US 4,392,578 AGranted

Stopper apparatus for content contamination prevention

OwnerBeverly A. Fipp, Bernard E. Fipp +1inventors

InventorsBeverly A. Fipp, Bernard E. Fipp, John L. Haller

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Abstract

An improved stopper apparatus for bottles, such as wine bottles, which prevents contamination of the contents therein. The improved stopper apparatus comprises a stopper plug, a bladder attached thereto, a venting valve for venting gas within the bottle, a pump for inflating the bladder and a reservoir valve and inert gas reservoir. The bladder is inserted into the bottle and the stopper plug secured within the neck thereof. The bladder is filled within the bottle forcing the gas therein to escape through the venting valve. The stopper apparatus is adapted to enable a small quantity of heavy inert gas to be deposited into the bottle from the inner gas reservoir prior to filling the bladder, whereby to form a protective layer of inert gas over the surface of the bottle's contents.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An improved stopper apparatus for content contamination prevention for a container having an opening, said container being partially filled with a gaseous contaminant and partially filled with a liquid substance which is to be protected from contamination by said contaminant, said stopper apparatus comprising:

(a) stopper plug;
(b) a means for securing such stopper plug to said container opening;
(c) a bladder removably fixed to the bottom of said stopper plug wherey said bladder is positioned within said container when said stopper plug is secured within said container opening;
(d) said stopper plug includes a means for inflating said bladder, a means for venting said gaseous contaminants when said stopper plug is secured in said container opening, said inflating means including a means for deflating said bladder, in combination with;
(e) a means for depositing a protective gas into said container when said stopper plug is secured in said container opening;
(f) said means for venting including a one-way check valve permitting the expulsion of the gaseous contaminant, said means for inflating said bladder including a tube member extending into said bladder connected to a one-way check valve permitting said bladder to be filled and preventing the filled bladder from exhausting its contents.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/313,833Filed 22 Oct 1981 · continuation in part
Priority: 6 Apr 1978
Granted: 12 Jul 1983
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B65D 81/2076
In a special atmosphere: in an at least partially rigid container
B65D 81/245
Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives,…:…
B67D 1/0885
Devices for controlling the dispensing conditions: means for dispensing under specific atmospheric conditions, e.g. under inert gas
B67D 2001/0481
Type of gas or gas mixture used, other than pure CO2: single inert gas, e.g. N2

Family

Serial893,876Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Apr 1978
Serial190,569Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 25 Sep 1980
US 4,392,578 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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