Abstract:
Cup holders are disclosed that can be attached to the telescoping handle of modern luggage in order to provide a convenient place to set down a beverage during waits in airports, train stations, hotel lobbies and other places. In one form, an adjustable lanyard is provided with an adjustable clamp. The lanyard is placed around the telescoping handle and a portion of the lanyard is pulled through the adjustable clamp until the cup holder is secured to the luggage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to cup holders and methods for holding cups, especially cup holders that are not specifically designed for attachment to an automobile. 
         [0002]    On a preliminary matter, as used herein, the term cup holder encompasses holders that are designed for holding beverage containers that an individual drink comes in or is poured in, regardless of whether those beverage containers are actually cups or some other container. For example, a cup holder can be used to hold a mug, bottle, can, milk carton, juice box, and other drink containers. 
         [0003]    Travel using various methods of public transportation, such as trains and planes, often involves a variety of downtime where one is just sitting and waiting. Often travelers have to wait inside airports or train stations before boarding or during a layover. In any event, whether waiting there or elsewhere, people may not always find a convenient place to set down a beverage while they are waiting. When traveling, sometimes people also find themselves waiting in other places with their luggage, such as a hotel lobby if their room is not quite yet ready to check in where there is not a convenient place to set down a beverage. Even in other situations, people sometimes find themselves in an area with no handy place to set down a beverage. In certain situations, even if there is a handy place to set a beverage, people may be concerned with placing it there because they want to avoid any confusion between their beverage and the beverage of another person. The health concerns, such as spreading diseases, along with a general “ick” factor of sharing a drink with a stranger, cause most people to desire to avoid accidently drinking the beverage of another or having another person accidently drink from their beverage. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, in some situations, people may assume that someone is finished with a beverage that appears to be unattended and may use it for an ashtray or garbage. In somewhat rare situations, a person may even try placing a substance in another&#39;s drink in an effort to get them to consume such substance. Because of this, some people may feel more comfortable if they can set their drink down in a place where they can easily observe, or at least be generally aware of it and its surroundings, to make certain that it is not adulterated, whether on accident or on purpose. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a need exists for an improved cup holder and method for holding cups and other beverage containers. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one form of a cup holder in a fully unfolded position and attached to a suitcase. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 1  that is not attached to a suitcase. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a cutaway view of the cup holder of  FIG. 1  along the line  3 - 3 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the cup holder of  FIG. 3  along the line  4 - 4 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one form of a cup holder in a fully unfolded position and attached to a suitcase. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 5  that is not attached to a suitcase. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a cutaway view of the cup holder of  FIG. 5  along the line  7 - 7 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a cutaway view of the cup holder of  FIG. 7  along the line  8 - 8 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 1  in a fully folded position, showing the front of the cupholder. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 1  in a fully folded position, showing the rear of the cupholder. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a cutaway view of the cup holder of  FIG. 10  along the line  11 - 11 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is perspective view of a second form of a cup holder that is made of a flexible material and is attached to a suitcase. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 12  that is not attached to a suitcase and that is in an expanded position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  a perspective view of the cup holder of  FIG. 12  that is not attached to a suitcase and that is in a folded position. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    Referring to the  FIGS. 1-11 , there is shown one form of an inventive cup holder that can be made of any suitable material, including being molded from a suitable plastic material. A cup holder  10  can include a base  12  having a well, such as retaining well  14 . In one form, retaining well  14  includes a depression within base  12  and includes a flat surface. 
         [0021]    Retaining well  14  can be sized and shaped to fit a variety of beverage containers within the well in order to provide additional stability to a beverage container set therein by virtue of the surrounding wall of retaining well  14 . As depicted, one form of the retaining well  14  can be at least somewhat circular in shape and can have a surrounding wall that slopes downward at an angle such that the circumference at the top of the wall is larger than the circumference at the bottom of the wall. In one form, retaining well  14  can be semicircular with a portion that then extends to the edge of base  12  to form a grip or handle for gripping of base  12  and/or to allow drainage of any condensation that may develop from the container held within. Retaining well  14  can protrude from the opposite side of base  12  and provide a convenient and attractive surface on which a logo or advertisement can be formed, such as by printing. 
