Container stoppers

Abstract

A stopper is provided for mounting a container and aiding in the application of vacuum to the container. The stopper comprises a visual indicator for indicating when a predetermined level of vacuum has been reached in the container. The bottle stopper comprises one or more ribs for mating with containers having openings of various sizes.

1 . A bottle stopper for sealing a bottle, comprising:
 a first portion having a vacuum port and a vacuum indicator, the vacuum indicator for assuming a concave configuration with respect to a top surface of the first portion upon the application of vacuum to a bottle mounted by the bottle stopper, the vacuum port for coming in fluid communication with a vacuum application member; and   a second portion attached to the first portion, the second portion having one or more ribs for mating with the bottle, the one or more ribs disposed below the first portion.   
     
     
         2 . The bottle stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum indicator is a membrane formed of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         3 . The bottle stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises one or more ribs for mating with the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The bottle stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises a first rib adjacent a second rib, the first rib having a larger diameter than the second rib. 
     
     
         5 . A bottle stopper, comprising:
 a first portion having a vacuum port and a vacuum indicator; and   a second portion attached to the first portion, the second portion having one or more ribs for mating with a bottle, the one or more ribs disposed below the first portion.   
     
     
         6 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , further comprising a plug in the first portion. 
     
     
         7 . The bottle stopper of  claim 6 , wherein the plug may move against a restorative force upon the removal of air from the bottle, and return to its original position with the aid of the restorative force upon the termination of the removal of air. 
     
     
         8 . The bottle stopper of  claim 6 , wherein the plug is disposed above a middle opening of the bottle stopper, the middle opening disposed in the first portion, wherein the plug is for sealing the middle opening from an external environment. 
     
     
         9 . The bottle stopper of  claim 6 , further comprising a spring mechanism disposed above the plug. 
     
     
         10 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , further comprising a support member for preventing the first portion from collapsing into the second portion upon the application of vacuum to the bottle. 
     
     
         11 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , further comprising a cavity disposed below the vacuum indicator, the cavity disposed between the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         12 . The bottle stopper of  claim 11 , wherein the vacuum indicator assumes an upward configuration with respect to a top surface of the bottle stopper when the cavity is not under vacuum, and wherein the vacuum indicator assumes a downward configuration when the cavity is under vacuum. 
     
     
         13 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , wherein the vacuum indicator indicates when the bottle is under vacuum. 
     
     
         14 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , wherein the vacuum indicator assumes an upward configuration with respect to a top surface of the bottle stopper when the bottle mounted by the bottle stopper is not under vacuum, and wherein the vacuum indicator assumes a downward configuration when the bottle is under vacuum. 
     
     
         15 . The bottle stopper of  claim 5 , wherein the first portion comprise a holding surface. 
     
     
         16 . The bottle stopper of  claim 15 , wherein the holding surface comprises one or more of depressions and ridges to aid a user to grasp the bottle stopper. 
     
     
         17 . A stopper for sealing a container, comprising:
 a body portion defining a cavity, the cavity for coming in fluid communication with a container mounted by the stopper; and   a pressure-deformable vacuum indicator operatively coupled to the cavity.   
     
     
         18 . The stopper of  claim 17 , wherein the vacuum indicator assumes a concave or convex configuration with respect to a top surface of the bottle stopper based upon the level of vacuum applied to cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The stopper of  claim 18 , wherein the vacuum indicator assumes a concave configuration with respect to the top surface upon the application of vacuum to the container. 
     
     
         20 . The stopper of  claim 17 , wherein the body portion includes a gripping surface having one or more of depressions and ridges for enabling a user to grasp the bottle stopper.