WINE CABINET

Abstract

A wine storage cabinet maintains wine bottles in two separate compartments at different temperatures and humidities. Temperature controls for each compartment are installed on the exterior of the cabinet. An interchangeable rack system allows some bottles in a vertical position in one compartment, while other bottles are maintained in a horizontal position in the other compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage for consumables and more particularly to a wine storage cabinet. The field of this invention generally relates to refrigeration, humidification, wine arrangement and the intentional selection of storage angle for bottles.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various forms of storage for wine and other consumables have been used in the past art. The forms that these storage devices take are largely dependent upon the type of consumable and the preferences of the individual storing the consumable.

In wine storage, there are various factors to consider. Proper humidity, temperature and angle of the bottle must be maintained in order to store a wine bottle for any extended length of time while retaining the wine in suitable condition for consumption. Once a bottle has been opened, additional considerations, such as maintaining a wet cork suitable for retaining a seal on the liquid within the bottle also comes into effect.

Various methods have been employed in the prior art. Often bottles are stored underground to maintain the wine at a uniform temperature independent of the above ground temperature fluctuations. Often bottles are stored in racks, typically with the neck end of the rack facing downwards at a slight angle in order to keep the cork continually moistened. These methods, and others, are employed in the prior art to maintain wine in suitable condition for drinking over long periods of time.

Other methods are employed for short-term storage of wines and similar consumable beverages. These methods include refrigeration of the wines, racks for keeping the wine safe and undamaged in compact areas, single-bottle storage units for maintaining a particular bottle chilled or in a particular position.

The large scale and long-term storage solutions typically take up a great deal of space, are inconvenient to individuals with little storage space and require locations in which are suitably humid and cool. The small scale storage solutions have been simple and, thus, typically do not serve all of the needs for the intermediate to long-term storage of wines. In most cases, racks provide no humidity or temperature controls, where refrigerators utilize lighting which may be harmful to wines, over time, and provide no sensitive controls over humidity. Furthermore, prior art methods do not provide, simultaneously, for multiple types of storage.

For these reasons and others, there exists a need for a wine storage cabinet suitable for use in storing wines in at least two different conditions. There further exists a need for a device capable of storing wines in suitable conditions for long and short term storage. The devices of the prior art do not satisfy these needs and therefore the present invention provides distinct benefits. These benefits and other benefits will become apparent in the description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a wine storage cabinet suitable for maintaining at least two groups of wine in different conditions. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two compartments are provided for the storage of wine bottles. One of the compartments is climate-controlled so that the wine may be maintained at a predetermined temperature and humidity level. The other compartment is smaller, providing for the storage of upright bottles.

In alternative embodiments, both compartments may be climate controlled, both compartments may contain racks suitable for storing wine horizontally, as is recommended to maintain the cork's moisture. The compartments may also, alternatively, be the same size, or both suitable for maintaining bottles in racks, or both for storing wine bottles in an upright orientation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means by which bottles of wine may be maintained in predetermined temperatures and humidity levels. It is a further object to maintain some of the wine bottles at different temperatures, for example, if they have been opened already. It is a further object to provide for the storage of different bottles or groups of bottles while maintaining different temperatures and humidity levels.

The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, both as to structure and method of the operation thereof, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and they are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a wine cabinet of the present invention with the doors removed.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the wine cabinet of FIG. 1 with two front doors in place.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of a temperature control panel for each compartment of the cabinet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an alternative configuration of a wine cabinet according to the present invention with wine racks in both compartments.

FIG. 5 is a front view of another alternative embodiment of a wine cabinet with beveled doors.

FIG. 6 is a front view of another alternative embodiment with a single door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning first to FIG. 1, there is shown a wine storage cabinet 10 used to protect and store bottles of wine 24 containing wine for later use. The cabinet 10 according to the present invention includes two compartments 18 and 26. The temperature and humidity in one compartment may be maintained separately from the other. Various embodiments of the cabinet are described below.

In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, a wine storage cabinet 10 is shown with two storage compartments 18, and 26. In this figure, the front doors of the cabinet 10 have been removed. The cabinet exterior 12 is, in this embodiment a cube made of metal. In other embodiments, the cube may be made of hardened plastic or other similar materials suitable for creating cabinets.

The cabinet 10 includes hinge mounts 14. The cabinet 10 also includes base pads 16 at the corners of the cabinet 10 The cabinet 10 may also include various other exterior elements. A first compartment 18 is an elongated, narrow area in which at least three bottles may fit vertically within the compartment 18. A first sealing element 20 is provided along the exterior of the compartment 18. In the preferred embodiment, the sealing element 20 is a self-sealing rubber seal. In other embodiments, the sealing element may take other forms or may be a part of the door assembly.

