Patent Application
20210169254
This application relates to a weighted cup holder.
Drinks are consumed while people are sitting on couches and chairs. There is often no easily accessible stable surface on which to place the drink.
Featured in this disclosure is a weighted cup holder. The weighted cup holder comprises a weighted bag-like flexible base member that has a generally toroidal shape, and a separate cup holder member. The cup holder member has a closed bottom and an open top. The base member and cup holder member can be configured to be removably coupled together into an assembly. When the assembly is placed on a surface, the cup holder member sits on the surface and the base member sits on part of the cup holder member and so acts to stabilize the cup holder member. A drink holder such as a bottle, glass or cup can be placed into and held in the cup holder member. Since the drink holder is supported by a stabilized cup holder member, the drink is less likely to spill if it is jostled.
Preferably but not necessarily, the base member is filled with small non-toxic plastic beads or other loose particulates, and is sufficiently flexible that it can conform to different surfaces on which it may be placed. Preferably but not necessarily, the base member is shorter than the cup holder member. Preferably but not necessarily, the base member fits snugly around the cup holder member. Preferably but not necessarily, the base member has a plurality of loops on its interior surface that are constructed and arranged to releasably couple to the cup holder member. Preferably but not necessarily, the base member is made of a fabric material and is hand washable. In an example the base member includes a handle by which it (and any cup holder member) can be carried.
Preferably but not necessarily, the cup holder member is made of plastic. Preferably but not necessarily, the cup holder member has a plurality of tabs or hooks on the exterior of its wall and that are arranged to allow for releasable coupling of the base member to the cup holder member. Preferably but not necessarily, the cup holder member has a plurality of small projections or nubs near the tabs or hooks, to help inhibit the base member from mistakenly releasing from the cup holder member. Preferably but not necessarily, the cup holder member includes separate rings that snap on top of the upper rim of the cup holder member, to allow the opening size to be varied to accommodate different diameter drink holders. Preferably but not necessarily, the cup holder member is washable.
Various aspects of at least one example are discussed below with reference to the accompanying figures, which are not intended to be drawn to scale. The figures are included to provide illustration and a further understanding of the various aspects and examples, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, but are not intended as a definition of the limits of the inventions. In the figures, identical or nearly identical components illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like reference character or numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every figure. In the figures:
Examples of the devices, methods and apparatuses discussed herein are not limited in application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The methods and apparatuses are capable of implementation in other examples and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Examples of specific implementations are provided herein for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. In particular, functions, components, elements, and features discussed in connection with any one or more examples are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in any other examples.
Examples disclosed herein may be combined with other examples in any manner consistent with at least one of the principles disclosed herein, and references to “an example,” “some examples,” “an alternate example,” “various examples,” “one example” or the like are not necessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described may be included in at least one example. The appearances of such terms herein are not necessarily all referring to the same example.
Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Any references to examples, components, elements, acts, or functions of the devices, systems and methods herein referred to in the singular may also embrace embodiments including a plurality, and any references in plural to any example, component, element, act, or function herein may also embrace examples including only a singularity. Accordingly, references in the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the presently disclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or elements. The use herein of “including,” “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. References to “or” may be construed as inclusive so that any terms described using “or” may indicate any of a single, more than one, and all of the described terms.
Non-limiting examples of the weighted cup holder are shown in the enclosed drawings. Recited dimensions illustrate aspects of certain examples but are not limiting.
The cup holder member 20 has a closed bottom 22 and an open top 26. Cup holder member 20 may or may not be insulated. The outside of the bottom may include an adhesive-backed rubber pad 23 that helps the assembly to grip surfaces and also protect furniture, while the inside can include a moisture-absorbent coaster 19 to help inhibit sweating. The cup holder member (e.g., the sidewall and/or the bottom) can be but need not be insulated. The base member and cup holder member can be configured to be removably coupled together into an assembly. When the assembly is placed on a surface, the cup holder member bottom sits on the surface and the base member acts to stabilize the cup holder member. A drink/liquid holder such as a bottle, glass, can or cup can be placed into and held in the cup holder member. Since the drink holder is supported by a stabilized cup holder member, the drink is less likely to spill if it is jostled. Separate ring 28 with inner edge 28a snaps on top of the upper rim of the cup holder member to narrow the opening size so as to accommodate different diameter drinks. There can be more than one such ring with different size openings (i.e., with inner edge 28a defining different inner diameters) to accommodate different diameter drinks. Also, ring skirt 28b defines an indentation 29 that fits over annular projection 27 to create a snap or interference fit between the lid and the cup holder member. Skirt 28b can have a desired length, which in one example is about one inch.
The base member is flexible and has a generally toroidal shape. The interior is sized to snugly fit one of the cup holder members, as shown in the cross section of
In some but not all examples the base member can have a plurality of loops (loops 74-77 shown on base member 70 in
When present, the tabs are preferably but not necessarily coupled to the sidewall at their bottoms and diverge away from the sidewall so that there is a space or opening between the tab and the sidewall at the top of the tab. A fabric loop of a base member can be slipped over the tab via this opening, and snugged down onto the cup member. Coupling this way allows the assembly to be picked up by the cup holder member and remain together. An alternative would be to turn the tabs around, such that their openings were at the bottom rather than the top. Other manners of releasably coupling the base member and cup holder member are contemplated, and are included within the scope of the disclosure. See, for example,
A series of optional small external bumps or projections can be included in the cup holder member sidewalls at about the level of the tops of the tabs. See
The cup holder member and the toroidal base member can be assembled by inserting the cup holder member into the bottom of the opening in the base member such that the fabric tabs slide into the opening between the tabs and the sidewall of the cup holder member.
In
In weighted cup holder 200,
A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other examples are within the scope of the following claims.
Having described above several aspects of at least one example, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only, and the scope of the invention should be determined from proper construction of the appended claims, and their equivalents.
This application claims the priority of Provisional Application 62/944,550 filed on Dec. 6, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62944550 | Dec 2019 | US |
