Self-opening and self-plugging bottle stopper
View Patent ↗A bottle stopper adapted for self-opening and self-plugging a bottle, comprising a cylindrical cover having a bottom end and a top end. The cylindrical cover is sized and shaped to plug a bottle. A cartridge is encompassed by the cylindrical cover and has a fluid chamber; the cartridge also has at least one lateral protrusion thereon to form between the cartridge and the cylindrical cover. There is at least one fluid channel for fluidly connecting between a space below the bottom end and above the top end. A conduit having at least one inlet and at least one outlet is for fluidly connecting transferring the fluid of the fluid chamber to outside of the bottle stopper. An activation cap is mounted to push the conduit along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical cover from a closed state to an open state.
1 . A bottle stopper adapted for self-opening and self-plugging a bottle, comprising:
a cylindrical cover ( 4 ) having a bottom end and a top end, wherein the cylindrical cover is sized and shaped to plug the bottle;
a cartridge ( 16 ) encompassed by the cylindrical cover and having a fluid chamber;
a pressure release channel;
a conduit ( 20 ) having a proximal end with at least one lateral inlet and at least one release opening and a distal end with at least one lateral outlet; and
an activation cap ( 10 ) mounted to push the conduit along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical cover from a closed state to an open state;
a pressure valve ( 130 ) confining a sealing object in an inner channel fluidly connecting between the at least one release opening and the pressure release channel, the pressure valve having a pressure relief port with a seat sized and shaped to receive the sealing object;
wherein the at least one lateral outlet the at least one lateral inlet and the at least one release opening are fluidly connected by one or more fluid channels;
wherein in the open state, the at least one lateral outlet extends beyond the bottom end and the at least one lateral inlet is fluidly connected to the fluid chamber;
wherein in the closed state the at least one lateral outlet and the at least one lateral inlet are mounted between the bottom end and the top end.
2 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical cover is sized and shaped to plug a wine bottle.
3 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a conduit tip set at a 30 to 60 degree angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bottle.
4 . The bottle stopper of claim 3 , wherein the cylindrical cover has the following dimensions: (1) an inner diameter in a range between 9.5 millimeters and 11 millimeters, (2) an outer diameter in a range between 24 millimeters and 25 millimeters, and (3) a vertical height in a range between 43 millimeters and 45 millimeters.
5 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , wherein the activation cap having has a rod fitted in a recess formed in the cylindrical cover above the conduit.
6 . The bottle stopper of claim 5 , wherein the conduit surrounds the rod.
7 . The bottle stopper of claim 5 , wherein the pressure release channel is mounted in a recess formed in the rod.
8 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , wherein the pressure release channel is formed along the activation cap.
9 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket between the activation cap and the cylindrical cover.
10 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , further comprising a rotation mechanism having a locking element preventing the activation cap from pushing the conduit along the longitudinal axis when the activation cap is not in a predefined rotation angle.
11 . The bottle stopper of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further comprises an upper valve connecting to a lower valve via a male and female screwing connection, and wherein the cartridge has steel walls suitable for welding selected from a group consisting of: L304, and L316.
12 . The bottle stopper of claim 11 , wherein the upper valve receives the activation cap; wherein the upper valve having a top end connecting to a closing nut and a pin assembled in the closing nut; wherein the activation cap further comprises a cylindrical protrusion with at least one slit; wherein the pin is a locking pin passing thorough the at least one slit to prevent removing the activation cap from the upper valve.
13 . The bottle stopper of claim 11 , wherein the lower valve has at least one inlet thereon to ingress the fluid from the fluid chamber into the lower valve, wherein in the closed state, the lower valve has at least two O-rings encompassing the conduit, wherein the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are located between the at least two O-rings, and wherein in the open state, the at least one inlet is fluidly connected to the fluid chamber and the at least one outlet extends beyond the bottom end.
14 . The bottle stopper of claim 13 , wherein the conduit has a top end positioned vertically coupling to the activation cap, wherein the activation cap has a cylindrical protrusion forming at least two prongs at a bottom end for coupling to the conduit, and wherein pulling the activation cap causes the at least two prongs to separate from the conduit.
15 . The bottle stopper of claim 14 , wherein the conduit is positioned in the center of the cartridge.
16 . The bottle stopper of claim 14 , wherein the conduit is positioned along the side of the cartridge.
17 . The bottle stopper of claim 14 , wherein pulling causes contraction of the diameter of the at least two prongs, while there is no change to the conduit, or expansion of the conduit diameter, while there is no change to the at least two prongs.