Synthetic Cork with Tapered Edge by Heat Shrinking and Method Thereof

Abstract

Method of treating a synthetic closure or synthetic cork (24) made of expanded plastic material including heat shrinking the closure to effect an annular tapered portion or chamfered end (12, 14). The heat shrinking means includes heating members (42, 44) with heat contactable surfaces (46, 47) to contact at one or both end of the closure. The heating elements includes two elongated heating elements (42, 44) that allow the closure to roll over a heat contactable edge of each heating element to effect the heat shrinking to respective ends (16, 18) of the closure. The tapered or bevelled ends overcome the problem of a bulged end being formed when the closure is compressed for insertion into a neck of a bottle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.