Patent Publication Number: US-9889972-B2

Title: Bottle crown system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/052,344, filed Sep. 18, 2014, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Many beverages are sold in bottles sealed with bottle crowns. These bottle crowns may vary in texture and/or appearance according to the brand of beverage they were used to seal. Some people like to use bottle crowns as decorations. 
     SUMMARY 
     A bottle crown engagement system includes a cap structure sized and shaped to releasably receive a bottle crown. The bottle crown engagement system also includes a magnetically attractable clamping member configured to magnetically interact with the cap structure to releasably affix the cap structure to an attachment surface between the cap structure and the magnetically attractable clamping member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of a magnetic bottle crown engagement system. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a magnetic bottle crown engagement system. 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  respectively show a side view and a top view of a crown holder of a magnetic bottle crown engagement system. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of a crown holder of a magnetic bottle crown engagement system releasably affixed to an attachment surface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Bottle crowns, which may be used to seal beverage containers, can provide an inexpensive and easy way to embellish the appearance of various items, such as clothing and accessories. 
       FIG. 1  shows aspects of a bottle crown engagement system  100  which may be used to decorate physical objects. Components of bottle crown engagement system  100  may be configured to releasably receive a bottle crown  116 . Further, magnetic attraction may be used to releasably affix components of bottle crown engagement system  100  to an attachment surface. This may allow a user to decorate, personalize, and/or otherwise embellish the attachment surface with the bottle crown, as will be described in further detail below. 
     Bottle crown engagement system  100  includes a cap structure  102  and a magnetically attractable clamping member  104 . Cap structure  102  includes crown holder  106  and a magnet  108 . The crown holder  106  in turn comprises an annular shoulder  110 , a bottom support  112 , and a magnet attachment recess  114 . In the illustrated embodiment, annular shoulder  110  extends from bottom support  112 , taking the form of an upraised ring, and defining the magnet attachment recess  114 . In other words, magnet attachment recess  114  is defined as the space within the ring formed by annular shoulder  110 . Bottom support  112  is below the annular shoulder  110  and defines the floor of magnet attachment recess  114 . Bottom support  112  may extend completely across magnet attachment recess  114 , or alternatively may form a rim around the perimeter of magnet attachment recess  114  while defining a window through the bottom of crown holder  106 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, annular shoulder  110  is sized and shaped to releasably receive a bottle crown  116 . For example, bottle crown  116  may have previously been used to seal a beer bottle. Accordingly, the size and shape of the annular shoulder  110  may be substantially similar to the size and shape of a corresponding portion of a beer bottle. An attachment force may be applied to the bottle crown, thereby removably attaching it to annular shoulder  110 . Crimped and/or uncrimped bottle crowns may be usable with engagement system  100 . 
     It may in some cases be desirable to releasably affix the cap structure  102  to an attachment surface. This may be done in order to decorate, personalize, and/or otherwise embellish the attachment surface with bottle crown  116  removably attached to annular shoulder  110 . For example, a cap structure  102 , including bottle crown  116 , may be releasably affixed to an article of clothing, such that the bottle crown is visible on the exterior of the article of clothing. Bottle crown engagement system  100  may be used to decorate and/or otherwise embellish virtually any suitable attachment surfaces including, for example, clothing, purses, backpacks, and windows, among others. Further, virtually any bottle crown of appropriate size and shape may be used. A user may select a bottle crown according to its aesthetic appearance, sentimental value, tactile feel, etc. 
     To this end, bottle crown engagement system  100  may be releasably affixed to an attachment surface in a variety of ways. In the illustrated embodiment, magnetic attraction is used to releasably affix the cap structure  102  to an attachment surface. As shown, magnet  108  may be inserted into magnet attachment recess  114 . Magnet attachment recess  114  may be sized to hold the magnet. For example, magnet  108  may be a specific shape (e.g., a cylinder, a cube, a sphere, etc.) with specific dimensions, and magnet attachment recess  114  may take on a complementary shape with substantially similar dimensions. In other words, magnet attachment recess  114  may be substantially the same size and shape as magnet  108 , such that when magnet  108  is inserted into magnet attachment recess  114 , the bottom of magnet  108  is contacting/immediately adjacent to bottom support  112 , and the sides of magnet  108  are contacting/immediately adjacent to the walls of magnet attachment recess  114 . 
     Magnet  108  may be attached to crown holder  106  in any suitable way. In some embodiments, the magnet is removably insertable into the magnet attachment recess. For example, magnetic force between the magnet and the clamping member  104  may effectively attach the magnet to the crown holder  106 . In alternative examples, the sides of magnet  108  may be threaded, and the sides of magnet attachment recess  114  may be correspondingly threaded, allowing the magnet to be threadingly fastened to the crown holder. Alternatively, magnet  108  may include one or more notches, grooves, hooks, latches, or other structures usable for removably attaching the magnet to the crown holder. Magnet  108  may include one or more grooves, recesses, notches, and/or other structures configured to receive one or more tools such as, for example, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc., for removably inserting the magnet into the magnet attachment recess. In other embodiments, magnet  108  may be non-removably attached to the crown holder. For example, magnet  108  may be glued to the crown holder in the magnet attachment recess, or embedded within crown holder  106 . Other suitable mechanisms, fasteners, and/or structures may additionally be used to non-removably attach the magnet to the crown holder. Alternately, techniques for attaching the magnet to the crown holder may be utilized which do not include any fastening aids. Such techniques may include, for example, press fitting. 
