SHOT CADDY

Abstract

A shot caddy includes a platform with hole cutouts providing a device to carry multiple shot glasses. An inner circular wall in the hole cutouts may have a diameter that may provide that the shot glasses are carried with a center of mass at or below the platform.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application having Ser. No. 61510835 filed Jul. 22, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to beverage accessories, and more particularly to a shot caddy.

Imbibing shots of liquor is sometimes a shared social experience with friends. In some instances, multiple shots are served to one or more people who will imbibe the shots in succession. When serving a person more than one liquor shot at a time, the server often has to try and balance each individual shot in their hand without spilling the liquor contents.

A series of shot glasses may be lined up and poured in succession. Liquor may be easily spilled when poured into a shot glass. Liquor may be expensive and spillage can account for a significant amount of waste.

As can be seen, there is a need for a device that improves positioning of shot glasses for pouring and serving.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a shot caddy configured to carry at least one shot glass, the shot glass including an outer wall, the shot caddy comprises a platform; and a plurality of inner circular walls defining hole cutouts in the platform, wherein the diameter of the inner circular wall is large enough to hold the shot glass carried by the platform so that when the shot glass is lifted within the platform, at least one of the inner circular walls engages the shot glass outer wall at an intermediate outer diameter of the shot glass so that the shot glass is carried with its center of mass at or below the platform.

In another aspect of the present invention, shot caddy configured to carry at least one shot glass, the shot caddy, comprises a platform; and a plurality of inner circular walls defining hole cutouts in the platform, wherein centers of the hole cutouts and the plurality of inner circular walls are spaced on the platform so that the rim of adjacent shot glasses touch when inserted into the platform.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a shot caddy according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shot caddy of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a shot caddy with a platform where multiple shots may be retained and balanced to provide a simple way to transport shots without spillage.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a shot caddy 100 may include a platform 110 including a plurality of hole cutouts 120, each defined by an inner circular wall 125. The inner circular wall 125 may be of sufficient size for shot glasses 210 to be inserted within the hole cutouts 120. The shot glass 210 may include an outer wall 220 which may be fluted with a top outer diameter at its rim 230 greater then a bottom outer diameter at its base 240. The diameter of the inner circular wall 125 may be larger than outer diameter of the base 240 of the shot glass 210 and the diameter of the inner circular wall 120 may be smaller than the outer diameter of the rim 230 of the shot glass 210. Thus, the diameter of the inner circular wall 125 may be equivalent to an intermediate outer diameter of the shot glass 210 that is between the rim and the base. For example, the diameter of the inner circular wall 120 may be large enough so that when the shot glass 210 is lifted by the platform 110, the inner circular wall 125 engages the shot glass 210 outer wall 220 at an intermediate outer diameter level so that the shot glass 210 is carried with its center of mass at or below the platform 110. Therefore, the shot glasses 210 may not fall through the holes cutouts and may not tip over when carried.

The shot caddy 100 may, for example, be made of a stiff plastic which may be approximately 1/16 of an inch in thickness, 3½ inches wide, and 5 inches long. As an example, multiple hole cutouts 120 may be positioned in the platform 110 with inner circular wall 125 diameters of 1⅜ inches. The hole cutouts 120 may be positioned with centers spaced approximately 1¾ inches of each other in a rectangular pattern. Edges of adjacent hole cutouts 120 may be approximately ¼ inch apart. Non-rectangular patterns may be used. Thus the inner circular walls 125 may be spaced on the platform 110 so that the rim 230 of adjacent shot glasses 210 may touch when inserted into the platform 110, which allows ease of filling multiple shots in a single motion, thus saving time.

In an exemplary embodiment, the platform 110 may include a first side 130 of 5 inches in length and a second side 140 of 3½ inches in width. A first row 150 of hole-cutouts 120 may be positioned ⅞ inches from one end of the first side 130. Remaining rows 150 of hole cutouts 120 may be spaced 1¾ inches from the center of a preceding row of hole cutouts 120.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, sharp edges may be rounded. The shot caddy 100 may include various sizes for the platform 110, and various sizes for the hole cutouts 120 in order to accommodate shot glasses 210 of various sizes. The platform 110 may be made of various materials, shapes, thicknesses, and colors. As an example, a stiff pressed paper support body may be utilized instead of plastic. The shot caddy 100 may, for example, be pressed or stamped into a single piece. The shot caddy 100 may include a variety of numbers of hole cutouts 120. As an example, the platform 110 may comprise a single flat plastic piece with no assembly needed.

In an exemplary embodiment, the shot-caddy may be placed on a flat surface and may position the shot glasses 210 for being filled with a beverage. The shot-caddy 100 may be lifted, with the shot glasses 210 remaining in position on the support body 110. Upon lifting the shot-caddy 100, the shot glasses 210 may, for example, be slidable part way up the shot glasses 210 within the hole cutouts 120. The shot caddy 100 may be subsequently lowered to allow removal of the shot glasses 210.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A shot caddy configured to carry at least one shot glass, the shot glass including an outer wall, the shot caddy, comprising:

a platform; and

a plurality of inner circular walls defining hole cutouts in the platform, wherein the diameter of the inner circular wall is large enough to hold the shot glass carried by the platform so that when the shot glass is lifted within the platform, at least one of the inner circular walls engages the shot glass outer wall at an intermediate outer diameter of the shot glass so that the shot glass is carried with its center of mass at or below the platform.

2. The shot caddy of claim 1, wherein a diameter of each inner circular wall is larger than an outer diameter of a shot glass base and the diameter of each inner circular wall is smaller than an outer diameter of a rim of the shot glass.

3. The shot caddy of claim 2, wherein the plurality of inner circular walls are spaced on the platform so that the rim of adjacent shot glasses touch when inserted into the platform.

4. A shot caddy configured to carry at least one shot glass, the shot caddy, comprising:

a platform; and

a plurality of inner circular walls defining hole cutouts in the platform, wherein centers of the hole cutouts and the plurality of inner circular walls are spaced on the platform so that the rim of adjacent shot glasses touch when inserted into the platform.

5. The shot caddy of claim 4, wherein the hole cutouts are arranged in a rectangular pattern.