US20070267422A1

US20070267422A1 - Glass for drinks

Info

Publication number: US20070267422A1
Application number: US11/748,084
Authority: US
Inventors: Claudio Barducci
Original assignee: Italesse Srl
Current assignee: Italesse Srl
Priority date: 2006-05-17
Filing date: 2007-05-14
Publication date: 2007-11-22
Also published as: ITUD20060018U1

Abstract

A glass for drinks, comprising a pedestal and a cup connected to the pedestal in a connection zone defining substantially the bottom of the cup. The glass also comprises a plurality of ridges made on the internal surface of the cup to be disposed in contact with the drink, which start from the bottom and develop in a spiral upwards and are directed in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of normal shaking or rotation of the glass.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a glass for drinks, in particular but not only for fizzy drinks, comprising at least a pedestal and a cup which is connected to the pedestal in a connection zone substantially defining the bottom of the cup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Drinks in general, and fizzy drinks in particular, such as for example spumante, champagne or soft drinks, are instable solutions consisting of a liquid part and a gassy part, normally deriving from the natural fermentation of yeasts, or the addition of carbon dioxide.
When the drink is in a quiet state, the gassy part is still, that is, in a non-shaken state.
When the drink is poured, for example into a glass, the gassy part tends to evolve from the solution because it is subjected to mechanical shaking.
During this operation, the gassy part generates in the glass a plurality of bubbles that, being lighter than the liquid part, tend to rise towards the upper part of the glass and come out.
When the mechanical stimulus is finished, the shaking effect only lasts a few seconds and the gassy part is no longer stimulated to generate the bubbles.
The user can therefore no longer visually appreciate the “perlage”, that is, the totality of bubbles that the drink produces, and which is one of the factors that are normally verified by tasters in order to judge the quality of the drink.
Moreover, the pleasant tickling sensation which the bubbles give to the user's palate is decreased if the gassy part is still.
To stimulate the shaking of the gassy part, the user shakes the glass or makes it rotate, holding it by the stem.
In glasses of a known type, however, it is necessary to shake or rotate the glass rather energetically and for a long time, to obtain the desired perlage.
One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a glass for any type of drink, for example for still or fizzy wines, which allows to oxygenate the drink and to enhance the aromas and bouquet thereof in a rapid and easy manner.
Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a glass for drinks, in particular for fizzy drinks, which allows to shake and maintain shaken the gassy part of the drink in a rapid and easy manner so as to obtain the desired perlage.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purposes, a glass for drinks according to the present invention comprises a pedestal and a cup, connected to the pedestal in a connection zone substantially defining the bottom of the cup.
According to a characteristic of the present invention, the glass also comprises a plurality of ridges made on the internal surface of the cup in order to be disposed in contact with the drink poured into the glass.
The ridges start from the bottom and develop upwards in a spiral and are directed in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of normal shaking or rotation of the glass by the hand of a user.
In this way, for example, in order to stimulate the shaking of the gassy part of the drink, the user, holding the glass by means of the pedestal, shakes it or makes it rotate, in the direction of normal shaking or rotation.
This direction of shaking or rotation is normally anti-clockwise for right-handed users, and clockwise for left-handed users, so that the ridges can have a characterization according to whether they are for right-handed or left-handed users.
During shaking, the drink impacts on the ridges and the gassy part is shaken, generating bubbles.
The invention therefore allows to enhance the perlage of the drink in a rapid and easy manner.
In the case of still drinks, on the contrary, such as for example wines, the ridges of the glass according to the present invention interrupt the flow of the drink in the cup, facilitating oxygenation and a more intense emission of the aromas and bouquet.
According to an advantageous solution, the ridges have a height less than the height that normally defines the level of the drink in the cup, to allow the user to observe the drink clearly and without impediment above the ridges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a glass according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the glass in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a glass 10 according to the present invention is usable to contain drinks, in particular fizzy drinks. The glass 10 is made for example of glass or transparent plastic, and comprises a supporting base 12, a stem 14, connected to the base 12, and a cup 16 connected to the stem 14 in a connection zone 18, which substantially defines the bottom of the cup 16.
The cup 16 comprises a first lower part 20 which develops from the connection zone 18 and has a substantially conical or truncated cone shape, and a second upper part 22, connected to the first part 20 and having a substantially cylindrical or truncated cone shape.
The glass 10 also comprises a plurality of ridges 24, which are made integral, i.e. in a piece directly on the internal surface 26 of the cup 16, so as to be disposed in contact with the drink when the drink is poured into the glass.
The ridges 24 start from the bottom of the cup 16 and develop in a spiral, curving from the bottom upwards, and are directed in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of normal shaking or rotation of the glass 10 when the glass 10 is rotated by the hand of a user.
In particular, the ridges 24 are made in the first part of the cup 16.
According to a variant not shown here, the ridges 24 also extend partly into a lower zone of the second part 22.
The ridges 24, according to an embodiment of the invention, have a height less than the height that normally defines the level of a single pouring of the drink in the cup 16, to allow the user to observe the drink, and hence its perlage, above the ridges 24 and therefore without visual interference caused by the ridges 24.
It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the glass 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A glass for drinks, comprising a pedestal and a cup connected to said pedestal in a connection zone defining the bottom of said cup, the glass further comprising a plurality of ridges made on the internal surface of said cup so as to be disposed in contact with said drink poured into the glass, said ridges starting from said bottom and developing in a spiral upwards and being directed in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of normal shaking or rotation of said glass.

2. A glass as in claim 1, wherein said ridges have a height less than the height that normally defines the level of a single pouring of the drink in said cup, to allow the user to observe said drink above said ridges.

3. A glass as in claim 1, wherein said ridges are made integral with said cup.

4. A glass as in claim 1, wherein said cup comprises at least a first lower part that develops from said connection zone, and has a substantially conical or truncated cone shape, and wherein said ridges are made in said first part.

5. A glass as in claim 4, wherein said cup also comprises a second upper part, connected to said first part and having a substantially cylindrical or truncated cone shape, and wherein said ridges extend partly into a lower zone of said second part.