Patent Description:
<CIT> relates to a stopper for sparkling wine according to the preamble of independent claim <NUM>.

One or more embodiments in accordance with aspects of the invention allow a user to dispense a beverage, such as wine, from a bottle or other container. In some cases, dispensing of liquid from such a bottle may be performed one or more times, and a stopper may be engaged with the bottle after each beverage dispensing to seal closed the interior of the bottle. Thus, the beverage may be dispensed from the bottle multiple times and stored for extended periods between each dispensing while minimizing effect on beverage quality. In some embodiments, little or no gas, such as air, which is reactive with the beverage, may be introduced into the bottle after dispensing of beverage from within the bottle. Thus, in some embodiments, a user may dispense wine from a wine bottle and subsequently seal the bottle from air or other potentially damaging gasses or liquids entering into the bottle. In some embodiments, a pressure above ambient pressure may be maintained in the bottle after dispensing is complete, which may help maintain a carbonation level in a sparkling beverage, and such pressure may be established by introducing pressurized gas through the stopper.

In accordance with the invention, a stopper is provided for use with a beverage container having a neck, an opening at the neck to access an interior space of the container, and a lip on an outer surface of the neck. The stopper includes a stopper body having a sealing surface arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck around the opening, e.g., to seal the interior space of the bottle from gasses or other external environmental conditions. A carrier member is mounted for movement relative to the stopper body, e.g., in directions toward and away from the stopper body and/or the sealing surface. A lip engagement member is also be mounted for movement relative to the stopper body (e.g., toward and away from the stopper body and/or sealing surface) and relative to the carrier member (e.g., toward and away from the carrier member). For example, the lip engagement member may be mounted to the carrier member so as to move with the carrier member in some conditions, but be capable of movement relative to the carrier member in other conditions. The lip engagement member includes a pawl mounted for movement between a lip engaging position for engaging with the lip on the container neck and a release position in which the pawl may be prevented from engaging with the lip. For example, the pawl is mounted for pivotal movement between the lip engaging and release positions. The lip engagement member is resiliently biased for movement toward the carrier member by a first resilient element, and this resilient bias may urge the container neck into contact with the sealing surface, helping to establish and/or maintain a seal at the container opening. For example, with the lip engagement member engaged with the container lip, the carrier member may be moved toward the stopper body, which may cause the lip engagement member to urge the container lip, and therefore a portion of the container at the opening, toward the sealing surface. The resilient bias that urges the lip engagement member to move toward the carrier member may help establish a seal at the container opening, as well as allow the stopper to accommodate differently sized container arrangements, e.g., different distances between a container lip and opening area where a seal with the sealing surface is established. The resilient bias may also be part of a detent that operates to keep a handle that is used to move the carrier member and lip engagement member in a closed position.

In some embodiments, movement of the carrier member toward the stopper body urges the pawl to move toward the sealing surface. For example, the lip engagement member is resiliently biased to move toward the carrier member or otherwise coupled for movement with the carrier member, and so movement of the carrier member toward the stopper body may urge the pawl to move toward the sealing surface. This may cause the pawl to urge the container neck into contact with the sealing surface.

In some cases, the carrier member is resiliently biased to move away from the stopper body by a second resilient element, at least in a portion of a range of movement of the carrier member relative to the stopper body. This biasing may help move the carrier member and lip engagement member to a position in which a container neck is disengaged by the stopper. For example, in some cases, movement of the lip engagement member may cause the pawl to move between the lip engaging and release positions. If movement of the carrier member is coupled with movement of the lip engagement member, movement of the carrier member may cause the pawl to move between the lip engaging and release positions. Thus, a bias that causes the carrier member to move away from the stopper body may cause the pawl to move to a release position, allowing the stopper to disengage from the container.

