Specialty corks for use with bottle spouts
Embodiments of the present invention provide corks and cork systems that find particular use in connection with wireless spouts used for monitoring the amount of liquid poured from liquid containers. It is desirable to be able to use a wireless spout with various differently-sized bottle. Accordingly, the cork features provided can ease removal and replacement of the wireless spouts onto and off of variously sized bottles, and allow the same spout to be re-used with a differently sized bottle.
1. A cork system for use in securing a spout to a bottle, comprising:
(a) at least one cork core comprising an internal diameter, an external ledge, and an external lip; the internal diameter comprising one or more thread receiving portions for securement with a threaded spout portion;
(b) at least one cork stopper configured to cooperate with the external ledge of the at least one cork core, the at least one cork stopper comprising outer features for securing the at least one cork core in place in the bottle; and
(c) at least one actuating disc cooperable with the external lip of the at least one cork core.
2. A cork and spout system for use in securing the spout to a bottle, comprising:
(a) at least one cork core comprising an internal diameter, an external ledge, and an external lip; the internal diameter comprising one or more thread receiving portions for securement with a threaded spout portion;
(b) at least one cork stopper configured to cooperate with the external ledge of the at least one cork core, the at least one cork stopper comprising outer features for securing the at least one cork core in place in the bottle;
(c) at least one actuating disc cooperable with the external lip of the at least one cork core, and
(d) a spout that comprises a threaded inlet tube and wherein the one or more thread receiving portions are configured to cooperate with the threaded inlet tube of the spout.
3. The cork system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more cork anti-rotation features.
4. The cork system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more cork anti-rotation features comprise locating projections.
5. The cork system of claim 1 , wherein the actuating disc comprises an internal indentation that cooperates with the external lip.
6. The cork system of claim 1 , wherein the cork system is modular, wherein the at least one cork core comprises a plurality of cork cores, the at least one cork stopper comprises a plurality of cork stoppers, and the at least one actuating disc comprises a plurality of actuating discs of varying sizes, and wherein a user selects a desired cork stopper for use with a selected cork core.
7. The cork system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cork core comprises a plurality of cork cores provided in varying sizes.
8. The cork system of claim 7 , wherein at least one cork core in the plurality of cork cores comprises outer securement features that vary in size from outer securement features of another cork core in the plurality of cork cores.
9. The cork system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one cork stopper comprises a plurality of cork stoppers provided in varying sizes.
10. The cork system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuating disc comprises a plurality of actuating discs provided in varying sizes.
11. A method for re-using a spout for registering and tracking liquid poured from a bottle, the spout comprising a threaded spout portion and a bottle presence sensor, the method comprising:
selecting an appropriately sized cork core from a plurality of cork cores having varying sizes, each of the cork cores in the plurality of cork cores comprising an internal diameter, an external ledge and an external lip; the internal diameter comprising one or more thread receiving portions for securement with a threaded spout portion,
selecting an appropriately sized cork stopper from a plurality of cork stoppers having varying sizes, each of the cork stoppers in the plurality of cork stoppers configured to cooperate with the external ledge of the plurality of cork cores and each of the cork stoppers in the plurality of cork stoppers comprising outer features for securing the cork cores in the bottle,
selecting an appropriately sized actuating disc from a plurality of actuating discs having varying sizes;
securing the selected cork core to the spout by threading the one or more thread receiving portions to the threaded spout portion,
ensuring that the actuating disc is sized to contact the bottle presence sensor; and
inserting the spout into the bottle body.
12. A cork system for use in securing a spout to a bottle, comprising:
(a) a cork core comprising an internal diameter and an external lip, the internal diameter comprising one or more thread receiving portions for securement with a threaded spout portion, the cork core further comprising a cork stopper integrally formed with the cork core providing outer securement features for securing the cork core in place in the bottle; and
(b) at least one actuating disc cooperable with the external lip.
13. A cork and spout system for use in securing the spout to a bottle, comprising:
(a) a cork core comprising an internal diameter and an external lip, the internal diameter comprising one or more thread receiving portions for securement with a threaded spout portion, the cork core further comprising a cork stopper integrally formed with the cork core providing outer securement features for securing the cork core in place in the bottle; and
(b) at least one actuating disc cooperable with the external lip,
wherein the one or more thread receiving portions are configured to cooperate with an external threaded tube on the spout.
14. The cork system of claim 12 , further comprising one or more cork anti-rotation features.
15. The cork system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more cork anti-rotation features comprise locating projections.
16. The cork system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one actuating disc comprises an internal indentation that cooperates with the external lip.
17. The cork system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one actuating disc comprises a plurality of actuating discs provided in varying sizes.