GB2090129A

GB2090129A - Display device for miniature bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2090129A
Application number: GB8041605A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-12-31
Filing date: 1980-12-31
Publication date: 1982-07-07
Also published as: ES262374Y; ES262374U; GB2090129B

Abstract

Display means (11) for displaying miniature bottles (39) in an inverted position comprises a dummy dispenser member (27) resembling an optic which receives the neck or cap (37) of a bottle, a second member (25) such as a resiliently deformable strip having an axial portion (53) adjustably fixed to the dummy dispenser and a portion (57, 58) to engage the base (59) of the bottle, and means for mounting the members (33, 61) for display purposes. Several devices may be held on a support (13) to display bottles side by side. Thus numbers of bottles can be displayed in a manner resembling the presentation of full-size bottles with functioning optics in public bars. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display of bottles The present invention relates to the display of miniature bottles, e.g. of spirits, liqueurs and fortified wines.

The collection of miniature bottles is a popular hobby and the present invention provides for display of such bottles in an inverted position, e.g.

to resemble the display of full size bottles in use in a public bar.

Accordingly, the present invention provides display means for displaying a miniature bottle in a generally inverted position, comprising a cap member having a mouth at one end thereof for engagement of the cap or neck of a bottle and having at the other end thereof a nose of smaller cross-section, with a body portion between the two ends tapering towards the nose and cross-bar in a plane perpendicular to the axis of a bottle to be displayed, the cross-bar depending at its midpoint from the nose, a second member having a portion adapted to engage the base of said bottle and to bias the bottle against the cap member, and means for mounting the display means so that the axis of said bottle extends in a generally vertical plant, and wherein the two members are fixedly securable one to the other to hold a bottle between the base engaging portion and the cap member and the axial distance between said base engaging portion and said cap member is adjustable according to the length of the bottle to be displayed.

Advantageously, at least one of said members is resiliently deformable to permit introduction or removal of a bottle when the members are fixedly secured together with the base portion and cap member axially spaced for holding that bottle.

It is preferred for the second member to comprise a resilientiy deformable strip having an axial portion fixedly securable to said cap member to extend between the cap member and the base engaging portion and with the latter bent at an angle relative to the axial portion, and suitably the axial portion includes an axially extending slot and the display means includes means engaging the slot and lockable to secure the two members in fixed positions relative to one another.

The invention further provides a display set comprising support means and a plurality of the display devices, with the mounting means thereof including means for mounting each display means on the support means, and means for mounting the support means for display of bottles in inverted positions with the axes of the bottles in a generally vertical plane.

It is common in public bars for full size bottles of spirits to be mounted in rows in an inverted position with an optic attached to the neck of each bottle for use in dispensing accurate measures of the contents.

A display set according to the invention can be constructed so that miniature bottles can be displayed in a similar manner, with the cap member designed to resemble, to a greater or lesser degree, as desired, an optic.

One embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is an exploded view of a display set according to the invention, with only a single display means and bottle shown.

Referring to the drawing, the display set is generally indicated by the numeral 11, comprising a support means 13 in the form of a bright metalplated mild steel strip provided with a plurality of holes (1 5, 17, 19 are shown) for the mounting, at regular intervals along the length of the strip 1 3, of miniature bottle display means. Fixing means such as screws 21 and holes 23 adjacent the ends of the strip are provided for mounting the strip, suitably with its axis horizontal, on a vertical wall or other surface, for the display of bottles, as described below.

A single display means 25 is illustrated, for mounting on the strip 1 3 at the location of hole 1 5. It will however be appreciated that on the strip shown three display means could be mounted side by side, and that the strip could be considerably longer to accommodate a row of several more bottles, or, alternatively, several strips could be mounted in side-by-side relationship or one below the other on a wall or other surface as desired.

Display means 25 comprises a cap member27, a second resilient strip member 29 and respective screws 31 and 33 for securing the members together and for attaching the member29 to strip 13.

As show, cap member27 is hollow and has a mouth 35 at one end thereof, for receiving therein the cap 37 of an inverted bottle 39 to be displayed. The other end of cap member 27 is closed by a nose 41 of smaller cross-section, with a body portion 43 between the two ends tapering towards the nose. This part of the cap member is a single plastics moulding, suitable acrylic, and is transparent. There is a second separately moulded part 45 in the form of a cross-bar which is attached to the nose 51 at its mid-point by means of a projection 49 which is fixed in a recess 51 in the nose so that the cross-bar depends from the nose and lies in a plant perpendicular to the axis 47 of the bottle. Thus cap member 27 can be designed to have a general resemblance to a miniature optic although of course it does not function as such.

