Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CORK HOLDER
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Fleld o~ the invention:
The present invention relates to a device
for holding the ~ork of a bottle adjacent to the neck
of that bottle, in particular but not exclusively a
bottle o~ wine or champagne.
2. Brie~ description of the prior art:
As the color, scent and condition of the
cork of a bottle of wine is indicative of the
maturity, quality and vintage of the wine, fine
connoisseurs and renowned sommeliers proudly present ~-
the cork upon serving each bottle. This is part
etiquette, part justification and part snobbery. The
cork having protected the wine throughout the aging
and maturing process, presentation of the cork upon
serving each bottle delivers the mystique and
refinement of this union.
This presentation is usually carried out
by securing the cork to the bottleneck. As the neck
of a corked bottle of wine is usually covered with a
seal of aluminum, skilled sommeliers cut the aluminum
material to trans~orm this seal into a cork holder.
This operation is very delicate as the aluminum
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material is easily rupturable and is therefore
susceptible of rupture during fashioning of the seal
into a cork holder.
Also, new regulations, particularly in
European countries, have forbidden the use of aluminum
seals on wine bottles. Aluminum is not biodegradable
and is therefore detrimental to the environment.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is
therefore to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks
of the prior art by providing a simple and reusable
device for holding the cork adjacent to the neck of a
bottle of wine or champagne.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a device for holding the cork of a
bottle adjacent to the neck of that bottle, comprising
a first clip member substantially elastically
deformable to removably ambrace and grip the
bottleneck, and a second clip member substantially
elastically deformable to removably embrace and grip
the cork. The holding device further comprises means
for interconnecting the first and second clip members
whexeby the cork is held adjacent to the bottleneck
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when these first and second clip members embrace and
grip the bottleneck and the cork, respectively.
One of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that the interconnected, substantially
elastically deformable clip members enable easy
attachment and detachment of the cork to and from the
bottleneck.
Preferably, the first and second clip
members are fixedly interconnected to each other.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the holding device according to the invention, the
first clip member comprises a first split ring that is
substantially elastically deformable to removably
embrace and grip the bottleneck, and the second clip
member comprises a second split ring also
substantially elastically deformable to removably
embrace and grip the cork.
In accordance with other preferred
embodiments of the holding device, (a) the first and
second split rings are interconnected back to back,
(b) the first and second split rings comprise rounded
tips, (c) the first and second split rings are
coplanar, (d~ the first and second split rings are
! . lying in respective spaced apart parallel planes, ~e)
the interconnecting means comprises an elongated
member which is oblique with respect to the spaced
apart and parallel planes, (f~ the elongated member
comprises first and second bent ends connected to the
first and second split rings, respectively, and (g) ~
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the first and second rings are made of a substantially
elastically de~ormable plastic or metallic material.
The objects, advantages and other features
of the present invention will become more apparent
upon reading of the following non restrictive
description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by
way of example only with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRI~F_DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a
first preferred embodiment of the cork holder in
accordance with the present invention, holding a cork
adjacent to the neck of a bottle of wine;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cork
holder of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the
cork holder of Figures 1 and 2;
! . Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second
preferred embodiment of the cork holder according to
the invention; and
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Figuxe 5 is a perspective view showing the
cork holder o~ Figure 4, holding a cork adjacent to
the neck of a bottle of champagne.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the different figures of the appended
drawings, the corresponding elements are identified by
the same references.
As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the
first preferred embodiment 1 of the cork holder
according to the invention comprises a first clip
member, namely a larger split ring 2 with rounded tips
3 and 4. It also comprises a second clip member, i.e.
a smaller split ring 5 also formed with rounded tips
6 and 7. The two split rings 2 and 5 are fixedly
interconnected back to back through a rigid
interconnecting portion 8 (Figure 2). As shown in
Figure 3, the larger and smaller split rings 2 and 5
are generally coplanar.
The rings 2 and 5 are made o~ elastically
deformable material. Although other mat~rials can be
contemplated, examples of suitable material are
plastic and metallic materials.
Upon installation, thecylindricalsur~ace
of the cork 9 (Figure 1) is applied to the rounded
tips 6 and 7, and pressure is applied to insert the
cork 9 within the ring 5. During this operation, the
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rounded tips 6 and 7 slide on the cylindrical surface
of the cork g to deform the ring 5 and spread the tips
6 and 7 apart from each other, thereby enabling
insertion of the cork 9 in the ring 5. The ring 5,
made of elastically deformable material, then tends to
return to its original shape shown in Figure 2 and
therefore grasps the cork 9.
