Adaptable Stopper

Abstract

An adaptable stopper for closing bottles, namely bottles for spirits, distillates, or wine is disclosed which has a base part with a conical part of the stopper and a head part having a basic outer dimension that is at least equal to or bigger than the outer dimension of the neck of a bottle the stopper is to be used with. The base part and the head part may be connected in a manner that allows them to be mechanically detachable from each other. The base part and the head part may be of circular, elliptical, or angular shape, and may be made of a glass, wood, plastic, or metal material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Czech Republic Utility Model Application No. 2015-31668, which was filed on Oct. 20, 2015, and which Czech Republic utility model application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to to a stopper for closing bottles, namely bottles for spirits, distillates, or wine.

Known stoppers have the disadvantage that the stopper is formed by a head part and further from a conical part of the stopper, which are fixedly and permanently connected.

It will thus be appreciated that there is a need for an adaptable stopper which have a head part that is attachable to and detachable from the base part of the stopper.

The subject matter discussed in this background of the invention section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background of the invention section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background of the invention section or associated with the subject matter of the background of the invention section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background of the invention section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed above are overcome by the present invention. With this invention, a glass stopper for closing bottles, such as for example bottles for spirits, distillates, or wine, which bottles have a circular or non-circular shaped mouth in the neck of the bottle, is provided which stopper has a base part with a conical part of the stopper and a head part having a basic outer dimension that is at least equal to or bigger than the outer dimension of the neck of the bottle. While these two stopper parts may be fixedly connected using an adhesive or glue material, they may instead advantageously be connected in a manner that allows them to be mechanically detachable from each other.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the head part, the outer dimension of which may be equal to or greater than the outer dimension of the mouth of the bottle, may be of any shape. The present invention thus enables different design solutions for the shape of the bottle and the stopper. The conical part of the stopper is typically used with an adaptable sealing element that is mounted on the base part of the stopper to effect a seal. A transport securing element is also used to retain the stopper in a sealing position in the neck of the bottle, with examples of suitable the transport sealing elements being thermally-shrinkable capsules, wire stopper fasteners, or other coatings or bandages.

While in a typical embodiment the invention is directed to closing bottles of distilled spirits, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may also be used for a stopper for other liquids, such as those for which the material of the bottle, the stopper, and the sealing element must be chemically resistant.

The solution of the stopper of the present invention provides the necessary functional safety and repeatability of the sealing effects in beverage bottles for distilled spirits, as well as in bottles intended for other liquids, or optionally for bulk or powdery materials.

The solution according to the present invention is within the meaning mentioned above applicable for both glass and non-glass materials for either or both of the stopper and the bottle.

In an apparatus embodiment, an adaptable stopper for closing bottles includes: a base part having a conical part with a head portion mounted thereon; and a head part having a recess located therein which is configured to receive the head portion of the base part, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is greater than or equal to an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted.

In another apparatus embodiment, an adaptable stopper for closing bottles includes: a base part having a conical part with a head portion mounted thereon; and a head part having a recess located therein which is configured to receive the head portion of the base part, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is greater than or equal to an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted; wherein the head portion of the base part and the recess in the head part are respectively arranged and configured to mechanically engage each other when the head portion of the base part is inserted into the recess in the head part to detachably retain the base part in the head part.

The stopper of the present invention thus advantageously provides a head part that is attachable to and detachable from the base part of the stopper. Finally, the stopper of the present invention achieves numerous advantages without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages of the present invention are best understood with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a first embodiment base part of a stopper with a head part that is approximately as wide as the neck of a bottle into which the stopper may be inserted;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the first embodiment base part of a stopper illustrated in FIG. 1 with a head part that is substantially wider than the neck of a bottle into which the stopper may be inserted;

FIG. 3 is a is a partially cutaway side view of a second embodiment base part of a stopper with a head part that is approximately as wide as the neck of a bottle into which the stopper may be inserted; and

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of the second embodiment base part of a stopper illustrated in FIG. 3 with a head part that is substantially wider than the neck of a bottle into which the stopper may be inserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

An exemplary embodiment of the stopper of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a base part 10 having a conical part 12 with a head portion 14 mounted thereon, with a fixing groove located intermediate the conical part 12 of the base part 10 and the head portion 14 of the base part 10. (When the stopper is used, the fixing groove 16 will have an adaptable sealing element not forming part of the present invention mounted thereon.) The base part 10 may be made of glass or any other suitable material.

