Two-Component Bottle Stopper for Accurate CO2 Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bottle stoppers for highly carbonated beverages like champagne fail to accurately measure carbon dioxide saturation due to design limitations, leading to potential leakage and inaccurate readings, especially when using aphrometers with insufficient needle length.

Innovation Solution

A two-component bottle stopper comprising a sealing sleeve and outer shell, where the outer shell has a hole to accommodate the upper end wall of the sealing sleeve, allowing for accurate carbon dioxide saturation testing without compromising closure tightness, using polymeric materials with varying elasticity and rigidity for secure fixation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a traditional stopper design with a seal covering the internal cavity is used, then the closure tightness is maintained, but the carbon dioxide saturation test cannot be accurately performed with aphrometers of insufficient needle length

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarbon dioxide saturation test accuracyVSAvoidstopper structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper is divided into two separate components: an outer shell and a sealing sleeve. This segmentation allows the upper end wall of the sealing sleeve to be accessible through a hole in the outer shell, enabling accurate CO2 saturation testing while maintaining closure tightness through the separate sealing sleeve component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing function is extracted from the outer shell and placed in a separate sealing sleeve. This allows the upper end wall of the sealing sleeve to be accessible for testing purposes while the outer shell maintains the overall closure structure and tightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If a stopper with a blind lower end of the sealing part is used, then the structure is simplified, but accurate saturation parameters cannot be obtained and carbon dioxide leakage may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesaturation parameter accuracyVSAvoidsealing part structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the stopper into an outer shell and a separate sealing sleeve with an open lower end, the design enables accurate saturation measurements while maintaining structural integrity. The sealing sleeve's open lower end allows aphrometer needles to access the CO2 saturation area without compromising the overall closure tightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a two-component stopper with separate seal is used, then the closure tightness is improved, but the impossibility to obtain saturation parameters with insufficient needle length remains

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclosure tightnessVSAvoidcarbon dioxide saturation measurement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is extracted from the outer shell into a separate sealing sleeve, making the upper end wall accessible through a hole in the outer shell. This enables CO2 saturation testing with aphrometers of insufficient needle length while maintaining closure tightness through the dedicated sealing sleeve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The hole in the outer shell acts as an intermediary, allowing the aphrometer needle to access the CO2 saturation area through the sealing sleeve's upper end wall without compromising the closure tightness maintained by the separate sealing sleeve component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4410700B1Bottle stopper
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 UAB BALTIC CAPS
  • EP4410700B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention relates to means of closing bottles, namely to bottle stoppers capable of retaining the high pressure of carbon dioxide in the beverage contained in the bottle. The bottle stopper comprises a sealing sleeve (1) installed in the neck of the bottle, and an outer shell (5) installed on the sealing sleeve (1), fixed to each other in axial and radial direction, wherein the outer surface (7) of the outer shell (5) comprises a hole (6) made with the possibility of accommodating the upper end wall (3) of the sealing sleeve (1).