In some embodiments, the stopper may include a carrier drive arranged to move the carrier member relative to the stopper body. Where movement of the carrier member and lip engagement member are coupled together, the carrier drive may operate to move the lip engagement member as well. In one embodiment, the carrier drive may include a cam and cam follower arranged to move the carrier member relative to the stopper body based on rotation of the cam. For example, the cam may be pivotally mounted to the stopper body for rotation, and the cam follower may be arranged on the carrier member so that rotation of the cam causes the carrier member to move. The carrier drive may include a handle attached to the cam and arranged for movement by a user to rotate the cam, e.g., so the user can move the carrier member relative to the stopper body. In other arrangements, the handle may be arranged to move the carrier member and lip engagement member in other ways, i.e., without a cam and cam follower configuration but instead via another linkage arrangement.

In some embodiments, the stopper includes a handle movable between a closed position, an intermediate position and an open position, wherein the intermediate position is between the open and closed positions. The carrier member and lip engagement member may be coupled to the handle so that with the handle in the open position, the carrier member and the lip engagement member may be positioned away from the stopper body and the pawl is in the release position to disengage from a container neck. This arrangement also allows the stopper to be removed from a container because the pawl is in the release position. Movement of the handle from the open position to the closed position may move the pawl to the lip engaging position and move the carrier member and the lip engagement member toward the stopper body. For example, after a container is received by the stopper, the handle may be moved to cause the pawl to move to engage with the lip of the container. Continued movement of the handle toward the closed position may cause movement of the lip engagement member toward the stopper body until the pawl engages with the lip and the sealing surface engages with the portion of the neck around the opening. At this point, the carrier member may continue movement toward the stopper body and away from the lip engagement member against the urging of the first resilient element. However, the lip engagement member may cease movement toward the stopper body because the engagement of the pawl with the lip of the container and contact of the container with the sealing surface may prevent further movement of the lip engagement member toward the stopper body. Movement of the carrier member toward the stopper body and away from the lip engagement member against the urging of the first resilient element (which urges the lip engagement member to move toward the carrier member) may cause the lip engagement member to resiliently urge the container into contact with the sealing surface, helping to establish a seal at the container opening.

In some cases, movement of the handle from the closed position to the intermediate position causes the carrier member and the lip engagement member to move away from the stopper body such that the seal at the sealing surface is broken but the pawl remains in the lip engaging position, preventing the stopper from being removed from the container. This may enable venting of the interior space of the container while maintaining engagement of the stopper with the container.

In one embodiment, sliding movement of the lip engagement member away from the stopper body moves the pawl from the lip engaging position to the release position, and movement of the lip engagement member toward the stopper body moves the pawl from the release position to the lip engaging position. As a result, movement of the lip engagement member may control whether the pawl is in the release position or the lip engaging position. For example, when the handle is in the open position, the lip engagement member may be positioned relative to the stopper body by the handle to cause the pawl to be in the release position. In contrast, when the handle is in the closed position, the lip engagement member may be positioned relative to the stopper body to cause the pawl to be in the lip engaging position. In one embodiment, the stopper body includes a sidewall that defines a cavity into which the neck of the container is received, and the sidewall may include an opening into which the pawl extends in the lip engaging position to engage with the lip of the container. The pawl may be spring biased to move toward the lip engaging position and movement of the lip engagement member away from the stopper body (e.g., in response to handle movement toward the open position) may cause a portion of the sidewall at the opening to contact the pawl and move the pawl to the release position against the spring bias. When the lip engagement member moves toward the stopper body (e.g., in response to handle movement toward the closed position), the pawl may be moved out of contact with the portion of the sidewall at the opening, allowing the pawl to move to the lip engaging position.

In one embodiment, the stopper body includes a cup-shaped body having a sidewall that defines a cavity and an opening at a lower end to receive the neck of the container into the cavity. The sealing surface may be located in the cavity at a side opposite the opening, e.g., so that a container neck must be fully received into the cavity to cause the portion of the container at the opening to contact the sealing surface. The lip engagement member may include a sleeve positioned around the sidewall of the stopper body and be slidably movable relative to the stopper body. The pawl may be pivotally mounted to the sleeve, e.g., for movement about a horizontal axis or axis perpendicular to the sliding movement direction of the lip engagement member relative to the stopper body. The carrier member may include a ring positioned around the sidewall of the stopper body and be slidably movable relative to the stopper body. The carrier member may include a guide along which the sleeve of the lip engagement member is movable relative to the carrier member, with the guide including the first resilient element in the form of a spring arranged to bias the sleeve to move toward the ring. For example, two or more guides may extend from the carrier member ring and engage with the lip engagement member sleeve to guide movement of the sleeve relative to the ring.

