Tote bag for carrying a plurality of wine bottles

Abstract

A wine bottle carrier in the form of a tote bag having a plurality of non-rigid partition members provided in the interior thereof which define six wine bottle compartments to enable wine bottles to be inserted downwardly thereinto. A drawstring is provided at the upper end of the tote bag which may tightened to draw the upper ends of the wine bottles in the bottle compartments together to restrict the movement therebetween during carrying or transport to prevent breakage thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a wine carrier and more particularly to a tote bag for carrying a number of wine bottles, preferably six bottles.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many different types of bags or sacks have been previously provided for carrying a wine bottle from place to place. When a bottle of wine is purchased at a store or the like, the wine bottle is normally placed in a paper sack. If less than a case of wine is purchased, each of the bottles is usually placed in a paper or plastic sack with the sacks being placed in a larger bag or sack. Frequently, the bottles are broken since they may strike one another during carrying or while being transported in a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,484 discloses a carrier in the form of a tote bag which can accommodate two wine bottles. Although the carrier of U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,484 provides a convenient means for carrying two bottles of wine, the necks of the bottles are unrestrained and may strike one another during carrying or transport thereby causing breakage of one or both bottles. Further, there are times when it would be convenient to be able to carry more than two wine bottles such as when a person purchases less than a case of wine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wine bottle carrier is described which includes a tote bag including a carrying strap which extends upwardly therefrom. The tote bag has a plurality of partition members positioned in the interior thereof which define at least four and preferably six bottle compartments having open upper ends to enable wine bottles to be inserted downwardly thereinto. A drawstring is provided at the upper end of the tote bag which may be tightened to draw the upper ends of the wine bottles in the bottle compartments together to restrict the movement therebetween during carrying or transport to prevent breakage thereof. The tote bag also includes a foldable semi-rigid bottom panel which may be folded with the bag and which may be positioned in a horizontal position to provide support to the bottoms of the wine bottles in the compartments. The bottle compartments are large enough to accommodate 1.5 liter wine bottles.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved wine bottle carrier.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wine bottle carrier of the tote bag type which is capable of accommodating six bottles of wine therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wine bottle carrier of the type described which includes means for drawing the necks of the wine bottles therein towards one another to prevent breakage of the wine bottles during carrying or transport.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a wine bottle carrier of the tote bag type which is capable of accommodating 1.5 liter wine bottles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wine bottle carrier of the type described which may be folded flat when not being used.

These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wine bottle carrier of this invention with the broken lines illustrating the partition members within the carrier;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the wine bottle carrier of this invention in a folded position for storage;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the wine bottle carrier of this invention illustrating wine bottles being positioned in the compartments thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the wine bottle carrier of FIG. 3 illustrating the closure at the upper end thereof being drawn together to move the necks of the bottles towards one another to prevent their breakage during carrying or transport;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the wine bottle carrier of this invention with a portion thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 except that the closure at the upper end of the carrier has been closed to draw the necks of the bottles therein towards one another to prevent their breakage; and

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the wine bottle carrier with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The numeral 10 refers to the tote bag or wine bottle carrier of this invention which includes opposite sides 12 and 14, opposite ends 16 and 18, bottom 20 and an open upper end 22. Preferably, the bag is constructed of a non-rigid polypropylene material which is waterproof and sufficiently flexible enough to enable the bag to be folded for storage when not in use. A strap 24 is secured to the bag 10, as seen in the drawings, so as to provide a pair of inverted, U-shaped handles 26 and 28 which extend upwardly from the upper ends of sides 12 and 14, respectively. The strap 24 extends around the bottom of the bag 10 to provide a more sturdy strap. As seen, the bag 10 has a generally rectangular cross-section. The bag 10, as shown, is designed to carry six wine bottles, but the same could be modified so as to carry eight, ten or twelve bottles if so desired.

