Stopper For Sealing Bottles, Particularly For Sealing Bottles of Wine For Ageing

Abstract

A stopper ( 1, 100, 200 ) for sealing bottles ( 3 ), particularly for sealing bottles of wine for ageing, comprises:—a main body ( 2 ) shaped in such a way as to be removably housed in engagement in an aperture ( 3 a ) of the bottles,—a first surface ( 5 ) and a second surface ( 6 ) formed on the main body and facing, respectively, the outside and the inside of the bottles when en the main body is received in engagement in the aperture,—at least one passage ( 4 ) extending between the first and second surfaces and capable of making the inside of said bottles communicate with the environment outside the bottles,—a permeable element ( 16, 101, 201 ) which is impermeable to liquids and permeable to oxygen, the said permeable element being extended to seal the said passage in order to regulate the flow of oxygen between the inside and the outside of the bottle, and having an oxygen permeability, measured at 2O° C., in the range from 10 −5 to 10 −11 (Ncm 3 *cm/cm 2 *cm Hg *s).

1 . Stopper for sealing bottles, particularly for sealing bottles of wine for ageing, comprising:
 a main body shaped in such a way as to be removably housed in engagement in an aperture of said bottles,   a first surface and a second surface formed on said main body and facing, respectively, an outside and an inside of said bottles when said main body is received in engagement in said aperture,   at least one passage extending between said first and second surfaces and capable of making the inside of said bottles communicate with an environment outside the bottles,   
     characterized in that it comprises a permeable element which is impermeable to liquids and permeable to oxygen, said permeable element being extended to seal said passage in order to regulate the flow of oxygen between the inside and the outside of the bottle, said permeable element having an oxygen permeability, measured at 20° C., in the range from 10 −5  to 10 −11  (Ncm 3 *cm/cm 2 *cm Hg *s). 
   
   
       2 . Stopper according to  claim 1 , wherein said permeable element comprises at least one membrane having an oxygen permeability, measured at 20° C., in the range from 10 −7  to 10 −11  (Ncm 3 *cm/cm 2 *cm Hg *s), said at least one membrane being of the compact type or of the microporous type, having a molecular cut-off of less than 50 kDalton. 
   
   
       3 . Stopper according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one membrane is of the microporous type with a molecular cut-off in the range from 1 to 30 kDalton. 
   
   
       4 . Stopper according to  claim 3 , wherein said membrane is of the microporous type with a molecular cut-off in the range from 1 to 10 kDalton. 
   
   
       5 . Stopper according to  claim 2 , wherein said membrane is of the compact type and is made from a material selected from a group composed of silicone rubbers, polydienes and their copolymers, cellulose derivatives, styrene/olefin/diene-based copolymers, polyoxides, polyolefins and their derivatives, and fluoridated polymers and copolymers. 
   
   
       6 . Stopper according to  claim 5 , wherein said membrane is made from a material selected from a group composed of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polyisoprene hydrochloride, polymethyl-1-pentenylene, ethyl cellulose, styrene-ethylene-butene-styrene copolymer (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene copolymer (SEPS), poly(oxy-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene), hydrogenated polybutadiene, poly(2-methyl-1,3-pentadiene-co-4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene), butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer, vulcanized trans rubber, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropene copolymer, cellulose acetobutyrate, fluoridated polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polychloroprene, low-density polyethylene, and ethylene vinylacetate copolymer (EVA). 
   
   
       7 . Stopper according to  claim 6 , wherein said membrane is based on silicone rubber, SEBS, SEPS or EVA. 
   
   
       8 . Stopper according  claim 2 , wherein said at least one membrane has a total equivalent area for the passage of oxygen, said total equivalent area being in the range from 0.0078 to 78.5 mm 2 . 
   
   
       9 . Stopper according to  claim 8 , wherein said total equivalent area is in the range from 0.78 to 38.5 mm 2 . 
   
   
       10 . Stopper according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one membrane has a total equivalent thickness of the area through which oxygen passes, said total equivalent thickness being in the range from 5 to 2000 microns. 
   
   
       11 . Stopper according to  claim 10 , wherein said total equivalent thickness is in the range from 10 to 1000 microns. 
   
   
       12 . Stopper according to  claim 2 , wherein said membrane has a water vapour permeability measured at 23° C. in the range from 50 to 500 (g/m 2 d). 
   
   
       13 . Stopper according to  claim 5 , wherein said main body and said membrane are made in one piece from the same material. 
   
   
       14 . Stopper according to  claim 13 , wherein said main body and said membrane are made from SEBS copolymer or from SEPS copolymer or from EVA. 
   
   
       15 . Stopper according to  claim 2 , wherein said membrane is fixed in a support sleeve which in turn is fixed inside said passage. 
   
   
       16 . Stopper according to  claim 15 , in which a seat for housing said support sleeve is provided in said passage. 
   
   
       17 . Stopper according to  claim 16 , wherein said seat is longitudinally delimited by a bead extending radially from said main body towards said passage, and by a shoulder formed in said passage. 
   
   
       18 . Stopper according to  claim 15 , wherein said sleeve has a profile tapered along a longitudinal axis (X) of said passage. 
   
   
       19 . Stopper according to  claim 15  wherein said sleeve comprises a projection extending radially around its outer shell so as to increase the security of fixing between said sleeve and said main body. 
   
   
       20 . Stopper according to  claim 19 , wherein said sleeve has a truncated conical profile and said projection extends from a major base of said sleeve. 
   
   
       21 . Stopper according to  claim 20 , wherein said projection has a sharp edge facing the walls of said passage. 
   
   
       22 . Stopper according to  claim 15 , wherein said membrane is fixed in said support sleeve by overmoulding said sleeve on to said membrane. 
   
   
       23 . Stopper according to  claim 15 , wherein said membrane is made in one piece with said support sleeve. 
   
   
       24 . Stopper according to  claim 1 , wherein said permeable element comprises an insert with a predominant axial dimension, having an oxygen permeability measured at 20° C. in the range from 10 −5  to 10 −9  (Ncm 3 *cm/cm 2 *cm Hg *s). 
   
   
       25 . Stopper according to  claim 24 , wherein said insert is of the compact type, having a total equivalent area in the range from 0.7 to 78.5 mm 2  and a total equivalent thickness in the range from 2 to 60 millimetres.