EP1474018A1

EP1474018A1 - Recessed bottle storage

Info

Publication number: EP1474018A1
Application number: EP02806787A
Authority: EP
Inventors: John F. Conroy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-11
Filing date: 2002-05-16
Publication date: 2004-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-16
Also published as: EP1474018B1; CA2472096C; DE60218537T2; CA2472096A1; US20050116589A1; WO2003068023A1; DE60218537D1; US20030151335A1; ATE354990T1

Abstract

A bottle rack configured to be at least partially recessed in a wall.

Description

RECESSED BOTTLE STORAGE

BACKGROUND

This application relates to the recessed storage of wine bottles and other bottles. The generally accepted manner for storing wines is to rest a wine bottle on its side so the cork stays in contact with wine. Although storing a bottle on its side occupies more space, it also prevents the cork from drying out and air from entering the bottle. With sparkling wines, a dried out cork permits gas to escape, resulting in a "flat" wine. Moreover, ideally, wine should be stored in a cool, dark place having a fairly constant temperature of about 55° to 60° F.

Wine is thus often stored in a wine cellar where large amounts of space are devoted to the storage of wine and temperature is maintained relatively cool. However, many people do not have a cellar or large amounts of space to devote to the storage of wine. Moreover, even those individuals with a wine cellar often store a few wine bottles in the kitchen or other room above the cellar, since the wine is then on hand and easily accessed.

There are a number of wine and spirit racks that are available for the storage of bottles outside of a cellar. However, these wine and spirit racks occupy a portion of the floor or countertop that would otherwise be available for other uses.

SUMMARY

The recessed storage of wine bottle and other bottles removes at least a portion of the rack and the bottle from the room where the bottle is stored. This reduces the amount of space required for the storage of bottles, and bottles, especially wines, may be efficiently and properly stored in rooms that are easily accessible or in homes that • do not have a cellar.

In one aspect, a storage space includes a bottle rack configured to be at least partially recessed in a wall.

In another aspect, a storage space includes a means for storing a bottle at least partially recessed in a wall. Implementation of these and other aspects may include one or more of the following features. The bottle rack may be a wine rack configured to be at least partially recessed in a wall. The wine rack may include a wine cradle configured to store a wine bottle with a stopper in contact with a stored wine. The wine rack may include an enclosure. The enclosure may include a side wall. The enclosure may include a second side wall. At least one of the side walls may define a fastener hole or support the wine cradle. The side walls may be spaced apart to substantially traverse a distance separating opposing faces of wall studs. For example, the side walls may be spaced apart to substantially traverse one of a 37 cm distance and a 57 cm distance. The wine rack may be of unitary construction. The wine rack may also include a cover positionable over a wine bottle stored in the wine cradle. The cover may be translucent or opaque. The cover may include a vertically hinged door. The wine cradle may be configured to store a wine bottle substantially horizontally.

The wine cradle may define a depression dimensioned to support the wine bottle without rolling. The storage space may also include a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel rods. The depression may be defined between the pair of rods. The wine rack may further comprise a lip extending laterally outward from a front of the wine rack.

The wine rack may also include a means for exchanging heat such as, for example, a cooler or a forced fluid system. The means for exchanging heat may be disposed at a rear, recessed portion of the wine rack. The wine rack may be included in a house.

The bottle rack may be of unitary construction. The bottle rack may include a housing adapted for mounting at least partially into a building wall. The housing may include a rear wall joined to a forwardly projecting top wall, bottom wall, and pair of side walls to define a forwardly open interior chamber. The bottle rack may also include a bottle cradle configured to store a bottle having a stopper in contact with a stored liquid and a lip extending laterally outward from the top wall, bottom wall, and side walls. The bottle cradle may be positioned generally within the housing The bottle may also include a door hingedly mounted onto the housing for swinging movement between positions covering the interior chamber and exposing the interior chamber. The means for storing includes a means for cradling a bottle having a stopper in contact with a stored liquid. The storage includes a means for covering the bottle in the means for storing. hi another aspect, a method includes storing a bottle in a bottle rack at least partially recessed in a wall. Storing the bottle in the bottle rack may include storing a wine bottle in the bottle rack with a cork in contact with a wine in the wine bottle or mounting the bottle rack to a wall stud forming the wall.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a bottle rack in a partially cutaway wall;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of the bottle rack in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of another implementation of a bottle rack in a partially cutaway wall;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of the bottle rack in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a bottle cradle;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of another implementation of a bottle rack in a partially cutaway wall; FIG. 7 is a front view of another implementation of a bottle rack in a partially cutaway wall;

FIG. 8 is layered cutaway view of the bottle rack of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of the bottle rack of FIG. 7; and FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of the bottle rack of FIG.

