GB2121767A

GB2121767A - A carrier for bottles of liquid

Info

Publication number: GB2121767A
Application number: GB08311575A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ebo Ritter
Original assignee: RI WINE Ltd
Current assignee: RI WINE Ltd
Priority date: 1982-06-10
Filing date: 1983-04-28
Publication date: 1984-01-04
Also published as: GB8311575D0

Abstract

A carrier for bottles of liquid, particularly wine, comprises a casing comprising two open-sided shells 11, 12 hinged together and having parts 14, 15 which co-operate to form a carrying handle, each shell containing a body of heat insulating and/or shock-absorbing material 19, 20 formed with recesses 21, 22 to receive bottles and wine glasses. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A carrier for bottles of liquid The invention relates to carriers for bottles of liquid, such as wine, mineral water or the like, and, in a preferred embodiment, provides a carrier in which a number of bottles may be safely transported while at the same time being readily accessible. The carrier is particularly suitable for use, for example, where wine is to be consumed outdoors, such as at a picnic or similar occasion.

According to the invention there is provided a carrier for bottles of liquid comprising a casing provided with a carrying handle and having a heat-insulating and/or shock-absorbing interior for the reception of one or more bottles. The provision of a shock-absorbing interior serves to protect the bottles against breakage and may also, to a certain extent, protect the liquid itself from shocks. The provision of a heat-insulating interior is also preferred so that the liquid can be maintained at substantially the temperature at which it is inserted in the carrier. The carrier is thus particularly suitable for wines which require to be served chilled.

The interior of the carrier may comprise a body of heat-insulating and/or shock-absorbing material formed with one or more cavities each shaped to accommodate a bottle and to locate the bottle against substantial movement.

The body of material may be formed in a plurality of cooperating sections each of which is formed with a recess, the recesses together defining the bottlereceiving cavity when the sections are brought together in cooperative relationship.

The casing itself may be formed in a plurality of cooperating portions each of which contains a section of the body of heat-insulating and/or shock absorbing material. For example, the casing may comprise two open-sided shells, each containing a section of the material, means being provided for securing the shells together in a closed position with their open sides, and hence the respective portions of material therein, in face-to-face opposed relationship.

The two shells may be hingedly connected together so that they are relatively pivotable between said closed position and an open position.

Cooperating fastening means may be provided on the shells respectively so as to be operable to secure the casing in the closed position. Said fastening means preferabiy cooperate with a snap action.

The aforesaid carrying handle may comprise two handle portions formed on the shells respectively which portions come together to form the handle when the casing is in the closed position.

The casing may be formed from a rigid plastics material and the interior may be formed from a foamed plastics material.

The interior body of heat-insulating and/or shockabsorbing material may be formed with further cavities or recesses shaped to receive and locate items other than bottles, such as wine glasses.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrier for bottles of wine, the carrier being shown in the open position, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carrier in the closed position.

The carrier comprises a casing 10 in the form of two substantially identical shells 11 and 12 hingedly connected together by hinges 13. The shells 11 and 12 are preferably formed from rigid plastics material, such as high impact polystyrene or PVC. Each hinge 13 may either be a living hinge or a plinthed hinge.

Each shell 11 and 12 is integrally formed opposite the hinges 13 with a handle portion 14 or 15. The shells are of the same contour so that when the handle portions 14 and 15 are brought together they cooperate to form a handle and the two shells 11 and 12 form a closed casing. One side edge of each shell is integrally formed with a capping strip 16, the capping strips serving to cover the joins between the two shells when the casing is closed.

Integrally moulded within the handle portions 14 and 15 are cooperating catch portions 17 and 18 respectively. The catch portions are generally hookshaped and resilient so as to snap into retaining engagement with one another when the two shells are closed together. The catch portions may be so arranged that they may be disengaged by the application of sufficient opening force to the casing or alternatively a conventional form of release device may be provided.

The shells 11 and 12 are filled respectively with bodies 19 and 20 of material formed with three recesses 21, 22, each recess being shaped to accommodate half the depth of a one litre bottle of wine.

The arrangement is such that when the casing is closed the recesses 21 cooperate with the recesses 22 to define three cavities each of which may receive a bottle of wine.

Cooperating recesses 23 and 24 may also be provided to accommoate wine glasses.

The bodies 19 and 20 are formed from a shockabsorbing and/or heat insulating material such as a foamed plastics material. Foamed polystyrene is a particularly suitable material since it provides both shock-absorbing and heat-insulating properties, as well as being light in weight.

As mentioned above, the recesses 21 and 22 are sized to receive one-litre bottles. However, the recesses may be provided with inwardly projecting portions, such as fingers or ears, to allow a half bottle or other smaller sized bottle to be located in each recess if desired. If one litre bottles are to be carried the inwardly projecting portions may be broken away or pushed aside, depending on the material from which the bodies 19 and 20 are made.

Figure 2 shows the carrier in the closed position.

The handle portions 14 and 15 are so moulded as to form a comfortable grip when the two shells of the casing are closed together as shown in Figure 2. One of the shells 12 is moulded on its exterior surface with a recess 25 to receive a label which may be stuck on or slid into position. The label may be a wine bottle label, a wine retailer's label or a wine merchant's label.

In the case where the wine in the carrier requires to be chilled, there may be provided sachets of water or other liquid of such a size and shape that the sachets may be received in wine glasses accommodated in the recesses 23 and 24. The sachets are pre-frozen before being placed in the wine glasses and thus serve to prolong the cooling of the bottles of wine in the carrier.

Claims

1. A carrier for bottles of liquid comprising a casing provided with a carrying handle and having a heat-insulating and/or shock-absorbing interior for the reception of one or more bottles.

2. A carrier according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the carrier comprises a body of heatinsulating and/or shock-absorbing material formed with one or more cavities each shaped to accommodate a bottle and to locate the bottle against substantial movement.

3. A carrier according to claim 2, wherein the body of material is formed in a plurality of cooperating sections each of which is formed with a recess, the recesses together defining the bottle.

receiving cavity when the sections are brought together in co-operative relationship.

4. A carrier according to claim 3, wherein the casing itself is formed in a plurality of co-operating portions each of which contains a section of the body of heat-insulating and/or shock absorbing material.

5. A carrier according to claim 4, wherein the casing comprises two open-sided shells, each containing a section of the material, means being provided for securing the shells together in a closed position with their open sides, and hence the respective portions of material therein, in face-toface opposed relationship.

6. A carrier according to claim 5, wherein the two shells are hingedly connected together so that they are relatively pivotable between said closed position and an open position.

7. A carrier according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein co-operating fastening means are provided on the shells respectively so as to be operable to secure the casing in the closed position.

8. A carrier according to claim 7, wherein said fastening means co-operate with a snap action.

9. A carrier according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the aforesaid carrying handle comprise two handle portions formed on the shells respectively which portions come together to form the handle when the casing is in the closed position.

10. A carrier according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the casing is formed from a rigid plastics material and the interior is formed from a foamed plastics material.

11. A carrier according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the interior body of heat-insulating and/or shock-absorbing material is formed with further cavities or recesses shaped to receive and locate items other than bottles.

12. A carrier for bottles of liquid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.