Patent Publication Number: US-5295650-A

Title: Adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant invention relates generally to beverage retaining devices and more specifically it relates to an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Numerous beverage retaining devices have been provided in prior art that are adapted to engage with beverage containers, so as to keep them stabilized to prevent the spillage of the liquid contents therefrom. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. 
     Another object is to provide an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair that can be clamped to an armrest of the chair, so that a beverage container can be maintained in a steady upright position with respect to the chair to prevent spillage. 
     An additional object is to provide an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair, that can be clamped to a frame of a backrest on an armless chair, so as to substitute for an armrest as well as support the beverage container in a steady upright position with respect to the chair to prevent spillage. 
     A further object is to provide an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair that is simple and easy to use. 
     A still further object is to provide an adjustable beverage holder for a folding lounge chair that is economical in cost to manufacture. 
     Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a folding lounge chair with the instant invention installed thereto ready for use. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view with parts broken away taken in direction of line 2--2 in FIG. 1, showing the clamp in greater detail. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view with parts broken away and in section, showing the beverage receptacle with an adjustment shaft in greater detail. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 3, showing the ball and socket universal joint in greater detail 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of the instant invention attached to the frame of an armless chair, with the collapsible leg ready to be pulled down. 
     FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the second embodiment with parts broken away and the collapsible leg down in a support position. 
     FIG. 7 is a top perspective view similar to FIG. 6, with the arm and the collapsible leg up in a stored position. 
     FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a third embodiment with parts broken away attached to an armrest of a chair. 
     FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a fourth embodiment with parts broken away attached to an armrest of a chair. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the Figures illustrate an adjustable beverage holder 10 for a folding lounge chair 12, which consists of an arm 14, a fastener 16 for removably attaching a first end of the arm 14 to the folding lounge chair 12, a beverage receptacle 18 and a mechanism 20 for coupling in an adjustable manner, the beverage receptacle 18 to a second end of the arm opposite from the removable attaching fastener 16. A beverage container 22 placed within the beverage receptacle 18 will be maintained in a steady upright position with respect to the folding lounge chair 12, to prevent spillage from the beverage container 22. 
     The removable attaching fastener 16 is a clamp 24. The clamp 24 includes a stationary jaw 26 connected to the arm 14. A movable jaw 28 has a portion 30 that slides within the stationary jaw 26. A device 32 is for locking the portion 30 of the movable jaw 28 to the stationary jaw 26. 
     As best seen in FIG. 2, the locking device 32 consists of the stationary jaw 28 having a longitudinal slot 34 on one side 36 thereof. A set screw 38 is provided having a threaded shaft and enlarged head 40. The threaded shaft fits through the longitudinal slot 34 and threads into the portion 30 of the movable jaw 28 and is tightened. The enlarged head 40 will bear against the one side 36 of the stationary jaw 26, to lock the movable jaw 28 thereto. 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, the adjustable coupling mechanism 20 includes the arm 14 having a longitudinal aperture 42 extending within the second end. An elongate shaft 44 adjustably fits into the longitudinal aperture 42 and extends outwardly therefrom. An apparatus 46 is for retaining the elongated shaft 44 within the longitudinal aperture 42. A coupler 48 is for pivotally connecting the beverage receptacle 18 to a distal free end of the elongated shaft 44. The beverage receptacle 18 can be positioned in a relative vertical position with respect to the folding lounge chair 12. 
     The pivotally connecting coupler 48 is a ball and socket universal joint 50, as best seen in FIG. 4. The beverage receptacle 18 is fabricated out of a flexible material 51 such as soft plastic or rubber, so that it can be collapsed for storage. A rotating clip 51a is affixed to an underside of the beverage receptacle 18. The rotating clip 51a can engage with the elongate shaft 44 when the beverage receptacle 18 is collapsed for storage. 