7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a bottle rack 100 is mountable recessed in a wall 9 for the space-saving storage of bottles 10. Bottle rack 100 includes a housing 110 that houses three bottle cradles 120. Housing 110 is of unitary construction and includes a rear wall 112, a top wall 114, a bottom wall 115, and opposing side walls 116, 117 to define a forwardly open interior chamber 105. The front circumference of housing 110 is surrounded by a lip 150. Bottle cradles 120 extend laterally from side wall 116 to side wall 117 inside housing 110 and are formed by two substantially parallel rods 121, 122 adj acently mounted to side walls 116, 117. Side walls 116, 117 each define a series of fastener holes 118 dimensioned to receive fastening screws 119 for mounting bottle rack 100. Cradles 120 cradle bottles 10 to maintain the corks or other stoppers of bottles 10 in contact with a stored liquid, for example, with a stored wine.

Referring also to FIG. 1, in use, bottle rack 100 is mounted partially recessed inside a wall 9 formed by wall studs 12 and a wall sheet 11. Wall studs 12 each have a side face 13 into which screws 119 are fastened after passing through fastener holes 118. Wall sheet 11 is cut to have edges 14 which ideally smoothly follow the outer circumference of walls 114, 115, 116, 117, but in reality may fail to do so and define a gap 15. Lip 150 extends beyond the outer circumference of walls 114, 115, 116, 117 to cover gap 15 and display a finished appearance to an observer.

A user can add a new wine bottle 10 to wine rack 100 by orienting new wine bottle 10 with its long axis substantially parallel to the plane of sheet 11 and rotating new wine bottle 10 with its long axis substantially parallel to the plane of sheet 11, as needed. When wine bottle 10 has been appropriately positioned, the user lowers wine bottle 10 into the selected bottle cradle 120.

The space saving provided by bottle rack 100 is provided by the storage of at least a portion of bottle rack 100 and/or bottles 10 between side faces 13 of wall studs 12 and edges 14 of wall sheet 11 in interior chamber 105. Although the entirety of bottle rack 100 and/or bottles 10 need not be stored between side faces 13 and edges 14, the storage of even a small portion between side faces 13 and/or edges 14 increases the volume available in a room bounded by wall sheet 11.

Bottle rack 100 may be dimensioned in particular for the storage of wine bottles as follows. For example, rods 121, 122 may be separated on center by a distance Dl that is less than the diameter of common wine bottles but large enough to support common wine bottles without fear of the bottles rolling out of cradles 120. For example, distance Dl may be greater than about 2 cm or greater than about 5 cm. Distance Dl may also be less than 13 cm, or less than 10 cm. Housing 110 may have a depth D2 that determines the size of the longitudinal slice of common wine bottles stored between side faces 13 and/or edges 14. Depth D2 may be greater than 1 cm, or greater than 3 cm, or greater than 5 cm. Housing 110 has a width D3. Width D3 may be adjusted in accordance with local building codes and the dimensions and materials of wall studs 12 to substantially traverse the entire distance between side faces 13. For example, in many areas in the United States of America, on center spacing between adjacent 2x4 wood studs is typically 16 inches (almost 41 cm) or 24 inches (almost 61 cm). In this case, width D3 may be about 37 cm or about 57 cm. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a bottle rack 200 houses bottle cradles 220. Bottle cradles 220 are generally solid, shelf-like extensions between side walls 116, 117 and include an upward facing concavity 222 for supporting bottles 10 with their corks or other stoppers in contact with a stored liquid, for example, with a stored wine. A similar concavity (not shown) is formed in bottom wall 115 for supporting bottle 10A. Since bottle cradles 220 are solid, bottle rack 200 is mechanically robust.

Referring to FIG. 5, another bottle cradle 320 includes a first cantilevered arm 321, a second cantilevered arm 322, a first arcuate portion 324, and a second arcuate portion 325. In housing 110, first cantilevered arm 321 is mounted to side wall 117 and supports first arcuate portion 324 in an upturned orientation. Likewise, second cantilevered arm 322 is mounted to side wall 116 and supports second arcuate portion 325 in an upturned orientation at a position slightly below arcuate portion 324.

Referring to FIG. 6, a bottle rack 300 additionally includes a covering door 360 vertically hinged by hinges 363 to housing 110. Housing 110 includes a magnetic latch 366 that mates with a complementary member (not shown) on the rear side of door 360 for releasably retaining door 360 in the closed position. Door 360 includes a handle 362 that allows an operator to release door 360 from latch 366 and access interior chamber 105 to add or remove bottles 10. Door 360 may be made from a translucent or opaque material to limit or prevent exposure of bottles 10 in bottle rack 300 to light. Referring to FIGS. 7-10, a bottle rack 400 provides temperature-controlled storage of wine. Bottle rack 400 includes a heat exchange plate 410 that defines a meandering conduit 423 extending between an inlet fitting 421 and an outlet fitting 422. Heat exchange plate 410 is mounted flush with rear wall 112 of housing 110 and is in thermal contact with bottle cradles 220. Bottle cradles 220 are made from metal to place cradled bottles (not shown) in thermal communication with conduit 423.