The base part 10 of the stopper illustrated in FIG. 1 has a head part 18 mounted thereupon. The head part 18 is approximately as wide as the neck of a bottle into which the stopper shown in FIG. 1 may be inserted. The head part 18 has a recess 20 located therein which will receive the head portion 14 of the base part 10. The base part 10 may be secured to the head part 18 by adhesive if desired, or it may use an interference fit to allow the head part 18 to be detached from the base part 10. The head part 18 may be made of any suitable material, and may be made of a material that is different from the material of the base part 10.

Referring next to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the stopper of the present invention is illustrated in which the same base part 10 of the stopper that is also shown in FIG. 1 has a head part 22 mounted thereupon. The head part 22 is substantially wider than the neck of a bottle into which the stopper shown in FIG. 2 may be inserted. The head part 22 has a recess 24 located therein which will receive the head portion 14 of the base part 10. The base part 10 may be secured to the head part 22 by adhesive if desired, or it may use an interference fit to allow the head part 22 to be detached from the base part 10. The head part 22 may be made of any suitable material, and may be made of a material that is different from the material of the base part 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a base part 30 has a conical part 32 with a head portion 34 mounted thereon. The head portion 34 of the base part 30 has an outwardly extending flange portion 36 located at the top thereof, and a rounded portion 38 at its outer periphery at the bottom thereof. The base part 30 has a fixing groove 40 located intermediate the conical part 12 of the base part 10 and the head portion 14 of the base part 10. The base part 10 may be made of glass or any other suitable material.

The base part 30 of the stopper illustrated in FIG. 3 has a head part 42 mounted thereupon. The head part 42 is approximately as wide as the neck of a bottle into which the stopper shown in FIG. 3 may be inserted. The head part 42 has a recess 44 located therein which will receive the head portion 34 of the base part 30. The recess 44 in the head part 42 has an outwardly extending groove 46 located therein at the top of the recess 44, and a rounded inwardly extending lip 48 located therein at the bottom of the recess 44. The head part 42 may be made of any suitable material with sufficient flexibility to allow the head portion 34 of the base part 30 to be inserted into the recess 44 in the head part 42, and may be made of a material that is different from the material of the base part 30.

The base part 30 is mounted to the head part 42 by inserting the head portion 34 of the base part 30 into the recess 44 in the head part 42. It may be seen that the flange portion 36 of the head portion 34 of the base part 30 engages the groove 46 in the head part 42, and that the lip 48 in the head part 42 engages the rounded portion 38 of the head portion 34 of the base part 30. Preferably, the material that the head part 42 is made of is sufficiently flexible to advantageously allow the head portion 34 of the base part 30 to be detached from the recess 44 in the head part 42 to separate the head part 42 from the base part 30.

Referring next to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the stopper of the present invention is illustrated in which the same base part 30 of the stopper that is also shown in FIG. 3 has a head part 50 mounted thereupon. The head part 50 is substantially wider than the neck of a bottle into which the stopper shown in FIG. 4 may be inserted. The head part 50 has a recess 52 located therein which will receive the head portion 34 of the base part 30. The recess 52 in the head part 50 has an outwardly extending groove 54 located therein at the top of the recess 52, and a rounded inwardly extending lip 56 located therein at the bottom of the recess 52. The head part 50 may be made of any suitable material with sufficient flexibility to allow the head portion 34 of the base part 30 to be inserted into the recess 52 in the head part 50, and may be made of a material that is different from the material of the base part 30.

The base part 30 is mounted to the head part 50 by inserting the head portion 34 of the base part 30 into the recess 52 in the head part 50. It may be seen that the flange portion 36 of the head portion 34 of the base part 30 engages the groove 54 in the head part 50, and that the lip 56 in the head part 50 engages the rounded portion 38 of the head portion 34 of the base part 30. Preferably, the material that the head part 50 is made of is sufficiently flexible to advantageously allow the head portion 34 of the base part 30 to be detached from the recess 52 in the head part 50 to separate the head part 50 from the base part 30.