     Bottle crown engagement system  100  additionally includes a magnetically attractable clamping member  104 . In some embodiments, magnetically attractable clamping member  104  may be configured to magnetically interact with the magnet  108  to releasably affix the cap structure to an attachment surface. In particular, the magnetically attractable clamping member may include one or more ferromagnetic metals, which may be magnetically attracted to magnet  108 . Additionally or alternatively, magnetically attractable clamping member  104  may include a magnet. This magnet may be aligned relative to magnet  108  such that an attractive force is generated. In some embodiments, cap structure  102  and magnetically attractable clamping member  104  may be positioned on opposite sides of an attachment surface, such that the attachment surface is interposed between cap structure  102  and magnetically attractable clamping member  104 . As a result, once the cap structure and the clamping member are brought together with an appropriate proximity, magnetic attraction between the cap structure and the magnetically attractable clamping member may exert a compressive force on the attachment surface. This compressive force may serve to hold cap structure  102  in place at a position on the attachment surface, allowing for display of bottle crown  116  removably attached to annular shoulder  110 . Manipulation of magnet  108 , magnetically attractable clamping member  104 , crown holder  106 , and/or other components of bottle crown engagement system  100  may allow the cap structure  102  to be removed from the attachment surface and additionally allow the position of cap structure  102  relative to the attachment surface to be adjusted. 
       FIG. 2  shows aspects of a bottle crown engagement system  200  which may be used to decorate physical objects. Similar to bottle crown engagement system  100 , engagement system  200  is usable for decorating and/or embellishing an attachment surface with a bottle crown. To that end, engagement system  200  includes crown holder  202 , annular shoulder  204 , bottom support  206 , and magnetically attractable clamping member  208 . Annular shoulder  204  is sized and shaped to releasably receive a bottle crown (not shown). 
     In contrast to engagement system  100 , crown holder  202  does not include a magnet akin to magnet  108 . Rather, crown holder  202  is made from one or more ferromagnetic materials. Further, magnetically attractable clamping member  208  may include a magnet, which magnetically attracts the ferromagnetic materials of crown holder  202 . Magnetic attraction between the crown holder and the magnetically attractable clamping member exerts a compressive force on the attachment surface. This compressive force may serve to hold crown holder  202  in place at a position on the attachment surface, allowing for display of a bottle crown removably attached to annular shoulder  204 . Manipulation of the magnetically attractable clamping member  208 , crown holder  202 , and/or other components of bottle crown engagement system  200  may allow the crown holder  202  to be removed from the attachment surface and additionally allow the position of crown holder  202  relative to the attachment surface to be adjusted. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  respectively show a side view and a top view of a crown holder  300  having a shape usable with either bottle crown engagement system  100  or bottle crown engagement system  200 . Crown holder  300  includes an annular shoulder  302  and a bottom support  304 . Annular shoulder  302  is configured to releasably receive a bottle crown, and as such may be shaped like the head of a typical beverage bottle to which the bottle crown might otherwise be crimped. An annular recess  306  is present between annular shoulder  302  and bottom support  304 . Annular recess  306  has a smaller circumference than annular shoulder  302  and bottom support  304 , and may be configured to have approximately the same size and dimensions as a beverage bottle neck. Annular recess  306  provides a rounded transition between annular shoulder  302  and bottom support  304 . This rounded transition, in combination with the sizing (e.g., diameter) of shoulder  302 , may allow a bottle crown to be removably attached to crown holder  300  if an attachment force is applied to the bottle crown. 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of crown holder  300  releasably affixed to an attachment surface  400 . Crown holder  300  is positioned on one side of attachment surface  400 , while magnetically attractable clamping member  402  is positioned on the other side. Crown holder  300  may be comprised of one or more ferromagnetic materials, and/or include one or more magnets, as described above. Magnetic attraction between crown holder  300  and magnetically attractable clamping member  402  may exert a compressive force on attachment surface  400 , thereby holding crown holder  300  in place. 
     The components of engagement systems  100  and  200  may be comprised of various suitable materials. For example, crown holder  106  may be comprised of one or more plastics, ceramics, non-ferromagnetic metals (e.g., aluminum, copper, zinc, etc.), alloys thereof, etc. Crown holder  202 , magnet  108 , and magnetically attractable clamping mechanisms  104  and  208  may be made from a variety of suitable ferromagnetic metals and/or alloys thereof, including, for example, iron, nickel, cobalt, steel, etc. 
     Aspects of bottle crown engagement systems  100  and  200  may be modified in virtually any way, while remaining suitable for decorating an attachment surface with a bottle crown. For example, modifications to the geometries and dimensions (e.g., diameters, lengths, shapes, etc.) of the components of engagement systems  100  and  200  may be made. Engagement systems  100  and  200  may be modified to utilize one or more bolts, screws, and/or other suitable fasteners, so as to provide a more secure attachment to an attachment surface. Moreover, engagement systems  100  and  200  may be modified to accommodate objects other than bottle crowns, such as other types of beverage container caps, pins, buttons, etc. Such objects may include non-circular geometries, in some examples. 
     It will be understood that the configurations and/or approaches described herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments or examples are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. 
     The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various processes, systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and/or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.