SCREW CAP FOR WINE BOTTLES

Abstract

A screw cap for wine bottles, has an outer capsule screwable to the bottle and an insert inserted in the outer capsule and intended to stay interposed between the mouth of the bottle and the outer capsule, is described. At the bottom, the insert is provided with a metal foil intended to directly stay in contact with the mouth of the bottle by intercepting the same. The metal foil is the only component of the cap wettable by the wine and is made of a precious metal inert at room temperature, or it is made of an alloy of precious metals inert at room temperature. The insert also has a gasket positioned on the metal foil, which has a radial extent larger than the metal foil itself, and has an outer crown surrounding the metal foil by adhering to the mouth of the bottle.

Claims

1. A screw cap (10a-10n) for wine bottles (B), the screw cap comprising: an outer capsule (2) screwable on a bottle (B); at least one insert (11a-11n) inserted in the outer capsule (2) and intended to be interposed between the mouth (13) of the bottle (B) and the outer capsule (2), wherein the at least one insert (11a-11n) comprises at least one metal foil (12) configured to stay in contact directly with the mouth (13) of the bottle (B) and intercept it, and wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is made of a precious metal inert at room temperature, or it is made of an alloy of precious metals inert at room temperature, wherein the at least one insert (11a-11n) comprises a gasket (14) positioned on the at least one metal foil (12) and having a radial extent greater than the at least one metal foil (12) itself, and wherein an outer crown of the gasket (14) surrounds the at least one metal foil (12) while adhering to the mouth (13) of the bottle (B).

2. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is made of a metal selected among gold, iridium, platinum, osmium, rhodium, palladium or an alloy of these metals.

3. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is a disk with thickness less than 0.5 mm.

4. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 3, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is made of 24-carat gold and has a thickness between 0.01 mm and 0.05 mm.

5. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is the only element of the cap contacting the wine contained in the bottle (B).

6. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is subjected to deformation when the cap is screwed to the bottle (B) and edges of the at least one metal foil (12) adhere to the upper surface of the mouth (13) of the bottle (B).

7. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) comprises a plurality of micro through-holes (19), or a zone with calibrated porosity, which allow adduction of an air volume up to 500 mm.sup.3/year into the bottle (B).

8. The screw cap (10a-10h) according to claim 7, wherein the micro-holes have diameter smaller than 0.1 mm.

9. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 7, comprising an inner volume wherein air, or a layer of porous material containing air, is in fluidic communication with the micro-holes (19) of the at least one metal foil (12).

10. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 9, further comprising a layer of granular or porous materials (18) which release volatile components in the air inside the screw cap (10a-10n), fluiclically communicating with the micro-holes (19) of the metal foil.

11. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 7, wherein the outer capsule (2) comprises a plurality of micro through-holes (27) which fluiclically communicate the outside of the screw cap (10a-10n) with its inside.

12. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the gasket (14) comprises a circular portion (14) whose cross section has a S-, L-, W- or U-shape, and the circular portion being deformed when the cap is screwed and adhering to the at least one metal foil (12) at a respective upper surface.

13. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 11 wherein the at least one insert (11a-11n) comprises an elastic element (15) interposed between the gasket (14) and the outer capsule (2), wherein the elastic element is preloaded upon screwing the cap on the bottle (B) and continuously applies a thrust directly onto the gasket (14) and, indirectly, onto the metal foil (12).

14. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13, wherein the elastic element (15) is made of cork, rubber or a plastic material.

15. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13, wherein the elastic element (15) extends between the outer capsule (2) and the bottle (B) at the thread.

16. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is provided with a thickening (23) extending perimetrically and above the mouth (13) of the bottle (B) and applying a thrust on the portion of the at least one metal foil (12) contacting the mouth (13) of the bottle (B) in response to the thrust the elastic element (15) applies on the thickening (23).

17. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13, wherein the insert (11a-11n) comprises a stiffening element (16) rigid with respect to the gasket (14) and the elastic element (15), which is positioned between the at least one metal foil (12) and the gasket (14), directly in contact with the at least one metal foil (12).

18. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 17, wherein the stiffening element (16) is made of glass, ceramic, metal or a high-density plastic material.

19. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the gasket (14) is made of rubber, or a polymeric material.

20. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the gasket (14) has micro-holes, or a zone with calibrated porosity, at the at least one metal foil (12).

21. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is provided on its lower side and/or its upper side with an identification sign.

22. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) can be separated from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to a force applied on the metal foil by the user.

23. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is provided, on its lower side, with at least one stalk (24) extending towards the inside of the bottle (B) and wherein the at least one metal foil (12) can be separated from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to a force applied by the user on the at least one metal foil (12) at said the least one stalk (24).

24. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metal foil (12) is provided with three stalks (24-24) configured to abut against the inner side of the neck (N) of the bottle (B) in response to radial movements of the at least one metal foil (12) itself.

25. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 24, wherein the stalks (25-25) are horseshoe shaped and define with the at least one metal foil (12) an eyelet configured to house a threadlike through-element.

26. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the insert (11a-11n) comprises a leaf (26) positioned above the at least one metal foil (12) and made of ferromagnetic material and wherein said leaf (26) can be moved away from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to the force applied on said leaf (26) by a magnet such that, when the magnet and the leaf (26) move away from the screw cap (10a-10n), the at least one metal foil (12) also moves away from the screw cap (10a-10n), thus separating itself from the same.

27. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26, wherein the leaf (26) is made of a high magnetic permeability material, or is made of a permanently magnetized material.

28. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26, wherein the gasket (14) is interposed between the leaf (26) and the at least one metal foil (12) and wherein the gasket (14) can be moved away from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to the movements away of the leaf (26) and screw cap (10a-10n).

29. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26, wherein the leaf (26) is interposed between the gasket (14) and the at least one metal foil (12).

30. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, wherein the insert (11a-11n) is made in one piece.

31. A bottle provided with the screw cap according to claim 1.

32. Wine bottle provided with screw cap according to claim 1, wherein the bottle has a volume smaller than 100 ml in order to be transportable in the hand baggage on airplanes.

Description

BRIEF LIST OF THE FIGURES

[0056] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better highlighted by the review of the following specification of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment illustrated for illustration purposes only and without limitation, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0057] FIG. 1a is an axial/vertical section view of a portion of screw cap according to the known art;

[0058] FIG. 1b is a partial sectional view, of another screw cap according to the known art;

[0059] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of a first embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a second embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0061] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a third embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0062] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of a fourth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0063] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of a fifth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0064] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of a sixth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0065] FIGS. 8-10 are schematic views of a detail of corresponding embodiments of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0066] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a portion of a seventh embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0067] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a portion of an eighth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0068] FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a portion of a ninth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0069] FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of a tenth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0070] FIGS. 15 and 16 are perspective views of two embodiments of the metal foil of the screw cap according to the present invention;

[0071] FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a portion of an eleventh embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention;

[0072] FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a portion of a twelfth embodiment of screw cap according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0073] FIG. 1a shows a vertical section, which can also defined as axial or diametrical, of a portion of screw cap T according to the known art, the screw cap closing a wine bottle B. The bottle B is provided with a neck provided with a screw finish level 1 on which the cap T is screwed. The cap T in turn comprises a capsule of aluminium 2, threaded in 2, and an insert 3 positioned between the capsule 2 and the neck of the bottle B.

[0074] In turn the insert 3 is composed of a first element 3, for example of cork, plastic material or rubber, and a second element 3, acting as a sealant, of polymeric material. When the bottle B is tilted, the wine contacts the sealing element 3.

[0075] FIG. 1b shows a partial vertical section of another screw cap T according to known art. The cap T comprises an insert 3 composed of three elements: the same elements 3 and 3 described afore plus an additional element 3 made of a polymeric material, adapted to compress the elements 3 and 3 against the mouth of the bottle B and to embody the screw coupling at the screw finish level 1 of the bottle B.

[0076] With a convenient selection of the used materials, the elements composing the insert 3, i.e. the elements 3, 3, 3 (if present), can be made of a single material, i.e. in one piece.

