Bottle carrier   

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to handheld article carriers and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bottle carrier that enables the user to simultaneously pick up a plurality of full or empty bottles (e.g., beer, soda, etc.) carry them to a destination point, and then release them in a single actuation of the handle.

BACKGROUND ART

The use of bottles for the containment of beverages for individual consumption is an extremely common practice, with glass and plastic bottles perhaps being more popular than cans for such individual use. Such bottles are generally supplied. in groups of six contained in the well-known “six-pack” carton, with four such six packs being provided in a twenty-four bottle case. General practice is for consumers to purchase such beverages by the six-pack, and for beverages to be handled at the retail level (consumer sales and restaurants, etc.) by the six-pack before individual bottle sales to customers at the restaurant level. In some instances, smaller packs of four bottles in a two-by-two matrix are provided, with the carton essentially being a shortened configuration of the conventional six-pack carton.

The six-pack cardboard carton enables persons to carry six or fewer bottles at a time using a single handle. However, such six-pack containers still require the person carrying the assembly to remove the bottles individually from the six-pack carton for individual sales, consumption, or discard, in the case of empty bottles. Moreover, individual bottles must be returned to the six-pack carton or container individually and sequentially for carriage in the six-pack container. While this is no more than a minor inconvenience for individuals in the home, it can be a somewhat more critical factor in the restaurant industry where staff persons are often simultaneously carrying several items and attempting to accomplish further multiple tasks with one free hand.

Consequently, there is a need for a device capable of simultaneously picking up more than one bottle, transporting the bottles, and releasing the bottles. Thus, a bottle carrier solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

The disclosure is directed to a bottle carrier. The bottle carrier has a base plate with a plurality of bottle clearance passages. First and second side portions of the bottle carrier define a centrally disposed carton handle clearance slot that extends for one end of the bottle carrier to the other. A bottleneck gripping mechanism is positioned atop the base plate. The bottleneck gripping mechanism is disposed about each of the bottle clearance passages. A carrying handle support structure extends upwardly from the base plate. A carrying handle is disposed atop the carrying handle support structure and spaced apart from the base plate. A bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle is positioned between the carrying handle and the base plate. The actuation handle communicates with each of the bottleneck gripping mechanisms to grip and release bottles.

The disclosure is also directed to a bottle carrier that includes bottleneck clamps. The bottle carrier has a base plate with a plurality of bottle clearance passages that extend through the base plate. A carrying handle support structure extends upwardly from the base plate. A carrying handle is disposed atop the carrying handle support structure and spaced apart from the base plate. A bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle is disposed between the carrying handle and the base plate.

The bottle carrier includes a plurality of bottleneck clamps. Each of the clamps has first and second clamp elements as well as first and second hinges. The hinges are positioned atop the base plate and pivotally attach to the first and second clamp elements on opposite sides of a corresponding bottle clearance passage. First and second springs urge the corresponding first and second clamp elements toward one another to close about the neck of a bottle inserted through the corresponding bottle clearance passage. The clamp elements extend upwardly from the base plate and have a generally arcuate configuration that includes an upper bottleneck grip edge. Corresponding pairs of clamp elements form a generally conical configuration over each of the bottle clearance passages. A linkage connecting assembly depends from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle and a flexible bottleneck clamp release linkage extends from each pair of the bottleneck clamps to the linkage connecting assembly.

In operation, corresponding bottleneck clamp elements automatically push open independently of the other bottleneck clamps when the neck of a bottle is inserted through any one of the bottleneck clearance passages. When the bottle neck is fully inserted, the upper bottleneck grip edges of the corresponding clamp elements automatically grip the bottleneck. To release the bottles, the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle is lifted relative to the carrying handle so that the first and second clamp elements pull apart from one another and thereby release the bottles.

The disclosure is further directed to a bottle carrier with bottle gripping slide plates. The bottle carrier has a base plate with a plurality of bottle clearance passages. First and second side portions of the bottle carrier define a centrally disposed carton handle clearance slot that extends for one end of the bottle carrier to the other.

