Patent Application
20240041297
The invention relates to the field of bottle holders. More particularly, the invention relates to bottle holders that can be used individually or assembled together to form a drying station for multiple bottles.
Bottle holders hold one or more bottles in an upside down orientation, allowing liquid to drain from the bottle and the bottle to dry in the air. Conventional bottle holders are commercially available. For example, the website “www.amazon.de” currently offers bottle holders with the trade names “SodaClean”, “King Do Way”, and “Ecooe”. Each of these bottle holders is constructed from a sheet of stainless steel that has been formed into an upside down U shape that is open at the bottom. The top of the U-shaped construction typically has a plurality of openings in it, each opening designed to receive a bottle. The lower edges of the two legs of the upside U are bent inward to form a narrow flat strip along the length of each side of the bottle holder, so that the construction now has more of a C-shape. The two strips serve as the base of the bottle holder. A removable drip tray is placed on the two strips, thereby providing a surface that extends across the open area at the base of the bottle holder that collects any liquid that drains from the bottle(s).
Conventional bottle holders are typically constructed to hold three or four bottles. Thus, these bottle holders have dimensions to accommodate the number of bottles for which it is designed. Depending on the number of bottles used in a household or in commercial facilities, larger or smaller bottles holders may be desirable. For example, a single-person household hold desire a bottle holder that accommodates a single but and may find most commercially available holders to large, too bulky. But then, even a single-person household may occasionally wish to have a larger bottle holder, for example, when hosting guests or visitors. Other households may prefer larger holders, for example, bottle holders that accommodate five or perhaps even more bottles.
It is, of course, possible to create larger drying stations by setting up two or more free-standing bottle holders on the countertop. But this may appear unseemly, messy.
That is needed is a bottle holder that is dimensioned just large enough to hold a single bottle. What is further needed is a bottle holder that can be easily joined with another bottle holder of the same type, providing greater flexibility in creating a drying station that is appropriate to the user's specific needs.
It is an object of the invention to provide a bottle holder that allows a user to quickly and easily construct a drying station that can accommodate any number of bottles, yet still provide an orderly appearance.
The object is achieved by a bottle holder according to the invention that allows a plurality of such bottle holders to be quickly and easily assembled to a modular drying station. The bottle holder according to the invention is constructed to hold a single bottle. It is formed from sheet metal blank and is substantially cubic in shape, having an upper face, sidewalls that extend downward on two opposing sides to form sidewalls, with a lower section of the sidewalls bent inward to form a base that allows the bottle holder to stand upright on a flat surface. The remaining two opposing sides remain open.
The upper face is rectangular in shape. The two edges that transition into the sidewalls are hereinafter referred to as ‘closed edges,’ and two edges that define the upper limit of the open sides are hereinafter referred to as ‘open edges.’ The two open edges are formed with complementary curves, i.e., one of the open edges has a convex curve that projects slightly beyond the dimension defined by the straight sidewalls and the other open edge has a concave curve. If two bottle holders according to the invention are placed next to each other, the convex curve of one bottle holder will fit neatly against the concave curve of the adjacent bottle holder, thereby forming a modular unit.
This allows a modular assembly of any number of bottle holders, in order to achieve a multi-bottle drying station that accommodates the desired number of bottles. This modular assembly provides great flexibility in organizing a drying station is readily expandable/shrinkable, depending on the number of bottles that are washed and then need to dry. Thus, if a user needs a drying station for a single bottle, it is not desirable to have a bottle holder that holds multiple bottles and, thus, has unnecessarily large dimensions for the user's intended use, taking up space on a countertop that could well be used for other purposes. Nevertheless, a single-person household may have visitors and on occasion need to dry multiple bottles. The bottle holder according to the invention allows a user to assemble a larger than usual drying station on short notice, simply by assembling multiple bottle holders. Conversely, it is a simple matter to dismantle a large drying station by removing the bottle holders that are no longer needed. Due to the form-fit construction, adjacent bottle holders that are properly fitted against each other give the appearance of a single, neat unit that is aesthetically more attractive than that of a provisional collection of bottle holders.
One possible construction of the bottle holder according to the invention that provides the desired form-fit assembly is to have the recess on the one open edge dimensioned such, that it is large enough to accommodate two separate projections on the other open edge of an adjacent bottle holder, so that the two adjacent bottle holders are precisely aligned, without play. The two open edges, however, may have complementary profiles, so that the open edges on the upper faces of adjacent bottle holders fit against each other seamlessly, i.e., without a gap. This construction is particularly advantageous, because not only does the complementary profiles on the upper face provide an aesthetically attractive appearance and a smooth fit when adjacent bottle holders interlock with each other, but in terms of production technology, cutting multiple blanks having complementary contours from a metal sheet also reduces the amount of waste to a minimum.
