Self-contained wine bottle foil and cork remover

Abstract

A self-opening sealed container comprises: (i) a bottle having a tapered, hollowed neck; (ii) a compressed stopper-type closure (such as a cork) inserted within the neck of the bottle; (iii) a wrapper (typically made of foil) overlaying the stopper-type closure and extending along the outside of the bottle neck; and (iv) an elongated tab threaded through said stopper-type closure, underlying the wrapper, and extending beyond the wrapper on the outside of the bottle. Additionally, the end of the elongated tab can include some type of gripping means for a user to easily manipulate the present invention. Moreover, in order to prevent mischief and damage during shipment and the placement on store shelves, the gripping means on the end of the elongated tab can be sealed against the bottle itself behind an overlaying plastic wrap. The present invention permits for the use of a suitable, standard-sized cork; however, in order to facilitate the pulling of the cork from the neck of the bottle, the cork can be cross-sectionally split in one or more locations to decrease the force required by the user in removing the cork by pulling on the end of the elongated tab.

1 . A sealed container having an integral opener comprising: 
 a bottle having a tapered, hollowed neck;    a compressed, stopper-type closure inserted within said bottle neck;    a wrapper overlaying said stopper-type closure and extending along the outside surface of said bottle neck; and    an elongated tab threaded through said stopper-type closure, underlying said wrapper, and having an end extending beyond said wrapper on the outside of said bottle.    
   
   
       2 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said bottle is comprised of glass.  
   
   
       3 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said bottle is comprised of plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said stopper-type closure is a natural cork.  
   
   
       5 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said stopper-type closure is comprised of synthetic materials.  
   
   
       6 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein the wrapper is comprised of a metal foil.  
   
   
       7 . The sealed container of claim wherein said elongated tab is a cord.  
   
   
       8 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said elongated tab is comprised of a flexible metal wire.  
   
   
       9 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said stopper-type closure comprises at least one partial cross-sectional cut, while remaining an integral component.  
   
   
       10 . The sealed container of  claim 1  wherein said end of said elongated tab comprises user gripper means.  
   
   
       11 . The sealed container of  claim 10  wherein said gripping means is a tied loop for finger insertion.  
   
   
       12 . The sealed container of  claim 10  wherein said gripping means is a tied knot.  
   
   
       13 . The sealed container of  claim 12  further comprising a plastic extender hanging from said tied knot.  
   
   
       14 . The sealed container of  claim 1  further comprising a transparent overlaying cover to compress said end of said elongated tab against the outside of said bottle.  
   
   
       15 . A self-contained opener for a wine bottle comprising: 
 a compressed, stopper-type closure inserted within the neck of said wine bottle wherein said stopper-type closure comprises at least one partial cross-sectional cut while remaining an integral component; and    an elongated tab threaded through said stopper-type closure and extending to the outside of said wine bottle.    
   
   
       16 . The self-contained opener of  claim 15  wherein said elongated tab is a cord.  
   
   
       17 . The self-contained opener of  claim 15  wherein said elongated tab is comprised of a flexible metal wire.  
   
   
       18 . The self-contained opener of  claim 15  wherein said end of elongated tab comprises user gripping means.  
   
   
       19 . A method for removing a stopper-type closure from the neck of a bottle wherein said stopper-type closure comprises at least one partial cross-sectional cut while remaining an integral component and further comprising an elongated tab threaded through said stopper-type closure with a first end extending to the outside of said bottle, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 pulling said end of elongated tab in a direction away from the opening of said bottleneck.    
   
   
       20 . A method for removing a wrapper overlaying the outside of the neck of a bottle wherein said bottle utilizes a stopper-type closure with at least one partial cross-sectional cut while remaining an integral component and an elongated tab threaded through said stopper-type closure, underlying said wrapper, and having an end extending beyond said wrapper on the outside of said bottle, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 pulling said end of elongated tab in a direction upward and outward from said wrapper.