Vessel closure system incorporating hidden message

Abstract

A vessel closure system incorporating at least one hidden message is provided. The system includes a stopper reversibly occluding a vessel, and reversibly placing the vessel in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, in which the stopper has at least a first portion and a second part that incorporates a hidden message. The message may be humanly visually-perceptible indicia, or may further include stored, machine readable code. The message may be associated with any one of the surfaces of the stopper, or may be at least partially contained within a stopper void. The message may be included on a thin strip of material held between the stopper and the inside of a vessel neck. In some embodiments the stopper second portion may be envisioned as a type of “collar,” of many possible thicknesses, around part of the stopper first portion and the stopper portions may be adhered with an adhesive.

1 . A vessel closure system ( 10 ), comprising:
 (A) a stopper ( 100 );
 (i) having at least a stopper first portion ( 110 ) formed of a stopper first material having a stopper first material resilience and a stopper first material porosity, at least one stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ), at least one stopper first portion top surface ( 112 ), and at least one stopper first portion bottom surface ( 114 ); 
 (ii) at least a stopper second portion ( 150 ) formed of a stopper second material having a stopper second material resilience and a stopper second material porosity, comprising a hidden message; 
   (B) a vessel ( 200 ) having at least a vessel wall ( 205 ) enclosing a vessel volume ( 240 ), at least a vessel opening ( 202 ) in the vessel wall ( 205 ) placing the vessel volume ( 240 ) in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vessel wall ( 205 ) further comprises;
 (i) a vessel wall neck portion ( 210 ) having a vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ), and a vessel wall neck portion outside surface ( 214 ); 
 (ii) a vessel wall body portion ( 230 ) having a vessel wall body portion inside surface ( 232 ) and a vessel wall body portion outside surface ( 234 ); and 
   (C) wherein the stopper ( 100 ) is at least partially containable within the vessel opening ( 202 ) and the stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ) cooperates with the vessel neck portion wall ( 210 ) to reversibly seal the vessel opening ( 202 ) and thereby place the vessel volume ( 240 ) in reversible fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.   
   
   
       2 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the hidden message comprises humanly visually-perceptible indicia ( 300 ) applied to the stopper second portion ( 150 ). 
   
   
       3 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the indicia ( 300 ) is not visually perceptible through the vessel wall ( 205 ). 
   
   
       4 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper second portion ( 150 ) is at least partially in contact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ). 
   
   
       5 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the stopper second portion ( 150 ) has a stopper second portion surface area in contact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ) that is less than or equal to 30% of a stopper first portion surface area of the stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ) in contact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ). 
   
   
       6 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper first portion ( 110 ) and the stopper second portion ( 150 ) are cylindrical and coaxial and the stopper first portion ( 110 ) has at least a first stopper first portion diameter ( 116 ) that is larger than at least one stopper second portion diameter ( 156 ). 
   
   
       7 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one stopper first portion diameter ( 116 ) further comprises at least a first stopper first portion diameter ( 116 ) and at least a second stopper first portion diameter ( 117 ) where the at least one second stopper first portion diameter ( 117 ) is less than at least one stopper second portion diameter ( 156 ). 
   
   
       8 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper second material porosity is less than 10% and the stopper second portion ( 150 ) has a stopper second portion width ( 152 ), and a stopper second portion thickness ( 153 ), and wherein the stopper second portion thickness ( 153 ) is less than 20% of the stopper second portion width ( 152 ). 
   
   
       9 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the first stopper material resilience is at least ten times as great as the second stopper material resilience. 
   
   
       10 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the first stopper material resilience is at least fifty times as great as the second stopper material resilience. 
   
   
       11 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper second portion ( 150 ) is adhered to the stopper first portion ( 110 ) with a non-toxic adhesive. 
   
   
       12 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper first material porosity is at least ten times as great as the stopper second material porosity. 
   
   
       13 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the stopper first portion ( 110 ) and the stopper second portion ( 150 ) are outside of the vessel volume ( 240 ). 
   
