AU2018282449A1

AU2018282449A1 - Wine Glass Case

Info

Publication number: AU2018282449A1
Application number: AU2018282449A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Scott SANDO
Original assignee: Scodon Eng Services Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Scodon Engineering Services Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2018-12-21
Filing date: 2018-12-21
Publication date: 2020-07-09
Also published as: WO2020124141A1

Abstract

A case for holding wine glasses includes features within the base and lid of the case for securely position the glass away from the side walls of the case. Guides ensure the glasses are correctly located, and a resilient lip on the base engages with a lip in the lid to secure the two together, but allow for easy separation when desired. 1/5 20 Fig ure 1 40

Description

1/5

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Fig ure 1

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Wine Glass Case

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to protective cases, in particular a case for protecting one or more wine glasses.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] The taste and enjoyment of a glass of wine is greatly influenced by the wine glass itself and consequently wine connoisseurs are often particular about the wine glasses that they use. At home a wine connoisseur will often use a considerably valuable and fragile glass and would like to be able to use the same glass when travelling or on a picnic. Consequently there is a demand for the protection of fine wine glasses.

[0003] There are many known examples of small cases for holding one or two wine glasses, however they often fall short of the task. Generally wine glass cases include a foam lining to afford protection to the glasses, often within a soft casing. Such cases offer protection for small incidents, but are ineffective when crushed. The foam linings are also troublesome as they collect any dirt, grease or liquid which may be on the glass after use as is often the case at picnics. Typically the lids to such cases are secured with zippers which are prone to breakage.

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a wine glass case to alleviate the above problems, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a first aspect the invention provides a case for holding a wine glass comprising first and second mating halves, wherein the mating halves comprise locating elements to position the wine glass away from the walls of the base.

[0006] Preferably the locating elements of the first mating half comprise a first ring sized to accommodate the external diameter of the wine glass and a second ring sized to accommodate the internal diameter of the wine glass rim, and the locating elements of the second mating half comprise a third ring sized to accommodate the maximum external diameter of the foot of the wine glass stem.

[0007] In preference the case comprises guiding elements to direct the wine glass rim within the first ring and to direct the foot of the wine glass stem within the third ring.

[0008] Preferably there is a resilient member within the third ring.

[0009] Preferably the first and second mating halves further comprises an outwardly extending lip for engaging an inwardly extending of the other of the first and second mating halves and the outwardly extending lip comprises slots to allow the lip to flex.

[0010] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a wine glass case according to a preferred embodiment of the invention from a perspective view with its lid fitted to its base.

[0013] Figure 2 shows the wine glass case with the lid detached

[0014] Figure 3 shows an underside view of the lid.

[0015] Figure 4 shows a cutaway view of the base to reveal its internal features.

[0016] Figure 5 is a close up partial view showing detail of the lip of the base

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0017] The drawings include the following integers. wine glass case lid 22 indentations 24 outer ring

26 inner ring 28 guide ramps lip base 42 indentations 43 waist 44 web 46 ring 48 guide ramps resilient member lip 62 relief slots

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0019] The present invention provides an improved case for holding wine glasses. Features within the base and lid of the case securely position the glass away from the side walls of the case thus eliminating the need for a foam lining. Guides within the lid and base direct the glasses to the correct position. A resilient lip on the base engages with a lip in the lid to secure the two together, but allow for easy separation when desired. The embodiment described below is for two wine glasses, however the invention is equally applicable to cases for other numbers of glasses. Preferably the glasses are positioned upright, i.e. with the bowl at the top to minimise forces on the bowl.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the wine glass case 10 with lid 20 fitted to base 40, whilst Figure 2 shows the lid and base separated. Further details of the lid 20 can be seen in Figure 3 whilst Figures 4 and 5 show further details of the base.