The bottle carrier also includes first and second slide plates disposed atop the base plate. The slide plates are disposed parallel to each other on opposite sides of the carton handle clearance slot. Each of the slide plates has a plurality of bottleneck gripping passages corresponding to the bottle clearance passages in the base plate. A carrying handle is disposed atop a carrying handle support structure that extends upwardly from the base plate so that the carrying handle is spaced apart from the base plate. A bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle depends from the carrying handle. The actuation handle is disposed between the carrying handle and the base plate. A lateral pivot depends from the carrying handle. The lateral pivot pivotally secures the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle beneath the carrying handle. A spring is disposed between the carrying handle and the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle. The spring urges the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle away from the carrying handle. A first and a second slide plate actuating arm extends from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle, and communicates respectively with the first and second slide plates.

In operation, the slide plates move toward the second end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is pivotally actuated toward the carrying handle, thereby closing the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate about the necks of any bottles positioned therein to grip the bottlenecks. Conversely, the slide plates move toward the first end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is released, thereby opening the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate to release any bottles placed therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a first embodiment of a bottle carrier according to the present invention, showing its operation and use.

FIG. 2 is an environmental end elevation view of the bottle carrier of FIG. 1, showing further details thereof.

FIG. 3A is an environmental side elevation view of the bottle carrier of FIGS. 1 and 2 in enlarged scale, showing the capture of the bottlenecks by the bottle carrier.

FIG. 3B is an environmental side elevation view of the bottle carrier of FIG. 3A in enlarged scale, showing the release of the bottlenecks by means of the release handle of the bottle carrier.

FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of a second embodiment of a bottle carrier according to the present invention, illustrating various features thereof.

FIG. 5A is a side elevation view in partial section of the bottle carrier of FIG. 4, showing the capture of the bottlenecks by the device.

FIG. 5B is a side elevation view in section of the bottle carrier of FIGS. 4 and 5A, showing the release of the bottlenecks by means of the release handle.

FIG. 6 is an environmental perspective view of a third embodiment of a bottle carrier according to the present invention, illustrating various features thereof.

FIG. 7 is an environmental end elevation view of the bottle carrier of FIG. 6, showing further details thereof.

FIG. 8A is an environmental side elevation view in enlarged scale of the bottle carrier of FIGS. 6 and 7, showing the capture of the bottlenecks by the bottle carrier.

FIG. 8B is an environmental side elevation view in enlarged scale of the bottle carrier of FIGS. 6 through 8A, showing the release of the bottlenecks by means of the release handle of the bottle carrier.

FIG. 9 is an environmental perspective view of the bottle carrier of FIGS. 6 through 8B, showing removable installation of a message thereon.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

The bottle carrier is a device for grasping the necks of one or more conventional bottles, and picking up and carrying the bottles as desired. A bottleneck grip control handle is actuated to either grip or release the necks of the bottles, depending upon the embodiment. The device comprises a base plate having a series of passages therethrough for the upper portions of the bottles. A corresponding series of bottleneck gripping devices secures about the necks of the bottles, whereby the bottles may be lifted from their supporting surface (carton or case, tabletop, etc.) and carried to the desired destination by means of the upper handle of the carrier. An elongate slot or passage for clearing the conventional raised handle of a six-pack carton may be provided, thus enabling the carrier to be used to lift bottles from a six-pack carton or container without first removing the bottles from the carton.

The device enables the user to pick up a plurality of bottles simultaneously using only one hand, carry those bottles to the destination desired, and release the bottles simultaneously using only one hand. The device in its various embodiments greatly reduces the workload of servers and other staff in the restaurant and bar industries, where the removal of bottles from six-packs and cases and the retrieval of empty bottles is a fairly substantial portion of the workload.

FIGS. 1 through 3B illustrate a first embodiment of the bottle carrier 10. The bottle carrier 10 includes a base plate 12, which is actually divided into two side portions 14 and 16. The two side portions 14 and 16 define a carton handle clearance slot 18 therebetween, with the slot 18 extending completely from the first end 20 to the opposite second end 22 of the base plate 12. The base plate 12 further includes a series of bottle clearance passages therethrough, with each side portion 14 and 16 containing three such passages. The first side portion 14 includes bottle clearance passages 24a through 24c, while the opposite second side portion contains a like number of essentially identical bottle clearance passages. While six such bottle clearance passages are provided in each of the embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that more or fewer such passages may be provided in any pattern or arrangement desired. The six bottle clearance passages of the illustrated embodiments are arranged to match the arrangement of bottles placed in a conventional six-pack carton C.

