U.S. patent application number 10/211975 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-27 for flange screw closure and bottle having internal threads.
Invention is credited to Wagner, David C..
Application Number | 20030057173 10/211975 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25182197 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030057173 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wagner, David C. |
March 27, 2003 |
Flange screw closure and bottle having internal threads
Abstract
An apparatus for retrofitting the opening of the neck of a
bottle with a screw closure. An insert is provided that is
configured to be positioned within the neck of the bottle for
receiving the external threads of the lower end of a screw closure
which is inserted into the opening of the bottle and rotated for
securement therein. In one embodiment the insert may be secured in
the neck by an adhesive. The positioning of the threads in the
lower portion of the neck of the bottle affords a smooth and
consistent pour of the wine from the bottle.
Inventors: |
Wagner, David C.; (Overland
Park, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SOFER & HAROUN, L.L.P.
Suite 910
317 Madison Avenue
New York
NY
10017
US
|
Family ID: |
25182197 |
Appl. No.: |
10/211975 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10211975 |
Aug 2, 2002 |
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09801856 |
Mar 8, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
215/44 ;
215/356 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 39/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/44 ;
215/356 |
International
Class: |
B65D 039/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for retrofitting the opening of the neck of a
bottle with a screw closure comprising: an insert configured for
introduction into said opening of said bottle and for positioning
within said neck of said bottle, said insert having an internal
surface provided with internally disposed threads spaced from said
opening for providing a smooth and consistent pour of liquid from
said bottle; and a screw closure having an upper end, a lower end
and a body portion extending between said upper and lower ends,
said lower end provided with external threads for engaging said
internally disposed threads of said insert when said screw closure
is directed into said insert.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert and
said screw closure are fabricated from a plastic material.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said internally
disposed threads in said insert are spaced in the range of
approximately 1 to 13/4 inches from said opening of said
bottle.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert further
comprises a smooth exterior surface which creates a fluid tight
seal with said neck portion of said bottle when said insert is
positioned in said neck portion.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said smooth
exterior surface of said insert is configured to frictionally
engage said neck portion of said bottle.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said smooth
exterior surface of said insert is provided with an adhesive for
enhancing said fluid tight seal created between said smooth
exterior surface and said neck portion of said bottle.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said adhesive is a
quick-drying food-grade cement.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said neck of said
bottle is provided with support walls upon which said insert rests
when positioned within said neck portion.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said support walls
are integrally molded as part of said bottle.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert
further comprises a flange portion that is configured to sit atop
said neck portion of said bottle.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to bottles for liquids and beverages,
and in particular, to a wine bottle and complementary flange screw
top for improved closure, containment and pouring of wine contained
therewithin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Since biblical times, wine has been produced, consumed and
enjoyed by people all over the world. Wine is produced from one or
more varieties of grapes which grow in well-known regions all over
the world. During wine production, the grapes are crushed and the
juice is usually stored for a period of time, sometimes many years,
during which the wine ferments and the flavor, color, texture and
aroma develop. After a period of time, the wine may be ready for
bottling, sale and consumption.
[0003] For many centuries, wine has been stored and contained in
glass bottles of various size and sealed with a variety of closure
means such as rubber stoppers or cork. Oftentimes, wine bottles are
extremely elaborate, thus adding to the attraction of the wine.
[0004] To retain the freshness, flavor and aroma of the wine, it is
essential that the bottle be tightly sealed to prevent oxygen from
seeping in. Most wines produced today are sealed with a cork
closure and are often covered with a decorative foil capsule.
Corks, however, often allow oxidation to take place, as they are
easily broken or crumbled. As a result of a defective cork,
oxidation results in "corkiness" which is characterized by a
pungent smell, much like that which emanates from rotting
newspapers, and which damages the wine rendering it unfit for sale
or consumption. Additionally, oxidation resulting from defective
corks affect 5% of all cork-finished wines, amounting to millions
of defective bottles a year which costs the industry and consumers
million of dollars a year in unsaleable and inconsumable goods.
