WO2019059774A2

WO2019059774A2 - Air sensitive product preservation device and method

Info

Publication number: WO2019059774A2
Application number: PCT/NL2018/050634
Authority: WO
Inventors: Odin Egill VISSER
Original assignee: Studiokees; HUIJGEN, Jaap
Priority date: 2017-09-25
Filing date: 2018-09-25
Publication date: 2019-03-28
Also published as: NL2019627B1; WO2019059774A8; WO2019059774A3

Abstract

An air sensitive product preservation device, e.g. wine. A stopper is insertable into the container via the open top thereof. The stopper comprises a stopper body provided with a valve assembly which controls one or more passages that extend through the stopper body. This valve assembly has an upward air passing state, a downward air passing state, and a sealing state in which the one or more passages are sealed by the valve assembly such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper either upwardly or downwardly. One or more sealing elements are provided to seal against the inner side surface of the container, at least over an operative section of its height. The stopper further comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements mounted to the stopper body and made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. The device further comprises a user operable slider that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container. The slider comprises one or more magnetic field slider elements made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, such that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of stopper inside the container, an operative magnetic field is established in between the stopper and the slider, such that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is moved up and down along with the slider.

Description

AIR SENSITIVE PRODUCT PRESERVATION DEVICE AND METHOD

The present invention relates to the field of devices that preserve air sensitive products, e.g. food products, more specifically to air sensitive product preservation devices comprising a container into which the product to be preserved is introduced in combination with a stopper with a valve that is inserted into said container to preserve said product. The introduction of the product into the container and subsequent insertion of said stopper is done by a human user, e.g. in a restaurant or at home.

Some products, e.g. food products, e.g. liquids, e.g. wines, fruit juices, or liquid dairy products, or e.g. cookies, ground coffee, etc., rapidly degrade when in contact with air, e.g. due to oxidation or due to evaporation of constituents. The storage of these products thus requires special measures to prevent said degradation, such as the provision of airtight seals. In addition, measures may be needed to prevent the colour of the product to be affected by incoming light. These storage requirements also pertain to the storage of a remainder of the product after the container containing the product, e.g. the wine bottle, has been opened and part of it has been consumed. Devices that prevent degradation and thus preserve these remainders of product come in useful in such cases. As degradation of products leads to their disposal instead of consumption, e.g. wine, fruit juice, or liquid dairy product gone bad is poured down the sink, such product preservation devices reduce the wasting of food. Moreover, the availability of product preservation devices lowers the barrier to open a product volume, e.g. a bottle or carton of wine, fruit juice, or liquid dairy product.

Product preservation devices for the storage of such remaining volumes of product are known, for instance devices for prolonged storage in the original container through the use of a valved stopper and a handheld pump to extract air from the container via the valved stopper and to seal the container with said stopper, in order to slow down the oxidation of said product.

Also known, e.g. from EP2537775, GB2508862 and WO2017014638 are product preservation devices to preserve a liquid that comprise a jar open at the top and a stopper comprising a passage from the top side to the bottom side of said stopper. In said passage a floatable element is arranged, said element floatable on liquid. To preserve the liquid in these known devices, the stopper is placed in the jar near the top thereof and then pushed down into the jar. During this downwards movement the air between the liquid and stopper escapes through the passage. On reaching the liquid level in the jar the floatable element moves from a lower to a higher position within said stopper to seal the passage, thereby sealing the liquid from the ambient. The present inventors have determined that the devices of EP2537775, GB2508862 and WO2017014638 have disadvantages.

For instance, the devices of EP2537775 and GB2508862 require the jar to have a large diameter, such as to allow for a large range of different volumes of liquid to be preserved e.g. any volume between 0 and 2 L with the device of EP2537775 or between 0 and 1 L with the device of GB2508862. As a consequence, a stopper with a large diameter is needed, which large diameter stopper is prone to jam at a height above the liquid level, and can only be pressed down to the liquid level with great care and/or force. In addition, such jamming may lead to a poor seal, which may not properly preserve the liquid in the jar.

In the case of EP2537775, a minimum diameter is furthermore required as it should allow for the hand of a user to be inserted from the top to press down the stopper into the container.

In the case of GB2508862 the stopper and allows the user to press down the stopper by engaging it above the container externally by means of a long tubular element of the stopper which extends through and above a neck of the container. This long tubular element makes the device impractical for the storage of larger volumes close to the maximum content of its jar, as the long tubular element will in that case stick out from the jar, almost doubling the height of the device compared to the height of the jar. The device will therefore be too tall to be placed in many conventional storage spaces, such as a refrigerator or a cupboard.

The device of WO2017014638 does not require a large diameter of the jar as sealing of the liquid occurs always in the same region in the neck of the jar. However, with this device products can be stored only a small range of volume, e.g. around 0.375L, so that storage of different volumes would require a device of a different size.

The present invention aims to overcome one or more of the abovementioned drawbacks.

In a first aspect thereof, the present invention provides a product preservation device, e.g. for a liquid food product, e.g. wine, according to claim 1. The stopper comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. The magnetic field stopper elements may be mounted to the stopper body and/or the one or more sealing elements of the stopper. As disclosed herein, in embodiments the sealing elements may comprise one or more elastomer sealing elements, e.g. sealing rings of thermoplastic elastomer material. In an embodiment one or more ring members are mounted on the stopper body, the rings having a rigid portion, e.g. with one or more magnetic field stopper elements mounted thereon and/or embedded therein, and one or more flexible sealing element portions, e.g. around the rigid portion. The product preservation device comprises a user operable slider that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container, e.g. slidably mounted on the exterior of the container, e.g. snap fitted thereon. The slider comprises one or more magnetic field slider elements made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, such that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of stopper inside the container, an operative magnetic field is established in between in between the stopper and the slider, such that by manually sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is moved up and down along with the slider. The inner circumference of the container locally widens in or near a top portion thereof to form a pouring spout in proximity of the top of the container. Alternatively, the container has a pouring spout in a top portion of the container in proximity of the top of the container, the pouring spout being embodied for example as a tubular pouring spout. The user operable slider is configured to move the stopper into the top portion of the container, for example upward when desiring to pour product out of the container, such that tipping the container over a pouring out angle (a) causes product inside the container to move out of the container via the pouring spout. The configuration that allows the user to move the stopper into this position in the top portion by means of the slider, so that the product can be poured out of the container, avoids a need for the user to actually remove the stopper from the container in order to pour out the product. For example when the product is a liquid, e.g. wine, e.g. red wine, the bottom side of the stopper is expected to be wetted by the liquid and moving the stopper out of the container for pouring might result in undesirable dripping of the liquid from the stopper. One can imagine that with, for example, red wine, even a single drop might be problematic. Also the configuration that allows the user to move the stopper into this position in the top portion by means of the slider is user friendly, as the user may use one hand to hold the container and the other hand to move the slider upwards to said position. Optionally cooperating abutment formations are present on the container and the slider to define an uppermost position of the slider relative to the container, which uppermost slider position corresponds to the stopper being arranged in the top portion and the product being pourable from the container. Aside from tipping the container, no further actions are then to be performed by the user.

In an embodiment the slider is substantially C-shaped when seen in a top view of the product preservation device and can be moved so as to arrange the stopper at the height of said top portion. The gap in the C-shaped slider avoids interference of the slider with the spout. In another embodiment, for example, the slider comprises an annular slider body portion surrounding the container, with the annular slider body portion being movable for example upwards to just below the pour spout, wherein the slider further comprises one or more magnetic field element carrying body portions that is/are integral with the annular slider body portion and extend upwardly from the annular slider body portion and hold the one or more magnetic field elements at a height above the annular slider body portion allowing to bring the stopper by means of the slider into the top portion, e.g. for pouring a product out of the container.

