Patent Abstract:
A drink stand is provided having a base portion that is designed to rest on the ground or other horizontal surface. A top portion is designed to be affixed to the base portion through a support rod. The top portion is surrounded by a continuous loop that includes stemware holders where a portion of the loop is bent inward to form an opening. The top portion includes a centrally located large vessel holder. Cup holders with a gap adapted to receive a handle are affixed between the loop and the large vessel holder. A support rod is included with the cup holder that has a bent floor portion that effectively forms a planar surface that supports the bottom of the cup.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This present disclosure relates to drink stands that are made to rest on a surface. The current art is populated with various devices that will either sit on the ground or be driven into the ground and provide a table or tray portion that can hold a drink. Many of these have moving parts, require assembly, are complicated, do not store in a compact fashion, or are simply not stable. Many are made with plastic that can crack or break and does not hold up to rough handling. Further, they do not provide any flexibility for various types of drinks, such as wine glasses, cans of soda, and cups that have handles. An improved drink holder is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure describes a drink or beverage stand made from bent and welded metal wire. The stand is made up of three separate parts, the top, the rod, and the base. These three parts are then assembled together to form the drink stand. The rod threads into the top and the base to complete assembly. The top has a centrally located holder that will hold a larger vessel, such as a wine bottle. The top also has two wine glass holders that have openings for stemware located adjacent the large vessel holder. Located also on the top are two cup holders that have a circular opening with an interruption to allow for the handle of a mug or cup. Extending downward from the cup holder is a cradle formed with several bends to create a floor that supports the cups. The geometry of the cradle is minimalist but still retains most commercially available cans, bottles, and glasses. The base has a larger diameter than the top in order to increase stability. The rod is threaded but also has jamb nuts that allow multiple secure positions of assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A preferred embodiment of this invention has been chosen wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric exploded view of the stand; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the stand; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the stand; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the stand; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the top portion of the stand as shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the top portion of the stand as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the top portion of the stand as shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the top portion of the stand as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the stand; 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom isometric view of the top portion of the stand; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the cup holder only; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the cup holder only; 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the cup holder only; and 
         FIG. 14  is an isometric view of the cup holder only. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A beverage stand  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  has a top  12 , a rod  14 , and a base  16 . The base  16  is designed to rest on the ground  11  or other horizontal surface. The base  16  is formed from bent metal wire that is welded together, but other methods of connecting the individual pieces are contemplated, such as screws, rivets, or adhesive. The base  16  has a circular outer ring  18  and four rods  20 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26  meet in the center of the ring  18 . At the center of the ring  18 , a threaded receiver  28  is located that extends perpendicular to the plane formed by the outer ring  18 . As shown, each of the four rods have a foot  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  that will directly contact the ground  11 . The outer ring  18  stabilizes each of the rods  20 ,  22 ,  24 , and  26 . As shown, the feet  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  protrude to one side of the outer ring  18 , but it is contemplated they are flush. It is further contemplated that the outer ring  18  itself rests directly on the ground  11 . 
     The rod  14  is formed from an elongate length of metal  40  with a first threaded end  42  and a second threaded end  44 . The rod  14  is symmetrical so the threaded ends  42 ,  44  can be swapped without affecting the fitment of the other parts. Threaded onto the threaded ends  42 ,  44  are jamb nuts  46 ,  48 . The jamb nuts  46 ,  48  allow the rod  14  to be affixed to the top and bottom  12 ,  16  without having to bottom out the threads on the threaded receiver  28 . 