In some embodiments, the stopper body includes a gas pathway that extends from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and is arranged to introduce pressurized gas into the container. For example, the gas pathway may extend from a top of the stopper body where the gas inlet is located to a location adjacent the sealing surface where the gas outlet is located. A check valve or other one-way valve may be provided in the gas pathway to prevent flow from the gas outlet to the inlet. Thus, pressurized gas may be introduced into a container engaged by the stopper to place the beverage under pressure. The stopper may include a vent, e.g., to vent pressure in the container over a threshold and prevent potentially high pressure conditions in the container. The stopper may also include a pressure indicator, e.g., to indicate whether pressure in the container is below or above a threshold.

Various exemplary embodiments of the device are further depicted and described below.

Aspects of the invention are described with reference to various embodiments, and to the figures, which include:.

Aspects of the invention are described below with reference to illustrative embodiments, but it should be understood that aspects of the invention are not to be construed narrowly in view of the specific embodiments described. Thus, aspects of the invention are not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should also be understood that various aspects of the invention may be used alone and/or in any suitable combination with each other, and thus various embodiments should not be interpreted as requiring any particular combination or combinations of features. Instead, one or more features of the embodiments described may be combined with any other suitable features of other embodiments.

<FIG> and <FIG> show a stopper <NUM> for use with a container <NUM>, such as a container <NUM> that holds a sparkling beverage and that initially has a cork or other closure that seals an opening <NUM> of the container <NUM>. Thus, the cork or other closure may be removed from the opening <NUM> to allow pouring of beverage from the container and the stopper <NUM> may be used to re-seal or close the opening <NUM>. As discussed more below, the stopper <NUM> may permit the interior space of the container <NUM> to be pressurized, e.g., so that a carbonated beverage may remain carbonated during storage with the stopper <NUM>, but this is not required. As is the case with many sparkling and other wine bottles, the neck of the container includes a lip <NUM> below the opening <NUM> that is used to engage with a metal cap and wire retainer or other component that helps keep the cork or other closure in the opening <NUM>. With the cork retainer and the cork or other closure removed as shown in <FIG>, the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM> is open for dispensing beverage. Thereafter, the stopper <NUM> may be engaged with the container <NUM> to seal the opening <NUM> closed as shown in <FIG>, and later removed as shown in <FIG> to permit further dispensing of beverage from the container <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the stopper <NUM> includes a handle <NUM> that can be moved between a closed position shown in <FIG> and an open position shown in <FIG>. With the handle <NUM> in the closed position, the stopper <NUM> may be secured to the container <NUM> so that the stopper <NUM> cannot be removed and so that the opening <NUM> is sealed closed, e.g., to hold a pressure in the container above ambient. With the stopper <NUM> secured to the container <NUM>, pressurized gas may be introduced into the container <NUM> via a gas inlet port <NUM>, e.g., pressurized CO2 or other gas may be introduced into the container to pressurize the interior space of the container <NUM>. The stopper <NUM> may include a pressure indicator <NUM>, such as a colored light, numerical display, or other indicator that provides an indication of pressure in the container <NUM>. For example, the pressure indicator <NUM> may indicate a red light when pressure in the container <NUM> is below threshold, and a green light when the pressure is above the threshold. In some cases, the pressure indicator <NUM> may provide no light indication (neither red nor green) when the pressure in the container is at or around ambient, which is also the case when the stopper <NUM> is not engaged with a container <NUM>. The stopper <NUM> may include a vent feature to release pressure in the interior space of the container <NUM> above a threshold, e.g., to prevent storage of the container <NUM> with a higher than desired pressure in case too much pressurized gas is introduced into the container. With the handle <NUM> in the open position, the stopper <NUM> can be removed from the container <NUM> to allow pouring from the container <NUM>, and to allow the stopper <NUM> to be placed onto a container neck. In accordance with an aspect of the invention and as described more below, the handle <NUM> may be moved to an intermediate position between the closed and open positions whereby the seal between the stopper <NUM> and the container opening <NUM> is broken, but the stopper <NUM> remains secured to the container <NUM> so the stopper <NUM> cannot be removed. This may allow the interior space of the container <NUM> to be vented of any internal pressure (e.g., ambient pressure can be established in the interior space) while minimizing risk that the stopper <NUM> will be forcibly ejected from the container <NUM> by escaping gas. In some embodiments, the interior space of the container can be vented without moving the handle <NUM>, e.g., while the handle <NUM> remains in the closed position. As described more below, some stopper configurations can allow the stopper to be manipulated relative to the container while the stopper is engaged with the container so that a sealing surface that establishes a seal with a portion of the container at the opening <NUM> momentarily or otherwise breaks sufficient contact with a portion of the container so that pressure in the interior space can be vented. In some cases, the stopper <NUM> can be manipulated by tilting or rotating the stopper <NUM> about an axis that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container (e.g., the longitudinal axis can be along to a direction in which a cork or other closure is inserted/removed from the opening <NUM> of the container and/or along a direction in which the container neck is received by the stopper <NUM>). Tilting or rotating of the stopper <NUM> can cause a sealing surface to lose contact or reduce a contact force with the container so that a seal with the container is at least partially broken to allow pressure to escape from the container. This can allow pressure release or other venting of the container without taking any action to disengage the stopper from the container, and thus may reduce risk that the stopper will disengage entirely from the container while pressure is held in the interior space.