The mentioned disadvantages related to some prior art devices wherein a direct mechanical force is applied to the stopper in order to move it within the container, e.g. regarding the impractical size of the device or high risks for jamming of the stopper, may be reduced or avoided by the present device, as the application of said magnetic force eliminates the use of the prior art mechanical force, as it allows the user's force to be exerted externally off the container, on the slider that is at the height of the stopper and more or less radially outwards therefrom.

Furthermore, with the device the forces moving the stopper may be more evenly applied than the mechanical force in the known embodiments. This may result in the stopper moving up and down in the container more smoothly and being less prone to jamming in the container.

Furthermore, the user taking hold of the slider to apply force externally and at the height of the stopper, may lead to a more convenient use. It is envisaged that holding the container with one hand and moving down the slider and thus stopper with one hand now requires the hands to be less far apart compared to the prior art, leading to a better stability and grip during the action.

Finally the use of the magnetic force avoids an undue over pressurization of the content of the container, e.g. of the liquid stored therein, as the user cannot put too much pressure on the content. It is noted that, in embodiments, some pressure on the product in the container may remain when the stopper has been moved downward, e.g. onto the upper surface, e.g. the meniscus, of liquid stored in the container. In embodiments such residual pressure within the space wherein the product is stored may assist in keeping the valve assembly in the sealing state. For example in an embodiment of the valve assembly with a floatable element, any residual pressure may assist in keeping the floatable element in contact with a corresponding seat to close the passage through the stopper body. This residual pressure may be very small. The user operability of the slider may be enhanced by suitable choice of material(s), shape, and dimensioning of the slider, e.g. possibly therein providing a dedicated grip portion thereof, so that a user may engage it by one hand in order to slide it up and down along the outer surface of the container. The magnetic field may for instance be established by embodying at least one of the magnetic field slider element(s) and the magnetic field stopper element(s) as a permanent magnet.

In embodiments the stopper comprises:

- a stopper body with an axis from a top side to a bottom side of said stopper body, said body having a side surface, said stopper body being provided with a valve assembly, which controls one or more passages that extend through the stopper body from a top region to the bottom side of said stopper body, and which valve assembly has:

- an upward air passing state, in which the one or more passages and the valve assembly allow air to flow upwardly through the stopper, at least when the stopper is being moved downwardly inside the container,

- a downward air passing state, in which the one or more passages and the valve assembly allow air to flow downwardly through the stopper, at least when the stopper is being moved upwardly inside the container, and

- a sealing state, in which the one or more passages are sealed by the valve assembly such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper either upwardly or downwardly, at least when the stopper is stationary inside the container. In embodiments the stopper comprises:

- a stopper body with an axis from a top side to a bottom side of said stopper body, said body having a side surface,

- one or more sealing elements sealing against the inner side surface of the container at least when said stopper is in said operative portion.

The one or more sealing elements on the stopper sealingly fit into at least the operative portion of the container. A portion of the side surface of the stopper body may be cylindrical, e.g. having one or more grooves, in which case the one or more sealing elements of the stopper body are preferably one or more outer sealing rings, e.g. mounted in said one or more grooves.

Preferably a lowermost outer sealing element or ring is present at the lower end of said side surface, where said side surface meets the bottom side of the stopper body.

The side surface of the stopper body may also be differently shaped, e.g. comprising a number of planes, e.g. octagonal in cross section, in which case an inward directed surface or surfaces of said sealing elements may follow the shape of said side surfaces, e.g. planes, to sealingly fit onto the stopper body.

The one or more sealing elements on the stopper preferably comprise a flexible material, e.g. an elastomer, e.g. O-ring(s), e.g. O-rings mounted in grooves, and may therefore also compensate for deviations in the inner diameter of the container from the expected diameter. Such deviations can for instance be due to the tolerances applied in the production process of the container, e.g. when made of glass, e.g. with the interior being in an "as moulded" condition without being ground to a specific diameter.

A sealing element may also be an integral part of the stopper body, e.g. as a sealing rib around the circumference of the stopper body. Possibly a sealing element is co-moulded with the body of the stopper, e.g. the sealing element from a soft plastic, e.g. an elastomer, and the body from a harder plastic, e.g. a thermoplastic material. The stopper body may be made from plastic material nowadays used for plastic corks of wine bottles. In an embodiment the slider is ballasted, e.g. provided with one or more ballast members in order to increase the weight of the slider, e.g. ceramic and/or metallic, so that the slider keeps pulling downward on the stopper during storage of the product in the container. This may for example compensate for a temperature related reduction of the volume of liquid when the liquid storing device is placed in a refrigerator for storage. This may for example, result is a lowering of the upper level of the liquid by some tenths of millimeters. Also, or alternatively, the stopper, preferably the stopper body, may be ballasted to provide such a downward bias.

In an embodiment the stopper is provided with a scraper ring, e.g. below and/or integrated with the one or more sealing elements, that scrapes along the inner surface of the container, at least in the operative portion thereof. This scraper may serve to avoid undue

accumulation of stored product underneath or on the one or more sealing rings and/or enhance the sealing action of the one or more sealing elements. For example the scraper ring wipes excessive liquid from the inner surface.

The inventors envisage primarily the use of the device for the domestic or household storage of air sensitive products, e.g. food products, e.g. non-carbonated beverages, e.g. juice, wine, etc.

In an embodiment the one or more sealing elements may be configured such that when a large overpressure is created the stopper moves slightly upwards to regulate, that is, reduce, said overpressure. It is envisioned that in this situation the stopper is first moved down into the container, so as to remove via the passage the air between stopper body and the product and bring said valve assembly in the sealing state. When the user releases the slider said stopper may move slightly, e.g. a few millimetres, upwards while maintaining said valve assembly in the sealing state. Thus no air enters during said minimal upwards motion. The upwards motion may be effected e.g. by suitable choice of sealing element material or geometry or suitably chosen roughness of the inner surface of said container, so as to obtain a suitable grip level of the sealing element. Said overpressure regulation motion may be performed with the sealing elements attached to the stopper body as well as with the sealing elements attached to the container.

A deformation of a sealing element may as well lead to overpressure regulation, e.g. by deforming from an orientation radially upwards with the contact area of the sealing element on the stopper body lower than that on the container to an orientation radially downwards with the contact area of the sealing element on the stopper body higher than that on the container. Said regulating upward motion may be effected with the sealing rings attached to the stopper body as well as with the sealing rings attached to the container.

The friction between the one or more sealing elements and container when the stopper has been inserted into the container is limited to such a level that the stopper can be moved by a user sliding the slider along the outer surface of the container.

The container can have many shapes, e.g. the operative portion being cylindrical, and a lower storage portion being differently shaped, e.g. spherical, pyramidal or rectangular etc. In another embodiment the container can be cylindrical over most of its height, e.g. apart from a widened top portion forming a pouring spout and/or a widened bottom portion.

The container may have a widened portion, e.g. see figure 6,7, or other lower abutment member protruding from the exterior below the operative portion so as to prevent or hinder the slider from dropping inadvertently from the container.

The container may have a widened top portion or other upper abutment member protruding from the exterior above the operative portion so as to prevent or hinder the slider from being slided inadvertently from the container.

In an embodiment the slider is embodied to be snap fitted onto the container, e.g. in lateral direction and/or from above and/or from below. Other releasable mounting arrangements of the slider are also possible, for example in view of a removal of the slider from the container in case the container is to be placed in a dishwasher.

The container can comprise non-magnetic or non-magnetisable materials, e.g. plastic, a non-ferro metal, stoneware, or, as is preferred, glass.

In an embodiment at least the inner side surface of the container, e.g. at least in the operative portion and preferably also at least in the top portion, is made of or coated with a friction reducing material.

