# US 10,308,415 B2 · Evacuated bottle system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,415 B2 - Document ID: US10308415B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/948,574 - Filed: 2018-04-09 - Published: 2018-08-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-13 - Assignees: Cornerstone Cm, Inc. - Applicants: Cornerstone Cm, Inc. - Inventors: Michael G. Marantis; Joshua W. Hubbard; Jonathan P. Richards; Richard A. Ponton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308415B2 ## CPC - B65D 81/2038: {with means for establishing or improving vacuum} - A61J 1/14: Details; Accessories therefor (A61J7/00 takes precedence; openers B65D, B67B7/00) - A61J 1/1406: {Septums, pierceable membranes} - A61J 1/1412: {Containers with closing means, e.g. caps} - A61J 1/1418: {Threaded type} - A61M 1/60: {Containers for suction drainage, adapted to be used with an external suction source (containers not adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69)} - A61M 1/604: {Bag or liner in a rigid container, with suction applied to both} - A61M 1/64: {Containers with integrated suction means (containers not adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69)} - B65B 31/00: Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers - B65B 55/10: by liquids or gases - B65D 81/20: under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas {(B65D81/28 takes precedence; containers with pressurising means for maintaining ball pressure A63B39/025)} - B67C 11/02: without discharge valves - B67C 2011/20: {comprising closures, e.g. stoppers, caps or lids} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS ## Abstract An evacuated bottle system including a bottle defining a hollow interior, the bottle having a neck defining an opening that provides fluid communication with the interior; a cap assembly including a funnel having a first portion and a second portion, where the second portion extends radially outward from the first portion to form a floor on an interior thereof and a shoulder on an exterior thereof, the first portion defining a first bore and the second portion defining a second bore fluidly connected to the first bore; a self serum stopper having a self sealing membrane that extends radially outward to overlie at least a portion of the floor of the funnel; and a cap having a cap wall sized to fit over the funnel and a cover portion extending radially inward from the cap wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for pressurizing an interior of a bottle, comprising: coupling a removeable cap assembly onto the bottle, the cap assembly includes: a funnel configured to be positioned in the neck of the bottle, the funnel having a first portion and a second portion, where the second portion extends radially outward from the first portion to form a floor on an interior thereof and a shoulder on an exterior thereof, the first portion defining a first bore and the second portion defining a second bore fluidly connected to the first bore; a serum stopper configured to be positioned within the funnel, the serum stopper having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the serum stopper sized to fit within the first bore of the funnel, and the second portion of the serum stopper having a self-sealing membrane, the second portion of the serum stopper having a perimeter sitting on top of the floor and within an interior of the second bore of the funnel when the first portion of the serum stopper is inserted within the first bore of the funnel; and a cap configured to be affixed to the bottle, the cap having a cap wall sized to fit over the funnel and a cover portion extending radially inward from the cap wall, the cover portion defining one or more evacuating openings; applying a pressure differential relative to an interior of the bottle to create a suction at the one or more evacuating openings to draw a portion of the perimeter of the self-sealing membrane away from the floor a distance effective to provide a fluid communication between the first bore of the funnel and the second bore of the funnel; maintaining the suction until a selected pressure is achieved within the interior of the bottle; withdrawing the suction, wherein the selected pressure within the bottle draws the portion of the perimeter of the self-sealing membrane against the floor of the funnel to reseal the interior of the bottle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the pressure differential includes utilizing a chamber having a pressure lower than a pressure within the bottle, the chamber is configured to receive the bottle and the cap assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the pressure differential further comprises: utilizing a pressure device that is configured to attach to the cap assembly, wherein the pressure device is placed in fluid communication with the cap assembly and a vacuum source; and utilizing the vacuum source to apply the suction through the pressure device to evacuate a fluid from the bottle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure device includes a head defining at least one port adapted to fluidly communicate with at least a portion of the cap assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the serum stopper includes a tapered end on the first portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first portion of serum stopper includes a pair of legs spaced from each other by a gap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising applying the pressure differential to expose the gap and create the fluid communication between the one or more evacuation openings and the interior of the bottle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting an end of a tubular member through the self-sealing membrane into the first bore of the funnel to access the selected pressure within the bottle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising inserting a seal between the shoulder of the funnel and the neck of the bottle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a threading that mates with a threading on the bottle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sanitizing the bottle with a gamma gas sanitization. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure differential relative to the interior of the bottle creates the suction at the one or more evacuating openings to evacuate a liquid from the interior of the bottle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure differential relative to the interior of the bottle creates the suction at the one or more evacuating openings to evacuate a gas from the interior of the bottle. ### Claim 14 A system for a bottle, comprising: a vacuum source adapted to fluidly communicate with one or more evacuating openings on a cap assembly affixed to a bottle, the vacuum source to apply a suction to the one or more evacuating openings causing at least a perimeter of a self-sealing membrane to be displaced upward from a floor of a funnel into a gap to allow fluid communication between the port and the bottle to draw a fluid from the bottle; the cap assembly includes: the funnel configured to be positioned in the neck of the bottle, the funnel having a first portion and a second portion, where the second portion extends radially outward from the first portion to form the floor on an interior thereof and a shoulder on an exterior thereof, the first portion defining a first bore and the second portion defining a second bore fluidly connected to the first bore; a serum stopper configured to be positioned within the funnel, the serum stopper having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the serum stopper sized to fit within the first bore of the funnel, and the second portion of the serum stopper having the self-sealing membrane and the perimeter, the perimeter of the serum stopper extends radially outward of the first portion to overlap at least a portion of the floor and within an interior of a portion of the second bore of the funnel when the first portion of the serum stopper is inserted within the first bore of the funnel; and a cap configured to be affixed to the bottle, the cap having a cap wall sized to fit over the funnel and a cover portion extending radially inward from the cap wall, the cover portion defining the one or more evacuating openings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the serum stopper extends axially inward from the self-sealing membrane into the first bore of the funnel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the serum stopper includes at least one projection extending radially outward to engage an interior surface of the first portion of the funnel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the serum stopper includes a pair of legs defining a leg gap therebetween, the leg gap, during suction, permits fluid flow from the bottle while the legs remain in the first bore of the funnel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the cap includes a threading that mates with a threading on the neck of the bottle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the fluid is a liquid or a gas. ### Claim 20 A system for creating a pressure in a bottle, comprising: means for fluidly communicating with one or more evacuating openings on a cap assembly affixed to a neck of a bottle; means for applying a suction to the one or more evacuating openings causing a perimeter of a second portion of a self-sealing membrane to be displaced upward from a floor of a funnel into a gap to draw a fluid from the bottle; the cap assembly includes: the funnel configured to be positioned in the neck of the bottle, the funnel having a first portion and a second portion, where the second portion extends radially outward from the first portion to form a floor on an interior thereof and a shoulder on an exterior thereof, the first portion defining a first bore and the second portion defining a second bore fluidly connected to the first bore; a serum stopper configured to be positioned within the funnel, the serum stopper having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the serum stopper sized to fit within the first bore of the funnel, and the second portion of the serum stopper having the self-sealing membrane and the perimeter, the perimeter of the serum stopper extends radially outward of the first portion to overlap at least a portion of the floor and within an interior of a portion of the second bore of the funnel when the first portion of the serum stopper is inserted within the first bore of the funnel; and a cap configured to be affixed to the bottle, the cap having a cap wall sized to fit over the funnel and a cover portion extending radially inward from the cap wall, the cover portion defining the one or more evacuating openings.