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.

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 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.

The present invention relates to a cap for covering an opening of a container, preferably the opening of a bottle. The present invention is characterized by a cork body having a cylindrical configuration and configured in two portions between which there is arranged an impermeable sheet element according to the longitudinal direction. The presence of an impermeable sheet allows using a conventional closure material preventing permeability in the longitudinal direction both to prevent the liquid from coming out of the container and to prevent bacteria or contaminants from the outside from entering.

A method for manufacturing a closure constructed to be inserted and securely retained in a neck of a product-retaining container includes intimately combining a plurality of coated particles (each comprising a cork material core and a first plastic material) with a second plastic material, and other optional constituents; heating the composition to form a melt; extruding or molding a closure precursor from the melt; and optionally cutting and/or finishing the closure precursor. A composition for use in manufacturing a closure includes a plurality of coated particles (each comprising a cork material core and a first plastic material) with a second plastic material, and one or more blowing agents. Methods for producing particulate material, cork composite material, and additional method for producing closures are also provided.

Many embodiments described herein prevent an aged spirit from degrading due to the oxygen trapped in the headspace without the use of a pump. The aged spirit preservation system may have a cork with an open top, an open bottom, and a channel extending from the open top to the open bottom. The cork may be sized couple to an internal portion of a bottle. The system may even include a sealing device coupled to an outer portion of the cork between the open top and the open bottom. Additionally, the system may include a replaceable cartridge containing an adsorbent media, iron, a salt, and a color-changing indicator. Oxygen from the bottle may be allowed to enter the cartridge and react with the iron via a non-reversible reaction, thereby preventing the degradation of the spirit.

A method for manufacturing a closure constructed to be inserted and securely retained in a neck of a product-retaining container includes intimately combining a plurality of coated particles (each comprising a cork material core and a first plastic material) with a second plastic material, and other optional constituents; heating the composition to form a melt; extruding or molding a closure precursor from the melt; and optionally cutting and/or finishing the closure precursor. A composition for use in manufacturing a closure includes a plurality of coated particles (each comprising a cork material core and a first plastic material) with a second plastic material, and one or more blowing agents. Methods for producing particulate material, cork composite material, and additional method for producing closures are also provided.

The invention relates to a device (100) for sealing a container having a neck, said device comprising: a deformable portion (1) intended to be at least partially arranged inside the neck of the container so as to seal it in a leak tight manner, said portion being capable of deforming elastically when inserted into the neck, said portion comprising a first end intended to be oriented towards the inside of the container, and a radiofrequency identification tag (11), said device being characterised in that it comprises at least one piezoelectric component (10) electrically connected to the tag (11) and arranged inside said deformable portion (1), within a blind recess on the first end side, generating an electric voltage caused by expansion of the deformable portion containing the piezoelectric component when said deformable portion is removed from the neck, said electric voltage being capable of causing a change of state of the radiofrequency identification tag.

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, additional methods for producing closures, and resulting closures are also provided.