Each of the bottle clearance passages, e.g., passages 24a through 24c, includes a bottleneck gripping mechanism 26 disposed thereabout atop the base plate 12. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3B, each of the bottleneck gripping mechanisms 26 comprises opposed first and second bottleneck clamps 28a and 28b, secured to the opposite sides of each of the bottleneck clearance passages by a hinge 30 (shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) to allow the clamps 28a, 28b to spread apart and close toward one another at their upper bottleneck grip edges 32. Each of the clamps 28a, 28b has a generally arcuate, curved configuration, particularly at their upper grip edges 32, in order to conform generally to the round shape of the neck N of a bottle B inserted therein. The result is that each pair of bottleneck clamps 28a; 28b forms a somewhat conical shape above each of the bottleneck clearance passages.

A spring urges each bottleneck clamp 28a, 28b toward the center of its respective bottleneck clearance passage to close about the neck N of a bottle B placed through the clearance passage. Most of the springs comprise a light coil spring 34 disposed about the pivot point of an opposed pair of fingers 36 with the springs 34 each having opposed ends S that urge their respective fingers apart from one another, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. This mechanism is much like that used with toggle bolts, to spread the two toggles apart. Each of the fingers 36 bears against its respective adjacent bottleneck clamp 28a or 28b to urge it toward the center of its bottleneck clearance passage in the base plate 12 and against the neck N of any bottle B inserted therein. Alternatively, a coil spring 38 may be disposed between a connector plate 40 extending upwardly from the first end 20 of the base plate 12 and the leftmost first bottleneck clamp 28a, with another similar spring 38 disposed between a crossmember 42a, 42b above the second end 22 of the base plate 12 and the rightmost second bottleneck clamp 28b. The connector plate 40 includes a carton handle clearance slot 44 therein, with the two separate spring support crossmembers 42a, 42b defining a carton handle clearance slot 46 therebetween. The two slots 44 and 46 are aligned and contiguous with the base plate slot 18. It will be understood that other mechanisms urging the bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b to close about the necks N of bottles B inserted therebetween, may be provided as desired.

A carrying handle support structure extends upwardly from the base plate 12, with the carrying handle support structure comprising the connector plate 40 at the first end 20 of the device and a series of handle connector rods 48 extending upwardly from the opposite second end 22 of the device. The connector plate 40 joins the first end 20 of the base plate 12 to a carrying handle 50, which extends over the remainder of the device from the first end to the opposite second end and is spaced apart therefrom for clearance of the tops of the bottles and carton handle. The handle connector rods 48 connect the second end of the handle 50, i.e., the end opposite the connector plate 40, to the second end 22 of the base plate 12, as well as supporting the spring support crossmembers 42a and 42b.

The carrying handle 50 is generally “H” shaped, with the two opposed parallel members or ends 52 and 54, respectively, joining the upper end of the connector plate 40 and the upper ends of the handle connector rods 48. The two end members 52, 54 have widths substantially equal to the widths of the base plate 12 and connector plate 40. The first and second handle end members 52, 54 are joined by a relatively narrow central handgrip portion 56, which forms the crossmember of the “H” configuration. A supplementary handle 58 extends laterally across the second end member 54 of the handle 50, over the second end 22 of the base plate 12.

A bottleneck gripping actuation handle 60 depends beneath the central handgrip portion 56. First and second actuating handle guide rods 62 and 64 depend respectively from the first and second handle end members 52 and 54, with the first and second ends 66 and 68 of the actuation handle 60 having guide rod passages 70, 72 formed therethrough. The actuation handle 60 thus slides upwardly and downwardly on the two guide rods 62, 64 in a linear motion, remaining parallel to the central handgrip portion 56 of the handle assembly 50 at all times.

