U.S. patent application number 12/886384 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-24 for semi-rigid hand-carry bag for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying beverages in a beverage container.
Invention is credited to F. David LaRiviere.
Application Number | 20110069910 12/886384 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43756672 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110069910 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LaRiviere; F. David |
March 24, 2011 |
SEMI-RIGID HAND-CARRY BAG FOR STORING, TRANSPORTING, CHILLING AND
DISPLAYING BEVERAGES IN A BEVERAGE CONTAINER
Abstract
A rectilinear or cylindrical hand-carry bag for storing,
transporting, chilling and displaying a wine bottle or other
beverage container. The bag is fabricated from a deformable,
water-impermeable, polymeric material, having an inner container
dimensioned to fit in the hand-carry bag and to receive the bottle
and to maintain the shaped integrity when a sufficient quantity of
crushed ice or ice cubes to chill the beverage is disposed between
the inner walls of the bag and the outer walls of the inner
container. The upper edges of the hand-carry bag and inner
container have sufficient thickness of material or fasteners for
retaining the shaped integrity of the cavity formed therebetween in
a substantially non-collapsed state.
Inventors: |
LaRiviere; F. David;
(Monterey, CA) |
Family ID: |
43756672 |
Appl. No.: |
12/886384 |
Filed: |
September 20, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61243893 |
Sep 18, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
383/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/3893
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/37 |
International
Class: |
B65D 30/00 20060101
B65D030/00 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for storing, transporting, chilling and displaying a
beverage in a beverage container, said apparatus comprising: an
outer bag having walls having an inner container for receiving the
beverage container; said inner container dimensioned to fit within
the outer bag and to form a cavity between the outer bag and inner
container for receiving coolant for chilling said beverage.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner container retains the
shaped integrity of said cavity for chilling the beverage in the
container.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner container and the
outer bag include fasteners disposed near the tops thereof for
coupling the inner container to the outer bag.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coolant is crushed ice or
ice cubes.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag is constructed of
water-impermeable material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner bag is constructed of
water-impermeable material.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag is
rectilinear.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer bag is
cylindrical.
9. The apparatus of claim wherein the inner bag is cylindrical.
10. A hand-carry bag for storing, transporting, chilling and
displaying a beverage in a beverage container, said apparatus
comprising: an outer bag having semi-rigid walls; and an inner
container having semi-rigid walls, dimensioned to fit within the
outer bag, to receive the beverage container, and to form a cavity
between the outer bag and inner container for receiving a
sufficient quantity of crushed ice or ice cubes for chilling the
beverage.
11. The hand-carry bag of claim 10 wherein the walls of the outer
bag and the inner container retain the shaped integrity of the
cavity.
12. The hand-carry bag of claim 11 wherein the walls of the outer
bag and the inner container are constructed of a water-impermeable
polymeric material.
13. The hand-carry bag of claim 12 wherein the outer bag and inner
container further include fasteners, disposed near the tops
thereof, for retaining the shaped integrity of the cavity.
14. The hand-carry bag of claim 1 wherein the inner container is
affixed to the bottom of the outer bag.
15. The hand-carry bag of claim 1 wherein the inner container is
removably affixed to the bottom of the outer bag.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This applications claims priority to provisional patent
application No. 61/243,893, filed Sep. 18, 2009.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to bags, more
particularly, to a water-impermeable bag for storing, transporting,
displaying and chilling a beverage, such as wine, in a beverage
container. This application claims priority to provisional patent
application No. 61/243,893, filed Sep. 18, 2009.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Ice buckets and coolers suitable for cooling or chilling
beverages stored in a container, such as wine bottles, spirits or
other drinks are conventionally known in the art. For example, ice
buckets are often used to chill bottles of wine by waiters at
restaurants and by consumers at their residences. Although ice
buckets and containers are typically aesthetically pleasing, they
are not convenient for transporting, displaying, chilling and
serving the wine from a bottle or other beverage container.
[0006] Bags which relate to the present invention include U.S. Pat.
Nos. D494,853; 7,118,276; 6,890,101; 6,908,786; 5,651,254 and
4,428,484, all of which are discussed in published U.S. Patent
Application 0080063318. None of the prior art discussed show or
suggest all of the features of published application 0080063318
('318 publication), or the features of the present invention.
