BOTTLE STOPPER

Abstract

 This document describes a stopper (1), bung, or plug for a container, such as a bottle, which allows the container to be hermetically sealed and to be closed again after opening. The said stopper of the invention permits the proper closure of a bottle not only when the product is originally bottled, but also after opening the bottle, in an easy and effective manner, because due to the presence of a series of recesses and section changes with a transition (5) between them, the stopper may be reinserted easily and efficiently

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The object of the invention described herein is a stopper, bung or plug for containers, more specifically for bottles.

[0002] More specifically detailed herein is a stopper for bottles which not only allows bottles to be sealed in the bottling process by insertion of the stopper so as to close the mouth thereof; but also allows the bottle to be closed and re-opened later.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0003] There are currently several types of stoppers to seal wine bottles that can be summarized in:

• Screw-on stoppers: These stoppers can be made of aluminum or plastic. The bottles sealed with this type of stopper can be manually opened and closed easily with a rotating motion on the stopper. This stopper has a low transfer of oxygen to the wine giving rise to a very good conservation and avoiding oxidation.
• T-type stoppers or bigheaded corks: usually formed of two parts: the head (top) and taper (bottom entering the bottle) stuck together. The head can be made of plastic, wood or metal, and the taper of natural cork or synthetic taper. There are also models made of a single material called monocomponents, which can be of natural or synthetic cork. The sealed bottles with this type of stopper are opened manually without a corkscrew and the stopper can be easily reinserted into the bottle to close it again. Such stoppers have a high oxygen transfer so they are used for wines which must be consumed in a short time because otherwise they will suffer problems of oxidation.
• Cylindrical stoppers: The cylindrical stopper is by far the most widely used as a closure for bottles of wine. It is generally made of natural cork, shredded cork with bonding agents or with synthetic materials. A corkscrew is required to open (uncork) the bottle and it is generally very difficult or impossible to seal it again (reseal) manually once opened. Because of this difficulty associated with resealing, low density stoppers have been designed that allow the bottle to be resealed after opening, but the low density of the stopper allows a high transfer of oxygen which causes oxidation of the contents of the bottle, wine in this case, if it is not consumed quickly after bottling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This document describes a bottle stopper that allows resealing the of the said bottle due to a morphology specifically designed to allow it to be used for the bottling of beverage in such a way that bottling companies can use the stopper described here to seal bottles; as well as to allow consumers to reclose (reseal) the bottle once it has been opened (uncorked). The stopper, object of the invention, also avoids the high oxygen transfer which causes oxidation of the contents of the bottle if it is not consumed soon after bottling.

[0005] The stopper of the invention can be synthetic, and made of a polymeric material, either from a single polymer or a blend of several polymers; the use of injection moldable conglomerate, or cork with a dedicated manufacturing process is also foreseen.

[0006] One of the preferential embodiments of said stopper can also be a cylindrical stopper, preferably made of an elastomer, preferably polyethylene, with two distinct diameters with a big difference between them, joined by a transition zone. On the one hand the larger diameter achieves an excellent closure with a very low transfer of oxygen to the wine due to its high density, and on the other hand, the smaller diameter allows resealing, thus both sealing and resealing are made possible.

[0007] In one embodiment of the invention, the stopper has a central body and a lateral body, smaller than the central body, located below the central body with a transition zone between the two bodies which is to join these differing sections by means of a chamfer angle, which may be at an angle 45°, say, or rounded, for example with a radius of 1.75 mm. Preferably, the free end of the lateral body does not present a sharp edge but, rather, has a rounded edge with a radius of 2.5 mm for example, or an angle - preferably 45 ° - which facilitates insertion of the lateral body into the bottle; this function is the same as that of the transition of the central body. While the rounded edge or the angle facilitates insertion of the lateral body, which has a lower section, the rounded or angled chamfer of the transition facilitates the insertion of the central body.

[0008] In another embodiment of the invention there may be an additional lateral body, with an equivalent or similar section to the aforementioned lateral body, located at the free end of the central body, thus giving rise to a central body and two lateral bodies, one on each side of the central body. In this possible configuration, as in the previous embodiment of the invention, there can be a transition zone between the central body and the lateral body which is intended to unite the different sections by means of a chamfer which may be angled or rounded. The free end of the additional lateral body will preferably not present a sharp edge, but rather a rounded or angled edge which facilitates insertion into the bottle; this function is the same as that of the transition of the central body. While the rounded or angled edge facilitates insertion of the additional lateral body which has a smaller section, the angled chamfer or rounded transition facilitates insertion of the central body.

[0009] In possible embodiments of any of the above configurations there can be combinations of types of transitions and edges, i.e. they may have stoppers with one or two lateral bodies and in which each comprise angled or rounded transitions, and their respective angled or rounded edges; resulting in multiple possible configurations which submit one or two lateral edges and transitions and angled or rounded edges.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] To complement the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of illustrative but non restrictive drawings is attached as an integral part of said description:

Figures 1 a and 1 b show respective elevation and perspective views of one possible embodiment of the stopper of the invention having two lateral bodies with rounded edges and two transitions between the lateral bodies and the central body defined at an angle.

