Molded styrene block copolymer closure for a wine container
AssigneeSupreme Corq
InventorDennis L. Burns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molded closure for a liquid container comprising a thermoplastic elastomer and a blowing agent. The molded closure is particularly suitable for use as a synthetic wine cork in a wine bottle. The molded closure does not permit passage of oxygen into the container, does not absorb oxygen from the contents of the container, can be removed from the container using a corkscrew without significant expansion, crumbling or disintegration, does not significantly taint a liquid in the container, permits the container to be placed horizontally immediately after insertion of the molded closure, and can permanently retain printed matter on its surface.
Claims29
A molded closure for a liquid container containing wine comprising:
- (a) a thermoplastic elastomer comprising a styrene block copolymer, and
- (b) at least about 3% of a blowing agent,
- wherein, upon insertion of said molded closure into a container, said molded closure does not permit substantial passage of oxygen into the container, does not substantially absorb oxygen from the contents of the container, can be removed from said container using a corkscrew without substantial expansion, crumbling, or disintegration, does not substantially taint the contents of said container, permits said container to be placed horizontally substantially immediately after insertion of said molded closure into said container, and can permanently retain printed matter on a surface of said molded closure.
A method of making a printed molded closure comprising:
- (a) combining a thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent into a mixture suitable for injection into an injection mold;
- (b) injecting said mixture into an injection mold;
- (c) maintaining said mixture in said injection mold until said mixture effectively hardens to form a molded closure;
- (d) removing said molded closure from said injection mold;
- (e) subjecting said molded closure to a treatment comprising high intensity electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- (f) introducing printed matter onto the surface of said molded closure to form said printed molded closure.
A method of making a stoppered wine bottle comprising:
- (a) combining a thermoplastic elastomer comprising a styrene block copolymer and a blowing agent into a mixture suitable for injection into an injection mold;
- (b) injecting said mixture into an injection mold;
- (c) maintaining said mixture in said injection mold until said mixture effectively hardens to form a molded closure;
- (d) removing said molded closure from said injection mold;
- (e) inserting said molded closure into said wine bottle;
- and
- (f) substantially immediately placing said wine bottle in a horizontal position.
A molded closure for a liquid container containing wine comprising a thermoplastic elastomer comprising a styrene block copolymer and a blowing agent in a ratio such that, upon insertion of said molded closure into a container, said molded closure does not permit substantial passage of oxygen into the container, does not substantially absorb oxygen from the contents of the container, can be removed from said container using a corkscrew without substantial expansion, crumbling, or disintegration, does not substantially taint the contents of said container, permits said container to be placed horizontally substantially immediately after insertion of said molded closure into said container, and can permanently retain printed matter on a surface of said molded closure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.