Convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus

Abstract

A convertible beverage container includes a first pod portion, a second pod portion, and at least one seal. The first and second pod portions are configured to alternately form (a) a pod configuration in which a base element at a base end of the first pod portion is fixably attached to an open orifice at a drinking end of the second pod portion with the at least one seal disposed between the first and second pod portions to form a seal therebetween and (b) a stemware configuration in which an attachment element at an attachment end of the first pod portion is fixably attached to an attachment region of the second pod portion to form a stemware drinking vessel having a foot, a stem, and a bowl in which the first pod portion forms the foot and stem of the stemware drinking vessel and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus, the convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus comprising:
 a first pod portion having a base element at a base end and an attachment element at an attachment end oppositely disposed to the base end; and   a second pod portion having an open orifice at a drinking end, the open orifice configured to fixably attach to the base element at the base end of the first pod portion, and an attachment region oppositely disposed to the drinking end, the attachment region configured to fixably attach to the attachment element at the attachment end of the first pod portion; and   at least one seal, wherein the first and second pod portions are configured to alternately form (a) a pod configuration in which the base element at the base end of the first pod portion is fixably attached to the open orifice at the drinking end of the second pod portion with the at least one seal disposed between the first and second pod portions to form a seal therebetween and (b) a stemware configuration in which the attachment element at the attachment end of the first pod portion is fixably attached to the attachment region of the second pod portion to form a stemware drinking vessel having a foot, a stem, and a bowl in which the first pod portion forms the foot and stem of the stemware drinking vessel and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel, wherein the base element includes a cropped overhang configured to accommodate a bottom ring when the convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus is in the stemware configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising the bottom ring configured to attach to the base element with the cropped overhang. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom ring is configured to attach to the base element with the cropped overhang via screw-on attachment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom ring is configured to attach to the base element with the cropped overhang via press-on attachment. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom ring includes an embellishment. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top ring configured to attach to a top-drinking end of the second pod portion when the convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus is in the stemware configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the top ring is configured to attach via screw-on attachment. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the top ring is configured to attach via press-on attachment. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the top ring includes an embellished. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment element at the attachment end of the first pod portion is configured to fixably attach to the attachment region of the second pod portion via a press-fit attachment to form the stemware drinking vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  10 , further comprising a clip-in ring configured to be seated in the attachment region of the second pod portion and to engage with the attachment element of the first pod portion. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment element includes a prominent rim of the attachment element to attach the two pieces together via the press-fit attachment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in the pod configuration, the second pod portion contains a beverage or an ingredient for a beverage such as a liquid. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second pod portion further includes a removable seal to hold the ingredient in the second pod portion. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first pod portion includes a hollow cavity containing at least one of (1) an ingredient for the beverage, (2) a drink-related article, or (3) a sanitary-related article. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first pod portion and the second pod portion are metal. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl of the second pod portion is configured to have a shape associated with a specific type of drink. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seal includes at least one o-ring and/or at least one gasket. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cork or cap to seal an opening at the attachment end of the first pod portion in the pod configuration.