Beverage container stopper and pressurization system

Abstract

A stopper for closing containers of carbonated beverages and other non-pressurized beverages. The stopper body may have a carrier member and a lip engaging member arranged to slide relative to each other, and the lip engaging member is arranged to slide relative to the stopper body. The lip engaging member may be arranged to engage a lip of the container neck and is elastically biased to move towards the carrier member to provide a force for forming a seal on the sealing surface of the stopper body. The stopper may be arranged to introduce gas into the container, for example, to repressurize the container to maintain the carbonation level of the beverage during storage.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 986,014, filed on March 6, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 037,702, filed on June 11, 2020, under 35 U.S.C.§119(e), and each of the two U.S. Provisional Application Serial Numbers is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to dispensing a liquid from a container, such as pouring sparkling wine from a wine bottle, and subsequently resealing the container to, for example, retain carbonation in the beverage. Summary of the invention

[0004] One or more embodiments in accordance with aspects of the present invention allow a user to dispense a beverage, such as wine, from a bottle or other container. In some cases, dispensing a liquid from such a bottle may be performed one or more times, and after each beverage dispensing, a stopper may engage with the bottle to seal - close the interior of the bottle. Thus, a beverage can be dispensed from the bottle multiple times and the beverage can be stored for a relatively long time between each dispensing while minimizing the impact on the beverage quality. In some embodiments, after dispensing a beverage from within the bottle, little or no gas, such as air that may react with the beverage, is introduced into the bottle. Thus, in some embodiments, a user can dispense wine from a wine bottle and subsequently seal the wine bottle to prevent air or other potentially harmful gases or liquids from entering the wine bottle. In some embodiments, a pressure above ambient pressure can be maintained in the bottle after dispensing is complete, which can help maintain the carbonation level in a sparkling beverage, and such pressure can be established by introducing a pressurized gas through the stopper.

[0005] In one embodiment, a stopper for use with a beverage container is provided. The beverage container has a neck, an opening at the neck for accessing an interior space of the container, and a lip on an outer surface of the neck. The stopper may include a stopper body having a sealing surface arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck near the opening, for example, to seal the interior space of the bottle relative to a gas or other external environmental conditions. A carrier member may be mounted to move relative to the stopper body, for example, in a direction toward the body and / or the sealing surface and away from the stopper body and / or the sealing surface. A lip engaging member may also be mounted to move relative to the stopper body (e.g., toward the stopper body and / or the sealing surface and away from the stopper body and / or the sealing surface) and relative to the carrier member (e.g., toward the carrier member and away from the carrier member). For example, the lip engaging member may be mounted to the carrier member to move with the carrier member in some cases, but be capable of moving relative to the carrier member in other cases. The lip engaging member may include a pawl mounted for movement between a lip engaging position for engaging a lip on the neck of the container and a release position that may prevent the pawl from engaging the lip. For example, the pawl may be mounted for pivotal movement between the lip engaging position and the release position. The lip engaging member may be elastically biased by a first elastic element to move toward the carrier member, and this elastic biasing may force the container neck into contact with the sealing surface, thereby assisting in establishing and / or maintaining a seal at the container opening. For example, in the case where the lip engaging member engages the container lip, the carrier member may move toward the stopper body, which may cause the lip engaging member to push the container lip and thus the portion of the container at the opening toward the sealing surface. The elastic biasing that pushes the lip engaging member to move toward the carrier member may assist in establishing a seal at the container opening and allow the stopper to accommodate different sized container arrangements, such as different distances between the container lip and the opening area where the seal with the sealing surface is established. The elastic biasing may also be part of a stopper that operates to hold a handle for moving the carrier member and the lip engaging member in a closed position.

[0006] In some embodiments, movement of the carrier member toward the stopper body forces the pawl toward the sealing surface. For example, the lip engaging member may be elastically biased to move toward the carrier member or otherwise coupled to move with the carrier member, and thus movement of the carrier member toward the stopper body may force the pawl toward the sealing surface. This may cause the pawl to force the container neck into contact with the sealing surface.

[0007] In some cases, the carrier member is elastically biased by a second elastic element to move away from the plug body at least in a part of the movement range of the carrier member relative to the plug body. This biasing can help move the carrier member and the lip engaging member to a position where the container neck is disengaged from the plug. For example, in some cases, the movement of the lip engaging member can cause the pawl to move between the lip engaging position and the release position. If the movement of the carrier member is coupled with the movement of the lip engaging member, the movement of the carrier member can cause the pawl to move between the lip engaging position and the release position. Thus, the biasing that causes the carrier member to move away from the plug body can cause the pawl to move to the release position, thereby allowing the plug to be disengaged from the container.

