ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR ATTACHING DECORATIONS TO A BEVERAGE CONTAINER

Abstract

An attachment device having a clip portion and a display element attachable to the clip portion is provided for associating a message with a bottle or other beverage container. The clip portion is generally arcuate and dimensioned to slide down and engage a neck of the beverage container. The display element provides a snap-fit mechanism for operatively associating with a boss of the clip portion. The display element provides a medium for applying a message or design thereto. Thereby a message may be associated with the bottle, the message may provide the occasion for why the bottle was gift gifted as well as displaying the contents of the bottle, all while allowing a label of the beverage to be seen.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to beverage container accessories and, more particularly, to an attachment device for attaching decorations and messages to a beverage container.

Bottles of wine and spirits are commonly given as gifts; however, they lack the capacity to display a relevant message or indicia as to why they are being given to the recipient.

A gifted beverage container typically is presented in a gift bag, but such packaging hides the bottle and its label so that when the container is given only the packaging is visible until pulling the bottle out of bag. Once the proverbial cat is out of the bag any message attached to the gift bag is soon forgotten. Furthermore, paper wine bags can tear or rip, their handles break off, and bags can wrinkle. Adding a bow to the bottle to convey a message also has its disadvantages, for example, the bow can droop. Similarly, gift cards can easily detach from the gifted bottle. As a result, the gifted bottle no longer has an associative celebrative message, and thus the intent for giving the gift is lost.

In short, the current ways gift-givers of bottle of wine or spirits convey the message behind such gifts—e.g., through a gift card, a wine bag, or the like—tend to fail by becoming physically detached from the gifted bottle or being overlooked. Whereby, the “thought that counts” embodied in these other approaches become quickly disassociated with the gift.

As can be seen, there is a need for an attachment device for attaching decorations and messages to a beverage container that are highly associated therewith. The present invention embodies an attachment device adapted to easily slip over the top of a bottle neck and instantly becomes a part of the bottle. The display element may include a celebratory display features, a message or other indicia selectively applied thereto for a user to associate with the bottle. For example, the message may be the occasion for why the gift giver is giving the wine as well as displaying the type of wine being gifted, all while allowing the wine label to be seen. Thus, the wine bottle with a decorative attachment device attached is the gift.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an attachment device for a beverage container with an elongated neck includes the following: a base portion having through hole; two arms extending from opposing sides of the base portion so as to define a circular opening; a boss layered over the base portion, the boss having a boss hole aligning with the through hole; a display element providing a planar portion; and a prong dimensioned to engage the through and the boss holes in a locked engagement.

In another aspect of the present invention, the attachment device for a beverage container with an elongated neck includes the following: a base portion having through hole; two arms extending from opposing sides of the base portion so as to define a circular opening, wherein the arms terminate to define a void communicating with the circular opening, and wherein a lower portion of the arms flare outward; a boss layered over the base portion, the boss having a boss hole aligning with the through hole; a display element providing a planar portion for attaching messages and designs as a dimensional attribute; a prong having a stem and a distal tapering head; and a slot bisecting the head and a portion of the stem.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, method for providing a personalized message associated with a bottled gift includes the steps of: providing the attachment device disclosed above; sliding said attachment device down a neck of the bottled gift so that the outwardly flared lower portion of the arms abuts the shoulders of said bottled gift; applying a message along the attachable medium; and snapping the prong through the through hole so that a proximal portion of the stem lockingly engages.

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 perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 4-4 in 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 provides an attachment device having a clip portion and a display element attachable to the clip portion. The clip portion is generally arcuate and dimensioned to slide down and engage a neck of a beverage container. The display element provides a snap-fit mechanism for operatively associating with a boss of the clip portion. The display element provides a medium for applying a message or design thereto. Thereby a message may be associated with the gift, the message may provide the occasion for why the gift giver is giving the wine as well as displaying the type of wine being gifted, as well as allowing the wine label to be seen.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present invention may include an attachment device 10 for coupling to a bottle 12, the attachment device 10 providing a clip portion 14 and a display element 16. The attachment device 10 may be made from various plasticized materials, such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, or other materials capable or repeat bending without fracture and amenable to injection molding and/or additive manufacturer. The plasticized materials may also have adhesive properties.

