Napkin adapted to cradle a stemmed glass
A napkin adapted to cradle a stemmed glass and a kit having such a napkin in combination with, and configured to mate with, a stemmed glass. The napkin of the present invention includes an absorbent body made of either cloth or paper. The napkin includes a centralized slit aperture with a depth equal to the portion of the napkin proximately surrounding it. The slit aperture, which can be bolstered to maintain its dimensional integrity, is preferably either longitudinal or diagonal across the face of the napkin.
The present invention relates to the field of sanitary products and more specifically to the field of napkins.
BACKGROUNDWhere one finds food, a napkin is sure to be in the proximity. Napkins serve many important purposes, they: shield clothing from food particles; clean clothing stained by liquids; remove food residue from hands; and act as a barrier for hot and cold foods and drinks. However, in addition to these general napkin purposes, highly specific napkin structures have evolved to assist the diner in more specialized dining pursuits.
Napkins exist that act as a repository for eating utensils, see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,978,553 and 4,800,108. There are napkins designed to attach to specific portions of the body as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,813. There are even napkins designed for use with specifically-shaped food items as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,515. However, there is no satisfactory napkin structured to grip and cradle a stemmed drinking glass.
Glasses with stems have stems for two reasons: the first reason is aesthetic, the shape is generally pleasing to the eye; the second reason is function, it ensures that the glass may be held without contacting the bowl. A diner directly contacting the bowl with his hands adheres greasy fingerprints on it, and holding a glass by its stem ensures that warmth from the hand does not increase the temperature of the liquid within the bowl—which is often served chilled.
Therefore, there is a need for a napkin suitable to grip and cradle a stemmed drinking glass, capable of shielding the contents of the glass bowl from the hand temperature of a user and vice versa, and maintain structural orientation while in use.
SUMMARYThe present invention is directed to a napkin adapted to cradle a stemmed glass. The napkin of the present invention includes an absorbent body made of either cloth or paper. The napkin body includes the characteristic flat dimensions of a napkin, i.e. minimal height with a substantially greater length and width. The body is sized to be portable.
The napkin body contains in a centralized location a slit aperture with a depth equal to the portion of the napkin proximately surrounding it. The slit aperture, which can be bolstered to maintain its dimensional integrity, is preferably either longitudinal or diagonal across the face of the napkin. Other embodiments might include grip surfaces upon the body of the napkin or a thermal barrier layer.
In embodiments of the present invention utilizing the paper body, perforations might be beneficial to versions of paper napkin embodiment. In a still further embodiment of the present invention, a kit is provided that combines a stemmed drinking glass with a napkin adapted to accept the base of that particular drinking glass.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a device and method capable of shielding the contents of the glass bowl from the hand temperature of a user.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a device and method capable of shielding the hands of a user from the temperature of the contents of the glass bowl.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a device and method to cradle a stemmed drinking glass with a napkin that maintains its structural orientation while in use.
These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive. Furthermore, some features may apply to certain versions of the invention, but not others. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, and accompanying drawings.
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The body 102 of the napkin 100 includes a slit aperture 104. The slit aperture 104 allows portions, particularly the base, of a stemmed drinking glass to slide through the body 102 of the napkin 100. The slit aperture 104 is substantially uniform throughout its entirety. That is to say that any interior portions of the slit aperture 104 are not frayed or rough, but are instead generally continuous from the cleanly cut nature of the slit aperture 104.
The slit aperture 104 is substantially centralized within the body 102 of the napkin 100. Some portion of the slit aperture 102 should pass near the general, though it need not be exact, center of the napkin body. A centralized position can include any position spaced from the periphery of the napkin body that allows a fair sized slit to be maintained, and allows portions of the napkin body 102 to be free to grip a stemmed drinking glass.
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Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
Claims
1. A cloth napkin for cradling the stem of a glass, said napkin comprising: a substantially planar, absorbent, and portable body with a height and a surface having a length, and width; said body defining a substantially uniform and substantially centralized slit aperture having a slit aperture depth equal to said height of a proximate portion of said body.
2. The napkin of claim 1 wherein said length of said body measures less than 10 inches, and said width of said body measures less than 10 inches.
3. The napkin of claim 2 wherein said length of said body measures less than 8 inches, and said width of said body measures less than 8 inches.
4. The napkin of claim 3 wherein said length of said body measures less than 6 inches, and said width of said body measures less than 6 inches.
5. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture comprises a slit aperture buttress.
6. The napkin of claim 5 wherein said slit aperture buttress includes an elastic periphery.
7. The napkin of claim 5 wherein said slit aperture buttress includes bolstered stitching.
8. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture further defines a central stem recess.
9. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture is diagonal.
10. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture comprises a multi-directional slit aperture.
11. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture is curved.
12. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture proximate portion comprises a self-supporting material.
13. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture proximate portion of said body includes a friction surface.
14. The napkin of claim 4 wherein said slit aperture proximate portion of said body includes a thermal barrier.
15. A celebratory kit for ingesting spirits, said kit comprising:
- a drinking glass comprising: a bowl having a bowl perimeter and dimensioned to retain a liquid; a solid stem, affixed to said bowl, having a stem perimeter substantially smaller than said bowl perimeter; a base, affixed to said stem, having a base perimeter substantially larger than said stem perimeter;
- and a cloth napkin for cradling the stem of a glass, said napkin comprising: a substantially planar, absorbent, and portable body with a height and a surface having a length, and width; said body defining a substantially uniform and substantially central slit aperture dimensioned to accept said base of said drinking glass and having a slit aperture depth equal to said height of a proximate portion of said body
16. The kit of claim 15 wherein said solid stem is an elongate solid stem.
17. The napkin of claim 16 wherein said length of said body measures less than 10 inches, and said width of said body measures less than 10 inches.
18. A napkin for cradling the stem of a glass, said napkin comprising a substantially planar, absorbent, and portable paper rectangular body with a height and a surface having a length, and width; said body defining a substantially uniform centralized slit aperture having a slit aperture depth equal to said height of a proximate portion of said body.
19. The napkin of claim 18 wherein said body comprises multiple plies of uniformly dimensioned, absorbent paper.
20. The napkin of claim 19 wherein said length of said body measures less than 6 inches, and said width of said body measures less than 6 inches.
21. The napkin of claim 20 wherein said slit aperture is a perforated slit aperture.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 1, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 5, 2008
Inventors: James W. Hester (Woodbridge, VA), Lisa A. Hester (Woodbridge, VA)
Application Number: 11/607,566
International Classification: B65D 90/12 (20060101); B65D 25/00 (20060101); B65D 90/00 (20060101); B65D 69/00 (20060101);