[0021] The lid 20 and base 40 are sized to hold two wine glasses side by side and

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include internal features to hold the glasses securely and away from the side walls of the lid and base. Further features direct the wine glasses to the holding features to ensure the glasses are correctly positioned when the case is closed. The lid and base are held together by an internally facing lid lip 30 which engages with an externally facing base lip 60. The base lip includes relief slots 62 in each corner, allowing the base lip to flex inwardly as the lid lip is pushed over it. As the case is made of resilient plastic the base lip will return to its original position to hold the lid lip and thus lid in place. Pulling the lid and base away from each other will again cause the base lip to flex inwardly allowing the lid lip to pass over it to separate the lid from the case. Indentations 22 in the lid and 42 in the base reduce the amount of material used and in conjunction with waist 43 provide grip for securing the lid to or removing the lid from the base. Waist 43 also provides maximum strength to the case where it is nearest to the bowl of the glasses. Figure 5 shows a close up view of the base lip 60.

[0022] Figure 3 shows the internal features of the lid 20 used to locate a wine glass rim comprising an external ring 24 to engage the outside of the glass rim and internal ring 26 to engage the inside of the glass rim. Having rings instead of a series of discrete locating features spreads any lateral load over a larger area of the wine glass thus reducing the chance of breakage. Guide ramps 28 help position the wine glass rim between the two rings to ensure the glass is positioned correctly and not crushed as the lid is closed. The rings are sized to accommodate the dimensional tolerances of the wine glass, with the outer ring engaging an oversized glass and the inner ring engaging an undersized glass.

[0023] The bottom of the case 40 shown in cutaway view in Figure 4 includes features to locate the foot of a wine glass in the form of ring 46 sized to accommodate the foot of the wine glass and guide ramps 48 to align the foot of the wine glass as the wine glass is placed into the base. Within the ring 46 sits a resilient member in the form of foam pad 50 which compresses slightly under the base of the wine glass when the lid is fitted to the base to prevent longitudinal movement of the glass. Best seen in Figure 4 is internal web 44 provides structural rigidity to the base.

[0024] The preferred embodiment described above secures the foot of the wine glass in the base and the rim of the wine glass in the lid. In a further embodiment of the invention the features of the lid and the base are reversed such that the lid secures the foot of the wine glass and the base secures the rim. In further embodiments of the invention various features and combinations of features are used to secure the foot and rim of the wine glass. In a simple form of the invention the foot of the wine glass is secured by three rounded pegs and the rim by two rounded pegs. In a further form the rim are foot are secured by round indentations in the lid and base. In a still further embodiment the rim and foot are secure by three or more the guide ramps alone. The lips to secure the base and lid together may also be reversed in further embodiments. The preferred embodiment described however has the advantage of the glass being upright, rings to ensure any lateral load is distributed over a large are of the glass and guide ramps to ensure that the glass is correctly located with in the case

[0025] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides an improved case for holding wine glasses. Locating features within the lid and base of the case prevent lateral movement of the glass and keep it separated from the walls of the case whilst a resilient member prevents longitudinal movement.

[0026] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0027] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A case for holding a wine glass comprising first and second mating halves, wherein the mating halves comprise locating elements to position the wine glass away from the walls of the base.

2. A case as in claim 1, wherein the locating elements of the first mating half comprise a first ring sized to accommodate the external diameter of the wine glass.

3. A case as in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the locating elements of the first mating half comprise a second ring sized to accommodate the internal diameter of the wine glass rim.

4. A case as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising guiding elements to direct the wine glass rim within the first ring.

5. A case as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locating elements of the second mating half comprise a third ring sized to accommodate the maximum external diameter of the foot of the wine glass stem.

6. A case as in claim 5, further comprising guiding elements to direct the foot of the wine glass stem within the third ring.

7. A case as in claim 5 or claim 6, further comprising a resilient member within the third ring.

8. A case as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the first and second mating halves further comprises an outwardly extending lip for engaging an inwardly extending of the other of the first and second mating halves.

9. A case as in claim 8, wherein the outwardly extending lip comprises slots to allow the lip to flex.