SILICONE STOPPER FOR CAVA BOTTLES AND THE LIKE

Abstract

 The invention comprises a one-piece body (1) in the form of a domed component, of any external geometrical configuration, which converges towards the opening (2) thereof, the inner wall of which has a profile or a generatrix that coincides with that of the bottle neck with which it has to fit tightly, a protuberance (12) of hemispherical configuration emerging downwards from the bottom of the base thereof, which projection is designed, in turn, to penetrate tightly inside the bottle neck, this coupling being facilitated by the existence of a bevel (6) at the mouth of the stopper. This results in a stopper that, despite being made from silicone, can easily be coupled to the bottle and is capable of withstanding the pressure inside the bottle without accidentally becoming detached therefrom.

Description

Object of the invention

[0001] The present invention refers to a silicone stopper, especially designed for cava bottles and the like, for example champagne bottles.

[0002] The object of the invention is to achieve an optimal tight seal between the bottle stopper and throat, thereby improving the packaging conditions of the drink.

Background of the invention

[0003] As we know, since time immemorial, cava bottles have been closed using a cylindrical stopper made of natural or agglomerated cork, the diameter of which is considerably greater than the internal diameter of the throat of the bottle, in such a way that during the stoppering operation, a strong radial contraction is produced in the stopper portion, housed within the bottle, with the dual aim of both stabilising the stopper in relation to the bottle to a certain extent and reducing the porosity of the cork as far as possible in order to prevent loss via the same.

[0004] More recently, the stoppering industry has been evolving towards the use of other prime materials, namely silicone. In this sense, Invention Patent US 2011108511 must be cited, which reveals a silicone stopper with a number of perimeter ribs, which decrease in diameter in a downwards direction, thus facilitating both the seal and easy removal of the stopper, which is why the stopper has an expansion on the outside of the bottle, which serves as upper penetration limit in the heart of the same.

[0005] Stoppers which faithfully reproduce the cylindrical configuration of a conventional cork stopper also exist but in this case, they are obtained from silicone. At best, these stoppers are appropriate for closing wine bottles as well as other products which do not reach considerable pressure inside the bottle.

[0006] Hybrid stoppers such as that shown in US Invention Patent 20100050576 also exist, which consist of a silicone ring to which a metal retention sheet is conveniently fixed, which is specifically made of aluminium. This stopper is not ideal either, much less so for closing cava bottles.

[0007] Furthermore, Invention Patent DE 19731620 is known about in the field of closing bottles and wine bottles in particular, this document revealing the use of non-vulcanised silicone, which increases in diameter once the stopper is fitted and is vulcanised with a peroxide catalyst, this being a complex stopper manufacturing process.

[0008] Document CN 20102108471 U also reveals a silicone stopper for wine bottles, similar to that of Invention Patent US 2011108511, which furthermore has a built in articulated half-moon fastener. This stopper is not ideal either, much less so for cava bottles.

Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention proposes a silicone stopper capable of performing optimally as a cava bottle closing element.

[0010] Therefore, more specifically, said stopper is formed by a single-piece body by way of a small pot, the external configuration of which is a general conical trunk shape, which converges towards the mouth thereof, the internal configuration of which is an exact copy of the specific throat of a cava bottle, to which it is necessary to adapt perfectly.

[0011] From the centre of the base of the stopper body, a lower axial protuberance emerges, configured as a banked semi-sphere, intended to be housed tightly inside the throat or neck of the bottle.

[0012] According to another of the invention characteristics, the dimensions of the stopper itself are slightly smaller than those of the throat of the bottle, in order for it to be coupled and fixed not only by the male-female coupling effect between both elements but also by means of elastic and radial deformation of the stopper, which increases the pressure of the closure by means of elastic recovery.

Description of the drawings

[0013] In order to complement the present description and with the aim of facilitating a better understanding of the invention characteristics, according to a preferred practical embodiment of the same, below is a set of drawings which provide a non-limiting example of the same.

Figure 1. - is a side elevation view of a silicone stopper for cava bottles, according to the object of the present invention.

Figure 2-. Is a side elevation view and diameter section of the same stopper shown in the previous figure.

Figure 3.- is a perspective view of the stopper represented in the previous figures, duly applied to a cava bottle, of which only the part corresponding to the neck of the same has been represented.

Figure 4.- provides a similar view to that given in the previous figure, this time with the stopper being cut into four sections.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

[0014] Looking at the figures described, it is possible to observe how the stopper proposed by the invention is formed by means of a single piece body (1), configured by way of an externally conical trunk shaped pot, converging towards the mouth (2) thereof, with a slightly concavely curved side wall with a generator (3), which is joined to its base (5) via a rounded perimeter ridge (4), which is also convexly curved. The body (1) may take on any convenient external geometrical configuration.

[0015] The inside of said body (1), i.e. the inside the pot, tends to be cylindrical but with a bevel (6) at the level of the mouth (2) thereof, in order to facilitate the coupling thereof to the bottle, with a formal perimeter throat (7), the position of which also in accordance with the classic semi-toroidal ridge (11) of the throat of the bottle (9), in such a way that between the side and internal perimeter surface of the stopper and the external side and perimeter surface of the throat of the bottle, a perfect fit is produced.

[0016] The structure of the stopper is completed with an alleged protuberance (12) which emerges inside the central area of the base of the pot, configured as a banked semi-sphere, in turn intended to be housed tightly in closed position inside the throat of the bottle.

[0017] This protuberance (12), which easily penetrates the inside of the bottle, given the semi-spherical configuration of its free end, has a diameter acutely greater than the internal diameter of the bottle (9), whilst the inside of the side wall of the body is slightly smaller than the throat of the bottle, in order to result in a tendency towards the radial expansion of the protuberance (12) on the one hand and the tendency towards radial contraction of the side wall of the stopper on the other, generating an optimal closure position which strengthens the efficacy of the stopper.

Claims

1. Silicone stopper for cava bottles and the like, of the variety which has an especially rounded thickened mouth and, relatively far away from said mouth, a rib, the section perimeter aiming at the rectangle having been thickened, characterised in that it is formed by a single piece body by way of a pot (1), the external conical trunk configuration of which converges towards the mouth thereof (2), whilst internally, its body tends towards cylindrical configuration, with channels (7) and (10) at side level, which formally coincide with the position of the ribs (8) and (11) of the throat of the bottle, whilst a protuberance (12) also emerges from the inside and centre of its closed base, configured as a banked semi-sphere with an axial disposition, this cylindrical sector (6) being adjusted to the inside of the throat of the bottle (9).

2. Silicone stopper for cava bottles and the like, according to claim 1, characterised in that the diameter of the cylindrical sector of the banked semi-spherical protuberance is slightly larger in dimension than the internal diameter of the throat of the bottle, whilst the internal diameter of the pot side wall (6) is smaller in dimension than the throat of the bottle, in order to strengthen the closure pressure.

3. Silicone stopper for cava bottles and the like, according to previous claims, characterised in that the mouth (2) of said pot has a bevel (6) diverging outwards and the external side surface of the body of the pot has rounded faces and ridges.

4. Silicone stopper for cava bottles and the like, according to claim 1, characterised in that the body (1) may take on any external geometrical configuration.

Drawing