U.S. patent application number 15/674643 was filed with the patent office on 2018-03-01 for glass.
This patent application is currently assigned to VETRERIE DI EMPOLI S.p.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is VETRERIE DI EMPOLI S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Franco PARENTINI.
Application Number | 20180055256 15/674643 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57851222 |
Filed Date | 2018-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180055256 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PARENTINI; Franco |
March 1, 2018 |
GLASS
Abstract
Provided is a glass that includes a support, a bowl that is
configured to contain a fluid and defining a central axis. The
glass may also include a labile connector fastened to the support
and to the bowl, the labile connector allowing the cup to rotate
eccentrically with respect to the support.
Inventors: |
PARENTINI; Franco; (Milano,
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
VETRERIE DI EMPOLI S.p.A. |
Milano |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
VETRERIE DI EMPOLI S.p.A.
Milano
IT
|
Family ID: |
57851222 |
Appl. No.: |
15/674643 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/2255 20130101;
A47G 2400/045 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2016 |
IT |
102016000088028 |
Claims
1. A multifunctional glass, comprising: a support having a defined
axis, in normal supporting conditions, a vertical axis, a bowl
configured to contain a fluid and defining a central axis, a labile
connector, fastened to said support and to said bowl, said labile
connector allowing said bowl to rotate with respect to said
support, said bowl rotating eccentrically about said vertical
direction with respect to said support.
2. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said bowl is attached to
said connector in an offset manner, with said central axis and said
vertical axis offset from each other, so as to allow said eccentric
rotation.
3. The glass according to claim 1, defining a vertical axis, and
wherein said central axis forms a tilt angle (.alpha.) with respect
to said vertical axis when said bowl is moved with respect to said
support around said connector, defining a precessing motion.
4. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said tilt angle
(.alpha.) is zero.
5. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said tilt angle
(.alpha.) is not zero.
6. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said tilt angle
(.alpha.) is between 3.degree. and 15.degree..
7. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said connector labile
comprises a bearing having a first portion, integral with said
support, and a second portion, integral with said bowl.
8. The glass according to claim 7, wherein said first portion rests
on a non-flat surface which is part of the labile connector.
9. The glass according to claim 8, wherein said non-flat surface
consists of a ring having different thicknesses in different
circumferential areas.
10. The glass according to claim 1, wherein said bowl is manually
movable by a user with respect to said support, said movable bowl
being configured to decant said fluid comprised within said bowl.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a glass comprising a
support having a defined axis, in normal supporting conditions, a
vertical axis, a bowl suitable to contain a fluid and defining a
central axis, a labile connector, fastened to the support and to
the bowl, the labile connector allowing the bowl to rotate with
respect to the support.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] There are known glasses in the state of the art.
[0003] They may be ordinary containers designed for containing and
used for various beverages or they may be containers comprising
mechanisms suitable to perform specific additional functions.
[0004] For example, there are some commercially available types of
glasses made from Aura Glass .TM. in which the glass can rotate
around a central hub.
[0005] The patent applications CN-Y-201365774, EP-A-0562310,
GB-A-1421680, U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,743, U.S. Pat. No. 8,430,023,
U.S. Pat. No. 649,118, JP-U-5533780, and WO-A-2015/063319 should
also be noted.
[0006] The documents CN-Y-201365774 and EP-A-0562310 describe a
glass consisting of a fixed support containing an electric motor
suitable to rotate a bowl to mix the liquid or liquids present
inside the bowl.
[0007] The document GB-A-1421680 describes a glass consisting of a
bowl resting on a stem and comprising a substantially cone-shaped
well extending into the stem, suitable to allow the liquid,
typically champagne, contained therein to release a column of
bubbles located above the area delimited by the well.
[0008] The document U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,743 describes a decanter
comprising a sphere suitable to accept the wine, and a dispensing
valve on the bottom of the container. In particular, the device
allows the aeration and filtering of the wine poured therein.