[0007] If the bottle in the '318 published application is removed
for serving some but not all of the beverage it contains after the
crushed ice or ice cubes are packed around it, there is no
disclosure regarding how the bottle would be conveniently replaced
back in the bag without interference from collapsed crushed ice or
ice cubes. Obviously, the user could remove the ice and repack it,
but at considerable inconvenience. The hand-carry bag of the
present invention solves the problem by returning the beverage
container to the hand-carry bag without re-packing the ice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The hand-carry bag of the present invention comprises a
rectilinear or cylindrical outer bag having an inner container
affixed to the bottom of the outer bag for forming a cavity between
the inner surface of the outer bag and the outer surfaces of the
inner container for receiving and maintaining the shaped integrity
of crushed ice or ice cubes around the beverage bottle as it is
removed and replaced during use. The outer bag and the inner
container are constructed of essentially the same resilient,
semi-rigid, deformable, water-impermeable material. The material
can also be transparent, but not required. The upper edges of both
the outer and inner bags have sufficient thickness of the material
for retaining the opening in a substantially non-collapsed state.
Handles extending from each one of the upper edges of the
rectilinear panels or from diametrical opposing edges of the
cylindrical outer bag may also be provided.
[0009] The outer bag may be formed in any number of well-known ways
including the manner described in the '318 publication, utilizing
semi-rigid but deformable materials such as flexible polymeric
material which could be selected from the group consisting of
polyvinyl chloride and other polymeric materials.
[0010] While the shape of the outer bag is typically rectilinear,
it could be cylindrical. The shape and material used to form both
the outer and inner bag of the present invention should be selected
for maintaining an open, essentially non-collapsible shape while in
use, yet be deformable enough to fold or collapse for convenient
storage when not in use.
[0011] The present invention is an ice bag for storing,
transporting, displaying and chilling a bottle of wine, spirits or
other types of beverages in a container. The ice bag can be
utilized in various ways. For example, from the point of sale of
the beverage at a retail store or distributor to the consumption of
the beverage by the consumer while traveling.
[0012] In addition, when a consumer purchases a bottle of wine at
the liquor store or distributor, the retailer can place the bottle
in the bag of the present invention so that the purchasing consumer
can transport the wine bottle to a particular destination.
Preferably, the bag is formed as a rectangular, square or
cylindrically shaped gift bag and is fabricated from a transparent
or translucent material to display the bottle in an aesthetically
pleasing manner. Alternatively, the bag can be fabricated from an
opaque material. Printed and/or labeled advertising can be provided
on the bag as well. From the perspective of a retailer of the
goods, the hand-carry bag of the present invention serves to
display and advertise the contents after purchase and while the
purchaser transports the bottled wine.
[0013] In another embodiment, the hand-carry bag is constructed
from a water-impermeable material, so that the cavity between the
outer bag and the inner container can be filled with ice and water
to chill the bottle, as required. Accordingly, the combination of
the hand-carry bag and the bottled wine can be placed on a surface
top at the user's home or other destination to display and chill
the wine in a pleasing manner. The bottle can then be removed from
the bag to pour the wine, and then returned to the bag for
continued storage and temperature control without the inconvenience
of re-packing of crushed ice or ice cubes. Accordingly, from the
perspective of the purchaser, the purchaser can transport, display
and chill the bottled wine with a single hand-carry bag and with
minimal effort. Further, since the bag is shaped as a gift bag, the
bottle of wine and bag can be presented as a gift to others.
[0014] Although the present invention is described in terms of
retaining and chilling a bottle of wine, one skilled in the art
will appreciate that the ice bag of the present invention can be
used to retain any other types of bottled or canned beverages, such
as soda, beer, fruit drinks, and the like. Further, the ice bag can
also be used to retain non-beverage items, such as sealed or
packaged foods (e.g., fruit, meats, cheese, among others).
Moreover, the ice bag can also be used for packaging any type of
product (e.g., non-food/beverage items), such as for example, golf
balls, tee-shirts, among other products.
[0015] In addition, while the hand-carry bag of the present
invention is described in terms of being transparent, one skilled
in the art will appreciate that the bags can be or include
translucent portions. Alternatively, portions or all of the ice bag
can be tinted with coloring that is attractive. The appearance of
the transparent or translucent material also lends ice bags of the
present invention an air of quality and permanence that enhances
both the prestige of the contents therein and the good feelings
associated with displaying the contents.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The teachings of the present invention can be readily
understood by considering the following detailed description in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a right, front, perspective view of an ice bag of
the present invention for storing, transporting, displaying and
chilling a beverage in a beverage container;
[0018] FIG. 2A is a top view of the hand-carry bag with the
fasteners in an open position in accordance with the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 2B is a top view of the hand-carry bag with the
fasteners in a closed position in accordance with the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 3A is a top view of the cylindrical hand-carry bag with
the fasteners in an open position in accordance with the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 3B is a top view of the cylindrical hand-carry bag with
the fasteners in a closed position in accordance with the present
invention; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of
an ice bag of the present invention for carrying, displaying,
chilling and serving a beverage in a beverage container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, hand-carry bag 100 of the present
invention comprises outer bag 120 having inner container 150
dimensioned to receive a beverage container such as a bottle of
wine, and to form cavity 190 for receiving crushed ice or ice cubes
to chill a beverage. Neither the beverage container nor the ice
form any part of the present invention.
[0024] Outer bag 100 may be constructed any number of ways,
including the method described in the '318 publication.
Alternatively, the bag may be constructed of one continuous sheet
of material folded and sealed in the manner of a canvas grocery
bag. In both methods, however, it is important to note the
requirement that the seams of the bag be sealed water tight to
preclude leakage of water as the crushed ice or ice cubes melt.
[0025] If a cylindrical shape of outer bag 120 is desired, as shown
in FIG. 5, again, it may be constructed in the same way described
in the '318 publication. Similarly, with continuing reference to
FIG. 5, inner container 150 may be constructed in the same way as
outer bag 155. However, while desirable, it is not necessary that
inner container 150 has a bottom separate from the bottom of the
outer bag 120 or 155.
[0026] Since inner container 150 is provided to maintain the shaped
integrity of the crushed ice or ice cubes disposed in cavity 190
for convenient replacement of the beverage container after removal,
it must be fixedly attached to the bottom of outer bag 120 or 195.
Thus, inner container 150 could be a simple cylinder, sharing the
bottom of outer bag 120 or 155, by affixing lower rim 152 to outer
bag bottom 122 or 157, respectively. Of course, for convenient
cleaning or storage of the bag of the present invention, the inner
container can be removably attached (not shown) to the bottom of
the outer bag by any suitable fastener such as a hook-and-loop
fastener commercially known as Velcro.RTM. or any suitable
substitute therefor, such as snaps and the like.
[0027] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 5, inner container 150 is
preferably constructed of the same material as outer bags 120 and
155 for convenient manufacturing. However, alternatively, it may be
constructed of any other materials which are compatible with the
material selected for outer bag 120 or 155.
[0028] Inner container 150 is also preferably water-impermeable,
but not necessarily required. Neither is it required that the
affixation or attachment of lower rim 152 to outer bag bottom 122
or 157 be a water-impermeable seal. In use, it may be acceptable,
even desirable, to allow melted ice water to migrate from cavity
190 into inner container 150. Again, however, the materials used
and construction of the wall of inner container 150 must be
sufficient to maintain the shaped integrity of the crushed ice or
ice cubes in cavity 190 as they meet.
[0029] Alternatively, referring again to FIGS. 2 and 4, fasteners
160, comprising elements 162 and 164, may be disposed at the top of
inner container 150 and the top of inner wall of outer bag 120 or
155 as shown, to assure and further retain the substantially
non-collapsed state of cavity 190 by detachably connecting the
upper edge of the outer surface of the wall of inner container 150
to the inner surface of the walls or wall of outer bag 120 or 155,
respectively. Fasteners 160 typically comprise a hook-and-loop
fastener, commercially known as Velcro.RTM., or any suitable
substitute therefor, such as snaps, and the like.
[0030] Although an exemplary description of the invention has been
set forth above to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to
make and use the invention, that description should not be
construed to limit the invention, and various modifications and
variations may be made to the description without departing from
the scope of the invention, as will be understood by those with
ordinary skill in the art, and the scope thereof is determined by
the claims that follow.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0031] The present invention applies to devices for storing,
transporting, displaying and chilling a beverage, such as wine, in
a beverage container.
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