         [0022]    Base  12  can be generally polygonal in shape (such as the somewhat rectangular or square shape depicted). In one form, base  12  is coupled to a back plate  16  using a hinge, preferably an approximately a 90 degree continuous hinge or a piano hinge  20 , along one of the edges of the polygonal shaped base  12 . As used herein, an approximately 90 degree hinge is a hinge that allows movement only through approximately 90 degrees. Such a 90 degree hinge can be accomplished either from the hinge itself or from obstructions in the pieces it connects that prevent movement that is significantly more than 90 degrees. In this case, as seen in  FIG. 6 , 90 degree hinge allows the base  12  to move from a position approximately parallel back plate  16  to a position at approximately a right angle to back plate  16  (or horizontal in use) and extending outwardly in front of back plate  16 . 
         [0023]    In the depicted form, polygonal shaped base  12  has rounded corners for at least those located are away from retaining well  14  when base  12  is in the unfolded position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The rounded corners help prevent injury if they are contacted by someone. Additionally, the rounded corners are less likely to catch on clothing, furniture or other items. Although a somewhat polygonal base  12  is depicted, other shapes could be substituted. 
         [0024]    Hinge  20  can be a continuous or piano type hinge that includes one or more barrel portions  22  and  24  that are in the form of cylinder shaped parts forming integral parts of base  12  and back plate  16 . Pivot  26 , such as a pin, can secure barrels  22  and  24  together. Although barrel portions  22  and  24  are shown as being molded as part of either base  12  and back plate  16 , as an alternative, they can be separate pieces that are used to couple base  12  and back plate  16  together. 
         [0025]    In one form, back plate  16  has a body portion  17  and a head portion  30  that extends upwardly (away from hinge  20 ) and forms an anchor point  31  for attaching cup holder  10  to another thing. Body portion  17  can be hard body that is formed from a material, such as a plastic, that tends to retain its shape under normal conditions. In one form, anchor  31  is formed from an opening  32  proximate to the top end  34  of head portion  30  and the recessed anchor portion  36  formed in the front of head portion  30  above opening  32 . The rear of head portion  30  can include a rearwardly projecting anchor portion  38  opposite recessed anchor portion  36 . A string or rope like device, such as adjustable lanyard  39  can be threaded through opening  32 , surround recessed anchor portion  36  and rewardly projection anchor portion  38  and attached thereto using a cow hitch knot or any other suitable knot. Adjustable lanyard  39  can include an adjustable clamp  37  or lock to adjust the length of lanyard available on one side of clamp  37 . 
         [0026]    A cantilevered tray, such as retaining rind  40 , can be provided for use as a beverage container stabilizer or holder. In one form, cantilevered tray  40  is coupled to back plate  16  by an approximately 270 degree continuous or piano type hinge  48 . Hinge  48  can be located, for example, along the top of the body portion  17  where it meets head portion  30  of back plate  16 . In one form, either side of the top of body portion  17  form support shoulders  19  that support cantilevered tray  40  when it is extends in front of back plate  16  at approximately a right angle. 
         [0027]    As used here, an approximately 270 degree hinge is a hinge that allows movement only through approximately 270 degrees. Such a 270 degree hinge can be accomplished either from the hinge itself or from obstructions in the pieces it connects that prevent movement that is significantly more than 270 degrees. For example, it can be obstructed from moving greater than 270 degrees by support shoulders  19  that contact a portion of 270 degree hinge  48  to prevent further movement. In this case, 270 degree hinge allows the cantilevered tray  40  to move from a position approximately parallel back plate  16  (and to the rear of back plate  16 ) 270 degrees around the top of body portion  17  to a position at approximately a right angle to back plate  16  (or approximately horizontal when in use) and extending outwardly in front of back plate  16 . 
         [0028]    In one form, hinge  48  is a continuous or piano type hinge that includes one or more barrel portions  52  and  54  that are in the form of cylinder shaped parts forming integral parts of cantilevered tray  40  and back plate  16 . Pivot  56 , such as a pin, can secure barrels  52  and  54  together. Although barrel portions  52  and  54  are shown as being molded as part of cantilevered tray  40  and back plate  16 , as an alternative, they can be separate pieces that are used to couple cantilevered tray  40  and back plate  16  together. 
         [0029]    Cantilevered tray  40  can include an opening  42  sized to let a variety of sizes and shapes of beverage containers to fit therein. Opening  42  can be comprised of a semicircle  44  and a slot  46  that extends from semicircle  44  all the way to hinge  48 . In this manner, opening  42  also forms a notch out of one end of cantilevered tray  40  that allows cantilevered tray to pass 270 degrees around back plate  16  from the rear of back plate  16  over the top and head portion  30  and around to the front of back plate  16  at a 90 degree angle. Opening  42  provides sufficient clearance for head portion  30  to clear without interference during such a rotation. 
