Abstract:
Disclosed is a beverage bottle holder wherein a handled harness provides the user with a means by which to grasp a conventional plastic beverage bottle, essentially transforming the bottle into a pitcher-type assembly that allows the user to pour the contents of the bottle with a great deal of ease and control

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to beverage containers, and more specifically to a handled harness device that accepts a variety of conventional beverage bottles, supporting them so as to allow their contents to be poured easily by grasping the handles rather than the bottle itself.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Plastics, more than any other material, have revolutionized our lives and are used in the vast majority of products we encounter on a daily basis included in this category are the disposable drink bottles that come in sizes of one, two and three liters, among many others. A common problem exists, however, where these containers are difficult to grasp by those of us with smaller hands, especially children. Also, the mid-section of the plastic bottle is typically extremely flexible as opposed to the more rigid upper and lower extremes of the container. While the mid-section is perhaps the most convenient place to grasp the container, it tends to collapse under the gripping pressure. Most frequently the case with the larger two and three liter bottles, the result is most often that of spilling the contents or dropping the bottle. Accordingly, the need has arisen for a solution to this problem that allows for easy gripping of the aforementioned containers. The development of the present invention provides such a solution by providing a handled harness device that accepts conventional plastic beverage bottles, allowing the contents thereof to be poured easily with a single hand.  
           [0005]    A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, several references describing handle attachments for plastic bottles and other like containers were discovered. However, these devices neither anticipate nor disclose any embodiment that would preclude its novelty and the utilitarian functionality of the features of the present invention.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,808, issued in the name of Babb et al., discloses an insulated cooler for a conventional two-liter bottle that includes a handle attachment.  
           [0007]    Several patents disclose handle devices that attach to conventional two-liter bottle and other containers of a similar design. The handles attach around the neck portion of the bottle only, and as such create a situation of instability wherein the torque generated by the weight of the bottle and its contents make it difficult to control the position of the bottle and create a risk of fatigue and failure of the bottle neck material:  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,372, issued in the name of Casiello;  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,614, issued in the name of Russell; and  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,277, issued in the name of Drew et al.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,578, issued in the name of Schuler, discloses a handle device that attaches to a conventional two-liter bottle and other containers of a similar design. The handle attaches to the bottles around the body of the bottle and around the neck of the bottle. This design creates a situation of instability wherein supporting the bottle from the generally flexible mid-section of the bottle will result in the collapse of the material, risking spillage or droppage of the bottle and/or its contents.  
           [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,043, issued in the name of Rais, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,396, issued in the name of Rais disclose handle devices that attach to two-liter bottles of a particular design, secured to the bottle around the protective base cover and around the neck of the bottle. These handles are designed around specific bottle designs and will not accommodate a bottle structure that deviates from the intended design.  
           [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,940, issued in the name of Akly, discloses a handle device that attaches to a conventional two-liter bottle and other containers of a similar design. The handle includes a concave base portion into which the bottle base is placed and a handle portion that extends up to the bottle neck, attaching thereto. It is apparent that the requisite flexibility in the handle design to allow for attaching the handle to a bottle will result in an instability wherein the handle will collapse or otherwise distort under the weight of the bottle and its contents.  
           [0014]    Several patents disclose handle devices that attach to paper-type milk cartons:  
           [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,622, issued in the name of Hilderbrandt et al.;  
           [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,591, issued in the name of Richter et al.; and  
           [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,500, issued in the name of Setzler.  
           [0018]    While several features exhibited within these references may be incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0019]    The present invention is a beverage bottle holder wherein a handled harness provides the user with a means by which to grasp a conventional beverage bottle, essentially transforming the bottle into a pitcher-type assembly. A one-piece all-plastic construction, the beverage bottle holder consists of a cylindrical base, of a diameter sufficient to accept the bottle, with a handle attached to the outside thereof Once the bottle is inserted into the base, a neck support, consisting of a plastic strap that extends from the base to the top of the bottle with a plastic ring at the end, is used to secure the bottle in the device by snapping the ring around the bottle neck. The combination handle and base are designed such that stress is applied to the bottle near the base and near the neck, both of which are substantially more rigid than the mid-section of the bottle structure and provide for a more stable arrangement between the bottle and the bottle holder. Once in place, the bottle can be held by the handle and poured in a manner similar to that of a typical beverage pitcher. The firm grasp allowed by the handle prevents dropping and spillage  
           [0020]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that allows for handling a conventional plastic beverage bottle via a convenient handle rather than grasping the bottle structure itself.  
           [0021]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that prevents spillage and droppage resulting when the bottle structure collapses under pressure when grasped in the mid-section thereof.  