First and second lateral lift rods 74 and 76 extend respectively from the first and second ends 66, 68 of the movable actuating handle 60. A rigid linkage connecting assembly or frame 78 is rigidly suspended from the lift rods 74 and 76, and moves vertically with the vertical linear movement of the actuating handle 60. The linkage connecting assembly 78 includes a series of lateral linkage connector rods 80 thereacross, with a flexible bottleneck clamp release linkage 82 (e.g., swivel links and openable chain links, or other flexible linkage as desired) connecting each of the first and second bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b to the linkage connector rods 80, and thus to the linkage connecting assembly 78 and to the movable actuating handle 60.

The bottle carrier 10 is used by lowering the bottle clearance passages 24a, 24b, etc. of the device over one or more standing bottles B. The flexible bottleneck clamp release linkages 82, particularly when openable chain links are used, allow the bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b to be pushed open or spread as the bottlenecks N are pushed upwardly therethrough, without any actuation or motion of the bottleneck grip actuation handle 60. Thus, the user need only grasp the central handgrip portion 56 of the handle assembly 50, and lower the device 10 over the bottles to be picked up. When the device has been lowered to the point that the wider mouth of the bottle extends beyond the upper bottleneck grip edges 32 of the bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b, the clamps are pushed closed due to the springs 34 and 38 and fingers 36, with the bottleneck grip edges 32 of the clamps 28a, 28b catching beneath the larger external diameter of the mouth of the bottle. When the device 10 is lifted, the bottle(s) B are lifted as well by the means described immediately above, generally as shown in FIG. 3A of the drawings.

The bottles B may be arranged in a conventional six-pack configuration, i.e., closely spaced in a three by two matrix, or other arrangement. The bottle carrier 10 is capable of picking up one or more bottles, up to the number of bottle clearance passages and bottleneck clamps provided, in any arrangement of the standing bottles. Thus, if bottles are spread across a table or bar, the carrier 10 may be used to pick them up singly by means of the independent operation of the opening of the clamps 28a, 28b due to their flexible connection to the actuating handle 60, rather than requiring that the bottles be picked up simultaneously in a group. For bottles B resting within a six-pack carton C, the clearance slots 18, 44, and 46 respectively of the base plate 12, first end connector plate 40, and second end spring base crossmembers 42, provide clearance over the conventional carrying handle H of the six-pack carton C, thus allowing the device to pick up an entire six-pack of full or empty bottles B without need for the bottles first to be removed from the six-pack carton.

When it is desired to release the bottles, the user need only extend his or her fingers around the bottleneck grip actuation handle 60, and lift or pull the handle 60 toward the underside of the carrying handle assembly 50. This draws up the slack in the bottleneck clamp release linkages 82, causing them to pull the first and second bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b to more upright positions, thereby spreading their upper bottleneck gripping edges 32 apart from one another for corresponding clamps. This allows the wider external diameter of the mouth of the bottle(s) B to pass between the bottleneck gripping edges of each pair of bottleneck clamps 28a, 28b, thereby releasing the bottle(s) B from the device 10.

FIGS. 4 through 5B of the drawings illustrate a second embodiment of the present bottle carrier, designated as bottle carrier 110. Bottle carrier 110 includes a base plate 112 divided into first and second side portions, respectively 114 and 116, with the two portions defining a carton handle clearance slot 118 essentially medially therebetween. The base plate 112 has a first end 120 and opposite second end 122 and includes a series of bottle clearance passages 124 therethrough. The bottle clearance passages may be arranged in a three-by-two matrix of six passages corresponding to the conventional arrangement of bottles in a six-pack carton, or the device 110 may be constructed to provide some other arrangement with more or fewer bottle clearance passages, as desired. It will be seen that this construction is essentially identical to the corresponding components 12 through 24 of the first embodiment bottle carrier 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3B.

The bottle gripping mechanism 126 of the bottle carrier 110 comprises a first slide plate 128 and second slide plate 130, disposed respectively atop the first portion 114 and second portion 116 of the base plate 112. Each slide plate 128 and 130 has a first end 132 and opposite second end 134 and is essentially congruent with its respective base plate portion 114 and 116, except that the shorter first ends 132 of the slide plates 128 and 130 allow clearance from the remainder of the structure of the device when the slide plates 128, 130 are actuated. Each slide plate 128, 130 include a series of bottleneck gripping passages 136 therethrough, corresponding to, and in general alignment with, the bottle clearance passages 124 of the base plate 112. Each of the bottleneck gripping passages 136 preferably has the shape of a circular sector, generally as shown in FIG. 4, with the arcuate ends of the sectors oriented toward the second ends 134 of the slide plates 128 and 130, and the angular apex end oriented toward the first ends 132 of the slide plates.

