The present invention relates generally to table equipment, and, more particularly, to apparatus for supporting beverage containers.
When eating while standing or in a dynamic environment such as on a boat, it is often difficult to simultaneously hold a plate of food, eat from that plate, and support a beverage. Instead, one must try to find a place to safely place the beverage while eating, and this often leads to spillage and other accidents.
As a result, there have been several attempts to develop mechanical systems that can aid in safely supporting a beverage container without use of hands. Such systems are described in, for example: US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0249520; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,919,381; 8,025,146; and 9,578,954. Nevertheless, each of these systems suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: being overly complicated, requiring the use of purpose-specific beverage containers, being expensive to produce, and being inconvenient to use.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved apparatus for supporting beverages that address these shortcomings.
Embodiments of the present invention address the above-identified needs by providing apparatus that allow beverages to be safely and securely supported in an upright position.
Aspects of the invention are directed to a kit for use with a beverage container. The kit comprises: a sleeve, an interior plate, an engaging feature, a connector, and a support element. The sleeve defines an interior volume dimensioned to contain at least a portion of the beverage container. The interior plate is disposed within the interior volume. The engaging feature is disposed outside the interior volume and defines an upper sidewall and a lower sidewall. The connector penetrates the bottom and interconnects the interior plate and the engaging feature. The support element defines a receiving feature shaped to engage with the engaging feature such that at least part of the receiving feature is positioned between a portion of the upper sidewall and a portion of the lower sidewall.
Additional aspects of the invention are directed to an apparatus comprising: a beverage container, a beverage holder, and a serving tray. The beverage holder comprises a sleeve, an interior plate, an engaging feature, and a connector. The sleeve defines an interior volume dimensioned to contain at least a portion of the beverage container. The interior plate is disposed within the interior volume. The engaging feature is disposed outside the interior volume and defines an upper exterior plate and a lower exterior plate. The connector penetrates the bottom and interconnects the interior plate and the engaging feature. The serving tray defines a receiving feature engaging with the engaging feature such that at least part of the receiving feature is positioned between a portion of the upper sidewall and a portion of the lower sidewall.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
The present invention will be described with reference to illustrative embodiments. For this reason, numerous modifications can be made to these embodiments and the results will still come within the scope of the invention. No limitations with respect to the specific embodiments described herein are intended or should be inferred.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the term “plate” is not restricted to planar or flat objects and is not restricted to objects that are necessarily circular. Rather, the term “plate” is to be interpreted broadly and may encompass sheets of metal or other materials that are formed so as to be non-planar and/or non-circular. Moreover, the term “discrete,” when applied to two elements, means that those elements are not formed of a single piece of material, but instead are formed from two pieces of material that are separate from each other immediately after their manufacture. “Substantially parallel” means parallel within plus or minus ten degrees. Finally, two or more elements “are substantially identical in shape” if they are identical in shape within the ordinary and customary manufacturing tolerances used in their production.
The sleeve 125 is dimensioned such that the beverage can 1000 may be placed into the interior volume 180 above the interior plate 130. The sleeve 125 may be formed of a flexible, thermally insulating material, making the sleeve 125 similar to what is sometimes called a “koozie,” “coozy,” or “coozie.” In fact, aspects of the invention may be retrofittable to already-existing, conventional sleeves. The thermally insulating properties of the sleeve 125 help to maintain the beverage contained therein at the desired temperature, whether hot or cold.
In the present illustrative embodiment, the interior plate 130, the upper exterior plate 135, and the lower exterior plate 140 are substantially identical in shape. Each comprises a respective annular element with a center opening 200 surrounded by a flat inside region 205, an angled center region 210, and a flat outside region 215. Both the interior plate 130 and the upper exterior plate 135 are oriented in a like direction, while the lower exterior plate 140 is oriented in the opposite direction. So oriented, the upper exterior plate 135 and the lower exterior plate 140 combine to create the engaging feature 120. The engaging feature 120 defines an upper sidewall 137 formed by the upper exterior plate 135 and a lower sidewall 142 formed by the lower exterior plate 140 (
The receiving features 115 of the serving tray 105 are designed to slidably engage with the uniquely shaped engaging features 120 of the drink holders 110.
Once understood from the description provided herein, the various elements of the apparatus 100 may be formed using conventional materials and conventional manufacturing techniques that will already be familiar to one having ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The sleeve 125 may be formed of, for example, leather, neoprene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), vinyl, and various open-cell and closed-cell foams. The various interior and exterior plates 130, 135, 140 may be formed of, for instance, metal, plastic, or other materials, and may have an outside diameter of about 2½ inches. The rise in the interior and exterior plates 130, 135, 140 defined by the angling of these features may be, for example, about ¼ inch. Nevertheless, despite the recitation of these particular materials and dimensions herein, it is again emphasized that these materials and dimension are solely provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other materials and dimensions would also come within the scope of the invention.
It should again be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative only. Other embodiments can use different types and arrangements of elements for implementing the described functionality. These numerous alternative embodiments will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
For example, while the sleeve 125 in the illustrative embodiment set forth above encloses a beverage can 1000, alternative embodiments may be dimensioned to encompass other types of beverage containers, including, but not limited to, bottles and cups. Alternatively or additionally, while a particular rivet-like connector 145 was presented above, the connector in alternative embodiments may take on many other forms including, as just one example, a bolt and nut arrangement (with one or more washers if so desired), Chicago screws, and the like. In even other embodiments, the engaging feature 120 may be formed of a single, continuous piece of material rather than being formed of separate plates 135, 140.
Moreover, while the above-described illustrative embodiment utilizes a serving tray 105 as a support element for the drink holders 110, other embodiments falling within the scope of the invention may utilize many alternative forms of support elements.
All the features disclosed herein may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purposes, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function or “step for” performing a specified function is not to be interpreted as a “means for” or “step for” clause as specified in AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). In particular, the use of “steps of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).
Number | Date | Country | |
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62661677 | Apr 2018 | US |