DE29508431U1 - Vessel made of a transparent material - Google Patents

Description

- Dieter Weber

Dr. Winfried Lieke &ogr;&mgr;..

Dipl.-Phys.

Weber, Seiffert, Lieke ■ Patent Attorneys PO Box 6145 . 65051 Wiesbaden

Patent attorneys

Gustav-Freytag-Strasse 25

65189 Wiesbaden

PO Box 6145 · 65051 Wiesbaden

Telephone 0611/372720 and 372580

Telex 4-186247

Fax 0611/372111

Date:

19 May 1995 Wed/Sat

Sa\Anm\Rastai95.001

Rastai GmbH & Co. KG Lindenstrasse 12-18, 56194 Höhr-Grenzhausen

Vessel made of a transparent material

The innovation concerns a vessel made of a transparent material with a base and a circumferential wall extending from the base, which has an external printing layer.

Such vessels can serve technical purposes, but preferably everyday purposes and are, for example, drinking vessels, jugs or vases that are intended to hold liquids.

It is known to provide such vessels, in particular drinking vessels, with a printed layer on the outside of the vessel wall, which covers either the entire outside of the wall or only a part of it. Such printed layers usually serve decorative purposes, such as on cocktail glasses, and/or for advertising purposes, such as

Il * !.. l **·■*;.;. ''. 'JPostgiro: Frankfurt/M 6763-602

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Account 27680700 {bank code 51080060)

especially on beer glasses, which often bear the emblem of the brewery in question.

It is often desirable to provide information about the filling level of the vessel or for other purposes or to convey visual impressions that do not disturb the external appearance of the vessel. Such information carriers can be, for example, calibration marks that should not be visible in order to avoid disturbing an external image print, but must technically be perceived in order to let the guest in a restaurant, for example, recognize that he has received a sufficiently filled glass.

The task underlying the innovation was therefore to obtain containers made of a transparent material that bears image-by-image printing that does not interfere with the external printing, but can be recognized from the outside from a certain angle. This task is solved according to the innovation.

According to the innovation, a vessel made of a transparent material with a base and a circumferential wall extending from the base, which has an external printing layer, is characterized in that the wall has a first image-wise printing layer on one side of the vessel and above it a second printing layer extending over a substantial part of the circumference of the wall, the latter having at least one recess opposite the first image-wise printing layer, which is dimensioned such that it enables the view of at least part of the opposite first printing layer.

The innovation is basically applicable to any type of vessel made of a transparent material, such as technical vessels and laboratory vessels, such as test tubes and cuvettes, or household vessels, such as drinking glasses, drinking jugs, vases and pitchers. The innovation is particularly suitable for use on drinking vessels.

The transparent material can be of any nature, as long as it is transparent enough to allow a view through the recess of the second printing layer to the opposite area of the vessel wall. The material is preferably glass, but can also be a transparent plastic.

The vessel can have any shape and have a polygonal base from which the wall extends, but it is preferred that the vessels according to the innovation have a round base and thus a round wall, since the following

The effects described are thereby enhanced, the subject of the innovation is particularly suitable for vessels with a cylindrical wall, such as Altbier glasses, cocktail glasses or the like. The base of the vessel can be flat or curved and can itself serve as a base or have a foot attached to it that serves as a base.

When we talk about an image-based printing layer in this context, this term should include any pattern, lettering or illustration. This includes calibration marks, letters, numbers, decorative images, patterns or scale divisions. The latter can be important, for example, in technical vessels that are essentially covered by an external printing layer to prevent light irradiation, but should nevertheless provide the possibility of determining a certain degree of filling or liquid level.

Since the second printing layer covers the first image-wise printing layer, the latter is not immediately visible from the outside and does not disturb the external impression. It is particularly useful for this if the second or outer printing layer essentially completely covers the outer surface of the vessel wall and in any case leaves the above-mentioned recess and, for example in the case of drinking vessels, also the upper edge free, so that the printing layer does not have to be touched by the lips when drinking.

Although the first printing layer is hidden invisibly under the second printing layer, it can be seen through the opposite recess of the second printing layer and so, for example, when the glass is in a certain position, a calibration mark, a scale or a decorative print can be seen in front of the observer's eye. According to the above, it is particularly useful if the vessel wall is round, in particular cylindrical. This results in a surprising lens effect which, when the vessel is empty, makes the print of the first image-wise printing layer opposite the recess appear smaller, but when the vessel is full, it results in a strong magnification, so that the print of the first printing layer remains largely invisible when the vessel is empty, but when the vessel is full, the magnification allows it to be easily perceived or read. This effect is achieved by a lens effect of the vessel with a round wall.

The recess or cutout in the second outer printing layer can have any shape and size. If only a calibration mark is to be visible on the opposite side of the vessel, a very small recess in the second printing layer is sufficient, while then,

if a whole scale or an image is to be visible on the opposite vessel wall, a larger recess in the second printing layer is required. Several recesses can also be provided next to one another or one above the other. The shape of the recesses can be any, such as round, rectangular or polygonal, such as slit-shaped. It is advisable to arrange two round recesses next to one another like glasses, since this design of the recesses enables particularly easy viewing with both eyes.

The innovation is further explained in the drawing. It shows a perspective view of a drinking vessel after the innovation.

The drinking vessel made of transparent material shown in the drawing has a round base 1, which also serves as a base, and a cylindrical wall 2 adjoining the base.

The cylindrical wall 2 is essentially completely covered by an outer second printing layer 3, which has only two circular recesses arranged next to each other and one recess each running all the way around in the area of the base at 7 and in the area of the upper opening 6. Opposite the recesses 4, under the second outer printing layer 3, there is a first image-wise printing layer 5 in the form of a calibration mark. This is barely visible when the glass is empty, but becomes clearly visible when the glass is full due to the magnification effect when one looks through the two recesses 4.

Claims (6)

Protection claims 1. Vessel made of a transparent material with a base (1) and a wall (2) extending from the base and running all the way around it, which has an external printing layer, characterized in that the wall (2) has a first image-wise printing layer (5) on one side of the vessel and above it a second printing layer (3) extending over a substantial part of the circumference of the wall, the latter having at least one recess (4) opposite the first image-wise printing layer (5), which is dimensioned such that it enables at least part of the opposite first printing layer to be seen. 2. Vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a round bottom (1). 3. Vessel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a cylindrical wall (2). 4. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second printing layer (3) essentially completely covers the outer surface of the wall (2). 5. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that two round recesses (4) are arranged next to one another in the second printing layer (3). 6. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is a drinking vessel.