<FIG> shows a bottom view of the stopper <NUM> and illustrates a stopper body <NUM> located within the outer housing <NUM> of the stopper <NUM> that includes an opening <NUM> to provide access to a cavity <NUM> defined by a sidewall <NUM> of the body <NUM>. The neck of a container <NUM> can be received into the cavity <NUM> so that the stopper <NUM> can engage with the container <NUM> to seal the opening <NUM> closed. In some embodiments, one or more pawls <NUM> may engage with the lip <NUM> of the container <NUM> to secure the stopper <NUM> to the container <NUM> as well as urge a sealing surface <NUM> at a side of the cavity <NUM> opposite the opening <NUM> into contact with a portion of the neck around the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM> to form a seal with the container <NUM>. An insert <NUM> of the stopper body <NUM> may be inserted into the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM>, e.g., to help stabilize the stopper <NUM> relative to the container <NUM>, help form a seal with the container <NUM> such as by sealingly engaging with an inner surface of the container neck, and/or to position components of the stopper <NUM> such as a pressure sensor inside the container <NUM>. In some cases, the insert <NUM> may be sized and/or shaped to allow the stopper <NUM> to be tilted or otherwise moved relative to the container to allow venting of the interior space of the container while the stopper is engaged with the container. For example, the insert <NUM> may be suitably small in diameter and/or length to allow tilting of the stopper without contact or other interference by the insert <NUM> with the interior surface of the container. The insert <NUM> may include a gas outlet through which pressurized gas introduced at the gas inlet <NUM> is introduced into the container interior space, a vent to release high pressure from the interior space, or other components. For example, <FIG> and <FIG> show a check valve <NUM> in the gas pathway near the gas outlet that permits flow from the gas inlet <NUM> into the container <NUM>, but resists flow from the container <NUM> to the gas inlet <NUM>. The insert <NUM> may also include a pressure sensor arranged as a movable plunger in the insert <NUM>. The plunger may be spring loaded, i.e., biased to move in the insert <NUM> in a downward direction in <FIG> and <FIG> and otherwise sealed in the gas pathway to prevent flow from the container past the plunger. Pressure in the container <NUM> will urge the plunger to move upwardly in the insert <NUM>, against the spring bias. The extent of movement of the plunger will indicate pressure in the container <NUM>, and the movement of the plunger can be detected by a suitable sensor or other arrangement, such as a Hall effect sensor, a magnet/reed sensor, one or more switches that are activated by plunger movement, etc. The sensor arrangement can provide an indication of pressure, such as by causing illumination of one or more LEDs, display of a numerical pressure indication, physical movement of a pressure dial or other indicator, etc..