In addition to the form-fit construction, a connecting element may also used, to ensure that adjacent bottle holders according to the invention remain properly aligned. The connecting element may be provided on at least one sidewall, on the base, or in a corner where a sidewall transitions to the base, and preferably, in close proximity to an open side of the bottle holder and configured such, that it engages with an adjacent bottle holder and holds the two bottle holders together.
The connecting element may be constructed as a U-shaped clip that engages abutting sidewalls of adjacent bottle holders. Two connecting elements may be constructed as projections that extend into recesses on an adjacent bottle holder, thereby bringing the two adjacent bottle holders in flush alignment with each other. The connecting element may also be configured as a magnet. A magnetic connecting element has the advantage over other types of connectors in that a magnetic connection is able to hold adjacent bottle holders in the desired orientation, without any disturbing protrusions beyond the dimensions of the bottle holder. In addition, magnets make aligning adjacent bottle holders particularly easy, because the user does not have to bring the holders in exact alignment, rather, properly mounted magnets ensure that the magnetic force automatically pulls the holders into proper alignment as the two bottle holders come closer to each other.
One or more magnets may be provided as connecting elements on a sidewall or base of the bottle holder, in close proximity to an open side, such that the magnetic force engages directly with the sidewall or base of the adjacent bottle holder, assuming the two bottle holders are made of a ferromagnetic material, such as sheet steel. Alternatively, magnetic connecting elements may be provided at both open sides of the bottle holders, so that the magnets do not merely engage with the adjacent surface, but rather, also interact cooperatively with the magnet on the adjacent bottle holder. This ensures a particularly precise and secure alignment of the two bottle holders, so that the sidewalls or, depending on where the magnetic elements are placed, the bases of the two holders are held snugly against each other, forming a close contact.
This ability to assemble practically any number bottle holders to a multi-bottle modular drying station provides great flexibility. Such a modular drying station comprising a plurality of bottle holders according to the invention means that the capacity of the drying station may be quickly and easily adapted to the needs of a changing situation, simply by adding or removing bottle holders, and without requiring the use of tools.
Construction of the bottle holder according to the invention is mechanically simple. The upper face, the sidewalls, and the base may be formed from a blank that is single sheet of material. For example, a largely rectangular blank may be cut in a water jet or laser cutting process or stamped from sheet material, whereby the contours of the upper face of the bottle holder deviate from a strictly rectangular form, because of the curved profiles of the two open edges. The opening for the bottle may also be cut or stamped out when the blank is created. This method of producing the bottle holder from a single sheet of material is not only cost-effective, it also avoids welds or other methods of adjoining components, so that the surfaces of the bottle holder where there is a change in geometry remain smooth, which is advantageous with regard to hygiene.
The method of producing the bottle holder from a single blank also allows score lines, i.e., grooves or perforations, to be provided in certain areas of the blank, that then allow the blank to be bent to the desired shape without requiring special mechanical means. A blank prepared for bending or folding in this way allows a bottle holder kit to be shipped relatively inexpensively as a flat package, whereby the user then folds the blank to the bottle holder shape. The scoring on the blank allows even laypersons to fold the blank into the proper shape, because not much force is required to bend the blank. Furthermore, the scoring ensures that the blank bends at the desired locations to achieve the proper shape.
In contrast to the conventional stainless steel bottle holders, the bottle holder according to the invention is made from sheet steel that has an anti-corrosion coating. Stainless steel is typically not magnetic. The use of conventional, ferromagnetic sheet steel as the material for the bottle holder according to the invention has a couple of advantages. For one, it is less expensive than high-grade stainless steel, and for another, ferromagnetic steel allows the use of magnets as connecting elements to hold adjacent bottle holders together.
A kit for a bottle holder according to the invention includes a drip tray that sits on the base of the bottle holder. The drip tray serves to collect liquid that drains from washed bottles. The tray may be made of an absorbent material, such as a foam or non-woven fleece. A more hygienic construction, however, is a drip tray made of a non-absorbent material with a closed surface, such as a rubber mat. A raised peripheral rim allows the drip tray to securely contain the liquid. Providing a relief pattern or a profile on the upper surface of the drip tray ensures that liquid can drain from the bottle onto the tray. Also, when the mouth of the bottle is not suspended some distance above the surface of the drip tray, but instead rests directly on the drip tray, the relief pattern allows airflow in the bottle, thereby facilitating drying. There are many suitable means of profiling the upper surface of the drip tray, such as nubs, ribs, etc., or even a relief pattern that represents a logo.