[0008] In some embodiments, the plug may include a carrier driver arranged to move the carrier member relative to the plug body. In cases where the movement of the carrier member is coupled with the movement of the lip engaging member, the carrier driver may also be operative to move the lip engaging member. In one embodiment, the carrier driver may include a cam and a cam follower arranged to move the carrier member relative to the plug body based on rotation of the cam. For example, the cam may be pivotally mounted to the plug body for rotation, and the cam follower may be arranged on the carrier member such that rotation of the cam causes the carrier member to move. The carrier driver may include a handle attached to the cam and arranged to be moved, for example, by a user to rotate the cam, so that the user can move the carrier member relative to the plug body. In other arrangements, the handle may be arranged to move the carrier member and the lip engaging member in other ways - namely, without the cam and cam follower configuration, but via another linkage device.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plug includes a handle that is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position, where the intermediate position is between the open position and the closed position. A carrier member and a lip engaging member may be coupled to the handle such that, when the handle is in the open position, the carrier member and the lip engaging member may be positioned away from the plug body and the pawl is in a released position to disengage from the container neck. Since the pawl is in the released position, this arrangement also allows the removal of the plug from the container. Movement of the handle from the open position to the closed position may cause the pawl to move to a lip engaging position and the carrier member and the lip engaging member to move toward the plug body. For example, after the container is received by the plug, the handle may be moved to cause the pawl to move into engagement with the lip of the container. Continued movement of the handle toward the closed position may cause the lip engaging member to move toward the plug body until the pawl engages the lip and the sealing surface engages a portion of the neck near the opening. At this time, the carrier member may continue to move toward the plug body and away from the lip engaging member against the urging of the first elastic element. However, since the engagement of the pawl with the lip of the container and the contact of the container with the sealing surface block further movement of the lip engaging member toward the plug body, the lip engaging member may stop moving toward the plug body. The movement of the carrier member toward the plug body and away from the lip engaging member against the urging of the first elastic element (which forces the lip engaging member to move toward the carrier member) causes the lip engaging member to elastically force the container into contact with the sealing surface, thereby assisting in establishing a seal at the container opening.

[0010] In some cases, movement of the handle from the closed position to the intermediate position causes the carrier member and the lip engaging member to move away from the plug body such that the seal at the sealing surface is interrupted, but the pawl remains in the lip engaging position to prevent removal of the plug from the container. This may allow the interior space of the container to be vented while maintaining the engagement of the plug with the container.

[0011] In one embodiment, the sliding movement of the lip engagement member away from the plug body moves the pawl from the lip engagement position to the release position, and the movement of the lip engagement member toward the plug body moves the pawl from the release position to the lip engagement position. Thus, the movement of the lip engagement member can control whether the pawl is in the release position or the lip engagement position. For example, when the handle is in the open position, the lip engagement member can be positioned relative to the plug body by the handle such that the pawl is in the release position. Conversely, when the handle is in the closed position, the lip engagement member can be positioned relative to the plug body such that the pawl is in the lip engagement position. In one embodiment, the plug body includes a sidewall defining a cavity into which the neck of the container is received, and the sidewall can include an opening into which the pawl extends in the lip engagement position to engage the lip of the container. The pawl can be biased by a spring to move toward the lip engagement position, and the movement of the lip engagement member away from the plug body (e.g., in response to movement of the handle toward the open position) can cause a portion of the sidewall at the opening to contact the pawl and move the pawl against the spring bias to the release position. When the lip engagement member moves toward the plug body (e.g., in response to movement of the handle toward the closed position), the pawl can move out of contact with the portion of the sidewall at the opening, thereby allowing the pawl to move to the lip engagement position.

[0012] In one embodiment, the plug body includes a cup-shaped body having a sidewall defining a cavity and an opening at a lower end for receiving the neck of the container into the cavity. A sealing surface can be in the cavity on a side opposite the opening, such that the container neck must be fully received into the cavity for the portion of the container at the opening to contact the sealing surface. The lip engagement member can include a sleeve positioned around the sidewall of the plug body and movable slidably relative to the plug body. The pawl can be pivotally mounted to the sleeve for movement, for example, about a horizontal axis or an axis perpendicular to the direction of sliding movement of the lip engagement member relative to the plug body. The carrier member can include a ring positioned around the sidewall of the plug body and movable slidably relative to the plug body. The carrier member can include a guide along which the sleeve of the lip engagement member can move relative to the carrier member, wherein the guide includes a first elastic element in the form of a spring arranged to bias the sleeve toward the ring. For example, two or more guides can extend from the carrier member ring and engage the lip engagement member sleeve to guide the movement of the sleeve relative to the ring.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plug body includes a gas passage that extends from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and is arranged to introduce pressurized gas into the container. For example, the gas passage can extend from the top of the plug body where the gas inlet is provided to a position adjacent to the sealing surface where the gas outlet is provided. A check valve or other one-way valve can be provided in the gas passage to prevent flow from the gas outlet to the inlet. Thus, pressurized gas can be introduced into the container engaged by the plug to place the beverage under pressure. The plug can include a vent, for example, to vent pressure in the container that exceeds a threshold and to prevent potential high-pressure conditions in the container. The plug can also include a pressure indicator, for example, to indicate whether the pressure in the container is below or above a threshold.

[0014] In some embodiments, the plug can include: a plug body having a sealing surface arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck near the opening; and a lip engaging member including a pawl mounted for pivotal movement between a lip engaging position for engaging a lip on the neck of the container and a release position for disengaging from the container. The lip engaging member can be mounted for sliding movement relative to the plug body, and a handle can be arranged to move the lip engaging member relative to the plug body. For example, the handle can be pivotally mounted to the plug body about a horizontal axis and be movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position, where the intermediate position is between the open position and the closed position. Movement of the handle relative to the plug body can cause the lip engaging member to move towards and away from the plug body, and with the handle in the open position, the lip engaging member can be positioned away from the plug body and the pawl is in the release position to allow the plug to receive or disengage from the neck of the container. With the handle in the closed position, the pawl is in the lip engaging position, and the lip engaging member is positioned towards the plug body to urge the sealing surface to engage a portion of the neck near the opening to form a seal. Movement of the handle from the closed position to the intermediate position can cause the lip engaging member to move away from the plug body such that the seal is interrupted (thereby allowing the interior space of the container to vent), but the pawl remains in the lip engaging position to prevent the plug from being removed from the container.