<FIG> and <FIG> respectively show cross sectional views along the lines <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> in <FIG>, but with the handle <NUM> and outer housing <NUM> of the stopper <NUM> removed for clarity. When a container <NUM> neck is received into the cavity <NUM>, e.g., by placing the opening <NUM> of the stopper <NUM> over the top of the container <NUM>, the insert <NUM> is received into the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM> and the upper surface of the neck near the opening <NUM> is positioned in contact with or at least near the sealing surface <NUM>, which may include a gasket including a suitably resilient or otherwise arranged material to form a seal with the container <NUM> at the opening <NUM>. The sealing surface <NUM> may include a radially inner conical portion 13a and a radially outer flat portion 13b. The conical portion 13a may help form a seal with an opening <NUM> at an inner surface of the opening <NUM>, and the flat portion 13b may help form a seal with an outer surface of the opening <NUM>. To receive the neck into the cavity <NUM> (or disengage the stopper <NUM> from a container <NUM>), the handle <NUM> is moved to the open position shown in <FIG> which causes the pawls <NUM> to move to a release position shown in dashed line in <FIG>. This allows the lip <NUM> and other portions of the neck to be received into (or removed from) the cavity <NUM> without interference by the pawls <NUM>. The pawls <NUM> are pivotally mounted about a pivot axis <NUM> to a lip engagement member <NUM> so the pawls <NUM> can move between the release position and a lip engaging position as shown in <FIG> in solid line. To move the pawls <NUM> to the release position, the lip engagement member <NUM> is moved away from the stopper body <NUM> and/or the sealing surface <NUM> (downwardly in <FIG> and <FIG> as shown by the arrows and dashed line indication in <FIG>) so that a part of the pawls <NUM> contacts a part of the stopper body <NUM> at the opening <NUM> through which the pawls <NUM> can extend to engage with a container neck. This contact between the pawls <NUM> and the stopper body <NUM> at the opening <NUM> pivots the pawls <NUM> to the release position against the bias of a spring <NUM> that urges the pawls <NUM> to move to the lip engaging position. In some embodiments, the lip engagement member <NUM> is mounted for movement with a carrier member <NUM>, which is also slidably movable both toward and away from the stopper body <NUM> (up and down in <FIG> and <FIG>, respectively). Movement of the carrier member <NUM> away from the stopper body <NUM> and/or the sealing surface <NUM> causes the lip engagement member <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM> and/or sealing surface <NUM> as well. (Movement of the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> can be caused by a carrier drive <NUM> (see <FIG>), which is described in more detail below. However, in some embodiments the carrier member <NUM> and carrier drive <NUM> can be eliminated and the lip engagement member <NUM> moved by a handle or other actuator in a more direct way. For example, a handle mounted to the stopper <NUM> can be coupled to the lip engagement member <NUM>, e.g., by a linkage, to move the lip engagement member <NUM> relative to the stopper body <NUM>.

