WINE BOTTLE CORK HOLDER

Abstract

A wine cork display and aerating system is disclosed. The wine cork system includes a plug with a corresponding sleeve operable to form a fluid tight seal inside the neck of a bottle, a holder operable to secure a wine cork and a plurality of aeration holes in communication with the bottle's contents to allow the wine to breathe and to prevent contamination of the wine.

Claims

1. A wine aerating device operable to secure to a wine cork, the device comprising: a. A plug operable to be pressure-fitted into a neck of a wine bottle; b. a cork holder extending above said plug having a base and a plurality of arms that are operable to secure a cork on the base; and c. a sleeve positioned around the plug that is operable to provide a fluid-tight seal between a neck of the wine bottle and said plug.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one aeration hole operable to allow airflow

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one aeration hole includes a plurality of holes positioned around a perimeter of said base.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes a plurality of protrusions for engagement with the interior of the neck of the wine bottle and is operable to provide a fluid-tight seal.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of arms create a slot with a diameter that is complementary to the geometry of a wine cork.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of arms is four arms positioned at the corners of the base that have a curved geometry operable to secure said wine cork.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein said plurality of holes is at least two holes having a slotted geometry and are in fluid communication with a conduit passing through said plug.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said conduit is positioned to aerate the contents of said bottle.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said at least two aeration holes have a geometry operable to prevent contaminants from entering the bottle.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein said sleeve is received by said bottle to provide a watertight seal to said bottle.

11. The device of claim 5, wherein said base has a substantially rectangular geometry with a perimeter complementary to a lengthwise cross-section of the cork.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said arms comprise a flexible material.

13. A wine aerating device operable to secure to a wine cork, the device comprising: a. a plug having at least two aeration holes operable to allow the contents of the bottle to be aerated; b. a cork holder extending above said bottle stopper; and c. a sleeve secured around the plug that is operable to provide a fluid-tight seal with the neck of a bottle and said bottle stopper.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said cork holder includes a base and a plurality of arms that are operable to secure and display a cork.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said at least two aeration holes are in fluid communication with a conduit passing through said bottle stopper.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein said plurality of arms is four arms positioned at the corners of the base that have a curved geometry operable to secure said wine cork.

17. A method for aerating wine and securing a wine cork, the method comprising: a. inserting a wine bottle stopper into a neck of a wine bottle, the wine bottle stopper having: i. a plug for engagement with the neck of the wine bottle and at least one protrusion located at a side of a plug, ii. a conduit passing through the plug that is in communication with at least one aeration port, and iii. a plurality of extensions that form a slot having a shape that complementary to a cork; and b. securing the wine cork in said slot.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said at least one port may include at least two ports that are operable to allow ambient air to pass into the wine bottle and are sized to prevent contamination of the contents of the bottle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said aeration ports may be positioned orthogonal to a centerline of the plug.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said plug may be operable to form a fluid-tight seal between the plug and the neck of the bottle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 provides a front view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 provides a rear view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 provides a first side view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 provides a second side view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 6 provides a top view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 7 provides a bottom view of a cork holder, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 8 provides a perspective environmental view of a cork holder system, according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0029] FIG. 9 provides an exploded view of a cork holder system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 10 provides an environmental view of a cork holder system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 11 provides a front view of another cork holder system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 12 provides a second exploded view of a cork holder system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] A detailed discussion of certain embodiments of the invention is provided below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these figures and certain implementations and examples of the embodiments, it will be understood that such implementations and examples are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. References to various features of the present invention throughout this document do not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced features. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or features.

[0034] Reference will be made to the exemplary illustrations in the accompanying drawings, and reference characters may be used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. FIGS. 1-12 provide views of an exemplary embodiment of a novel cork holder having a holder and sealing sleeve design.

[0035] The present invention provides a cork holder as shown in FIGS. 1-12 that is operable to secure a cork for display and to prevent loss of the cork and to aerate the contents of a bottle. The cork holder 10 may include arms 11A-D operable to secure a cork, a base 12 may include aerating holes 14 to aerate the contents of the bottle, and a set of protrusions 13 that may provide a watertight seal between the cork holder 10 and the bottle 83.

[0036] In some embodiments, the cork holder 10, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1, may include arms 11A-D that extend from the base 12. In such embodiments, there may be four arms 11A-D to secure a cork 82 in the base (or seat) 12. In some embodiments, the arms 11 A-D may be made of a flexible material to allow for flexion (e.g., resilient outward deflection) when a cork is inserted between the arms 11A-11D. The flexibility allows the cork holder 10 to accept corks of varying diameters and shapes. In other embodiments, the arms 11A-D may be made from a rigid material such as polished brass, polished steel, aluminum, wood, or other decorative material. In further embodiments, the arms may have sections made of different materials. For example, the arms 11A-11D may include upper sections that are made from rigid material (e.g., polished brass, polished steel, aluminum, wood, or other decorative material), and lower sections made from a flexible material that allows the arms to be deflected outward to accept corks of various diameters while still providing a decorative appearance.

