US20050098530A1

US20050098530A1 - Bottle stopper

Info

Publication number: US20050098530A1
Application number: US10/985,974
Authority: US
Inventors: Steve Fler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-12
Filing date: 2004-11-12
Publication date: 2005-05-12
Also published as: CA2449144A1

Abstract

The bottle-stopper has a cap which is adapted to be seated on the upper rim of a bottle and a body portion which extends downwardly from the cap and which is adapted to be received in the neck of the bottle. A cord is attached to the cap and is formed into a loop. The cord is adapted to encircle the neck of the bottle. A disc is slidable on the cord and by sliding the disc the effective length of the loop can be adjusted in order to tighten the loop around the neck

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bottle-stoppers and more particularly to a bottle-stopper which is removably attached to a bottle and as such is always close at hand so that the bottle can be closed between drinks from the bottle to prevent foreign objects from entering it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beverages which are sold in bottles such as beer and carbonated soft drinks are frequently sealed shut by metallic caps which frictionally grip the lids of the bottles and which are removed by twisting or by prying using bottle openers. Once the bottle is open, the cap is usually discarded because it is no longer effective to seal the bottle shut. If the contents of the bottle are poured out of the bottle into a glass, there is no need to re-seal the bottle but if the contents are drunk from the bottle over a period of time, there may be a need to re-seal the bottle. A bottle stopper can be used for this purpose.
A bottle-stoppers is usually quite small however, and is easily mislaid when it is removed from a bottle so that a drink can be taken from it. It is usually not desirable to put a bottle-stopper in a pocket because the stopper is usually wet and picks up dirt in the pocket or the wetness may soil the clothing surrounding the pocket. If the stopper is put on a piece of furniture, it may roll off and fall onto a floor and pick up dirt there. If it stays put, it may attract dust or hair on the furniture. For these reasons, bottle-stoppers are seldom used to seal a bottle shut after a metallic cap has been removed from it.
I have found that a bottle-stopper provided with a cord for facilitating attachment to a bottle overcomes the problems mentioned above. After a removable cap has been twisted or pried off the bottle, the stopper can be attached to the bottle by tightening the cord around the neck of the bottle. The stopper will then be at the ready to close the bottle between swallows and, when the bottle is empty, the cord can be loosened so that the stopper can be removed and re-used.
There are many advantages to stopper which is attached to a bottle from which liquid is being drunk First, the stopper prevents wasps, fruit flies, houseflies and other undesirable insects as well as dirt from entering the bottle. Between swallows, the stopper can be used to close the bottle. The stopper being attached to the bottle is always at the ready for this purpose. Secondly, the stopper can have a tag attached to the cord and some identification can appear on the tag. The tag will assist a person who puts his bottle down after he has drunk from it from identifying the bottle later when he is ready for another swallow. Thirdly, the stopper is readily at hand and can be used by the person who is drinking from the bottle to close it immediately after a swallow to prevent the contents from being spiked by persons in the vicinity of the person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly the bottle-stopper of my invention comprises a cap adapted to be seated on the upper rim of a bottle; a body portion which extends downwardly from the cap and which is adapted to be received in the neck of the bottle; and attachment means for attaching the cap to the bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The stopper of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an elevation of the stopper;
FIG. 2 is an elevation of the stopper in conjunction with the upper portion of a bottle;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the stopper;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stopper from below;
FIG. 5 is an elevation of the stopper; and
FIG. 6 is an elevation of the stopper in conjunction with the neck and rim of a bottle.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the stopper of the invention, generally 10, has a cap 12 and a body portion 14. The bottle is of conventional shape and has an elongated neck 16 which extends downwardly from its upper rim 18.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the cap has an outwardly extending ear 22 provided with an opening through which an attachment means in the form of a cord 24 such as a string or thread is passed. The cord is formed into a loop and at the bottom of the loop is a disc 26 having a label 28 on which information such as the contents of the bottle, the name of the person who is drinking from it and so on, is displayed.
The disc is movable up and down the cord so that the loop can be tightened around the neck of the bottle in order to connect the stopper to the bottle. The disc accordingly acts as a tightening means for decreasing the effective length of the loop. FIG. 6 shows the way in which the disc does so.
The disc need not be movable on the cord. It may in fact be fixed to it so that it is not movable. Immobilizing the disc may be desirable where the stopper is intended for use on a bottle of a particular size. In such case, the most suitable location of the disc on the cord will be known and movement from that position may not be desirable.
The body-portion of the stopper is frusto-conical in shape and tapers downwardly from a maximum cross-sectional area at its top wall 30 to a minimum at its bottom wall 32. By virtue of its shape, the body portion is adapted to contact the inner wall of conventional bottles having a wide variation in inside diameters and to seal the contents of the bottles from the atmosphere. The stopper is also adapted to prevent foreign objects such as dirt and insects from entering the bottle and contaminating its contents.
While the Figures illustrate a stopper having a body portion which has a circular cross-section, the body portion can have a different cross-section to reflect the cross-section of the bottle with which it is to be used. Where, for example, the cross-section of the bottle is square or rectangular the body portion can have a like cross-section so that the stopper will fit into the bottle.
It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the structure of the stopper which is described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A stopper for a bottle having an upper rim and a neck which extends downwardly therefrom, said stopper comprising: a cap adapted to be seated on the upper rim; a body portion which extends downwardly from said cap and which is adapted to be received in said neck; and attachment means for attaching said cap to said bottle.

2. The stopper of claim 1 wherein said attachment means includes a loop which is adapted to encircle said neck; and tightening means for decreasing the effective length of said loop for tightening said loop around said neck.

3. The stopper of claim 1 wherein said attachment means includes a cord which is attached to said cap and which is formed into a loop which is adapted to encircle said neck; and tightening means for decreasing the effective length of said loop for tightening said loop around said neck

4. The stopper of claim 2 further including a label which is connected to said attachment means.

5. The stopper of claim 3 further including a label which is slidably connected to said cord.

6. The stopper of claim 3 wherein said tightening means is a label which is slidably connected to said cord and which, when slid toward the bottle, decreases the effective length of said loop.

7. A stopper for a bottle having an upper circular rim and a cylindrical neck which extends downwardly therefrom, said stopper comprising: a cap having an outwardly extending ear; a body portion which is adapted to sealing engage an inside wall of said neck, said body portion being frusto-conical in shape commencing at said cap and tapering downward; and a cord formed into a loop which is connected to said ear and which removably attaches said cap to said bottle

8. The stopper of claim 7 wherein said loop is adapted to encircle said neck, said stopper further including tightening means for decreasing the effective length of said loop for tightening said loop around said neck.

9. The stopper of claim 8 wherein said tightening means is a label which is slidably connected to said cord and which, when slid toward the bottle, decreases the effective length of said loop