Patent Publication Number: US-2011048995-A1

Title: Carrier for condiment and beverage containers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for conveniently holding bottles and containers of condiments and beverages, and for holding and dispensing paper towels. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bottles and similar containers of condiments and beverages are often used during mealtime and at picnics and other similar outings, as are napkins and paper towels. Such items are routinely found in restaurants as well. In the restaurant setting, in particular, bottles of condiments are widely served tableside, such as bottles of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, as are bottles of beer and other beverages. As such, there is a need, particularly by restaurant staff, to carry all these items, in addition to paper towels for use by customers as napkins and wiping up spills. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a carrier for carrying bottles and containers of beverages and condiments, and paper towels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the principle of the invention, a carrier for condiment and beverage containers includes an upright sidewall affixed to a horizontal bottom that cooperates with the sidewall to form a storage area to receive and hold condiment and beverage containers. A horizontal platform is integral with the bottom, and extends outward with respect to the sidewall and terminates with an outer end. An elongate dowel is affixed to the platform between the outer end of the platform and the sidewall. The elongate dowel extends upright with respect to the platform. The elongate dowel is to receive thereabout a paper towel roll and the platform is to receive and support an end of the paper towel roll received thereabout the elongate dowel. A divider divides the storage area into storage compartments each to receive and hold a condiment container. The divider has a top formed with a handle. 
     According to the principle of the invention, a carrier for condiment and beverage containers consists of a sidewall including opposed, substantially parallel first and second end panels, and opposed, substantially parallel first and second side panels substantially perpendicular with respect to the first and second end panels. A central panel is oriented substantially parallel with respect to the first and second side panels and substantially vertical with respect to the first and second end panels, and is located between the first and second side panels and substantially vertically intersects the first and second end panels. A bottom is substantially horizontal with respect to, and affixed to, the first and second end panels, the first and second side panels, and the central panel. The bottom, the first and second side panels, the first and second end panels, and the central panel define cavities to hold condiment and beverage containers. In a particular embodiment, first and second dividers are located between the first and second end panels, and the first divider extends between the first face of the central panel and the first side panel, and the second divider extends between the second face of the central panel and the second side panel. In this embodiment, the first and second dividers cooperate with the various panels to form additional cavities to hold condiment and beverage containers. According to the principle of the invention, a platform is integral with the bottom, and is substantially perpendicular with respect to the first and second end panels, the first and second side panels, and the central panel. The platform extends outward with respect to the first end panel and terminates with an outer end. An elongate dowel is affixed to the platform between the outer end of the platform and the first end panel. The elongate dowel extends substantially vertically upright with respect to the platform. The elongate dowel is to receive thereabout a paper towel roll and the platform is to receive and support an end of the paper towel roll received thereabout the elongate dowel. The central panel has a top formed with a handle, which may be taken up by hand and used to carry the carrier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a carrier for condiment and beverage containers; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the carrier of  FIG. 1  illustrating a paper towel row, depicted in phantom outline, shown installed with respect to the carrier; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the carrier of  FIG. 1  illustrating a paper towel roll and condiment and beverage containers, depicted in phantom outline, shown installed with respect to the carrier; and 
         FIG. 4  is a section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to  FIG. 1  in which there is seen a carrier  10  including an upright sidewall  12  and a bottom  14 . Referencing  FIGS. 3 and 4 , sidewall  12  is affixed to horizontal bottom  14 . Horizontal bottom  14  cooperates with sidewall  12  to form a storage area  15  to receive and hold condiment and beverage containers, such as plastic or glass containers or bottles of salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, juice, milk, beer, or the like. A horizontal platform  20  is integral with bottom  14 , and extends outward with respect to sidewall  12  and terminates with an outer end  22 . Platform  20  is broad and flat, and is part of bottom  14 . 
     Referencing  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , an elongate dowel  30  is affixed to platform  20  between outer end  22  of platform  20  and sidewall  12 . Elongate dowel  30  is rigid and extends upright with respect to platform  20  alongside sidewall  12 . Looking to  FIG. 2 , elongate dowel  30  is to receive thereabout a paper towel roll  40  depicted in phantom outline in  FIG. 2 , and platform  20  is to receive and support end  41  of paper towel roll  40  received thereabout elongate dowel  30 . The combination of elongate dowel  30  that receives paper towel roll  40  and platform  20  against which paper towel  40  rests against when received about elongate dowel  30  provides a stable coupling of paper towel roll  40  with respect to carrier  10 . 
     Referencing  FIGS. 1 and 3 , carrier  10  incorporates dividers  50 - 54 . Dividers  50 - 54  are located in storage area  15 , and divide storage area  15  into compartments  58  denoted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each of which is to receive and hold a container or bottle. As a matter of example, in  FIG. 3  two compartments  58  are shown as they would appear with containers or bottles  18  and  19 , respectively, contained therein, in which bottles  18  and  19  are illustrated in phantom outline. 
