Nesting and reconfigurable wine glass

Abstract

Provided is a wine glass comprising a separate top portion and a bottom portion that can be joined together to form a single wine glass. The top portion has a drinking rim opposite a lower rim and the top portion has an enclosed bottom opposite and upper rim. The lower rim of the top portion and the upper rim of the bottom portion join together to form a leak-proof drinking vessel or cup of the wine glass. When separated, the top portion and bottom portion can be nested together. Additionally, a plurality of such wine glasses can be nested together, so that a large number of wine glasses can be packaged together for economical storage and shipping. The wine glass can be disposable and biodegradable or compostable, as examples.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drinking cup, comprising:
 a top portion having an open top defining a drinking rim and an open bottom, the open bottom defined by a bottom rim; and   a bottom portion having an open top, a closed bottom and sides extending between the open top and the closed bottom, the open top of the bottom portion defined by a top rim, wherein the bottom rim of the top portion and the top rim of the bottom portion are configured to snap-fit together to form an assembled drinking cup having a leak-proof closure comprising:   a first portion having an outward protrusion; and   a second portion having a well, wherein the outward protrusion snap fits into the well, and   wherein an intermediate diameter of the drinking cup is greater than a diameter of the closed bottom and greater than a diameter of the drinking rim.   
     
     
         2 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the well partially curls over the outward protrusion. 
     
     
         3 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom rim of the top portion has a greater width than the open top of the top portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the top rim of the bottom portion has a greater width than the closed bottom of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         5 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the assembled drinking cup is greatest at the leak-proof closure. 
     
     
         6 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the closure is a tongue and groove closure. 
     
     
         7 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the assembled drinking cup has a stemless wine glass shape. 
     
     
         8 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the drinking cup is a disposable drinking cup. 
     
     
         9 . The cup of  claim 1 , wherein the well is U-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The cup of  claim 9 , wherein the outward protrusion is U-shaped to mate with the U-shaped well. 
     
     
         11 . A drinking cup, comprising:
 a top portion having an open top and an open bottom, the open bottom defined by a bottom rim; and   a bottom portion having an open top and a closed bottom, the open top of the bottom portion defined by a top rim, wherein the bottom rim of the top portion and the top rim of the bottom portion are configured to snap-fit together to form an assembled drinking cup having a leak-proof closure comprising:
 a first portion having a U-shaped outward protrusion; and 
 a second portion having a U-shaped well, wherein the U-shaped outward protrusion snap fits into the U-shaped well, 
   wherein a width of the assembled drinking cup is greatest at the leak-proof closure.   
     
     
         12 . The cup of  claim 9 , wherein the closure is a tongue and groove closure. 
     
     
         13 . The cup of  claim 9 , wherein the drinking cup has a stemless wine glass shape when mated together. 
     
     
         14 . The cup of  claim 9 , wherein the drinking cup is disposable. 
     
     
         15 . A wine cup, comprising:
 a top portion having an open top and an open bottom, the open bottom defined by a bottom rim, wherein the open top of the top portion defines a drinking rim that has a smaller diameter than the open bottom; and   a bottom portion having an open top and a closed bottom, the open top of the bottom portion defined by a top rim that has a greater diameter than the closed bottom,   wherein the drinking rim has a smaller diameter than the top rim of the bottom portion and an intermediate diameter of the wine cup is greater than the diameter of the closed bottom and greater than the diameter of the drinking rim, and   wherein the bottom rim of the top portion and the top rim of the bottom portion are configured to snap-fit together to form an assembled wine cup having a leak-proof closure comprising:
 a first portion having a U-shaped outward protrusion; and 
 a second portion having a U-shaped well, wherein the U-shaped outward protrusion snap fits into the U-shaped well. 
   
     
     
         16 . The cup of  claim 15 , wherein the closure is a tongue and groove closure. 
     
     
         17 . The cup of  claim 15 , wherein the wine cup has a stemless wine glass shape when mated together. 
     
     
         18 . The cup of  claim 15 , wherein the drinking cup is disposable.