U.S. patent application number 13/896958 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-19 for two piece beverage/drinking or food container.
This patent application is currently assigned to LLV Designs, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is LLV Designs, LLC. Invention is credited to Leslie Dewees, Vivek GARIPALLI, Lauren Toczylowski.
Application Number | 20130334166 13/896958 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49754928 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130334166 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GARIPALLI; Vivek ; et
al. |
December 19, 2013 |
TWO PIECE BEVERAGE/DRINKING OR FOOD CONTAINER
Abstract
A two-piece stemware container with an upper bowl-like vessel
element having side walls forming an upwardly extending open goblet
cavity for carrying food or drink. The cavity has an open top and a
closed bottom base portion. A female threaded receptacle is
concealed and carried within the base portion. A lower stem-like
element having an upwardly extending column is integrally formed
with a bottom base. The lower stem-like element has a male screw
thread member located at the upper end of said column and adapted
to mate with the female threaded receptacle for connecting the
lower stem-like element with the upper bowl-like vessel element.
The lower stem-like element has an effective height such that when
the lower stem-like element is inverted and inserted into the top
opening where it can be carried within the cavity.
Inventors: |
GARIPALLI; Vivek; (New York,
NY) ; Dewees; Leslie; (New York, NY) ;
Toczylowski; Lauren; (White Plains, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LLV Designs, LLC |
Colts Neck |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
LLV Designs, LLC
Colts Neck
NJ
|
Family ID: |
49754928 |
Appl. No.: |
13/896958 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61648190 |
May 17, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/377 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2205 20130101;
A47G 19/2227 20130101; A47G 19/23 20130101; A47G 19/2255
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/377 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A two-piece stemware container comprising: an upper bowl-like
vessel element having side walls forming an upwardly extending open
goblet cavity for carrying food or drink therein, said cavity
having an open top and a closed bottom base portion, a female
threaded receptacle concealed and carried within said bottom base
portion, said cavity having a cavity height extending from an upper
surface of said base to a said open top, a lower stem-like element
having an upwardly extending column integrally formed with a bottom
support base, said lower stem-like element further having a male
screw thread member located at the upper end of said column and
adapted to mate with said female threaded receptacle for connecting
said lower stem-like element with said upper bowl-like vessel
element, said support bottom base having a diameter at least as
large as the diameter of said open top of said upper bowl-like
vessel, and said lower stem-like element having an effective height
such that when said lower stem-like element is inverted and a top
surface of said bottom base is resting on the circumference of said
open top said effective height is equal to or less than said cavity
height thereby allowing said lower stem-like element to be carried
within said cavity.
2. The stemware container according to claim 1, wherein said upper
bowl-like vessel element is an integrally molded unit.
3. The stemware container according to claim 2, wherein said side
walls form a generally cylindrical cavity.
4. The stemware container according to claim 2, wherein said side
walls are tapered forming a generally conical cavity.
5. The stemware container according to claim 2, wherein said bottom
base portion has a diameter of no less than about 30% of the
largest cross-sectional diameter of said cavity.
6. The stemware container according to claim 2, wherein said lower
stem-like element is an integrally molded unit.
7. The stemware container according to claim 6, further comprising
a housing located at the upper end of said column.
8. The stemware container according to claim 7, wherein said
housing is upwardly flared from said column.
9. The stemware container according to claim 8, wherein said
housing is formed with a hollow central portion.
10. The stemware container according to claim 9, further comprising
a distinguishing member carried within said hollow central
portion.
11. An upper bowl-like vessel element comprising side walls forming
an upwardly extending open goblet cavity for carrying food or drink
therein, said cavity having an open top and a closed bottom base
portion, a female threaded receptacle concealed and carried within
said bottom base portion adapted to mate and connect with a male
screw thread member carried by a lower stem-like element thereby
connecting said lower stem-like element with said upper bowl-like
vessel element, said cavity having a cavity height extending from
an upper surface of said base to a said open top.
12. The upper bowl-like vessel according to claim 11, wherein said
side walls form a generally cylindrical cavity.
13. The upper bowl-like vessel according to claim 11, wherein said
side walls are tapered forming a generally conical cavity.
14. A lower stem-like element comprising an upwardly extending
column integrally formed with a bottom support base, a male screw
thread member located at the upper end of said column and adapted
to mate with a female threaded receptacle carried by an upper
bowl-like vessel element having a goblet cavity with an open top
and a closed bottom, for connecting said lower stem-like element
with said upper bowl-like vessel element, said bottom support base
having a diameter at least as large as the diameter of said open
top of said upper bowl-like vessel, and said lower stem-like
element having an effective height such that when said lower
stem-like element is inverted and a top surface of said bottom base
is resting on the circumference of said open top said effective
height is equal to or less than said cavity height thereby allowing
said lower stem-like element to be carried within said cavity.