The first compartment 18 may include a first rack 22 suitable for supporting one or more bottles of wine 24 (or other items). As shown, rack 22 is arranged such that the bottles of wine 24 are maintained vertically within the compartment 18. Alternative configurations are available to maintain bottles of wine 24 horizontally (or substantially horizontally). The rack 22 allows the users of the present invention to choose the way in which they wish to maintain the wine bottles in the narrow, smaller compartment 18. In the preferred embodiment, a single rack 22 is included in the first compartment 18.

In a second, wider compartment 26, a second sealing element 28 is provided. A series of racks 30 are provided in the second compartment 26. The racks 30 are designed such that wine bottles 32 are maintained in a horizontal and slightly downward position, one rack above another. In the preferred embodiment, the second compartment 26 is capable of storing a larger number of wine bottles 32. In other embodiments, the first compartment 18 and second compartment 26 may be the same size or the first compartment 18 may be the larger compartment.

FIG. 2 shows the cabinet 10 of FIG. 1 including the hinge mount 14. Not shown is the hinge mount for the door that encloses the first compartment 18. Also shown are the base pads 16. The door 34 covering the first compartment 18 includes a glass pane 36 so that the front wine bottle 20 may be seen without opening the door 34. In other embodiments, the door 34 may not include the glass pane 36 and may, instead, be a single piece of metal or plastic. In the preferred embodiment, the glass pane 36 is a double-pane glass suitable for thermally insulating the interior of the compartment 18. A handle 38 allows the door 34 to be opened and closed.

FIG. 2 also shows a second door 40 including a glass pane 42 and a handle 44. This door 40 incorporates temperature and light controls in a control panel 46. In alternative embodiments, the control panel may be a part of the cabinet. These controls enable a user to select the temperature of each compartment separately. For example, the first compartment 18 may be set at 55 degrees Fahrenheit in order for the wine to be slightly chilled, while the second compartment 26 may be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for long term storage. Additionally, the control panel 46 includes the capability to control lighting in either compartment. The control panel 46 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a closer view of the control panel 46 is shown. An arrow 52 indicates that the adjacent controls pertain to the first compartment 18. There is an up arrow 54 and a down arrow 56 which are used to select a temperature for the first compartment 18. The temperature is displayed on a liquid crystal display 58 on the face of the control panel 46. Also shown is a light switch 60. Depressing the switch once turns the light on, while a second depression turns the light off.

A second portion of the control panel 46 controls the second compartment 26 as shown by the right arrow 62. A second up arrow 64 and down arrow 66 controls the temperature of the second compartment 26. A second LCD display 68 displays the temperature to which the user has set the second compartment 26. Finally, a second light switch 60 is used to turn on and off the lighting element within the second compartment 26.

In other embodiments, additional controls such as humidity-related controls, in a control panel may also be provided In these embodiments, the cooling apparatus used to maintain certain temperatures within the compartments may also be used in conjunction with a humidification device to add, remove or maintain a certain level of humidity. This may be useful in order to maintain bottles for extended periods of time, while maintaining the contents and, in particular, the cork of the bottle in suitable condition for storage.

Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 4, including racks in both compartments for holding bottles horizontally. The cabinet 72 includes base pads 74. A door hinge 76 is also shown. A first compartment 78 includes a door 81 with a glass pane 80 and a handle 82 as seen in the prior embodiments. The second compartment 84 also includes a door with a glass pane 86 and handle 88.

In this embodiment, the rack 90 in the first compartment 78 is designed to hold wine bottles horizontally. The invention is designed to be modular such that a user may be provided with racks of both types in order to store the wine as they so desire. The rack 22 and rack 90 are interchangeable and rack designed to store wine vertically in the second compartment 84 may also be provided.

As in prior embodiments, the horizontal rack 92 is shown behind a glass pane 86 in the door 84 covering the compartment 86, storing a group of wine bottles. Also shown are the temperature controls in a control panel 94 as visible in prior embodiments. The controls of control panel 94 may be used to regulate the temperature and in some embodiments humidity of the bottles in either compartment. As a part of these controls, light switches are also provided in order to illuminate the wine bottles within the cabinet such that one may be selected by a user.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another alternative embodiment, cabinet 96 is shown. In this embodiment, a hinge 98 and base pads 100 are shown. A first door 102 (with hinges not shown) and a second door 112 presents an appearance different from than in prior embodiments in that they are beveled doors. This is intended to demonstrate that the scope of the present invention is not necessarily to be limited by the shape of the various elements, though the depicted embodiments are expressly within the scope of the invention.

The smaller door 102 includes a glass pane 106, as with prior embodiments, also in the first compartment of this embodiment, a rack 108 is used to support one or more wine bottles 110. It is to be understood as described above that the rack 108 shown in this Figure.

