Methods and combinations for sealing corked bottles
OwnerStephan J. Finkeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disc made of thermoplastic material is inserted into the neck of a corked bottle and placed upon the top of the cork so that when the disc is partially melted, it forms a water resistant seal with the interior surface of the bottle neck and the cork. In forming the seal, the entire disc remains inside the bottle neck leaving the exterior of the bottle free from messy or harmful residue. The interior surface of the bottle neck may be straight or beveled at an obtuse angle. If the interior surface of the bottle neck is beveled, a disc with a frusto conical configuration is used in the method. A cover layer can be adhered to the top of the wax disc for ornamentation and labeling purposes.
Claims9
A combination comprising:
- a) a corked bottle having a cylindrical neck terminating in a mouth having a top edge, said neck having a continuous cylindrical interior surface:
- b) a solid cylindrical cork having a height, a continuous top flat surface, and a continuous bottom surface, wherein said top surface has a diameter and wherein said top surface is located at a distance from said top edge of said mouth, said cork being displaced entirely within said neck;
- and
- c) a solid preformed cylindrical disc having a top height less than said cork height, a top surface, a flat bottom surface having a diameter substantially equivalent to said cork top surface diameter, and an outer surface, said disc being displaced entirely within said neck above said cork, wherein said disc bottom surface is partially melted and removably secured to said cork top surface and wherein said disc outer surface is partially melted and removably secured to said interior neck surface, to create a seal to retain moisture within said cork and said bottle, and wherein said flat bottom surface of said preformed cylindrical disc in the partially melted condition maintains a diameter substantially equivalent to said cork top surface diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.