In an embodiment at least the inner side surface of the container, e.g. at least in the operative portion and preferably also at least in the top portion, is made of or coated with, a fluoropolymer material. For example the container is, at least in part, coated with a fluoropolymer coating, e.g. a fluoropolymer glass coating on a glass container, preferably an optically transparent coating. The provision of such a coating may, for example, be advantageous in view of the sealing effect obtained, e.g. the long term sealing effect, e.g. in view of cleaning the container and resulting impact on the quality of the inner side surface over time. It is envisioned that liquids e.g. wine, fruit juice, (semi-)liquid dairy products, oil, dressings and fortified wine such as port, sherry and vermouth can be preserved in the present liquid preservation device. However, the device is in principle suitable for any product of suitable size, in particular for any product that degrades through contact with air, e.g. cereals, cookies, coffee, etc.

Preferably, the slider has an inner side surface of which the shape is adapted to the outer side surface of the container, such that it substantially abuts and/or matches the outer side surface of the container over a substantial part of the horizontal circumference thereof, e.g. over more than half of the circumference.

The slider may have a plastic body, e.g. injection molded, with one or more magnetic field elements embedded, e.g. completely encapsulated, therein.

In an embodiment one or more magnetic field slider elements extend over a substantial part of the horizontal cross-section of the slider so to at least partly encircle the one or more magnetic field stopper elements inside the container when arranged at the height thereof on the outer surface of the container.

A rotationally more even distribution of the magnetic field stopper elements and/or the magnetic stopper elements over the horizontal cross-section of respectively the slider and the stopper may result in the magnetic field - and the magnetic force emanating therefrom - being more rotationally even, so to further aid in the more controlled pulling up and down of the stopper by the magnetic force. Furthermore, preferably, the one or more magnetic field stopper elements are concentric with the one or more magnetic field slider elements when seen in a top view thereof.

Furthermore, preferably, the inner side surface of the container is substantially cylindrical in the operative portion of the container, and the radially outwards directed surface of the one or more sealing elements are circular. In this way, the one or more sealing elements are one or more outer sealing rings provided on the side surface of the stopper body, with an outer diameter adapted to the inner diameter of the container. Furthermore, preferably, the outer side surface of the container is substantially cylindrical in the operative portion of the container, and the slider is substantially C-shaped when seen in a top view of the product preservation device.

Furthermore, preferably, the one or more magnetic field stopper elements have a

substantially circular shape when seen in a top view thereof.

Furthermore, preferably, the inner circumference of the container widens in a top portion thereof in an upwards direction, such that the stopper is subject to decreasingly less friction when being moved further upwards through said top portion, so to require a decreasing upward force for its further upward movement. This may facilitate removal of the stopper from the container. A widened top portion also will facilitate the introduction of the stopper with the one or more sealing elements thereof into the container.

In an embodiment the outer circumference of the container preferably widens along with the inner circumference in an upwards direction, and the slider has a radial flexibility such to enable it to be moved upwardly over at least a part of the widening outer side surface of the top portion. It may optionally have a flexibility such that it may be moved upwardly over the full height of the widening outer surface, so that it may in a further upward movement pass the top of the container to be raised above the container, thereby releasing it therefrom, e.g. for cleaning purposes. The flexibility and/or said widening may be such that the slider is prevented to slide off too easily, or to slide off at all, in an upward motion thereof. This is for example advantageous when the user intends to take the stopper out of the container, but leave the slider on the container.

In an embodiment, when located in the operative portion and/or top portion of the container, the stopper is configured to be tiltable within the container over a tilt axis perpendicular to the vertical axis of the stopper. Tilt angles in the range of 5-40° are envisaged. Therein the tilting of the stopper, within a certain range of tilt angles, has the effect that in at least a portion of the height of the container, e.g. the top part, e.g. at the height of the pouring spout of the container, when present, an opening is created or enlarged in between inner surface of the container and the side surface of the stopper, e.g. enlarged between the side surface of the stopper and the inner surface of the spout, when present, so that product inside the container is able to move out of the container by passing in between the tilted stopper and said inner surface of the container when the container is tipped over a pouring out angle. In an embodiment with a pouring spout, the stopper is tiltable at a height of the pouring spout such that the part of the circumference of the stopper tilted furthest upwards rotationally extends along the spout. Preferably, therein, upon tilting at a height underneath the spout, at least within the operative portion of the height of the container, an opening is not created by said tilting over at least part of the same tilting range, e.g. through a flexibility of the side surface of the stopper.

The functionality of the stopper being tiltable when the stopper is arranged in an operative section or, as preferred, in a top section of a non-spouted container enables pouring product out of the container without the need for removing the stopper out of the container.

In combination with a spouted container, an optional tiltability of the stopper arranged in the top portion of the container may allow for an increase of the effective opening between the inner surface of the pouring spout and the stopper, which enlarges the possible flow rate of product out of the pouring spout, and may possibly assist to prevent e.g. at a small pouring out angle and/or high product level within the container, that a small amount of product escapes through the valve assembly while pouring.

The tilting of the stopper is e.g. to be effected by hand, the user therein e.g. pushing or pulling a non-central part of the stopper body or rotating the stopper body, and/or e.g. by tilting of the slider. In the latter case, the magnetic field stopper element(s) together extend along at least around half of the circumference of the stopper body, e.g. one C-shaped magnetic field element along 65-80% of the circumference, or e.g. multiple magnetic field elements along at least along three sections of the circumference of the stopper body mutually spaced such as to together extend around at least half of the circumference, with the magnetic field slider element(s) of the slider body extending such as to together enclose the magnetic field stopper element(s) when positioned onto the container at the same height as the stopper in the container. Therein the radial flexibility of the slider is such as to enable it to be tilted. The operative magnetic field established in between the stopper and the slider is such that by tilting the slider upwards and downwards over the tilt axis along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is tilted upwards and downwards along with the slider.

In embodiments, when arranged in the operative portion and/or in a top portion of the container, a part of the stopper is pivotable over a pivot axis perpendicular to the axis of the stopper with respect to the remaining part of the stopper, e.g. one half of the stopper over a diametral pivot axis thereof. This pivoting may e.g. be effected by tilting of the slider, with a radial flexibility, with magnetic field stopper elements being mounted in both the pivotable part of the stopper and the remaining part of the stopper and magnetic field slider elements enclosing these. It may also be effected otherwise, e.g. by lifting the pivotable part up by hand, wherein the user grips the pivotable part and lifts it upwards. In a similar fashion as discussed above for the stopper being tiltable, the pivoting of the pivotable part of the stopper effects a creation or enlargement of an opening in between the container and the stopper, through which product is enabled to pass, moving out of the container, preferably only at the height of the pouring spout, when present.

In an embodiment, when located in the operative and/or top portion of the container, a part of the stopper is slidable radially inwards and/or rotationally, with respect to the remaining part of the stopper, such as to create or enlarge an opening between the side surface of the stopper and the inner surface of the container. As discussed for the tiltable stopper, by the sliding an opening between the pouring spout, when present, and the side surface of the stopper may be enlarged, so that product may be poured out of the container therethrough. Therein, the slidable part may be positioned above the remaining part, so that the sliding can be effected by hand. When the sliding part is slidable rotationally, the side surfaces of sliding part and the remaining part e.g. have inward indentations becoming vertically aligned or disaligned when sliding, the opening being created or enlarged by aligning said indentations. When the sliding part is slidable rotationally, the sliding may e.g. also be effected by rotating the slider such as to rotate the sliding part of the stopper, the magnetic field stopper elements therein being mounted to the sliding part.

In an embodiment the stopper body may comprise a lower scraper rim that, when said stopper has been inserted into the container, defines a lowest outer circumference of the stopper, which lowest outer circumference abuts the inner side surface of the container along the inner circumference thereof at a height below the valve assembly.

It is envisaged that in moving the stopper downward this lower scraper rim aids in avoiding the seal to jam by cleaning of the inner surface of any product residues. This may particularly be advantageous when thick substances, e.g. yoghurt, or for instance a juice with particles of flesh of fruit is to be preserved.

Furthermore, when the container is partially filled with product, the stopper may be able to be inserted and moved down in the container such that the stopper does not extend above the top of the container.

