COASTER CARRIER

Abstract: A carrier (10) for a six pack (20) of beverage containers (14) has rings (12) interconnected by strips (16 and 18). The rings (12) fit around the beverage containers (14) in a friction fit. The strips (16, 18) are severed from adjacent rings (12) to remove one of the beverage containers (14) from the six pack (20). The ring (12) is moved so that it extends partially below bottom (24) of the container (14) so that the ring (12) will function as a coaster by supporting the container (14) above a surface (26) to prevent condensation on the container (14) from contacting the surface (26).

Description: COASTER CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improved form of a coaster and carrier for beverage containers. More particularly, it relates to a structure which serves as a carrier for a six pack or other multiple group of beverage containers and as coasters for individual beverage containers when separated from the group. 2. Description of the Prior Art A variety of coaster designs for beverage containers are known in the art. Examples of such coasters and related devices are disclosed in the following issued U.S. patents: 2,115,654, issued April 26, 1938 to Swofford; 2,706,571, issued April 19, 1955 to Ryan; 2,727,645, issued December 20, 1955 to Dore; 3,257,025, issued June 21, 1966 to Jolly; 3,268,198, issued August 23, 1966 to Swett; 3,613,761, issued October 19, 1971 to Moody; 3,633,863, issued January 11, 1972 to Abbey; 4,020,968, issued May 3, 1977 to Chiavola et al.; 4,372,453, issued February 8, 1983 to Branscum. While these coaster designs are generally satisfactory for their intended purpose of preventing beverage stains on tables and other supporting surfaces for the beverage containers, further simplification of them would be desirable. It is also known to provide a carrier for six packs of beverage containers consisting of interconnected flexible plastic rings which fit around the beverage containers in the six pack. However, this carrier has come into disfavor with environmentalists because of the hazards it presents to wildlife when discarded. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved coaster design which can be provided as part of a carrier for beverage container six packs and other groups of the beverage containers. It is another object of the invention to provide such an improved combined coaster and carrier design that can be fabricated from plastic in a single molding step. It is a further object of the invention to provide such an improved combined coaster and carrier design that is configured to allow messages to be provided on the coasters. It is still another object of the invention to provide such an improved combined coaster and carrier design in which the coasters can be joined together in modular fashion to provide a carrier for a group of varying numbers of beverage containers. These and related objects may be achieved through use of the novel coaster and beverage container carrier herein disclosed. A coaster and carrier for beverage containers in accordance with the invention has a plurality of interconnected rings. Each ring has a side extending parallel to an axis of the ring. Each ring is removable from a remainder of the plurality of intercon- nected rings. Each of the plurality of interconnected rings is dimensioned to fit around one of the beverage containers in a friction fit. Each of the rings has sufficient rigidity to support the one of the beverage containers above a horizontal supporting surface when the ring is moved to extend partially beyond a bottom of the one of the beverage containers. The attainment of the foregoing and related objects, advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention, taken together with the drawings, in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined beverage container carrier and coasters in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the combined beverage container carrier and coasters of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view of one of the coasters in the combined beverage container carrier and coasters of Figures 1 and 2 in use. Figure 3A is a side view of one of the coasters in another embodiment of the invention in use. Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a coaster in accordance with the invention. Figure 5 is a plan view of a beverage container carrier formed from a plurality of the coasters of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a partial plan view of another beverage container carrier formed from a plurality of the coasters of Figure 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Turning now to the drawings, more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a combined beverage carrier and coasters 10 in accordance with the invention. The combination 10 includes a plurality of rings 12, one of each of which encircles one of the beverage cans 14 in a friction fit. Strips 16 and 18 interconnect the rings 12. The strips 16 at either end of the combination 10 are used to carry the six pack 20 of the containers 14. The rings 12 have a width of about 1 inch. Their configuration allows them to carry advertising or public service messages 22. The combination 10 is desirably formed from a suitable plastic material having enough rigidity to support a full beverage container 14 in the manner shown in Figure 3. Of course, the combination 10 could be formed from a variety of other materials, such as metal, cardboard, styrofoam, or the like. The combination 10 is desirably fabricated in a single molding operation. In use, the combination 10 is used to carry and store the six pack 20 prior to consumption of the beverage in the containers 14. When it is desired to consume the beverage, one of the containers 14 is separated from the six pack 20 by pulling the strips 16 and 18 apart. The strips 16 and 18 are thin enough so that only a moderate amount of force is required to sever them. The user slides the ring 12 down to the position shown in Figure 3 in order to use the ring 12 as a coaster for the container 14. In this position, the ring 12 spaces bottom 24 of the container 14 above table 26 or other supporting surface. Condensation on the container 14 therefore does not contact the table 26. Because the plastic ring 12 is thermally insulating, no condensation forms on its surface. In practice, numbers may be placed on the rings 12, as indicated at 27, as an aid to locating a users container 54 at a party or other situation in which substantial numbers of the containers 14 are about. The rings-12 can also be provided in various colors, for example, for color coding of different flavors or types of a beverage product. Figure 3A shows another form of a coaster 29 that has tapered sides 31 which flare outward from the beverage container 14 in order to prevent tipping of the container 14. The coaster 29 can also be provided as part of a six pack carrier, as in the Figures 1 and 2 embodi- ment. Figure 4 shows another form of a coaster 30, which may be fastened together in modular fashion to provide a six pack 32 of beverage containers 14, as shown in Figure 5, or a larger group of the containers 14, such as the case 34 represented in Figure 6. The coaster 30 consists of a molded plastic ring 