15. The lower stem-like element according to claim 14, further
comprising a housing located at the upper end of said column.
16. The lower stem-like element according to claim 15, wherein said
housing is upwardly flared from said column.
17. The lower stem-like element according to claim 16, wherein said
housing is formed with a hollow central portion.
18. The lower stem-like element according to claim 17, further
comprising a distinguishing member carried within said hollow
central portion.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a non-provisional application
based on, and claims priority to provisional application No.
61/648,190 filed on May 17, 2012, the contents of which are
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
stemware or drinking vessels for beverages or food items, such as
desserts. More particularly, this invention provides two-part
drinking vessels or stemware in which a stem is removably connected
with a bowl or goblet shaped vessel for holding a beverage or a
food item. The invention allows for use of the goblet-shaped vessel
whether or not the stem is connected to the bowl or has been
removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] There have been many designs of two-piece stemware in the
art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,590, 5,996,825 and 7,861,888
illustrate and describe typical two-piece plastic containers with
an upper portion or bowl-like vessel element and a lower portion or
stem-like element. (Note that the expressions "upper", "upwardly",
"top", "lower", "bottom" and similar expressions denote relative
direction of parts with respect to gravity when placed in a resting
position.) Typically the upper portion has a plug or similar
mechanism at its base designed to be received in a receptacle on
the upper part of the stem-like element. The stem-like lower
portion usually has a hollow and tapered structure so as to allow
stacking with similar stem elements. Similarly, the upper portion
has tapered side walls so as to also allow stacking with similar
upper portion vessel elements. Typical of the prior art, is the use
of a male-type plug at the lower surface or base of the upper
portion bowl-like vessel element and a receptacle for receiving the
plug of the upper portion at a point on the stem so that the stem
may act as a support for the vessel. Unfortunately, such
arrangements, while allowing the upper bowl-like vessel portion and
the lower stem-like portion to be separately stackable, they lack a
number of desirable features.
[0004] Additionally, the traditional design of the prior art
renders the use of the upper bowl-like vessel elements as a
stand-alone usable goblet, impractical. With a male-type connector
plug at its base, prior art upper portion or bowl-like vessel
elements cannot easily be supported without the addition of the
lower portion stem-like element.
[0005] Multi-part containers using a female-type connector on an
upper member and a male-type connector on a lower member used as a
support for the upper member is not unknown in the prior art. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,989 discloses such an arrangement.
However, the upper container element also incorporates a male-type
plug and the connecting structures do not allow for a secure and
stable support without the lower portion.
[0006] OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to
overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a two-piece
container usable as a drinking or food vessel with a detachable
stem and wherein the upper bowl-like vessel can stand alone.
Accordingly, when the upper bowl-like vessel is detached from its
stem, the upper element would nonetheless be able to be fully
supported as a stand-alone drinking container without concerns of
tipping or not being adequately supported. The use of a female
receptacle at the bottom of the upper vessel element allows for
such an arrangement. In addition, the base of the upper element may
be structured with a flat surface to allow the upper bowl element
to be fully supported as a stand-alone element. Having extended
plugs or rounded bottoms with male-type connecting elements renders
the upper bowl element unstable.
[0008] When the upper and lower elements are attached, a
traditional wineglass structure becomes apparent. When separated,
the upper portion can be used as a stand-alone drinking vessel with
a secure bottom supporting surface. The stem-like element is
further designed to be able to fit within the upper bowl-like
vessel element when the stem is removed from the vessel and is
inverted, thus allowing practical, space-saving storage. This
arrangement overcomes the difficulties of the prior art where the
bottom connection point of the upper bowl element is not designed
to serve multiple functions. In order to achieve the objectives of
the present invention, it is necessary for the connection point
between the lower stem-like element and the upper goblet or
vessel-like element to be concealed for aesthetic appeal. The
present invention addresses this issue as described below. In
addition, the present invention allows for the stem-like element to
be securely contained within the vessel element, also described
below.
[0009] Having described the invention in general terms, the
invention will now be described by way of example in connection
with specific embodiments in conjunction with the annexed
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the following description, reference will be made to the
annexed drawings which provide illustrative embodiments of the
present invention, and which include the following:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the present
invention in its assembled form;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of only the upper goblet vessel
element illustrated as disassembled from the lower stem
element;
[0013] FIG. 3A is a side elevation view illustrating the present
invention in assembled form;
[0014] FIG. 3B is a side elevational view illustrating the present
invention in exploded form;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevation exploded view illustrating the
upper goblet portion disassembled from the lower stem portion;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the upper goblet portion
illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view illustrating two similar
upper goblet portions stacked one atop the other; and
[0018] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating additional
features of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Referring now in more detail to the figures, the assembled
stemware 10 of the present invention includes an upper goblet-like
or bowl-like element 11 removably supported on a stem-like element
12. The upper goblet or bowl-like element 11 has sidewalls 13 which
may be tapered as illustrated in the attached drawings, straight or
any other attractive and aesthetically appealing shape and which
form an interior cavity 14'. When the side walls are tapered as
shown, the cavity is generally conical in shape. When they are
straight, the cavity is generally cylindrical Importantly the upper
element 11 has an open top 14 through which liquid or other food
may be introduced to the cavity of vessel element 11 and through
which a user may partake of the food or drink carried within the
cavity 14'. The top 14 must be a sufficiently large opening to
accommodate the use of the assembled structure as a container from
which beverages may be drank. The upper and lower elements 11 and
12, respectively, are preferably made of a molded plastic utilizing
materials and techniques that are known in the art. When assembled,
the upper and lower elements have the general shape of a
wineglass.