Furthermore, if a wine which was sealed with a cork is not consumed
within a relatively short period of time after the cork has been
removed, it tends to become flat and loses its taste.
[0005] Aluminum or plastic screw caps which are matingly threaded
to external threads on the neck of the bottle and which are similar
to those used on soda bottles, have been found to be the best
closure for wine bottles, having a nearly perfect record of
maintaining the quality of wine inside the bottle and eliminating
any chance of oxygen seeping in. In fact, many lower quality,
inexpensive wines currently use screw caps. As a result, the screw
cap has become synonymous with cheap wine and, despite their
superior closure capabilities, have been shunned by today's
producers of the better wines who, in an effort to provide more
attractive bottling, have widened the opening of the wine bottles,
eliminated the foil capsule and sealed the top of the cork with a
drop of bee's wax. It provides for an attractive bottle, but does
not eliminate the problem of defective corks.
[0006] The prior at includes internally threaded bottles or
receptacles, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,908 for a jar closure,
U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,304 directed to a container and closure
therefor, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,671 which teaches a method of
distributing soil treating material. However, none of these
references are directed to bottles or containers for holding wine.
Additionally, each of these prior art references teach internal
threads disposed in the neck portion of the bottle or container
proximate the opening. These prior art container with internal
threads positioned proximate the opening of the bottle discourage
their use for containing wine since the internal threads positioned
proximate the bottle's opening detracts from the bottle's ability
to provide a smooth and consistent pour of wine. If used for
containing wine, these prior art bottles lead to a waste of the
wine as the internally disposed threads proximate the opening
causes the wine to haphazardly splash out of the bottle as it is
being poured therefrom.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a glass bottle for
containing wines and which is configured to accommodate a screw
top, the combination of the bottle and screw top which is
attractive, which assures a smooth consistent pour, and which
ensures the quality of wine contained within the bottle.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is thus a general object of the present invention to
provide a bottle for containing wines which provides a reliable
closure.
[0009] A more specific object of the present invention is to
provide a wine bottle having an internally threaded neck portion
for mating with a complementary single unit screw top with a flange
rim.
[0010] It is an additional object of the present invention to
provide a wine bottle having an internally threaded neck portion
wherein the internal threads are disposed low in the neck portion
away from the bottle opening so as to provide a smooth and
consistent pour of wine from the bottle.
[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
glass bottle having an internally threaded neck portion for
engagement with a single unit screw top with a flange rim and which
is aesthetically appealing without the obtrusive, denigrating
externally exposed threads associated with existing standard
plastic or aluminum screw tops.
[0012] It is further object of the present invention to provide a
bottle and closure which permits efficient re-sealing of the bottle
after the initial opening such that the quality of wine contained
within the bottle is retained.
[0013] It is still an additional object to provide a bottle and
closure for efficiently storing and resealing a bottle containing
wine and which is simple in construction, inexpensive to
manufacture and efficient to use.
[0014] These and other objects of the invention are realized by
providing a bottle much like the conventional wine bottles
presently available in the marketplace. The bottle is generally
provided with a flat lower portion which extends upwardly and
narrows into a neck portion which terminates in the bottle opening.
The neck portion is provided with internal threads for mating
engagement with a screw closure. The internal threads are
advantageously disposed low in the neck portion of the bottle so as
to provide a smooth, uninterrupted flow of wine from the bottle.
Additionally, the low placement of the internal threads prevents
waste of the wine which often accumulates within the threads on
externally threaded bottles.
[0015] The screw closure for securement within the bottle of the
present invention is provided with an upper end having a flange rim
and an extended body having threads on its lower end. When the
screw top is inserted into the opening and neck of the bottle, the
threads on the lower end of the screw mate with the internal
threads of the bottle. The screw top is thus secured within the
bottle by rotating the flange rim until the screw top is tightly
secured. When tightly secured, the flange rim of the screw top
mates with the opening of the bottle such that bottle is
aesthetically appealing without denigrating exposed external
threads.
