The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 08, 1993
Christopher C Bidwell, Dunwoody, GA (US);
Circle R Central, Inc., Norcross, GA (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to stackable coasters utilizing a tab and groove mechanism on its lower outside and upper inside side portions, respectively. The tab may consist of protrusions, keys, detents, or the like on the bottom portions of the coasters and grooves consisting of depressions, indentations, keyways, notches or the like on the top portions of the coasters. The tab and groove mechanism guarantees that only one specific coaster may be stacked above or below another particular coaster. Moreover, the tabs and grooves further ensure that the sides of each stacked coaster are radially positioned identically each time relative to the sides of the coaster above and/or the coaster below it. This tab and groove feature, thereby, allows a particular image, design, or picture to be displayed from the sides of the set of coasters every time when each coaster is stacked in its proper angular position. Finally, the tab and groove mechanism also permits a particular shaped object to be formed every time when the coasters are properly stacked.