Cork Bottle Cap with Impermeable Sheet Barrier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cork bottle caps often suffer from permeability issues due to heterogeneities and defects, allowing liquids to escape and contaminants to enter, which can spoil the contents and introduce bacteria or fungi.

Innovation Solution

A cap design featuring a cylindrical cork body divided into two portions with an impermeable plastic sheet element arranged between them, extending around the perimeter to prevent fluid or gas passage, ensuring consistent closure and preventing adhesive migration into the container.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a single piece of cork is used to close the bottle opening, then the closure appearance is simple and elegant, but the cork may contain heterogeneities such as cracks, holes, or cavities that allow liquid passage or harbor bacteria

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclosure appearanceVSAvoidpermeability prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cork closure is divided into multiple separate pieces rather than using a single piece. This segmentation allows each piece to be smaller and more uniform, reducing the risk of heterogeneities while maintaining the overall cylindrical shape and aesthetic appearance of the closure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines cork pieces with an impermeable sheet element to create a composite closure structure. The impermeable sheet prevents liquid and gas passage through the cork assembly, compensating for any potential defects in the cork material while maintaining the cork's desirable properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If cork pieces are ground and compacted with adhesive to form uniform pieces, then manufacturing precision and dimensional consistency are improved, but adhesive may migrate into the container and contaminate the liquid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional consistencyVSAvoidadhesive migration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An impermeable sheet element is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the cork pieces and the liquid contents. This sheet prevents any potential adhesive migration from the cork assembly into the liquid, while still allowing the cork pieces to provide the desired closure function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

A thin impermeable sheet is used to line the cork closure assembly. This flexible film provides a continuous barrier that prevents adhesive migration and liquid passage, while conforming to the cylindrical shape of the closure and not interfering with its insertion or removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional cork material is used, then the closure has natural properties and aesthetic appeal, but it presents a certain degree of diffusion between outside and inside that cannot be entirely determined during manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenatural propertiesVSAvoiddiffusion control
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite closure combining natural cork material with a synthetic impermeable sheet. This composite structure maintains the aesthetic appeal and natural properties of cork while the impermeable sheet provides reliable prevention of diffusion between the inside and outside of the container.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The impermeable sheet is strategically placed within the cork assembly at locations where diffusion control is most critical. This local enhancement of properties allows the cork to maintain its natural characteristics in visible areas while providing reliable barrier functionality where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4056492B1Cap for an opening of a container
Publication Date: 2024.07.03 CAPSULAS TORRENT
  • EP4056492B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4056492B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4056492B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cap for covering an opening of a container, preferably the opening of a bottle. The present invention is characterized by a cork body having a cylindrical configuration and configured in two portions between which there is arranged an impermeable sheet element according to the longitudinal direction. The presence of an impermeable sheet allows using a conventional closure material preventing permeability in the longitudinal direction both to prevent the liquid from coming out of the container and to prevent bacteria or contaminants from the outside from entering.