[0015] In some embodiments, the carrier member is mounted for sliding movement relative to the plug body, and the lip engaging member may be slidably movable relative to the carrier member and is elastically biased by a first elastic element to move towards the carrier member. Movement of the handle may cause the carrier member to move towards and away from the plug body. For example, movement of the handle to the open position may cause the carrier member to move away from the plug body, and movement of the handle to the closed position may cause the carrier member to move towards the plug body. Movement of the carrier member towards the plug body may force the pawl towards the sealing surface and thus force the container neck engaged by the pawl towards the sealing surface. In some cases, the carrier member is elastically biased by a second elastic element to move away from the plug body.

[0016] The handle may be connected to the lip engaging member in different ways. For example, a cam and a cam follower may be arranged to move the carrier member relative to the plug body based on the rotation of a cam coupled to the handle. The cam may be pivotally mounted to the plug body for rotation, and the cam follower may be arranged on the carrier member such that rotation of the cam causes movement of the carrier member.

[0017] In some cases, with the handle in the open position, the carrier member and the lip engaging member may be positioned away from the plug body, and the pawl is in the released position to receive the container neck. Movement of the handle from the open position to the closed position moves the pawl to the lip engaging position and moves the carrier member and the lip engaging member towards the plug body. Movement of the lip engaging member towards the plug body may continue as the handle moves towards the closed position until the pawl engages the lip and the sealing surface engages a portion of the neck near the opening, whereupon the carrier member continues to move towards the plug body and away from the lip engaging member against the urging of the first elastic element. However, although the handle continues to move towards the closed position, the lip engaging member may stop moving towards the plug body.

[0018] In some embodiments, the plug body includes sidewalls defining a cavity into which the neck of the container is received, and the sidewalls include an opening into which a pawl extends in a lip engagement position to engage the lip of the container. The pawl may be spring-biased to move towards the lip engagement position, and movement of the lip engagement member away from the plug body may cause a portion of the sidewall at the opening to contact the pawl and move the pawl against the spring bias to a release position. For example, the plug body may include a cup-shaped body having sidewalls defining a cavity and an opening at a lower end for receiving the neck of the container. A sealing surface may be located in the cavity on a side opposite the opening. The lip engagement member may include a sleeve positioned around the sidewalls of the plug body and movable slidably relative to the plug body. Movement of the sleeve away from the cup-shaped body may cause a portion of the pawl to contact the cup-shaped body at the opening - into which the pawl extends - and move the pawl to the release position. A guide may be provided along which the sleeve of the lip engagement member is movable relative to the plug body, and the guide may include a spring arranged to bias the sleeve towards the plug body. In some cases, movement of a handle may move the guide relative to the plug body and thereby cause movement of the lip engagement member.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plug body includes a gas passage extending from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and arranged to introduce pressurized gas into the container. For example, the gas passage may extend from the top of the plug body where the gas inlet is provided to a location adjacent the sealing surface where the gas outlet is provided to introduce pressurized gas into the container. A check valve or other one-way valve may be provided in the gas passage to prevent flow from the gas outlet to the inlet. As described above, the plug may also be provided with an exhaust port and / or a pressure indicator.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plug may be configured to release pressure from the interior of the container sealed by the plug by manipulating the plug on the container. That is, the plug may engage with the container to provide a sealed closure of the interior of the container, such as to maintain the pressure in the container above ambient, and by moving the plug relative to the container without disconnecting the plug from the container, the pressure within the container may be vented, for example, by a temporary interruption of the seal between the plug and the container. As an example, the user may tilt the plug relative to the container such that the sealing surface engaging the opening of the container disengages in one or more areas to release pressure or otherwise vent the interior of the container. In some embodiments, the seal may engage elastically with the container at the opening such that manipulation of the plug body causes the sealing surface to move relative to the opening to temporarily interrupt the seal engagement while the sealing surface remains elastically biased to engage the opening. Thus, the interior of the container may be vented without removing the plug from the container.

[0021] In some embodiments, the plug includes: a plug body having a sealing surface configured to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck near the opening; and a lip engaging member including a pawl configured to engage a lip on the neck of the container. A first elastic element, such as one or more springs, can be configured to elastically engage the sealing surface with a portion of the neck near the opening. For example, a spring or other elastic element can be configured to bias the sealing surface to move into engagement with the container opening by being positioned between the sealing surface and the plug body, between the lip engaging member and the plug body, between the pawl and the lip engaging member, and / or by a coupling member included between the lip engaging member and the sealing surface (such as by coupling the lip engaging member to a carrier member of the plug body). The plug can be configured to seal the interior space of the container when the plug body is in a rest position and the first elastic element elastically engages the sealing surface with a portion of the neck near the opening. The rest position can be a position where the plug supports itself on the container, seals the container opening, and is not contacted by the user. The plug can be configured to at least partially disengage the sealing surface from a portion of the neck near the opening and vent the interior space in response to an operation of the plug body relative to the container from the rest position when the first elastic element elastically engages the sealing surface with a portion of the neck near the opening. For example, when the container is held in a generally vertical orientation, a user can tilt or rotate the plug relative to the container about a horizontal axis, and such manipulation of the plug can allow the interior space of the container to be vented.

