Bottle Assembly

Abstract

A bottle assembly for carrying a gift item of value is disclosed. The bottle assembly includes a bottle having a side wall and a bottom wall coupled to the side wall. The side wall and the bottom wall define an interior of the bottle for holding a liquid. The side wall defines an open end for receiving the liquid and the bottom wall defines a closed end opposite the open end. The bottle further defines a cavity for holding the gift item. The bottle assembly further includes a cover removably secured to the bottle for covering the cavity and retaining the gift item within the cavity. The bottle assembly further includes a locking mechanism for securing the cover to the bottle. The locking mechanism has a first locking member mounted to the bottle and a second locking member mounted to the cover. The first locking member aligns with the second locking member and the second locking member engages the first locking member for interlocking the locking members.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/912,308 filed on Dec. 5, 2013, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to a bottle assembly and, more particularly, to a bottle assembly for carrying a gift item of value.

BACKGROUND

Nightclubs, lounges, and other similar establishments often allow patrons to purchase liquor by the bottle. In some establishments, a bottle service is available where liquor by the bottle may be served to patrons in a private party, to one or more reserved tables, and/or the like. In some instances, the bottle(s) of liquor available during a bottle service may be used to carry a gift item, such as an engagement ring, a gold chain, a charm, and/or other gift items of value. Typically, the gift item is attached to the bottle, wrapped around the neck of the bottle, or disposed with the bottle case. In some instances, however, the gift item may be easily removed and/or taken from the bottle or the bottle case.

There remains an opportunity to provide a bottle assembly which securely carries a gift item of value so that the gift item cannot be easily removed and/or taken from the bottle.

SUMMARY

A bottle assembly for carrying a gift item of value comprises a bottle having at least one side wall and a bottom wall coupled to the side wall. The side wall and the bottom wall define an interior of the bottle for holding a liquid. The said wall defines an open end for receiving the liquid and the bottom wall defines a closed end opposite the open end. The bottle further defines a cavity for holding the gift item. The bottle assembly further comprises a cover removably secured to the bottle for covering the cavity to retain the gift item within the cavity. The bottle assembly further comprises a locking device for securing the cover to the bottle. The locking device has a first locking member mounted to the bottle and a second locking member mounted to the cover. The first locking member aligns with the second locking member and the second locking member engages the first locking member for interlocking the first and second locking members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be appreciated that the figures are merely illustrative and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a semi-schematic side view of an embodiment of a bottle assembly including a bottle with a portion of the bottle broken away to reveal a cavity defined by a curved bottom wall of the bottle, a container disposed within the cavity, and a gift item within the container.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a semi-schematic side view of another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle with a portion of the bottle broken away to reveal a cavity defined by a curved bottom wall of the bottle, a gift item within the cavity, and a cover removably secured to the bottle.

FIG. 6 is a semi-schematic side view of yet another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle with a portion of the bottle broken away to reveal a cavity defined by a curved bottom wall of the bottle, a gift item within the cavity, and a cover pre-joined to the bottle by a living hinge, where the cover is shown in a closed position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmented side view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 6 with the cover shown in an open position.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a semi-schematic side view of another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle with a portion of the bottle broken away to reveal a cavity defined by a substantially flat bottom wall and side walls extending a distance beyond the bottom wall, a container disposed within the cavity, and a gift item within the container.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a semi-schematic perspective view of yet another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle, a cavity defined by a side wall of the bottle, and a gift item within the container.

FIG. 12 is a semi-schematic side view of bottle assembly of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a semi-schematic side view of still another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle with a portion of the bottle broken away to reveal a substantially flat bottom wall, a container mounted to the bottom wall, and a gift item within the container.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is an exploded bottom view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is a semi-schematic side view of still another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle, a container mounted to a side wall of the bottle, and a gift item disposed within the container.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a semi-schematic side view of another embodiment of the bottle assembly including a bottle, a container coupled to the bottle and having first and second pieces coupled to one another, a chamber defined in the container, and a gift item disposed within the chamber.

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 19 including two locking mechanisms.

FIG. 21 is an exploded plan view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 19 including two locking mechanisms.