[0037] The arms 11A-D may have a curved geometry that is operable to position a cork between the arms to rest on top of the base 12. The curved geometry of the arms 11A-D may be convex at a lower portion thereof and convex at an upper section thereof. This shape allows a cork to be positioned on the upper portion of the arms 11A-11D without strong securement (e.g., just placed) and to be pushed from this position downward through the narrowest space between the arms 11A-11D into position in the cork slot 16 such that the cork rests on the base 12 and is pressure-fit and secured between the lower portions of the arms 11A-11D. The arms may be described as being in pairs, with a single pair of arms 11A-B forming a substantially U-shaped space as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for receiving the cork. Another pair of arms 11C-D may also form a U-shape space for receiving the cork.

[0038] The base 12 may include at least two aerating holes 14 that allow the fluid inside a bottle to be aerated. The aerating holes 14 may be in fluid communication with a passage 14A that exposes the interior of the bottle through the plug 15. The passage 14A is formed through the plug and may be a centrally (axially) positioned passage. In some embodiments, the passage may be multiple passages, where each of the aerating holes 14 has its own passage 14A passing through the plug 15 and providing fluid access to the interior of the bottle 83. In some embodiments, the shape of the aerating holes 14 may be elliptical. In other embodiments, the aerating holes 14 may be conical or slotted. The aerating holes 14 may be positioned orthogonally on opposite sides of the base 12, which may aid in airflow through the bottle, while providing an inlet and outlet for directional flow.

[0039] The cork holder 10 includes a plug 15 for insertion and engagement with the neck of a bottle. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-12, the cork holder 10 includes a sleeve 13 on which protrusions 13A are positioned on the perimeter of the sleeve 13. In some embodiments, the plug 15 may have a cylindrical construction having a diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the neck of a wine bottle to allow the sleeve 13 to be stretched over the plug 15. In such embodiments, the sleeve 13 may be pressure fit, adhered, or otherwise secured to the plug 15, where the diameter of the plug 15 when the sleeve 13 is positioned on the plug 15 has an outer diameter that may be equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the neck of the wine bottle 83 to allow compression of the protrusions 13A of the sleeve 13 and sealing of the wine bottle 83. The sleeve 13 may be fabricated from flexible and resilient polymeric material, such as silicone, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene (e.g., low-density, medium density), or other appropriate materials. The sleeve 13 may include various numbers of protrusions (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or more, in various configurations. The protrusions 13A may be barbs having a conical, pyramidal, fluke or other shape. The protrusions 13A may be ring like structures (e.g., like ribbing or circular barbs). In other embodiments, the protrusions 13A may be o-rings that are embedded in complementary channels formed in the perimeter of the plug 15.

[0040] The plug 15 may be a more rigid material such as a high-density PVC or other polymer, polished brass, polished steel, aluminum, wood, or other appropriate materials. In some embodiments, the plug 15 may be formed integrally with the base 12 of the cork holder 10. In some embodiments, the protrusions 13A of the plug 15 may be integrally formed in the plug, and may be formed monolithically of the same material. In such embodiments, the plug 15 may be fabricated from a flexible and resilient polymeric material, such as silicone, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene (e.g., low-density, medium density), or other appropriate materials.

[0041] Cork 82 may be made from synthetic or organic materials such as oak trees or polyethylene. In other embodiments, corks 82 may be made from elastic materials, wood fibers, metals, plastic, or any other material that is suitable for a bottle stopper. In some embodiments, cork 82 may also prolong the life of the beverage contained inside bottle 83 and may increase the beverage's aroma and flavor.

[0042] FIG. 12 shows an exploded view of a cork holder system 100 of FIG. 10. In some embodiments, sleeve 13 can be slid onto the plug 15 using a groove 121. The cork holder system 100 may also be attached to bottle 83 after attaching the sleeve 13 to groove 121. In such embodiments, the groove 121 may have an upper collar 121A and a lower collar 121B that are operable to position the sleeve 13 in a centered position. In some embodiments, a plurality of channels may be positioned between the upper collar 121A and lower collar 121B and may be operable to receive a sleeve 13 for providing a concentric watertight seal. The sleeve 13 may be removable and replaceable for cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces.

[0043] It is to be understood that the bottle 83 may include various contents other than wine, such as liquors, liqueurs, beer, and other types of beverages. In some embodiments, the bottle 83 may be a conventional wine bottle that may hold at least 187 mL of liquid. Examples of conventional wine bottles may include a Piccolo, a standard bottle, and a magnum bottle.

[0044] It is to be understood that variations, modifications, and permutations of embodiments of the present invention, and uses thereof, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments, descriptions, or illustrations or combinations of either components or steps disclosed herein. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although reference has been made to the accompanying figures, it is to be appreciated that these figures are exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.