Finally, the document U.S. Pat. No. 8,430,023 describes a fluid
aerator comprising a wine receiving bowl, apertures at the bottom
of the bowl, and a perforated fluid flow path extending to the
bottom of a support supporting the aerator.
[0009] In particular, the wine is aerated at the top of the device
on which the bowl is arranged and the wine can be selectively
delivered to the bottom thanks to the controlled opening of the
dispensing apertures.
[0010] The prior art described above has some significant
drawbacks.
[0011] In particular, all the aforesaid devices involve a
considerable degree of complexity: the use of rotary mechanisms
comprising integrated electric motors which make the glasses
described by the abovementioned patents difficult to
manufacture.
[0012] In addition, even the simper solutions such as ordinary
glasses or the glass described by the document GB-A-1421680 do not
add special features to the devices other than to allow a user to
drink from it.
[0013] For example, in these cases, the aeration of the wine
remains conditional on the experience and competence of the
user.
[0014] Focusing again on the more complex solutions, another
important drawback is the aesthetic one. All the solutions
presented have a structure which in itself is not very
customisable, as well as being largely unmodifiable.
[0015] In conclusion, another significant drawback derives from the
fact that the glasses equipped with additional functionality
described in the patents cited are expensive. In these
circumstances, the technical task underlying the present invention
is to devise a glass capable of substantially remedying the said
drawbacks.
[0016] Within the scope of the said technical task, an important
objective of the invention is to obtain a glass which in itself
provides additional functions with respect to ordinary glasses and
a very simple manufacture.
[0017] Another important object of the invention is to provide a
glass that makes it possible to perform the additional functions
irrespective of the experience or ability of the user of the
multifunctional glass according to the invention.
[0018] Finally, a further aim is to provide a glass which is
inexpensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The technical task and the objectives specified are achieved
by the multifunctional glass comprising a support having a defined
axis, in normal supporting conditions, a vertical axis, a bowl
suitable to contain a fluid and defining a central axis, a labile
connector, fastened to the support and to the bowl, the labile
connector allowing the bowl to rotate with respect to the support
the bowl rotating eccentrically about said vertical direction with
respect to the support.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be
clarified in the following detailed descriptions of some preferred
embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of the glass according to
the invention;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a view in use of the glass according to the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 3a is a detail of the glass according to the invention
in exploded view; and
[0024] FIG. 3b is a detail of the glass according to the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] In the present document, the measures, values, shapes, and
geometric references (such as perpendicularity and parallelism),
when associated with words like "about" or other similar terms such
as "almost" or "substantially", are to be understood as excluding
measurement errors or inaccuracies due to production and/or
manufacturing defects and, especially, excluding a slight
difference from the value of the measure, of the shape or of the
geometric reference with which it is associated. For example, these
terms, if associated with a value, preferably indicate a difference
of not more than 10% of the value itself.
[0026] Furthermore, when used, terms such as "first", "second",
"top", "bottom", "main" and "secondary" do not necessarily identify
an order, a priority of relationship or relative position, but can
simply be used to more clearly distinguish between their different
components.
[0027] With reference to the Figures, the improved glass according
to the invention is indicated overall with the number 1.
[0028] The glass 1 is suitable to be arranged in a resting
configuration, in which it is arranged resting on its main base,
designed for that purpose, in a horizontal plane.
[0029] In said resting configuration the glass 1 defines a vertical
axis 1a, preferably coincident with the gravitational direction, a
first horizontal axis 1b, and a second horizontal axis 1c.
[0030] The first horizontal axis 1b and the second horizontal axis
1c are in the same plane and are both perpendicular to the vertical
axis 1a. In addition, the first horizontal axis 1b is perpendicular
to the second horizontal axis 1c.
[0031] The glass 1 comprises a support 2, a labile connector 3, and
a bowl 4.
[0032] The support 2 is a part preferably centred on the vertical
axis 1a which can have varying shapes and sizes, comprising the
said supporting base.
[0033] More preferably, the support 2 is a stem of the type
typically present in commercially available wine glasses.