FIG. 22 is an exploded plan view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 19 including a hinge pre-joining the pieces of the container to one another, and further including a locking mechanism for securing the first and second pieces to one another.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the bottle assembly of FIG. 15 disposed within a case.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of an example of a cork for the bottle where the cork houses a key of the locking mechanism.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of another example of a cork for the bottle where the cork includes a recess for receiving a key of the locking mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, various embodiments of the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 are shown throughout the figures and are described in detail below. The bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 may be used to carry a gift item 34, 134, 234, 334, 434, 534, 634, 734 of value such as for a bottle service. It is to be understood that the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 may be used for other applications, and is not limited to bottle services. As used herein, a gift item is any tangible object offered or received as a gift. The gift item may be any item, such as money, a token, jewelry, a ticket, clothing, a charm, etc. In an example, the gift item is an item of value, such as a diamond ring, a gold bracelet, a ruby necklace, a gold charm, and/or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment of the bottle assembly 10 comprises a bottle 12. The bottle 12 may be any type of bottle, such as a wine bottle, a champaign bottle, a liquor bottle, a milk bottle, a soda bottle, a water bottle, and/or the like. In the embodiment shown, the bottle 12 is a wine bottle. Additionally, the bottle 12 may be made from any suitable material, such as a glass, a polymeric material such as plastic, and/or a metal. The bottle 12 may also have any shape. As shown, the bottle 12 has a circular shape. Other shapes of the bottle 12 include square shapes, rectangular shapes, oval shapes, hexagonal shapes, octagonal shapes, triangular shapes, etc. Further, the bottle 12 may have any size in terms of height and effective diameter. In an example, the effective diameter of the bottle 12 is consistent along its height. In another example, the effective diameter of the bottle 12 changes at one or more points along its height. As shown, the bottle 12 has a first effective diameter near the top of the bottle 12, which defines a bottle neck 14. As also shown, the bottle 12 has a second effective diameter near the middle and the bottom of the bottle 12, which defines a body 16.

The bottle 12 has at least one side wall 18 and a bottom wall 20 coupled to the side wall 18. For instance, where the bottle 12 has a circular shape, the bottle 12 has one continuous side wall 18. For instance, where the bottle 12 is square shaped, then the bottle as four side walls 18 that are coupled to form the square shape. In an example, the bottom wall 20 is integral with the side wall 18. For instance, the bottle 12 may be made from glass which is blown into the bottle shape including the side wall(s) 18 and the bottom wall 20 which is integral with the side wall(s) 18. In another example, the bottom wall 20 is metallurgically coupled to the side wall(s) 18 (such as by welding or brazing) or chemically coupled to the side wall(s) 18 (such as by chemical bonding between the side 18 and bottom 20 walls or by using an adhesive).

The side wall(s) 18 and the bottom wall 20 of the bottle 12 define an interior 22 of the bottle 12 for holding a liquid, such as wine, champaign, liquor, water, etc. Typically, the interior 22 extends through the neck 14 and the body 16 of the bottle 12. Further, the side wall(s) 18 defines an open end 24 for receiving the liquid which is retained or held within the interior 22 of the bottle 12. The open end 24 is also available for removing at least a portion of the liquid retained or held within the interior of the bottle 12, such as when pouring the liquid into a glass. The open end 24 is typically sealed using a cork 50, 50′, and access to the liquid inside the bottle 12 may be obtained by removing the cork 50, 50′ from the open end 24 of the bottle 12. Examples of the cork 50, 50′ are described below with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25.

The bottom wall 20 defines a closed end 26 opposite the open end 24. As shown, the bottom wall 20 has an inner surface 28 that faces the interior 22 of the bottle and an outer surface 30 which faces an exterior of the bottle 12. Typically, the liquid cannot be removed, leak, or escape from the interior 22 of the bottle 12 through the closed end 26. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-4, the bottom wall 20 also curves inwardly toward the interior 22 of the bottle 12 forming a punt.

The bottle 12 defines a cavity 32 for holding the gift item 34. In an example, and as shown, the cavity 32 conforms to the shape of the bottom wall 20 of the bottle 12.

The bottle assembly 10 further includes a container 36 disposed within the cavity 32 of the bottle 12. As shown, the container 36 receives and holds the gift item 34. In an example, the container 36 may be coupled (such as mechanically, metallurgically, and/or chemically coupled) to the bottom wall 20 of the bottle 12. In another example, the container 36 may be coupled (such as mechanically, metallurgically, and/or chemically coupled) to a cover 38 which is removably secured to the bottle 12. The cover 38 is described in further detail below.

