Systems and methods for preserving oxidizable substances such as liquids or foodstuffs are disclosed. These systems incorporate a sealing device and an oxygen scavenging chemical or agent coupleable to the system. The oxygen scavenging agent can remove the oxygen from the headspace of a container such as a bottle of wine without reducing the pressure in the headspace to the extent that the flavor of the wine is adversely affected.

A container and closure combination, for the containment of fluids and extraction therefrom by way of an extraction tube. The container comprises a closed volume with an opening configured to close the opening of the container; the closure is provided with an aperture such that the closure, upon fitment to the container opening, cannot be removed therefrom. The aperture of the closure comprises a unitary elastic unidirectional valve member that can operate in a first, closed condition, to prevent a flow of fluid from the container; and a second, operational condition, with an extraction tube sealingly engaged with respect to the valve, to permit an extraction of fluid from the container through the tube.

A sealed pharmaceutical container includes a shoulder, a neck extending from the shoulder, and a flange extending from the neck. The flange includes an inclined sealing surface defining an opening in the sealed pharmaceutical container. The sealed pharmaceutical container also includes a sealing assembly including a stopper extending over the sealing surface of the flange and a cap securing the stopper to the flange. The stopper has a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) that is greater than or equal to −70° C. and less than or equal to −45° C. The sealing assembly maintains a helium leakage rate of the sealed pharmaceutical container of less than or equal to 1.4×10.sup.−6 cm.sup.3/s as the sealed pharmaceutical container is cooled to a temperature of less than or equal to −45° C.

Systems and methods for preserving oxidizable substances such as liquids or foodstuffs are disclosed. These systems incorporate a sealing device and an oxygen scavenging chemical or agent coupleable to the system. The oxygen scavenging agent can remove the oxygen from the headspace of a container such as a bottle of wine without reducing the pressure in the headspace to the extent that the flavor of the wine is adversely affected.

A method for manufacturing a closure constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of a product-retaining container is provided. Such method may include intimately combining a plurality of particles comprising cork and having a specified particle size distribution with a plastic material including one or more thermoplastic polymers, optionally in combination with other constituent(s) to form a composition, heating the composition to form a melt, extruding or molding a closure precursor from the melt to provide a specified water content range, and optionally cutting and/or finishing the closure precursor. A composition for use in manufacturing a closure for a product-retaining container includes a plurality of particles comprising cork and having a specified particle size distribution with a plastic material including one or more thermoplastic polymer, optionally in combination with other constituent(s). Methods for producing particulate material, cork composite material, and additional methods for producing closures are also provided.

A container and closure combination, for the containment of fluids and extraction therefrom by way of an extraction tube. The container comprises a closed volume with an opening configured to close the opening of the container; the closure is provided with an aperture such that the closure, upon fitment to the container opening, cannot be removed therefrom. The aperture of the closure comprises a unitary elastic unidirectional valve member that can operate in a first, closed condition, to prevent a flow of fluid from the container; and a second, operational condition, with an extraction tube sealingly engaged with respect to the valve, to permit an extraction of fluid from the container through the tube.

A method and device for preserving wine or other oxygen sensitive items is disclosed. In some embodiments, the device has a housing, a pressure indicator, a pressure sensor, and a one-way valve. The housing is configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle. The housing has a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle. The housing has an input channel extending through the housing. The pressure sensor is within the housing and is in communication with the closure side. The one-way valve is in the input channel. The pressure sensor is configured to move the pressure indicator to an indicating position when a predetermined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor.

A method and device for preserving wine or other oxygen sensitive items is disclosed. In some embodiments, the device has a housing, a pressure indicator, a pressure sensor, and a one-way valve. The housing is configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle. The housing has a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle. The housing has an input channel extending through the housing. The pressure sensor is within the housing and is in communication with the closure side. The one-way valve is in the input channel. The pressure sensor is configured to move the pressure indicator to an indicating position when a predetermined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor.

A method of packing a temperature sensitive product utilizes a temperature controlled product shipper that includes a phase change material bladder which can be filled with a preconditioned brined-slurry PCM at the point of packaging. The temperature sensitive product is contained within a product box or master case, which is in turn packed inside an insulated liner and an outer box. The PCM bladder fits between the master case and the insulated liner and is filled with the preconditioned flowable PCM at the point of packing just before closing the box for shipment.

A rigid stopper (10) made of synthetic materials, particularly for wine bottles, comprises a substantially cylindrical body (12) defining a longitudinal axis (20), with a side surface (14) and two opposing substantially flat end faces (16, 18), and at least two compressible-elastomeric “O”-rings (22, 24) seated in corresponding semicircular-circumferential-grooves (26, 28) on the side surface (14). The semicircular-circumferential-grooves (26, 28) are positioned symmetrically about a central-plane (56) toward faces (16, 18) of body (12) respectively. Faces (16, 18) are comprised of foramen (42, 44) respectively which communicate with a volute cavity (14) for the purpose of accepting a typical cork-screw-extractor. Stopper 10 having longitudinal symmetry about a central plane (56), either face (16) or face (18) of stopper body (12) is configured to rest flush with bottle (48) top for the purpose of maintaining compatibility with random orientation of the stopper 10 with the “corking” process of packaging machinery. A predetermined diameter (32) of stopper body (12) is slightly less than the interior neck (54) of bottle (48) for the purpose of allowing the “O”-rings (22, 24) to be compressively engaged between the stopper body (12) and interior neck (54), thereby sealing and maintaining position by means of friction of stopper (10) within bottle (48). The two compressible-elastomeric “O”-rings (22, 24) are made of a different material of that of the cylindrical body (12). The material of the compressible-elastomeric “O-rings (22, 24) is non-toxic food-grade silicone rubber having a formulation able to ensure complete compatibility for alimentary use and a high resistance to aging. The material of the cylindrical body (12) is a rigid thermo-plastic bisphenol-free polycarbonate, a non-toxic category having a formulation able to ensure complete compatibility for alimentary use and a high resistance to aging.

Stopper body (12) is much more durable, sanitary, dependable, and reusable than the traditional cork or synthetic cork stopper. As compared to the recent screw cap, the stopper (10) maintains the mystique, romantic charm, and quality image of an expensive wine, whereas the screw-cap gives connotation as being of lesser quality wine and has low tamper resistance.