초록 ▼

Apparatus and methods for sealing beverage containers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beverage container cap for resealing a beverage container comprises a cap member and an inflatable member. The cap member has an interior side for sealingly coupling with an opening of a bottle. The cap member

Apparatus and methods for sealing beverage containers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beverage container cap for resealing a beverage container comprises a cap member and an inflatable member. The cap member has an interior side for sealingly coupling with an opening of a bottle. The cap member defines a pathway for selectively communicating gas through the cap member. For example, a pump can provide air through the pathway and to the interior side of the cap member. The inflatable member is configured to couple to the cap member and to expand in volume upon receiving gas from the pathway. The inflatable member includes a fluid impermeable layer and an elastic layer.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A beverage container cap for resealing a beverage container, comprising: a cap member having an interior side for sealingly coupling with an opening of the beverage container, the cap member defining a pathway for selectively communicating gas through the cap member; andan inflatable member confi

1. A beverage container cap for resealing a beverage container, comprising: a cap member having an interior side for sealingly coupling with an opening of the beverage container, the cap member defining a pathway for selectively communicating gas through the cap member; andan inflatable member configured to couple to the cap member and to expand in volume upon receiving gas from the pathway, the inflatable member including: a first layer for capturing gas received by the inflatable member, thereby inflating, wherein the first layer is fluid impermeable; anda second layer operatively coupled to the first layer such that the second layer expands upon the first layer inflating,wherein the first layer and second layer are unattached to each other at one or more areas to allow the second layer to expand or contract relative to the first layer, and wherein a surface area of the first layer in a relaxed condition is greater than a surface area of the second layer in a relaxed condition. 2. The beverage container cap of claim 1, wherein the first layer is a more fluid impermeable layer than the second layer, and the second layer is an elastic layer configured to collapse upon deflation of the inflatable member. 3. The beverage container cap of claim 2, wherein the first layer has an oxygen transmission rate of about 0 to 200 cubic centimeters·0.001 inch/100 square inches·day·atmosphere at 73° Fahrenheit and 0% relative humidity (cm3·mil/100 in2·24 hr·atm@73 F, 0% RH), and the second layer has a tensile modulus at 100% of about 0 to 20 megapascals (MPa). 4. The beverage container cap of claim 2, wherein the first layer comprises polyvinylidene chloride, and the second layer comprises natural latex rubber. 5. The beverage container cap of claim 1, wherein the first layer and second layer each comprises an open end, wherein the open end of the first layer is fluidly coupled to the pathway such that the first layer inflates upon receiving gas from the pathway, wherein the open end of the second layer is operatively coupled to first layer such that the first layer is configured to inflate inside the second layer, thereby causing the second layer to expand upon the inflatable member receiving gas. 6. A beverage container cap for resealing a beverage container, comprising: a cap member having an interior side for sealingly coupling with an opening of the beverage container, the cap member defining a pathway for selectively communicating gas through the cap member;an inflatable member configured to couple to the cap member and to expand in volume upon receiving gas from the pathway, the inflatable member including: a first layer for capturing gas received by the inflatable member, thereby inflating, wherein the first layer is fluid impermeable, anda second layer operatively coupled to the first layer such that the second layer expands upon the first layer inflating,wherein the first layer and second layer are unattached to each other at one or more areas to allow the second layer to expand or contract relative to the first layer; anda membrane carrier having a first portion for coupling to the cap member and a second portion for coupling to the inflatable member. 7. The beverage container cap of claim 1, wherein the second layer is an outer elastic layer surrounding the first layer, the second layer being configured to expand into a shape having a longitudinal groove defined on an exterior surface. 8. The beverage container cap of claim 1, wherein the first layer defines a first balloon, the second layer defines a second balloon surrounding the first balloon, and a gap is defined between the first and second balloons. 9. The beverage container cap of claim 1, further comprising a food-grade lubrication medium disposed between the first layer and the second layer. 10. The beverage container cap of claim 1, further comprising a first valve disposed in the pathway for selectively opening and closing the pathway, the first valve biased toward closing and configured to open upon receiving pressurized gas. 11. The beverage container cap of claim 10, wherein the cap member comprises a second valve disposed in a vent defined through the cap member, the vent having interior and exterior ends, wherein the second valve is configured for manual opening. 12. The beverage container cap of claim 1, further comprising a pressure gauge for indicating a pressure sensed at the interior side of the cap member. 13. The beverage container cap of claim 6, wherein a surface area of the first layer in a relaxed condition is greater than a surface area of the second layer in a relaxed condition. 14. The beverage container cap of claim 6, wherein an open end of the inflatable member is disposed about an exterior of the second portion of the membrane carrier. 15. The beverage container cap of claim 6, wherein the membrane carrier defines a second pathway that is fluidly connected to and disposed between the pathway of the cap member and the inflatable member. 16. The beverage container cap of claim 6, wherein the membrane carrier is detachable from the cap member for removing the inflatable member. 17. The beverage container cap of claim 6, wherein the membrane carrier has an exterior surface that defines a longitudinal groove for carrying gas between the membrane carrier and the inflatable member while the inflatable member deflates. 18. The beverage container cap of claim 1, further comprising a pump fluidly coupled to the pathway of the cap member, the pump configured to selectively provide gas to the pathway for expanding the inflatable member in volume. 19. The beverage container cap of claim 1, further comprising a gas supply valve fluidly coupled to the pathway for coupling to an external gas supply to provide gas to the pathway for expanding the inflatable member in volume. 