[0034] Alternatively, the support 2 may be spherical or conical or
other provided that the option of attaching the said support 2 so
it can be rested on a flat surface is ensured.
[0035] In particular, the stem is preferably made of glass, however
it could also be made of ceramic or polymer or metal or other.
[0036] In addition, the support 2 can comprise any decoration or
coloured paint, for example used for purely aesthetic purposes.
[0037] The bowl 4 defines a central axis 4a and is preferably an
open container suitable to accommodate a fluid. The central axis 4a
is preferably the axis of symmetry of the bowl 4, which in glasses
of the traditional type is vertical. The bowl 4 therefore defines
an inner volume inside which at most a quantity of fluid
corresponding to the said inner volume can be accommodated. It can
have different shapes and dimensions, it may for example be a
cylindrical container, or it can be a cubic or even a prismatic
container. The bowl 4 preferably has a substantially rounded or
spherical shape of the type conventionally used for making wine
glasses.
[0038] The bowl 4, like the support 2, can comprise decorations or
coloured paints or other for purely aesthetic purposes.
[0039] The labile connector 3 is preferably a part centred on the
vertical axis 1a and suitable to connect the support 2 with the
bowl 4.
[0040] In particular, the labile connector 3 is integrally attached
to both the support 2 and the bowl 4, and is suitable to allow the
eccentric rotation about the vertical direction with respect to the
support 2. The central axis 4a of the bowl 4 and the vertical axis
1a of the support 2 are substantially offset from one another.
[0041] The fastenings between the labile connector 3 and the
support 2, and between the labile connector 3 and the bowl 4, can
for example comprise adhesive. This adhesive can for example be an
adhesive with low viscosity whose polymerisation is achieved
rapidly by means of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
[0042] As a result of the aforesaid, the support 2 and the bowl 4
are preferably attached to each other in a labile manner by means
of the labile connector 3.
[0043] The labile connector 3 allows the bowl 4 to rotate with
respect to the support 2.
[0044] In particular, the labile connector 3 preferably consists of
a fixed portion 30 and a rotating portion 31.
[0045] The fixed portion 30 can, for example, be a cylindrical ring
centred on the vertical axis 1a comprising a guide on its inner
surface.
[0046] The support 2 is preferably integrally attached to the fixed
portion 30, while the bowl 4 is integrally attached to the rotating
portion 31.
[0047] In addition, the bowl 4 is appropriately attached to the
rotating portion 31 of the offset connector 3, i.e. the central
axis 4a of the bowl 4, and the vertical axis 1a of the support 2,
are mutually offset or non-coincident, so as to allow the eccentric
rotation. The offset between the two axes when parallel is
preferably between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.
[0048] When the bowl 4 is moved with respect to the support 2 the
central axis 4a preferably forms a tilt angle .alpha. with respect
to the vertical axis 1a, and the title angle .alpha. is preferably
not zero and is between 3.degree. and 15.degree.. To achieve this
tilt angle .alpha., it is sufficient to have a bearing, such as a
sleeve bearing, with ample play in the radial direction along its
entire circumference.
[0049] In this way, a tilt is defined, given by the tilt angle
.alpha., which also tilts the rotation of the fluid 5 present
inside the volume 40 of the bowl 4. During the rotation, the glass
1 thus defines a precessing motion.
[0050] Bearings 32 or lubricating parts can be arranged between the
fixed portion 30 and the rotating portion 31 to allow rotation. The
bearings 32 preferably consist of a ball bearing. The bearings 32
have a first portion 32a, integral with the fixed portion 30, and a
second portion 32b, integral with the rotating portion 31.
[0051] The said bearing 32 is preferably inherently symmetrical and
regular. In addition, the first portion 32a preferably rests on a
non-flat surface, for example consisting of a ring 33 having
different thicknesses in different circumferential areas.
[0052] The size of the area of the fluid 5 in direct contact with
the outside air is thus changed.