While allowing for a smaller diameter, the device does not require the stopper or an (elongate) vertically extending element fixed to its top surface to be accessible by the hands of the user in order to move the stopper inside the container. After all, the user is enabled to move the stopper by moving the slider element along the outer side surface of the container. The effect is that for a larger range of container diameters than the prior art, embodiments are possible in which the device does not take up a storage space higher than the height of the container, even when almost completely filled with product. This is advantageous in view of storage purposes - as it allows for embodiments of a wide range of dimensions to take up a minimum amount of space in at least the vertical dimension.

In embodiments, when the container is filled with product for around 4/5 or less of its internal volume, the stopper may be able to be inserted and moved down in the container such that the stopper does not extend above the top of the container.

In embodiments, the inserted stopper does not extend above the top of the container when the container is filled with product for around 90% or less of its internal volume.

In an embodiment the axis from the top side to the bottom side of the stopper body may be a central longitudinal axis.

In an embodiment the bottom side of the stopper body may be concave to facilitate the removal of air trapped between product and the stopper via the one or more passages.

In an embodiment the one or more passages of the stopper body may extend through the stopper body along the axis thereof from the top side to the bottom side thereof. In an embodiment the one or more sealing elements may be provided on the outer side surface of the stopper body.

In an embodiment the stopper body may comprise two or more parts and said stopper body can be disassembled into said stopper body parts and subsequently reassembled, e.g. to clean the stopper.

Furthermore, the valve assembly may automatically change from its sealing state to respectively its upward passing state or its downward passing state when the stopper is moved downwards or upwards, e.g. in response to an overpressure or underpressure in the container below the stopper resulting from said stopper movement, or e.g. in response to a resultant vertical force component emanating from the magnetic field being directed downwards or upwards, respectively, upon sliding the slider downwards or upwards. Furthermore, said container may comprise glass or plastic and at least a part of the exterior surface of the container is matted or frosted. Furthermore, the product may particularly be a liquid.

Furthermore, the product may in particular be wine.

Preferably at least part of the container is at least semi-transparent or transparent, so that when the container is filled with product its height level in the container can be seen through said container.

As UV-radiation negatively impacts the colour of certain products, in particular certain liquids, the container may comprise a material opaque to UV-radiation, said material configured such that absorption of UV-radiation by said product is prevented.

Preferably at least a part of the exterior of the container is frosted, e.g. when the container is made of glass, or matted, e.g. when the container is made of plastic, to facilitate writing on said container with chalk or pencil, e.g. for indicating the contents of the container.

Preferably the frosted or matted part of the exterior is configured such that the writings can be removed again by rubbing or rinsing the exterior of the container.

In an embodiment the air sensitive product to be preserved is a liquid, and the stopper only has one single passage therein. In this one single passage a lower limiter and an upper limiter are provided, e.g. protrude. Said lower and upper limiter define within the one single passage a confinement space in between said limiters. The valve assembly of this embodiment further comprises a floatable element that is floatable on the liquid to be preserved. Said floatable element is confined in said confinement space, and movable within said confinement space, e.g. along an axis, between a lower position, wherein said floatable element engages, e.g. lies on said lower limiter, and an upper position, wherein said floatable element engages, e.g. lies against, said upper limiter.

Possible technical details and possible variations of the valve assembly of this embodiment are described extensively in WO2017/014638, incorporated herein by reference.

In this embodiment the valve assembly is in its sealing state when the floatable element is in the upper position. It is in its upward passing state or in its downward passing state when the floatable element is not in the upper position thereof. In this embodiment, the one single passage of the stopper body may further comprise apertures extending upwards from the bottom of the stopper through the lower limiter to the confinement space within said passage to further facilitate the removal of air trapped between the product and the stopper body via the one single passage.

In an embodiment the confinement space of the floatable element is preferably provided in a lower part of the one single passage so that the lower limiter is part of the bottom side of the stopper body. In an embodiment the bottom side of the upper limiter may have a shape complementary to the shape of the part of the floatable element that lies against the upper limiter. Therein the floatable element may for instance be a ball and the bottom side of the upper limiter is concave with a curvature substantially equal to the curvature of the ball. In an embodiment the upper limiter for the floatable element may comprise a flexible part, e.g. a flexible inner sealing ring, which is in the upper position of the floatable element sealingly contacted by the floatable element.

In an embodiment the one single passage may extend through the stopper body partly along an axis thereof from one or more passage outlets on the side surface thereof to the bottom side thereof. Therein said one or more passage outlets are provided above the upper limiter.

In an embodiment, the floatable element may be a hollow ball. The floatable element may alternatively also be approximately hazelnut-shaped with the pointy end pointing upwards. Therein said hazelnut-shaped floatable element has a bottom side with a small curvature.

As mentioned before, the stopper body may comprise two or more parts and said stopper body can be disassembled into said stopper body parts and subsequently reassembled, e.g. to clean the stopper. In this particular embodiment, the stopper body may thereto comprise a top stopper body that extends from the top of the stopper body to substantially halfway the confinement space in the one single passage, and a bottom stopper body that extends from halfway said confinement space to the bottom of the stopper body. Therein the stopper body may therein for instance comprise a top stopper body that extends from the top side of the stopper body to just above the upper limiter and a bottom stopper body that extends from above the upper limiter to the bottom side of said stopper body. In an embodiment, the lower limiter may for the floatable element comprise a flexible material. Therein said flexible material may for instance be adapted to remove said floatable element from said confinement space by pushing on said floatable element so that it is forced out of the confinement space at the side of the lower limiter.

In an embodiment with a floatable element, the stopper may further comprise an actuator to facilitate the removal of said stopper from said container. Said actuator therein may comprise a rod provided in the one single passage of the stopper and a flexible rod suspension element to suspend the rod in the one single passage. Thereby by pressing on the upper end of said rod, the lower end thereof presses the floatable element downwards away from its upper position, e.g. to prevent an underpressure from arising during removal of the stopper from the container.

In another embodiment of the inventive product preservation device, the stopper at least two passages. Of these passages, at least one passage is provided with an upward passing check valve, and at least one other passage is provided with a downward passing check valve.

Therein, the valve assembly is in its sealing state when both the upward passing check valve and the downward passing check valve are closed. The valve assembly is respectively in its upward or downward passing state when the upward or downward passing valve is open and the downward or upward passing valve is closed.

The container may have a storage volume of between 0.2 and 2 litres in practical embodiments, e.g. between 0.3 and 1 litre. For example the storage volume may be between 0.3 and 0.7 litre.

In practical embodiments the inner diameter of at least the operative portion of the container may be between 3 and 18 centimetres, for example between 4 and 15 centimetres.

The present invention also provides a method to preserve for later consumption or use a volume of a product.

In this method, use is made of a product preservation device as described herein.

For example the method comprises the steps of:

- removing the stopper from said container, - filling the container of the product preservation device with product,

- inserting the stopper in the container from the top thereof,

- arranging the slider on the outer side surface of the container at substantially the same height as the stopper inside the container, and

- sliding the slider downwards on the outer side surface of the container at substantially the same height as the stopper inside the container, thereby moving down said stopper, thereby removing air, e.g. substantially all air, between the stopper and the product in the container and substantially sealing said product from infiltration of air. Said arranging of the slider on the outer surface of the container leads to said magnetic field to be established between the stopper and the slider, which enables the stopper to be moved respectively upwards or downwards by a magnetic force emanating from this magnetic field when a user consequently moves the slider up and down along the outer surface of the container.

Said changing of the state of the valve assembly during the sliding of the slider downwards may in the embodiments take place automatically in the way described before.

In an embodiment a method makes use of a product preservation device comprising a spout according to claim 1 , this method may further comprise the steps of:

- manually sliding the slider upwards on the outer side surface of the container at substantially the same height as the stopper inside the container, thereby moving up said stopper until the height of the stopper is within the top portion of the container, and

- pouring at least part of said product out of the container via the pouring spout.