[0022] Various exemplary embodiments of the device are further depicted and described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Aspects of the invention are described with reference to various embodiments and the drawings, which include:

[0024] Figure 1 A perspective view of the plug in an illustrative embodiment;

[0025] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the plug with the handle in an open position;

[0026] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A bottom perspective view of the plug showing the container neck receiving cavity;

[0027] Figure 4 Shows along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the plug along the center line 4-4;

[0028] Figure 5 Shows along Figure 1Cross-sectional view of the plug along the center line 5-5;

[0029] Figure 6 Perspective view of the plug shown, with the outer shell and handle removed;

[0030] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 the plug of, with the sleeve portion of the lip engaging member removed;

[0031] Figure 8 Perspective view of the sleeve element of the lip engaging member shown;

[0032] Figure 9 Shows Figure 6 the plug of, with the sleeve portion of the lip engaging member and the carrier member removed; and

[0033] Figure 10 Perspective view of the carrier member shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to illustrative embodiments, but it should be understood that the aspects of the present invention should not be construed narrowly in accordance with the specific embodiments described. Thus, the aspects of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should also be understood that the various aspects of the present invention can be used alone and / or in any suitable combination with each other, and thus, the individual embodiments should not be construed as requiring any particular combination or combination of features. Rather, one or more features of the described embodiments can be combined with any other suitable features of other embodiments.

[0035] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Shows a plug 1 for use with a container 5, such as the following container 5: the container holds a carbonated beverage and initially has a cork or other closure that seals the opening 51 of the container 5. Thus, the cork or other closure can be removed from the opening 51 to allow pouring of the beverage from the container, and the plug 1 can be used to reseal or close the opening 51. As discussed more below, the plug 1 can allow the interior space of the container 5 to be pressurized, for example, such that a carbonated beverage can be kept carbonated during storage using the plug 1, but this is not required. As in the case of many sparkling wine bottles and other wine bottles, the neck of the container includes a lip 52 located below the opening 51, which is used to engage with a metal cap and wire retainer or other components that help hold the cork or other closure in the opening 51. In the case where the cork retainer and the cork or other closure are removed as shown in Figure 2 the opening 51 of the container 5 is opened for dispensing the beverage. Thereafter, the plug 1 can be engaged with the container 5 as in Figure 1seal the opening 51 closed as shown, and then removed as shown in Figure 2 to allow further dispensing of the beverage from the container 5.

[0036] In this embodiment, the plug 1 includes a handle 41, and the handle 41 can be in the Figure 1 closed position shown in and Figure 2Move between the open positions shown. When the handle 41 is in the closed position, the plug 1 can be fixed to the container 5 such that the plug 1 cannot be removed and such that the opening 51 is sealed closed, for example to keep the pressure in the container higher than the ambient pressure. When the plug 1 is fixed to the container 5, pressurized gas can be introduced into the container 5 via the gas inlet 14. For example, pressurized CO2 or other gas can be introduced into the container to pressurize the interior space of the container 5. The plug 1 can include a pressure indicator 19 that provides an indication of the pressure in the container 5, such as a colored light, a digital display, or other indicator. For example, the pressure indicator 19 can indicate a red light when the pressure in the container 5 is below a threshold and a green light when the pressure is above the threshold. In some cases, when the pressure in the container reaches or approaches the ambient pressure, the pressure indicator 19 may not provide a light indication (neither red nor green), and this is also the case when the plug 1 is not engaged with the container 5. The plug 1 can include an exhaust feature to release the pressure above the threshold in the interior space of the container 5, for example to prevent the storage pressure of the container 5 from being higher than the desired pressure in the case of introducing too much pressurized gas into the container. When the handle 41 is in the open position, the plug 1 can be removed from the container 5 to allow pouring from the container 5 and to allow the plug 1 to be placed on the container neck. According to one aspect of the present invention and as described more below, the handle 41 can be moved to an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position, whereby the seal between the plug 1 and the container opening 51 is interrupted, but the plug 1 remains fixed to the container 5, so that the plug 1 cannot be removed. This can allow the interior space of the container 5 to vent any internal pressure (for example, ambient pressure can be established in the interior space), while minimizing the risk of the plug 1 being forced out of the container 5 due to escaping gas. In some embodiments, the interior space of the container can be vented without moving the handle 41, for example when the handle 41 is held in the closed position. As described more below, some plug configurations can allow the plug to be manipulated relative to the container when the plug is engaged with the container, such that the sealing surface that forms a seal with a portion of the container at the opening 51 temporarily or otherwise interrupts full contact with the portion of the container, such that the pressure in the interior space can be vented. In some cases, the plug 1 can be manipulated by tilting or rotating the plug 1 about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container (for example, the longitudinal axis can be along the direction in which the cork or other closure is inserted into / removed from the opening 51 of the container and / or along the direction in which the container neck is received by the plug 1). Tilting or rotating the plug 1 causes the sealing surface to lose contact with or reduce the contact force with the container, such that the seal with the container is at least partially interrupted to allow pressure to escape from the container. This can allow the container to be depressurized or otherwise vented without taking any action to disengage the plug from the container, and thus can reduce the risk that the plug will become fully disengaged from the container while pressure is maintained in the interior space.