     Divider  50  has a top  50 A formed with a handle  50 B as shown in  FIG. 1 , which may be taken up by hand and used to carry carrier  10  from place to place. The opening or hole of handle  50 B is of such a size and location as to permit comfortable gripping by an adult&#39;s hand. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , sidewall  12  consists of opposed, substantially parallel end panels  60  and  61 , and opposed, substantially parallel side panels  62  and  63  substantially perpendicular with respect to end panels  60  and  61  and each joined to an end of each of the end panels  60  and  61 . End panel  60  is substantially coextensive with respect to end panel  61 , and side panel  62  is substantially coextensive with respect to side panel  63 . Side panels  62  and  63  are longer than end panels  60  and  61  in this embodiment, such that sidewall  12  is generally rectangular in shape. Bottom  14  of carrier  10  is substantially horizontal with respect to, and affixed to, end panels  60  and  61 , side panels  62  and  63 , and dividers  50 - 54 . Bottom  14 , end panels  60  and  61 , side panels  62  and  63 , and dividers  50 - 54  define compartments  58  in storage area  15 . 
     Dividers  50 - 54  are panels. Divider  50  is a central panel, and is oriented substantially parallel with respect to side panels  62  and  63  and substantially vertical with respect to end panels  60  and  61 . The central panel of carrier  10  formed by divider  50  is located between side panels  62  and  63 , and substantially vertically intersects end panels  60  and  61 . Divider  50  is preferably substantially equidistant with respect to side panels  62  and  63 . The central panel forming divider  50  forms two large storage compartments on either side thereof, including compartment  70  between divider  50  and side panel  62 , and compartment  71  between divider  50  and side panel  63 . Compartments  70  and  71  are each suitable to receive and hold containers or bottles of condiments, beverages, or the like. 
     In this embodiment, dividers  51  and  52  are formed in storage compartment  70  and divide storage compartment  70  into three smaller compartments  58 , and dividers  53  and  54  are formed in storage compartment  70  and divide storage compartment  71  into three smaller compartments  58 . Dividers  51  and  52  are located between and are substantially parallel with respect to end panels  60  and  61 , and are spaced apart, and extend between and substantially vertically intersect divider  50  and side panel  62  dividing storage compartment  70  into three compartments  58  each suitable to receive a bottle or container. Dividers  53  and  54  are located between and are substantially parallel with respect to end panels  60  and  61 , and are spaced apart, and extend between and substantially vertically intersect divider  50  and side panel  63  dividing storage compartment  71  into three compartments  58  each suitable to receive a bottle or container. Carrier  10  incorporates six compartments  58  in the present embodiment. In other embodiments, carrier  10  can be fashioned with less than six compartments  58  or more than six compartments  58 , as may be desired. 
     Platform  20  integral with bottom  14  is substantially horizontal with respect end panels  60  and  61 , side panels  62  and  63 , and dividers  50 - 54 , and extends outward with respect to end panel  60  and terminates with an outer end  22  opposing end panel  60 . Elongate dowel  30  has a lower end  31  affixed to platform  20  between outer end  22  of platform  20  and end panel  60  at a generally central location with respect to platform  20  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , and extends substantially vertically upright therefrom and terminates with upper end  32 . In the present embodiment, lower end  31  of dowel  30  is frictionally received by a central opening  80  formed in platform  20  illustrated in  FIG. 4  and glued in place with an adhesive. In other embodiments, lower end  31  of dowel  30  can be screwed to platform  20 , welded to platform  20 , integrally formed with platform  20 , etc. 
     Carrier  10  is fashioned of wood, metal, plastic, or other substantially rigid material or combination of materials, the various parts of which are preferable secured to each other with the use of conventional joinery methods, a suitable adhesive, such as construction adhesive or other strong, aggressive adhesive, or in the case of metal and plastic with conventional welding techniques. In other embodiments, carrier  10  can be integrally formed, such as by molding of plastic or other moldable material. 
     In use, bottles or containers of beverages and/or condiments are placed in compartments  58 , and a paper towel roll, such as paper towel roll  40  illustrated in phantom outline in  FIG. 2 , is placed over elongate dowel  30  and set against platform  20 . At this point, handle  50 B may be taken up by hand and carrier  10  loaded down with containers and/or bottles and the paper towel roll may then be carried to table and then set on the table. During a meal, the bottles or containers held in compartments  58  may then be removed and used as needed and then placed back into compartments  58  thereafter, and paper towels from paper towel roll  40  may be readily accessed and removed as needed, such as napkin use or for wiping up spills. Paper towel roll  40  can rotate about elongate dowel  30  to allow paper towels to be unwound from paper towel roll  40  and torn away. Upon completion of a meal, for instance, caddy  10  and its contents may be taken up by grasping handle  50 B and carried away for cleaning and storage. If desired, advertising can be applied to the exterior surfaces of carrier  10  to convey one or more desired advertisements or advertising messages, which may be particularly suitable when carrier  10  is used in a restaurant setting. 
     Platform  20  is integral with bottom  14  and is therefore highly stable and not prone to breaking at the point where platform  20  meets sidewall  12 . The combination of platform  20  and dowel  30  forms an exemplary and easy to use system for receiving and holding a paper towel roll in combination with a compartmented structure to receive and hold containers and/or bottles of beverages, condiments, and the like. Because platform  20  is simply an extension of bottom  14 , carrier  10  as a whole is very easy to construct, and highly stable. 
     The invention has been described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the nature and scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications to the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.