STACKABLE GLASS ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

The present invention discloses an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses, which is particularly simple and easy to transport, with reduced costs. The glasses are configured to be stacked in a manner such that one glass is above the other glass. The stacking mechanism may be implemented by using a plurality of glasses comprising at least a first glass and a second glass and a lid comprising a top portion and a bottom portion divided by a divider. Here, the bottom portion of the lid fits on a top portion of the first glass. Further, a bottom portion of the second glass fits on the top portion of the lid.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application generally relates to a glass, and more particularly to an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses.

BACKGROUND

In general, a tableware made of glass consists, among other things, of various styles of drinking glasses, and also vases, carafes, bowls, dishes, cups, and other items. Currently these glass items are composed of a single piece. Following technical difficulties in production some of these items may also be formed of more than one part cemented or welded together in an inseparable manner. This prevalently concerns drinking glasses provided with bases, with or without a stem, prevalently produced in blown glass. One major disadvantage is that such glasses are not readily stackable. While recent advancements in glass technology have eliminated stems from glasses, making them at least partially nestable, there remains a great need for beverage vessels that are stackable and easily transportable. In conjunction with stackability, it may be desirable to provide a pre-measured amount of fluid in a portion of such stackable drinkware. While pre-filled (presented to a consumer in a filled, sealed state) beverage containers have been utilized for decades, there remains room for improvement including increased stackability. The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses.

SUMMARY

It will be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular apparatus described herein, as there can be multiple possible embodiments of the present disclosure which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses, which is particularly simple and easy to transport, with reduced costs. The glasses are configured to be stacked in a manner such that one glass is above the other glass.

The stacking mechanism may be implemented by using a plurality of glasses comprising at least a first glass and a second glass and a lid comprising a top portion and a bottom portion divided by a divider. Here, the bottom portion of the lid fits on a top portion of the first glass. Further, a bottom portion of the second glass fits on the top portion of the lid.

The glasses are further provided with a first seal for covering the top portion of the first glass and a second seal for covering the top portion of the second glass, wherein the first and second seals are used to maintain freshness of a sealed beverage in the first and second glasses, respectively.

The stacked glasses are further provided with a covering for covering the stacked or enclosed glasses to obtain a packaging for the same. The covering includes a zipper mechanism that can be pulled down by a user to open the packaged and stacked glasses.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of various examples. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a diagram that illustrates stacking of multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a diagram that illustrates the stacked glasses enclosed in a covering, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of the stacked glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a diagram that illustrates a cross sectional view of a lid for stacking the multiple glasses, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram that illustrates a inside view of a glass, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C diagrams that illustrate different designs of a lid that can be used for stacking the multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of an arrangement or mechanism for using a lid for stacking the multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of an arrangement or mechanism for using another lid for stacking the multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be further understood that the detailed description of exemplary embodiments is intended for illustration purposes only and is, therefore, not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used in the specification and claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” may also include plural references. For example, the term “an article” may include a plurality of articles. Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated, relative to other elements, in order to improve the understanding of the present invention. There may be additional components described in the foregoing application that are not depicted on one of the described drawings. In the event such a component is described, but not depicted in a drawing, the absence of such a drawing should not be considered as an omission of such design from the specification.

Before describing the present invention in detail, it should be observed that the present invention utilizes a combination of components, which constitutes glasses and an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses. Accordingly, the components have been represented, showing only specific details that are pertinent for an understanding of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the present invention.

References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “yet another embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, “another example”, “yet another example”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

The words “comprising”, “having”, “containing”, and “including”, and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements or entities. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements or priorities. While various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed apparatuses have been described below, it should be understood that they have been presented for purposes of example only, and not limitations. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the below teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the present invention, without departing from the breadth or scope.

The modular drinking glass of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which should be regarded as merely illustrative without restricting the scope and ambit of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 1A is a diagram that illustrates stacking of multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Each glass (such as shown by reference numeral 102a) includes a plurality of portions such as a glass portion 102a and a base 104a of the glass 102a. Further, a top of the glass 102a may be temporarily sealed with a freshness seal 106a that is generally used to maintain the freshness of the sealed beverage in the glass 102a Similarly, a top of another glass 102b may be temporarily sealed with another freshness seal 106b that is generally used to maintain the freshness of the sealed beverage in the glass 102b. Similarly, a top of another glass 102s may be temporarily sealed with another freshness seal 106c that is generally used to maintain the freshness of the sealed beverage in the glass 102c.