Bottle rack 400 also includes an insulating strip 430 positioned between door 350 and lip 150 to thermally insulate the interior of bottle rack 400. Housing 110 and door 360 are also relatively thicker than in other implementations and made from a thermally insulating material like wood or polymer. Alternatively, housing 110 and door 360 may be covered by an additional thermal insulation layer to minimize heat loss. Lip 150 includes a standoff spacer 152 that moves door 360 into the room and away from wall sheet 11 to accommodate the space occupied by heat exchange plate 410 and a thicker rear wall 112.

Referring in particular to FIG. 7, in use, conduit 423 through bottle rack 400 is added to a fluid flow path of cool water. A water supply pipe 20 conducts cool water in the direction of arrow A to a service pipe 24 beneath a floor 16. Pipe 21 conducts cool water from supply pipe 20 tlπough floor 16 and up to inlet fitting 421, where the water enters conduit 423 and exchanges heat with heat exchange plate 410 to cool bottle rack 400. The water exits bottle rack 400 at outlet fitting 422 and flows to service pipe 24 through a pipe 23. Provided that interior chamber 105 is sufficiently thermally insulated, interior chamber 105 of bottle rack 400 is cooled below room temperature to improve storage of wine.

A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, a wide variety of wine cradles may be used. Other heat exchange mechanisms including thermoelectric coolers and forced air systems may readily be used to provide temperature-controlled storage of wine. Covering door 360 may be horizontally hinged or replaced by another covering mechanism such as a flexible sheet loaded on a spring-loaded roller. Covering door 360 may include decorative coverings to make the bottle rack aesthetically pleasing. Wall sheet 11 may be wallboard, paneling, backer board, plaster, masonry, or any other material that forms a wall. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A storage space comprising: a bottle rack configured to be at least partially recessed in a wall.

2. The storage space of claim 1 wherein the bottle rack comprises: a wine rack configured to be at least partially recessed in a wall and including a wine cradle configured to store a wine bottle with a stopper in contact with a stored wine.

3. The storage space of claim 2 wherein the wine rack comprises an enclosure.

4. The storage space of claims 2 or 3 wherein the enclosure comprises a side wall.

5. The storage space of claim 4 wherein the side wall supports the wine cradle.

6. The storage space of claim 4 wherein the enclosure comprises a second side wall.

7. The storage space of claim 6 wherein at least one of the side walls defines a fastener hole.

8. The storage space of claim 6 or 7 wherein the side walls are spaced apart to substantially traverse a distance separating opposing faces of wall studs.

9. The storage space of claim 6, 7, or 8 wherein the side walls are spaced apart to substantially traverse one of a 37 cm distance and a 57 cm distance.

10. The storage space of any of claims 2 through 9 wherein the wine rack is of unitary construction.

11. The storage space of any of claims 2 through 10 wherein the wine rack further comprises a cover positionable over a wine bottle stored in the wine cradle.

12. The storage space of claim 11 wherein cover is one of translucent and opaque.

13. The storage space of claim 11 wherein cover comprises a vertically hinged door.

14. The storage space of any of claims 2 through 13 wherein the wine cradle is configured to store a wine bottle substantially horizontally.

15. The storage space of any of claims 2 through 14 wherein the wine cradle defines a depression dimensioned to support the wine bottle without rolling.

16. The storage space of claim 15 further comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel rods, wherein the depression is defined between the pair of rods.

17. The storage space of any of claims 2 though 16 wherein the wine rack further comprises a lip extending laterally outward from a front of the wine rack.

18. The storage space of any of claims 2 through 17 wherein the wine rack further comprises a means for exchanging heat.

19. The storage space of claim 18 wherein the means for exchanging heat comprises a cooler.

20. The storage space of claim 18 wherein the means for exchanging heat comprises a forced fluid system.

21. The storage space of claim 18 wherein the means for exchanging heat is disposed at a rear, recessed portion of the wine rack.

22. A house comprising the wine rack of any of claims 1-21.

23. The storage space of claim 1 wherein the bottle rack is of unitary construction.

24. The storage space of claims 1 or 23 wherein the bottle rack comprises: a housing adapted for mounting at least partially into a building wall, the housing including a rear wall joined to a forwardly projecting top wall, bottom wall, and pair of side walls to define a forwardly open interior chamber; a bottle cradle configured to store a bottle having a stopper in contact with a stored liquid, the bottle cradle positioned generally within the housing; and a lip extending laterally outward from the top wall, bottom wall, and side walls.

25. The bottle rack of claim 1, 23, or 24 further comprising a door hingedly mounted onto the housing for swinging movement between positions covering the interior chamber and exposing the interior chamber.

26. A storage space comprising a means for storing a bottle at least partially recessed in a wall.

27. The storage space of claim 26 wherein the means for storing further comprises a means for cradling a bottle having a stopper in contact with a stored liquid.

28. The storage space of claim 26 or 27 further comprising a means for covering the bottle in the means for storing.

29. A method comprising storing a bottle in a bottle rack at least partially recessed in a wall.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein storing the bottle in the bottle rack comprises storing a wine bottle in the bottle rack with a cork in contact with a wine in the wine bottle.

31. The method of claims 29 or 30 further comprising mounting the bottle rack to a wall stud forming the wall.