A carrying handle support structure extends upwardly from the base plate 112, with the carrying handle support structure comprising the connector plate 140 at the first end 120 of the base plate 112 and a plurality of handle connector rods 148 extending upwardly from the opposite second end 122 of the base plate 112. The connector plate 140 joins the first end 120 of the base plate 112 to a carrying handle 150, which extends over the remainder of the device from the first end 120 to the opposite second end 122 and is spaced apart therefrom for clearance of the tops of the bottles and carton handle. The handle connector rods 148 connect the second end of the handle 150, i.e., the end opposite the connector plate 140, to the second end 122 of the base plate 112. The connector plate 140 includes a carton handle clearance slot 144 therein, aligned and contiguous with the base plate slot 118. The above-described carrying handle support structure will be seen to be generally similar to the corresponding structure of the first bottle carrier embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3B.

The carrying handle 150 is generally “H” shaped, with the two opposed parallel members or ends 152 and 154 respectively joining the upper end of the connector plate 140 and the upper ends of the handle connector rods 148. The two end members 152, 154 have widths substantially equal to the widths of the base plate 112 and connector plate 140. The first and second handle end members 152, 154 are joined by a relatively narrow central handgrip portion 156, which forms the crossmember of the “H” configuration. Thus, the configuration of the carrying handle 150 is similar to that of the carrying handle 50 of the first bottle carrier embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3B. The carrying handle 150 could also incorporate the supplementary handle 58 of the bottle carrier embodiment 10, if so desired.

A bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle 160 depends from the carrying handle 150, between the central handgrip portion 156 thereof and the underlying base plate 112 and slide plates 128 and 130. The actuation handle 160 is pivotally attached to the underside of the carrying handle 150 by a lateral pivot 162, which, in turn, is carried by a pair of spaced apart ears or lugs 164 depending from the underside of the carrying handle 150. A spring 166 is disposed between the actuation handle 160 and the carrying handle 150, urging the actuation handle 160 away from the carrying handle 150. The actuation handle 160 includes parallel, spaced apart first and second slide plate actuating arms 168 and 170, respectively, depending from the pivotal end of the actuation handle generally normal thereto to form a general “L” configuration with the actuation handle 160. The distal ends of the two actuating arms 168, 170 are pivotally connected to the respective first and second slide plates 128, 130 by attachment lugs and lateral pivots 172 and 174.

The bottle carrier 110 of FIGS. 4 through 5A is used in much the same manner as the carrier 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3B. The bottle carrier 110 is placed atop the bottles B to be picked up, with the bottlenecks N in registry with the bottle clearance passages 124 of the base plate 112 and bottleneck gripping passages 136 of the slide plates 128 and 130. The carton handle clearance slots 118 and 144 of the base plate 112 and connector plate 140 provide clearance for the upstanding handle H of the six-pack carton C if the bottles are seated within such a carton.

At this point, the spring 166 between the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle 160 and carrying handle 150 urges the actuating handle 160 downwardly relative to the carrying handle 150, thus swinging the two slide plate actuating arms 168 and 170 arcuately to the left, as shown in FIG. 5A. This moves the slide plates 128 and 130 correspondingly to the left, thereby aligning the bottleneck gripping passages 136 of the slide plates with their corresponding bottle clearance passages 124 of the base plate 112. This allows the device 110 to be lowered over the tops and necks N of the bottles B with no further action being required on the part of the user.