[0037] Figure 3 The bottom view of the plug 1 is shown, and the plug body 10 located within the housing 2 of the plug 1 is illustrated. The plug 1 includes an opening 11 to provide an entrance to a cavity 12 defined by the sidewall 16 of the body 10. The neck of the container 5 can be received within the cavity 12 such that the plug 1 can engage with the container 5 to seal the opening 51 closed. In some embodiments, one or more pawls 31 can engage with the lip 52 of the container 5 to fix the plug 1 to the container 5 and to urge a sealing surface 13 located on a side of the cavity 12 opposite the opening 11 into contact with a portion of the neck near the opening 51 of the container 5 to form a seal with the container 5. An insert 18 of the plug body 10 can be inserted into the opening 51 of the container 5 to, for example, help stabilize the plug 1 relative to the container 5, such as by sealingly engaging with the inner surface of the container neck to form a seal with the container 5, and / or to position components of the plug 1, such as a pressure sensor, inside the container 5. In some cases, the insert 18 can be sized and / or shaped to allow the plug 1 to tilt or otherwise move relative to the container to allow the internal space of the container to vent when the plug engages with the container. For example, the diameter and / or length of the insert 18 can be appropriately smaller to allow the plug to tilt without the insert 18 contacting the inner surface of the container or causing other interference. The insert 18 can include: a gas outlet through which pressurized gas introduced at the gas inlet 14 is introduced into the container internal space; an exhaust hole for releasing high pressure from the internal space; or other components. For example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 a check valve 15 is shown near the gas outlet in the gas passage. The check valve 15 allows flow to enter the container 5 from the gas inlet 14 but blocks flow from the container 5 to the gas inlet 14. The insert 18 can also include a pressure sensor arranged as a movable plunger within the insert 18. The plunger can be spring-loaded, i.e., biased to move downwardly within the insert 18 along Figure 4 and Figure 5 and otherwise sealed within the gas passage to prevent flow from the container from passing through the plunger. The pressure within the container 5 will force the plunger to move upwardly within the insert 18 against the spring bias. The degree of movement of the plunger will indicate the pressure within the container 5, and the movement of the plunger can be detected by a suitable sensor or other device such as a Hall effect sensor, a magnet / reed sensor, one or more switches activated by the movement of the plunger, etc. The sensor device can provide an indication of the pressure, such as by causing one or more LEDs to emit light, displaying a digital pressure indication, physically moving a pressure dial, or other indicator.

[0038] Figure 4 and Figure 5 respectively show along Figure 1Cross-sectional views of lines 4-4 and 5-5 therein, but for clarity, the handle 41 and the housing 2 of the plug 1 are removed. When, for example, the neck of the container 5 is received into the cavity 12 by placing the opening 11 of the plug 1 above the top of the container 5, the insert 18 is received into the opening 51 of the container 5, and the upper surface of the neck near the opening 51 is positioned to contact or at least be near the sealing surface 13. The sealing surface 13 may include a gasket, which includes a suitably elastic material or otherwise arranged material to form a seal with the container 5 at the opening 51. The sealing surface 13 may include a radially inner tapered portion 13a and a radially outer flat portion 13b. The tapered portion 13a may contribute to forming a seal with the opening 51 at the inner surface of the opening 51, and the flat portion 13b may contribute to forming a seal with the outer surface of the opening 51. To receive the neck into the cavity 12 (or to disengage the plug 1 from the container 5), the handle 41 is moved to Figure 2 the open position shown therein, which causes the pawl 31 to move to Figure 5 the release position shown by the dashed line therein. This allows the lip 52 and other parts of the neck to be received into the cavity 12 (or removed from the cavity 12) without interference from the pawl 31. The pawl 31 is pivotally mounted about a pivot 33 to the lip engaging member 30. Thus, the pawl 31 can move between the release position and Figure 5 the lip engaging position shown by the solid line therein. To move the pawl 31 to the release position, the lip engaging member 30 is moved away from the plug body 10 and / or the sealing surface 13 (as indicated by the arrows and dashed lines in Figure 5 , moving downward in Figure 4 and Figure 5 ). A portion of the pawl 31 contacts a portion of the plug body 10 at the opening 17, where the pawl 31 may extend through the opening 17 to engage the container neck. This contact of the pawl 31 with the plug body 10 at the opening 17 causes the pawl 31 to pivot against the bias of the spring 32 to the release position, where the spring 32 forces the pawl 31 to move to the lip engaging position. In some embodiments, the lip engaging member 30 is mounted for movement with the carrier member 20, which is also capable of slidingly moving toward and away from the plug body 10 (upward and downward in Figure 4 and Figure 5 respectively). The movement of the carrier member 20 away from the plug body 10 and / or the sealing surface 13 causes the lip engaging member 30 to also move away from the plug body 10 and / or the sealing surface 13. (The movement of the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 may be caused by a carrier driver 4 (see Figure 4) caused, which will be described in more detail below. However, in some embodiments, the carrier member 20 and the carrier driver 4 can be eliminated, and the lip engaging member 30 is moved in a more direct manner by a handle or other actuator. For example, a handle mounted to the plug 10 can be coupled to the lip engaging member 30, such as by a linkage, to move the lip engaging member 30 relative to the plug body 10.)