A longitudinally extending, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition 30 is positioned within the bag 10 and has its end edges 32 and 34 secured to the ends 16 and 18, respectively, by stitching 36 and 38, respectively. Stitching 36 and 38 not only secures the end edges 32 and 34 of partition 30 to ends 16 and 18, but also provides fold lines in ends 16 and 18 to facilitate the folding of the bag when not in use. As seen, the upper end of partition 30 is spaced below the upper end of the bag 10.

Vertically disposed partition 40 has its outer end edge 42 secured to side 12 by stitching or the like and has its inner end edge 44 secured to partition 30 by stitching or the like. Vertically disposed partition 46 has its outer end edge 48 secured to side 14 by stitching or the like and has its inner end edge 50 secured to partition 30 by stitching or the like.

Vertically disposed partition 52 has its outer end edge 54 secured to side 12 and has its inner end edge 56 secured to partition 30 by stitching or the like. Vertically disposed partition 58 has its outer end edge 60 secured to side 14 by stitching or the like and has its inner end 62 secured to partition 30 by stitching or the like. The partitions 40, 46, 52 and 58 are preferably constructed of a non-rigid or flexible material such as polypropylene or the like. The upper ends or partitions 40, 46, 52 and 58 dwell in the same plane as the upper end of partition 30. As seen, the partitions 30, 40, 46, 52 and 58 define six wine bottle compartments C₁, C₂, C₃, C₄, C₅ and C₆. If only two bottles are to be carried in the bag 10, they may be laced in compartments C₃ and C₄. If four bottles are to be carried in the bag 10, they may be placed in compartments C₁, C₂, C₅ and C₆. The bag 10 may be constructed in a larger manner with additional partitions being utilized to enable the bag 10 to carry eight, ten, twelve, etc., bottles. The compartments are large enough to accommodate 1.5 liter wine bottles.

Bag 10 is provided with one or more drawstrings 63 at the upper end of the bag 10 together with a locking retainer 64 so that the upper end of the bag 10 may be drawn together which draws the necks of the bottles together into engagement with one another to prevent the bottles from striking one another during carrying or transport to prevent breakage of the bottles which could otherwise occur if the upper ends of the bottles in the compartments were not restrained, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6.

A pair of semi-rigid, flat, rectangular bottom supports 66 and 68 are secured to bottom 20 of bag 20 to not only provide support to the bottles in the compartments, but to also permit the bottom 20 to be folded at the inner edges of the supports 66 and 68 when the bag is not being used. The folding of the bag 10 is also enhanced by the fold lines created in the ends 16 and 18 by the stitching 36 and 38.

Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Claims

1. A wine bottle carrier, comprising:

a tote bag including a non-rigid bottom, opposite sides, opposite ends, and an open upper end;

a carry strap secured to said tote bag;

a first, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition member secured to said opposite ends of said tote bag and extending therebetween;

a second, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition member secured to the interior of one of said sides of said tote bag and to said first partition member and extending therebetween;

a third, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition member secured to the interior of the other side of said tote bag and to said first partition member and extending therebetween in alignment with said second partition member;

a fourth, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition member secured to said one side of said tote bag and to said first partition member and which extends therebetween and which is spaced from said second partition member;

a fifth, vertically disposed, non-rigid partition member secured to said other side of said tote bag and to said first partition member and which extends therebetween and which is spaced from said third partition member;

said partition members defining six bottle compartments having open upper ends to enable wine bottles to be inserted downwardly thereinto;

and a drawstring at the upper end of said tote bag which may be tightened to draw the upper ends of the wine bottles in the bottle compartments together to restrict the movement therebetween during carrying or transport to prevent breakage thereof.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said partition members have upper ends which are disposed below the upper ends of the bottles in the bottle compartments.

3. The carrier of claim 1 wherein said tote bag has a generally rectangular cross-section.

4. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each of said ends of said tote bag have fold lines formed therein by the attachment of the ends of said first partition member thereto.

5. The carrier of claim 3 wherein first and second semi-rigid rectangular support members are positioned at the interior surface of said bottom of said tote bag to provide support for the bottles in the bottle compartments and to permit the bottom of the tote bag to be folded in half for storage when the bottles have been removed from the bottle compartments.