ABSORBENT BEVERAGE COLLAR

Abstract

A universal absorbent collar for use on vessels holding liquid. One embodiment of the collar includes a length of material, one end of which forms a loop structure through which the other end is inserted after the length of material is wrapped around the vessel. The user can tighten the collar by pulling on a single end of the strip of material. In addition, the strip of material is meant to double as a marketing tool and can feature any manner of information. A second embodiment of the device consists of a corded structure that is wrapped around a vessel and tied in place or fastened in place.

Claims

1. A collar for use with a vessel comprising an elongated strip of material having a first end, a second end and a loop; wherein the first end is configured to be inserted through the loop.

2. The collar of claim 1 wherein the elongated strip of material is made of an absorbent, pliable material.

3. The collar of claim 2 wherein the loop comprises a portion of the second end of the elongated strip of material folded back and pressure fused to the elongated strip of material, thereby forming a connection point.

4. The collar of claim 2 wherein the loop comprises a portion of the second end of the elongated strip of material folded back and attached to the elongated strip of material by an adhesive, thereby forming a connection point.

5. The Collar of claim 2 wherein the elongated strip of material is substantially flat.

6. The Collar of claim 2 wherein the wherein the elongated strip of material has a circular cross-section.

7. The Collar of claim 6 wherein the loop is formed of a separate strip of material attached end to end through which the first end and second end are inserted.

8. The Collar of claim 6 wherein the loop is formed by tying the second end of the elongated strip of material around the first end of the elongated strip of material.

9. The Collar of claim 2 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

10. The Collar of claim 3 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

11. The Collar of claim 4 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

12. The Collar of claim 5 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

13. The Collar of claim 6 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

14. The Collar of claim 7 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

15. The Collar of claim 8 further comprising printed material featured on a surface of the elongated strip of material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the face or front of the wrapper or collar;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view of thereof;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the collar in use on a bottle;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a right side perspective view thereof;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a left side perspective view thereof;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view thereof;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the wrapper or collar used on a wine glass;

[0020] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the collar using a conventional fastener;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the wrapper or collar in which the ends have been tied together; and

[0022] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the device being placed over the top of a standard bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] FIGS. 1-3 show a first embodiment of the absorbent collar. Specifically, the device is an elongated strip of material 10 with a first end 11 a second end 12, a loop 13 and a "conjunction spot" or connection point 14 where the second end 12 is attached to the rest of the strip of absorbent material 10 to create the loop 13. In preferred embodiments, the elongated strip of material 10 is made of an absorbent and pliable material. As discussed above, the loop 13 can be formed more than one way. In this embodiment, the loop was formed by folding the second end 12 back on itself and attaching it to the rest of the elongated strip of material 10. The attachment can be accomplished by pressure or heat fusion, through stitching or any number of adhesives.

[0024] FIGS. 4-7 show this version of the device attached to a bottle from various perspectives. As can be seen from these figures, the strip of material 10 is wrapped around a portion of the bottle, in this case the bottom of the neck of the bottle where the sides of the bottle start to flare outwards to form the portion of the bottle below the neck. After wrapping the strip of material 10 around the bottle, the first end 11 of the strip of material 10 is inserted through the loop 13 formed at the second end 12. The user is free to pull the first end 11 of the length of material 10 through the loop 13 as far as desired to tighten the strip of material 10 around the bottle.

[0025] FIG. 8 shows the same embodiment of the absorbent collar on a wine glass. The length of material 10 is applied to the wine glass in much the same way that it is applied to a bottle. In this case, the strip of material 10 is wrapped around the exterior of the stem of the glass proximate to the point where the stem and the foot of the glass meet each other. The first end 11 of the length of material 10 is inserted through the loop 13 featured at the second end of 12 of the length of material 10. The user then pulls on the first end 11 to adjust the tightness of the fit around the stem of the glass.

[0026] FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the inventive absorbent collar. This embodiment also includes a length of absorbent material, but in this version, the length of material is not a flattened structure, but rather a cord 15 having a circular or oval shaped cross section. The cord embodiment is used very similarly to the flattened embodiment discussed above. Specifically, the cord 15 is an elongated tubular structure having a circular or oval-shaped cross section. The cord 15 is wrapped around a portion of a beverage container in a similar manner to that of the above-described embodiments. The two ends 16 of the cord 15 can be cinched together with a conventional fastener 17 or tied together in a knot.

[0027] FIG. 11 shows a flow diagram or chart demonstrating the use of an embodiment of the device using the substantially flat collar 10. First, an elongated strip of preferably absorbent material 10 having a loop 13 formed at one end is provided. The strip of material 10 is placed or wrapped around a portion of the vessel .sup._ in this case a standard bottle. The first end 11 of the strip of material 10 is inserted through the loop formed at the second end 12 of the strip 10. The user than pulls on the first end 11 of the strip of material 10 to tighten the collar around the vessel to which it is attached.

[0028] The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, the ability to catch dripping liquid from a vessel while at the same time providing an attractive conversation piece with the vessel that doubles as a marketing tool. In broad embodiment, the present invention is a universal absorbent beverage collar for use with a variety of containers.

[0029] Reference throughout the specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout the specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0030] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

[0031] It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment, including the best mode, is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, if any, in conjunction with the foregoing description.

[0032] While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.