Modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts

Abstract

A modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts comprising a base (12), a bowl (14) and if necessary also one or more portions of stem (13) provided, on surfaces facing each other, with coupling means (15) providing a freely associable and disconnectable bond between the parts.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts.

[0002] Tableware made of glass or crystal consists, among other things, of various styles of drinking glasses, such as drinking glasses with stems, with long stems or without stems, and also vases, carafes, bowls, dishes, cups and other items.

[0003] Currently these glass or crystal items are composed of a single piece. Following technical difficulties in production some of these items may also be formed of more than one part cemented or welded together in an inseparable manner. This prevalently concerns drinking glasses provided with bases, with or without a stem, prevalently produced in blown glass.

[0004] As is well known, a complete set of table glasses comprises a large number of items of various shapes and sizes. For the user, this entails considerable expense at the time of purchase and a great deal of space to store the set.

[0005] Moreover, in the event of breakage, even if only one piece of a drinking glass is involved, it is necessary to replace the whole item, while usually only one part of it has been damaged, with a subsequent high cost.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to produce a modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts associable with one another in order to produce a high number of combinations of dimensions, shapes and colours.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to produce a modular drinking glass which allows selective replacement of the damaged part only and re-use of the unbroken part.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is to produce a modular drinking glass which is particularly simple and functional, with reduced costs.

[0009] These objects according to the present invention are attained by producing a modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts as set forth in claim 1.

[0010] Further characteristics of a modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0011] The single parts of a glass or crystal drinking glass comprise a base, a stem, which in turn may comprise more than one part, and a bowl, interchangeable with one another, meaning that they are freely associable and disconnectable to alternatively form, for example, a stemmed drinking glass, a long stemmed drinking glass or a drinking glass without a stem in various shapes and colours.

[0012] The characteristics and advantages of a modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts according to the present invention shall become more evident in the description below, provided purely as a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a modular stemmed drinking glass with interchangeable parts, according to the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view of the drinking glass in FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic view of a modular long stemmed drinking glass with interchangeable parts;

[0016] FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of a modular drinking glass without a stem with interchangeable parts;

[0017] figures from 5 to 9 show exploded schematic views of different styles of modular drinking glasses with interchangeable parts;

[0018] FIG. 10 is an exploded and partly sectional side elevation view of a threaded coupling means between parts of a modular drinking glass;

[0019] FIG. 11 is a partly sectional elevation view of a bayonet coupling means between parts of a modular drinking glass in an exploded position;

[0020] FIGS. 12 and 13 are respectively partly sectional views according to the line XII-XII in FIG. 13 and according to the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12 of the bayonet coupling means between parts of a modular drinking glass in FIG. 11, in an assembled position;

[0021] FIGS. 14 and 15 are respectively partly sectional views according to the line XIV-XIV in FIG. 15 and according to the line XV-XV in FIG. 14 of a second bayonet coupling between single parts of a modular drinking glass, according to the present invention, in an assembled position.

[0022] With reference to the figures, these show a modular glass or crystal drinking glass with interchangeable parts, indicated as a whole with 10. The individual parts, or components, freely associable and disconnectable, are composed of a base 12, of one or more stem portions 13 and of a bowl 14.

[0023] According to the previously chosen compositions, the drinking glass 10 may for example alternatively be in the form of a stemmed drinking glass 10A (FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8), of a long stemmed drinking glass 10B (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6) or of a drinking glass without a stem 10C (FIGS. 4 and 9).

[0024] In turn the individual parts 12, 13 and 14 are available in various dimensions, shapes, colours and decorations making it possible to produce different styles of drinking glasses 10.

[0025] Purely as a non-limiting example the attached figures show some of the many possible combinations of these parts with one another.

[0026] The modular drinking glasses 10, according to the present invention, are equipped with coupling means 15, which form a disconnectable bond between the parts that are associable with one another.

[0027] The coupling means 15 are composed of complementary male 15′ and female 15″ elements, respectively present on the facing surfaces of these associable parts, that is the base 12, the portions of stem 13 and the bowl 14, to produce the different drinking glasses 10A, 10B and 10C, represented schematically in FIGS. from 1 to 9 and which, for example, are composed of the elements represented in FIGS. from 10 to 15.

[0028] The coupling means 15 may for example be of the threaded, bayonet or jointed type, or other means capable of producing a freely associable and disconnectable bond with facing parts.

[0029] To produce the drinking glass without a stem 10C (FIGS. 4 and 9) both the bowl 14 and the base 12 must be provided with coupling elements complementary to each other 15′ and 15″ produced on facing surfaces.

