Patent Publication Number: US-6902304-B2

Title: Stopper

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a stopper, and particularly to a stopper suitable for inserting a bottle and capable of exhibiting identification and/or fancy light effect. 
   2. Description of Prior Arts 
   Conventionally, in order to preserve bottled alcoholic drinks, corks are provided as stoppers to be inserted in the bottles. However, most bottles and corks usually have similar colors and shapes, which always takes users much time to recognize. Additionally, the corks are very easily damaged after pulled and inserted two or three times. 
   Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved stopper to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a stopper, which is suitable for inserting in a bottle and therefore facilitates recognizing drink contained therein. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a stopper, which is more durable and diversified than the conventional cork. 
   In order to achieved the above objects, the stopper of the present invention primarily includes a hyaline port, a coupling, a light emitting means, a buffer ring, an embedding port and an insertion. The hyaline port can be made of any proper material and defines a cave on a bottom thereof. The hyaline port is usually a transparent or translucent object in arbitrary shape. The coupling defines a receiving port on top thereof and a step-like hollow in center thereof, and has screw threads surrounding a lower and thinner part thereof. An insulated ring contacts to interior and lower surface of the hollow. The light emitting means is housed in the hollow in the receiving port of the coupling and comprises a circuit board, an illuminant deposited on the circuit board, a dividing sheet deposited on a bottom of the circuit board, and two leads respectively formed on an edge of the circuit board and beneath the dividing sheet. The circuit board can be designed to turn on/off the illuminant or vary color or brightness thereof, optionally. The buffer ring surrounds where the receiving port and the screw threads of the coupling connect to each other. The embedding port defines a cave in a center thereof, and the cave has interior screw threads corresponding to the screw threads of the coupling. The insertion is a conoid with check rings and defines a top cave for receiving the embedding port. The stopper can be assembled by positioning the light emitting means in the hollow within the receiving port of the coupling, embedding the coupling in the cave of the hyaline port, housing the insulated ring and a battery in the hollow of the coupling, and screwing the coupling to the embedding port deposited in the insertion. Accordingly, electrical conduction can be formed and the illuminant can be lit by contacting the lead beneath the circuit board to the battery, when the coupling is screwed more tightly and compressing the buffer ring. 
   Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show components of the stopper in accordance with the present invention and relationship therebetween; 
       FIG. 3  shows the stopper of the present invention assembled well; and 
       FIG. 4  further shows the state of the stopper in use. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show components of a stopper in accordance with the present invention and relationship therebetween. The components include a hyaline head  1 , a coupling  2 , a light emitting means  3 , a buffer ring  45 , an embedding member  5  and an insertion  6 . 
   The hyaline head can be made of any proper material, transparent or translucent, for example, acrylic fibers, glass, crystal, etc. The shape of the hyaline head is not limited, and can be designed according to personal tastes or classification of the drinks. 
   The coupling  2  is electrically conductive and looks like a hollow bolt, i.e., the upper side has a larger diameter than the lower side. Accordingly, the coupling  2  defines a receiving port  21  on top thereof and a step-like hollow  23  in center thereof. As shown in FIGS  1 - 4 , the light emitting means  3  can be received in the receiving port  21 , and then embedded in a cave  11  formed in the bottom of the hyaline head  1 . The coupling  2  has screw threads  22  on the exterior surface of the lower portion. An insulated ring  24  contacts to the interior surface of the lower portion of the coupling  2 . The buffer ring  4  is usually resilient and surrounds the coupling  2  where the lower side is adjacent to the upper side, i.e., where the screw threads  22  of the coupling  2  nears the receiving port  21 . 
   The light emitting means  3  includes a circuit board  32 , several illuminants  31  deposited on the circuit board  32 , a dividing sheet  33  deposited on a bottom of the circuit board  32 , and two leads  321  and  322  respectively formed on an edge of the circuit board  32  and beneath the dividing sheet  33  by penetrating the dividing sheet  33 . 
   The embedding member  5  is electrically conductive and defines a recess  51  in a center thereof. The recess  51  has interior screw threads  52  corresponding to the screw threads  22  of the coupling  2 . Therefore, the coupling  2  can be screwed to the embedding member  5 . 
   The insertion  6  is a conoid with check rings  61  and defines a top cavity  62  for receiving the embedding member  5 . 
   Referring to FIG  3 , the stopper can be assembled by first positioning the light emitting means  3  in the upper hollow  23  within the receiving port  21 , which is then embedded in the cave  11  of the hyaline head  1 . The insulated ring  4  and two batteries  7  are then housed in the lower hollow  23  of the coupling  2 . The insulated ring  24  is provided between the batteries and the interior wall of the coupling to avoid electrical conduction therebetween. At last, the coupling  2  is screwed to the embedding member  5  deposited in the insertion  6 . 
   In the above embodiment, the embedding member  5  and the insertion  6  of the present invention are manufactured separately. They also can be manufactured integrally, optionally. Hence, the cave  62  of the insertion  6  is just the cave  51  of the embedding port  5 , and the interior screw  52  can be formed on interior surface of the cave  62 . 
   FIG  4  further shows the state of the stopper in use, in which the buffer ring  4  is compressed by screwing the coupling  2  more tightly, and therefore the lead  321  on the circuit board  32 , the coupling  2 , the embedding member  5 , the batteries  7  and the lead  322  form an electrically conductive loop to light the illuminants  31 . The circuit board  32  of the present invention can be designed to turn on/off, vary color or brightness of the illuminants. The assembled stopper can be inserted in a bottle by closely contacting the check rings  61  of the insertion  6  with the opening of the bottle. 
   On the other hand, by slightly loosing the coupling  2  from the embedding member  5 , the lead  322  is moved apart from the battery, and the illuminants can be turn turned off as shown in FIG.  3 . 
   According to the above embodiments, the stopper of the present invention exhibits advantages as follows: 
   a) the stopper can be easily assembled by simply screwing and inserting; 
   b) the stopper can show fancy light effect; 
   c) the drinks can be easily recognized according to the diversified stoppers; and 
   d) the insulated ring can effectively separate the battery from the coupling so as to avoid unexpected electrical energy consumption. 
   Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.