Figures 2a and 2b show respective elevation and perspective views of one possible embodiment of the stopper of the invention having two lateral bodies with rounded edges and two transitions between the lateral bodies and a rounded central body.

Figures 3a and 3b show respective elevation and perspective views of one possible embodiment of the stopper of the invention having two lateral bodies with rounded edges and, one of the transitions between the other lateral body and a rounded central body.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In one possible embodiment of the object of the invention we consider a bottling process where a bottle is sealed with a monolithic bottle stopper (1) manufactured in an injection moldable material such as a polymeric material e.g. an elastomer, preferably polyethylene. In possible alternative embodiments the stopper (1) can be manufactured in different injection moldable materials, or using cork or conglomorate materials such as shredded cork with bonding agents.

[0012] In order to carry out the bottling process in a bottling plant, a stopper (1) is inserted into the mouth and/or neck of a bottle so that: a central body (2), at least one transition (5) which starts at least at one of the ends of the said central body (2), and at least one lateral body (3, 4) which starts at the transition (5) and is coaxial with the central body (2) with a smaller cross section than that of the central body (2), are fully inserted so that the stopper (1) is flush with the lip of the bottle.

[0013] For insertion of the stopper (1) to fulfill its sealing function, given that the inside of the bottleneck is a volume of revolution - typically cylindrical or tapered - at least one of the bodies (2, 3, 4) is a solid of revolution, preferably cylindrical.

[0014] Once the bottle reaches the consumer, he/she proceeds to open it by inserting a corkscrew into the stopper (1). Once the bottle is opened, if its content is not consumed, the said bottle should be resealed. For this purpose, in one preferred embodiment, the stopper (1) has a lateral body (3, 4) with a rounded edge (6) - with a radius of 1.75 mm - or an angled edge - with an angle of 45°- and a transition (5) between he central body (2) and the lateral body (3, 4) which is flat and forms an angle of 45° to the longitudinal axis of the central body (2) or, in a possible alternative embodiment, a transition (5) rounded with a radius of 2.5 mm. The said rounded edge (6) allows the lateral body (3, 4) to be inserted inside the mouth of the bottle to seal it in such a way that it is easily removable because the lateral body (3, 4) has a cross section of between 17 mm and 22 mm; or, if desired, on continuing to push the stopper (1), passing the transition (5) through the lip or mouth of the bottle to insert the central body (2) - which has a cross section of between 19 mm and 24 mm - so that the central body (2) seals the bottle by pressing the said body against the inner walls of the bottleneck.

[0015] In one preferred embodiment of the stopper (1) the said stopper has a central body (2) with a single lateral body (3, 4) with a length along its longitudinal axis between 2 mm and 15 mm, and in possible, even more preferable, embodiments shown in the figures there is a stopper (1) with the central body (2) and respective lateral bodies (3, 4) respectively located on both sides of the central body (2) and a length along its longitudinal axis of between 2 mm and 15 mm, as the stoppers shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b where stoppers (1) are listed with different transitions (5) and two lateral bodies (3, 4).

[0016] In any possible embodiment of the stopper (1) there may or may not be a lateral body (3, 4) with a rounded edge (6) with said radius of 1.75 mm which allows and facilitates insertion of the stopper (1) into the bottle to reseal the bottle after it has been uncorked. It is preferable because it makes it easier to insert the lateral body (2, 3) into the bottle, but it is not essential and can be ommitted.

Claims

1. Bottle stopper (1) wherein said stopper is monolithic and comprises:

• a central body (2),

• at least one transition (5) located in at least one of the ends of said central body (2), and

• at least one lateral body (3, 4) that starts from the transition (5) and is coaxial with the central body (2) and of a smaller cross-section than the central body (2).

2. Bottle stopper (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the bodies (2, 3, 4) is a solid of revolution.

3. Bottle stopper (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said stopper is made of a polymeric material.

4. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transition (5) is flat and forms an angle of 45° to the longitudinal axis of the central body (2).

5. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transition (5) is rounded.

6. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lateral body (3, 4) comprises a rounded edge (6).

7. Bottle stopper (1) according to claim 5, wherein the transition (5) has a radius of 2.5 mm.

8. Bottle stopper (1) according to claim 6, wherein the rounded edge (6) has a radius of 1.75 mm.

9. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the central body (2) has a cross-section of between 19 mm and 24 mm.

10. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the lateral body (3, 4) has a cross-section of between17 mm and 22 mm.

11. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the lateral body (3, 4) has a length along its longitudinal axis of between 2 mm and 15 mm.

12. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said stopper is made of an elastomer.

13. Bottle stopper (1) according to claim 12, wherein the elastomer is polyethylene.

14. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said stopper is made of an injection moldable material.

15. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said stopper is made of a conglomerate material.

16. Bottle stopper (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said stopper is made of cork.

Drawing