The container 36 may have any size and shape, and the container 36 may be formed from any suitable material. In an example, the container 36 may be formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material so that the gift item 34 held inside the container 36 is visible. Alternatively, the container 36 may be formed from an opaque material so that the gift item 34 held inside the container 36 is not visible.

As previously mentioned, the bottle assembly 10 further includes the cover 38. The cover 38 is removably secured to the bottle 12 for covering the cavity 32 to retain the gift item 34 within the cavity 32. As shown, the gift item 34 is disposed within the container 36, and the cover 38 is removably secured to the bottle 12 for covering the cavity 32 to retain the container 36 within the cavity 32. As also shown, the cover 38 is completely removable from the bottle 12 so that the gift item 34 can be placed within the container 36 or removed from the container 36. The cover 38 may be formed from or include any material. In an example, the cover 38 is the same material as the bottle 12. In another example, the cover 38 is made of or includes a material that is different from the bottle 12. Typically, the cover 38 is made from or includes a material that is strong enough so that the cover 38 cannot be easily broken, torn, damaged, cracked, and/or the like.

The cover 38 is designed to completely cover and enclose the cavity 32 when the cover 38 is secured to the bottle 12. As shown, the bottom wall 20 is formed so that the cover 38 is flush with the bottom wall 20 when the cover 32 is secured to the bottle 12. It is to be understood that the cover 38 may otherwise be secured to the bottle 12 such that the cover 38 overlaps the bottom wall 20. In this instance, the cover 38 is not flush with the bottom wall 20 of the bottle 12.

The bottle assembly 10 further includes a locking mechanism 40 for securing the cover 38 to the bottle 12. The locking mechanism 40 has a first locking member 42 mounted to the bottle 12 and a second locking member 44 mounted to the cover 38. As shown at least in FIG. 2, the first locking member 42 aligns with the second locking member 44 when the cover 38 is placed into proper position to cover the cavity 32 of the bottle 12. The cover 38 is secured to the bottle 12 when the second locking member 42 (which is mounted to the cover 38) engages the first locking member 44 (which is mounted to the bottle 12) for interlocking the first and second locking members 42, 44.

In an example, the locking mechanism 40 is a lock and key mechanism. For example, the first locking member 42 may include a first slot 48 and the second locking member 42 may include a second slot 49 with a locking bar (not shown). The locking mechanism 40 further includes a key 46 (which is shown in FIGS. 23-25) for actuating the interlocking of the first and second locking members 42, 44. When the slots 48, 49 of the respective first and second locking mechanisms 42, 44 are aligned, the key 46 may be inserted into the aligned slots and then turned to move the locking bar into a latched position to interlock the first and second locking members 42, 44. In another example, the locking mechanism 40 may have a combination mechanism for actuating the interlocking the first and second locking members 42, 44. Examples of combination mechanisms include push-button combination locks, dial combination locks, and/or the like.

As previously mentioned, the bottle assembly 10 further includes the cork 50, 50′ for corking or plugging the open end 24 of the bottle 12. The cork 50, 50′ may be made from any suitably impermeable and buoyant material, such as the bark tissue of the Cork Oak tree. In an example, the cork 50, 50′ may also be used to carry the key 46 of the locking mechanism 40. As shown in FIG. 24, for example, the key 46 may be embedded in the cork 50. As shown in FIG. 25, for example, the key 46 may be received in a recess 52 formed in the cork 50′. As shown in FIG. 25, the recess 52 may be formed in the top of the cork 50′, and the key 46 may be inserted into the recess 52. It is to be understood that the recess 52 can be formed anywhere on the cork 50′, such as in the bottom of the cork 50′, on the side of the cork 50′, etc.

Another embodiment of the bottle assembly 100 is shown in FIG. 5. The bottle assembly 100 in this embodiment is similar to the bottle assembly 10 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4 except that the bottle assembly 100 shown in FIG. 5 does not include the container 36. For example, the bottle assembly 100 includes the bottle 112 having at least one side wall 118 and a bottom wall 120 defining an interior 122 of the bottle 112. The bottle 112 further defines a cavity 132 for holding a gift item 134, and a cover 138 removably secured to the bottle 112 for covering the cavity 132 and retaining the gift item 134 within the cavity 132. As shown, the cover 138 is removably secured to the bottle 112 with a locking mechanism 140, which may be a lock and key mechanism or a combination mechanism as previously described. In this embodiment, the gift item 134 is disposed directly in the cavity 132 and the cover 138 is secured to the bottle 112 to retain the gift item 134 inside the cavity 132.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the cover 138 is similar to the cover 38 of the bottle assembly 10 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 138 is entirely removable from the bottle 112 so that the gift item 134 can be placed within the cavity 132 and/or removed from the cavity 132.

Yet another example of the bottle assembly 200 is shown in FIGS. 6-8. In this embodiment, the bottle assembly 200 includes the bottle 212 having at least one side wall 218 and a bottom wall 220 defining an interior 222 of the bottle 212. The bottle 212 further defines a cavity 232 for holding a gift item 234. The bottle assembly 200 further includes a cover 238 removably secured to the bottle 212 for covering the cavity 232 and retaining the gift item 234 within the cavity 232. As shown, the gift item 234 is disposed directly in the cavity 232 and the cover 238 is secured to the bottle 212 to retain the gift item 234 inside the cavity 232. To this end, the bottle assembly 200 is similar to the bottle assembly 100 described with reference to FIG. 5.

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 6-8, however, the cover 238 of the bottle assembly 200 further has a living hinge 254 for enabling said cover 238 to move between open and closed positions relative to the cavity 232 of the bottle 212. As used herein, the closed position of the cover 238 is the position of the cover 238 when the cover 238 completely covers the cavity 232 of the bottle 212. An example of the cover 238 in the closed position is shown in FIG. 6. As also used herein, the open position of the cover 238 is any position of the cover 238 when the cavity 232 is at least partially exposed to the exterior of the bottle 212. An example of the cover 238 in the open position is shown in FIG. 7. It is to be understood that the gift item 234 may be received in or removed from the cavity 232 when the cover 238 is in the open position, and the gift item 234 is retained in the cavity 232 when the cover 238 is in the closed position.

Another embodiment of the bottle assembly 300 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this embodiment, the bottle assembly 300 comprises a bottle 312 having at least one side wall 318 and a bottom wall 320 coupled to the side wall 318. The side wall 318 and the bottom wall 320 of the bottle 312 define an interior 322 of the bottle 312 for holding a liquid. Further, the side wall 318 defines an open end 324 for receiving the liquid and for removing at least a portion of the liquid held within the interior of the bottle 312. The bottom wall 320 defines a closed end 326 opposite the open end 324. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10, the bottom wall 320 has a flat or substantially flat surface and is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the side wall 318.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the side wall 318 extends a distance beyond the bottom wall 320. The bottom wall 320 and the portion of the side wall 318 extending beyond of the bottom wall 320 define a cavity 332 of the bottle 312 for holding a gift item 334.

As shown, the bottle assembly 300 further includes a container 336 disposed within the cavity 332 of the bottle 312. As shown, the container 336 holds the gift item 334. In an example, the container 36 may be coupled (such as mechanically, metallurgically, and/or chemically coupled) to the bottom wall 320 of the bottle 312. In another example, and as shown, the container 36 may be coupled (such as mechanically, metallurgically, and/or chemically coupled) to a cover 338 which is removably secured to the bottle 312.

The cover 338 is removably secured to the bottle 312 for covering the cavity 332. In the present embodiment, the cover 338 is removably secured to the bottle 12 for covering the cavity 32 and retaining the container 336 (which holds the gift item 334) within the container 336. As shown, the cover 338 is entirely removable from the bottle 312 so that the gift item 334 can be placed within the container 336. Further, the cover 338 is designed to completely cover and enclose the cavity 332 when the cover 338 is secured to the bottle 312.

The bottle assembly 300 further includes a locking mechanism 340 for securing the cover 338 to the bottle 312. The locking mechanism 340 has a first locking member 342 mounted to the bottle 312 and a second locking member 344 mounted to the cover 338. In an example, the locking mechanism 340 is a lock and key mechanism. In another example, the locking mechanism 340 has a combination mechanism for interlocking the first and second locking members 342, 344.

Another embodiment of the bottle assembly 400 is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The bottle assembly 400 in this embodiment is similar to the bottle assembly 100 described above with reference to FIG. 5; however, the bottle assembly 400 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 have a cavity 432 defined in the side wall 418 of the bottle 412. For example, and as shown, a portion of the side wall 418 curves inwardly toward the interior 422 of the bottle 412 and defines the cavity 432 for holding a gift item 434.

