Stemmed glassware holder / coaster with integral spacer tab / coaster

Abstract

A coaster having a pocket for receiving the base of a stemmed glass. The pocket is configured in the coaster to receive the base of the stemmed glass in sliding engagement from a side of the coaster. The pocket has an opening to permit the stem of the glass to extend through upwardly, thereby enabling the coaster to be a more stable platform to reduce tipping over or spilling. A removable spacer tab is configured to be received within the pocket. The spacer tab has a circumferential arc edge that can engage the base rim of the stemmed glass to secure the base of the glass within the pocket to provide further stability.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present non-provisional patent application claims priority benefit of an earlier-filed provisional patent application of the same title, Ser. No. 63 / 569,382, filed Mar. 25, 2024. The identified earlier-filed application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to coasters on which drinks may be placed and, more particularly, to a holder / coaster for supporting stemmed glassware.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Coasters provide a protective surface between a drink glass and an underlying support such as a bar or table. They help prevent water rings and moisture damage to the table surface caused by condensation from cold drinks. They also act as a barrier between hot beverages and delicate surfaces to prevent heat-related damage. Coasters also help prevent spills and slippage of the drink glass along the support surface.

[0004] However, stemmed glassware such as wine, champagne, and margarita glasses are notoriously top heavy, unstable, easy to tip over and spill or break. Simple flat coasters do not provide substantial stability to drink glasses having a long stem.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a drink coaster that is capable of providing retaining support to the base of stemmed glassware to resist the glass from tipping over.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An embodiment of the invention comprises a coaster having a pocket for receiving the base of a stemmed glass. The pocket is configured in the coaster to receive the base of the stemmed glass in sliding engagement from a side of the coaster. The pocket has an opening to permit the stem of the glass to extend through upwardly, thereby enabling the coaster to be a more stable platform to reduce tipping over or spilling.

[0007] A removable spacer tab is configured to be received within the pocket. The spacer tab has a circumferential arc edge that can engage the base rim of the stemmed glass to secure the base of the glass within the pocket to provide further stability. When the coaster is not otherwise being used for receiving the stemmed glass the spacer tab maintains the shape and proper surface area of the top coaster to provide a level surface on which a regular non-stemmed glass can also be placed.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the coaster and spacer tab.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spacer tab partially withdrawn from engagement with the coaster.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the coaster and spacer tab taken along lines 3-3 from FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the coaster and partially withdrawn spacer tab taken along lines 4-4 from FIG. 2.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the coaster and spacer tab taken along lines 5-5 from FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the coaster and partially withdrawn spacer tab taken along lines 6-6 from FIG. 2.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a stemmed glass received within the coaster.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a stemmed glass received within the coaster and inserted spacer tab.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view in side elevation of the glass retained within the coaster and spacer tab taken along lines 9-9 from FIG. 11.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the spacer tab withdrawn from the coaster.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the separate spacer tab placed over the top of the glass retained in the coaster.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] An embodiment of the invention is described herein. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention.

[0020] The present invention comprises a holder / coaster 10 as generally shown in FIG. 1. Coaster 10 is comprised of a base member 12 and upper member 14 as shown in FIG. 10. For durability, the coaster may be comprised of leather and a welt layer 18 may be placed between the base member 12 and upper member 14. Adhesive, stitching and other joining methods may be used to join the base member 12, the welt layer 18, and the upper member 14 together.

[0021] The welt layer 18 placed between base member 12 and upper member 14 causes a space to be created therein which forms a pocket 20 as shown in FIG. 6. Pocket 20 is therefore dimensioned to receive the foot 24 of stemmed glass 22. Opening 26 is formed in upper member 14 as shown in FIG. 1. When stemmed glass 22 is inserted into the pocket 20 of the coaster the stem 28 passes through opening 26. Foot 24 of the stemmed glassware is held in place between base member 12 and upper member 14. The coaster has a wider footprint than the glassware itself, thereby providing more stability.

[0022] A spacer tab 16 is slidably engageable in the coaster between base member 12 and upper member 14. The spacer tab 16 is provided with an engagement member 30 to bear against the edge of the foot 24 of stemmed glass 22 as shown in FIG. 8. Spacer tab 16 has an elongated tongue 32 that is receivable in pocket 20. Tongue 32 would be positioned under foot 24 of the glass 22 and is adapted to provide a slight wedge effect of the glass within the pocket for enhanced stability along with the retaining effect provided by engagement member 30. When the spacer tab 16 is placed under a glass retained within the pocket 20, the user may simply lift the glass and coaster together when drinking. Alternatively, the user may opt not to use the spacer tab in the coaster itself, such as seen in FIG. 7, and simply slide the glass in and out of the coaster as used. If not used within the coaster, the spacer tab can be used as a cover as seen in FIG. 11 to place over the glass to keep insects and debris from falling into the glass that might occur during outside use. When a glass is not placed in the coaster, spacer tab 16 can be re-inserted back in pocket 20 to maintain the spacing between base member 12 and upper member 14.

