Patent Application
20060284041
This invention generally relates to an improved adjustable beverage holder and, in particular, to a beverage holder having a vertically adjustable container support and an interconnected adjustable bracket for removably securing the container support to an edge portion of a table.
Beverage holders with adjustable clamp assemblies for table top mounting have previously been developed as have beverage holders with adjustable beverage container supports. These prior beverage holders typically require multiple cooperative components. As a result, the holder can be relatively expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble.
A simple adjustable beverage holder is needed. In that regard, the present beverage holder has been developed with a minimal number of components and incorporates a two-piece adjustable container support and a unitarily interconnected simple clamping bracket. The new holder is simple, reliable, relatively low cost, and relatively easy to make, use and clean after use.
The present invention relates to an improved adjustable beverage holder which includes an adjustable container support associated with a bracket for clamping the container support to a table or the like.
The container support includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. Each sleeve has a longitudinal gap or discontinuity. The inner sleeve is slidably and telescopically received within the outer sleeve. At least one of the sleeves is somewhat radially elastomeric so that the sleeves are yieldingly biased into an adjacent relationship relative to each other.
The container support includes detent means for locating and retaining the inner sleeve in at least one selected longitudinal position relative to the outer sleeve. The preferred detent means comprises a plurality of holes defined through the outer sleeve and a plurality of stud posts defined on the outer surface of the inner sleeve, although the holes and the stud posts can be variously located on the outer and the inner sleeves. The interrelationship between the holes and the stud posts is such that at least some of the stud posts are cooperatively receivable in some of the holes when the inner sleeve is positioned within the outer sleeve in one of at least two predetermined longitudinal positions relative to the outer sleeve. In such an engaged detent position, the inner sleeve is retained and fixed at a selected one of the longitudinal positions. A present preference is to employ two predetermined longitudinal positions with two sets of four holes each and a set of four stud posts.
The beverage holder includes a bracket preferably connected unitarily to the outer sleeve. A present preference is to employ a bracket having an upper support and lower support. Each support extends laterally outwardly from the outer sleeve, the upper support being adapted for engagement with an edge of a table top and the lower support being in a vertically spaced relationship relative to the upper support and locatable under the edge of the table top. An adjustable bolt member extends threadably through the lower support upwardly and perpendicularly toward the upper support to enable clamping of the beverage holder to the table top.
The present device is simple, reliable, relatively low cost, relatively easy to make and to use, and easy to clean after use.
It also includes a minimal number of components. The components can be comprised of molded plastic, but other construction materials including metal can be employed, if desired.
The device provides a durable structure having a cooperative relationship between a bracket and an adjustable container support that enables the structure to be used with more than one size of beverage container.
Other and further objects, aims, features, advantages, embodiments, alternatives and the like will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present specification taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
In the drawings:
a is a partial side elevational view showing an alternative clamping mechanism;
This bias is easily overcome in order to longitudinally slide sleeve 18 relative to sleeve 17 by manually squeezing the sleeve 18 diametrically (preferred) or by enlarging the sleeve 19 diametrically.
The inner sleeve 18 is provided with a preferably unitarily formed circular bottom plate 40. As shown, the perimeter of the bottom plate 40 extends across the longitudinal discontinuity 22 in the inner sleeve 18. In the region of the discontinuity 22, the bottom plate 40 continuously extends and is provided with a raised peripheral vertical (that is, parallel to the side wall of sleeve 18) shoulder 41 in the region of the discontinuity 22. In addition, the inner sleeve 18 along the longitudinal extent of each side of the longitudinal discontinuity 22 is provided with a similar, preferably unitarily formed, radially extending, out-turned flange 25. The circumferential spacing between the side edges of the discontinuity 22 and the discontinuity 21, respectively, is preferably uniform and similar. Each out-turned flange 25 passes through, along and adjacent to a different respective edge of the longitudinal discontinuity 21. The upper outer circumferentially extending edge region of the outer sleeve 17 is preferably provided, as shown, with a radially out-turned flange 36 which does not extend across the discontinuity 21. The flanges 36 and 25 with the shoulder 41 are believed to enhance the convenient use of the adjustable container support 16. For example, squeezing the flanges 25 towards one another provides a convenient and preferred means for separating stud posts 20 from holes 19 (as described below).
The inner sleeve 18 can be located and retained relative to the outer sleeve 17 in a temporary but changeable position by detent means. Various arrangements for the detent means can be used, but it is presently preferred to provide as the detent means both a plurality of holes 19 that are preferably defined in and through the outer sleeve 17 and also a plurality of stud posts 20 that are preferably defined on the outer cylindrical surface of the inner sleeve 18. Various combinations of holes and stud posts can be utilized as those skilled in the art will appreciate.
