Container for storing cheese and other temperature sensitive food and items in wine refrigeration units, wine storage rooms and wine cellars

Abstract

The invention is a container for storing and serving food, especially practical for cheese, and other items that would benefit from being stored in a temperature and environment similar to those recommended for wine. The invention addresses food storage requirements including moderated refrigeration and enhanced humidity control while addressing odor migration thus maintaining the flavor and other characteristics of cheese and other temperature sensitive items. The invention does so by taking a novel approach in that it repurposes one or more of the wine bottle storage bays found in commercially available refrigerated wine storage units and the bottle bays of wine storage racks found in wine cellars and wine storage rooms. By virtue of the container's size and contour the container will fit stably into the bottle bays in the vast majority of commercially available refrigerated wine storage units and in those bottle bays of wine storage racks found in wine cellars and wine storage rooms. It will also rest stably on a flat surface such as a table or countertop thus facilitating the filling of the container, access to its contents and its use as a serving vessel.

1 . A primary container dimensioned to be substantially similar to the body of a wine bottle wherein said primary container can be received inside the bottle bays in a plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks with said primary container having an opening allowing substantially unobstructed access to the storage capacity of said primary container and with said primary container having means, integrated or otherwise, to assure proper axial orientation when removed from said bottle bays and placed on a flat surface. 
   
   
       2 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said primary container has means to assure proper axial orientation when seated in said bottle bays in a plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks. 
   
   
       3 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container both inside said bottle bays and on said flat surface comprise a secondary container, substantially similar to said primary container wherein said secondary container is attached to said primary container such that said secondary container overlaps into an adjacent bottle bay in a plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks thus assuring proper and stable axial orientation for said primary container and said secondary container as well as providing additional continuous or divisible storage volume augmenting said primary container. 
   
   
       4 . The secondary container of  claim 3  wherein said secondary container has a bottom that is contoured with a narrowed footing thus reducing its contact area with and its potential interference with the racking arrangements in said adjacent bottle bay wherein making said primary container in combination with said attached secondary container more likely to be seated with proper and stable axial orientation in a larger plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks. 
   
   
       5 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein the vertical middle portion of its storage volume is made rectangular at a distance sufficient to ensure clearance from racking arrangements both above and below in a plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks wherein said rectangular storage volume increases the capacity of said primary container and wherein said rectangular storage volume provides additional means to assure proper axial orientation. 
   
   
       6 . The primary container and attached secondary container of  claim 3  wherein the vertical middle portion of their combined storage volume is made rectangular at a distance sufficient to ensure clearance from racking arrangements both above and below in a plurality of commercially available wine storage refrigerators or wine storage racks wherein said rectangular storage volume increases the capacity of said primary and said attached secondary container. 
   
   
       7 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container inside said bottle bays is a friction surface on the bottom portion of said primary container contacting the racking arrangement in said bottle bays such that said primary container is inhibited from rotating thus providing stable axial orientation of said primary container and its contents. 
   
   
       8 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container on said flat surface is one or more attached members dimensioned to make contact with said flat surface wherein said attached member or members do not interfere with the majority of said bottle bays and wherein said member or members are dimensioned to inhibit rolling and provide stable axial orientation on said flat surfaces. 
   
   
       9 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container on said flat surface is one or more attachable or conformable members dimensioned to make contact with said flat surface wherein said attachable or conformable member or members are dimensioned to inhibit rolling and provide stable axial orientation on said flat surfaces. 
   
   
       10 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container on said flat surface is a rotational member inset such that it substantially conforms to said contoured bottom of said primary container but provides stability on said flat surface when rotated into its deployed position. 
   
   
       11 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein said means to assure proper axial orientation of said primary container on said flat surface is achieved by substantially flattening the bottom of said primary container while maintaining a sufficient amount of contact surface on the bottom hemisphere of said container wherein said contact surface within said bottle bays inhibits said container from rotating thus providing proper and stable axial orientation of said primary container and its contents. 
   
   
       12 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein an elongated member dimensioned and oriented substantially in the position of the neck of a typical wine bottle is attached to the back of said primary container thus providing a handle for said primary container and additional contact surfaces for stable seating inside said bottle bays wherein making said primary container useable in a larger plurality of said commercially available wine storage refrigerators or said wine storage racks. 
   
   
       13 . The primary container of  claim 1  wherein a horizontally oriented board suitable for cutting and serving food can stably rest or be inserted into the bottom of the container volume of said primary container. 
   
   
       14 . The primary container of  claim 1  with integrated cutting and serving board of  claim 13  with the space below said cutting board dimensioned and reserved for a moisture conduit, controller or reservoir.