Prior to or during the step of sliding the slider upwards the valve assembly may be changed or changes from the sealing state to the downward passing state.

Furthermore, it is possible to make use of a product preservation device which has an actuator mechanism with a rod to push down the floatable element away from its upper position. The method may in this case further comprise the step of pressing down the rod of the actuator mechanism to thereby push down the floatable element away from its upper position. This step may be performed prior to and/or during the step of sliding the slider upwards the valve assembly.

Furthermore, it is possible to make use of a product preservation device according to claim 1. In this case the pouring out of the product involves tipping the container over a pouring out angle, so that the product passes via the spout. Therein, the stopper does not have to be taken out of the container prior to said pouring, which may assist in the prevention of leaking or dripping from the stopper what might occur during a taking out and/or e.g.

temporarily laying it down elsewhere, e.g. as a consequence of residues product being adhered to the bottom surface of the stopper.

Furthermore, in embodiments, after the step of sliding the slider upwards, the stopper may be taken out of the top portion of the container by gripping the stopper by hand and manually lifting it upwards until it is above said container. Thereafter the slider may be left on the outer side surface of the top portion of the container. Therein preferably a product preservation device according to claim 3 or 4 is used. After taking the stopper out of the top portion of the container the slider may also be removed from the outer side surface of the top portion of the container. In a possible method, the volume of product to be preserved is part of a larger product volume.

In a possible method, the product is a liquid. In a possible method, the product is wine.

In a possible method, the volume of product to be preserved is part of a larger product volume. For example the container is adapted to store therein about half a bottle of wine, e.g. about 375 ml.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to an air sensitive product preservation device, e.g. for a food product, e.g. a liquid food product, e.g. wine, said product

preservation device comprising:

- a container adapted to store a product, said container having an inner side surface and an outer side surface with a uniform inner cross-section along at least an operative portion of the height of the container, and being open at a top thereof,

- a stopper insertable into the container via the open top thereof, said stopper comprising:

- a stopper body with an axis from the top side to the bottom side of said stopper body, said body having a side surface, said stopper body being provided with a valve assembly, which controls one or more passages that extend through the stopper body from a top region to the bottom side of said stopper body, and which has:

- a sealing state, in which the one or more passages are sealed by the valve assembly such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper either upwardly or downwardly, at least when the stopper is stationary inside the container, - one or more sealing elements sealing against the inner side surface of the container at least when said stopper is in said operative portion,

wherein the stopper further comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements mounted to the stopper body and made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material,

- a user operable slider that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container, said slider comprising one or more magnetic field slider elements made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, such that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of stopper inside the container, an operative magnetic field is established in between the stopper and the slider, such that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is moved up and down along with the slider.

A third aspect of the present invention relates to an air sensitive product preservation device, e.g. wine. A stopper is insertable into the container via the open top thereof. The stopper comprises a stopper body provided with a valve assembly which controls one or more passages that extend through the stopper body. This valve assembly has an upward air passing state, a downward air passing state, and a sealing state in which the one or more passages are sealed by the valve assembly such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper either upwardly or downwardly. One or more sealing elements are provided to seal against the inner side surface of the container, at least over an operative section of its height. The stopper further comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements mounted to the stopper body and made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. The device further comprises a user operable slider that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container. The slider comprises one or more magnetic field slider elements made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, such that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of stopper inside the container, an operative magnetic field is established in between the stopper and the slider, such that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is moved up and down along with the slider. The present invention also relates to the use of such a device.

It will be appreciate that an air sensitive product preservation device according to the second or third aspect of the invention may comprises any feature discussed herein with reference to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention also relates to a method to preserve air sensitive product wherein use is made of an air sensitive product preservation device as disclosed herein.

The invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device.

Fig. 1 B shows a vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. lA, the container thereof not being filled with any product.

Fig. 1 C shows the same vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Figs.1A-B, the container thereof being filled with product for approximately half of its internal volume.

Fig. 2A shows a vertical cross-section of an embodiment of the device, the container thereof being filled with product for approximately 4/5 of its internal volume.

Fig. 2B shows the same vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig.2A, the container thereof being filled with product for approximately half of its internal volume.

Fig. 2C shows the same vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Figs.2A-B, the container thereof being filled with product for approximately 1/6 of its internal volume.

Fig. 3A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device, the slider being positioned at a height within the top portion of the container.

Fig. 3B shows the embodiment of Fig. 3A in the same view, the slider being positioned at a height halfway the operative portion of the container. Fig. 3C shows the embodiment of Fig. 3A-B in the same view, the slider being positioned at a height in a bottom region of the operative portion of the container. Fig. 4A shows a top view of the embodiment of Figs. 3A-C, the slider and the stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 3A.

Fig. 4B shows a top view of the embodiment of Figs. 3A-C, the slider and the stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 3B.

Fig. 4C shows a top view of the embodiment of Figs. 3A-C, the slider and the stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 3C.

Fig. 5A shows a close up of a vertical cross-section of a stopper of an

embodiment of the device, showing parts of the valve assembly thereof.

Fig. 5B shows a close up of a horizontal cross-section of a stopper in an

embodiment of the device, showing parts of the valve assembly thereof.

Fig. 5C shows a close up of a horizontal cross-section of a stopper in an embodiment of the device, through the lower limiter thereof.

Fig. 6A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device, the slider and stopper being positioned at a height within the top portion of the container.

Fig. 6B shows a vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. 6A, the

stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 6A.

Fig. 7A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device, the slider and stopper being positioned at a height within the top portion of the container.

Fig. 7B shows a vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. 7A, the

container being filled with product and the stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 7A. Fig. 8A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device while being tipped over a pouring angle, the slider being positioned at a height within the top portion of the container.

Fig. 8B shows a vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. 8A while being tipped over a pouring angle, the container being filled with product and the stopper being positioned at the height of the slider shown in Fig. 8A.

Fig. 9A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. Fig. 9B shows a vertical cross-section of an embodiment of the device.

Fig. 10A shows a side view of an embodiment of the device.

Fig. 10B shows a vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Fig.10A, the container thereof not being filled with any product.

Fig. 10C shows the same vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Figs.10A-10B, the container thereof not being filled with any product.

Fig. 1 1 A, B show a side view and a vertical cross-section of an alternative of the

embodiment of Figs.10A-C with the stopper and slider being positioned in a non-spouted top portion of the container, the container being filled with product,

Fig. 12A, B show a side view and a vertical cross-section of an embodiment of the device with a tilted or tiltable stopper, the stopper being tilted within the top portion of the container, the container being filled with product.

Figs. 1 A-1 C show a preferred embodiment of a product preservation device according to the invention.

As is shown in Figs. 1A-1 C, the product preservation device comprises a container 1 to store a product 4, e.g. a liquid, e.g. wine. In this embodiment, the product to be preserved is a liquid. In Fig.1 B, the embodiment is shown without any product being present in the container, while in Fig. l C, half of the container is filled with liquid.

The container has an inner side surface 14 and an outer side surface 15 with a uniform inner cross-section along at least an operative portion 12 of the height of the container. The container is open at a top 10 thereof.

It is illustrated that the inner circumference of the container 1 locally widens in or near a top portion 1 1 thereof to form a pouring spout 16 in proximity of the top 10 of the container. As will be explained the device allows for a stopper 2 thereof to be arranged in the top portion 1 1 of the container, so that tipping the container over a pouring out angle (a) causes product inside the container to move out of the container via the pouring spout. The device further comprises a stopper 2 insertable into the container via the top 10 thereof. In Figs.1 B-1 C, said stopper has been inserted into the container and moved down to approximately half the height of the container. This stopper 2 comprises a stopper body 20 with an axis from the top side 21 to the bottom side 22 of said stopper body. The stopper body has a side surface 23 and comprises a valve assembly 24. This valve assembly 24 controls a passage 25 that extends through the stopper body from a top region to the bottom side of said stopper body. In the depicted passage 25 a lower limiter and an upper limiter protrude radially inwardly when seen in a top view of the device. Said lower and upper limiter define within the passage a confinement space in between said limiters.