When it is desired that the bottles B be picked up, the user need only squeeze the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle 160 toward the overlying carrying handle 150, compressing the spring 166. This action pivots the actuating handle 160 about its pivot 162, thus also causing the two slide plate actuating arms 168 and 170 to pivot. The distal ends of the two actuating arms 168, 170 are pivotally pinned to their respective slide plates 128 and 130, thus causing the slide plates to slide from their position shown in FIG. 5A, toward the second end of the base plate 112 to the bottleneck gripping position shown in FIG. 5B. Any slight vertical component of the arcuate movement of the distal ends of the actuating arms 168 and 170 may be accommodated by slotting the pivot pin passages of the arms and/or the slide plate attachment lugs, as required.

It will be noted in FIG. 5B that the angular apex portion of each of the bottleneck gripping passages 136 of the slide plates has moved against the bottleneck N positioned through the passages 136 and 124, with the movement of the slide plates 128 and 130 narrowing the subtended opening defined by the base plate 112 and overlying slide plates 128, 130. This results in the necks N of the bottles B being gripped between the apex edge of each of the bottleneck gripping passages 136 of the slide plates and the corresponding opposite side or edge of the bottle clearance passages 124 of the base plate 112. The larger exterior diameter of the mouths of the bottles B, just above their necks N, assures that the S bottles B are captured securely by the bottle carrier 110 and cannot inadvertently slip therefrom.

When the bottles B have been relocated as desired, the user need only release the grip on the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle 160. This allows the spring 166 to pivot the actuating handle 160 and its extension arms 168, 170 to move the slide plates 128, 130 back toward the first end 120 of the base plate 112, as shown in FIG. 5A. This substantially aligns the passages 136 of the slide plates 128, 130 with the passages 124 of the base plate 112, thereby opening the passages and freeing the necks N of any bottles B previously held by the bottle carrier 110.

FIGS. 6 through 9 illustrate a third embodiment of the bottle carrier, designated as bottle carrier 210. The bottle carrier 210 is similar to the bottle carrier 10 of FIGS. 1 through 2B, but differs primarily in its lateral symmetry and lack of a connector plate at one end, and in the different hinge and spring arrangement, which obviates the need for a different end spring configuration. The bottle carrier 210 includes a base plate 212, which is actually divided into two side portions 214 and 216. The two side portions 214 and 216 define a carton handle clearance slot 218 therebetween, with the slot 218 extending completely from the first end 220 to the opposite second end 222 of the base plate 212. The carton handle clearance slot 218 may be deleted if so desired, by forming the two side portions 214 and 216 of the base plate 212 as a single component. The base plate 212 further includes a plurality of bottle clearance passages therethrough, with each side portion 214 and 216 containing three such passages. The first side portion 214 includes bottle clearance passages 224a through 224c, while the opposite second side portion contains a like number of bottle clearance passages. While six such bottle clearance passages are provided in each of the embodiments of the bottle carrier, it will be understood that more or fewer such passages may be provided in any pattern or arrangement desired. The six bottle clearance passages of the illustrated embodiments are arranged to match the arrangement of bottles placed in a conventional six-pack carton C.

Each of the bottle clearance passages, e.g., passages 224a through 224c, includes a bottleneck gripping mechanism 226 disposed thereabout, atop the base plate 212. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 through 9, each of the bottleneck gripping mechanisms 226 comprises opposed first and second bottleneck clamps 228a and 228b, which are secured to the opposite sides of each of the bottleneck clearance passages by a leaf-type hinge 230 to allow the clamps 228a, 228b to spread apart and close toward one another at their upper bottleneck grip edges 232. Each of the clamps 228a, 228b has a generally arcuate, curved configuration, particularly at their upper grip edges 232, in order to conform generally to the round shape of the neck N of a bottle B inserted therein. The result is that each pair of bottleneck clamps 228a; 228b forms a somewhat conical shape above each of the bottleneck clearance passages.

A spring urges each bottleneck clamp 228a, 228b toward the center of its respective bottleneck clearance passage to close about the neck N of a bottle B placed through the clearance passage. The springs each comprise a light coil spring 234 disposed about the pivot pin or axis of the two opposite leaves of each hinge 230. The springs 234 each have opposed ends that urge their respective hinge leaves apart from one another, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. One of the leaves of each hinge 230 is attached (e.g., bolted, riveted, spot welded, etc.) to its respective first or second bottleneck clamp 228a or 228b, with the corresponding opposite leaf being attached to the base plate 212. This spring-loaded hinge and bottleneck clamp arrangement urges each of the bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b toward the center of its respective bottleneck clearance passage in the base plate 212 and against the neck N of any bottle B inserted therein. It will be understood that other mechanisms urging the bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b to close about the necks N of bottles B inserted therebetween may be provided.