The second member29 is a generally L-shaped resilient strip of bright metal-plated mild steel with a long arm 53 having an axial slot 55 adjacent the free end thereof and a shorter arm 57 bent at an angle of about 900 to the long arm for engaging base 59 of the bottle 39. As many miniature bottles have recessed bases, it is generally advisable to form the shorter arm portion 57 with a protruding portion such as 58 to ensure adequate engagement with the base of the bottle.

Threaded hole 61 is provided in an upper part of the long arm 53 for receipt of screw 33 to attach the display means 11 to strip 13. As shown, the long arm 53 is formed with a lazy 'S' bend between the portion having the hole 61 and the portion containing the slot 55. This assists in locating the cap member in its proper position to receive the cap of the bottle without having to provide an unsightly extension on the cap member and also improves the resilience of the assembly for the removal or replacement of a bottle although the L-shape of the member may itself provide sufficient resilience.

In order to display a bottle 39 in an inverted position as shown, the optic-like cap member27 is secured to member25 by means of screw 31 extending through the axial slot 55 and into threaded hole 63 in the cap. The axial distance between cap member27 and bottle baseengaging member 57 can be varied according to the length of the bottle to be displayed by adjusting the location of the screw 31 in the slot so that the bottle may be held securely and the parts may then be locked together in the desired portion by tightening the screw. The bottle can be introduced or removed when all the parts are assembled because of the resilience of member25.

Normally the miniature bottle will be unopened, but the neck of a bottle without a cap could be received in the mouth of the cap member 27.

Since the member 27 is formed of transparent material, it can be filled in the hollow body 43 thereof with a liquid of the colour of the contents of the bottle to be displayed, thus enhancing the resemblance to an optic. If desired only a portion of the body 43 need be transparent and if it is not desired to provide liquid, the cap member need not be transparent. Legends or decorative motifs may be applied to the outside of the mouth portion 35 of the cap member and for this purpose the external wall of the mouth is preferably cylindrical. A mounting plate could be provided in place of strip 13 and the axial strip members 25 could be permanently secured to or integral with the mounting plate or strip 1 3. Also, the strips could be mounted so that the bottles lie with their axes in a vertical plane but at an angle to the vertical. The display means could include a third member attachabie between strips 1 3 and member 25, extending from screw 33, in the assembled structure, substantially parallel to the top portion of member25 and over the base engaging portion 57, with a plate or the like held in front of the bottle being displayed to identify the contents thereof, the effect being, again, to increase the resemblance to an optic and its support. Further modifications, and alternatives and additions will occur to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Display means for displaying a miniature bottle in a generally inverted position, comprising a cap member having a mouth at one end thereof for engagement of the cap or neck of a bottle and having at the other end thereof a nose of smaller cross-section, with a body portion between the two ends tapering towards the nose and a cross-bar in a plane perpendicular to the axis of a bottle to be displayed, the cross-bar depending at its midpoint from the nose, a second member having a portion adapted to engage the base of said bottle and to bias the bottle against the cap member, and means for mounting the display means so that the axis of said bottle extends in a generally vertical plane, and wherein the two members are fixedly securable one to the other to hold a bottle between the base engaging portion and the cap member and the axial distance between said base engaging portion and said cap member is adjustable according to the length of the bottle to be displayed.

2. Display means as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one of said members is resiliently deformable to permit introduction or removal of a bottle when the members are fixedly secured together with the base portion and cap member axially spaced for holding the bottle.

3. Display means as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said second member comprises a resiliently deformable strip having an axial portion fixedly securable to said cap member to extend between the cap member and the base engaging portion and with the latter bent at an angle relative to the axial portion.

4. Display means as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said axial portion is formed with a lazy 'S' bend.

5. Display means as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said axial portion includes an axially extending slot and the display means includes means engaging the slot and lockable to secure the members in fixed positions relative to one another.

6. Display means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body of the cap member includes a transparent portion.

7. Display means as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the cap member is a transparent plastics moulding.

8. Display means as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the body, mouth and nose of the cap comprise a single moulding and the cross bar is separately moulded.

9. Display means as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the body portion of the cap member is hollow and the member is adapted to hold a liquid below the bottle.

1 0. Display set, comprising support means and a plurality of display devices as claimed in any preceding claim with said mounting means thereof including means for mounting each display means on the support means, and means for mounting the support means for display of bottles in inverted positions with the axes of the bottles in a generally vertical strip.

11. Display set as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the support means comprises a strip adapted for the mounting at regular intervals along its length of display means as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 by their respective axial portions.