DRINKING VESSEL HAVING ENGAGEMENT FEATURES AND CAMOUFLAGING NON-ENGAGEMENT ELEMENTS IN INTAGLIO

• US 20180132638A1
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celebrate Everywhere, LLC
• Original Assignee: Celebrate Everywhere, LLC
• Inventors: BERGIDA, John R., BERGIDA, Marvin M., EAKES, Justin D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,791,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2205 Drinking glasses or vessels A47G19/23 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0225 secured by rotation

Abstract

The utilitarian function of the engagement features on a lidded vessel is at least partially camouflaged so that the engagement features'"'"' utilitarian function is less apparent to the consumer after the lid is removed. The lidded vessel may be, for example, a lidded drinking glass—such as a lidded wine glass, beer glass, whiskey tumbler or soda glass—that is sold pre-filled and sealed with the wine, beer, whiskey or soda already inside. The camouflaging may be accomplished using one or more camouflaging techniques, some or all of them involving the presence of non-engagement elements.

Claims

1. A drinking vessel comprising:

a bowl for holding a beverage, the bowl having a rim defining an opening, the bowl having a bottom, and the bowl having protrusions on an outside surface of the bowl within an engagement feature band on said outside surface of the bowl;

a beverage in the bowl;

a lid rotated onto the bowl and covering the opening, the lid having one or more lid engagement features engaged with one or more bowl engagement features to seal the beverage in the bowl, each of the one or more bowl engagement features being at least a portion of at least one of the protrusions within said engagement feature band, each of the one or more bowl engagement features having at least one of three engagement functions, said three engagement functions being a) engaging with said lid engagement features to hold the lid on the bowl, b) guiding the lid engagement features into positions where the lid engagement features engage with one or more of said bowl engagement features when the lid is rotated onto the bowl, and c) stopping the lid from being rotated onto the bowl to such an extent that said lid engagement features disengage from said one or more bowl engagement features; and

at least one non-engagement element in intaglio in a surface of the vessel, at least a portion of said at least one non-engagement element being closer to the rim of the bowl than at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

2. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the drinking vessel is an article that was formed, at least in part, in a mold that included an embossed version of the at least one non-engagement element so that the at least one non-engagement element was caused to appear in intaglio in a surface of the vessel.

3. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is sunk below the surface level of the vessel.

4. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element includes a depiction of grapes and/or grapevines.

5. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is all or part of an organizational logo.

6. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is an alphanumeric character, a word, a part of a word, or presents a multiword textual message.

7. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed behind at least one of the bowl engagement features.

8. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed around at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

9. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed above and/or below at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

10. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed next to at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

11. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element overlays at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

23. The drinking vessel of claim 1 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is etched into the outer surface through the molding process or by a secondary process from a laser beam after the vessel is made.

12. A drinking vessel comprising:

a bowl for holding a beverage, the bowl having a rim defining an opening, the bowl having a bottom, and the bowl having protrusions on an outside surface of the bowl within an engagement feature band on the outside surface of the bowl;

one or more bowl engagement features, each of the one or more bowl engagement features being at least a portion of at least one of the protrusions within the engagement feature band and being adapted for mating with a lid, wherein the lid is adapted to be rotated onto the bowl so as to cover the opening, the lid having one or more lid engagement features to engage with the one or more bowl engagement features to seal the bowl, each of the one or more bowl engagement features having at least one of three engagement functions, the three engagement functions being a) to engage with the lid engagement features to hold the lid on the bowl, b) to guide the lid engagement features into positions where the lid engagement features engage with one or more of the bowl engagement features when the lid is rotated onto the bowl, and c) to stop the lid from being rotated onto the bowl to such an extent that the lid engagement features disengage from the one or more bowl engagement features; and

at least one non-engagement element in intaglio in a surface of the vessel, at least a portion of said at least one non-engagement element being closer to the rim of the bowl than at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

13. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the drinking vessel is an article that was formed, at least in part, in a mold that included an embossed version of the at least one non-engagement element so that the at least one non-engagement element was caused to appear in intaglio in a surface of the vessel.

14. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is sunk below the surface level of the vessel.

15. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element includes a depiction of grapes and/or grapevines.

16. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is all or part of an organizational logo.

17. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is an alphanumeric character, a word, a part of a word, or presents a multiword textual message.

18. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed behind at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

19. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed around at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

20. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed above and/or below at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

21. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is disposed next to at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

22. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element overlays at least a portion of at least one of the bowl engagement features.

24. The drinking vessel of claim 12 wherein the at least one non-engagement element is etched into the outer surface through the molding process or by a secondary process from a laser beam after the vessel is made.