           [0022]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that allows users with small hands, such as children, to handle a large beverage bottle with ease.  
           [0023]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that secures the bottle near the neck and base portions thereof resulting in a more stable arrangement between the bottle and the holder.  
           [0024]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that is easy to use and attach to a conventional beverage bottle.  
           [0025]    Finally it is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage bottle holder that is of an all-plastic construction that is both easy to manufacture and cost-effective in design. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the beverage bottle holder, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage bottle holder, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a side view of the beverage bottle holder depicting its use in supporting a conventional plastic beverage bottle, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a top view of the beverage bottle holder depicting the operation of the bottle neck support, taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS  
       [0031]    bottle holder  10   
         [0032]    base portion  11   
         [0033]    upper bottle support  12   
         [0034]    bottle neck support  13   
         [0035]    bottle neck clamp  14   
         [0036]    handle  15   
         [0037]    bottle receiving cavity  16   
         [0038]    plastic bottle  17   
         [0039]    clamping prongs  20   
         [0040]    bottle neck  21   
         [0041]    bottle neck flange  22   
         [0042]    bottle bottom  25   
         [0043]    bottle mid-section  26   
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0044]    1. Detailed Description of the Figures  
         [0045]    Referring now to Figures, depicted is the beverage bottle holder, hereinafter bottle holder  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bottle holder  10  consists of a base portion  11  an upper bottle support  12 , a bottle neck support  13  including a bottle neck clamp  14  and a handle  15 . The combination of the base portion  11  and upper bottle support  12  are generally cylindrical in shape and form a bottle receiving cavity  16  into which a conventional plastic bottle  17  is inserted. Constructed in a variety of sizes that correspond to the various bottle sizes available on the market, the inside diameter of the bottle receiving cavity  16  is sized so as to form a close tolerance with the outside diameter of the plastic bottle  17 .  
         [0046]    The bottle neck clamp  14  is generally C-shaped in design, forming a pair of clamping prongs  20 . The plastic construction of the bottle neck support  13  is such that it can be moved out of the way while inserting the plastic bottle  17  into the bottle holder  10 . The plastic bottle  17  having been inserted in the bottle receiving cavity  16 , the bottle neck support  13  is drawn toward the bottle neck  21  and the bottle neck clamp  14  is secured to thereto. The clamping prongs  20  fit around the bottle neck  21  beneath the bottle neck flange  22 . The resilient plastic construction of the bottle neck clamp  14  allows the clamping prongs  20  to distort around the bottle neck  21 , snapping back into place once the bottle neck  21  is inside its C-shape interior and retaining it therein  
         [0047]    Having been secured in the bottle holder  10 , the plastic bottle  17  can be grasped and poured via the handle  15  rather than by grasping the plastic bottle  17  directly. The design of the bottle holder  10  is such that the base portion  11  and the upper bottle support  12  bear the load of the plastic bottle  17  and its contents. The base portion  11  supports the plastic bottle  17  near the bottle bottom  25  and the upper bottle support  12  supports the plastic bottle  17  near the bottle neck  21 . Both the bottle bottom  25  and the bottle neck  21  are regions on the plastic bottle  17  where the structure is contoured and of a curved profile rather than a cylindrical vertical profile as is the bottle mid-section  26 . Both the bottle neck  21  and the bottle bottom  25  are substantially more rigid in nature than is the bottle mid-section  26 . Therefore, the bottle holder  10  supports the plastic bottle  17  from regions of rigid construction, creating a stable arrangement between the plastic bottle  17  and the bottle holder  10  that is less prone to the structural failure of the bottle mid-section  26 . The bottle neck support  13  and bottle neck clamp  14  serve to prevent the plastic bottle  17  from sliding out of the bottle holder  10 . As a result, the combination bottle holder  10  and plastic bottle  17  can be supported easily and securely by the handle  15 , minimizing the occurrence of droppage or spillage.  
         [0048]    2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment  
         [0049]    In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention and as shown in the Figures, the plastic bottle  17  is secured within the bottle holder  10  by placing it in the bottle receiving cavity  16  and attaching the bottle neck support  13  using the bottle neck clamp  14 . Once secured therein, the user can grasp and support the plastic bottle  17  via the handle  15  and pour its contents with a great deal of ease and control. Once the plastic bottle  17  is emptied or the bottle holder  10  is no longer needed, the user can remove the bottle neck clamp  14 .  
         [0050]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown, illustrated, and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in this field that various modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is for this reason that the scope of the invention is set forth in and is to be limited only by the following claims.