Abstract:
An adjustable beverage holder is provided in which a beverage container support comprises two telescopically interengaged, radially elastomeric sleeves each with a longitudinally extending discontinuity. The longitudinal position of the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve is adjustably fixable at one of preferably two positions by the location of hole sets defined in the outer sleeve and of cooperating stud post sets projecting outwardly from the inner sleeve. The stud posts interconnect radially with the holes when the inner sleeve is located in a predetermined desired position relative to the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is provided with laterally outwardly extending upper and lower supports suitable for overlapping a table top edge portion and an adjustable bolt extends vertically upwardly through the lower support for table clamping.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention generally relates to an improved adjustable beverage holder and, in particular, to a beverage holder having a vertically adjustable container support and an interconnected adjustable bracket for removably securing the container support to an edge portion of a table.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Beverage holders with adjustable clamp assemblies for table top mounting have previously been developed as have beverage holders with adjustable beverage container supports. These prior beverage holders typically require multiple cooperative components. As a result, the holder can be relatively expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble.  
         [0003]     A simple adjustable beverage holder is needed. In that regard, the present beverage holder has been developed with a minimal number of components and incorporates a two-piece adjustable container support and a unitarily interconnected simple clamping bracket. The new holder is simple, reliable, relatively low cost, and relatively easy to make, use and clean after use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to an improved adjustable beverage holder which includes an adjustable container support associated with a bracket for clamping the container support to a table or the like.  
         [0005]     The container support includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. Each sleeve has a longitudinal gap or discontinuity. The inner sleeve is slidably and telescopically received within the outer sleeve. At least one of the sleeves is somewhat radially elastomeric so that the sleeves are yieldingly biased into an adjacent relationship relative to each other.  
         [0006]     The container support includes detent means for locating and retaining the inner sleeve in at least one selected longitudinal position relative to the outer sleeve. The preferred detent means comprises a plurality of holes defined through the outer sleeve and a plurality of stud posts defined on the outer surface of the inner sleeve, although the holes and the stud posts can be variously located on the outer and the inner sleeves. The interrelationship between the holes and the stud posts is such that at least some of the stud posts are cooperatively receivable in some of the holes when the inner sleeve is positioned within the outer sleeve in one of at least two predetermined longitudinal positions relative to the outer sleeve. In such an engaged detent position, the inner sleeve is retained and fixed at a selected one of the longitudinal positions. A present preference is to employ two predetermined longitudinal positions with two sets of four holes each and a set of four stud posts.  
         [0007]     The beverage holder includes a bracket preferably connected unitarily to the outer sleeve. A present preference is to employ a bracket having an upper support and lower support. Each support extends laterally outwardly from the outer sleeve, the upper support being adapted for engagement with an edge of a table top and the lower support being in a vertically spaced relationship relative to the upper support and locatable under the edge of the table top. An adjustable bolt member extends threadably through the lower support upwardly and perpendicularly toward the upper support to enable clamping of the beverage holder to the table top.  
         [0008]     The present device is simple, reliable, relatively low cost, relatively easy to make and to use, and easy to clean after use.  
         [0009]     It also includes a minimal number of components. The components can be comprised of molded plastic, but other construction materials including metal can be employed, if desired.  
         [0010]     The device provides a durable structure having a cooperative relationship between a bracket and an adjustable container support that enables the structure to be used with more than one size of beverage container.  