Also seen in FIG. 5, the door 112 for the second compartment includes a handle 114 and a glass pane 116. A series of racks, such as rack 118, are provided to support wine bottle (or other elements) horizontally. A wine bottle 120 is shown as one example of a support wine bottles stored vertically may also be provided.

As above, a control panel 122 is also provided for control of at least one of the compartments. The panel 122 includes controls for temperature, humidity and light illumination. The layout and elements of the control panel 46 or control panel 96 shown in previous figures. It is to be understood that additional or fewer elements may be added to the control panel 122.

FIG. 6 shows yet another alternative embodiment. Cabinet 124 is shown. This embodiment shows hinge 126 and base pads 128. There is only one door 134 covering both the first compartment 130 and the second compartment 132. The door 134 typically includes a double pane glass 140 for thermally insulating the interior of the compartments. However, door 134 can, instead, include a single piece of metal, plastic, or any other material, or combinations of materials, without departing from the scope of the present invention. A handle 136 allows the door 134 to be opened and closed. The single door 134 incorporates a control panel 138 for controlling temperatures and lights for both the first compartment 130 and the second compartment 132 although, as with other embodiments, the control panel can be an integral part of the cabinet 124.

Accordingly, a wine storage cabinet has been described. The present invention may be used to store various forms of wine, food and other liquids. It is to be understood that the foregoing description has been made with respect to specific embodiments thereof for illustrative purposes only. The overall spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the following claims, as defined in the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A wine storage cabinet comprising:

a first compartment, including a first door, first sealing means and a first internal storage area, said first compartment being substantially isolated from the ambient environment when said first door is closed;

a second compartment, independent of said first compartment, including a second door, second sealing means and a second internal storage area, said second compartment being substantially isolated from the ambient environment and said first compartment when said second door is closed; and

refrigeration means, attached to said first and second compartments, for cooling said internal storage areas;

wherein said storage areas can be maintained at different temperatures, and further wherein both said storage areas are suitable for storing bottles of wine.

2. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein said first door and said second door are independently operable to access bottles of wine, stored in the two compartments.

3. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein one of said internal storage compartments includes means for vertically supporting bottles of wine.

4. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein one of said internal storage compartments includes means for horizontally supporting bottles of wine.

5. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, including temperature setting means coupled to said refrigeration means for independently setting temperatures for said first and second storage areas.

6. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein the storage areas of said first compartment and said second compartment are maintained at different humidities.

7. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein said first compartment further includes illumination means.

8. The wine storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein said second compartment further includes illumination means.

9. A wine storage cabinet comprising:

an external casing, to provide protection and aesthetic appeal to the exterior of the cabinet;

a first storage compartment within said external casing;

a first door, hingedly affixed to said casing for sealing said first storage compartment from the atmosphere when said first door is closed;

a second storage compartment, within said external casing;

a second door, hingedly affixed to said casing for sealing said second storage

compartment from the atmosphere when said second door is closed;

refrigeration means, for maintaining separate temperatures in said first and second compartments; and

control means affixed to said exterior casing for regulating the temperatures of said first and second compartments.

10. The wine storage cabinet of claim 9, wherein said first storage compartment and said second storage compartment each contain a plurality of modular rack sections to accommodate both vertical and horizontal placements of wine bottles.

11. The wine storage cabinet of claim 9, wherein said first and second compartments are maintained at different humidities.

12. The wine storage cabinet of claim 9, wherein said first compartment further includes illumination means.

13. The wine storage cabinet of claim 9, wherein said second compartment further includes illumination means.

14. The wine storage cabinet of claim 9, wherein said first door and said second door include a glass pane.

15. A wine storage cabinet comprising:

an external casing, to provide protection and aesthetic appeal to the exterior of the cabinet;

a door, hingedly affixed to said external casing for sealing said storage cabinet from the atmosphere when said door is closed;

a first storage compartment within said external casing, wherein said first storage compartment is substantially isolated from the ambient environment when said door is closed;

a second storage compartment, within said external casing;

a plurality of modular rack sections to accommodate vertical placement of a wine bottle in one of said compartments and horizontal placement of a wine bottle in the other of said two compartments;

refrigeration means, for maintaining separate temperatures in said first compartment and said second compartment; and

control means affixed to said exterior casing for regulating the temperatures of said first compartment and said second compartment.

16. The wine storage cabinet of claim 15, further including a second door, wherein each of said doors sealingly isolates one of said compartments.

17. The wine storage cabinet of claim 15, wherein said first compartment and said second compartment are maintained at different humidities.

18. The wine storage cabinet of claim 15, wherein said refrigeration means maintain said first compartment and said second compartment at different temperatures.

19. The wine storage cabinet of claim 15, wherein said first and second compartments further include illumination means.