         [0030]    In use, cantilevered tray  40  can be swung in a 270 arc from a closed position parallel the rear of back plate  16 , up and over head portion  30  and down until it is approximately perpendicular to back plate  16  (in the open position) and/or approximately horizontal to the ground, in use, when cup holder  10  is secured to another object. Cup holder  10  can be attached to a variety of things, including a telescoping handle found on many forms of modern luggage. Typically, when the telescoping handle of a piece of luggage is extended, adjustable lanyard  39  is placed over the handle and brought to the bottom of the telescoping handle. That portion of lanyard  39  that is opposite clamp  37  from the luggage can be pulled through clamp  37  so that lanyard  39  tightens around the telescoping handle until cup holder  10  is secured to the luggage. 
         [0031]    At this point, a beverage container  100  could be placed within opening  42  and held by cup holder  10  in those instances where the beverage container  100  is contoured such that the bottom portion of the beverage container can fit through opening  42  and is also contoured such that the entire beverage container cannot fit through opening  42 . For example, a tapered cup that is wider at the mouth and smaller at its base would be held at that point where the radius of the cup slightly exceeds the radius of the semicircular portion  44  of opening  42 . 
         [0032]    Additionally, base  12  could be swung open 90 degrees from a closed position where it is parallel to the front of back plate  16  downward until it is in an open position approximately perpendicular to back plate  16  and/or approximately horizontal to the ground, in use, when cup holder  10  is secured to another object. A beverage container could be placed through opening  42  so that it rests on base  12  and, if is fits, within well  14 . Both well  14  and cantilevered tray  40  provide additional stability to the beverage container contained therein. Slot  46  is also designed to allow a mug handle to be placed within opening  42 . In certain circumstances, such as where a beverage container might not otherwise fit, cantilevered tray  40  can be kept in the closed position and base  12  can be used by itself to hold the beverage container. 
         [0033]    In one form, a friction inducing portion  60  can be added to the rear face of back wall  16  that faces the luggage or whatever cup holder  10  is attached to. Friction inducing portion  60  uses increased friction to prevent the cup holder from swinging side to side while in use. In one form, friction inducing portion  60  can be comprised of an elastomeric material. In another form, it can include a plurality of raised ridges. In it&#39;s simplest form, it can formed from a flat piece of elastomeric material that is glued onto back wall  16  and can have tapered edges. By being tapered, the edges will be lower than the main portion of the friction inducing portion  60  and will tend to not come in contact with the luggage (or whatever) which will help prevent the edges from peeling from back wall  16 . 
         [0034]    When the cup holder  10  is not longer in use, it can be removed from the luggage. Base  12  can be folded to the closed position. Cantilevered tray  40  can also be folded to the closed position. When it is entirely folded up, it can easily slide into a piece a pocket on the luggage or within the main compartment where it can easily be accessed when desired. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 12-14 , another form of an inventive cup holder  70  is shown that can be made of any suitable material, including synthetic cloth materials or other deformable material that forms a soft body to hold the cup. In one form, cup holder  70  includes a cylindrical piece of material  72  that forms at least a portion of the soft body with an opening in the center to hold the cup. Such material can include one or more layers and can provide some insulating properties similar to can cooler (sometimes referred to as a KOOZIE). A support piece  74  can be provided across the bottom to support a beverage placed inside the cylindrical piece of material and can form another portion of the soft body. An adjustable strap  76  is provided which can be sewn to opposite sides of cylindrical piece of material  72 . An adjustable clamp  78  can be provided on adjustable strap  76 . 
         [0036]    In use, adjustable strap  76  can be placed around the telescoping handle of a piece of luggage. A portion of the strap  76  can be pulled through adjustable clamp  78  until strap  76  and cup holder  70  are secured to the luggage. A drink can then be held by the luggage and the cup holder  70 . 
         [0037]    In one form, cylindrical piece of material  72  can actually be two pieces sewn together to create two seams along which cup holder  70  can be easily folded to allow it to become reasonably flat for easy storage. 
         [0038]    While the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it should be apparent from the foregoing that other forms of the invention are also possible that would also fall within any of the one or more claims. For example, either of the cup holders depicted could be worn around a persons head. In such case, it would be advisable to keep the lanyard at its full length and to be careful to prevent it from getting caught in anything in order to prevent accidentally choking.