The present invention relates to a lockable protective cap assembly for a drinking glass.

In restaurants and other places in which beverages are con¬ sumed, the drinking glass may often be left unattended on the table for a short time. Then, the person using the glass is exposed to a potential risk that someone may put knock-out drug or other harmful/objectionable material in the glass.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lockable protective cap assembly for a drinking glass, said assembly being suited for eliminating the drawbacks of current practice. Particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a lockable protective cap assembly for a drinking glass that makes it possible to protect the drink in the glass for the duration of the absence from the vicinity of the glass. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a lockable protective cap assembly for a drinking glass that is easily carried along and has a simple construction combined with cost-advantageous manufacturability.

The goal of the invention is achieved by virtue of a lockable protective cap assembly for a drinking glass characterized by what is stated in the appended claims.

The lockable protective cap assembly according to the invention comprises a cover suitable for capping the glass and a locking means for fixing the cover onto the glass. With the help of the locking means, the cover can be locked so that outsiders cannot touch the contents of the glass nor put any material in the glass. The locking means itself is a purpose-designed fixture lockable in a mechanical,

electrical or other suitable manner. With the help of the locking means, the glass cover can be locked stationary in place using, e.g., the stem of a goblet-type glass, underside of the glass bottom or other appropriate detail of the glass as the support point.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lockable protective cap assembly comprises a lower part which can be placed under the bottom of the glass and an upright arm which is fixed to the cover and the lower part of the device and is adjustable in its vertical length and a locking means for locking the arm to a desired height. In use, the drinking glass is placed in the lockable protective cap assembly so that the glass bottom remains resting on the lower part of the lockable protective cap assembly, whereafter the cover is inserted in place atop the glass so as to seal the entire upper rim of the glass. Next, the lockable protective cap assembly is adjusted by the upright arm so that the cover and the lower part become tightly compressed against the glass upper rim and bottom, respectively, and the arm is locked to this height. The glass will thus remain sealed against any attempt by an outsider to tamper with the contents.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cover is attached hingedly to the upright arm. Such a hinge offers positive locking of the cover in place and easy placing of the drinking glass into the lockable protective cap assembly.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cover is attached rotatably to the upright arm. Also in this embodiment, the drinking glass is easy to place in the lockable protective cap assembly and the cover can be readily fixed in place.

In the following, the invention will be described in great¬ er detail with reference to the annexed drawings in which

Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a lockable protective cap assembly according to the invention with the drinking glass placed in the device; and

Figure 2 is a side view of another embodiment of a lockable protective cap assembly according to the invention;

Referring to Fig. 1, a lockable protective cap assembly shown therein comprises a cover 2, a lower part 3, an upright arm 4 and a locking means 5. The upper part of the upright arm 4 is provided with a telescoping spring 6 and the upper part can thus be adjusted as to its vertical length according the height of the glass. Below the telescoping spring is provided a locking means 5, which may be designed to incorporate a desired type of locking depending on the application. Below the locking means is mounted the fixed-length part of the arm, whereto the lower part 4 is fixed rotatably with the help of a hinge 7. The hinge has a design that permits rotation of the device lower part upward only.

The cover 2 is rotatably adapted to the upper part of the arm with the help of a hinge (not shown). The cover also includes a curved support 8 connected to the upper part of the arm and a planar protective cap 9.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the lockable protective cap assembly comprises essentially the same elements as the embodiment of Fig. 1. Herein, the arm of the cover is adapted telescopingly slidable in the inside of the arm 4 and the locking means is arranged to the outside of the arm. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower part is fixed stationary with respect the arm.

In the use of these lockable protective cap assemblies, the drinking glass is placed on the lower part, for which purpose the lower part in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is first rotated into the horizontal position. Next, the height of the cover is adjusted with the help of the telescoping arm appropriately so as to fit the cap over the upper rim of the drinking glass. After locking the cover together with the entire lockable protective cap assembly in place with the help of the locking means, the glass can be safely left unattended.

In a third embodiment of the invention, the locking means is adapted directly to the cover. In this embodiment, the locking means has a design permitting direct compression about the upper part of the drinking glass thus locking the cover directly to the glass. In a still another embodiment, the locking means is adapted to the cover so as to extend down to the height of the stem of a goblet-type glass and is arranged lockable to the stem of the glass.

The locking means or the cover may incorporate a separate sensor or detector device sensitive to movement. If an outsider attempts to remove the cover, the sensor/detector is activated and issues a warning signal of detected motion that may be a visual, audible or any other suitable indica¬ tion. An alternative possibility is to replace the locking means with such a sensor/detector device.

To a person versed in the art, it is obvious that the invention is not limited by the above-described advanta¬ geous exemplifying embodiments, but rather may be varied within the scope and spirit of the annexed claims.