[0077] Numeral reference 4 indicates the weakened zone of the aluminium capsule 2, i.e. the predetermined weakened line allowing the cap T, T to be rotated with respect to the neck of the bottle B.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a vertical section of a first embodiment 10a of a screw cap according to the present invention, applied to a glass or ceramic bottle B. The cap 10a comprises a metal capsule 2, an insert 11a being housed inside the latter. The capsule 2 comprises a screw portion 2 for screwing on the finish level 1 of the bottle B, as also described relating to the known art.

[0079] However, differently from known solutions, advantageously the insert 11a comprises a lower element 12 intended to contact the wine contained in the bottle B. It is a metal foil made of gold, or another precious metal inert at room temperature, for example iridium, platinum, osmium, rhodium, palladium or an alloy of these metals. Preferably the lower element 12 is a twenty four-carat gold (24 kt) disk. Preferably the lower element 12 is a disk whose thickness is lower than 1 mm, for example 0.01-0.05 mm, and whose diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0080] The advantages offered by the presence of the disk 12 of precious metal are many. The listed precious metals are chemically inert and do not release in the wine substances which could modify its taste and aroma, not even when the bottle is stored for long periods of time in tilted position, with the wine directly contacting the metal. Therefore this ensures that wine organoleptic properties, specifically taste and aroma, do not undergo negative alterations.

[0081] Furthermore the mentioned precious metals, even if inert from the chemical point of view, are mostly electronegative. As afore mentioned, for example 24 kt gold has an electronegativity value equal to 2.54 in the Pauling scale. This characteristic can promote the good aging of bottled wine, since wine usually contains ions of various nature in solution. For example, it has been found that the evolution of the flavan-3-ols in the oxidative refinement of red wines is widely related to the formation of ethyl bridges-mediated polymerizations, following the formation of ethanal by ethanol oxidation. This phenomenon originates from the Fe(II/III) ions-mediated phenolic oxidation [talk on May 6, 2015 at the national prize SIVE G. Versini, n. 35, Influenza della natura dei composti fenoli nell'invecchiamento del vino rosso, D. Fracassetti et al., page 23). The contact with the precious metal can promote the ion action.

[0082] In case the disk 12 is of gold, the following advantage can also be found: gold is notoriously malleable and under the compression action of the capsule 2 screwed on the neck N of the bottle B, perfectly suits to the surface of the mouth 13, meaning that it deforms to realize and ensure the airtightness. In practice the disk 12 acts as a gasket, still being of metal and not a synthetic material.

[0083] A further advantage is the enhanced commercial value of the cap itself and, thus, the enhanced value of the bottle B. The disk 12 of precious metal can be drawn from the screw cap 10a and can be part of a collection: further embodiments facilitating the separation of the disk 12 from the screw cap will be described in the following.

[0084] In addition, identification signs can be inserted on the upper and/or lower side of the disk 12, i.e. respectively on the side contacting the element 14 (described below) and/or on that which can contact the wine contained in the bottle.

[0085] In these terms, the presence of the disk 12 of precious metal can be a plus on the market, and could allow attracting potential customers among those who up to now have been skeptical of the use of the screw cap for closing fine wine bottles B.

[0086] In the example shown in FIG. 2 the insert 11a comprises two other elements 14 and 15 stacked on the disk 12. The element 14 is preferably a gasket of natural material, such as cork, rubber or a not-precious metal (for example a stainless steel or aluminium thin layer), or synthetic material such as elastomers, tetrafluoroethylene, silicon, or a combination thereof. The element 14 has a radial extent greater than the metal foil 12 itself, and with its outer crown surrounds the metal foil 12 by adhering to the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0087] The element 15 is preferably elastic, to apply a thrust onto the underlying elements 12 and 14, to promote the adhesion against the surface of the mouth 13 of the bottle B. For example the element 15 can be made of cork, or a polymeric material such as PET or PE.

[0088] When the screw cap 10a is mounted on the bottle, the element 15 is slightly compressed, such that the element 15 constantly applies a thrust onto the underlying elements in order to ensure a perfect adherence of the disk 12 on the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0089] In the example shown, the elastic element 15 comprises a circular crown 15 protruding downwards and having the function of perimetrically deforming the element 14 in order to make it adhere to the mouth 13 of the bottle B, around the disk 12, which in this way can not move anymore in radial direction and always remains centered and coaxial with respect to the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0090] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment 10b of the cap according to the present invention.

