Bottles and jars – Neck – Structure to receive a particular closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-04-17
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Neck
Structure to receive a particular closure
C215S045000, C215S329000, C215S356000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216897
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to bottles for liquids and beverages, and in particular, to a wine bottle and complementary flange screw top for improved closure, containment and pouring of wine contained therewithin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since biblical times, wine has been produced, consumed and enjoyed by people all over the world. Wine is produced from one or more varieties of grapes which grow in well-known regions all over the world. During wine production, the grapes are crushed and the juice is usually stored for a period of time, sometimes many years, during which the wine ferments and the flavor, color, texture and aroma develop. After a period of time, the wine may be ready for bottling, sale and consumption.
For many centuries, wine has been stored and contained in glass bottles of various sizes and sealed with a variety of closure means such as rubber stoppers or cork. Oftentimes, wine bottles are extremely elaborate, thus adding to the attraction of the wine.
To retain the freshness, flavor and aroma of the wine, it is essential that the bottle be tightly sealed to prevent oxygen from seeping in. Most wines produced today are sealed with a cork closure and are often covered with a decorative foil capsule. Corks, however, often allow oxidation to take place, as they are easily broken or crumbled. As a result of a defective cork, oxidation results in “corkiness” which is characterized by a pungent smell, much like that which emanates from rotting newspapers, and which damages the wine rendering it unfit for sale or consumption. Additionally, oxidation resulting from defective corks affect 5% of all cork-finished wines, amounting to millions of defective bottles a year which costs the industry and consumers million of dollars a year in unsaleable and inconsumable goods. Furthermore, if a wine which was sealed with a cork is not consumed within a relatively short period of time after the cork has been removed, it tends to become flat and loses its taste.
Aluminum or plastic screw caps which are matingly threaded to external threads on the neck of the bottle and which are similar to those used on soda bottles, have been found to be the best closure for wine bottles, having a nearly perfect record of maintaining the quality of wine inside the bottle and eliminating any chance of oxygen seeping in. In fact, many lower quality, inexpensive wines currently use screw caps. As a result, the screw cap has become synonymous with cheap wine and, despite their superior closure capabilities, have been shunned by today's producers of the better wines who, in an effort to provide more attractive bottling, have widened the opening of the wine bottles, eliminated the foil capsule and sealed the top of the cork with a drop of bee's wax. It provides for an attractive bottle, but does not eliminate the problem of defective corks.
The prior art includes internally threaded bottles or receptacles, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,908 for a jar closure, U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,304 directed to a container and closure therefor, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,671 which teaches a method of distributing soil treating material. However, none of these references are directed to bottles or containers for holding wine. Additionally, each of these prior art references teach internal threads disposed in the neck portion of the bottle or container proximate the opening. These prior art container with internal threads positioned proximate the opening of the bottle discourage their use for containing wine since the internal threads positioned proximate the bottle's opening detracts from the bottle's ability to provide a smooth and consistent pour of wine. If used for containing wine, these prior art bottles lead to a waste of the wine as the internally disposed threads proximate the opening causes the wine to haphazardly splash out of the bottle as it is being poured therefrom.
Accordingly, there is a need for a glass bottle for containing wines and which is configured to accommodate a screw top, the combination of the bottle and screw top which is attractive, which assures a smooth consistent pour, and which ensures the quality of wine contained within the bottle.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus a general object of the present invention to provide a bottle for containing wines which provides a reliable closure.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a wine bottle having an internally threaded neck portion for mating with a complementary single unit screw top with a flange rim.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a wine bottle having an internally threaded neck portion wherein the internal threads are disposed low in the neck portion away from the bottle opening so as to provide a smooth and consistent pour of wine from the bottle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a glass bottle having an internally threaded neck portion for engagement with a single unit screw top with a flange rim and which is aesthetically appealing without the obtrusive, denigrating externally exposed threads associated with existing standard plastic or aluminum screw tops.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a bottle and closure which permits efficient re-sealing of the bottle after the initial opening such that the quality of wine contained with in the bottle is retained.
It is still an additional object to provide a bottle and closure for efficiently storing and resealing a bottle containing wine and which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and efficient to use.
These and other objects of the invention are realized by providing a bottle much like the conventional wine bottles presently available in the marketplace. The bottle is generally provided with a flat lower portion which extends upwardly and narrows into a neck portion which terminates in the bottle opening. The neck portion is provided with internal threads for mating engagement with a screw closure. The internal threads are advantageously disposed low in the neck portion of the bottle so as to provide a smooth, uninterrupted flow of wine from the bottle. Additionally, the low placement of the internal threads prevents waste of the wine which often accumulates within the threads on externally threaded bottles.
The screw closure for securement within the bottle of the present invention is provided with an upper end having a flange rim and an extended body having threads on its lower end. When the screw top is inserted into the opening and neck of the bottle, the threads on the lower end of the screw mate with the internal threads of the bottle. The screw top is thus secured within the bottle by rotating the flange rim until the screw top is tightly secured. When tightly secured, the flange rim of the screw top mates with the opening of the bottle such that bottle is aesthetically appealing without denigrating exposed external threads.
In an alternative embodiment, the screw top may also be provided with a tamper resistant safety feature. Furthermore, an insert including the screw top of the present invention may also be provided for retrofitting current wine bottles produced without internal threads.
The above description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for the purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 130208 (1872-08-01), Frank
patent: 693161 (1902-02-01), Schies
patent: 694013 (1902-02-01), Hayes
patent: 802382 (1905-10-01), Fenn
patent: 2609955 (1952-09-01),
Newhouse Nathan J.
Sofer & Haroun LLP
LandOfFree
Flange screw closure and bottle with insert having threads does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flange screw closure and bottle with insert having threads, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flange screw closure and bottle with insert having threads will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2544090