With the carrier member <NUM> and lip engagement member <NUM> positioned away from the stopper body <NUM> and a container neck received in the cavity <NUM>, the handle <NUM> may be moved toward the closed position shown in <FIG> to engage the stopper <NUM> with the container <NUM>. Movement of the handle <NUM> from the open position toward the closed position moves the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> toward the stopper body <NUM> (e.g., upward in the figures). This movement of the lip engagement member <NUM> takes the pawls <NUM> out of contact with the stopper body <NUM> at the openings <NUM>, allowing the springs <NUM> to bias the pawls <NUM> to the lip engaging position as shown in solid line in <FIG>. Distal ends of the pawls <NUM> opposite the pivot axes <NUM> are positioned below the lip <NUM> of the container neck, and as the handle <NUM> continues to move toward the closed position, the carrier member <NUM> and lip engagement member <NUM> are moved toward the stopper body <NUM>, thus moving the pawls <NUM> toward the sealing surface <NUM> and toward the lip <NUM> of the container. Once the pawls <NUM> contact the lip <NUM> of the container, the lip engagement member <NUM> will stop movement relative to the container <NUM>, and instead move the container opening <NUM> toward the sealing surface <NUM> as the pawl <NUM> (and lip engagement member <NUM> as a whole) move toward the sealing surface <NUM>. As described more below, the lip engagement member <NUM> is resiliently biased to move toward the carrier member <NUM> (e.g., upwardly relative to the carrier member <NUM>). Thus, once the pawls <NUM> are engaged with the lip <NUM> of the container and the container opening <NUM> engages with the sealing surface <NUM>, the lip engagement member <NUM> will no longer move toward or upwardly relative to the stopper body <NUM>. However, the carrier member <NUM> will continue in movement toward the stopper body <NUM> against the resilient bias that urges the lip engagement member <NUM> to move toward the carrier member <NUM> until the handle <NUM> reaches the closed position. This results in the sealing surface <NUM> being resiliently biased against the portion of the container <NUM> at the opening <NUM>, helping to maintain a proper seal at the opening <NUM>. (In some embodiments, resilient bias on the sealing surface <NUM> to engage the sealing surface <NUM> with the container can be provided in other ways, such as by mounting the pawls <NUM> in a spring-biased fashion on the lip engagement member <NUM> (e.g., so a spring urges the pawls <NUM> to move upwardly relative to the lip engagement member <NUM> and is compressed when the pawls <NUM> engage the lip <NUM> and the sealing surface <NUM> is in contact with the container). In some embodiments, the sealing surface <NUM> can be mounted to the stopper body <NUM> so the sealing surface <NUM> is spring biased to move downwardly relative to the stopper body <NUM>. Thus, once the sealing surface <NUM> contacts the container, the spring between the sealing surface <NUM> and the stopper body <NUM> can compress and maintain a resilient bias on the sealing surface <NUM> while allowing the sealing surface <NUM> to move relative to the stopper body <NUM>. These arrangements can allow for the elimination of the carrier member <NUM>, carrier drive <NUM>, biasing element between the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM>, and so on.

To remove the stopper <NUM> from the container <NUM>, the handle <NUM> is moved from the closed position toward the open position, which causes the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM>. This moves the pawls <NUM> away from the sealing surface <NUM>, allowing the sealing surface <NUM> to break the seal with the container <NUM> at the opening <NUM>. This allows any gas pressure in the container <NUM> to be released. Although the seal with the container <NUM> is broken, the pawls <NUM> remain engaged with the lip <NUM> of the container <NUM> while the handle <NUM> is in an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, preventing removal of the stopper <NUM> from the container <NUM>. This allows pressure to be vented or otherwise released without the pressure forcing the stopper <NUM> to be ejected from the container <NUM>. Once the handle <NUM> is moved to the open position, the pawls <NUM> contact the stopper body <NUM> at the openings <NUM>, moving the pawls <NUM> to the release position and allowing removal of the stopper <NUM> from the container.

