Cork Bottle Cap with Insulating Layer for Gas Seal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cork caps for bottles, whether made from natural or agglomerated cork, face issues such as high cost, contamination risks from 'red powders' and TCA, aesthetic concerns, and inadequate gas seal characteristics leading to penetration and leakage, which compromise the quality of the contents over time.
Innovation Solution
A closing element for bottles featuring a cork sheet with a layer of insulating material applied to both faces, rolled to form a cap that enhances impermeability to liquids and gases, using a combination of solid natural cork and agglomerated cork, and employing a minimal gluing method to secure the winding, ensuring mechanical properties and resistance to pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cap is made from natural cork in a single piece, then the aesthetic quality and conservation properties are improved, but the cost increases significantly and availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into multiple thin cork sheets (typically 3-5 sheets) that are wound around each other to form the complete cap structure. Each sheet has a thickness of 0.2-0.5mm, allowing production from smaller, more available cork pieces while maintaining the functional properties of natural cork.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap combines natural cork sheets with adhesive material to create a composite structure. The adhesive bonds the cork sheets together at specific points during winding, creating a unified structure that maintains the advantages of natural cork while enabling more efficient use of cork material.
2Ease of manufacture
If a cap is made from agglomerated cork, then the cost decreases and availability increases, but the aesthetic quality deteriorates and glue content increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using agglomerated cork particles bound by glue, the invention uses segmented thin sheets of natural cork that are wound together. This maintains the continuous grain structure and natural appearance of cork while using smaller, more cost-effective pieces.
3Ease of manufacture
If a cap is made by winding a cork sheet with minimal glue spots, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the gas seal characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
An adhesive material is introduced as an intermediary between the cork sheets during winding. This adhesive creates effective bonds between layers, sealing the cap structure and preventing gas and liquid penetration while allowing the winding manufacturing process to continue.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive application parameters are optimized to provide sufficient sealing without excessive glue usage. The adhesive is applied in controlled amounts at strategic points during winding, creating effective seals while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
4Strength
If adhesive material is used to secure the winding, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the risk of contamination from glue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is applied locally at specific points during the winding process rather than coating the entire surface. This provides sufficient mechanical bonding and sealing strength while minimizing the total amount of adhesive used and reducing contamination risk to the product.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a high-quality seal that resists pressures over 2 bar, significantly reducing liquid and gas penetration, thereby preventing contamination and oxidation, and is cost-effective while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of natural cork caps.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of insulating material, increasing the impermeability to liquids and to air and/or gases, coupled to the cork sheet so as to at least partly cover at least one of said two main faces
Implementation Method 2
the cork sheet and the layer of insulating material being rolled so as to define said cap by alternated winding of the cork sheet and the layer of insulating material
Implementation Method 3
Thanks to the solution of the present application, it is possible to resist pressures of over 2 bar
Implementation Method 4
the layer of insulating material is configured for at least partly filling empty spaces and/or for filling surface discontinuities present in the cork sheet or due to the winding method so as to make the cap impermeable to gases and/or air and to liquids
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a closing element (1 ) for containers for liquids, in particular bottles. The closing element (1 ) comprises at least a cork sheet (2) having two opposite main faces (2a, 2b) and at least a layer of insulating material (7), impermeable to liquids and to air and/or gases, coupled to the cork sheet (2). The layer of insulating material (7), at least partly covers at least one of said two main faces (2a, 2b). The cork sheet (2) and the layer of insulating material (7) are rolled so as to define the closing element (1 ) by an alternated winding of the cork sheet (2) and the layer of insulating material (7), and the layer of insulating material (7) and the alternated winding are configured and predisposed to make the closing element (1 ) impermeable or to liquids and air and/or gases. The mechanical winding is guaranteed by a partial and spotted gluing of the surfaces, usually only at the external end thereof.