36, dimensioned for friction fit on the containers 14, as in the Figures 1-3 embodiment. The plastic ring has two channels 38 and 40 projecting from outside surface 42 of the ring 36, spaced at 180 degree intervals on the ring 36, and extending parallel to axis 44 of the ring 36. The channels 38 and 40 are formed from angles 46 and 48 in facing relationship with gap 50 between them. Spaced at 90 degrees on the ring 36 from each of the channels 38 and 40 are a pair of rod projections 52 extending parallel to the channels 38 and 40. The projections 52 are joined to the surface 42 of the ring 36 by strips 54. The rod projections 52 have a diameter greater than the width of the gap 50, so that the rod projections 52 and channels 38 and 40 will slide together from their ends in interlocking relationship, as shown in Figure 5. In use, the coasters 30 are placed on the containers 14 at approximately their middle, as in the Figures 1-3 embodiment. The containers 14 are then assembled into groups as shown in Figures 5 and 6 by interlocking the rod projections with the channels 38 and 40. In addition, a carrying handle 56 for the six pack 32 is formed from a band 58 of the same plastic used to make the coasters 30 is attached to two of the cans 14 by means of a rod projection 52 at one end of the band 58 and a channel 38 at the other end of the band 58. The band 58 has the same width as the ring 36. When the user desires to remove one of the containers 14 from the six pack 32, the user slides the container 14 upward or downward from the plane of the paper as drawn to disengage the container 14 from its adjacent containers 14. The rod projections 52 and channels 38, 40 should interlock with sufficient friction so that this endwise disengagement will not occur except when desired. The coaster 30 is moved down on the container 14 to the same position as the coaster 12 in Figure 3 to support the container 14 above a horizontal surface to prevent condensation on the container 14 from reaching the horizontal surface. Both the coasters 12 and 30 can be reused with other containers of the same diame- ter as the containers 14. Particularly the coasters 30 can also be used for other purposes, such as a toy construction element for children, for various craft projects, and the like. In the case lot group 34 of Figure 6, a similar plastic band 60 attaches to the containers 14 along both sides of the case 34 (only one side is shown in the drawing). The band 60 has alternating rod projections 52 and channels 38 for engaging the channels 38 and the projections 52 of coasters 30 attached to the successive containers 14 along the side. It should now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that a novel coaster and carrier for a group of beverage containers capable of achieving the stated objects of the invention has been provided. The coaster is provided as part of a carrier for a group of beverage containers. In one form of the invention, the carrier is fabricated in a single molding step from plastic. In another form of the invention, the carrier is formed from a plurality of the coasters interconnected in a modular fashion. In either form, the coaster is configured to carry advertising or other messages. The carrier is significantly less hazardous to wildlife than conventional plastic strip carriers for beverage containers. It should further be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details of the invention as shown and described may be made. For example, the coasters could be provided in a square configuration, rather than round as shown. The coasters and carrier are usable with other forms of beverage containers than the cans shown, for example, glass or plastic bottles. It is intended that such changes be included within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A carrier for a group of beverage containers, which comprises a plurality of interconnected rings, each ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, each ring being removable from a remainder of said plurality of interconnected rings, each of said plurality of interconnected rings being dimensioned to fit around one of the beverage containers in a friction fit, each of said rings having sufficient rigidity to support the one of the beverage containers above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is moved to extend partially beyond a bottom of the one of the beverage containers. 2. The carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 1 in which said plurality of rings are interconnected by means of a plurality of severable strips. 3. The carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 2 in which at least one of said plurality of severable strips is configured for carrying the carrier and the group of beverage containers. 4. In combination, the carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 1 and a plurality of beverage containers, each of the plurality of beverage containers having one of said rings around said beverage container in a friction fit. 5. The carrier for a group of beverage çontain- ers of Claim 1 in which said plurality of rings are interconnected by means of channels and projections attached to an outer surface of each of said plurality of rings, said channels and projections extending parallel to the axis of each said ring 6. The carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 5 in combination with a carrier band having at least one projection and at least one channel configured to engage said channels and projections on said plurality of rings. 7. The carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 6 in which said carrier band has a first end and a second end, said at least one projection being proximate to the first end and said at least one channel being proximate to said second end. 8. The carrier for a group of beverage containers of Claim 6 in which said carrier band has a plurality of said projections and a plurality of said channels, said projections and said channels being positioned alternately along said carrier band. 9. The carrier for a group of beverage containers in accordance with Claim 6 in which said at least one projection comprises a rod attached to the outer surface of said rings by a strip and said at least one channel comprises a pair of angle members positioned to define a gap between said pair of angle members, said rod having a cross-section dimension greater than the gap. 10. A coaster for a beverage container, which comprises a ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, a plurality of projections and a plurality of channels on an outer surface of said ring parallel to the axis, said plurality of projections and said plurality of channels being configured and positioned to engage corresponding channels and projections in interlocking engagement. 11. The coaster for a beverage container of Claim 10 in which said projections comprise a rod attached to the outer surface of said ring by a strip and said channels comprise a pair of angle members positioned to define a gap between said pair of angle members, said rod having a cross section dimension greater than the gap.

Inventors: STRAUB ALBERT H, STRAUB, ALBERT, H.
Applicants: STRAUB ALBERT H, STRAUB, ALBERT, H.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65D71