Multilayer synthetic stopper

Abstract

A stopper for use in a substantially cylindrical bottle opening having a substantially cylindrical shape to seal the bottle opening and including a first polymer portion and a second polymer portion, wherein the second polymer portion coaxially overlies the first polymer portion. In another embodiment, the stopper includes a third polymer portion wherein the first polymer portion coaxially overlies the third polymer portion. A method of protecting liquid in a bottle with a substantially cylindrical bottle opening including providing a stopper having a substantially cylindrical shape to seal the bottle opening and closing off the bottle by insertion of the stopper into the bottle opening. A method of producing a stopper for use in a substantially cylindrical bottle opening comprising extruding a first polymer portion through an extrusion die, coaxially coating the first polymer portion with a second polymer portion to form a body.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stopper for use in a substantially cylindrical bottle opening, the stopper having a substantially cylindrical shape to seal the bottle opening and comprising: 
 a first polymer portion having a first physical property and comprising a polyisobutylene; and    a second polymer portion having a second physical property different from said first physical property, said second polymer portion coaxially overlying said first polymer portion.    
     
     
         2 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said first polymer portion further comprises a polyolefin.  
     
     
         3 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said first polymer portion further comprises a low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         4 . The stopper of  claim 3 , wherein said first polymer portion comprises 10 to 30 percent by weight of polyisobutylene  
     
     
         5 . The stopper of  claim 3 , wherein said first polymer portion comprises a mixture of metallocene copolymers.  
     
     
         6 . The stopper of  claim 3 , wherein said first polymer portion further includes 0.2 percent to 50 percent of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin.  
     
     
         7 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said second polymer portion is one of an ionomer resin and an elastomer.  
     
     
         8 . The stopper of  claim 7 , wherein said second polymer portion is an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin.  
     
     
         9 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said second polymer portion includes one of a styrene-butadiene elastomer, a styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene-elastomer, and a ethylene vinyl acetate elastomer.  
     
     
         10 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said stopper is comprised of approximately 95-99% of said first polymer portion.  
     
     
         11 . The stopper of  claim 1 , further comprising a third polymer portion, wherein said first polymer portion coaxially overlies said third polymer portion.  
     
     
         12 . The stopper of  claim 11 , wherein said third polymer is one of a high density polyethylene polymer and a high density polypropylene polymer.  
     
     
         13 . The stopper of  claim 12 , wherein said third polymer portion has a density of 22-25 lb/cu. ft.  
     
     
         14 . The stopper of  claim 12 , wherein said third polymer portion has an outside diameter of approximately 12 mm.  
     
     
         15 . The stopper of  claim 12 , wherein said third polymer portion has one of a substantially cylindrical shape, a substantially cylindrical shape having an opening extending about its axis, and at least a three-fold radially symmetrical shape extending about its axis.  
     
     
         16 . The stopper of  claim 12 , wherein said first polymer is a mixture of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin and a low density polyethylene in a weight ratio of 85:15 and having a density of approximately 15 lb/cu. ft. and a diameter of 9-12 mm, 
 wherein said second polymer portion is a colloidal alumina having a thickness of 0.2-0.8 mm,    wherein said third polymer portion is a high density polyethylene polymer having a density of 22-25 lb/cu. ft., and a diameter of approximately 12 mm.    
     
     
         17 . A method of protecting liquid in a bottle with a substantially cylindrical bottle opening, comprising: 
 providing a stopper having a substantially cylindrical shape to seal the bottle opening and including a first polymer portion and a second polymer portion, said first polymer portion having a first physical property and said second polymer portion having a second physical property different from said first physical property, said second polymer portion configured to coaxially overly said first polymer portion; and    closing off the bottle by insertion of said stopper into said bottle opening.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said first polymer portion of said stopper includes a mixture of metallocene co-polymers and low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said weight ratio of said mixture of said metallocene co-polymers and said low density polyethylene is approximately 3:1.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said first polymer portion of said stopper further includes 0.2 percent to 50 percent of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said second polymer portion of said stopper is one of an ionomer resin and an elastomer.  
     
     
         22 . The stopper of  claim 21 , wherein said second material portion of said stopper includes an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said stopper is comprised of approximately 95-99% of said first polymer portion.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said stopper further comprises a third polymer portion, wherein said first polymer portion of said stopper overlies said third polymer portion.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said third polymer is one of a high density polyethylene polymer and a high density polypropylene polymer.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said third polymer portion of said stopper has a density of 22-25 lb/cu. ft.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said third polymer portion of said stopper has an outside diameter of approximately 12 mm.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said third polymer portion of said stopper has one of a substantially cylindrical shape, a substantially cylindrical shape having an opening extending about its axis, and at least a three-fold radially symmetrical shape extending about its axis.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said first polymer of said stopper is a mixture of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin and a low density polyethylene in a weight ratio of 85:15 and having a density of approximately 15 lb/cu. ft. and a diameter of 9-12 mm, 
 wherein said second polymer portion of said stopper is a colloidal alumina having a thickness of 0.2-0.8 mm, and    wherein said third polymer portion of said stopper is a high density polyethylene polymer having a density of 22-25 lb/cu. ft., and a diameter of approximately 12 mm.    
     
     
         30 . A method of producing a stopper for use in a substantially cylindrical bottle opening, comprising: 
 extruding a first polymer portion having a first physical property through an extrusion die;    coaxially coating said first polymer portion with a second polymer portion having a second physical property that is different from said first physical property to form a body; and    forming said body into a shape to substantially seal said bottle opening.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , said method further comprising, prior to the step of coating said first polymer portion, blending said first polymer portion with a blowing agent.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said first polymer portion includes a mixture of a low density polyethylene and 0.2 percent to 50 percent of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin, and wherein said second polymer portion includes one of an ethylene/methacrylic acid co-polymer based ionomer resin and an elastomer  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said body of said stopper is comprised of 95-99% of said first polymer portion.  
     
     
         34 . A method of producing a stopper for use in a substantially cylindrical bottle opening, comprising: 
 extruding a first polymer portion through an extrusion die;    coaxially coating said first polymer portion with a second polymer portion;    coaxially coating said second polymer portion with a third polymer portion to form a body; and    forming said body into a shape to substantially seal said bottle opening.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , said method further comprising, prior to the step of coating said first polymer portion, blending said first polymer portion with a blowing agent.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said first polymer portion is extruded with one of a substantially cylindrical shape, a substantially cylindrical shape having an opening extending about its axis, and at least a three-fold radially symmetrical shape extending about its axis.