[0030] The stem portions 13 must instead be provided with both coupling elements 15′ and 15″, one on each surface positioned at the ends of the stem portion 13, so that a portion of stem 13 may be connected between the bowl 14 and the base 12 to produce a stemmed drinking glass 10A, shown assembled in FIG. 1. It is therefore equally possible to join more than one portion 13 together to produce a long stemmed drinking glass 10B (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6).

[0031] The coupling means 15 may consist in inserts firmly connected to the glass or crystal part, for example cemented or melted into the glass itself. The inserts may for example be produced in metal, plastic or in glass or crystal.

[0032] In the case of drinking glasses in pressed glass, the coupling means 15 may be produced in one piece with the base 12, the portions of stem 13 and the bowl 14, by pressing the complementary profiles directly during pressing of the single parts. The coupling means 15 are in this case pressed in the same material or in a different material without distinction.

[0033] Figures from 10 to 15 show purely as an example some coupling means 15 consisting, without distinction, of inserts applied to end portions of the parts of drinking glass or of pressed profiles.

[0034] FIG. 10 shows a coupling means 15 with complementary threads 17 producing the male element 15′ and the female element 15″.

[0035] Figures from 11 to 15 shows two examples of coupling means 15 of the bayonet type.

[0036] In a first example the hollow female element 15″ is provided internally with two hemispherical bosses 18 diametrally opposite and the male element 15′ has two circumferential sections with slots 19 in a complementary shape to the bosses 18 also diametrally opposite each other. Moreover, two longitudinal grooves 20 leading towards the slots 19, in a complementary shape to the bosses 18, allow the male element 15′ to be fitted axially into the female element 15″ when specifically aligned (FIG. 11). Subsequent relative rotation between the two elements of the coupling means 15 causes the bosses 18 to engage in the slots 19 and the secures the bond between associated parts, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0037] FIGS. 14 and 15 show a second example of bayonet coupling means 15 in an assembled position.

[0038] In the underneath view (FIG. 15) the male element 15′ is shown partly in view and partly concealed, where it is engaged in the female element 15″.

[0039] The male element 15′ is provided with a cylindrical portion 24, connected to end portions of the parts of drinking glass, free to rotate inside a seat 23 of the female element 15″.

[0040] The male element 15′ is also provided with portions which may be inserted by rotation inside two opposite fissures 22 in the female element 15″.

[0041] Coupling between the elements 15′ and 15″ is produced by fitting the male element 15′ axially into the seat 23 in the female element 15″, which houses it with clearance. Relative rotation between the two elements causes the side portions 21 to engage in the fissures 22 as shown in the figures and secures the bond.

[0042] Each part of the drinking glass is therefore associated or disconnected through axial movements and/or rotation without the aid of further instruments or devices.

[0043] It is thus possible to replace parts of the drinking glass 10 with different parts provided with the same coupling means 15.

[0044] In addition to being firm, these connections remain freely associable or freely disconnectable in time.

[0045] The modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts according to the present invention has the advantage of allowing a wide range of possible combinations of dimensions, shapes, colours and decorations using a low number of single components. It is thus possible to produce complete and more personalized sets of tableware according to circumstances or the user's taste.

[0046] Moreover, the modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts advantageously permits replacement of any single part that is damaged with a noteworthy saving in cost.

[0047] A set composed of modular drinking glasses according to the present invention is distinguished by its low overall dimensions to the advantage of the trader and the user, both during transport and storage.

Claims

1. Modular drinking glass with interchangeable parts, characterized in that it is composed of parts comprising at least a base (12) and a bowl (14), in which each of said parts is provided with coupling means (15) producing a freely associable and disconnectable bond with facing parts.

2. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that between said base (12) and said bowl (14) there is at least one portion of stem (13), said portion of stem (13) also being provided with coupling means (15) producing a freely associable and disconnectable bond with facing parts.

3. Modular drinking glass as claimed in any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said coupling means (15) are composed of complementary coupling elements.

4. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said complementary coupling elements are threaded male (15′) and female (15″) coupling elements.

5. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said coupling elements (15) are bayonet type male (15′) and female (15″) coupling elements.

6. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said coupling means (15) are pressed in a single piece with said parts of drinking glass (12, 13, 14).

7. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said coupling means are pressed in the same material as said parts (12, 13, 14).

8. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said coupling means are pressed in a different material compared with said parts (12, 13, 14).

9. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said coupling means (15) are inserts firmly bonded to said parts of drinking glass (12, 13, 14).

10. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said inserts are made of metal, plastic or glass.

11. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said inserts are cemented.

12. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is made of glass or crystal.

13. Modular drinking glass as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said parts (12, 13, 14) may have general shapes, dimensions and colours.