         [0011]     Other and further objects, aims, features, advantages, embodiments, alternatives and the like will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present specification taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     In the drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a use configuration for a presently preferred embodiment of an adjustable beverage holder of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective, partially exploded view showing the inner sleeve separated from the outer sleeve in the  FIG. 1  embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front side elevational view of the beverage holder of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the beverage holder of  FIG. 1  taken at 90° relative to  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4   a  is a partial side elevational view showing an alternative clamping mechanism;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the beverage holder of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a vertical sectional view of the beverage holder of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a vertical sectional view of the beverage holder of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a transverse sectional view taken along the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]      FIGS. 1-8  show a preferred embodiment  15  of an adjustable beverage holder of the present invention. The holder  15  includes an adjustable container support  16  that is vertically adjustable when the holder  15  is in a use orientation. The container support has an outer sleeve  17  and a generally concentric inner sleeve  18  that is telescopically received within the outer sleeve  17 . Preferably, each sleeve  17  and  18  is generally cross-sectionally circular, but each sleeve  17  and  18  has a longitudinal discontinuity or gap  21  and  22 , respectively, defined therein. Each discontinuity  21  and  22  can extend continuously through a cylindrical side of each sleeve  17  and  18 , respectively, and preferably each discontinuity  21  and  22  has straight sides. The relationship between the sleeves  17  and  18  is such that at least one of the sleeves, preferably the inner sleeve  18  is slightly radially yieldingly biased towards each other so that the engaged sleeves  17 ,  18  are normally in a radially adjacent but slidable relationship relative to each other.  
         [0023]     This bias is easily overcome in order to longitudinally slide sleeve  18  relative to sleeve  17  by manually squeezing the sleeve  18  diametrically (preferred) or by enlarging the sleeve  19  diametrically.  
         [0024]     The inner sleeve  18  is provided with a preferably unitarily formed circular bottom plate  40 . As shown, the perimeter of the bottom plate  40  extends across the longitudinal discontinuity  22  in the inner sleeve  18 . In the region of the discontinuity  22 , the bottom plate  40  continuously extends and is provided with a raised peripheral vertical (that is, parallel to the side wall of sleeve  18 ) shoulder  41  in the region of the discontinuity  22 . In addition, the inner sleeve  18  along the longitudinal extent of each side of the longitudinal discontinuity  22  is provided with a similar, preferably unitarily formed, radially extending, out-turned flange  25 . The circumferential spacing between the side edges of the discontinuity  22  and the discontinuity  21 , respectively, is preferably uniform and similar. Each out-turned flange  25  passes through, along and adjacent to a different respective edge of the longitudinal discontinuity  21 . The upper outer circumferentially extending edge region of the outer sleeve  17  is preferably provided, as shown, with a radially out-turned flange  36  which does not extend across the discontinuity  21 . The flanges  36  and  25  with the shoulder  41  are believed to enhance the convenient use of the adjustable container support  16 . For example, squeezing the flanges  25  towards one another provides a convenient and preferred means for separating stud posts  20  from holes  19  (as described below).  
         [0025]     The inner sleeve  18  can be located and retained relative to the outer sleeve  17  in a temporary but changeable position by detent means. Various arrangements for the detent means can be used, but it is presently preferred to provide as the detent means both a plurality of holes  19  that are preferably defined in and through the outer sleeve  17  and also a plurality of stud posts  20  that are preferably defined on the outer cylindrical surface of the inner sleeve  18 . Various combinations of holes and stud posts can be utilized as those skilled in the art will appreciate.  
         [0026]     The interrelationship between the holes  19  and the stud posts  20  in a beverage holder  15  is such that at least some of the stud posts  20  are receivable in corresponding holes  19  when the inner sleeve  18  is located in one of at least two different predetermined longitudinal positions relative to the outer sleeve  17 . In each position, the inner sleeve  18  is retained and fixed relative to the outer sleeve  17  by such receipt. Thus, during longitudinal movement of the inner sleeve  18  relative to the outer sleeve  17 , with the sleeves  17  and  18  being initially in a radially separated relationship as desired to disengage the stud posts  20  from the holes  19 , the inner sleeve  18  is located in a selected one of the predetermined positions. In such a position, with the yielding bias normal, predetermined stud posts  20  engage predetermined holes  19 . As a result, a beverage container can be set in the vertically oriented container support  16  and rested upon the plate  40  when the beverage holder  15  is operable.  