[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the screw top may also be
provided with a tamper resistant safety feature. Furthermore, an
insert including the screw top of the present invention may also be
provided for retrofitting current wine bottles produced without
internal threads.
[0017] The above description sets forth rather broadly the more
important features of the present invention in order that the
detailed description thereof that follows may be understood, and in
order that the present contributions to the art may be better
appreciated. Other objects and features of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to
be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for
the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits
of the invention, for which reference should be made to the
appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] In the drawings in which like reference characters denote
similar elements throughout the several views:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of the neck portion of a
wine bottle in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention and including the flange-rimmed screw top internally
threaded therein;
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the neck portion of
the wine bottle of FIG. 1 and including a flange-rimmed screw top
internally threaded therein and having a tamper resistant safety
feature;
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the present invention which include a plastic insert
for retrofitting existing bottles with internal threads for use
with the flange-rimmed screw top; and
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the bottle shown in FIG. 3 for receiving a plastic
insert for retrofitting existing bottles with internal threads for
use with the flange-rimmed screw top.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] With initial reference to FIG. 1, a bottle 10 with a
complementary screw closure 12 secured thereto is shown according
to one embodiment of the present invention. Bottle 10 is preferably
formed from cast glass using a mold, and includes a body portion 14
and a neck portion 16 which terminates in opening 18.
[0024] Bottle 10 is provided with internal spiral threads 20
disposed peripherally within neck portion 16. Internal threads 20,
which commonly comprise alternating ribs and grooves for receiving
complementary threads of some other member or part, are
advantageously positioned low within neck portion 16 downward and
away from opening 18, and spaced approximately in the range of 1 to
13/4 inches from opening 18. It is understood, however, that
internal threads 20 may also be disposed at greater or lesser
distances from opening 18. The positioning of internal threads 20
away from opening 18 affords a smooth, uninterrupted flow of wine
from the bottle. Additionally, the low placement of the internal
threads 20 in neck portion 16 prevents waste of the wine which
often accumulates in bottles having external threads.
[0025] Screw closure 12 is advantageously fabricated from a molded
plastic and includes an elongated body 22 for fitting within neck
portion 16 of bottle 10. Body 22 is provided with peripheral
external screw threads 24 on one end and a flange-rimmed top 26 on
the opposite end. To correspond with internal threads 20 of neck
portion 16 of bottle 10, external screw threads 24 on screw closure
12 are advantageously disposed approximately in the range of 1 to
13/4 inches from the flange-rimmed top. It is understood, however,
that external screw threads 24 of screw closure 12 may also be
disposed at greater or lesser distances from flange-rimmed top 26,
so long as they are disposed on screw closure 12 so as to
correspond with internal threads 20 of neck portion 16 of bottle 10
when screw closure 12 is inserted into opening 18 of bottle 10.
[0026] To seal bottle 10 using screw closure 12, screw threads 24
are directed first into opening 18 of neck portion 16 and pressure
is directed to flange rimmed top 26 until screw threads 24 engage
internal threads 20 in neck portion 16 of bottle 10. Upon
engagement of screw threads 24 with internal threads 20,
flange-rimmed top 26 of screw closure 12 is rotated until screw
closure 12 is tightly secured in neck portion 16. When fully
inserted and secured within neck portion 16 of bottle 10, body 22
of screw closure 12 engages the interior of neck portion 16 to
create an air tight seal. Furthermore, when screw closure 12 is
fully inserted and secured within neck portion 16, flange rimmed
top 26 of screw closure 12 is matingly engaged with opening 18 of
neck portion 16 to enhance the air-tight seal provided by the screw
closure 12 positioned within neck portion 16.
