Patent Application
20130020333
The present invention relates to bottles, jars and receptacles, and more specifically to drinking vessels having a base and a volume defining body for containing liquids which are detachable from each other respectively. A base and a body can be attached in at least two configurations, a first configuration resembling conventional drinking vessel which is conducive to drinking liquids from the volume defining body and a second nested configuration that minimizes the space required for storage of the base and body and reduces the risk of breakage when not in use such as during transport.
Stemware is available in a variety of shapes and sizes and may be used for purposes such as carrying, serving, or drinking beverages. For example when consuming wine, champagne, beer, brandy, or cocktails, stemware is often used not only as means for drinking such a beverage, but also as a means of increasing the rate of oxidation and inducing heightened aromas.
One of stemware's uses is in the consumption of wine, where it is generally recognized that olfactory, visual and taste characteristics of any given wine are best displayed and best judged in a traditional transparent wine glass. Conventional wine glasses typically have a foot, a stem, and a bowl defining an interior volume where the bowl is of a parabolic shape.
Stemware glasses are available in many different shapes and sizes, and frequently the shape and size is dependent upon the liquid intended to be served using the particular stemware glass. For instance, stemware glasses for red wine typically have a bowl with a larger diameter than those stemware glasses used for white wine. One reason for this is because a stemware glass with a larger diameter bowl provides a larger surface area for the liquid in the bowl to interact with oxygen in the air, this process being commonly known as oxidation. Oxidation is generally considered to be desirable when drinking red wine because the complex flavors, oils, and spices present in red wine mature and meld after being exposed to air. In contrast, the bowl of many white wine glasses is narrower than that of red wine glasses which reduces the rate of oxidation. Reducing the rate of oxidation is generally thought to aid in containing the crisp, clean flavor that many white wines possess. Beyond the noticeable differences between the typical red wine stemware glass and a white wine stemware glass, other drinks customarily consumed from stemware glasses are designed to enhance the consumers' olfactory, visual, and taste senses during consumption such as champagne flutes, sherry glasses, brandy snifters, beer tulips, and beer goblets.
Stemware can be made of many different materials including transparent materials and opaque materials. Typically, stemware is made of transparent glass which allows the user of such stemware to visually inspect the color and clarity of the liquid that fills the bowl of such a stemware glass. Blown glass, fused glass and lead crystal are a just a few examples of materials of which stemware is made. Unfortunately, glass is breakable and one of the drawbacks to using glass stemware is its fragile nature where even a relatively minor impact of setting the stemware glass down or a hard surface may cause the stem to break separating the foot from the bowl making the glass unusable.
As another example, when consuming beer, the shape of the stemware will affect foam development and retention. The foam or head created by pouring beer into the stemware bowl acts as a net for compounds that evaporate from the beer to create its aroma, such as hop oils, yeast, fermentation byproducts, fusels, fruity esters, or other additives.
Further, the shape of stemware, including the narrowed upper flume, inherently precludes stacking of multiple glasses for space efficient storage. There exists, therefore, a need to make further improvements to many of the various forms of stemware which allows stemware to be more easily stored, protects stemware from damage during storage and transport, and stemware which can utilize replacement and customization parts all without sacrificing the benefits that stemware gives when consuming beverages. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.
My invention does not reside in any one of the identified features individually but rather in the synergistic combination of all of its structures, which give rise to the functions necessarily flowing therefrom as hereinafter specified and claimed.
The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosed subject matter. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosed subject matter, or delineate the scope of the various embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosed subject matter in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description presented later.
A nesting stemware drinking vessel generally provides a base and a body that are dissimilar and releasably interconnectable.
In providing such a nesting stemware drinking vessel it is:
a principle object to provide a base and a body releasably interconnectable in at least two configurations, a first configuration resembling conventional stemware and a second configuration that minimizes the space required for storage of the base and body, eases transport and minimizes the risk of breakage when not in use.
a further object to provide a base of an integrally molded foot and stem.
a further object to provide a foot having plural locking protrusions.
a further object to provide a stem having a releasable connecting means at an end portion opposite the foot for releasably interconnecting the stem to the body.
a further object to provide a body having a bowl which has a generally parabolic shape defining an interior volume with an aperture having a circumferential edge that is rolled inwardly forming a lip having a smaller diameter than exterior diameter of the aperture.
a further object to provide a stem mount extending axially from exterior of the body opposite the aperture, where the stem mount includes a mating portion of releasable connecting means for releasable interconnection with the stem of the base.
a further object to provide a base and a body that are releasably interconnectable in a first configuration to form a conventional stemware drinking vessel.
a further object to provide a base and a body that are releasably interconnectable in a second configuration wherein the stem resides within the interior volume defined by the body.
a still further object to provide such a nesting stemware drinking vessel that is of new and novel design, of rugged and durable nature, of simple and economic manufacture and one that is otherwise well suited to the uses and purposes for which it is intended.
Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings which form a part hereof In carrying out the objects of my invention it is to be understood that its structures and features are susceptible to change in design and arrangement with only one preferred and practical embodiment of the best known mode being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specified as is required.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein like numbers refer to similar parts throughout:
As used herein, the term “bottom,” its derivatives, and grammatical equivalents refers to the portion of my nesting stemware drinking vessel that is closest to a supporting surface. The term “upper,” its derivatives, and grammatical equivalents refers to the portion of my nesting stemware glass that is most distant from the supporting surface. The term “outer,” its derivatives, and grammatical equivalents refer to a portion of my nesting stemware drinking vessel that is distal from an axial center of the nesting stemware drinking vessel. The term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”, that is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used herein and the appended claims are to be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.
It is to be appreciated that various embodiments described herein can be implemented with variable shape, size, and volume in order to meet the demands of beverage connoisseurs while also providing the many benefits inherent with the subject disclosure.
It is to be further appreciated that this disclosure allows for a stemware drinking vessel made of transparent plastics such as, but not limited to polycarbonate, lexan, nalgene and the like that are characterized by high strength, light weight and break resistant qualities. In one embodiment, the subject disclosure allows for a stemware drinking vessel to be made of similarly break resistant but opaque materials such as but not limited to stainless steel. Aspects, features, or advantages of the various embodiments can be exploited in substantially any type of material conducive to the functionality described herein.
The preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout.
My nesting stemware drinking vessel generally provides a body 34 and a base 10.
In the preferred embodiment, base 10 has three spacedly arrayed locking protrusions 13; however it is to be appreciated that in alternative embodiments (not shown) plural spacedly arrayed locking protrusions 13 which may be two, or more than two, locking protrusions 13 could be included in alternate embodiments. End portion 14 of each locking protrusion 13 opposite the stem 25 is angled downwardly and inwardly such that upper portion 15 of locking protrusion 13 extends radially outwardly further from the stem 25 than lower portion 16 of the locking protrusion 13 adjacent the upper surface 12 of the foot 11.
Releasable attachment means 26, such as but not limited to, threads 26a are carried at end portion 27 of the stem 25 opposite the foot 11 to releasably interconnect the base 10 with the body 34. In the preferred embodiment, the releasable attachment means is threads 26a.
As shown in
It is to be appreciated that varying the dimensions of the body 34 such as the height, the depth, the diameter of the bowl 35, or the diameter of aperture 36, can alter the general shape and appearance of the body 34 and the nesting stemware drinking vessel without affecting its functionality. As such, varying the appearance of the body 34 and base 10 to serve various stemware markets is within the scope of the subject disclosure.
It is also to be appreciated that various embodiments described herein can be implemented with a number of different materials including where the body 34, the base 10, the stem 25 and foot 11 are made of different materials.
Having described the structure of my nesting stemware drinking vessel its operation may be understood.
The body 34 is interconnected with the base 10 by means of the mating portions 26a, 40a of the releasable interconnection 26 carried by the stem mount 40 and the upper end portion 27 of the stem 25 opposite the foot 11 to form a configuration similar to a known stemware drinking vessel that is suitable for containing liquids for drinking.
To change the nesting stemware drinking vessel from a drinking configuration (
In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. It may be appreciated, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. Additionally, numerous modifications and variations of the subject disclosure are expected to occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this detailed description. Moreover, it should be recognized that the configurations of the nesting stemware drinking vessel could be modified in an aesthetically pleasing way. As such, the subject disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. Consequently, such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the subject disclosure.
This non-provisional application claims priority to provisional application No. 61/400,115 filed Jul. 21, 2010 by Donald Allen Scott for the same titled invention: Nesting Stemware Glass.
