GB2315740A

GB2315740A - Bottle closure and method of removing same

Info

Publication number: GB2315740A
Application number: GB9616330A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Weatherley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-08-02
Filing date: 1996-08-02
Publication date: 1998-02-11
Also published as: GB9616330D0

Abstract

A bottle closure and a method of removing same comprises a cork 2 which is a push fit within the neck of a bottle to be closed, and a loop 3 of material which extends across the inner face 4 of the cork, up the sides of the cork, and defines a manually graspable handle portion 5 above the outer end of the cork so that, when in use, the bottle closure 1 may be removed from the bottle by manually grasping the handle portion and exerting an axial pull on the cork using the loop of material. A bottle closure is thereby provided having the advantages of traditional cork closures, but not having the disadvantages associated with these traditional cork closures of requiring an auxiliary tool, such as a cork screw, for closure removal. The loop may be made of plastic, either cut from a preformed tube of material, or, more simply, by securing opposite ends of a strip.

Description

BOTTLE CLOSURE AND METHOD OF REMOVING SAME This invention relates to a bottle closure, and to a method of removing same.

Although it is known to close wine bottles with screw threaded closures which can be removed without the use of a tool, such closures are generally considered to be inferior to traditional corks.

In order to ensure that a traditional cork forms a secure closure to a bottle it must be of a significant length and must be a tight fit within the bottle neck. Such corks have, in the past, required an auxiliary tool, for example a corkscrew, for their removal.

The present invention provides a bottle closure in the form of a cork which is a push fit within the neck of a bottle to be closed; and a loop of material which extends across the inner face of the cork, up the sides of the cork, and forms a manually graspable handle above the outer end of the cork so that the cork may be removed from the bottle by manually grasping the handle portion and exerting an axial pull on the cork using the loop of material.

The terms "inner" and "outer" as used herein refer to the faces of the cork, relative to the bottle, when the cork is in its used configuration.

The loop of material may be a loop of woven material or maybe a loop of non woven material, for example sheet plastics material. The loop may be cut from a preformed tube of material so that it is seamless, or may be formed by securing opposite ends of a strip of material to form a loop.

The loop can conveniently be used to carry indicia, for example greetings or advertising messages.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the cork partially removed from the bottle; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the closure before insertion into the bottle; and Figure 3 illustrates the loop of material used in the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the closure 1 comprises a cork 2 of conventional design and a loop 3 of material which extends across the inner face 4 of the cork, up opposite sides of the cork, and forms a manually graspable handle portion S on the exterior of the bottle. In use, the cork will be pushed in substantially flush with the neck of the bottle as is conventional. The cork can be removed by grasping the handle portion 5 or inserting fingers through the handle portion and exerting an upward pull on the cork. The force applied to the handle portion 5 will be transferred to the inner face 4 of the cork to remove the cork without difficulty.

The loop 3 may be formed of any suitable material, for example woven material or sheet material. The material should be chosen so as not to react adversely with the wine and so as not to be weakened by contact with the wine within the bottle. The handle portion 5 can conveniently be used as a display area for indicia 6 carrying a greeting or advertising material.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A bottle closure comprising a cork which is a push fit within the neck of a bottle to be closed; and a loop of material which extends across the inner face of the cork, up the sides of the cork, and defines a manually graspable handle portion above the outer end of the cork so that when in use. the bottle closure may be removed from the bottle by manually (Traspil1(} the handle portion and exerting an axial pull on the cork using the loop of material.

2. A bottle closure as claimed in claim l, wherein the loop of material is a loop of woven material.

3. A bottle closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loop of material is a loop of non-woven material.

4. A bottle closure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the loop of nonwoven material is a sheet plastics material.

5. A bottle closure as claimed in claims 1 to 3. wherein the loop of material is manufactured from a preformed tube of material so that the loop is seamless.

6. A bottle closure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the loop of material is manufactured by securing opposite ends of a strip of material so as to define a loop.

7. A bottle closure as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the loop of material is provided with indicia.

8. A bottle closure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the indicia is a greeting or advertising message.

9. A bottle closure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.