     The top  12 , like the base  16 , is formed from bent and welded metal wire. The top  12  is significantly more complex and is assembled from many individual bent wire components that are welded together. The top  12  has several portions, the large vessel holder  50 , the stemware holders  52 ,  54 , and the cup holders  80 ,  82 . The large vessel holder  50  is made to hold a wine bottle (not shown) or equivalent sized vessel. It is circular and is sized to accept a cooling sleeve (not shown). The cooling sleeve would fit inside the large vessel holder  50  and have an open top, a continuous sidewall, and a closed bottom such that it could hold a liquid, such as ice water. The cooling sleeve would be large enough to accept a wine bottle and the liquid would help maintain the temperature of the bottle. The large vessel holder  50  has a top ring  60 , a center ring  62 , and a bottom ring  64 , all of which are shown having the same diameter. The top ring  60 , center ring  62 , and bottom ring  64  are shown as parallel circular components that are spaced from each other. It is contemplated that the rings  60 ,  62 ,  64  are different diameters. Support rods  66  hold the rings  60 ,  62 , and  64  in place. The support rods  66  are bent adjacent around and affixed to the bottom ring  64  to form a floor portion  68  and meet at a center point where a threaded receiver  70  is affixed. The threaded receiver  70  is sized to accept one of the threaded ends  42 ,  44  of the rod  14 . The center points of the rings  60 ,  62 ,  64 , a major diameter  72  of the top  12 , and the threaded receiver  70  all align to form a central axis that is perpendicular to their respective diameters. When the top  12  is affixed to the bottom  16  through the rod  14 , the center points of the components are intersected by the central axis. 
     The top  12  has a major diameter  72  that is slightly smaller than the outer ring  18  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The major diameter  72  is aligned with and concentric to the center ring  62 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , both the major diameter  72  and the center ring  62  are co-planar and located along plane  110 , but it is not required. Stemware holders  52 ,  54  are formed by bending an arcuate portion  74  inwardly towards the center of the major diameter  72 , creating an opening  76 . A support rod  78  is affixed at one end to the arcuate portion  74  opposite the opening  76 . The other end of the support rod  78  is affixed to the center ring  62 . The support rod  78  serves to further stabilize the major diameter  72 . The arcuate portion  74  is small enough to prevent common stemware (not shown but typically a vessel such as a wine glass) from falling through, and the opening  76  is large enough to allow the stem of the stemware to pass through. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the top  12  has two stemware holders  52 ,  54  that are located opposite each other, but it is contemplated that different angular locations and/or additional stemware holders are included. 
     The top  12  further includes two cup holders  80 ,  82 . As shown, they are located opposite each other, but it is contemplated that different angular locations and/or additional cup holders are included. As with the other parts of the beverage stand  10 , they are formed from bent metal wire. The cup holders  80 ,  82  have a top portion  84  that is circular and has a section missing to create a handle aperture  86 . The top portion  84  is also located on plane  110  and attached to the major diameter  72  at a first tangent point  89 . Directly across from the first tangent point  89  to the major diameter  72  is a second tangent point  91  where the top portion  84  is affixed to the center ring  62 . The handle aperture  86  allows a cup with a handle (common in coffee cups and re-useable water bottles) to be placed into the cup holder  80 ,  82  without the handle interfering with the top portion  84 . The handle aperture  86  is shown as being located at a midpoint between the first tangent point  89  and said second tangent point  91 . Extending downwardly from the top portion  84  is a cantilevered support  87 . The support  87 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , is formed from a bent metal wire and attached to the top portion  84  where it meets the major diameter  72 . It is contemplated that the support  87  is attached in a different location on the top portion  84 . The support  87  has a downwardly extending offsetting portion  88  that transitions into a bottom portion  90  that is parallel to plane  110  and spaced from the top portion  84  on plane  112 . As shown, the bottom portion  90  is formed by bending the wire into several angles  96 ,  98 . The bottom portion  90  has an insetting portion  101  that meets an obtuse angle  100  that extends to a first chordal section  103 . The angle  96  is shown as an acute angle, along with angle  98 . Located between angle  96  and angle  98  is a chordal section that intersects a center as viewed through the top portion  84 . Another chordal section  104  is substantially mirrored to chordal section  103 . Another insetting portion  105  extends from angle  98  and then transitions to another insetting portion  105 . The insetting portion  105  transitions to a cradle rod  92 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , the bottom portion  90  is an S-shape, but other shapes are contemplated. The cradle rod  92  extends upwardly from the bottom portion  90  towards the top portion  84  and terminates at an end  94 . The cradle rod  92  is shorter than the downwardly extending offsetting portion  88 , leaving the end  94  spaced from the top portion  84 . 
     It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. No specific limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may be made to the disclosed subject matter as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0