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Bottle display and storage deviceRelated Patent Categories: Supports: Racks, Special Article, Receptacle Support, Bottle Or JarBottle display and storage device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060043035, Bottle display and storage device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention is an apparatus for displaying and storing bottles, especially wine bottles. [0003] 2. General Background and State of the Art [0004] Wine bottles typically are stored horizontally so that the wine remains in contact with the cork. When bottles are stored upright so that corks are out of contact with the wine, the cork can dry out, which can allow air to enter the bottle. Any air spoils the wine. [0005] Horizontal storage of bottles takes many forms. In a simple form, bottles remain in their cardboard or wood cases. After removing the top of the case, the case is placed on one side so that the bottles are horizontal. The cases may be on shelves or merely stacked. Most cases have internal cells that separate each bottle from adjacent ones and prevent the bottles from rolling inside the case. [0006] Bottles also may be removed from the cases and placed on flat, solid or wire shelves. To prevent bottles from rolling, the shelves may have indentations or separators. [0007] Slightly more complex are storage systems divided into cells. Each cell may hold one or multiple bottles. In one cell-based apparatus, each cell is formed by four, horizontal lateral supports that will be aligned with the bottle. Short posts at the front and rear of each lateral support attach the support to adjacent lateral supports. The posts that extend horizontally between two adjacent and horizontally spaced lateral supports carry the front and rear of the bottle. The posts that extend vertically between two adjacent and vertically spaced lateral supports form the sides of the cells. The cells are square and wide and tall enough to receive a bottle. [0008] Cells in another storage system are square but large enough to hold more than one bottle. The walls of the cell are at 45.degree. to vertical. The first bottle placed in the cell rests at the bottom apex of the cell, and the remaining bottles are stacked above bottles already placed in the cell. Vertical or horizontal walls or posts may subdivide the cells. Storage devices with cells that hold several bottles are particularly useful with people or restaurants with large wine collections. Each cell can hold wines of a vintage of the same variety from one winery or wine of particular classifications (e.g., Zinfandel wine from San Luis Obispo County, California). [0009] Bottles, particularly wine bottles, can be quite attractive. One must remove the bottle from the previously mentioned storage devices to see the bottle. Bottles also may look particularly attractive when multiple bottles are visible in an attractive storage device. INVENTION SUMMARY [0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that stores and displays bottles attractively. Another object is to provide a device that holds bottles in positions that users can change so that the device with bottles can take on multiple orientations. Another object is to provide a device that stores and displays bottles while occupying little floor space. [0011] The bottle display and storage apparatus of the present invention includes a base, which may mount to a wall or sit on the floor. The apparatus includes a series of carriers aligned with each other along an axis through each carrier and above the base. The bottom carrier is adjacent to the base and can pivot relative to the base. The carriers above the bottom carrier pivot relative to each other about the axis. [0012] Each carrier includes a support about the axis and a receptacle attached to and projecting from the support. The receptacle is angled upward and has an open end to receive a bottle. The inside of the receptacle may have a foam insert for cushioning the bottle. Because the carriers pivot about the axis, the user may orient them as he or she wishes. Some carriers may extend to the right, other to the left and others at intermediate positions. [0013] For embodiments that mount the base to the wall, a header attaches to the upper carrier to hold the top of the device to the wall. Normally, the mounting is such that the carriers cannot pivot toward the wall but would extend toward the right, left and forward of the axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bottle storage and display apparatus of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective and cutaway view of one carrier of the present invention and associated structure. [0016] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through plane 3-3 of FIG. 2. [0017] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through place 4-4 of FIG. 1. [0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the bottle storage and display apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] The present invention stores and displays bottles, primarily wine or other attractive bottles. Bottles 2 (shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 5) may take many different shapes, but they normally have a wider, cylindrical bottom section and a narrower, upper neck. These elements vary considerably. For example, some Chianti bottles have almost spherical lower portions with flat bases. Basket material often covers the lower portion. Bordeaux style bottles have cylindrical lower portions and relatively short necks while Burgundy style bottles have shorter lower portions and a longer and tapering neck. [0020] A label usually covers at least part of the lower portion, and many bottles have neck labels too. Wine labels may be very decorative. Also, to wine connoisseurs, a label of an exclusive winery may evoke beauty even if the label itself is not particularly aesthetic. A cork in the neck seals the wine or other liquid inside the bottle. Today, many wine bottles do not use cork material but use plastic as a substitute. Some bottles have foil at the end of the neck over the cork. Others have no foil. Continue reading about Bottle display and storage device... Full patent description for Bottle display and storage device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Bottle display and storage device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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