[0039] With the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 positioned away from the plug body 10 and the container neck received in the cavity 12, the handle 41 can be moved toward Figure 1 the closed position shown in to engage the plug 1 with the container 5. Movement of the handle 41 from the open position toward the closed position causes the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 to move toward the plug body 10 (e.g., upward in the figure). This movement of the lip engaging member 30 causes the pawl 31 to disengage from contact with the plug body 10 at the opening 17, thereby allowing the spring 32 to bias the pawl 31 to Figure 5The lip engagement position shown by the solid line. The distal end portion of the pawl 31 opposite to the pivot 33 is positioned below the lip 52 of the container neck, and as the handle 41 continues to move towards the closed position, the carrier member 20 and the lip engagement member 30 move towards the plug body 10, thereby causing the pawl 31 to move towards the sealing surface 13 and towards the lip 52 of the container. Once the pawl 31 contacts the lip 52 of the container, the lip engagement member 30 stops moving relative to the container 5, and instead causes the container opening 51 to move towards the sealing surface 13 when the pawl 31 (and generally the lip engagement member 30) moves towards the sealing surface 13. As described more below, the lip engagement member 30 is elastically biased to move towards the carrier member 20 (e.g., move upward relative to the carrier member 20). Thus, once the pawl 31 engages with the lip 52 of the container and the container opening 51 engages with the sealing surface 13, the lip engagement member 30 will no longer move towards the plug body 10 or move upward relative to the plug body 10. However, the carrier member 20 continues to move towards the plug body 10 against the elastic bias, which forces the lip engagement member 30 to move towards the carrier member 20 until the handle 41 reaches the closed position. This causes the sealing surface 13 to be elastically biased against the portion of the container 5 at the opening 51, thereby helping to maintain a proper seal at the opening 51. (In some embodiments, the elastic bias on the sealing surface 13 to engage the sealing surface 13 with the container can be provided in other ways, such as by spring-biasing the pawl 31 on the lip engagement member 30 (e.g., so that the spring pushes the pawl 31 upward relative to the lip engagement member 30 and the spring is compressed when the pawl 31 engages the lip 51 and the sealing surface 13 contacts the container). In some embodiments, the sealing surface 13 can be mounted to the plug body 10, so that the sealing surface 13 is spring-biased to move downward relative to the plug body 10. Thus, once the sealing surface 13 contacts the container, the spring between the sealing surface 13 and the plug body 10 will compress and maintain the elastic bias on the sealing surface 13 and at the same time allow the sealing surface 13 to move relative to the plug body 10. These arrangements can allow for the elimination of bias elements between the carrier member 20, the carrier driver 4, and the lip engagement member 30, etc.)

[0040] To remove the plug 1 from the container 5, the handle 41 is moved from the closed position towards the open position, which causes the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 to move away from the plug body 10. This moves the pawl 31 away from the sealing surface 13, thereby allowing the sealing surface 13 to interrupt the seal with the container 5 at the opening 51. This allows any gas pressure in the container 5 to be released. Although the seal with the container 5 is interrupted, when the handle 41 is in an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, the pawl 31 remains engaged with the lip 52 of the container 5, thereby preventing the plug 1 from being removed from the container 5. This allows the pressure to be vented or otherwise released without the pressure forcing the plug 1 to pop out of the container 5. Once the handle 41 is moved to the open position, the pawl 31 contacts the plug body 10 at the opening 17, thereby moving the pawl 31 to the release position and allowing the plug 1 to be removed from the container.

[0041] Figures 6 to 9 A perspective view of the plug body 10, the carrier member 20, and the lip engaging member 30 is shown, where the respective components are removed to illustrate how the components move relative to each other and how they operate to engage and disengage with the container 5. In Figure 6 this, the outer shell 2 and the handle 41 are removed. Figure 6 A carrier driver 4 is shown. In this embodiment, the carrier driver 4 includes a cam 43 and a cam follower 42 for moving the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 as the handle 41 moves. That is, the cam 43 is coupled to the handle 41, for example fixed to the handle 41, such that movement of the handle 41 between the open and closed positions causes the cam 43 to rotate relative to the cam follower 42 and the carrier member 20. In Figure 6 this, the cam 43 is in a position corresponding to the closed position of the handle 41, and thus the carrier member 20 is close to the plug body 10 (the uppermost position of the carrier member 20). Since the carrier member 20 is biased by a spring 25 (see Figure 5 ) to move away from the plug body 10 (downward), when the handle 41 is moved to the closed position, the cam 43 drives the carrier member 20 to move towards the plug body 10 against the bias of the spring 25. Similarly, when the cam 43 rotates clockwise in Figure 6 as the handle 41 moves towards the open position, the convex portion of the cam 43 allows the cam follower 42 and the carrier member 20 to move away from the plug body 10 under the bias of the spring 25 (in Figure 6downward). It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the handle 41 may be coupled to the carrier member 20 in other ways such that rotation of the handle 41 drives the carrier member 20 to move both towards and away from the plug body 10, rather than only towards the plug body 10 as in this embodiment. For example, other linkage mechanisms different from cams and cam followers may be provided, or the cams and cam followers may be arranged to provide such movement (e.g., the cam may include a closed slot and the cam follower may include a pin that is seated in the slot and drives the carrier member 20 to move both towards and away from the plug body 10).

[0042] The guide member 21 extends downward from the carrier member 20 to guide the movement of the lip engaging member 30 relative to the carrier member 20. In this embodiment, the guide member 21 includes four pins extending downward from the carrier member 20, but other guiding means are possible, such as one or more guide rails, slots, etc.; and corresponding features on the lip engaging member 30. The guide member 21 extends through holes in the upper portion of the lip engaging member 30, and a spring 22 is mounted on each guide member 21 below the hole of the lip engaging member 30. The spring 22 is captured at the lower end of the guide member 21, so that the spring 22 cannot move below the bottom of the guide member 21, and the spring 22 is arranged to bias the lip engaging member 30 to move towards the carrier member 20 (in Figure 6 move upward). Figure 6 The lip engaging member 30 is shown in a position corresponding to the position in which the container neck is received in the cavity 12 and the pawl 31 engages the lip 52 of the container 5 to force the container 5 into contact with the sealing surface 13. Thus, in Figure 6 this case, the lip engaging member 30 is positioned away from the carrier member 20 and the spring 22 is compressed, thereby forcing the pawl 31 (and the container neck) towards the sealing surface 13. Thus, in some embodiments, it is the spring 22 that provides the elastic biasing to help establish and maintain the seal between the sealing surface 13 and the container opening 51. If the container neck is not received in the cavity 12 and the handle 41 is in the closed position as shown in Figure 6 this case, the lip engaging member 30 will be positioned close to the carrier member 20 and the spring 22 will not be compressed (or will be compressed to a lesser extent). As described above, the elastic biasing that helps establish and maintain the seal between the sealing surface and the container opening may be provided in other ways, for example, by eliminating the carrier member 20, the guide member 21, and the spring 22 and providing a spring connection between the lip engaging member 30 and / or the pawl 31 and the sealing surface 13.