         [0027]     In the preferred illustrative embodiment  15  shown in the Figures, the outer sleeve  17  is provided with a set of four upper holes  19   a  and a set of four lower holes  19   b , and the inner sleeve  18  is provided with a set of four corresponding stud posts  20 . If and when each of the four stud posts  20  is located so as to be received within a different one of each of the four upper holes  19   a , then the container support  16  is suitable for holding a beverage can. If and when each of the four stud posts  20  is located so as to be received within a different one of each of the four lower holes  19   b , then the container support  16  is suitable for holding a beverage bottle.  
         [0028]     To hold and support the beverage holder  15  relative to an adjacent top portion of a table (not shown) or the like, the outer sleeve  17  of the container holder  16  is preferably unitarily associated with a bracket  24  or the like. Various brackets can be employed. For reasons of simplicity, it is preferred to employ a bracket  24  that has an upper support  26  and a lower support  27 .  
         [0029]     The upper support  26  extends laterally outwardly and preferably generally perpendicularly from an upper region of the outer sleeve  17  preferably as an integral extension of the flange  36 . The upper support includes an outer or first portion  28  that is adapted for resting upon an upper edge region of a table. The lower support  27  extends laterally preferably perpendicularly from a mid-region of the outer sleeve  18  and includes an outer or second portion  29  that is adapted to be in spaced adjacent vertical relationship relative to the outer first portion  28  of the upper support  26  and to be beneath but adjacent to an under or lower edge region of a table.  
         [0030]     An adjustable bolt member  30  is preferably provided that extends upwardly, threadably and perpendicularly through the outer second portion  29  to provide clamping capability between the first portion  28  and the head portion of the bolt member  30  with an edge portion of a table (shown in phantom) located therebetween. Preferably, the bolt member  30  includes a broadened, plate-like forward head  35  that is adapted for engaging a table edge undersurface and also an easily hand grasped rearward head  37  such as a spherical plastic or metal knurled knob, as shown. Preferably, the bolt length and threads of the bolt  30  are sufficient to adapt the bracket  24  for mounting to various tables and for the beverage holder  15  to hold various beverage containers.  
         [0031]     In a more preferred bolt  30 , the second portion  29  is associated with a split nut for the bolt  30  that incorporates a toggle-like lever (conventional). When the toggle lever is in an open position, the nut is opened and permits one to loosen the nut from bolt  30  threads for rapid and convenient slidable adjustable movement of the bolt therethrough. Once the bolt is in a desired position, the toggle-like lever is moved to a nut closed position, thereby locking the nut about bolt threads, permitting the bolt to be turned for vertical movement and either tightened to achieve a clamping or loosened to release a clamping.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4   a  shows an alternative clamping mechanism which includes a base portion  42  having a locking cam  43  which when engaged provides for threaded engagement between the bolt member  30  and the base portion  42 . When the locking cam  43  is disengaged by finger pressure, the bolt member  30  can slide freely through an opening (not shown) in the base portion  42 . This mechanism allows for quick release and engagement of the broadened head  35  of the bolt member  30  and the undersurface of the table top.  
         [0033]     To elevate the outer portion  28  of upper support  26  relative to the adjacent mouth  31  of the outer sleeve  17 , it is optional but preferred to provide the upper support  26  with a transversely extending (relative to sleeve  17 ) upset or ridge  32  which can extend diagonally upwards (in the upper support  26 ) preferably adjacent to the mouth  31  thereby to lower the level of the mouth  31  relative to a table top. To strengthen and rigidify the lower support  27 , a vertically extending and radially oriented (relative to upper sleeve  17 ) brace  33  is preferably extended between the lower face of lower support  27  and an adjacent side portion of the outer sleeve  17 . It is convenient and preferred to provide the upper surface of the upper support  26  with a coaster pattern  34 .  
         [0034]     The beverage holder  15  can be fabricated using conventional methods and conventional materials, such as molded plastic (presently preferred), filled plastic, sheet metal, and the like. Where practical, unitary fabrication of components is preferred, but, if components are separately fabricated, conventional appropriate fasteners and fastening means can be employed, such as adhesives, weldments, elongated fasteners such as rivets, screws, nut and bolt assemblies, and the like.  
         [0035]     Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and components, it will be readily understood that various modifications and additions, substitutions and the like can be used in the practice of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive.