Patent Publication Number: US-10772448-B2

Title: Apparatus for supporting beverage containers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to table equipment, and, more particularly, to apparatus for supporting beverage containers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When eating while standing or in a dynamic environment such as on a boat, it is often difficult to simultaneously hold a plate of food, eat from that plate, and support a beverage. Instead, one must try to find a place to safely place the beverage while eating, and this often leads to spillage and other accidents. 
     As a result, there have been several attempts to develop mechanical systems that can aid in safely supporting a beverage container without use of hands. Such systems are described in, for example: US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0249520; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,919,381; 8,025,146; and 9,578,954. Nevertheless, each of these systems suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: being overly complicated, requiring the use of purpose-specific beverage containers, being expensive to produce, and being inconvenient to use. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved apparatus for supporting beverages that address these shortcomings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention address the above-identified needs by providing apparatus that allow beverages to be safely and securely supported in an upright position. 
     Aspects of the invention are directed to a kit for use with a beverage container. The kit comprises: a sleeve, an interior plate, an engaging feature, a connector, and a support element. The sleeve defines an interior volume dimensioned to contain at least a portion of the beverage container. The interior plate is disposed within the interior volume. The engaging feature is disposed outside the interior volume and defines an upper sidewall and a lower sidewall. The connector penetrates the bottom and interconnects the interior plate and the engaging feature. The support element defines a receiving feature shaped to engage with the engaging feature such that at least part of the receiving feature is positioned between a portion of the upper sidewall and a portion of the lower sidewall. 
     Additional aspects of the invention are directed to an apparatus comprising: a beverage container, a beverage holder, and a serving tray. The beverage holder comprises a sleeve, an interior plate, an engaging feature, and a connector. The sleeve defines an interior volume dimensioned to contain at least a portion of the beverage container. The interior plate is disposed within the interior volume. The engaging feature is disposed outside the interior volume and defines an upper exterior plate and a lower exterior plate. The connector penetrates the bottom and interconnects the interior plate and the engaging feature. The serving tray defines a receiving feature engaging with the engaging feature such that at least part of the receiving feature is positioned between a portion of the upper sidewall and a portion of the lower sidewall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an illustrative apparatus in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a broken perspective view of a lower portion of a drink holder in the  FIG. 1  apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  shows an exploded broken perspective view of the  FIG. 2  drink holder portion; 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view of the  FIG. 2  drink holder portion; 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a receiving feature in the  FIG. 1  apparatus. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  show broken side views of the  FIG. 2  drink holder portion engaging a receiving feature in the  FIG. 1  apparatus; and 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of an alternative illustrative support element in association with a round cylindrical railing, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be described with reference to illustrative embodiments. For this reason, numerous modifications can be made to these embodiments and the results will still come within the scope of the invention. No limitations with respect to the specific embodiments described herein are intended or should be inferred. 
     As used herein and in the appended claims, the term “plate” is not restricted to planar or flat objects and is not restricted to objects that are necessarily circular. Rather, the term “plate” is to be interpreted broadly and may encompass sheets of metal or other materials that are formed so as to be non-planar and/or non-circular. Moreover, the term “discrete,” when applied to two elements, means that those elements are not formed of a single piece of material, but instead are formed from two pieces of material that are separate from each other immediately after their manufacture. “Substantially parallel” means parallel within plus or minus ten degrees. Finally, two or more elements “are substantially identical in shape” if they are identical in shape within the ordinary and customary manufacturing tolerances used in their production. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an illustrative apparatus (or kit)  100  in accordance with aspects of the invention. The apparatus  100  comprises a serving tray  105  and four drink holders  110 . Each of the drink holders  110  encloses a respective beverage can  1000 . As will be described in greater detail below, each corner of the serving tray  105  defines a receiving feature  115  that is shaped to engage with engaging features  120  on the bottoms of the drink holders  110 . So configured, the drink holders  110  may be slid onto the receiving features  115  of the serving tray  105 , allowing the serving tray  105  to securely support the beverage cans  1000  in an upright position. 
       FIGS. 2-4  show aspects of a representative one of the drink holders  110 , with  FIG. 2  showing a broken perspective view of a lower portion of the drink holder  110 ,  FIG. 3  showing an exploded broken perspective view, and  FIG. 4  showing a sectional view. The drink holder  110  comprises a sleeve  125 , an interior plate  130 , an upper exterior plate  135 , a lower exterior plate  140 , and a connector  145 . The sleeve  125 , in turn, comprises a bottom  150 , a cylindrical sidewall  160 , and an open top  175 , which combine to define an interior volume  180 . The connector  145 , comprising two engaging rivet parts  185 , penetrates a hole  195  in the bottom  150  of the sleeve  125 , and acts to interconnect the interior plate  130 , the upper exterior plate  135 , and the lower exterior plate  140 . The various plates  130 ,  135 ,  140  are thereby stacked upon each other with the bottom  150  of the sleeve  125  separating the interior plate  130  from the exterior plates  135 ,  140 . 