[0020] The upper element 11 also includes a lower bottom portion 15
with inwardly tapered outer walls 15' and a generally flat bottom
surface 16 that allows the upper element 11 to rest on a flat
surface so as to be used as a stand-alone container. The bottom
portion 15 has a thickness 29 with the top thereof forming a closed
bottom surface of cavity 14'. In order to fully support the upper
element, the flat bottom surface 16, which is generally circular,
should have a diameter of no less than about 30% of the largest
width or cross-sectional diameter of the cavity 14'. The upper open
end 14 has a larger diameter than the flat surface 16 of the lower
bottom portion 15. The lower bottom portion of vessel 11 also has a
base portion 17 within which a female threaded screw receptacle 18
is contained. The base portion 17 is sufficiently thick to
accommodate the depth of female receptacle 18 so that the
receptacle 18 is fully concealed within the base portion 17 and the
bottom surface 16 provides a flat supporting surface. The base 15,
as noted above, is tapered inwardly so that it may fit and rest
within an opening 14 of a second vessel, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
Here, a first vessel element 11' supports a second similarly shaped
upper vessel element 11'' with the base portion 15'' of the vessel
11'' resting within opening 14' of the supporting vessel 11'.
[0021] The lower or stem-like element 12 is an integrally molded
unit. The central vertical column 20 of stem-like element 12 may
also be tapered and either hollow or solid. A flared portion 21
provides a transition between the vertical upwardly extending
column 20 and a base 22. The base 22 has a diameter generally
larger than the diameter of open top 14 of the upper element 11
with an overhanging lip periphery 23. The base portion 22 is
generally sloped from the transition 21 toward the bottom flat
surface 24 to provide a resting surface when the stem 12 is
inverted and placed within the top opening 14 of vessel 11.
[0022] The lip 23 may form a continuous and uninterrupted surface
with the sloped surface of base 22 or may have a slightly alternate
angle of slope so as to provide a secure covering over open top 14
when the stem is inserted within the vessel 11.
[0023] Lower stem element 12 has a male-type threaded member 19
designed to screw into and mate with female receptacle 18 of the
upper vessel element 11. Male member 19 is supported by an upwardly
flared housing 25, which is integrally molded with the column 20.
Housing 25 may be formed with a hollow central portion 26 in order
to accommodate an aesthetic or distinguishing member 27 as
illustrated in FIG. 7. Such distinguishing members may be used to
identify particular stem elements or when assembled with an upper
element 11, a particular drinking vessel.
[0024] Lower stem element 12 has an effective height indicated as
12H, which extends from a point 30 on base 22, that is designed to
contact the periphery of opening 14 to the top of threaded member
19, and which is equal or less than the cavity height 11H so that
it may be fully incorporated within the cavity 14' when it is
inverted and inserted through opening 14.
[0025] With female receptacle 18 molded within the base portion 17
of vessel 11, the generally flat surface 16 can thereby provide a
secure supporting surface for upper element 11 even when
disassembled from the lower stem element 12.
[0026] FIG. 6 generally illustrates two similar assemblies with
their stem elements carried within the cavity of each upper
element. Specifically, an upper vessel element 11' and 11'' carry
within its cavity its respective support stem elements 12' and
12''. The base 22' of stem 12' and 22'' of base 12'' are arranged
to cover the openings 14 of their respective vessels 11' and 11''.
In this manner, similar containers 11' and 11'' can be stacked one
atop the other while carrying their respective supporting stem
elements 12' and 12''.
[0027] The embodiment of the two piece assembly disclosed herein
provides upper and lower portions of a stemmed vessel with the
upper portion having a flat base so that it may fully supportive
and stand-alone without the need for the stem element. The addition
of the lower stem element when fully assembled by mating threaded
members 18 and 19 provide a stable wineglass appearance. The
incorporation of a female receptacle fully embedded and concealed
within the base portion of the upper vessel element makes for an
attractive dual-purpose assembly.
[0028] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described
in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown
since various modifications and structural changes may be made
without departing in any way from the spirit of the present
invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to
best explain the principles of the invention and practical
application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best
utilize the invention and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *