Patent ID: 7597300

Claim:
A container holding unit for holding a container by pushing the container, comprising: a case having a first guide groove and a second guide groove extending downwardly from a front side toward a rear side, an abutting portion disposed in the case for abutting against a circumference of the container, said abutting portion having a first shaft inserted in the first guide groove and a second shaft inserted in the second guide groove so that the abutting portion slides relative to the case along the guide grooves, said abutting portion being arranged in the case rotatably around the first shaft in a direction such that a projection amount of the abutting portion from the case decreases when an upward force is applied to the abutting portion from below, and an urging device disposed between the case and the abutting portion for urging the abutting portion in a direction that the abutting portion projects from the case, and in a direction that the abutting portion returns to an initial position when the abutting portion rotates, wherein said second guide groove has a width greater than that of the first guide groove so that when the abutting portion rotates around the first shaft by the upward force applied thereto, the second shaft moves in the second guide groove to retract the abutting portion inside the case.