<FIG> show a perspective view of the stopper body <NUM>, carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> with various parts removed to illustrate how the parts move relative to each other and operate to engage and disengage from a container <NUM>. In <FIG>, the outer housing <NUM> and handle <NUM> are removed. <FIG> shows the carrier drive <NUM> which in this embodiment includes a cam <NUM> and cam follower <NUM> that serve to move the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> with movement of the handle <NUM>. That is, the cam <NUM> is coupled to the handle <NUM>, e.g., fixed to the handle <NUM>, so that movement of the handle <NUM> between the open and closed positions rotates the cam <NUM> relative to the cam follower <NUM> and the carrier member <NUM>. In <FIG>, the cam <NUM> is in a position corresponding to the closed position of the handle <NUM>, and thus the carrier member <NUM> is located toward the stopper body <NUM> (an uppermost position of the carrier member <NUM>). Since the carrier member <NUM> is biased to move away from the stopper body <NUM> (downwardly) by the springs <NUM> (see <FIG>), the cam <NUM> drives movement of the carrier member <NUM> toward the stopper body <NUM> against the bias of the springs <NUM> when the handle <NUM> is moved to the closed position. Likewise, when the cam <NUM> is rotated clockwise in <FIG> as the handle <NUM> is moved toward the open position, the lobe of the cam <NUM> allows the cam follower <NUM> and the carrier member <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM> (downwardly in <FIG>) under the bias of the springs <NUM>. Note that in some embodiments, the handle <NUM> may be coupled to the carrier member <NUM> in other ways, such that rotation of the handle <NUM> drives movement of the carrier member <NUM> both toward and away from the stopper body <NUM>, rather than just toward the stopper body <NUM> as in this embodiment. For example, other linkage arrangements than a cam and cam follower may be provided, or a cam and cam follower may be arranged to provide such movement (e.g., the cam may include a closed slot and the cam follower may include a pin that rides in the slot and drives movement of the carrier member <NUM> both toward and away from the stopper body <NUM>).

Guides <NUM> extend downwardly from the carrier member <NUM> to guide movement of the lip engagement member <NUM> relative to the carrier member <NUM>. In this embodiment, the guides <NUM> includes four pins that extend downwardly from the carrier member <NUM>, but other guide arrangements are possible, such as one or more rails, slots, etc. and corresponding features on the lip engagement member <NUM>. The guides <NUM> extend through holes in an upper portion of the lip engagement member <NUM>, and a spring <NUM> is mounted on each guide <NUM> below the holes of the lip engagement member <NUM>. The springs <NUM> are captured at a lower end of the guides <NUM> so the springs <NUM> cannot move below a bottom of the guide <NUM>, and the springs <NUM> are arranged to bias the lip engagement member <NUM> to move toward the carrier member <NUM> (upwardly in <FIG> shows the lip engagement member <NUM> in a position that corresponds to that in which a container neck is received in the cavity <NUM> and the pawls <NUM> are engaged with the lip <NUM> of the container <NUM> to urge the container <NUM> into contact with the sealing surface <NUM>. Thus, the lip engagement member <NUM> is positioned away from the carrier member <NUM> and the springs <NUM> are compressed in <FIG>, urging the pawls <NUM> (and the container neck) to move toward the sealing surface <NUM>. Therefore, it is the springs <NUM> in some embodiments that provide the resilient bias to help establish and maintain a seal between the sealing surface <NUM> and the container opening <NUM>. If no container neck was received in the cavity <NUM> and the handle <NUM> was in a closed position as in <FIG>, the lip engagement member <NUM> would be positioned toward the carrier member <NUM> and the springs <NUM> would not be compressed (or compressed to a lesser degree). As discussed above, a resilient bias to help establish and maintain a seal between the sealing surface and the container opening can be provided in other ways, e.g., where the carrier member <NUM>, guides <NUM> and springs <NUM> are eliminated and a spring coupling is provided between the lip engagement member <NUM> and/or the pawls <NUM> and the sealing surface <NUM>.

