Closure for a product retaining container

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a closure for a container, such as, for example, a wine bottle. In one embodiment, the closure includes an oxidant releasing agent that is adapted to release oxygen into an interior portion of the container according to a predefined desired profile. In another embodiment, the closure comprises a gas containing reservoir, a membrane and a barrier layer, said membrane allowing an at least partial exchange of gas between the inside of said reservoir and the inside of said container, and said barrier layer at least partially preventing exchange of gas between the outside of said closure and the inside of said reservoir.

1 . A closure for a product retaining container, wherein said closure comprises an oxidant releasing agent. 
     
     
         2 . A liner for a container closure, said liner comprising an oxidant-releasing agent. 
     
     
         3 . A method, comprising:
 forming a liner from a liner material;   introducing an oxygen releasing agent into the liner; and   closing a container with the liner positioned so that the oxygen releasing agent is able to be released into an interior space of the container.   
     
     
         4 . A container comprising a sidewall defining an interior space, wherein the side wall is impregnated with an oxygen releasing agent such that oxygen may be released into the interior space. 
     
     
         5 . A container, comprising:
 a sidewall defining an interior space;   a liner positioned within the interior space, wherein the liner is impregnated with an oxygen releasing agent such that oxygen may be released into the interior space.   
     
     
         6 . A closure for a product retaining container, wherein said closure comprises a gas containing reservoir, a membrane and a barrier layer, said membrane allowing an at least partial exchange of gas between the inside of said reservoir and the inside of said container, and said barrier layer at least partially preventing exchange of gas between the outside of said closure and the inside of said reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said exchange of gas is effected by means of permeation. 
     
     
         8 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir comprises hollow space. 
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas contained in said reservoir is selected from air, oxygen, ozone, nitrogen, sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir extends into the inside of the container. 
     
     
         11 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir has a shape selected from a substantially cylindrical shape, a substantially conical shape, a substantially half spherical shape, and a substantially dome shape. 
     
     
         12 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir is substantially in alignment with a portal forming neck of said container. 
     
     
         13 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir contains a gas volume of 0.01 to 30 cc at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir contains a gas volume of 0.1 to 15 cc at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said gas containing reservoir contains a gas volume of 0.5 to 10 cc at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane comprises a part selected from the group consisting of a plastic film, a laminated film, a multi-layer film, a metalized plastic film, an injection molded plastic part, an extruded plastic part, a co-extruded plastic part, a vacuum-formed plastic part, a blow-molded plastic part, and a deep-drawn plastic part. 
     
     
         17 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane has an oxygen permeation of about 0.00001 to about 0.1 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane has an oxygen permeation of about 0.00005 to about 0.05 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane has an oxygen permeation of about 0.0001 to about 0.01 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane has an oxygen permeation of about 0.0005 to about 0.005 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         21 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane has an oxygen permeation at ambient pressure and ambient temperature that is different from that of said barrier layer. 
     
     
         22 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said membrane forms an integral part of said reservoir. 
     
     
         23 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer comprises a part selected from the group consisting of a plastic film, a laminated film, a multi-layer film, a metalized plastic film, an injection molded plastic part, an extruded plastic part, a co-extruded plastic part, a vacuum-formed plastic part, a blow-molded plastic part, and a deep-drawn plastic part. 
     
     
         24 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tin and its alloys, aluminum and its alloys, steel and its alloys, glass, TPE, PVC, styrene block copolymers, EVOH, nylon, filled nylon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer has an oxygen permeation of about 0 to about 0.05 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         26 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said bather layer has an oxygen permeation of about 0 to about 0.01 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         27 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said bather layer has an oxygen permeation of about 0 to about 0.002 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         28 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer has an oxygen permeation of about 0 to about 0.001 cc/day per container in 100% air at ambient pressure and ambient temperature. 
     
     
         29 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer has an oxygen permeation at ambient pressure and ambient temperature that is different from that of said membrane. 
     
     
         30 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer has an oxygen permeation that is lower than that of said membrane. 
     
     
         31 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer and said membrane have about the same oxygen permeability. 
     
     
         32 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said barrier layer forms an integral part of said reservoir. 
     
     
         33 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said closure further comprises a body made of metal or polymer material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The closure of  claim 33 , wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum and tin and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The closure of  claim 33 , wherein said polymer material is selected from the group consisting of PE, PP, PET, LDPE, and HDPE. 
     
     
         36 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said closure is selected from the group consisting of a bottle cap and a substantially cylindrically shaped bottle stopper. 
     
     
         37 . The closure of  claim 36 , wherein said bottle cap is selected from a screw cap, a roll-on pilfer proof screw cap, a roll-on tamper evident screw cap, and a crown cap. 
     
     
         38 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said product containing container is a wine bottle. 
     
     
         39 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said closure further comprises a sealant layer. 
     
     
         40 . The closure of  claim 39 , wherein said sealant layer is adapted to be held under compression against at least a portion of the surface of said container. 
     
     
         41 . The closure of  claim 39 , wherein said container is a wine bottle and said sealant layer is adapted to be held under compression against the uppermost rim of the mouth of said wine bottle. 
     
     
         42 . The closure of  claim 39 , wherein said sealant layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tin and its alloys, aluminum and its alloys, steel and its alloys, glass, TPE, PVC, styrene block copolymers, EVOH, nylon, filled nylon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The closure of  claim 6 , wherein said closure further comprises an oxygen scavenging agent. 
     
     
         44 . The closure of  claim 43 , wherein said oxygen scavenging agent is selected from the group consisting of ascorbates, sulfites, EDTA, hydroquinone, iron or other metallic active species, tannins and their salts and precursors, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         45 . A method comprising:
 introducing a reservoir into a closure of a container;   providing a gas within the reservoir; and   exchanging through a membrane of the reservoir to an inside portion of the container.