     The sleeve  125  is dimensioned such that the beverage can  1000  may be placed into the interior volume  180  above the interior plate  130 . The sleeve  125  may be formed of a flexible, thermally insulating material, making the sleeve  125  similar to what is sometimes called a “koozie,” “coozy,” or “coozie.” In fact, aspects of the invention may be retrofittable to already-existing, conventional sleeves. The thermally insulating properties of the sleeve  125  help to maintain the beverage contained therein at the desired temperature, whether hot or cold. 
     In the present illustrative embodiment, the interior plate  130 , the upper exterior plate  135 , and the lower exterior plate  140  are substantially identical in shape. Each comprises a respective annular element with a center opening  200  surrounded by a flat inside region  205 , an angled center region  210 , and a flat outside region  215 . Both the interior plate  130  and the upper exterior plate  135  are oriented in a like direction, while the lower exterior plate  140  is oriented in the opposite direction. So oriented, the upper exterior plate  135  and the lower exterior plate  140  combine to create the engaging feature  120 . The engaging feature  120  defines an upper sidewall  137  formed by the upper exterior plate  135  and a lower sidewall  142  formed by the lower exterior plate  140  ( FIG. 4 ). At the same time, when considered in cross-section, the engaging feature  120  defines an open inside region  220  bordered by angled portions of the upper and lower sidewalls  137 ,  142  that form a v-shape, surrounded by an open outside region  225  bordered by substantially parallel portions of the upper and lower sidewalls  137 ,  142 . In this manner, the drink holder  110  defines a uniquely shaped “clip” for use in securing the drink holder  110  to the serving tray  105 . Advantageously, the drink holder  110  may also be rested on this clip on any flat surface if, for whatever reason, the serving tray  105  is not used for support. 
     The receiving features  115  of the serving tray  105  are designed to slidably engage with the uniquely shaped engaging features  120  of the drink holders  110 .  FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a representative one of the receiving features  115 . The receiving feature  115  is arc-shaped. When considered in cross-section, the receiving feature  115  defines a solid inside region  230  having angled upper and lower surfaces that form a v-shape, surrounded by a solid outside region  235  having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces. In so doing, the receiving feature  115  defines a shape that, at least in cross-section, is essentially inverse to that of the engaging feature  120 . A step  240  borders the solid outside region  235  and is the transition into the remainder of the serving tray  105 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show broken side views of the bottom portion of the representative drink holder  110  engaging a representative receiving feature  115  on the serving tray  105 . In  FIG. 6 , the drink holder  110  is partially engaged on the serving tray  105 , while in  FIG. 7 , the drink holder  110  is fully engaged. When engaged with the engaging feature  120 , part of the receiving feature  115  is positioned between a portion of the upper sidewall  137  and a portion of the lower sidewall  142 . 
     Once understood from the description provided herein, the various elements of the apparatus  100  may be formed using conventional materials and conventional manufacturing techniques that will already be familiar to one having ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The sleeve  125  may be formed of, for example, leather, neoprene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), vinyl, and various open-cell and closed-cell foams. The various interior and exterior plates  130 ,  135 ,  140  may be formed of, for instance, metal, plastic, or other materials, and may have an outside diameter of about 2½ inches. The rise in the interior and exterior plates  130 ,  135 ,  140  defined by the angling of these features may be, for example, about ¼ inch. Nevertheless, despite the recitation of these particular materials and dimensions herein, it is again emphasized that these materials and dimension are solely provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other materials and dimensions would also come within the scope of the invention. 
     It should again be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative only. Other embodiments can use different types and arrangements of elements for implementing the described functionality. These numerous alternative embodiments will be apparent to one skilled in the art. 
     For example, while the sleeve  125  in the illustrative embodiment set forth above encloses a beverage can  1000 , alternative embodiments may be dimensioned to encompass other types of beverage containers, including, but not limited to, bottles and cups. Alternatively or additionally, while a particular rivet-like connector  145  was presented above, the connector in alternative embodiments may take on many other forms including, as just one example, a bolt and nut arrangement (with one or more washers if so desired), Chicago screws, and the like. In even other embodiments, the engaging feature  120  may be formed of a single, continuous piece of material rather than being formed of separate plates  135 ,  140 . 
     Moreover, while the above-described illustrative embodiment utilizes a serving tray  105  as a support element for the drink holders  110 , other embodiments falling within the scope of the invention may utilize many alternative forms of support elements.  FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of an alternative illustrative support element  800  in association with a round cylindrical railing  8000  like that found on a boat. The alternative support element  800  defines an arc-shaped receiving feature  805  similar in shape to the receiving feature  115 , allowing the alternative support element  800  to be used with a drink holder like the drink holders  110  set forth above. Mounting of the alternative support element  800  to the railing  8000  is via two somewhat-elastic round clips  810  that are shaped to allow the alternative support element  800  to be manually clipped onto the railing  8000  and held in place by compression. Elastomeric pads  815  (formed of, e.g., rubber) attached to internal surfaces of the clips  810  stop the clips  810  from marring the railing  8000  and also provide additional friction to keep the alternative support element  800  upright. 
     All the features disclosed herein may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purposes, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
     Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function or “step for” performing a specified function is not to be interpreted as a “means for” or “step for” clause as specified in AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). In particular, the use of “steps of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).