It may therefore be appreciated from the above detailed description of the stopper of the present invention that it advantageously provides a head part that is attachable to and detachable from the base part of the stopper. Finally, the stopper of the present invention achieves numerous advantages without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.

Although the foregoing description of the present invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications, variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

While the current application recites particular combinations of features in the claims appended hereto, various embodiments of the invention relate to any combination of any of the features described herein whether or not such combination is currently claimed, and any such combination of features may be claimed in this or future applications. Any of the features, elements, or components of any of the exemplary embodiments discussed above may be claimed alone or in combination with any of the features, elements, or components of any of the other embodiments discussed above.

Claims

1. An adaptable stopper for closing bottles, comprising: a base part having a conical part with a head portion mounted thereon; anda head part having a recess located therein which is configured to receive the head portion of the base part, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is greater than or equal to an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted.

2. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is substantially greater than an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted.

3. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the base part is secured in the recess in the head part by an adhesive.

4. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the base part is secured in the recess in the head part by an interference fit.

5. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein that the base part and the head part are of circular, elliptical, or angular shape.

6. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein that the base part and the head part are each made of a glass, wood, plastic, or metal material,wherein the material that the base part is made of is optionally different from the material that the head part is made of.

7. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the base part has an outwardly extending flange portion located therein; andwherein the recess in the head part has an outwardly extending groove located therein; andwherein the flange portion in the head portion of the base part and the groove in the recess in the head part are respectively configured to mechanically engage each other when the head portion of the base part is inserted into the recess in the head part to detachably retain the base part in the head part.

8. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 7, wherein the outwardly extending flange portion in the head portion of the base part is located at the top of the head portion of the base part; andwherein the outwardly extending groove in the recess in the head part is located therein at the top of the recess in the head part.

9. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the base part has a rounded portion at its outer periphery at the bottom thereof; andwherein the recess in the head part has a rounded inwardly extending lip located therein at the bottom of the recess; andwherein the rounded portion in the head portion of the base part and the rounded inwardly extending lip in the recess in the head part are respectively configured to mechanically engage each other when the head portion of the base part is inserted into the recess in the head part to detachably retain the base part in the head part.

10. An adaptable stopper for closing bottles, comprising: a base part having a conical part with a head portion mounted thereon; anda head part having a recess located therein which is configured to receive the head portion of the base part, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is greater than or equal to an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted;

11. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 10, wherein the head part is arranged to have a basic outer dimension that is substantially greater than an outer dimension of a bottle neck of a bottle into which the adaptable stopper may be inserted.

12. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 10, wherein that the base part and the head part are of circular, elliptical, or angular shape.

13. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 10, wherein that the base part and the head part are each made of a glass, wood, plastic, or metal material,wherein the material that the base part is made of is optionally different from the material that the head part is made of.

14. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 10, wherein the head portion of the base part has an outwardly extending flange portion located therein; andwherein the recess in the head part has an outwardly extending groove located therein; andwherein the flange portion in the head portion of the base part and the groove in the recess in the head part are respectively configured to mechanically engage each other when the head portion of the base part is inserted into the recess in the head part to detachably retain the base part in the head part.

15. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 14, wherein the outwardly extending flange portion in the head portion of the base part is located at the top of the head portion of the base part; andwherein the outwardly extending groove in the recess in the head part is located therein at the top of the recess in the head part.

16. An adaptable stopper as defined in claim 10, wherein the head portion of the base part has a rounded portion at its outer periphery at the bottom thereof; andwherein the recess in the head part has a rounded inwardly extending lip located therein at the bottom of the recess; andwherein the rounded portion in the head portion of the base part and the rounded inwardly extending lip in the recess in the head part are respectively configured to mechanically engage each other when the head portion of the base part is inserted into the recess in the head part to detachably retain the base part in the head part.