Wine glass, method for packaging wine, and wine container

A method of packaging wine comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a glass for use in combination with a film lid to package wine, the glass comprising a bottom, a sidewall extending from the bottom and terminating in a rim, the rim comprising first and second receiver surfaces and an annular rib of thermoplastic material disposed between the receiver surfaces, the rib having a cross section in the shape of an inverted T with arms of the T having uppermost portions that extend above the respective first and second receiver surfaces a first vertical distance and with a stem of the T having an uppermost portion that extends above the arms a second vertical distance, the rib being made of a thermoplastic material that is deformable such that, when subjected to a selected heat and compression transmitted from the film lid, the thermoplastic material of the rib melts with the melted thermoplastic material from the stem flowing to the arms and the melted thermoplastic material from the arms flowing to the respective first and second receiver surfaces resulting in flattening of the stem and reduction of a width of the respective first and second receiver surfaces, wherein the width of the first and second receiver surfaces and the first and second vertical distances are selected such that, when subjected to the selected heat and compression transmitted from the film lid, the stem is flattened and the width of the respective first and second receiver surfaces are reduced without enlargement of the rim and without softened thermoplastic material overflowing beyond the first and second receiver surfaces;
• (b) filling the glass with wine;
• and
• (c) sealing the glass with the film lid with injection of an inert gas or gases into a head space between the film lid and the wine, said sealing being performed by heating the film lid and compressing the heated film lid against the rib of the rim to cause the thermoplastic material to melt and to seal the film lid to the glass with flattening of the stem and without enlargement of the rim or overflow of thermoplastic material from the receiver surfaces.

A method of packing wine comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a glass for use in combination with a film lid to package wine, the glass comprising a bottom, a sidewall extending from the bottom and terminating in a rim, comprising first and second receiver surfaces and an annular rib of thermoplastic material disposed between the receiver surfaces, the rib having a cross section in the shape of an inverted T with arms of the T having uppermost portions that extend above the respective first and second receiver surfaces a first vertical distance and with a stem of the T having an uppermost portion that extends above the arms a second vertical distance, the rib being made of a thermoplastic material that is deformable such that, when subjected to s selected heat and compression transmitted from the film lid, the thermoplastic material of the rib melts with melted thermoplastic material from the stem flowing to the arms and melted thermoplastic material from the arms flowing to the respective first and second receiver surfaces resulting in flattening of the stem and reduction of a width of the respective first and second receiver surfaces, wherein the width of the fist second receiver surfaces and the first and second vertical distances are selected such that, when subjected to the selected heat and compression transmitted from the film lid, the stem is flattened and the width of the respective first and second receiver surfaces are reduced without enlargement of the rim and without softened thermoplastic material overflowing beyond the first and second receiver surfaces;
• (b) filling the glass with wine;
• and
• (c) sealing the glass with the film lid with injection of an inert gas or gases into a head space between the film lid and the wine, said sealing being performed by heating the film lid and compressing the heated film lid against the rib of the rim to cause the thermoplastic material to melt and to seal the film lid to the glass with (a) flattening of the stem without enlargement of the rim or overflow of thermoplastic material from the receiver surfaces, and (b) deformation of the second portion of the sidewall to cause a reduction of a volume of the head space.