Beverage bottle carrier
A wearable beverage carrier having a cylindrical portion with an open end configured for removably receiving a beverage bottle and a closed end configured for restricting movement of the beverage container, an elongated support portion having a proximal end extending from the open end of the cylindrical portion; and a loop portion located at the distal end of the elongated support portion and configured for receiving the belt. Additionally, the wearable beverage carrier includes an absorbent pad removably coupled to the closed end of the cylindrical portion and is located inside the cylindrical portion between the beverage container and the closed end of the cylindrical portion.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/603,583 filed on Aug. 23, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to carriers for holding beverage containers, and more particularly to a holster style carrier worn by a human for carrying beverage bottles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBeverage servers at wine tastings, bars, cocktail lounges, house parties and the like are limited in their pouring and service activities, as they do not have free hands for other functions. For servers in commercial settings this results in a loss in productivity. For example, a wine server at a catered event is unable to assist in the clearing of glassware and dish ware when returning to the kitchen to drop off empty wine bottles and pick up full bottles. The same holds true for a host at a private house party attempting to entertain guests while also keeping the guests' glasses full with fine and drink.
One solution to this problem employed by some servers is to place the bottles into the pockets of the servers' pants, apron, or garment. While this method helps to free up the servers' hands, this method results in reduced range of server movement, inefficiency, poor accessibility, limited and uncomfortable storage capability, and increased potential for slippage, droppage, drippage and mess.
This method is particularly problematic when a server is attempting to carry several bottles of expensive wine in the server's pants pockets. The server must engage in inefficient and awkward movements to extract a bottle, de-cork the bottle, pour the wine, and replace the bottle into the pant pocket before removing the second bottle and repeating the process.
The present invention seeks to solve these problems by providing a human wearable beverage container carrier.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne aspect of the present invention includes a human wearable carrier for beverage bottles, such as wine, liquor or water bottles. One or more holster shaped carriers are placed on an adjustable belt worn around the server's waist or over the server's shoulder. This permits immediate, easy and natural access to multiple beverage containers while freeing the server's hands for other ancillary functions.
In another aspect of the present invention, a server is able to carry the open beverage bottles in a safe efficient manner and to carry one or more holsters to substantially increase efficiency and mobility, and to decrease unnecessary movement and wasted effort.
Other objects and advantages, which are set forth in the description of the Detailed Description of the Invention. The features and advantages described in the specification, however, are not all inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings and specification herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment is a holster shaped carrier 10 as shown in
Removable absorbent pad 20 is placed inside cylindrical portion 12 to absorb any liquid that drips from bottle 18. Removable absorbent pad is round in shape to fit within cylindrical portion 12 and is made of any absorbent, washable materials, such as sheepskin, sponge, foam or the like.
Carrier 10 may be secured to the body in several ways. First, carrier 10 may be secured at the waist by belt 24, which passes through loop portion 14 as shown in
The preferred composition of carrier 10 and belt 24 is leather of any grade, but with sufficient thickness and rigidity to hold beverage bottles and similarly heavy objects. While the preferred composition of the device is leather, it may also be composed of rubber, plastic or naugahyde, if of sufficient thickness, rigidity and strength to hold beverage bottles and similarly heavy objects.
Carrier 10 consists of four pieces of material, a left body piece 30a, right body piece 30b, back piece 31 and a bottom piece 32 as shown in
Left body piece 30a, right body piece 30b, back piece 31 and bottom piece 32 contain along the outer edges 36 of each piece a series of evenly spaced holes 34 through which lacing 22 is inserted to fasten the four pieces together to form carrier 10. Alternately, stitching, glue, rivets or the like may be used in place of lacing 22. Additionally, left body piece 30a and right body piece 30b are fastened to back piece 31 by narrow stitching 33.
To construct carrier 10, left body piece 30a, right body piece 30b, back piece 31 and bottom piece 32 are cut or stamped from the chosen material into the patterns shown in
Next, edges 35 of body pieces 30a/30b and back piece 31 are stitched together by narrow stitching 33. Next, edges 36 of left body piece 30a and right body piece 30b, and edges 36 of body pieces 30a/30b, back piece 31 and bottom piece 32 are fastened together by inserting lacing 22 through holes 34. Lastly, removable absorbent pad 20 is inserted into cylindrical portion 12 through the open end until is rests against bottom piece 32, and belt 24 is inserted through loop portion 14.
The four piece configuration of carrier 10 results in efficient use of construction materials when the material is cut from a animal hide. Preferably, to the extent possible, back piece 31 is constructed from the same portion (i.e., area) of the hide as belts 24. The body pieces 30a/30b and bottom piece 32 are then cut from other portions of the hide. By using four small pieces, rather than one large and one small piece as shown for example in the alternate embodiment below, hide waste is minimized and cut choices are maximized. The use of narrow stitching 33 is more cost effective yet does not degrade the aesthetics of the carrier 10, as narrow stitching 33 is not on a highly visible portion of carrier 10.
An alternatively constructed carrier 110 is depicted in
Carrier 110 consists of two pieces of material, a body piece 130 and a bottom piece 132 as shown in
Both body piece 130 and bottom piece 132 contain along the outer edges 136 of each piece a series of evenly spaced holes 134 through which lacing 122 is inserted to fasten the two pieces together to form carrier 110. Alternately, body piece 130 and bottom piece 132 are fastened together by stitching, glue, rivets or the like.
To construct carrier 110, body piece 130 and bottom piece 132 are cut or stamped from the chosen material into the patterns shown in
Next, edges 136 of body piece 130 and bottom piece 132 are fastened together by inserting lacing 122 through holes 134. Lastly, removable absorbent pad 120 is inserted into cylindrical portion 112 and belt 124 is inserted through loop portion 114.
From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and advantageous a human wearable carrier for beverage bottles. The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion that various changes, modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A carrier for a beverage container wearable using a belt, comprising:
- a cyclindrical portion having an open end configured for removably receiving a beverage bottle and a closed end configured for restricting movement of the beverage container;
- an elongated support portion having a proximal end extending from the open end of the cylindrical portion and a distal end; and
- a loop portion located at the distal end of the elongated support portion and configured for receiving the belt.
2. The carrier recited in claim 1 further comprising:
- an absorbent pad removably coupled to the closed end of the cylindrical portion;
- wherein the absorbent pad is located inside the cylindrical portion between the beverage container and the closed end of the cylindrical portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 10, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 23, 2006
Inventor: Wayne Lesser (Fairfax, CA)
Application Number: 11/200,742
International Classification: A45F 5/00 (20060101);