Thereafter, the rounded tips 3 and 4 are
applied to the neck lo (Figure 1) of a bottle 11 of
wine, and pressure is applied to insert the bottleneck
10 within the ring 2. During this operation, the
rounded tips 3 and 4 slide on the external surface of
the bottleneck 10 to deform the ring 2 and spread the
tips 3 and 4 apart from each other, whereby mounting
of the split ring 2 on the bottleneck 10 is enabled.
The ring 2, made of elastically deformable material,
then tends to return to its original shape shown in
Figure 2, to thereby grasp the bottleneck 10.
As shown in Figure 1, the cork 9 is then
held adjacent to the neck 10 of the bottle o~ wine ll,
generally parallel to the bottleneck
25The second pre~erred embodiment of the
cork holder according to the invention, identified by
the reference 20 in Figures 4 and 5, is especially
! adapted to hold a cork adjacent to the neck of a
bottle of champagne 27 (Figure 5~. The cork holder 20
still comprises the larger split ring 2 with its
rounded tips 3 and 4, as well as the smaller split
ring 5 also with it rounded tips 6 and 7. The rigid
portion 21 fixedly interconnecting back to back the
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two rings 2 and 5 is however different. As shown in
Figure 4, this interconnecting portion 21 is an
elongated member formed with bent ends 22 and 23
fixedly connected to the rings 5 and 2, respectively.
As illustrated in Figure 4, the split rings 2 and 5 of
the cork holder 20 are lying in two spaced apart,
generally parallel planes, the elongated member 21
extending obliquely with respect to these two planes.
Again, the rings 2 and 5 of the cork
holder 20 are made of elastically deformable material,
in particular but not exclusively plastic and metallic
materials.
Upon installation, the generally
cylindrical body 25 of the cork 24 (Figure 5) of the
bottle of champagne 27 is applied to the rounded tips
6 and 7, and pressure is applied to push the cork's
cylindrical body 25 within the ring 5. During this
operation, the rounded tips 6 and 7 slide on the outer
surface of the generally cylindr:ical body 25 to deform
the ring 5 and spread the tips 6 and 7 apart from each
other, wh&reby insertion of the cork's cylindrical
body 25 within the ring 5 is enabled. The ring 5,
made of elastically deformable material, then tends to
return to its original shape shown in Figure 4, to
thereby grasp the cork's body 25.
Thereafter, the tips 3 and 4 are applied
to the outer surface of the neck 26 (Figure 5) of the
bottle of champagne 27, and pressure is applied to
push the split ring 2 on the bottleneck 26. During
this operation, the rounded tips 3 and 4 slide on the
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generally cylindrical surface of the bottleneck 26 to
deform the ring 2 and spread the tips 3 and 4 apart
from each other, whereby insertion of the bottleneck
26 within the split ring 2 is enabled. The ring 2,
made of elastically deformabl~ material, then tends to
return to its original shape shown in Figure 4,
thereby grasping the bottleneck 26.
As can be seen in the appended drawings,
the second preferred embodiment 20 of the cork holder
in accordance with the present invention is capable of
holding the cork 24 adjacent to the neck 26 of the
bottle of champagne 27, while eliminating the
interference caused by the cork's top portion 28 of
larger diameter. More specifically, the elongated
oblique member 21 of the holder 20 increases the
distance between the cork 24 and the bottleneck 26 and
raises the cork 24 with respect to the neck 26, to
give an aesthetic appearance to the assembly.
Advantageously, the dimensions of the
split rings 2 and 5 are selected to fit onto many
sizes o~ bottlenecks and corks.
The rings 2 and 5 can be coloured,
overlaid with coloured cord or ribbon, printed,
engraved or embossed with designs, crests, lettering
! or logos, etc.
The cork holder presents, amongst others,
the following advantages:
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- it temporarily, and without any
complication or need of skill, holds the cork adjacent
to the neck of its bottle after de-corking;
- it eliminates the task of keeping track
of the cork or the problem of where to put the cork;
- the cork remains accessible to scrutiny
without ever hindering serving of the wine;
- one standard size of cork holder can be
used with most of the sizes of wine bottles and corks;
all the while displaying a sophisticated and
cultivated bottle.
Although the present invention has been
described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments
thereof, these embodiments can be modified at will,
within the scope of the appetlded claims, without
departing from the spirit and nature of the subject
invention.