In some embodiments, manipulation of the stopper <NUM> from a rest position relative to an engaged container can at least partially break a seal between the sealing surface <NUM> and the container opening <NUM>. For example, tilting of the stopper <NUM> about a horizontal axis (where the stopper and container are oriented vertically) can cause the sealing surface <NUM> to be tilted or otherwise oriented to lose contact with or reduce a contact force on the container opening <NUM>. This can allow pressure in the container to be vented even while the stopper <NUM> is fully engaged on the container, e.g., with the handle <NUM> in the closed position. Tilting or other manipulation of the stopper <NUM> relative to the container can be permitted in some embodiments by the springs <NUM> which provide a resilient bias between the lip engagement member <NUM> (and pawls <NUM>) and the sealing surface <NUM>. That is, movement of the stopper body <NUM> can cause one or more of the springs <NUM> to compress more than others and so allow the sealing surface <NUM> to be moved relative to the container opening <NUM>. This can cause the seal between the sealing surface <NUM> and the container opening <NUM> to broken, at least momentarily, so pressure in the container can be vented. Release of the stopper <NUM> can allow the stopper <NUM> to move back to a rest position where the springs <NUM> equally bias the sealing surface <NUM> into engagement with the container opening <NUM>. Other biasing arrangements that provide a resilient force to engage the sealing surface <NUM> with the container opening <NUM> can permit manipulation of the stopper <NUM> and consequent venting. For example, a spring bias between the pawls <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> and/or a spring bias between the sealing surface <NUM> and the stopper body <NUM> can permit manipulation of the stopper and venting while the stopper <NUM> remains engaged with the container <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a view of the <FIG> arrangement with a sleeve part of the lip engagement member <NUM> removed from view. The pawls <NUM> can be seen in the lip engaging position, extending through a corresponding opening <NUM> in the stopper body <NUM> to engage a container neck. Torsion springs <NUM> that bias the pawls <NUM> to move toward the lip engaging position can be seen as well. Because the pawl pivot <NUM> is located suitably relative to the opening <NUM>, the pawls <NUM> are out of contact with the stopper body <NUM> at the opening <NUM>, allowing the pawls <NUM> to move under the spring <NUM> bias to the lip engaging position. However, if the lip engagement member <NUM> is moved away from the stopper body <NUM> (downwardly) from the position of <FIG>, the pivot <NUM> and pawl <NUM> are moved such that the pawl <NUM> contacts the stopper body <NUM> at the opening <NUM> and moves the pawl <NUM> to the release position. This movement occurs when the handle <NUM> is moved to the open position, and is driven by the springs <NUM> urging the carrier member <NUM> and the lip engagement member <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM> as the cam <NUM> rotates to permit the cam follower <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM> (downwardly in <FIG>). <FIG> shows a perspective view of the sleeve portion of the lip engagement member <NUM> without the pawls <NUM> and springs <NUM>. The sleeve portion of the lip engagement member <NUM> in this embodiment extends around the sidewall <NUM> of the stopper body <NUM>. Holes <NUM> that receive the guides <NUM> can be seen, as well as slots <NUM> that receive rails <NUM> of the carrier member <NUM> to help guide movement of the lip engagement member <NUM> relative to the carrier member <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a view of the <FIG> arrangement with the lip engagement member <NUM> and carrier member <NUM> removed from view. This reveals the springs <NUM> which bias the carrier member <NUM> to move away from the stopper body <NUM>, and that the cam <NUM> is pivotally mounted to a bushing in the sidewall <NUM> of the stopper body <NUM>. <FIG> shows the carrier member <NUM> isolated from other parts of the stopper <NUM>, and illustrates pockets <NUM> to receive the springs <NUM>, as well as the rails <NUM> which engage with the slots <NUM> of the lip engagement member <NUM>. In this embodiment, the carrier member <NUM> is arranged generally as a ring to support the guides <NUM> and the rails <NUM>, as well as the cam follower <NUM>. Since the carrier member <NUM> supports the guides <NUM>, the lip engagement member <NUM> is mounted to the carrier member <NUM>, although movable relative to the carrier member <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A stopper (<NUM>) for use with a beverage container (<NUM>) having a neck, an opening (<NUM>) at the neck to access an interior space of the container, and a lip (<NUM>) on an outer surface of the neck, the stopper (<NUM>) comprising
a stopper body (<NUM>) having a sealing surface (<NUM>) arranged to contact and form a seal with a portion of the neck around the opening;
a lip engagement member (<NUM>) including a pawl (<NUM>) mounted for pivotal movement between a lip engaging position for engaging with the lip on the container neck and a release position, the lip engagement member (<NUM>) being mounted for sliding movement relative to the stopper body (<NUM>), characterized in that a carrier member (<NUM>) is mounted for sliding movement relative to the stopper body (<NUM>), and the lip engagement member (<NUM>) is mounted for sliding movement relative to the carrier member (<NUM>), the lip engagement member (<NUM>) being resiliently biased for movement toward the carrier member (<NUM>) by a first resilient element (<NUM>).