[0027] When the wine is ready to be opened, flange-rimmed top 26 of
screw closure 12 is simply twisted off and lifted out from neck
portion 16. If the entire bottle of wine is not consumed, the
bottle may be easily re-sealed by reinserting and securing screw
closure 12 in neck portion 16 by turning flange-rimmed top 12 until
screw closure 12 is tightly secured therein.
[0028] In an alternative embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 2,
bottle 10 is configured to receive screw closure 12 configured with
a tamper resistant safety feature to prevent opening of the wine
bottle by children. To provide a tamper resistant closure, screw
closure 12 advantageously includes a flexible plastic ring 28
integral with flange-rimmed top 26. Ring 28, is generally provided
with a plurality of ridges (not shown) disposed about the
circumference of ring 28 and which engage a plurality of
complementary cavities 30 formed within neck portion 16 proximate
opening 18. When screw closure 12 is secured within neck portion 16
and flange-rimmed top is matingly engaged with opening 18, the
ridges of ring 28 protrude into cavities 30 such that screw closure
12 is not easily removed from bottle 10. In order to remove screw
closure 12, ring 28 must be squeezed with sufficient force, not
generally attainable by children, which frees the ridges of ring 28
from their position within cavities 30 in neck portion 16 such that
screw closure 12 may then be easily removed. It is to be
understood, that the invention is not limited in the configuration
and locking mechanism of the tamper resistant feature of screw
closure 12 and other tamper resistant features may be utilized
without detracting from the inventive aspects of the present
invention. As with the first embodiment, neck portion 16 of bottle
10 is advantageously provided with internal threads disposed
approximately in the range of 1 to 13/4 inches from opening 18 of
bottle 10, for threadable engagement with screw threads 24 when
screw closure 12 is secured within opening 18 and neck portion 16
of bottle 10.
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the
present invention for use with existing cork-sealed bottles. Upon
opening the bottle of wine and removing the cork (not shown), a
plastic insert 32 is inserted into opening 18 of bottle 10 and
positioned within neck portion 16. Insert 32 has a smooth exterior
wall 34 which engages the interior surface of neck portion 16 and
created an air-tight seal therewith. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the
interior of neck portion 16 of bottle 10 may also be provided with
support walls 40 to regulate the distance of which insert 32 is
positioned within neck portion 16 and to prevent insert 32 from
extending past neck portion 16 and falling into the wine contained
in bottle 10.
[0030] With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, interior wall 36 of
insert 32 is provided with internal threads 38 similar to the
internal threads 20 in neck portion of bottle 10 as discussed with
reference to the first embodiment in FIG. 1. Insert internal
threads 38 are advantageously positioned approximately in the range
of 1 to 13/4 inches from opening 18 of bottle 10 and are configured
to receive and secure a screw closure 12, the structure which has
been described hereinabove with reference to the first embodiment
in FIG. 1. As with the first embodiment, engagement of body portion
22 of screw closure 12 with interior wall 36 of insert 32 provides
an air and fluid tight seal when screw threads 20 of screw closure
12 are mated with insert internal threads 38 as a result of the
turning of flange-rimmed top 26 of screw closure 12.
[0031] Insert 32 may be removable from bottle 10 for repeated use
or may be disposable Additionally, insert 32 may also be provided
with an adhesive on exterior wall 34 to enhance its seal with the
interior surface of neck portion 16. Screw closure 12 may be
produced for sale and packaged together with insert 32 or sold
alone.
[0032] It is understood that while bottle 10 is advantageously
formed from cast glass, the invention is not limited in this
respect and bottle 10 may be fabricated from other types of
materials and provided with internal threads 20 within neck portion
16 for threadably engaging screw closure 12. Additionally, screw
closure 12 is not limited to fabrication of molded plastic and may
be formed from other materials such as metal or hard rubber.
[0033] Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed
out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to
preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirt of the invention. It is the
intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope
of the claims appended hereto.
[0034] It is to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily
drawn to scale, but that they are merely conceptual in nature.
* * * * *