Another embodiment of the bottle assembly 500 is shown in FIGS. 13-16. In this embodiment, the bottle assembly 500 comprises a bottle 512 having at least one side wall 518 and a bottom wall 520 coupled to the side wall 518. The side wall 518 and the bottom wall 520 of the bottle 512 define an interior 522 of the bottle 512 for holding a liquid. Further, the side wall 518 defines an open end 524 for receiving the liquid which is retained or held within the interior 522 of the bottle 512. The open end 524 is also available for removing at least a portion of the liquid held within the interior of the bottle 512. The open end 524 is typically sealed using a cork 50, 50′, and access to the liquid inside the bottle 512 may be obtained by removing the cork 50, 50′ from the open end 524 of the bottle 512. Further, the bottom wall 520 defines a closed end 526 opposite the open end 524, and is flat or substantially flat. Typically, the liquid cannot be removed, leak, or escape from the interior 522 of the bottle 512 through the closed end 526.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-16, the bottle assembly 500 further includes a container 536 mounted to the bottle 512. As shown, the container 536 holds a gift item 534. The container 536 may be coupled (such as mechanically, metallurgically, and/or chemically coupled) to the bottom wall 520 of the bottle 512. In one example, the container 536 is mounted to the bottle 512 with an adhesive.

The container 536 may have any size and shape and may be formed from any suitable material. In the present embodiment, the container 536 is the same size and shape as the bottom wall 520 of the bottle 512. In an example, the container 536 may be formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material so that the gift item 534 held inside the container 536 is visible. In another example, the container 536 may be formed from an opaque material so that the gift item 534 held inside the container 536 is not visible from outside of the bottle 512.

Additionally, the container 536 further includes an opening 558 which provides access to the interior 560 of the container 536. In an example, the gift item 534 may be received within the container 536 or removed from the container 536 through the opening 558.

The bottle assembly 500 further includes a cover 538. The cover 538 is removably secured to the container 536 for covering the opening 560 and retaining the gift item 534 within the container 536. In the present embodiment, the cover 538 is entirely removable from the container 536 to expose the opening 560 so that the gift item 534 can be placed within the container 536. The cover 538 may be formed from or include any material. In an example, the cover 538 is the same material as the bottle 512. In another example, the cover 538 is made of or includes a material that is different from the bottle 512. Typically, the cover 538 is made from or includes a material that is strong enough so that the cover 538 cannot be easily broken, torn, damaged, cracked, and/or the like.

The cover 538 is designed to complete cover and enclose the opening 560 of the container 536 when the cover 538 is secured to the container 536. As shown, the opening 560 is formed in the container 536 so that the cover 538 is flush with the container 536 wall when the cover 538 is secured to the bottle 512.

The bottle assembly 500 further includes a locking mechanism 540 for securing the cover 538 to the container 536. The locking mechanism 540 has a first locking member 542 mounted to the container 536 and a second locking member 544 mounted to the cover 538. As shown at least in FIG. 14, the first locking member 542 aligns with the second locking member 544 when the cover 538 is placed into proper position to cover the opening 560 of the container 536. The cover 538 is secured to the bottle 512 when the second locking member 542 (which is mounted to the cover 538) engages the first locking member 544 (which is mounted to the container 536) for interlocking the first and second locking members 542, 544.

In an example, the locking mechanism 540 may be a lock and key mechanism. For example, the first locking member 540 includes a first slot 548 and the second locking member 542 includes a second slot 549 and a locking bar (not shown). The locking mechanism 540 further includes a key 46 (shown in FIGS. 23-25) for actuating the interlocking of the first and second locking members 542, 544. When the slots 548, 549 of the first and second locking mechanisms 542, 544, respectively, are aligned, the key 46 may be inserted into the aligned slots and turned to move the locking bar into a latched position, thereby interlocking the first and second locking members 542, 544. In another example, the locking mechanism 540 has a combination mechanism for interlocking the first and second locking members 542, 544. Examples of combination mechanisms include push-button combination locks, dial combination locks, and/or the like.

Another embodiment of the bottle assembly 600 is shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. The bottle assembly 600 in this embodiment is similar to the bottle assembly 500 described above with reference to FIGS. 13-16; however, the bottle assembly 600 shown in FIGS. 17-19 includes the container 636 mounted to the side wall 618 of the bottle 612. In an example, a gift item (not shown) may be disposed within the container 636, and a cover 638 is secured to the container 636 with a locking mechanism 640. As shown, the container 636 is mounted to a portion of the side wall 618. As also shown, the container 636 is mounted at least on the neck 614 of the bottle 612. It is to be understood that the container 636 can be mounted anywhere on the bottle 612, such as on the body 616, on the neck 614, or on both the neck 614 and the body 616. Further, in this embodiment, the container 636 extends radially around a portion of the bottle 612 relative to a longitudinal axis A; and not radially around the entire bottle 612 relative to the longitudinal axis A.