The valve assembly of this first embodiment further comprises a floatable element 210 that is floatable on the liquid to be preserved. Said floatable element 210 is confined in said confinement space, and movable within said confinement space along said axis, between a lower position, wherein said floatable element lies on said lower limiter, and an upper position, wherein said floatable element lies against said upper limiter. The valve assembly 24 has an upward passing state and a downward passing state, in which the floatable element 210 is in between the lower and the upper position thereof.

In the upward air passing state, the one or more passages 25 allow air to flow upwardly through the stopper 2. This state is established at least when the stopper 2 is being moved downwardly inside the container 1 : then air from below the stopper 2 is moved upwardly through the passage 25 in reaction to the overpressure in the container 1 below the stopper 2, as emanating from said downwards movement. The upward air passing state would be established in the setting of Fig.1 B automatically by moving the stopper 2 downwards in the container 1 starting from the shown position of the stopper.

In the downward air passing state, the one or more passages 25 allow air to flow

downwardly through the stopper 2. This state is established at least when the stopper 2 is being moved upwardly inside the container 1 : then air from above the stopper is moved downwardly through the passage in reaction to the underpressure in the container below the stopper emanating from said upwards movement. The downward air passing state would be established in the setting of Fig.1 B automatically by moving the stopper 2 upwards in the container starting from the shown position of the stopper. The valve assembly 24 has a sealing state, in which the floatable element 210 is in the upper position. In this state the one or more passages 25 are sealed such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper 2 either upwardly or downwardly. In this state, the stopper 2 is stationary inside the container 1.

In Fig.1C, the valve assembly 24 is in its sealing state. This state has been established by inserting the stopper 2 in the container 1 containing the shown amount of liquid 4, and then pushing the stopper 2 down into the container 1. During this downwards movement the air between the liquid and stopper 2 escapes through the passage 25. On reaching the liquid level in the container the floatable element has moved from its lower position to its upper position within said stopper to seal the passage 25, thereby sealing the liquid from the ambient. As visible as well from Figs.1 B-1 C, a sealing element 26 is provided between the outer side surface of the stopper body and the inner side surface of the container 1 , e.g. embodied as an integrated portion of the stopper body or as a separate flexible sealing element fitted or co-injected on the stopper body, e.g. made of an elastomer. As shown in Figs.1 B-1 C, the stopper 2 further comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements 27 mounted to the stopper body 20. These elements 27 are made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material.

The product preservation device further comprises a user operable slider 3, that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of the container, preferably along the top portion 11 and the operative section 12 of the container 1. The slider 3 comprises one or more magnetic field slider elements 3A. These elements 3A are made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. This construction is such that it enables that when the slider 3 is arranged on the outer side surface of the container 1 at the height of stopper 2 inside the container an operative, e.g. attracting, magnetic field is established between the stopper 2 and the slider 3 - for instance by embodying at least one of the magnetic field slider element(s) and the magnetic field stopper element(s) as a magnet. This is established such that by sliding the slider 3 up and down along the outer side surface of the container 1 , the stopper 2 is moved up and down along with the slider 3. In Figs.2A-2C, the same embodiment is shown as in Figs.1A-1 C. It is shown that the stopper 2 may be arranged at a range of heights corresponding to the liquid level and sealing it from the ambient in this operative portion 12, so that the preservation device is suitable for a large range of volumes of liquid.

Figs.2A-2C show a volume of liquid being sealed which forms around 4/5, 1/2 and 1/6 of the total internal volume of the container.

It is illustrated in the figures that, when the container 1 is partially filled with product 4, the stopper 2 may be able to be inserted and moved down in the container such that the stopper does not extend above the top of the container. Advantageously, the stopper 2 does in this embodiment not extend above the top of the container even when filled up to around 4/5 of the total internal volume of the container, as shown in Fig.2A. The cross-sectional views of Figs.2A-2C, together with the side- and top views of the embodiment shown in Figs.3A-3C and Figs.4A-4C, wherein the stopper 2 and slider 3 have the same respective heights, illustrate that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, the stopper is moved up and down along with the slider. It may be verified from the figures that the slider 3 of the embodiment has, as is preferred, an inner side surface 30 of which the shape is adapted to the outer side surface 15 of the container, such that it substantially abuts the outer side surface of the container over a substantial part of the horizontal circumference thereof. In an embodiment the one or more magnetic field slider elements extend over a substantial part of the horizontal cross-section of the slider 3 so to at least partly encircle the one or more magnetic field stopper elements inside the container when arranged at the height thereof on the outer surface of the container. Although not directly visible from the figures, as is preferred the one or more magnetic field stopper elements are in this embodiment concentric with the one or more magnetic field slider elements when seen in a top view thereof.

It can furthermore be verified that, as is preferred, the inner side surface of the container is substantially cylindrical in the operative portion 12 of the container, and the radially outwards directed surface of the one or more sealing elements of the stopper 2 are circular. In this way, the one or more sealing elements are one or more outer sealing rings provided on the side surface of the stopper body, with an outer diameter adapted to the inner diameter of the container.

In particular Figs.3A-3C and Figs.4A-4C show that, as is preferred, the outer side surface of the container is substantially cylindrical in the operative portion 12 of the container, and the slider 3 is substantially C-shaped when seen in a top view of the product preservation device.

Not directly visible is that the one or more magnetic field stopper elements may have a substantially circular shape when seen in a top view thereof.

Figs.5A-5C show possible variants of parts of the valve assembly of the embodiment.

Figs.5A and 5B show the confinement space being provided in a lower part of the one single passage so that the lower limiter is part of the bottom side of the stopper body.

Also shown is that the bottom side of the upper limiter may have a shape complementary to the shape of the part of the floatable element 210 that lies against the upper limiter. Shown as an example thereof in Fig.5A, is that the floatable element is a hollow ball 210 and the bottom side of the upper limiter is concave with a curvature substantially equal to the curvature of the ball. Fig.5B shows an example in which the floatable element is

approximately hazelnut-shaped with the pointy end pointing upwards. Therein said hazelnut- shaped floatable element has a bottom side with a small curvature. The bottom side of the upper limiter complements the shape of the upper surface of the floatable element.

Fig.5C shows the passage 25 of the stopper body further comprising apertures 212 extending upwards from the bottom of the stopper through the lower limiter 28 to the confinement space within said passage to further facilitate the removal of air trapped between the product and the stopper body via the one single passage.

In this embodiment the upper limiter may comprise a flexible part, e.g. a flexible inner sealing ring, which is in the upper position of the floatable element sealingly contacted by the floatable element. In this embodiment the passage may extend through the stopper body partly along the axis thereof from one or more passage outlets on the side surface thereof to the bottom side thereof. Therein said one or more passage outlets are provided above the upper limiter. Figs.6A- 6B show a preferred variant of the embodiment in which the inner circumference of the container 1 widens in a top portion 1 1 thereof in an upwards direction, such that the stopper 2 is subject to decreasingly less friction between its outer side surface and the inner side surface of the container when being moved further upwards through said top portion 1 1. This results in a decreasing upward force being required for its further upward movement. In these figures the stopper 2 is shown in a position directly above the widest diameter of the top portion, at which height within the top portion the least force is required to move the stopper 2 further upwards.