     The retaining apparatus 46 is a chuck collar assembly 52, which fits onto the elongate shaft 44 and the longitudinal aperture 42, at the second end of the arm 14. The retaining apparatus 46 can also be a bolt 54, shown in FIG. 8, which threads transversely into the arm 14 at the second end thereof to engage with the elongated shaft 44. A swivel fastener 56 transversely extends into the first end of the arm 14 and the stationary jaw 26 of the clamp 24. The arm 14 can pivot about the clamp 24 to various positions. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, the arm 14 is divided into two segments 58 and 60. The first forward segment 58 is longer in length than the second rearward segment 60. A hinge 64 is between the two segments 58 and 60, so that the first forward segment 58 can be folded up and over the second rearward segment 60 for storage when not in use. 
     The adjustable beverage holder 10, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, further includes a collapsible leg 66 pivotally connected at 68 to a recessed underside 70 of the first forward segment 60 of the arm 14 at the second end thereof. The collapsible leg 66 when extended downwardly in a vertical position will support the arm 14 in a stationary condition. 
     The collapsible leg 66 contains an upper portion 72 and a lower portion 74 that is telescopic within the upper portion 72. A locking collar 76 is between the upper portion 72 and the lower portion 74, to adjust the length of the collapsible leg 66. The collapsible leg 66 further includes a drop rail support 78, pivotally connected in an angular position between the upper portion 72 of the collapsible leg 66 and the recessed underside 70 of the first forward segment 60 of the arm 14, to help maintain the collapsible leg 66 and the arm 14 in a stationary condition. As shown in phantom in FIG. 5, a second collapsible leg 66a identical to the first collapsible leg 66 can be utilized for extra support by being pivotally connected and spaced behind at one side from the first collapsible leg 66. 
     The arm 14, as shown in FIG. 9, is divided into two segments 80 and 82, in which the first forward segment 80 is shorter in length than the second rearward segment 82. The second rearward segment 82 has a forward curved edge 84, with a curved groove 86 extending therein. The first forward segment 80 has a rearward curved edge 88, with a curved tongue 90 extending therefrom which rides within the curved groove 86. A second swivel fastener 92 transversely extends into the second rearward segment 82, near the forward curved edge 84 and through the curved tongue 90, so that the first forward segment 80 can pivot thereabout to various positions. 
     The clamp 24 can be connected to an armrest 94 of the folding lounge chair 12, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9. If the folding lounge chair 12 is armless, then the clamp 24 can be connected to the frame 96 of the folding lounge chair 12, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7. As shown in phantom in FIG. 9, an optional hole 98 can also be provided in the second rearward segment 82 for holding an umbrella therein. 
     The adjustable beverage holder 10 with the hinge 64, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, does not need to fold up to store. It can slide back and forth on a backrest portion of the frame 96 or armrest 94 to store. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     10--adjustable beverage holder 
     12--folding lounge chair 
     14--arm 
     16--removable attaching fastener 
     18--beverage receptacle 
     20--adjustable coupling mechanism 
     22--beverage container 
     24--clamp for 16 
     26--stationary jaw of 24 
     28--movable jaw of 24 
     30--portion of 28 
     32--locking device 
     34--longitudinal slot in 36 
     36--one side of 28 
     38--set screw 
     40--enlarged head of 38 
     42--longitudinal aperture in 14 
     44--elongate shaft 
     46--retaining apparatus 
     48--pivotally connecting coupler 
     50--ball and socket universal joint 
     51--flexible material for 18 
     51a--rotating clip on underside of 18 
     52--chuck collar assembly for 46 
     54--bolt for 46 
     56--first swivel fastener 
     58--first forward long segment of 14 
     60--second rearward short segment of 14 
     64--hinge 
     66--first collapsible leg 
     66a--second collapsible leg 
     68--pivot 
     70--recessed underside of 60 
     72--upper portion of 66 
     74--lower portion of 66 
     76--locking collar 
     78--drop rail support 
     80--first forward short segment of 14 
     82--second rearward long segment of 14 
     84--forward curved edge of 80 
     86--curved groove in 84 
     88--rearward curved edge 
     90--curved tongue on 88 
     92--second swivel fastener 
     94--armrest of 12 
     96--frame of 12 
     98--optional umbrella hole in 82 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.