Attachable beverage container holder

A holder for a beverage container device includes a top ring having a cavity through which a container can be inserted and a downwardly extending vessel adapted to the top ring in order to encircle the container. In addition, a pair of straps extends upwardly from the top ring to encircle the environmental object enabling the vessel, attached to the top ring, to swing back and forth under the influence of gravity when the environmental object shifts to a downward angle, thereby keeping the vessel in an upright position. The support straps also are adjustable in length to allow for the several different types of environmental objects known today.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the FIGURES, like numerals being used to refer to like and corresponding parts of the various drawings. The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples, however, can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. A shown best in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 , the beverage container holder 10 is constructed from lightweight and flexible fabric materials to better expand to hold various sizes of containers and to enable the user to store the beverage container holder. The beverage container holder 10 is provided with a top ring 12 , composed of a lateral strip forming a loop around the cavity through which a container can be inserted, a vessel 14 which is sewn or otherwise fastened to the bottom portion of the top ring 12 , preferably by reinforced stitching, for receiving and supporting a container and a first strap 16 and a second strap 18 securely fastened to a top ring 12 for attachment to an environmental object 20 . More particularly, the vessel 14 comprises a generally conical body that may be constructed as shown from a lightweight mesh fabric, sewn at the upper edge to the lower edge of the top ring 12 . The mesh vessel 14 of this embodiment is preferably made from two pieces of mesh material having two equal length and widths. The side edges of the mesh portion are preferably slightly narrower toward the base so that when the edges of the mesh portion are sewn together 22 the mesh material forms a conical vessel 14 . As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the beverage container holder of the present invention utilizes both a first strap 16 and second strap 18 extending upward on both sides of the top ring 12 and which are looped around and fastened to an environmental object 20 . The preferred means by which the straps attach to the top ring 12 is sewing with reinforced stitching 24 . The straps are fastened to themselves by an attachment means. Although snaps, hooks, clips, and latches may be used as attachment mechanisms, a loop and pile connector set, that is, the two-part hook 26 and loop 28 fabric material referred to under the tradename Velcro™, is the preferred means of attachment. This allows the beverage container holder to be easily attached and removed from the environmental object 20 by merely separating the ends of the straps. The Velcro™ fastening device is adjustable to fasten around any number of different size structural components on luggage, shopping carts, exercise equipment, athletic equipment lawn equipment, or the like. The entire attachable beverage container holder is preferably made of non-metallic, flexible material, such as nylon. The alternate embodiment shown and described in FIG. 2 the vessel 14 comprises is a generally cylindrical body that may be constructed as shown from a lightweight mesh fabric, sewn at the upper edge to the lower edge of the top ring 12 . The mesh vessel 14 of this alternate embodiment is preferably made from three pieces of mesh material two of which has equal lengths and widths, the third circular piece. When the edges of the two matching pieces of mesh are sewn together 20 and the third circular piece of mess 30 is sewn to the base of the combined matching pieces the mesh material forms a cylindrical vessel 14 . FIG. 4 illustrates how the beverage container holder 10 is securely fastened to an environmental object 20 , such as luggage, such that when the environmental object 20 shifts to a downward angle the vessel swings back and forth under the influence of gravity, keeping the vessel in an upright position. The embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that the forgoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. Other variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive to limit the scope of the invention. It is contemplated that the use of the present invention can involve components having different characteristics.