As is preferred, in the embodiment of Fig.6A-6B the outer circumference of the container widens along with the inner circumference in an upwards direction. The slider 3 may have a radial flexibility such to enable it to be moved upwardly over at least a part of the widening outer side surface of the top portion 1 1 , that is, to some distance further upwards than the shown height. The slider 3 may optionally have a flexibility such that it may be moved upwardly over the full height of the widening outer surface, so that it may in a further upward movement pass the top 10 of the container 1 to be raised above the container, thereby releasing it therefrom, e.g. for cleaning purposes. Most of the figures show that the inner circumference of the container locally widens in a top portion thereof to form a pouring spout 16 in proximity of the top of the container. As may be verified from Figs.7A-7B and Figs.8A and 8B, which show the stopper 2 being arranged in said top portion 1 1 , this spout 16 is such that product 4 inside the container 1 is then able to move out of the container 1 by passing in between the inner side surface of the pouring spout 16 and the outer side surface of the stopper 2 when the container 1 is tipped over a pouring out angle a. This tipping over is illustrated in a side- and cross-sectional view by the advancement from Figs.7A and 7B to Figs.8A and 8B, respectively. Herein Figs.7A and 7B show the product preservation device in a vertical standing position, while Figs.8A and 8B show it being tipped over a pouring out angle a.

Figs.9A-9B show a variant of the embodiment in which the stopper body comprises a lower rim 21 1 that, when said stopper 2 has been inserted into the container, defines a lowest outer circumference of the stopper. This lowest outer circumference abuts the inner side surface of the container along the inner circumference thereof at a height below the valve assembly, and has a radially inwards directed surface that narrows in an upward direction towards the one or more passages of the valve body. It can be envisaged when studying Figs.9A-9B, that in moving the stopper downward this lower rim would aid in avoiding the seal to jam by cleaning of the inner surface of any food residues. This may particularly be advantageous when thick substances, e.g. yoghurt, or for instance a juice with particles of flesh of fruit is to be preserved. Not illustrated in the figures is that the stopper body may comprise two or more parts and said stopper body can be disassembled into said stopper body parts and subsequently reassembled, e.g. to clean the stopper. In this particular embodiment, the stopper body may thereto comprise a top stopper body that extends from the top of the stopper body to substantially halfway the confinement space in the passage, and a bottom stopper body that extends from halfway said confinement space to the bottom of the stopper body. Therein the stopper body may therein for instance comprise a top stopper body that extends from the top side of the stopper body to just above the upper limiter and a bottom stopper body that extends from above the upper limiter to the bottom side of said stopper body. Not verifiable from the figures either is that the lower limiter may comprise a flexible material. Therein said flexible material may for instance be adapted to remove said floatable element 210 from said confinement space by pushing on said floatable element so that it is forced out of the confinement space at the side of the lower limiter. In a non-illustrated variant of the embodiment, the stopper further comprises an actuator to facilitate the removal of said stopper from said container. Said actuator therein comprises a rod provided in the passage of the stopper and a flexible rod suspension element to suspend the rod in the passage. Thereby by pressing on the upper end of said rod, the lower end thereof presses the floatable element downwards away from its upper position, e.g. to prevent an underpressure from arising during removal of the stopper from the container.

An alternative embodiment of the inventive product preservation device is shown in

Figs.10A-C.

As is shown, the product preservation device according to this embodiment comprises a container 1 to store a product 4. The embodiment is illustrated without any product being present in the container. The container has an inner side surface 14 and an outer side surface 15 with a uniform inner cross-section along at least an operative portion 12 of the height of the container. The container is open at a top 10 thereof. The embodiment further comprises a stopper 2 insertable into the container via the top 10 thereof. In Figs.10A-10C, said stopper has been inserted into the container and moved down to approximately half the height of the container.

This stopper 2 comprises a stopper body 20 with an axis from the top side 21 to the bottom side 22 of said stopper body. The stopper body has a side surface 23 and comprises a valve assembly 24. This valve assembly controls two passages 25 through the stopper body from a top region to the bottom side of said stopper body.

Of these two passages, the rightmost passage in Figs.10B-10C is provided with an upward passing check valve 24A, and the leftmost passage is provided with a downward passing check valve 24B. For example each check valve comprises a flexible flap that occludes the passage in one position thereof and opens the passage in another. Alternative designs are also possible. The valve assembly 24 has an upward air passing state, a downward air passing state and a sealing state.

Fig.10B illustrates the valve assembly being in its downward passing state, in which the downward passing valve is open and the upward passing valve is closed. Fig.10C illustrates the valve assembly being in its upward passing state, in which the upward passing valve is open and the downward passing valve is closed.

When both valves are closed, the valve assembly is in its sealing position. Fig.1 1 depicts this state of the valve assembly 24.

This state has been established by inserting the stopper in the container containing the shown amount of liquid 4, and then pushing the stopper down into the container. During this downwards movement the air between the liquid and stopper has escaped through the passage. On reaching the liquid level in the container the floatable element has moved from its lower position to its upper position within said stopper to seal the passage, thereby sealing the liquid from the ambient.

As visible as well from Figs.10B-10C, a sealing element 26 is provided on the stopper to act between the outer side surface of the stopper body and the inner side surface of the container. As shown in Figs.10B-10C, the stopper 2 further comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements 27 mounted to the stopper body 20. These are made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. The product preservation device further comprises a user operable slider 3, that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container. The slider comprises one or more magnetic field slider elements (not shown). These are made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material. This construction is such that it enables that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of stopper inside the container an operative magnetic field is established in between in between the stopper and the slider - for instance by embodying at least one of the magnetic field slider element(s) and the magnetic field stopper element(s) as a magnet. This is established such that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, the stopper is moved up and down along with the slider.

Figures 1 1 A and 1 1 B show a non-spouted version of the container 1 , so without a pouring spout 16. The stopper 2 is in this illustration arranged at the very top of the container 1 with the slider 3 also at said height.

The valves 24A and 24B are both closed, so that no air can reach the product that has been filled into the container. For example here the flap type check valve 24B is pressed shut by the liquid in the container 1.

In Fig. 12A and 12B an embodiment is shown wherein, when inserted in the operative and/or top portion of the container 1 , the stopper 2 is tiltable within the container 1 over a tilt axis perpendicular to the axis of the stopper 2. From the figures it may be envisaged that the tilting of the stopper has the effect that the opening between the side surface of the stopper and the inner surface of the spout is enlarged so that product inside the container is able to move out of the container by passing in between the tilted stopper and said inner surface of the container when the container is tipped over a pouring out angle. The stopper is tilted such that the part of the circumference of the stopper tilted furthest upwards rotationally extends along the spout. From Fig.12B, the shape, flexibility and dimensions of the stopper are such that when tilting at a height underneath the spout, at least within the operative section 12, an opening is not created, e.g. through a flexibility of the side surface of the stopper. In the shown embodiments, the axis from the top side to the bottom side of the stopper body is a central longitudinal axis. In the figures it is illustrated that the bottom side of the stopper body is concave to facilitate the removal of air trapped between product and the stopper via the one or more passages.

In the shown embodiments, it is illustrated that the one or more passages of the stopper body extend through the stopper body along the axis thereof from the top side to the bottom side thereof.

For the shown embodiments, it is also visible that the one or more sealing elements are provided on the outer side surface of the stopper body. Not shown in the figures is that, the stopper body may comprise two or more parts and said stopper body can be disassembled into said stopper body parts and subsequently reassembled, e.g. to clean the stopper.

In the shown embodiments, the valve assembly automatically changes from its sealing state to respectively its upward passing state or its downward passing state when the stopper is moved downwards or upwards in response to an overpressure or underpressure in the container below the stopper resulting from said stopper movement. In embodiments, this may be established in response to a resultant vertical force component emanating from the magnetic field being directed downwards or upwards, respectively, upon sliding the slider downwards or upwards.

Although not visible from the figures, the shown containers may comprise or be made of glass or plastic, e.g. transparent, e.g. plain glass. For example the container is a monolithic glass or plastic container.

A part of the exterior surface of the container, e.g. of glass or plastic, may be matted or frosted.

In the shown embodiments, the product may be a liquid, e.g. wine in particular. These are however also suitable for other types of products with a suitable size and form. Methods to preserve for later consumption a volume of a product may make use of a product preservation device according to any of the shown embodiments.