[0053] In particular, when the bowl 4 is at rest with respect to
the support 2, the fluid 5 defines a first area of exposure. In
addition, when the bowl 4 is in motion with respect to the support
2, the fluid 5 defines a second area of exposure.
[0054] Therefore, the second area of exposure comprises an
extension surface different from, and preferably greater than, the
size of the first surface of exposure.
[0055] In a second example, the tilt angle .alpha. is zero and thus
the central axis 4a is parallel to the vertical axis 1a.
[0056] In this latter example, the central axis 4a can be aligned
with the vertical axis 1a or parallel and spaced with respect to
the vertical axis 1a. In this latter case, the bowl 4 can rotate
eccentrically, about the vertical axis 1a, with respect to the said
support 2.
[0057] The distance or eccentricity can assume values, for example,
between 2 and 5 mm.
[0058] The operation of the glass 1 previously described in
structural terms is the following.
[0059] The user can place their finger on the outer surface of the
bowl 4, setting it in rotation with respect to the support 2,
arranged for example on a flat surface such as a table, by means of
the labile connector 3.
[0060] In addition, the moving bowl 4 sets in motion the fluid
arranged in the bowl 4.
[0061] By the synergistic effect of rotation and the tilt angle
.alpha., the area of exposure of the fluid increases from the first
area of exposure to the second area of exposure, allowing the fluid
to become oxygenated and thus decanted.
[0062] Alternatively, the synergistic effect of rotation and the
offset on the fluid creates an imbalance of the centrifugal force
acting on the liquid, increasing its area of exposure, achieving
the same result.
[0063] The glass 1 according to the invention delivers significant
benefits.
[0064] Indeed, the glass 1 does not require complex mechanisms to
perform its functions, but surprisingly uses known properties of
the joints or bearings to allow the operational motion of the bowl
4 with respect to the support 2.
[0065] In addition, the functions performed by the glass 1 are
easily usable by users of any kind, even those without the relevant
experience and knowledge.
[0066] In addition, the particular eccentric rotation of the glass
allows a better analysis of the quality of the wine by oenologists
or, generally, by consumers.
[0067] In particular, the light reflected in the glass is
accelerated by the rotary motion, allowing a better evaluation of
clarity, vivacity, and sheen.
[0068] The movement also makes it immediately possible to detect
and assess the possible presence of particles or a lack of
transparency.
[0069] In addition, the said particular eccentric rotation
concentrates a greater surface of wine on the glass. The movement
facilitates analysis of shades and hues.
[0070] The particular eccentric rotation also makes it possible to
achieve a uniform and homogeneous film of liquid on the wall of the
glass. A more thorough and objective evaluation of the speed with
which the wine tears fall, the amplitude of the arches, and on how
the wine reassembles inside the glass is thus made possible.
[0071] The rotation also makes possible the formation of a more
homogeneous aroma funnel. A slow rotation allows an analysis of the
bouquet and the evolution of the wine; a subsequent faster rotation
makes it possible to characterise the olfactory categories and to
better assess intensity, complexity, and palatability of the
wine.
[0072] Finally, the said rotation, as a preliminary step with
respect to the gustatory analysis, makes it possible to homogenise
the gustatory components of the wine and to refine the perception
of soft taste sensations--from sugars and glycerine substances--and
hard ones, from acids, salts, and tannins.
[0073] The area of exposure is in fact always increased and can
beneficially be further increased by use of a faster rotation of
the bowl 4 about the support 2.
[0074] In conclusion, the glass 1 is beneficially manufacturable in
an inexpensive way without resorting to costly technologies for
moving the bowl with respect to the support.
[0075] The glass also remains stable during use and avoids the
inconvenience of possible breakage of the glass due to uncontrolled
rotations and changes of trajectory outside of the resting
plane.
[0076] The invention is subject to variations falling within the
scope of the inventive concept as defined by the claims.
[0077] In this context all the details are replaceable by
equivalent elements and the materials, shapes and dimensions can be
any.
* * * * *