Yet another embodiment of the bottle assembly 700 is shown in FIGS. 19-22. In this embodiment, the bottle assembly 700 includes a bottle 712 having at least one side wall 718 and a bottom wall 720 coupled to the side wall 718. The side wall 718 and the bottom wall 720 of the bottle 712 define an interior 722 of the bottle 712 for holding a liquid. Further, the side wall 718 defines an open end 724 for receiving the liquid which is held or retained within the interior 722 of the bottle 712. The open end 724 is also available for removing at least a portion of the liquid held within the interior of the bottle 712. The open end 724 is typically sealed using a cork 50, 50′, and access to the liquid inside the bottle 712 may be obtained by removing the cork 50, 50′. Further, the bottom wall 720 defines a closed end 726 opposite the open end 724. Typically, the liquid cannot be removed or otherwise escape from the interior 722 of the bottle 712 through the closed end 726.

The bottle assembly 700 further includes a container 736 mounted to the bottle 712 for holding a gift item 734. In this embodiment, the container 736 is coupled to the bottle 712 and has first 762 and second 764 pieces removably secured to one another. In an example, the bottle 712 has an outer surface and each of the first 762 and second 764 pieces has an inner surface conforming to the outer surface of the bottle 712. With this configuration, the container 736 fits properly around the bottle 712 similar to a glove-fit, and the container 736 cannot be removed from the bottle 712 until the pieces 762, 764 are separated from one another.

The container 736 may have any size and shape and may be formed from any suitable material. In the present embodiment, the container 736 has an effective diameter that is substantially the same as the body 716 of the bottle 712. It is to be understood, however, that the container 736 can have an effective diameter that is larger or smaller than the effective diameter of the body 716 of the bottle 712. In an example, the container 736 is formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material so that the gift item 734 held inside the container 736 is visible. In another example, the container 736 is formed from an opaque material so that the gift item 734 held inside the container 736 is not visible from outside of the bottle 712.

In an example, and as shown in FIG. 21, the first and second pieces 762, 764 of the container 736 are completely separable from one another. In this example, the pieces 762, 764 are secured to one another utilizing a first 740_A and second 740_B locking mechanism. The first locking mechanism 740_A secures the first 762 and second 764 pieces to one another at a first location, and the second locking mechanism 740_B secures the first 762 and second 764 pieces to one another at a second location. As shown, the first 740_A and second 740_B locking mechanisms are located about 180° from one another. Further, each of the locking mechanisms 740_A and 740_B may be a lock and key mechanism and/or a combination mechanism as previously described.

In an alternate example, the bottle assembly 700′ shown in FIG. 22 includes the container 736 having first and second pieces 762, 764 which form a clamshell having a hinge 770 (such as a living hinge) pre-joining the first and second pieces 762, 764 to one another. In this example, the bottle assembly 700′ further has a locking mechanism 740 for securing the first and second pieces 762, 764 to one another. The locking mechanism 740 may be a lock and key mechanism and/or a combination mechanism as previously described.

As shown in FIGS. 19-22, the bottle assembly 700, 700′ further includes a chamber 766 having two portions, where each portion is formed in a respective one of the pieces 762, 764 of the container 736. When the pieces 762, 764 are separated, the gift item (not shown) may be placed within one of the portions of the chamber 766. When the pieces 762, 764 may be secured to one another, the gift is encapsulated within the chamber 766.

The embodiments and examples of the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 described in detail above may be used to securely hold a gift item of value such that the gift item cannot be easily removed or taken from the bottle 12, 112, 212, 32, 412, 512, 612, 712. Typically, during a bottle service for example, the server delivers the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 to the patron, and may provide the patron with the key 46 or access to the key 46 to the locking mechanism 40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 640, 740 so that the patron can remove the gift item inside the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700. While the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 may be served or delivered directly to the patron during a bottle service, for example, it may be desirable in some applications to present the bottle assembly in a case or other packaging. As shown in FIG. 23, for example, the bottle assembly 400 is placed within a case 772. The case 772 may be designed in any way as desired. As shown in FIG. 23, for example, the key 46 to the locking mechanism 440 of the bottle assembly 400 is secured to the case, such as on the interior of the door.