The interrelationship between the holes 19 and the stud posts 20 in a beverage holder 15 is such that at least some of the stud posts 20 are receivable in corresponding holes 19 when the inner sleeve 18 is located in one of at least two different predetermined longitudinal positions relative to the outer sleeve 17. In each position, the inner sleeve 18 is retained and fixed relative to the outer sleeve 17 by such receipt. Thus, during longitudinal movement of the inner sleeve 18 relative to the outer sleeve 17, with the sleeves 17 and 18 being initially in a radially separated relationship as desired to disengage the stud posts 20 from the holes 19, the inner sleeve 18 is located in a selected one of the predetermined positions. In such a position, with the yielding bias normal, predetermined stud posts 20 engage predetermined holes 19. As a result, a beverage container can be set in the vertically oriented container support 16 and rested upon the plate 40 when the beverage holder 15 is operable.
In the preferred illustrative embodiment 15 shown in the Figures, the outer sleeve 17 is provided with a set of four upper holes 19a and a set of four lower holes 19b, and the inner sleeve 18 is provided with a set of four corresponding stud posts 20. If and when each of the four stud posts 20 is located so as to be received within a different one of each of the four upper holes 19a, then the container support 16 is suitable for holding a beverage can. If and when each of the four stud posts 20 is located so as to be received within a different one of each of the four lower holes 19b, then the container support 16 is suitable for holding a beverage bottle.
To hold and support the beverage holder 15 relative to an adjacent top portion of a table (not shown) or the like, the outer sleeve 17 of the container holder 16 is preferably unitarily associated with a bracket 24 or the like. Various brackets can be employed. For reasons of simplicity, it is preferred to employ a bracket 24 that has an upper support 26 and a lower support 27.
The upper support 26 extends laterally outwardly and preferably generally perpendicularly from an upper region of the outer sleeve 17 preferably as an integral extension of the flange 36. The upper support includes an outer or first portion 28 that is adapted for resting upon an upper edge region of a table. The lower support 27 extends laterally preferably perpendicularly from a mid-region of the outer sleeve 18 and includes an outer or second portion 29 that is adapted to be in spaced adjacent vertical relationship relative to the outer first portion 28 of the upper support 26 and to be beneath but adjacent to an under or lower edge region of a table.
An adjustable bolt member 30 is preferably provided that extends upwardly, threadably and perpendicularly through the outer second portion 29 to provide clamping capability between the first portion 28 and the head portion of the bolt member 30 with an edge portion of a table (shown in phantom) located therebetween. Preferably, the bolt member 30 includes a broadened, plate-like forward head 35 that is adapted for engaging a table edge undersurface and also an easily hand grasped rearward head 37 such as a spherical plastic or metal knurled knob, as shown. Preferably, the bolt length and threads of the bolt 30 are sufficient to adapt the bracket 24 for mounting to various tables and for the beverage holder 15 to hold various beverage containers.
In a more preferred bolt 30, the second portion 29 is associated with a split nut for the bolt 30 that incorporates a toggle-like lever (conventional). When the toggle lever is in an open position, the nut is opened and permits one to loosen the nut from bolt 30 threads for rapid and convenient slidable adjustable movement of the bolt therethrough. Once the bolt is in a desired position, the toggle-like lever is moved to a nut closed position, thereby locking the nut about bolt threads, permitting the bolt to be turned for vertical movement and either tightened to achieve a clamping or loosened to release a clamping.
a shows an alternative clamping mechanism which includes a base portion 42 having a locking cam 43 which when engaged provides for threaded engagement between the bolt member 30 and the base portion 42. When the locking cam 43 is disengaged by finger pressure, the bolt member 30 can slide freely through an opening (not shown) in the base portion 42. This mechanism allows for quick release and engagement of the broadened head 35 of the bolt member 30 and the undersurface of the table top.
To elevate the outer portion 28 of upper support 26 relative to the adjacent mouth 31 of the outer sleeve 17, it is optional but preferred to provide the upper support 26 with a transversely extending (relative to sleeve 17) upset or ridge 32 which can extend diagonally upwards (in the upper support 26) preferably adjacent to the mouth 31 thereby to lower the level of the mouth 31 relative to a table top. To strengthen and rigidify the lower support 27, a vertically extending and radially oriented (relative to upper sleeve 17) brace 33 is preferably extended between the lower face of lower support 27 and an adjacent side portion of the outer sleeve 17. It is convenient and preferred to provide the upper surface of the upper support 26 with a coaster pattern 34.
The beverage holder 15 can be fabricated using conventional methods and conventional materials, such as molded plastic (presently preferred), filled plastic, sheet metal, and the like. Where practical, unitary fabrication of components is preferred, but, if components are separately fabricated, conventional appropriate fasteners and fastening means can be employed, such as adhesives, weldments, elongated fasteners such as rivets, screws, nut and bolt assemblies, and the like.
Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and components, it will be readily understood that various modifications and additions, substitutions and the like can be used in the practice of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive.