The clip portion 14 is adapted to operatively associate with a neck of the bottle 12, it being understood that the neck is generally elongated in shape and connects to a wider body portion of the bottle 12. The clip portion 14 may be generally arcuate but not an endless loop; rather the clip portion 14 may provide opposing arms 44 that terminate before converging and so define a void 50 between the two opposing arms 44. The arms 14 may extend from a base portion 60 being planar relative to the arcuate arms 14, and thereby the arms 44 define a circular opening that the void 50 communicates with. The lower portions of the arms 44 may flare outward.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as outward and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures; the outward direction being toward the margins of the corresponding figures.

The base portion 60 may provide a through hole 62. Coupled to the flat base portion 60 may be a boss 26. The boss 26 may also overlap a portion of each arm 14 adjacent to the base portion 60, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The boss 26 may provide a boss hole 22 that aligns with the through hole 62 of the base portion.

The display element 16 may provide a prong 24 extending from a planar portion 76. The prong 24 may terminate in an angular mushroom-cap shaped head 54. The head 54 may taper inward as it approached its distal end. A slot 56 may bisect the head 54 and continue through, bisecting, a portion of the stem 52 of the prong 24, as illustrated in the Figures. The head 54 is dimensioned and adapted to slide into the boss and through holes 22 and 62 as the space of the slot 56 allows the portions of the head 54 to move inward when urged as the tapered head 54 is forced through the peripheries of said holes 22 and 62. After passing through the holes 22 and 62 the head 54 is biased to return to its original mushroom-cap shape, whereby the widest proximal portion thereof lockingly engages the through hole 62, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The outward facing portion of the planar portion 76 of the display element 14 provides a medium 18 for the attachment of messages, indicia, or the like. The planar portions 76 may also provide a platform for adhering other decorative elements 20 thereto, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. The attachment device 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user may slide the arcuate clip portion 14 down the neck of the bottle 12, the clip portion 14 stops when it reaches the shoulders of the body portion of the bottle 12, allowing for the flared lower portions of the arms 44 to abut the shoulders of the bottle 12, seemingly becoming a part of the bottle 12 as a celebrative feature. The snap-fit mechanism enables the user to removably secure the display element 16 to the clip portion 14 when in use.

Likewise, the present invention may be used to selectively associate a bottle 12 (or other beverage container) to a certain individual, for example during a social event, so that the individuals at the social event can identify their own bottle 12.

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. An attachment device for a beverage container with an elongated neck, comprising:

a base portion having through hole;

two arms extending from opposing sides of the base portion so as to define a circular opening;

a boss layered over the base portion, the boss having a boss hole aligning with the through hole;

a display element comprising: a planar portion; and a prong dimensioned to removably engage the through and the boss holes in a locked engagement.

2. The attachment device of claim 1, further comprising a medium along an outward surface of the planar portion for attaching messages or design thereon.

3. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the prong comprises a stem and a distal tapering head.

4. The attachment device of claim 3, further comprising a slot bisecting the head and a portion of the stem.

5. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the arms terminate to define a void communicating with the circular opening.

6. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the arms flare outward.

7. An attachment device for a beverage container with an elongated neck, comprising:

a base portion having through hole;

two arms extending from opposing sides of the base portion so as to define a circular opening, wherein the arms terminate to define a void communicating with the circular opening, and wherein a lower portion of the arms flare outward;

a boss layered over the base portion, the boss having a boss hole aligning with the through hole;

a display element comprising: a planar portion; a medium along an outward surface of the planar portion for attaching messages or design thereon; a prong having a stem and a distal tapering head; and a slot bisecting the head and a portion of the stem.

8. A method for providing a personalized message associated with a bottled gift, comprising the steps of:

providing the attachment device of claim 7;

sliding said attachment device down a neck of the bottled gift so that the outwardly flared lower portion of the arms abuts the shoulders of said bottled gift;

applying a message onto the said medium; and

snapping the prong through the through hole so that a proximal portion of the stem lockingly engages.