Drip-catching apparatus for a bottle

Abstract

Presented herein is an apparatus for sealing and re-closing a bottle 10, comprising a sleeve 20 that is secured around the neck 14 of a bottle 20; a flexible cuff 26 appended to the upper end of said sleeve 20; and a stopper 30 that sits in the orifice of said bottle 10, wherein said flexible cuff 26 unfurls when said stopper 30 is removed from the bottle 10, refurls when said stopper 30 is replaced, and provides a substantially dripless pouring edge for conveying liquids from said bottle 10.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to wine bottles, and specifically to drip prevention devices used with such bottles.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Throughout the world, and throughout history, wine has been and remains valued for its many virtues, not the least of which are the many aesthetic attributes from which people derive pleasure, from selecting the perfect bottle to expertly removing the stopper to pouring to wine to finally drinking the wine itself.[0003]It is the common practice to bottle wine in glass bottles and seal each bottle by inserting a stopper made from cork or other material into the neck of the bottle. Such stoppers are quite effective in sealing and preserving the wine, however, there are several problems associated with these stoppers. If one is not careful, cork stoppers can be destroyed upon removal. The user may also find it difficult to reinsert a cork stopper into the bottle. In either case, it then becomes difficult to reseal ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]According to some embodiments, the stopper may have a substantially triangularly shaped indentation inscribed around at least a portion of its circumference that facilitates the furling and unfurling of the flexible cuff.

Problems solved by technology

Such stoppers are quite effective in sealing and preserving the wine, however, there are several problems associated with these stoppers.

If one is not careful, cork stoppers can be destroyed upon removal.

The user may also find it difficult to reinsert a cork stopper into the bottle.

In either case, it then becomes difficult to reseal the wine bottle, leaving the wine unprotected.

Furthermore, wine bottles are often not conducive to pouring and cutting the liquid at the end of a pour, allowing drips and dribbles of wine to run down the outside of the bottle, which not only wastes the wine, but also mars the label and leaves rings and stains on the table, all of which can interfere with the pleasure of the wine.

Illustrative of such attempts are CH691587, EP0063019 and EP0592580 which disclose closure assemblies applicable to bottles with threaded mouths, but are not suitable to bottles that are resealed by, for example, a cork stopper, as is so common with wine bottles and U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,504, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,639, WO03089324, FR2686062 and FR2822444, which all feature various drip prevention apparatuses, but do not offer a resealing option.

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