[0043] In some embodiments, manipulating the plug 1 relative to the engaged container from a rest position can at least partially interrupt the seal between the sealing surface 13 and the container opening 51. For example, tilting of the plug 1 about a horizontal axis (in the case where the plug and the container are oriented vertically) can cause the sealing surface 13 to tilt or otherwise orient such that contact with the container opening 51 is lost or the contact force on the container opening 51 is reduced. This can also allow the pressure in the container to be vented even when the plug 1 is fully engaged with the container, e.g., when the handle 41 is in the closed position. In some embodiments, elastic biasing springs 22 provided between the lip engaging member 30 (and pawl 31) and the sealing surface 13 can allow the plug 1 to be tilted or otherwise manipulated relative to the container. That is, movement of the plug body 1 can cause one or more of the springs 22 to be compressed more than the other springs, and thus allow the sealing surface 13 to move relative to the container opening 51. This can cause the seal between the sealing surface 13 and the container opening 51 to be interrupted at least temporarily, and thus the pressure in the container can be vented. Release of the plug 1 can allow the plug 1 to move back to the rest position, where the springs 22 likewise bias the sealing surface 13 into engagement with the container opening 51. Other biasing arrangements that provide an elastic force to engage the sealing surface 13 with the container opening 51 can allow the plug 1 to be manipulated and then vented. For example, spring biasing between the pawl 31 and the lip engaging member 30 and / or spring biasing between the sealing surface 13 and the plug body 10 can allow the plug to be manipulated and vented while the plug 1 remains engaged with the container 5.

[0044] Figure 7 shows Figure 6 a view of the arrangement in which the sleeve portion of the lip engaging member 30 has been removed from the view. The pawl 31 can be seen in the lip engaging position, extending through a corresponding opening 17 in the plug body 10 to engage the container neck. The torsion spring 32 that biases the pawl 31 to move toward the lip engaging position can also be seen. Since the pawl pivot 33 is properly positioned relative to the opening 17, the pawl 31 disengages from the plug body 10 at the opening 17, thus allowing the pawl 31 to move to the lip engaging position under the bias of the spring 32. However, if the lip engaging member 30 moves away from Figure 7 its position away from the plug body 10 (downward), the pivot 33 and the pawl 31 move such that the pawl 31 contacts the plug body 10 at the opening 17 and moves the pawl 31 to the release position. This movement occurs when the handle 41 is moved to the open position, and this movement is driven by the spring 25 pushing the carrier member 20 and the lip engaging member 30 away from the plug body 10 when the cam 43 rotates to allow the cam follower 42 to move away from the plug body 10 (downward in Figure 7 ). Figure 8A perspective view of the sleeve portion of the flange engaging member 30 without the pawl 31 and spring 32 is shown. In this embodiment, the sleeve portion of the flange engaging member 30 extends around the side wall 16 of the plug body 10. The hole 34 for receiving the guide member 21 and the guide rail 24 for receiving the carrier member 20 to assist in guiding the movement of the flange engaging member 30 relative to the carrier member 20 can be seen, as well as the groove 35.

[0045] Figure 9 A view is shown Figure 6 of the arrangement in which the flange engaging member 30 and the carrier member 20 are removed from the view. This reveals the spring 25 that biases the carrier member 20 to move away from the plug body 10, and the cam 43 is pivotally mounted to a bushing in the side wall 16 of the plug body 10. Figure 10 The carrier member 20 separated from the other parts of the plug 1 is shown, and the recess 23 for receiving the spring 25 and the guide rail 24 that engages with the groove 35 of the flange engaging member 30 are illustrated. In this embodiment, the carrier member 20 is generally arranged as a ring to support the guide member 21, the guide rail 24, and the cam follower 42. Since the carrier member 20 supports the guide member 21, the flange engaging member 30 is mounted to the carrier member 20, but the flange engaging member 30 is capable of moving relative to the carrier member 20.

[0046] Any suitably arranged gas source can be used to supply pressurized gas to the inlet port 14. For example, a gas source including a cylinder of pressurized CO2 can be fluidly coupled to the gas inlet port 14 by a quick-connect type fitting, a threaded fit, a press fit, or other suitable engagement means such as simply having the user hold the gas source against the inlet port 14. The gas source can include a pressurized gas container, such as a cylinder that holds a suitable gas (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, etc.) at a relatively high pressure, such as from 100 psi to 3000 psi. The gas source can include a pressure regulator, which can include one or more regulating valves, such as a flow restrictor that limits an orifice, and / or other means for controlling the gas flow rate and / or pressure supplied to the gas inlet port 14. Alternatively or additionally, such features can be provided with the plug 1. The gas source can also include a valve that can be operated by the user to control the flow of gas. For example, the user can press a button on the valve to cause gas to flow into the container 5 and release the button to stop the gas flow. If desired, the gas source can provide two or more selectable pressures and / or flows of gas. For example, gas can be provided at a first pressure and / or first flow rate to displace any air in the container 5 with a suitable inert or non-reactive gas from the gas source. The displaced air can be exhausted through the plug 1 via the exhaust port as described above. In some cases, the exhaust port can be manually operated by the user, such as by pressing a button. The second pressure and / or second flow rate can be higher than the first pressure and can be suitable for establishing a storage pressure in the container 5 to, for example, help maintain a desired level of carbonation in the container 5. Since the plug 1 can seal the opening 51 of the container, a pressure above ambient can be maintained in the interior space of the container 5 for an extended period of time, such as 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, or longer. The gas inlet port 14 or other portions of the gas inlet passage can include a check valve or other one-way valve that allows gas to flow into the container 5 but blocks gas from flowing out of the container 5. Additionally or alternatively, the gas inlet port 14 can be capped or otherwise closed to prevent pressure leakage.