The method may comprise the steps of:

- removing the stopper 2 from the container 1 ,

- filling the container 1 of the product preservation device with product 4,

- inserting the stopper 2 in the container 1 from the top 10 thereof,

- sliding the slider downwards on the outer side surface of the container at substantially the same height as the stopper inside the container, thereby moving down said stopper, thereby removing air, e.g. substantially all air between the stopper and the product in the container and substantially sealing said product from infiltration of air via said passage. For consumption of at least part of the product inside the container, while making use of a product preservation device comprising a spout, this method may further comprise the steps of:

- pouring at least part of said product out of the container via the spout.

In an embodiment it is possible to make use of a product preservation device having an actuator comprising a rod as discussed herein. The method may in this case further comprise the step of pressing down the rod of the actuator mechanism to thereby push down the floatable element away from its upper position. This step may be performed prior to and/or during the step of sliding the slider upwards the valve assembly.

As shown in the advancement from Figs.7A and 7B to 8A and 8B the pouring out of the product 4 may involve tipping the container over a pouring out angle α , so that the product passes in between the inner side surface of the spout and the outer side surface of the stopper while the height of the stopper is within the top portion of the container. Herein Figs.7A and 7B show the product preservation device in a vertical standing position, while Figs.8A and 8B show it being tipped over a pouring out angle a.

Furthermore, after a step of sliding the slider upwards, the stopper may be taken out of the top portion of the container by gripping the stopper by hand and manually lifting it upwards until it is above said container. Thereafter the slider may be left on the outer side surface of the top portion of the container. After taking the stopper out of the top portion of the container the slider may also be removed from the outer side surface of the top portion of the container.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. An air sensitive product preservation device, e.g. for a food product, e.g. a liquid food product, e.g. wine, said product preservation device comprising:

- a container (1) adapted to store a product (4), said container having an inner side surface (14) and an outer side surface (15) with a uniform inner cross-section along at least an operative portion (12) of the height of the container, the container being open at a top (10) thereof,

- a stopper (2) insertable into the container via the open top (10) thereof, wherein the stopper (2) comprises one or more magnetic field stopper elements (27) made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, - a user operable slider (3) that is configured to slide along the outer side surface of at least the operative section of the container, said slider comprising one or more magnetic field slider elements (3A) made out of a magnetic or magnetisable material, such that when the slider is arranged on the outer side surface of the container at the height of the stopper inside the container, an operative magnetic field is established in between the stopper and the slider, such that by sliding the slider up and down along the outer side surface of the container, said stopper is moved up and down along with the slider, wherein the inner circumference of the container locally widens in or near a top portion (1 1 ) thereof to form a pouring spout (16) in proximity of the top (10) of the container, or wherein the container has a pouring spout in a top portion of the container in proximity of the top (10) of the container, and wherein the user operable slider (3) is configured to move the stopper (2) into said top portion (1 1) of the container, such that tipping the container over a pouring out angle (a) causes product inside the container to move out of the container via the pouring spout (16).

2. Product preservation device according to claim 1 , wherein the slider (3) is

substantially C-shaped when seen in a top view of the product preservation device and can be moved so as to arrange the stopper at the height of said top portion (1 1), wherein the gap in the C-shaped slider (3) avoids interference of the slider with the pouring spout (16), and/or wherein the slider (3) is movably retained on the exterior of the container, e.g. configured to be snap fitted on the container, e.g. to be snap fitted in a lateral direction on the container.

3. Product preservation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner

circumference of the container widens in said top portion (1 1) thereof in an upwards direction, such that the stopper (2) is subject to decreasingly less friction between its outer side surface and the inner side surface of the container when being moved further upwards through said top portion (1 1).

4. Product preservation device according to claim 3, wherein the outer circumference of the container widens along with the inner circumference in an upwards direction, and the slider (3) has a flexibility such to enable the slider to be moved upwardly over at least a part of the widening outer side surface of the top portion.

5. Product preservation device according to any of claims 1 - 4, said stopper

comprising:

- a stopper body (20) with an axis from a top side (21) to a bottom side (22) of said stopper body, said body having a side surface (23), said stopper body being provided with a valve assembly (24), which controls one or more passages (25) that extend through the stopper body from a top region to the bottom side of said stopper body, and which valve assembly has:

- a sealing state, in which the one or more passages are sealed by the valve assembly such as to prevent air to flow through the stopper either upwardly or downwardly, at least when the stopper is stationary inside the container.

6. Product preservation device according to any of claims 1 - 5, said stopper

comprising:

- a stopper body (20) with an axis from a top side (21) to a bottom side (22) of said stopper body, said body having a side surface (23),

- one or more sealing elements (26) sealing against the inner side surface of the container at least when said stopper is in said operative portion.

7. Product preservation device according to any of claims 1 - 6, wherein the product (4) to be preserved is a liquid, and wherein a passage (25) of the stopper is provided with a lower limiter (28) and an upper limiter (29), said lower and upper limiter defining within the passage a confinement space in between said limiters, and wherein the valve assembly (24) comprises a floatable element (210) that is floatable on the liquid to be preserved, said floatable element being confined in said confinement space, and movable within said confinement space, between a lower position defined by said lower limiter, and an upper position defined by said upper limiter, wherein the valve assembly is in its sealing state when the floatable element is in the upper position, and the valve assembly is in its upward passing state or in its downward passing state when the floatable element is in not in the upper position thereof.

8. Product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the slider (3) has an inner side surface (30) of which the shape is adapted to the outer side surface of the container, such that it substantially abuts and/or matches the outer side surface of the container over a part of the horizontal circumference thereof, e.g. over more than half of the circumference, e.g. the slider being adapted for snap fitting in lateral direction onto the container, and wherein, preferably, said one or more magnetic field slider elements are arranged to extend over a substantial part of the horizontal cross-section of the slider so to at least partly encircle the one or more magnetic field stopper elements of the stopper inside the container when arranged at the height thereof on the outer surface of the container.

9. Product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner side surface of the container is substantially cylindrical in the operative portion (12) of the container, and the radially outwards directed surface of the one or more sealing elements are circular so that the one or more sealing elements are one or more outer sealing rings or ribs provided on the side surface of the stopper body, with an outer diameter adapted to the inner diameter of the container.

10. Product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more sealing elements are provided on the outer side surface of the stopper body.

1 1. Product preservation device according to claim 7, wherein the floatable element (210) is a hollow ball.

12. Product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said container (1) comprises glass or plastic and at least a part of the exterior surface of the container is matted or frosted.

13. Product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the product is a liquid (4), for example wine.

14. Method to preserve a volume of an air sensitive product, wherein use is made of a product preservation device according to any of the preceding claims.

15. Method according to claim 14, comprising the steps of:

- removing the stopper (2) from said container,

- filling the container of the product preservation device with an air sensitive product (4),

- inserting the stopper (2) in the container from the top (10) thereof,

- possibly, arranging the slider (3) on the outer side surface of the container,

- manually sliding the slider (3) downwards on the outer side surface of the container, thereby moving down said stopper (2) and thereby removing air, e.g. substantially all air, between the stopper (2) and the product (4) in the container and substantially sealing said product from air,

and the method, for discharge, e.g. for consumption, of at least part of said product inside the container, further comprising the steps of :

- manually sliding the slider (3) upwards on the outer side surface of the container, thereby moving up said stopper (2) until the stopper (2) is at a height within the top portion (1 1) of the container,

- pouring at least part of said product (4) out of the container via the pouring spout (16) while tipping the container over a pouring out angle so that the product passes via the spout while the stopper is within the top portion (1 1) of the container.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein, for removal of the stopper from the container, e.g. in view of cleaning, after the step of sliding the slider upwards, e.g. after pouring all of the product out of the container, the stopper is taken out of the top portion of the container by gripping the stopper92) by hand and manually lifting it upwards until it is above said container.

17. Method according to any of claims 14 - 1 16, wherein the product is a liquid, for example wine.