20. The beverage container cap of claim 1, wherein the cap member comprises a spout for selectively dispensing liquid from the beverage container when the cap member is coupled to the opening of the beverage container. 21. A method for removing a headspace of a beverage container, the method comprising: inserting an inflatable member inside the beverage container such that the beverage container is configured to hold a liquid outside of the inflatable member, the inflatable member including first and second layers, wherein the first layer is fluid impermeable and configured to inflate, and the second layer is configured to expand upon the first layer inflating, wherein the first layer and second layer are sufficiently independent of one another to allow the second layer to expand or contract relative to the first layer;expanding the inflatable member inside the beverage container by inflating the first layer and thereby expanding the second layer; andsealing the liquid inside the beverage container while the inflatable member is inside the beverage container. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: venting gas through a vent pathway from the headspace to environs outside of the beverage container by displacing the gas as a result of expanding the inflatable member. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein expanding the inflatable member and venting gas are performed simultaneously. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein sealing liquid inside the beverage is performed after venting gas. 25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: increasing a pressure within the beverage container by providing the inflatable member with additional gas while the liquid is sealed inside the beverage container. 26. The method of claim 22, wherein venting gas comprises allowing the gas to escape between the threading of a screw-on cap that is loosely coupled to the beverage container, and wherein sealing liquid inside the beverage container includes tightening the screw-on cap to the beverage container such that screw-on cap creates a seal with the beverage container. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein venting gas includes opening a valve disposed in the vent pathway such that opening the valve opens the vent pathway. 28. A carrier sub-assembly comprising: a membrane carrier defining first and second apertures fluidly coupled by a pathway;a coupling for sealing the membrane carrier to a cap member about the first aperture such that gas provided from the cap member is received by the first aperture and passed along the pathway to the second aperture; andan inflatable member operatively coupled to the membrane carrier, the inflatable member having an open end sealed about the second aperture for expanding in volume upon receiving gas from the second aperture via the pathway, the inflatable member including: a first layer configured to inflate in response to increased pressure from gas received from the second aperture; anda second layer operatively coupled to the first layer such that the second layer expands as the first layer inflates,wherein the first layer and second layer are unattached to each other at one or more areas to allow the second layer to expand or contract relative to the first layer. 29. The carrier sub-assembly of claim 28, wherein the membrane carrier defines a groove on an outer surface thereof for allowing gas to pass between the inflatable member and the membrane carrier upon deflating the inflatable member. 30. An elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder comprising: a fluid impermeable balloon; andan elastic balloon operatively coupled to the fluid impermeable balloon such that when the fluid impermeable balloon is inflated it expands the elastic balloon, wherein the fluid impermeable balloon is more fluidly impermeable than the elastic balloon, and the elastic balloon is more elastic than the fluid impermeable balloon. 31. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 30, wherein the fluid impermeable inner balloon has an oxygen transmission rate of about 0 to 200 cm3·mil/100 in2·24 hr·atm@73 F, 0% RH. 32. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 30, wherein the elastic balloon has a tensile modulus at 100% of about 0 to 20 MPa. 33. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 30, further comprising a non-toxic lubricant disposed between the fluid impermeable balloon and the elastic balloon. 34. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 33, wherein the lubricant includes a food-grade lubricant. 35. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 33, wherein the lubricant includes glycerin. 36. An assembly of a beverage cap, the assembly comprising: a cap member including: a pressure gauge for indicating a pressure sensed about the cap member;a first coupling interface for engaging the cap member to a bottle top; anda second coupling interface for engaging of the cap member to a carrier sub-assembly; anda piston extending from a handle end to a crown end, the piston disposed through the cap member, the piston including: an actuator member slidably disposed longitudinally through the piston, the actuator member extending from the handle end of the piston to an actuator end, the actuator end of the actuator member being operatively extendable out from the crown end of the piston to release a pump valve; anda piston seal disposed about a perimeter of the piston for creating a seal with a surrounding wall for pumping. 37. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the cap member further comprises a release valve disposed in a vent defined through the cap member, the release valve for selectively opening the vent. 38. A method for generating a look-up table, the method comprising: generating an entry of the look-up table, the entry having data corresponding to a first beverage type, a first temperature, and a pressure of the beverage type at the first temperature, generating the entry including: bringing an unopened bottle of the first beverage type to the first temperature,measuring pressure inside the unopened bottle at the first temperature, andrecording the measured pressure and the first temperature in the look-up table; andrepeating the generating to generate additional entries of the look-up table. 39. The method of claim 38, further comprising repeating the generating for additional temperatures for the first beverage type to generate additional entries of the look-up table. 40. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 30, wherein the fluid impermeable balloon is disposed within the elastic balloon. 41. The elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder of claim 30, wherein the elastic balloon is configured to collapse the elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder to a size that can be inserted into a beverage container, and wherein the elastic, fluid-impermeable bladder is configured to form a fluid-tight seal against an interior surface of the beverage container when disposed in the beverage container and when the fluid impermeable balloon is inflated. 42. The assembly of claim 36, wherein the assembly is configured such that the crown end of the piston is within the interior of the beverage container when the cap member is engaged to the bottle top.