The connecting elements previously mentioned, i.e., magnets, are best provided in a lower area of the bottle holder. The curved profiles of the upper face of the bottle holder serve to held adjacent bottle holders together at the top, and the connecting elements in an area at or near the base of the bottle holder serve to secure the sidewalls and bases of adjacent bottle holders in proper alignment. Neodymium magnets have such high holding power that magnets with just a 1 to 2 mm diameter provide sufficient force to securely hold adjacent bottle holders together. Such small magnets may be adhesively affixed in the corners where sidewall and base meet, in close proximity to the open side. Given that a drip tray is used with the bottle holder, it may be desirable to conceal the magnets beneath the tray for aesthetic reasons. And even if these magnets are visible, it is possible to place them in an optically unobtrusive location.
These connecting elements may also be used as stops to prevent displacement of the drip tray. Thus, a drip tray that is smaller than the inside dimensions of the bottle holder may be held in place by the connecting elements.
It is foreseeable, that bottles will repeatedly be inserted into and withdrawn from the opening in the upper face and that this may scratch or cause the coating to flake off of the metal material. For this reason, a protective ring made of elastomeric material or other suitable materials may be fitted around the opening in a manner known per se.
If the bottle holder is produced by bending the blank to form the sidewalls and then a base section at the end of each sidewall, then there is a gap, a separation line, between the two base sections. Due to the rigidity of a suitable material, e.g. sheet steel, even with this gap, the bottle holder will stand securely on a flat surface. Nevertheless, the base sections may be dimensioned such, that the gap at the separation line is quite narrow, i.e., the two base sections almost abut one another. The fact that the base covers most of the surface at the bottom of the bottle holder also means that more weight is added at the base level, and this provides for greater stability because it lowers the center of gravity of the bottle holder. Ideally, then, the base sections are dimensioned such, that they almost about each other, thereby keeping the separation gap as narrow as possible. It is, of course, possible, to spot weld the two base sections together at one or more points, to prevent the separation gap from spreading apart.
One or more protective elements may be provided on the underside of the bottle holder base, to prevent any protective coating from being scratched or rubbed off, particularly an anti-corrosion coating. Damage to the coating could result in corrosion of the bottle holder or rust spots being deposited on the underlying surface on which the holder is place. These protective elements also protect the underlying surface from scratches. Examples of suitable materials for the protective elements include elastomeric materials and felt and fleece materials. The protective element(s) may be a large-area element or small knobs, pads, or buttons that are adhesively affixed to the underside, or they may be small ‘feet’ that are captively held in openings that are provided in the base.
In another embodiment, the drip tray may have protrusions that extend down through openings that are provided in the base and serve as the protective elements. In this case, the drip tray also serves to bridge the separation gap in the base and to prevent the two base sections from spreading apart. The openings in the base may be provided as bores through the base sections, i.e., are surrounded by the material that forms the base, but they can also be provided as recesses at the edges of the base, i.e., recesses cut or stamped into the part of the blank that will form the base.
The bottle holder according to the invention allows multiple bottle holders to be assembled into a modular bottle drying station. The positive fit of adjacent bottle holders provides a drying station that has a neat and orderly appearance. The anti-corrosion coating on the sheet steel may be provided as a paint finish or a powder coating and bottle holders may be provided in a variety of colors and finishes. Thus, a drying station may be assembled from bottle holders in the color or colors a user desires, thereby creating a visually attractive drying station that fits in with the user's décor.
The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
As can be seen in the
Connecting elements 12 may be provided in the bottom corners, where the sidewalls 3 transition to the base sections 5. In the embodiment shown, the connecting elements 12 are magnetic elements that hold the lower area of adjacent bottle holders 1 together and are placed in close proximity to the open sides. Thus, the upper faces 2 of two adjacent bottle holders 1 are held together via the form-fit profiles of the open edges and the lower areas secured against displacement by the magnetic connecting elements 12.
Magnets serve as effective connection elements 12 because of the material that is used to form the bottle holder 1, namely ferromagnetic sheet steel. In the embodiment shown in
Also shown in
It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the bottle holder may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.