Several embodiments and examples of the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 have been described in detail above, and have been shown semi-schematically throughout the figures. It is to be understood that various features of one embodiment of the bottle assembly 10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 may be interchangeable. For example, the cover 238 of the bottle assembly 200 shown in FIGS. 6-8 including the living hinge 254 may be used in the bottle assembly 500 shown in FIGS. 13-16.

While the invention has been described with reference to the examples above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all examples falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bottle assembly for carrying a gift item of value, said bottle assembly comprising:

a bottle having at least one side wall and a bottom wall coupled to said side wall with said side wall and said bottom wall defining an interior of said bottle for holding a liquid and said side wall defining an open end for receiving the liquid and said bottom wall defining a closed end opposite said open end and said bottle further defining a cavity for holding the gift item;

a cover removably secured to said bottle for covering said cavity for retaining the gift item within said cavity; and

a locking mechanism for securing said cover to said bottle with said locking mechanism having a first locking member mounted to said bottle and a second locking member mounted to said cover with said first locking member aligning with said second locking member and said second locking member engaging said first locking member for interlocking said first and second locking members.

2. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism further has a key for actuating the interlocking of said first and second locking members.

3. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a cork for enclosing said open end of said bottle with said cork housing said key of said locking mechanism.

4. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said cork comprises a recess for receiving said key of said locking mechanism.

5. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism further has a combination mechanism for actuating the interlocking of said first and second locking members.

6. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover has a living hinge for enabling said cover to move between open and closed positions relative to said cavity of said bottle.

7. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall curves inwardly toward said interior of said bottle and defines said cavity of said bottle.

8. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a container disposed within said cavity and for holding the gift item.

9. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has a substantially flat surface and is substantially perpendicular to said side wall and said side wall has a portion extending a distance beyond said bottom wall with said bottom wall and said portion of said side wall extending beyond said bottom surface defining said cavity of said bottle.

10. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a container disposed within said cavity for holding the gift item.

11. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of said side wall curves inwardly toward said interior of said bottle and defines said cavity for holding the gift item.

12. A bottle assembly carrying a gift item of value, said bottle assembly comprising:

a bottle having at least one side wall and a bottom wall coupled to said side wall with said side wall and said bottom wall defining an interior of said bottle for holding a liquid and said side wall defining an open end for receiving the liquid and said bottom wall defining a closed end opposite said open end;

a container mounted to said bottle for holding a gift item with said container further having an opening;

a cover removably secured to said container for covering said opening and retaining the gift item within said container; and

a locking mechanism for securing said cover to said container with said locking mechanism having a first locking member mounted to said container and a second locking member mounted to said cover with said first locking member aligning with said second locking member and said second locking member engaging said first locking member for interlocking said first and second locking members.

13. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said locking mechanism further has a key for actuating the interlocking of said first and second locking members.

14. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a cork for enclosing said open end of said bottle with said cork housing said key of said locking mechanism.

15. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said cork comprises a recess for receiving said key of said locking mechanism.

16. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said locking mechanism further has a combination mechanism for actuating the interlocking of said first and second locking members.

17. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said container is mounted to said bottle with an adhesive.

18. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bottom wall is substantially flat and said container is mounted to said bottom wall.

19. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said container is mounted to said side wall.

20. A bottle assembly carrying a gift item of value, said bottle assembly comprising:

a bottle having at least one side wall and a bottom wall coupled to said side wall with said side wall and said bottom wall defining an interior of said bottle for holding a liquid and said side wall defining an open end for receiving the liquid and said bottom wall defining a closed end opposite said open end;

a container for holding the gift item with said container coupled to said bottle and having first and second pieces removably secured to one another; and

a locking mechanism for securing said first and second pieces with said locking mechanism having a first locking member mounted to said first piece and a second locking member mounted to said second piece with said first locking member aligning with said second locking member and said second locking member engaging said first locking member for interlocking said first and second locking members.

21. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first and second pieces form a clamshell having a living hinge pre-joining said first and second pieces to one another.

22. The bottle assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said locking mechanism comprises first and second locking mechanisms with said first locking mechanism for removeably securing said first and second pieces at one a first location and said second locking mechanism for removeably securing said first and second pieces at a second location.