Convertible beverage container and drinking apparatus

Abstract

A convertible beverage container includes a first pod portion and a second pod portion. 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 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 top end and a bottom end, a base element at the base end, a stem element extending from the base element toward the top end, and an attachment element at an attachment end of the stem element oppositely disposed to the base end; and   a second pod portion having an open orifice at a drinking end, the open orifice configured to couple 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 couple to the attachment element at the attachment end of the stem element of the first pod portion, wherein the first and second pod portions are configured to alternately form (a) a pod configuration in which the second pod portion is at a bottom of the apparatus, the first pod portion is at a top of the apparatus, and the base element at the base end of the first pod portion is coupled to the open orifice at the drinking end of the second pod portion to form a bottle that when upright sits on a surface of the second pod portion containing the attachment region of the second pod portion and (b) a stemware configuration in which the first pod portion is at the bottom of the apparatus, the second pod portion is at the top of the apparatus, and the attachment element at the attachment end of the stem element of the first pod portion is coupled 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 base element of the first pod portion forms the foot of the stemware drinking vessel, the stem element of the first pod portion is the stem of the stemware drinking vessel, and the second pod portion forms the bowl of the stemware drinking vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in the pod configuration, the first pod portion includes an opening at the attachment end in fluid communication with the open orifice of the drinking end of the second pod portion to form a hollow cavity within the pod. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising contents within the hollow cavity of the pod. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the contents are filled into the hollow cavity through the opening at the attachment end of the first pod portion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , where the contents are pre-filled in the second pod portion prior to attachment of the base element of the base end of the first pod portion to the open orifice at the drinking end of the second pod portion to form the pod. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion to contain the contents within the pod. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion includes a cork. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion includes a cap. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion is configured to contain a liquid within the pod. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion is configured to contain pressure of the contents within the pod. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion is configured to maintain carbonation of the contents of the pod. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the contents include a carbonated beverage. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the carbonated beverage includes champagne or other sparkling wine or alcoholic beverage. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the seal at the opening of the attachment end of the first pod portion is configured to maintain freshness of the contents of the pod. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first pod portion or the second pod portion is metal. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first pod portion or the second pod portion is glass. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base element at the base end of the first pod portion and the open orifice at the drinking end of the second pod portion include complementary coupling elements for coupling the base element at the base end of the first pod portion to the open orifice at the drinking end of the second pod portion in the pod configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment element of the first pod portion and the attachment region of the second pod portion include complementary coupling elements for coupling the attachment element of the first pod portion to the attachment region of the second pod portion in the stemware configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment region of the second pod portion is recessed from the surface of the second pod portion containing the attachment region. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one seal between the first and second pod portions in the pod configuration.