Rotating bottle rack

Abstract

A rotatable wine display rack includes a base supporting a pole. Typically a plurality of shelves engages the pole separated by a spacer being a cylinder that has an upper and a lower flange. The upper flange is fixedly attached to the shelf above it and the bottom flange sits on top of the shelf underneath but disposed in between is a bearing. This allows shelves to be rotated independent of each other. Each shelf include a plurality of rods converging to the centre of the pole and so spaced that two roads support a bottle of wine. Attached to the top and adjustable in its position is a flat surface to ast as protection and/or a table for the rack.

Claims

1. A wine display rack comprising: a base supporting a pole; a plurality of shelves engaging the pole through a central aperture; the plurality of shelves including a plurality of rods extending inwardly and upwardly to a centre of the pole, so configured that two rods support a bottle of wine thereinbetween; each shelf of the plurality of shelves including an outer wall whereby the plurality of rods are connected towards a bottom of the outer wall to provide a surface to engage a bottom of the bottle of wine sitting on top of the two rods; and wherein each shelf is separated by a cylinder engaging the pole, the cylinder including an upper flange fixedly connected to the shelf above and a lower flange sitting on top of the shelf below and wherein a bearing is located between the lower flange and the shelf below to enable for independent rotation of the plurality of shelves.

2. The wine display rack as in claim 1, wherein a flat surface is located above an upper shelf and attached to the pole, and the flat surface acts as a cover or a table for the wine display rack.

3. The wine display rack as in claim 2, wherein the flat surface is adjustable in height with respect to the upper shelf.

4. The wine display rack of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rods is cylindrical in shape.

5. The wine display rack of claim 1, wherein the base includes a cover adapted to enclose the base.

6. The wine display rack of claim 1, wherein each shelf of the plurality shelves is adapted to hold sixteen bottles of wine.

7. A wine display rack comprising: a base supporting a pole; at least two shelves adapted to engage the pole through a central aperture in a vertical arrangement defining an upper shelf and a lower shelf, wherein the at least two shelves include a plurality of rods extending inwardly and upwardly to the centre of the pole, so configured that two rods support a bottle of wine thereinbetween; wherein the at least two shelves include an outer wall whereby the plurality of rods is connected towards a bottom of the outer wall to provide a surface to engage a bottom of the bottle of wine sitting on top of the two rods; and wherein the at least two shelves are separated by a cylinder engaging the pole, the upper shelf being fixedly attached to the cylinder, and wherein the cylinder engages the lower shelf to provide support for the upper shelf; and wherein the cylinder includes an upper flange fixedly connected to the upper shelf and a lower flange sitting on top of the lower shelf.

8. The wine display rack as in claim 7, wherein located above the upper shelf and attached to the pole is a flat surface acting as a cover or a table for the wine display rack.

9. The wine display rack as in claim 8 wherein the flat surface is adjustable in height with respect to the upper shelf.

10. The wine display rack of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of rods is cylindrical in shape.

11. The wine display rack of claim 7, wherein the base includes a cover adapted to enclose the base.

12. The wine display rack of claim 7, wherein each shelf of the at least two shelves is adapted to hold sixteen bottles of wine.

13. The wine display rack of claim 7, wherein the upper shelf and lower shelf are independently rotatable about the pole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a rotating wine display embodying the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a rotating wine display as in FIG. 1 but with more shelves.

(4) FIG. 3 is a partial view of the rotating wine display illustrating the construction of the base.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the addition of the shelves to the base of FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates further construction of the rotating wine display.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the addition of the top flat surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

(9) Although the invention will now be described primarily in conjunction with a display system for holding wine bottles, it should be expressly understood that the invention may be applicable to other applications where it is desired to hold and display other bottled items. Indeed it may also be used to display any other items whether it is food or collectables.

(10) The Figures illustrate a rotating bottle display 10, FIG. 1 illustrating a display with three shelves 12 and FIG. 2 with eight shelves 12. Each shelf is adapted to hold a number of bottles 14. On top of the display is a flat surface 16, the display supported also by base 18.

(11) Referring to FIG. 3 the base includes metal plate 20 enclosed by and covered by a cover 22 typically made of wood having an internal cavity. Extending centrally and vertically from the plate and through the cover 22 is a pole 24. These are all attached appropriately to each other using well known means such as screws. The base is designed carefully for stability so as to withstand the weight of the bottles displayed.

(12) Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 shelves 12 include rods 26 converging towards the pole 24 from an outside circumferential wall 28. The rods are attached to the wall at its lower end and extend upwardly so that the bottle is at an upward angle allowing for the display of the label. The bottles are held in place from slipping down by the wall 28 whereby the bottom of the bottle partially engages the wall 28. Typically there are sufficient rods so that two rods support a bottle with there being a gap between the bottles when arranged on the display.

(13) A cylinder (spacer) 30 is of a sufficient diameter to be inserted onto the pole and includes and upper flange 32 and a lower flange 34. A shelf is fixedly attached to the upper flange 32 using screws for example, and located on top of the shelf is a bearing 36 sitting on top of the lower flange. This enables a shelf to rotate, rotating the cylinder below it that rotates freely because of the bearing located on the shelf below. The cylinder may come in multi-parts if required. Thus each shelf can rotate independent of the other.

(14) To maintain the correct positioning of the bottles, each pair of rods extends radially outward from the post 24 to the wall 28.

(15) Once the desired number of shelves has so been assembled a flat surface 38 including a downward cylinder 40 engages the post 24 by typically sliding over the post, although it could engage the inside of the post. The cylinder can have multiple apertures 42 that fixedly engage the post so as to vary the height of the surface 16 to the rest of the shelves. It can thus act as a table especially where there are not too many shelves for a person to put their glasses or bottle of wine on top.

(16) The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a rotating shelving system whereby the shelves are all supported on a central pole and can rotate freely. The shelves are not locked to the polerather they are supported by cylinders located between the shelves and each shelf including an individual bearing. Whilst the embodiment above teaches that each shelf is attached to a cylinder below it may also be attached to a cylinder above it and it is not intended that this mechanical configuration be the only one.

(17) The display can be made from metal, MDF wood as well as other materials such as glass, acrylic, poly carbonate and other wood materials.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

(18) The drawings include the following integers. 10 bottle display 12 shelves 14 bottles 16 flat surface 18 base 20 metal plate 22 cover 24 pole 26 rods 28 circumferential wall 30 cylinder 32 upper flange 34 lower flange 36 bearing 40 downward cylinder 42 apertures

(19) Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

(20) In the present specification and claims (if any), the word comprising and its derivatives including comprises and comprise include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.