[0091] The respective insert 11b comprises a disk 12 of precious metal, an elastic element 15 and a gasket 14, for example of rubber or a plastic material. Between the gasket 14 and the disk 12 of precious metal an additional element 16 made of a material selected among a metal, also not precious, preferably glass or ceramic, is interposed. The element 16 has the task of preventing the elastic element 15 from deforming at the axis X-X of the bottle B, for example it prevents the elastic element 15 from bulging or curving in the center, by relieving the load on the disk 12 which has to always stay well adhering to the mouth 13 of the bottle B instead.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment 10c of the screw cap. With respect to the solution shown in FIG. 2, the bottle B has a circular convexity 17 on the mouth 13 and the gasket 14 follows the profile thereof by adhering to ensure the tightness, under the thrust of the elastic element 15.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment 10d wherein with the numeral reference 18 air is denoted, or a cork element or an activated carbon element or a layer of granular or powder substances (for example pepper grains) composing a bed that promotes the good aging of the wine contained in the bottle B: such a layer releases volatile substances in the air contained in the cap, which are released to the wine over time. In this embodiment the gasket 14 has an accordion portion 14 jutting towards the disk 12, which allows the pressure on the disk 12 to be properly applied.

[0094] FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment 10e similar to the preceding one but comprising, in addition, the stiffening element 16 made of glass, metal or ceramic. The portion 14 appears to be deformed, slightly flattened against the element 16.

[0095] In the same embodiment 10f shown in FIG. 7 the gasket 14 has a different, less flattened, profile with respect to what shown in FIG. 6.

[0096] In practice the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5-7 differ for the insert shape. For example the gasket 14 can have a different profile among the three embodiments in order to obtain different pressure zones on the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0097] FIGS. 8-10 schematically show corresponding embodiments of the disk 12 of precious metal. In particular in the version of FIG. 8 the disk 12 is S-shaped (in cross section) in 12 such as to define a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder against the gasket 14, which prevents lateral movements (in radial direction) of the disk 12 itself. In the version of FIG. 9 the disk 12 is U-shaped (in cross section) in 12 such as to define a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder against the gasket 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 10 the disk 12 is L-shaped (in cross section) in 12 such as to define a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder against the gasket 14.

[0098] In FIG. 11 another embodiment 10g of the cap according to the present invention is shown, which is characterized in that the gasket 14 is of annular type: a section can be seen in figure. In particular the gasket 14, seen in vertical section, has a radial pin 20 which rests against the disk 12. The pin 20 radially extends inwards and cantilevered from the remaining part of the gasket 14; a zig-zag, or W-shaped portion 21 is interposed between the pin 20 and the remaining part of the gasket 14 in order to allow the pin to flex and adapt to the definitive shape taken with the cap 10g completely screwed on the bottle B.

[0099] By the numeral reference 19 micro-holes pierced through the disk 12 of precious metal are denoted. Clearly the hole size is purposely out of scale in the drawing, in order to make the comprehension easier. The micro-holes 19 are drilled for example by the laser piercing technique and allow a minimum, but important, air exchange with the part overlying the disk 12. By taking care to trap an adequate amount of air inside the capsule 2, for example by using an element 15 of porous cork or leaving a volume filled with air, the holes 19 allow an air passage towards the wine contained in the bottle for a volume corresponding to a few mm.sup.3/year. It is an air volume compatible with the good aging of the bottled wine.

[0100] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 the capsule 2 and the gasket 14, which extends above the disk 12, are also pierced. The numeral reference 27 denotes the micro-holes drilled through the capsule 2 while, by the numeral reference 22, the micro-holes drilled through the gasket 14 are denoted. The object is to allow a minimum air supply towards the bottled wine.

[0101] FIG. 13 shows a ninth embodiment 10i of the screw cap; this embodiment differs from the preceding ones in that to the disk 12 is provided with a thickening 23 on the upper side, i.e. on the side opposite to the one contacting the mouth 13 of the bottle B. Such thickening 23 extends circumferentially on the disk 12 at the edge of the disk 12 itself, thus taking the shape of a circular edge of the disk 12.

[0102] The thickening 23 is obtained at a distance from the center of the disk 12 such to be positioned above the mouth 13 of the bottle B.