   
       14 . A vessel closure system ( 10 ), comprising:
 (A) a stopper ( 100 );
 (i) having at least a stopper first portion ( 110 ) formed of a stopper first material having a stopper first material resilience and a stopper first material porosity, at least one stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ), at least one stopper first portion top surface ( 112 ), and at least one stopper first portion bottom surface ( 114 ); 
 (ii) at least a stopper second portion ( 150 ) formed of a stopper second material having a stopper second material resilience and a stopper second material porosity, comprising a hidden message that further comprises stored, machine readable code; 
   (B) a vessel ( 200 ) having at least a vessel wall ( 205 ) enclosing a vessel volume ( 240 ), at least a vessel opening ( 202 ) in the vessel wall ( 205 ) placing the vessel volume ( 240 ) in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vessel wall ( 205 ) further comprises;
 (i) a vessel wall neck portion ( 210 ) having a vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ), and a vessel wall neck portion outside surface ( 214 ); 
 (ii) a vessel wall body portion ( 230 ) having a vessel wall body portion inside surface ( 232 ) and a vessel wall body portion outside surface ( 234 ); and 
   (C) wherein the stopper ( 100 ) is at least partially containable within the vessel opening ( 202 ) and the stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ) cooperates with the vessel neck portion wall ( 210 ) to reversibly seal the vessel opening ( 202 ) and thereby place the vessel volume ( 240 ) in reversible fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.   
   
   
       15 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the stopper ( 100 ) further comprises a stopper internal void ( 180 ) and the stopper second portion ( 150 ) is at least partially contained in the stopper internal void ( 180 ). 
   
   
       16 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 14 , further comprising a stopper third portion ( 190 ) that is at least in partial contact with the stopper first portion ( 110 ) and the stopper second portion ( 150 ). 
   
   
       17 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 14 , further comprising a stopper third portion ( 190 ) that is at least in partial contact with the stopper second portion ( 150 ). 
   
   
       18 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the stopper first portion ( 110 ) and the stopper second portion ( 150 ) have a stopper portion interface ( 160 ) that at least partially comprises a puncture barrier ( 170 ). 
   
   
       19 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the stopper internal void ( 180 ) is at least partially bounded by a stopper third portion ( 190 ). 
   
   
       20 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the stopper internal void ( 180 ) is at least partially bounded by the stopper first portion ( 110 ) and at least partially bounded by the stopper third portion ( 190 ). 
   
   
       21 . The vessel closure system ( 10 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the stopper internal void ( 180 ) is at least partially bounded by the stopper top surface ( 110 ). 
   
   
       22 . A vessel closure system ( 10 ), comprising:
 (A) a stopper ( 100 ) having a stopper internal void ( 180 );
 (i) having at least a stopper first portion ( 110 ) formed of a stopper first material having a stopper first material resilience and a stopper first material porosity, at least one stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ), at least one stopper first portion top surface ( 112 ), and at least one stopper first portion bottom surface ( 114 ); 
 (ii) at least a stopper second portion ( 150 ) at least partially contained within the stopper internal void ( 180 ) and formed of a stopper second material having a stopper second material resilience less than that of the stopper first material resilience and a stopper second material porosity less than that of the stopper first material porosity, comprising a hidden message that further comprises stored, machine readable code; 
   (B) a vessel ( 200 ) having at least a vessel wall ( 205 ) enclosing a vessel volume ( 240 ), at least a vessel opening ( 202 ) in the vessel wall ( 205 ) placing the vessel volume ( 240 ) in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vessel wall ( 205 ) further comprises;
 (i) a vessel wall neck portion ( 210 ) having a vessel wall neck portion inside surface ( 212 ), and a vessel wall neck portion outside surface ( 214 ); 
 (ii) a vessel wall body portion ( 230 ) having a vessel wall body portion inside surface ( 232 ) and a vessel wall body portion outside surface ( 234 ); and 
   (C) wherein the stopper ( 100 ) is at least partially containable within the vessel opening ( 202 ) and the stopper first portion sealing surface ( 111 ) cooperates with the vessel neck portion wall ( 210 ) to reversibly seal the vessel opening ( 202 ) and thereby place the vessel volume ( 240 ) in reversible fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.