In an embodiment, the glass portion 102a, 102b, or 102c may be a vertical bowl that is formed in one piece of a suitable material, which may be a transparent material such as, but not limited to, glass, plastic, or crystal. Further, an opening of the glass portion 102a, 102b, or 102c (that is sealed with the freshness seal 106a, 106b, or 106c) may be defined by a circular rim. Each glass portion, the rim, the interior, and the opening are all axially symmetric about a central vertical axis of the glass. The interior of the glass cup or bowl may be configured to hold a liquid beverage such as, but is not limited to, wine, water, juice, gin, or whiskey.

In an embodiment, the plurality of glasses (for example, as shown by reference numerals 102a, 102b, and 102c) may be stacked such that one glass is on top of another glass. The stacking of the multiple glasses may be performed by using at least one stacking device such as a lid 108a or 108b between two glasses. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the lid 108a is placed on top of the glass 102a such that a top portion of the glass 102a is inserted into a lower portion or opening of the lid 108a. Thereafter, another glass 102b is placed on top of the lid 108a such that a bottom portion of the glass 102b is inserted into an upper portion or opening of the lid 108a. Further, another lid 108b is placed on top of the glass 102b such that a top portion of the glass 102b is inserted into a lower portion or opening of the lid 108b. Thereafter, another glass 102c is placed on top of the lid 108b such that a bottom portion of the glass 102c is inserted into an upper portion or opening of the lid 108b. similarly, “n” number of glasses (for example, three glasses as shown by reference numerals 102a, 102b, and 102c) may be stacked with each other by means of “n−1” lids (for example, two lids as shown by reference numerals 108a and 108b). In some embodiments, another similar lid may be utilized to cover a top portion of the topmost glass among the stacked glasses 100 without limiting the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a diagram that illustrates the stacked glasses 100 enclosed in a covering 110, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The covering 110 may be made up of a plastic or paper or cloth or any other material known in the art. The covering 110 may include a zipper kind of mechanism (as shown by 112) that can be pulled down by a user to open the packaged stacked glasses 100. In an embodiment, the stacked glasses 100 may be enclosed using the removable covering 110 while each glass is sold prefilled with some drinks. In some examples, the removable covering 110 may be a covering that extends from top to bottom of the stacked glasses 100. In such a case, the zipper may be pulled down from the top to the bottom of the stacked glasses 100 in order to access the prefilled drinks. In another examples, the removable covering 110 may be a covering that extends from top to half of the stacked glasses 100. In such a case, the zipper may be pulled down from the top to the half of the stacked glasses 100 in order to access the prefilled drinks.

FIG. 2A is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of the stacked glasses 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a top of the glass 102a has been temporarily sealed with the freshness seal 106a and a top of another glass 102b has been temporarily sealed with another freshness seal 106b. Further, the plurality of glasses (for example, as shown by reference numerals 102a and 102b) have been stacked such that one glass is on top of another glass. The stacking of the multiple glasses has been performed by using at least a stacking device such as the lid 108a between the two glasses. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the lid 108a is placed on top of the glass 102a such that a top portion of the glass 102a is inserted into a lower portion or opening of the lid 108a. Thereafter, another glass 102b is placed on top of the lid 108a such that a bottom portion of the glass 102b is inserted into an upper portion or opening of the lid 108a.

FIG. 2B is a diagram that illustrates cross sectional view of the lid 108a for stacking the multiple glasses 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The cross-sectional view of the lid 108a shows inner architecture or design of the lid 108a. The lid 108a includes a divider 114 that divides an upper portion and a lower portion of the lid 108a symmetrically. Also, the divider 114 acts as a stopper when two glasses are stacked using the lid 108a such that the lid 108a does not pass through the bottom glass 102a and the top glass 102b does not pass through the lid 108a. The upper portion includes a first upper groove 116a and a second upper groove 118a and the lower portion includes a first lower groove 116b and a second lower groove 118b. The first lower groove 116b and the second lower groove 118b are used to engage and hold the top portion of the glass 102a. The first upper groove 116a and the second lower groove 118a are used to engage and hold the bottom portion of the glass 102b. These grooves are circular in design and are formed along the inner circumference of each lid.