[0023] Base member 12 is substantially circular. The welt layer 18 may be arcuate in shape, having an outer radius substantially coextensive with an outer radius of the base member 10. Upper member 14 may be arcuate in shape, having an outer radius substantially coextensive with the outer radius of the base member 12 and the welt layer 18. Upper member 14 sandwiches the welt layer 20 against base member 14, wherein base member 12, welt layer 18 and upper member 14 are substantially concentric as seen in FIG. 7. As a result, pocket 20 is formed between base member 12 and upper member 14 as shown in FIG. 9. The footprint of pocket 20 is dimensioned and shaped so that a foot / base 24 of stemmed glassware 22 can be received therein.

[0024] Upper member 14 may be configured with a widened opening at its edge leading into opening 26 to facilitate sliding a stemmed glass into pocket 20 of coaster 10 as shown in FIG. 7. Spacer tab 16 is inserted behind the foot 24 of the glass and engagement member 30 helps retain the base of the glass within the coaster. Engagement member 30 can be arcuately shaped to accommodate the circular edge of the base of the glass and to complement the circular shape of base member 12.

[0025] In use, one would simply remove spacer tab 16 from coaster 10 and slide the stemmed glassware 22 into pocket 20 formed between upper member 14 and base member 12 and position the stem 28 of glass 22 through opening 26 as seen in FIG. 7. The resulting downward tension from upper member 14 against base member 12 holds the glass in place gently but gives far more stability due to its greater footprint as retained in the coaster.

[0026] A method of making the present invention may include the following. The individual components of base member 12, welt layer 18, upper member 14 and spacer tab 16 are cut out by blades or dies, joined in proper alignment by adhesives, and may be stitched from top to bottom around the edge to secure them in place.

[0027] It should be understood that the foregoing relates to an exemplary embodiment of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coaster for supporting a stemmed drinking glass, the coaster comprising: a base member and an upper member, the upper member being attached to the base member to form a pocket between the base member and the upper member, an opening to the pocket being defined in the upper member, the pocket being adapted to receive therein a foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel and the opening being adapted to receive therethrough a stem of the drinking glass.

2. The coaster of claim 1 in which the upper member is unattached from the base member at a portion of a side perimeter of the coaster to receive the foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel for insertion into the pocket of the coaster.

3. The coaster of claim 2 in which a channel is defined in the upper member between the opening in the pocket and the side perimeter of the coaster to receive the stem of the drinking glass.

4. A coaster for supporting a stemmed drinking glass, the coaster comprising:a base member;an upper member;and a spacer tab member,the upper member being attached to the base member to form a pocket between the base member and the upper member, an opening to the pocket being defined in the upper member, the pocket being adapted to receive therein a foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel and the opening being adapted to receive therethrough a stem of the drinking glass, the upper member being unattached from the base member at a portion of a side perimeter of the coaster to removably receive the spacer tab member in the pocket.

5. The coaster of claim 4 in which the spacer tab maintains a spacing between the upper member and the base member comprising the pocket.

6. The coaster of claim 4 in which a channel is defined in the upper member between the opening in the pocket and the side perimeter of the coaster to receive the stem of the drinking glass.

7. The coaster of claim 6 in which the spacer tab forms a raised edge at an outer perimeter thereof, the raised edge of the spacer tab being adapted to retain the foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel received in the pocket when the spacer tab is inserted in the pocket.

8. A coaster for supporting a stemmed drinking glass, the coaster comprising:a base member;an upper member;and a spacer tab member,the base member having a circular shape, the upper member having a semi-circular shape coextensive with a portion of the base member, the upper member being attached to the base member to form a pocket therebetween, the upper member having an opening centrally positioned over the pocket and a channel extending from the opening to a side perimeter of the coaster, the pocket being adapted to receive therein a foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel and the opening being adapted to receive therethrough a stem of the drinking glass, the upper member being unattached from the base member at a portion of a side perimeter of the coaster to removably receive the spacer tab member in the pocket.

9. The coaster of claim 8 in which the spacer tab comprises a tongue portion and a circular outer rim, the outer rim of the spacer tab having a circumferential edge coextensive with the base member when inserted into the pocket with the tongue portion lying along the base member, the spacer tab forming a raised edge at an outer perimeter thereof, the raised edge of the spacer tab being adapted to retain the foot of the stemmed glass drinking vessel received in the pocket when the spacer tab is inserted in the pocket.

10. The coaster of claim 9 in which the spacer tab is separable from the coaster and may be used to cover a top opening of the drinking vessel.

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