Systems, devices and methods for opening a bottle sealed with a stopper and for sealing a bottle

Abstract

An apparatus for removing a stopper from a bottle by rotating a threaded capsule surrounding the threaded neck of a bottle. The capsule is preferably received over a narrowed neck of the bottle to maintain the appearance of a foil-wrapped and cork-closed bottle. The bottle may be sealed with plugs (natural cork, synthetic cork, molded plugs), planar seals, or a combination thereof. The capsule may engage the stopper directly or by way of a stopper anchor. Aspects of the invention include preventing uncontrolled egress of stoppers from pressurized bottles, the resealing of various forms of bottles after removal of the stopper, locking the closure in place, and providing evidence of tampering.

1 - 198 . (canceled)  
     
     
         199 . In a bottle having an elongated neck configured for receiving a closure for sealing a fluid within said bottle, the improvement comprising: 
 incorporating exterior threads extending from a portion of the bottle neck configured for receiving a threaded oversleeve; and    narrowing an upper portion of the bottle neck for accommodating sleeve thickness.    
     
     
         200 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein elongated neck of said bottle has a nominal diameter exceeding approximately one inch.  
     
     
         201 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein elongated neck of said bottle has a nominal diameter of approximately one point three (1.3) inches.  
     
     
         202 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein said exterior threads are disposed near the rim of said bottle.  
     
     
         203 . An improvement as recited in  claim 202 , wherein said threads are disposed on the upper one half inch of the bottle neck.  
     
     
         204 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein the outside diameter at said exterior threads is less than the unnarrowed portion of the elongated neck of said bottle by at least one tenth (0.1) of an inch.  
     
     
         205 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein the outside diameter at said exterior threads is less than the unnarrowed portion of the elongated neck of said bottle by approximately one hundred twenty thousandths (0.120) of an inch.  
     
     
         206 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein said narrowing of said upper portion of said neck reduces the diameter of this upper portion in relation to the unnarrowed portion of the bottle neck by at least one tenth (0.1) of an inch.  
     
     
         207 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , wherein said narrowing of said upper portion reduces the diameter of this upper portion in relation to the remainder of the bottle neck by approximately one hundred forty thousandths (0.140) of an inch.  
     
     
         208 . An improvement as recited in  claim 199 , further comprising incorporating at least one recess adapted for being engaged by tooling during the bottle fabrication process.  
     
     
         209 . An improvement as recited in  claim 208 , wherein said recess is a choke ring comprising a recess surrounding at least a substantial portion of the circumference of the bottle neck.  
     
     
         210 . An improvement as recited in  claim 208 , wherein said recess is positioned below said exterior threading of said bottle.  
     
     
         211 . An improvement as recited in  claim 208 , wherein said recess has a depth of at least ten thousandths of an inch below adjacent neck portions of said bottle.  
     
     
         212 . An improvement as recited in  claim 208 , wherein said recess has a depth of approximately forty thousandths of an inch below adjacent neck portions of said bottle.  
     
     
         213 . An improvement as recited in  claim 208 , wherein the diameter of the neck at said recess is approximately one hundred sixty thousandths (0.160) of an inch less that the diameter of the unnarrowed portion of said neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         214 . An apparatus for sealed retention of fluids, comprising: 
 a container configured to retain a quantity of fluid;    an elongated neck on said container, said elongated neck configured for receiving a sleeved closure for sealing fluid within said container;    threads extending from a top portion of said elongated neck and configured for being threadably engaged by threads on the interior of a sleeved closure;    a choke ring proximal to said threads, said choke ring having an annular recess configured for being engaged by tooling during the manufacture of said container; and    a narrowed portion of said elongated neck configured to approximate the diameter of said elongated neck when combined with a sleeved closure.    
     
     
         215 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 214 , wherein said elongated neck has a nominal diameter exceeding approximately one inch.  
     
     
         216 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 214 , wherein said threads are disposed near the rim of said elongated neck of said container on the upper one half inch of said elongated neck.  
     
     
         217 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 214 , wherein said choke ring has a depth exceeding approximately ten thousandths of an inch.  
     
     
         218 - 220 . (canceled)