and need to fit, attach, and seal/bond to the required beverage container). Thelid rim 302, as well as other parts of thelid 300, may be flexible and/or pliable for forming and securing the lid to the container. Thelid rim 302 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of geometric shapes or positions for being secured to a variety of container shapes and sizes. Thelid rim 302 may be shaped and constructed for “snapping” the lid onto the container for securing thelid 300 to the container. Moreover, thelid rim 302 may include one of a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for thelid 300 to be sealed and/or secured to a container. The adhesive type materials may include, but not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. For example, thelid rim 302 may have a sticky, glue like substance that is applied to the underneath portion of thelid rim 302B, and a user or machine may press or form thelid rim 302 to the container with the glue or adhesive material attaching (e.g., bonding/sealing) thelid rim 302 to the container. Moreover, the use of a snapping design of thelid rim 302 may be used in conjunction with the adhesive material for both “snapping” and sealing thelid 300 and thelid rim 302 to the container. Thelid 300 may also included threads for twisting thelid 300 onto a container and the threads may be located and designed on a portion of thelid rim 302 and/or the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304. -
FIG. 3B illustrates an additionalexemplary installation process 325 of an air purging lid device having a rigid dome shaped base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. Thelid 300 has anopening area 301 that encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 extending downwardly to rigid dome shapedbase 306. Once the lid is lowered to an appropriate depth (e.g., the users desired preference based on the type of container and the level of fluid 355), the underside of the lid rim 302 b makes contact with therim 350 of thecontainer 358 and is bonded and sealed 312 to thecontainer rim 350. Thelid 300, when installed, displaces a fluid 355 by forcing the fluid 355 up along the side of thevertical sidewalls 304 of thelid 300 and theinside walls 360 of thecontainer 358. The resultant level of the fluid 355 when thelid 300 is fully installed in thecontainer 358 is approximately halfway up the lid's 300cylindrical walls 304. Theresultant fluid 355 surface area exposed to the open space within thecontainer 358 is minimized. The resultant void between the fluid's 355 top surface and thelid 300rim 302 accommodates any thermal expansion of the fluid. Thelid rim 302 is provided and has an inside portion 302 a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 and an outside portion 302 b for sealing the lid to thecontainer rim 350. Thelid rim 302 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety ofcontainer 358 shapes and sizes. The rim 302 b of thelid 300 may employ a variety of adhesive type materials, which allows for thelid 300 to be sealed to acontainer 358. The adhesive type materials may include, but are not limited to, drying, pressure, contact, hot, heat seal, reactive/non-reactive, natural, and or synthetic type adhesives. - The vertical one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 304 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto the
container 350. Thus, thelid 300 reduces the surface area of the storedfluid 355 exposed to any entrapped gas within thecontainer 358. Thelid 300 still purges some of the air out of thecontainer 358 mechanically, but theresultant fluid 355 level, on the sides of the lid, must be kept low enough to prevent it from spilling out of thecontainer 358 when the lid is removed while still maintaining a void capable of accommodating any thermal expansion of thefluid 355. The bottom surface may deform slightly. - Below,
FIG. 4A-B , the two different exemplary configurations of the lid with a deformable membrane are depicted. In the first configuration (seeFIG. 4A ) the seal is near the rim of the container while in the second configuration (seeFIG. 4B ) the seal is near the necked region of the container. The configurations shown are for both a flared mouth and a narrow mouth container. -
FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary air purginglid device 410 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls), sealed to a container having a narrow mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. As illustrated inFIG. 4A , alid 400 has an opening area that encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 extending downwardly to aflexible membrane base 406. Thelid 400, when installed, displaces a fluid 455 by forcing the fluid 455 up along the side of thevertical sidewalls 404 of thelid 400 and theinner walls 460 of thenarrow mouth container 458 up to alid rim 402. Theresultant fluid 455 surface area exposed to the open space within thenarrow mouth container 458 is minimized. Thelid rim 402 is provided and has an inside portion 402 a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and an outside portion 402 b for sealing the lid to therim 450 of thenarrow mouth container 458. Thelid rim 402 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety ofnarrow mouth container 458 shapes and sizes. Moreover, thelid rim 402 may include aseal 412 that is pre-attached to thelid rim 402 prior to the installation of thelid 458. Theseal 412 may be of a variety of adhesive and/or compressive type materials, which allows for thelid 400 to be sealed to thenarrow mouth container 458. Theseal 412 is near the rim of thenarrow mouth container 458 and thelid rim 402. Theflexible membrane base 406 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and forms a circular base of thelid 400. Theflexible membrane base 406 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. Theflexible membrane base 406 prevents gas from being trapped underneath thelid 400 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged influid 455 within thenarrow mouth container 458 with atmospheric pressure maintaining the convex shape. Theflexible membrane 406 may adjust to a concave shape while being submerged in the fluid 455 until thelid rim 202 makes contact with thenarrow mouth container 450. The vertical/one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto thenarrow mouth container 458. -
FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary air purginglid device 425 having a flexible membrane base and one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) sealed to a container with a flared mouth opening in which aspects of the present invention may be realized. It should be noted that the ribbed design described herein, such as inFIG. 1A , may be used, adapted, and/or designed to work for flared mouth container as well as narrow mouth containers and also other type of containers. In short, it should be noted that the various lid designs described herein may be applied and used in a variety of types of containers and the examples described herein are used as examples for illustration purposes only and not as limiting examples. As illustrated inFIG. 4B , alid 400 has an opening area that encased by a one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 extending downwardly to aflexible membrane base 406. Thelid 400, when installed, displaces a fluid 455 by forcing the fluid 455 up along the side of thevertical sidewalls 404 and a flaredmouth container 475 up to alid rim 402. Theresultant fluid 455 surface area exposed to the open space within thewide mouth container 475 is minimized. Thelid rim 402 is provided and has an inside portion 402 a connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and an outside portion 402 b for sealing the lid to the flaredmouth container 475. Thelid rim 402 may be L-shaped, straight, curved, angled, and/or formed to a variety of positions for being secured to a variety of flaredmouth container 475 shapes and sizes. Moreover, thelid rim 402 may include aseal 412 that is pre-attached to thelid rim 402 prior to the installation of thelid 100. Theseal 412 may be of a variety of adhesive and/or compressive type materials, which allows for thelid 400 to be sealed to the flaredmouth container 475. Theseal 412 may be located below thecontainer rim 451 such that theseal 412 is compressed against the narrowed portion of theinside walls 460 of thecontainer 475. - The
flexible membrane base 406 is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 and forms a circular base of thelid 400. Theflexible membrane base 406 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction. Theflexible membrane base 406 prevents gas from being trapped underneath thelid 400 by having a substantially convex shape while being submerged influid 455 within the flaredmouth container 475 with atmospheric pressure maintaining the convex shape. Theflexible membrane 406 may adjust to a concave shape while being submerged in the fluid 455 until thelid rim 402 makes contact with the flaredmouth container 475. The vertical/one of the variety of shaped sidewalls (e.g., cylindrical shaped sidewalls) 404 is rigid and maintains its form while both being installed and after being sealed onto thewide mouth container 475. - While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, the skilled artisan will appreciate that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims (22)
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a shaped base;
shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to the shaped base;
a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;
a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;
wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid provides zero permeability to oxygen.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shaped sidewalls have an inner and an outer portion, wherein the lid displaces the amount of fluid need to raise the fluid level in the container by forcing the fluid up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and an inner portion of the container.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the shaped sidewalls have a flexible ribbed portion for:
extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,
completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and
allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the shaped sidewalls have a substantially rigid portion for:
allowing at least a portion of the shaped sidewalls to be continuously submersed within the fluid,
partially purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby minimizing headspace, and
creating a void between the lid rim a top surface of the fluid for allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the shaped sidewalls have one of at least an L-shape, v-shape, straight, cylindrical, curved, angled, cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and square shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid rim:
has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and
seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of:
the shaped base prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base,
the shaped base has a flexible membrane for at least one of:
adjusting to one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure by expanding and contracting in the fluid, and
adjusting to a substantially convex shape after being submerged in the fluid, and
the shaped base has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material and have one of at least a cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and dome shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an installation tool for being inserted into the opening area for installing the lid onto the container, wherein the shaped sidewalls are partially submerged below the fluid level and the shaped base is completely submerged within the fluid.
10. A method of manufacturing an apparatus, comprising:
providing a shaped base;
providing shaped sidewalls extending downwardly to the shaped base;
providing a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;
providing a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;
wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.
11. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10 , wherein providing the lid further includes providing the lid having for zero permeability to oxygen.
12. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10 , wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing an inner and an outer portion of the shaped sidewalls, wherein the lid displaces the amount of fluid need to raise the fluid level in the container by forcing the fluid up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and an inner portion of the container.
13. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12 , wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing a flexible ribbed portion for:
extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,
completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and
allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.
14. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12 , wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing a substantially rigid portion for:
allowing at least a portion of the shaped sidewalls to be continuously submersed within the fluid,
partially purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby minimizing headspace, and
creating a void between the lid rim a top surface of the fluid for allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.
15. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12 , wherein providing the shaped sidewalls further includes providing the shaped sidewalls having one of at least an L-shape, v-shape, straight, cylindrical, curved, angled, cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and square shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container.
16. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12 , wherein providing the lid rim includes providing the lid rim that:
has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and
seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.
17. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one of:
the shaped base prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base,
the shaped base has a flexible membrane for at least one of:
adjusting to one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure by expanding and contracting in the fluid, and
adjusting to a substantially convex shape after being submerged in the fluid, and
the shaped base has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material and have one of at least a cone, rectangular, hexagonal, concave, convex, spiral, triangular, elliptical, and dome shape for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the shaped base.
18. The method of manufacturing the apparatus of claim 12 , further including providing an installation tool for being inserted into the opening area for installing the lid onto the container, wherein the shaped sidewalls are partially submerged below the fluid level and the shaped base is completely submerged within the fluid.
19. An apparatus, comprising:
a substantially dome shaped base;
shaped sidewalls, having a flexible ribbed portion, extending downwardly to the substantially dome shaped base;
a lid, having an opening area encased by the shaped sidewalls with the substantially dome shaped base forming a bottom portion of the lid;
a lid rim, having an inside portion, connected to the top of the shaped sidewalls, and an outside portion, for sealing the lid to a container;
wherein the lid displaces an amount of fluid needed to raise a fluid level in the container for purging the atmospheric gases out of the container upon installation by forming an airtight barrier with the container and a lid.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the shaped sidewalls have a flexible ribbed portion for:
extending and contracting the sidewalls in the fluid for accommodating one of thermal expansion and atmospheric pressure while being partially or completely submerged in the fluid,
completely purging the atmospheric gases out of the container thereby completely eliminating headspace, and
allowing the fluid, which is maintained up along the outer portion of the shaped sidewalls and the inner portion of the container up to the lid rim after the fluid is displaced, to be immediately lowered by contracting the flexible ribbed portion to prevent spilling of the liquid from the container upon a seal between the lid rim and the container being broken.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the lid rim:
has one of an adhesive material and compressible material connected to the outer portion, and
seals the lid to the container by one of at least bonding, sealing, heating, snapping, drying, pressurizing, gluing, sticking, vacuuming, and attaching.
22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the substantially dome shaped base:
prevents the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the substantially dome shaped base, and
has at least one of a rigid, semi-rigid, moldable, flexible, adjustable, elastic, flexible, pliable, plastic, carbon fibers, polyurethane, fibrous, rubber, glass, elastic, flexible, cork, and metallic material for assisting with purging the atmospheric gases out of the container and to assist with preventing the atmospheric gases from being trapped underneath the substantially dome shaped base.
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/545,481 US20140014613A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2012-07-10 | Air purging lid |
US14/535,911 US20150102042A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2014-11-07 | Air Purging Lid |
US15/012,766 US20160143467A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2016-02-01 | Air Purging Lid |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/545,481 US20140014613A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2012-07-10 | Air purging lid |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/535,911 Continuation-In-Part US20150102042A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2014-11-07 | Air Purging Lid |
Related Child Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/535,911 Continuation-In-Part US20150102042A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2014-11-07 | Air Purging Lid |
US15/012,766 Continuation-In-Part US20160143467A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2016-02-01 | Air Purging Lid |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20140014613A1 true US20140014613A1 (en) | 2014-01-16 |
Family
ID=49913071
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/545,481 Abandoned US20140014613A1 (en) | 2012-07-10 | 2012-07-10 | Air purging lid |
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Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20140014613A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20130008901A1 (en) * | 2009-12-24 | 2013-01-10 | Giuseppe Costa | Container cap |
US20140231282A1 (en) * | 2012-06-18 | 2014-08-21 | Innova Dynamics, Inc. | Agglomerate reduction in a nanowire suspension stored in a container |
-
2012
- 2012-07-10 US US13/545,481 patent/US20140014613A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20130008901A1 (en) * | 2009-12-24 | 2013-01-10 | Giuseppe Costa | Container cap |
US8844743B2 (en) * | 2009-12-24 | 2014-09-30 | Giuseppe Costa | Container cap |
US20140231282A1 (en) * | 2012-06-18 | 2014-08-21 | Innova Dynamics, Inc. | Agglomerate reduction in a nanowire suspension stored in a container |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |