Stopper particularly for a bottle for containing wine

Abstract

A stopper particularly for a bottle for containing wine comprising a body which can be associated within or at the open end of the neck of the bottle so as to close it; at least one block is associated axially and internally with the body and is made of a material which is permeable to air, impermeable to liquids and porous, its ends being connected, directly or by means of at least one duct, to the inside and the outside of the bottle.

1 . A stopper for a wine bottle that has a neck with an open end and encloses an inside space, comprising: a body which can be placed within or at the open end of the neck of the bottle so as to close it; at least one duct provided in said body; at least one block that is connectable axially and internally with said body, said block being made of a material which is permeable to air, impermeable to liquids and porous, and having ends thereof that are connected, directly or by way of said at least one duct, to the inside space and to environment. 
   
   
       2 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a cavity or receptacle formed therein, which is at most as high as said body, within which said block is connected. 
   
   
       3 . The stopper of  claim 2 , wherein said cavity or receptacle extends in said body starting from a lower end face thereof, which upon placement of the body in the neck of the bottle is directed toward the inside space of the bottle, so that a first end of said block is connected directly to the inside space of the bottle. 
   
   
       4 . The stopper of  claim 3 , wherein said cavity or receptacle and said block are shorter than said body, a second end of said block being connected to said at least one duct, which is formed in said body starting from its upper end face, which is arranged opposite said lower end face. 
   
   
       5 . The stopper of  claim 4 , wherein said body is coupleable with the neck of said bottle turned through 180°, so that said block is connected directly, upon placement of the body in the bottle neck, to the environment. 
   
   
       6 . The stopper of  claim 3 , wherein said cavity or receptacle and said block are as high as said body, so that said first and second ends of said block are connected directly to said inside space and the environment, respectively. 
   
   
       7 . The stopper of  claim 2 , wherein said cavity or receptacle, and therefore said block, are arranged in a position which is axial but axially offset with respect to a longitudinal central axis of said body. 
   
   
       8 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said block is provided with an outer lateral surface that is knurled, so as to improve grip on a lateral surface of said cavity or receptacle within which the block is accommodated. 
   
   
       9 . The stopper of  claim 4 , wherein said body is T-shaped, so as to form a substantially cylindrical head from which a likewise cylindrical stem protrudes which is insertable in said neck of said bottle, said cavity or receptacle being formed at a central axis of said head and being at most as high as said body, at least one complementarily shaped block being inserted within said cavity or seat. 
   
   
       10 . The stopper of  claim 9 , wherein said cavity or receptacle and said block contained therein are shorter than said body, said first end of said block being directed, during use, toward the inside space of said bottle and being connected to said at least one duct, which is formed in said body starting from a lower end face of said stem to said receptacle or cavity, said second end of said block being arranged flush with said upper end face of said head. 
   
   
       11 . The stopper of  claim 9 , wherein said cavity or receptacle and said block contained therein are as high as said body, said first and second ends of said block being connected directly to the inside space and the environment, respectively. 
   
   
       12 . The stopper of  claim 9 , wherein said cavity or receptacle and said block contained therein are shorter than said body, said first end of said block being connected directly to the inside space of said bottle, said second end of said block being connected to said at least one duct, which is formed axially with respect to said body starting from an upper end face of said head. 
   
   
       13 . The stopper of  claim 2 , comprising: a said body which is constituted by a disk which is substantially circular in plan shape and can be positioned on a free end of said neck of said bottle in order to close it; an annular tab protruding from a perimetric edge of said disk toward said neck and so as to partially wrap around it, said cavity or receptacle being formed centrally with respect to said disk, toward the inside space of said bottle; at least one first hole that is formed in a bottom of said cavity or receptacle, said hole forming said at least one duct within which said block can be accommodated, said block being shaped complementarily with respect to said cavity or receptacle. 
   
   
       14 . The stopper of  claim 13 , wherein said bottom of said cavity or receptacle is completely open, so that said block, rigidly coupled beforehand to said cavity or receptacle, is connected directly to said inside space and the environment. 
   
   
       15 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said block is made of sintered material which has such characteristics as not to cause deterioration of wine, and is selectable among stainless steel, glass and ceramics. 
   
   
       16 . The stopper of  claim 15 , wherein the sintered material is a sintered powder that is enriched with a selected percentage of powder of silver or titanium oxide or of any other sinterable material having antibacterial characteristics. 
   
   
       17 . The stopper of  claim 16 , wherein said block made of sintered material comprises interspaces that are present among various particles that constitute the sintered material which are filled in a selected region of said block with a bactericidal substance which does not cause wine deterioration. 
   
   
       18 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said block is made of a solid metallic foam which has a porous structure. 
   
   
       19 . The stopper of  claim 18 , wherein said porous structure comprises pores which, in a selected region of said block, are filled with a bactericidal substance which does not cause wine deterioration. 
   
   
       20 . The stopper of  claim 2 , wherein said body is constituted by a disk, which has a substantially circular plan shape and in which a second hole is formed, and by a fourth gasket, which is associated in a lower region with respect to said disk and has, in a cross-section taken along a diametrical plane, a W-shaped configuration so as to form a central portion, which is substantially cylindrical, hollow and open downward and faces said second hole of said disk, said central portion having two S-shaped wings protruding radially from a lower end thereof, free ends of said wings being interposed, during use, between said disk and the open end of said neck of said bottle. 
   
   
       21 . The stopper of  claim 20 , wherein said cylindrical axial cavity or receptacle is formed within said central portion of said fourth gasket, on an opposite side with respect to said disk, at least one first hole being formed in a bottom of said cavity or seat and forming said duct, said block being accommodatable within said cavity. 
   
   
       22 . The stopper of  claim 21 , wherein said fourth gasket is made of elastically deformable plastic material. 
   
   
       23 . The stopper of  claim 20 , wherein it is associable with a container which is of a type suitable to contain liquids fabricated by Tetra-Pak and having, in a first upper surface thereof, a circular third hole, to a perimetric edge of which an appropriately provided substantially cylindrical inlet is fixed, said inlet being threaded externally complementarily with respect to an annular tab which is threaded internally and protrudes downward from said disk, so that it can be associated with said inlet by screw coupling. 
   
   
       24 . The stopper of  claim 20 , wherein said central portion of said fourth gasket protrudes with an upper end thereof through an appropriately provided complementarily shaped cavity formed within said overlying disk, so that said duct provided in said bottom of said cavity or receptacle is connected directly to the environment. 
   
   
       25 . The stopper of  claim 2 , wherein said body is constituted by a fifth gasket, which is fixed within an appropriately provided opening formed in a second upper surface of a can. 
   
   
       26 . The stopper of  claim 25 , wherein said fifth gasket is substantially cylindrical and hollow and open in a lower region, and has, on a lateral surface thereof, appropriately provided fixing means for nonremovable fixing to said second upper surface of the can. 
   
   
       27 . The stopper of  claim 26 , wherein said nonremovable fixing means are constituted by appropriately provided wings which protrude radially from said lateral surface of said fifth gasket. 
   
   
       28 . The stopper of  claim 27 , wherein said cavity or receptacle in which said block can be accommodated is formed within said fifth gasket toward an inside space of said can. 
   
   
       29 . The stopper of  claim 28 , wherein said fifth gasket is made of elastically deformable plastic material. 
   
   
       30 . The stopper of  claim 1 , wherein said block is made of a plastic material which is permeable to air and impermeable to liquids. 
   
   
       31 . The stopper of  claim 30 , wherein said block is made of a polyolefin plastic material. 
   
   
       32 . The stopper of  claim 31 , comprising a bactericidal substance, that does not cause wine deterioration, that is added in a mixture of said plastic material.