Bartop Cork Stoppers for Still Wine Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stoppers for still wine bottles require a significant diameter difference for proper sealing, leading to mechanical insertion and potential oxidation issues, while stoppers for spirit bottles are not designed for sealing due to their smaller diameter differences, resulting in suboptimal sealing and oxidation prevention in still wine storage.
Innovation Solution
Adopting 'Bartop' stoppers with a cork body diameter exceeding the inner bottle diameter by 0.9 to 1.7 mm, allowing for sealing and manual removal without mechanical tools, suitable for both horizontal and vertical storage, and demonstrating compatibility with still wine bottles through tests showing no significant impact on wine development or oxidation parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cork stoppers with diameter difference of 5-6 mm are used in still wine bottles, then proper sealing and prevention of oxidation is achieved, but mechanical insertion by compression force is required and manual removal is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is divided into two distinct parts: a head portion for manual gripping and removal, and a body portion that performs the sealing function. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function - the head for ease of operation and the body for reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper design combines multiple functions into a single device: it provides sealing (traditionally requiring 5-6 mm diameter difference), enables manual removal (traditionally requiring smaller diameter difference of 0.5-3 mm), and maintains wine quality. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between sealing reliability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If stoppers with smaller diameter difference (0.5-3 mm) like spirit bottle stoppers are used, then manual removal becomes possible, but sealing efficiency and oxidation prevention deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the stopper into head and body portions with different diameter characteristics, the design enables the body to provide adequate sealing (0.9-1.7 mm difference) while the head provides manual grip for removal, thus achieving both manual operability and reliable sealing that would be contradictory in a uniform stopper design.
3Reliability
If longer stoppers (54 mm) are used for high-end wines, then sealing reliability is improved, but cost increases and storage space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the critical parameter from stopper length to stopper body diameter. By optimizing the diameter difference (0.9-1.7 mm) rather than relying on length, the design achieves reliable sealing with shorter stoppers (20-32 mm), thereby reducing material consumption, manufacturing cost, and storage space while maintaining sealing reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to the use of suitable sized cork stoppers for spirit wine with still wine. More particularly, relates to the use of "Bartop" stoppers with still wine bottles. The use of stoppers having a cork body which diameter size exceeds just about 0.5 to 3 mm the neck diameter of still wine bottles to be sealed, enables to keep the organoleptic attributes of wine while prevents wine leakage from bottles regardless its storing position.