Beverage bottle convertible to stemmed drinking glass

Abstract

A beverage container convertible to a stemmed drinking glass and method of fabricating the same. The convertible wine bottle comprises four main elements which are assembled and filled with wine in a bottling process. The wine bottle has basically four integrated components with ancillary structure. These four components are assembled and filled with wine at a bottling plant. Once bottled, the convertible wine bottle may be packaged in 4-, 6-, or 8-packs, as well as individually. The wine bottles can be transported and sold. These four integrated components are manipulated by the consumer to transform the wine bottle into a stemmed drinking glass with an appropriate portion of beverage therein. Such a convertible beverage container provides users the pleasure of drinking their beverage from a stemmed glass. Once completed, the structure may be reassembled and recycled.

1 . A bottle which can be converted into a stemmed drinking container comprising: 
 a) a base having an elongated stem;    b) a first closure having a bottom, an external sidewall extending from said bottom and an internal sidewall which is inside said external sidewall, said internal sidewall having a first set of threads;    c) a container body having a body sidewall defining a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion of said body sidewall having a second set of threads which mate with said first set of threads, said bottom portion having a neck portion and said neck portion having an opening;    d) a second closure which attaches to said neck portion to form a fluid tight seal; and wherein said first closure is connected to said container portion by screwing said mating said first set of threads with said second set of threads, said bottom closure and said container body thereby forming a sealed reservoir which may be filled with a fluid, and said stem may be attached to said container body.    
   
   
       2 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said stem may be affixed to said container portion via attachment to said closure.  
   
   
       3 . The bottle of  claim 2  wherein said stem snap-fits onto said closure.  
   
   
       4 . The bottle of  claim 2  wherein said second closure is a screw cap.  
   
   
       5 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said container body further comprises a lip at the top end of said top portion and said second sidewall has a thickened band in the area of the second set of threads.  
   
   
       6 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said base, said first closure, said second closure and said container body are made of one of plastic or metal.  
   
   
       7 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said container body is made of glass and said first element, said base and said second closure are made of one of plastic or metal.  
   
   
       8 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said container body, said first closure and said base are made of plastic and said second closure is made of metal.  
   
   
       9 . The bottle of  claim 1  wherein said body sidewall has a first interior side and a first exterior side, said internal sidewall has a second interior side and a second exterior side, and said first set of threads is provided on the surface of said second exterior side and said second set of threads is provided on the surface of said first interior side.  
   
   
       10 . A method of converting a bottle into a stemmed drinking container, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a bottle comprising 
 i) a base having an elongated stem,  
 ii) a first closure having a bottom, an external sidewall extending from said bottom, and an internal sidewall which is inside said external sidewall, said internal sidewall having a first set of threads,  
 iii) a container body having a body sidewall defining a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion of said body sidewall having a second set of threads mated with said first set of threads, said container body having a neck portion and said neck portion having an opening; and  
 iv) a second closure mated with said neck portion to form a fluid tight seal;  
   b) attaching said elongated stem to said neck portion;    c) removing said first closure from said container body by unscrewing said first set of threads from said second set of threads.    
   
   
       11 . The bottle of  claim 10  wherein said stem may be affixed to said container body via attachment to said second closure.  
   
   
       12 . The bottle of  claim 11  wherein said stem fits onto said second closure by an interference fit.  
   
   
       13 . The bottle of  claim 11  wherein said second closure is a screw cap.  
   
   
       14 . The bottle of  claim 10  wherein said container body further comprises a lip at the top end of said top portion and said body sidewall has a thickened band in the area of said second set of threads.  
   
   
       15 . The bottle of  claim 10  wherein said base, said bottom element, said closure and said container portion are made of one of plastic or metal.  
   
   
       16 . The bottle of  claim 10  wherein said container portion is made of glass and said bottom element, said base and said closure are made of one of plastic or metal.  
   
   
       17 . The bottle of  claim 10  wherein said container portion, said bottom element and said base are made of plastic and said closure is made of metal.  
   
   
       18 . A method of manufacturing a container body for a bottle which can be converted into a stemmed drinking container, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a preform comprising a tubular portion having a cross-section which is smaller than the finished container body and a neck having an opening;    b) placing said preform into a mold tool on a blow-molding machine, said mold tool having a surface substantially in the shape of the finished container body, said neck being clamped onto said mold tool;    c) blow-molding said preform into the shape of the finished container body wherein said neck of said preform forms a neck of said container body.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said tubular portion of said preform has a closed bottom distal of said neck and said method further comprises the step of trimming the blow-molded preform to remove the material which was the closed bottom of said preform.  
   
   
       20 . A method of manufacturing a container body for a bottle which can be converted into a stemmed drinking container, said container body having a body sidewall defining a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a large cross-section which tapers down to a neck at said bottom portion, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a preform comprising a tubular portion having a first portion which is substantially in the form of the top portion of the finished container body and a second portion which tapers down to a smaller cross-section, said first portion having an opening;    b) placing said preform into a mold tool on a blow-molding machine, said mold tool having a surface substantially in the shape of the finished container body, said first portion of said preform being clamped onto said mold tool;    c) blow-molding said preform into the shape of the finished container body.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said second portion of said preform has a closed end distal of said top portion and said method further comprises the step of trimming the blow-molded preform to remove the material which was the closed end of said preform.