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Cynthia Timblin

John Cronin

Mark D Burrows

Michael S Head

An apparatus and method for automatedly detecting the presence of one or more chemical contaminants, such as 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, in/on a plurality of cork wine bottle stoppers in rapid succession using electronic nose chips. The apparatus moves the nose chips and the cork stoppers independently to align the cork stopper and a corresponding electronic nose chip with one another for testing. The automated apparatus and method provides a low-cost, reliable process for testing 100% of cork wine bottle stoppers in a fast and cost-effective manner.

Automated apparatus and method for testing cork wine bottle stoppers for the presence of an analyte that causes cork taint in bottled wine

An apparatus () and method () for detecting the presence of one or more chemical contaminants in/on a plurality of items, e.g., cork stoppers (), using nose chips (). The apparatus utilizes detection sensor electronics () that are separate from the nose chips such that each nose chip can be either reused or discarded after use. The apparatus moves the nose chips and the cork stoppers independently to align the cork stopper and a corresponding nose chip with one another. The testing apparatus uses multiple sensor units () to simultaneously test multiple cork stoppers for chemical contaminants (e.g., TCA). The invention provides a low-cost, reliable process for testing 100% of cork stoppers in a fast and cost-effective manner that is scalable to the general consumer product market.

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Burlington, VT, United States of America

Cynthia Timblin