BOTTLE ADORNMENT DEVICE
A bottle adornment device includes a clamp assembly having a form portion and a clamp portion engaging the form portion. A bottle engaging element is carried between the form portion and the clamp portion, and a decorative item carried by the form portion.
This invention relates to packaging.
More particularly, the present invention relates to adornments for bottles having necks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the field of product packaging, various ways of drawing attention to and generally making packaging visually pleasing have been developed. In the area of bottles having necks, such as beer bottles, soda bottles, and particularly, wine bottles, much effort has gone into making the shape and the labels attractive to potential buyers. Additional packaging is also often used to increase the presentation of a bottle. The additional packaging includes gift bags and tubular containers, as well as decorations directly attachable to the bottle. While gift bags and tubular containers serve the desired purpose, decorations attached directly to the bottles have been more problematic. The primary problem with this type of adornment is the attachment of the decorative item to the bottle while maintaining the decorative features and avoiding a utilitarian look. In prior devices, attachment mechanisms are weak and are easily damaged.
In particular, various cloth decorations have been developed to adorn a bottle neck. These include necktie shaped decorations attached by elastic bands to the neck of the bottle. The elastic band is typically sewn to the fabric of the decorative element. While somewhat effective, the attachment of the decorative element falls short in effectiveness and durability. The attachment device is ineffective because the knot or other portions of the necktie shaped element is distorted by the elastic band, rendering the overall look less pleasing. Since this is a device intended to increase the attractiveness of a bottle, anything that is detrimental to an esthetically pleasing appearance makes the device ineffective. These devices are also subject to breakage under standard conditions of use. The elastic is often unintentionally separated from the decorative element due to failure of the stitching attaching the elastic member to the decorative fabric element.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an adornment for a bottle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle adornment and attachment device that is robust.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle adornment and attachment device that is effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, to achieve the desired objects and advantages of the instant invention provided is a bottle adornment device including a clamp assembly having a form portion with a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body, terminating in a first end and a second post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body spaced apart from the first post receptacle and terminating in a second end. The clamp assembly also includes a clamp portion engaging the form portion, the clamp portion having a body with a front surface, a back surface, a first shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, terminating in a first end and a second shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, spaced apart from the first clamp portion and terminating in a second end, the first shaft member receivable by the first post receptacle and the second shaft member receivable by the second post receptacle. A bottle engaging element is carried between the form portion and the clamp portion. Also provided is a decorative item having a flexible material carried by the form portion with the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle extending through at least a portion of the flexible material.
In a specific aspect, the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle each includes an interior volume divided by an inwardly directed shoulder, forming complemental engagement elements, and the first shaft member and the second shaft member each include an engagement member for engaging the complemental engagement elements. An engagement surface is formed between the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle on the back surface of the body of the form portion, and a friction surface is carried by or formed in the front surface of the body of the clamp portion intermediate the first shaft member and the second shaft member. When the clamp portion is engaged to the form portion, the bottle engaging element is securely captured between the engagement surface of the form portion and the friction surface of the clamp portion.
In yet a further aspect a bottle adornment device is provided which includes a bottle having a neck extending from a body, a clamp assembly having a form portion with a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body, terminating in a first end and a second post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body spaced apart from the first post receptacle and terminating in a second end, and a clamp portion engaging the form portion. A bottle engaging element is carried between the form portion and the clamp portion and encircling the neck of the bottle. A decorative item formed of a flexible material is carried by the form portion with the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle extending through at least a portion of the flexible material.
Specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
Turning now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to
With reference to
With additional reference to
Turning now to
Still referring to
Still referring to
It should be understood that other engagement element and complemental engagement elements can be employed. With reference to
Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof, which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.
Claims
1. A bottle adornment device comprising:
- a clamp assembly including a form portion and a clamp portion engaging the form portion;
- a bottle engaging element carried between the form portion and the clamp portion; and
- a decorative item carried by the form portion.
2. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamp portion includes engagement elements and the form portion includes complemental engagement elements for receiving and engaging the engagement elements.
3. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the form portion includes a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body, terminating in a first end and a second post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body spaced apart from the first post receptacle and terminating in a second end, the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle extending through at least a portion of the decorative item.
4. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle each includes an interior volume divided by an inwardly directed shoulder, forming the complemental engagement elements
5. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the clamp portion includes a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, terminating in a first end and a second shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, spaced apart from the first clamp portion and terminating in a second end, the first shaft member receivable by the first post receptacle and the second shaft member receivable by the second post receptacle.
6. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member each include an engagement member for engaging the complemental engagement elements.
7. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the engagement members include a pair of opposing flanges extending from opposing sides of the first end of the first shaft member and the second end of the second shaft member to a diameter greater than an inner diameter of the inwardly directed shoulder, the flanges being sloped and of sufficient flexibility to compress toward the first shaft member and the second shaft member upon passing through the shoulder then expanding to the diameter greater than the inner diameter of the inwardly directed shoulder.
8. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the engagement members include a single flange extending from one side of each of the first end of the first shaft member and the second end of the second shaft member, the single flange is sloped toward the back surface of clamp portion and the first shaft member and the second shaft member are of sufficient flexibility to allow deflection thereof when the flange engages the inwardly directed shoulder, and upon the flange passing the shoulder, returns to a normal position with the flange engaging the shoulder.
9. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 3 wherein an engagement surface is formed between the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle on the back surface of the body of the form portion, and a friction surface is carried by or formed in the front surface of the body of the clamp portion intermediate the first shaft member and the second shaft member, and wherein when the clamp portion is engaged to the form portion the bottle engaging element is securely captured between the engagement surface of the form portion and the friction surface of the clamp portion.
10. A bottle adornment device comprising:
- a clamp assembly comprising: a form portion including a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body, terminating in a first end and a second post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body spaced apart from the first post receptacle and terminating in a second end; and a clamp portion engaging the form portion, the clamp portion including a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, terminating in a first end and a second shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, spaced apart from the first clamp portion and terminating in a second end, the first shaft member receivable by the first post receptacle and the second shaft member receivable by the second post receptacle;
- a bottle engaging element carried between the form portion and the clamp portion; and
- a decorative item including a flexible material carried by the form portion with the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle extending through at least a portion of the flexible material.
11. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle each includes an interior volume divided by an inwardly directed shoulder, forming the complemental engagement elements
12. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member each include an engagement member for engaging the complemental engagement elements.
13. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the engagement members include a pair of opposing flanges extending from opposing sides of the first end of the first shaft member and the second end of the second shaft member to a diameter greater than an inner diameter of the inwardly directed shoulder, the flanges being sloped and of sufficient flexibility to compress toward the first shaft member and the second shaft member upon passing through the shoulder then expanding to the diameter greater than the inner diameter of the inwardly directed shoulder.
14. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the engagement members include a single flange extending from one side of each of the first end of the first shaft member and the second end of the second shaft member, the single flange is sloped toward the back surface of clamp portion and the first shaft member and the second shaft member are of sufficient flexibility to allow deflection thereof when the flange engages the inwardly directed shoulder, and upon the flange passing the shoulder, returns to a normal position with the flange engaging the shoulder.
15. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 10 wherein an engagement surface is formed between the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle on the back surface of the body of the form portion, and a friction surface is carried by or formed in the front surface of the body of the clamp portion intermediate the first shaft member and the second shaft member, and wherein when the clamp portion is engaged to the form portion the bottle engaging element is securely captured between the engagement surface of the form portion and the friction surface of the clamp portion.
16. A bottle adornment device comprising:
- a bottle having a neck extending from a body;
- a clamp assembly including a form portion including a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body, terminating in a first end and a second post receptacle extending from the back surface of the body spaced apart from the first post receptacle and terminating in a second end, and a clamp portion engaging the form portion;
- a bottle engaging element carried between the form portion and the clamp portion and encircling the neck of the bottle; and
- a decorative item including a flexible material carried by the form portion with the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle extending through at least a portion of the flexible material.
17. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the clamp portion includes a body having a front surface, a back surface, a first shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, terminating in a first end and a second shaft member extending from the back surface of the body of the clamp portion, spaced apart from the first clamp portion and terminating in a second end, the first shaft member receivable by the first post receptacle and the second shaft member receivable by the second post receptacle.
18. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle each includes an interior volume divided by an inwardly directed shoulder, and wherein the first shaft member and the second shaft member each include an engagement member for engaging the inwardly directed shoulder.
19. A bottle adornment device as claimed in claim 17 wherein an engagement surface is formed between the first post receptacle and the second post receptacle on the back surface of the body of the form portion, and a friction surface is carried by or formed in the front surface of the body of the clamp portion intermediate the first shaft member and the second shaft member, and wherein when the clamp portion is engaged to the form portion, the bottle engaging element is securely captured between the engagement surface of the form portion and the friction surface of the clamp portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 1, 2011
Publication Date: Feb 7, 2013
Inventor: Aaron D. Mueller (Phoenix, AZ)
Application Number: 13/195,275
International Classification: B65D 23/12 (20060101);