[0103] Its function is in fact to apply a thrust onto the disk 12, in addition to the one applied by the element 15, in order to ensure greater tightness.

[0104] Furthermore, the thickening 23 also has the aesthetic advantage of constituting a frame on the disk 12, which is able to give greater emphasis to possible identification signs positioned on the upper side of the disk 12.

[0105] In FIG. 14 a tenth embodiment 101 of the cap according to the present invention, wherein the disk 12 comprises a stalk 24 with a substantially cylindrical shape protruding from the lower side of the disk 12, is shown. The function of the stalk 24 is to facilitate the separation of the gold disk 12 from the cap 101, for example, by means of a clamp.

[0106] In FIGS. 15 and 16 two additional embodiments of the disk 12 are shown (the whole cap is not shown). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the disk 12 is provided with three stalks 24, 24, 24 on the lower side with the same shape as the stalk 24 described in FIG. 14; such stalks 24, 24, 24, in addition to facilitate the separation of the disk 12 from the screw cap, have the function of keeping the disk 12 seated on the mouth 13 of the bottle B, especially during the cap positioning and screwing. In fact, when the disk 12 makes radial movements, the stalks 24, 24, 24 come into abutment against the inner side of the neck N of the bottle B and prevent the disk 12 from moving further to radial position and exiting from the seat which allows the disk 12 to perform the previously described functions.

[0107] The embodiment shown in FIG. 16 differs from the one shown in FIG. 15 for the horseshoe shape, or U shape, of the stalks 25, 25, 25 of the disk 12. These stalks 25, 25, 25 have an eyelet delimited by the disk 12 and by each stalk 25, 25, 25 itself.

[0108] Once the bottle B has been uncapped and the disk 12 separated from the cap, a preferably gold thread can be inserted through this eyelet, such to connect several stalks for ornamental purpose, both belonging to the same disk 12 and belonging to different disks, in order to add them to a collection.

[0109] The stalks described in FIGS. 14-16 can be made separately and subsequently weld to the disk 12 or, in case of the stalks in FIGS. 14 and 15, directly connected to the disk 12 already directly in the mould.

[0110] The stalks 24, 24-24 and 25-25 place themselves on the disk 12 in such a position to both ensure that the disk 12 rests on the mouth 13 of the bottle B and ensure that the stalks 24, 24-24 and 25-25 are able to intercept the neck N of the bottle B thus preventing the disk 12 from exiting from its own seat; in practice such stalks 24, 24-24 and 25-25 are inscribed in such a circumference that a superposition of at least 1 mm with the mouth 13 is ensured.

[0111] FIGS. 17 and 18 show, respectively, two embodiments 10m and 10n whose respective inserts 11m and 11n comprise a leaf 26 made of a ferromagnetic material, i.e. having high magnetic permeability; for example the leaf 26 can be made of iron, martensitic stainless steel, cobalt or a permanently magnetized material. The leaf 26 is positioned above the disk 12 and, since it is provided with ferromagnetic properties, can follow the movement of a magnet, preferably provided together with the bottle B. In order to separate the disk 12 from the screw cap it is therefore required that the user moves the magnet closer to the front face of the cap where the disk 12 is, and then he/she moves the magnet away in the opposite direction: in this way the leaf 26 follows the movement of the magnet away and brings the disk 12, which is in a position interposed between the magnet and the leaf 26.

[0112] In the embodiment 10m shown in FIG. 17, the leaf 26 is positioned above the gasket 14 such that the gasket 14 is interposed between the leaf 26 and the disk 12. Such an embodiment ensures that the content of the bottle B does not come into contact with the material the leaf 26 is made of, in case the disk 12 moves radially on the mouth 13 of the bottle B or incidentally shows a leak.

[0113] On the contrary, in the embodiment 10n shown in FIG. 18, the leaf 26 is directly above the disk 12 and in contact with the same. Therefore in this case the leaf 26 is in a position interposed between the gasket 14 and the disk 12. This arrangement allows an easier separation of the disk 12 from the cap since there is no screw cap component between the disk and the leaf 26 which is able to prevent the separation thereof.

[0114] It has to be specified that also the screw cap according to the present invention can be provided with an element such as the element 3 shown in FIG. 1b.