[0047] Although aspects of the present invention have been shown and described with reference to illustrative embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention as covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A stopper for use with a beverage container having a neck, an opening at the neck for access to an interior space of the container, and a lip on an outer surface of the neck, the stopper comprising: A plug body having a sealing surface arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck adjacent the opening; A carrier member mounted for sliding movement relative to the plug body; And A lip engaging member including a pawl mounted for pivotal movement between a lip engaging position for engaging a lip on the neck of the container and a release position, the lip engaging member mounted for sliding movement relative to the plug body and relative to the carrier member, the lip engaging member being elastically biased by a first elastic element towards the carrier member.

2. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein, The lip engaging member is arranged for sliding movement to move the pawl towards and away from the sealing surface.

3. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein, The carrier member and the lip engaging member are arranged for sliding movement in a direction towards and away from the plug body.

4. The stopper according to claim 3, wherein, Movement of the carrier member towards the plug body forces the pawl towards the sealing surface.

5. The stopper according to claim 3, wherein, The carrier member is elastically biased by a second elastic element to move away from the plug body.

6. The stopper according to claim 5, further comprising a carrier driver arranged to move the carrier member relative to the stopper body.

7. The stopper according to claim 6, wherein, The carrier driver includes a cam and a cam follower arranged to move the carrier member relative to the plug body based on rotation of the cam.

8. The stopper according to claim 7, wherein, The cam is pivotally mounted to the plug body for rotation and the cam follower is arranged on the carrier member, the carrier driver including a handle attached to the cam and arranged to be moved by a user to rotate the cam.

9. The stopper according to claim 8, wherein, The handle is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position and an open position, the intermediate position being between the open position and the closed position, and wherein, with the handle in the open position, the carrier member and the lip engaging member are positioned away from the plug body and the pawl is in the release position to receive the neck of the container, and wherein movement of the handle from the open position to the closed position moves the pawl to the lip engaging position and moves the carrier member and the lip engaging member towards the plug body, movement of the lip engaging member towards the plug body continuing until the pawl engages the lip and the sealing surface engages the portion of the neck adjacent the opening, whereupon the carrier member continues to move towards the plug body and away from the lip engaging member against the urging of the first elastic element, but the lip engaging member stops moving towards the plug body.

10. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein, Sliding movement of the lip engaging member away from the plug body moves the pawl from the lip engaging position to the release position, and movement of the lip engaging member towards the plug body moves the pawl from the release position to the lip engaging position.

11. The stopper according to claim 10, wherein, The plug body includes side walls defining a cavity into which the neck of the container is received, the side walls including an opening into which the pawl extends in the lip engagement position to engage the lip of the container.

12. The stopper according to claim 11, wherein, The pawl is spring-biased to move towards the lip engagement position, and movement of the lip engagement member away from the plug body causes a portion of the side wall at the opening to contact the pawl and move the pawl against the spring bias to the release position.

13. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein, The plug body includes a cup-shaped body having side walls defining a cavity and an opening at a lower end for receiving the neck of the container therein, and wherein the sealing surface is in the cavity on a side opposite the opening.

14. The stopper according to claim 13, wherein, The lip engagement member includes a sleeve positioned around the side wall of the plug body and slidably movable relative to the plug body.

15. The stopper according to claim 14, wherein, The pawl is pivotally mounted to the sleeve.

16. The stopper according to claim 15, wherein, The carrier member includes a ring positioned around the side wall of the plug body and slidably movable relative to the plug body.

17. The stopper according to claim 16, wherein, The carrier member includes a guide member along which the sleeve of the lip engagement member is movable relative to the carrier member, the guide member including the first elastic element in the form of a spring arranged to bias the sleeve towards the ring.

18. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein, The plug body includes a gas passage arranged to introduce pressurized gas into the container, the gas passage extending from the top of the plug body to a position adjacent the sealing surface.

19. The plug according to claim 1 further includes a handle, the handle being arranged to be moved by a user to move the carrier member and the lip engaging member relative to the plug body.

20. The plug according to claim 19, wherein The handle is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position and an open position, the intermediate position being between the open position and the closed position, and wherein, when the handle is in the open position, the carrier member and the lip engagement member are positioned away from the plug body and the pawl is in the release position to receive the neck of the container, and wherein movement of the handle from the open position to the closed position moves the pawl to the lip engagement position and moves the carrier member and the lip engagement member towards the plug body, the movement of the lip engagement member towards the plug body continuing until the pawl engages the lip and the sealing surface engages the portion of the neck adjacent the opening to form the seal, whereupon the carrier member continues to move towards the plug body and away from the lip engagement member against the urging of the first elastic element, but the lip engagement member stops moving towards the plug body.

21. The plug according to claim 20, wherein Movement of the handle from the closed position to the intermediate position causes the carrier member and the lip engagement member to move away from the plug body such that the seal is interrupted, but the pawl remains in the lip engagement position.

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