FIG. 3 is a diagram that illustrates an inside view of the glass 102a, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The glass 102a is provided with a flat or curved bottom from inside. Further, an edge of the top opening of the glass 102a is molded outside such that a lid (as shown in FIG. 2B) fits conveniently from its top into the glass 102a.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C diagrams that illustrate different designs of a lid that can be used for stacking the multiple glasses, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the lid 120 includes a divider 120b that is like a horizontal plate sealing top and bottom portions completely and ensuring there in no see through from any of the top and bottom portions. This divider 120b acts a balancing plate while stacking the glasses. For example, a bottom portion of the divider 120b sits on top of the bottom glass and a bottom of the top glass sits on an upper portion of the divider 120b. The lid 120 further includes an extended portion 120a that is generally used for holding the lid 120 and also for opening or closing the lid 120. The lid design 120 may be used for stacking glasses that are prefilled with any beverages. In another example, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, another lid design 122 has been shown. Here, the lid 122 includes a top portion 122a and a bottom portion 122b. The upper portion 122a is provided with an extended portion 122d that is generally used for holding the lid 122 and also for opening or closing the lid 122. The bottom portion is provided with threads (say, female threads) that is used for tightening the lid 122 with a glass such as the glass 102a that also has threads (say, male threads) from inside around a top portion of the glass 102a such that the male and female threads locks with each other when fit together. The lid 122 further includes a divider 122c, either an edge one or a plate one, that supports stacking of another glass from its top. Such types of lid 122 is generally used when the glasses are sold empty. A specific use case scenario has been shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of an arrangement or mechanism for using the lid 122 for stacking the multiple glasses 102a and 102b, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the lid 112 has been put on over the bottom glass 102a such that the female threads in the bottom portion 122b and the male threads in the interior of the glass 102a engage with each other and locks the lid 122 with the glass 102a. Further, another glass 102b sits on the divider 122c of the lid 122 to complete the stacking of the glasses. Further, an extrusion component 122d of the lid 122 engages with the bottom portion of the glass 102a such that the glass 102a does not slide off after stacking. The extrusion component 122d has a curved like design that fits against the curved part of the bottom portion of the glass 102a.

FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates a cross-sectional view of an arrangement or mechanism for using another lid 124 for stacking the multiple glasses 102a and 102b, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This lid design 124 is generally used with empty glasses and is mostly same as discussed above in conjunction with the lid 122. However, this lid 124 includes another component in the form of an extrusion (as shown by reference numeral 124a). The extrusion component 124a has a curved like design that fits against the curved part (i.e., an edge) of the top portion of the glass 102a. The extrusion component 124a of the lid 124 engages with the edge of the glass 102a such that the glass 102a does not slide off after stacking.

Techniques consistent with the disclosure provide, among other features, an arrangement or mechanism for stacking multiple glasses. While various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed glass have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented for purposes of example only, and not limitations. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practicing of the disclosure, without departing from the breadth or scope.

While various embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the disclosure is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, as described in the claims.

Claims

1. A stacking mechanism, comprising: a plurality of glasses comprising at least a first glass and a second glass,a lid comprising a top portion and a bottom portion divided by a divider,wherein the bottom portion of the lid fits on a top portion of the first glass, anda bottom portion of the second glass fits on the top portion of the lid.

2. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a first seal for covering the top portion of the first glass and a second seal for covering the top portion of the second glass, wherein the first and second seals are used to maintain freshness of a sealed beverage in the first and second glasses, respectively.

3. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, wherein at least a glass portion of each glass is made up of a transparent material such as a glass, plastic, or crystal.

4. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the lid is provided with an extended portion that is used by a user to operate the lid during configuring the stacking of the multiple glasses.

5. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a covering for covering the stacked glasses to obtain a sealed packaging of the stacked glasses.

6. The stacking mechanism of claim 5, wherein the covering includes a zipper mechanism that can be pulled down by a user to open the sealed packaging of the stacked glasses.

7. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to divide an upper portion and a lower portion of the lid symmetrically, wherein the divider acts as a stopper when two glasses are stacked using the lid such that the lid does not pass through the first glass and the second glass does not pass through the lid.

8. The stacking mechanism of claim 7, wherein the upper portion includes a first upper groove and a second upper groove and the lower portion includes a first lower groove and a second lower groove, and wherein the first lower groove and the second lower groove are used to engage and hold the top portion of the first glass, and the first upper groove and the second lower groove are used to engage and hold the bottom portion of the second glass.

9. The stacking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the divider is configured like a horizontal plate sealing top and bottom portions completely and ensuring there in no see through from any of the top and bottom portions.

10. The stacking mechanism of claim 9, wherein the bottom portion of the divider sits on top of the first glass and a bottom of the second glass sits on an upper portion of the divider.