A carrying handle support structure extends upwardly from the base plate 212. The carrying handle support structure comprises a plurality of handle connector rods 248 extending upwardly from the opposite first and second ends 220 and 222 of the carrier 210. The upper ends of the handle connector rods 248 attach to a carrying handle 250, which extends over the remainder of the device from the first end to the opposite second end and is spaced apart therefrom for clearance of the tops of the bottles and carton handle. The carrying handle 250 is generally “H” shaped, with the two opposed parallel members or ends 252 and 254 joining the upper ends of the handle connector rods 248. The two end members 252, 254 have widths substantially equal to the width of the base plate 212. The first and second handle end members 252, 254 are joined by a relatively narrow central handgrip portion 256, which forms the crossmember of the “H” configuration.

A bottleneck gripping actuation handle 260 depends beneath the central handgrip portion 256. First and second actuating handle guide rods 262 and 264 (shown most clearly in FIGS. 8A and 8B) depend from near the first and second handle end members 252 and 254. The first and second end portions 266 and 268 of the actuation handle 260 have guide rod passages 270, 272 formed therethrough. The actuation handle 260 slides upwardly and downwardly on the two guide rods 262, 264 in a linear motion, remaining parallel to the central handgrip portion 256 of the handle assembly 250 at all times.

First and second lateral lift rods 274 and 276 extend respectively from the first and second ends 266, 268 of the movable actuating handle 260. A rigid linkage connecting assembly or frame 278 is rigidly suspended from the lift rods 274 and 276, and moves vertically with the vertical linear movement of the actuating handle 260. The linkage connecting assembly 278 includes a plurality of lateral linkage connector rods 280 thereacross, with a flexible bottleneck clamp release linkage 282 (e.g., swivel links and openable chain links, flexible cable, ball chain, or other flexible linkage) connecting each of the first and second bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b to the linkage connector rods 280, and thus to the linkage connecting assembly 278 and to the movable actuating handle 260.

The bottle carrier 210 of FIGS. 6 through 9 is used in the same manner as the carrier 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3B, i.e., by lowering the bottle clearance passages 224a, 224b, etc. of the carrier 21—over one or more standing bottles B. The flexible bottleneck clamp release linkages 282, particularly when openable chain links are used, allow the bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b to be pushed open or spread as the bottlenecks N are pushed upwardly therethrough independently of one another and without any actuation or motion of the bottleneck grip actuation handle 260. Thus, the user need only grasp the central handgrip portion 256 of the handle assembly 250, and lower the device 210 over the bottles to be picked up. When the device has been lowered to the point that the wider mouth of the bottle extends beyond the upper bottleneck grip edges 232 of the bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b, the clamps are pushed closed due to the springs 234 acting on the leaves of the hinges 230, with the bottleneck grip edges 232 of the clamps 228a, 228b catching beneath the larger external diameter of the mouth of the bottle. When the device 21o is lifted, the bottle(s) B are lifted as well by the means described immediately above, generally as shown in FIG. 8A of the drawings.

The bottles B may be arranged in a conventional six-pack configuration, i.e., closely spaced in a three-by-two matrix, or other arrangement. The bottle carrier 210 is capable of picking up one or more bottles up to the number of bottle clearance passages and bottleneck clamps provided, in any arrangement of the standing bottles. Thus, if bottles are spread across a table or bar, the carrier 210 may be used to pick them up singly by means of the independent operation of the opening of the clamps 228a, 228b due to their flexible connection to the actuating handle 260, rather than requiring that the bottles be picked up simultaneously in a group. For bottles B resting within a six-pack carton C, the clearance slot 218 between the base plate 12 and inwardly disposed handle connector rods 248 provides clearance over the conventional carrying handle H of the six-pack carton C, thus allowing the device to pick up an entire six-pack of full or empty bottles B without need for the bottles first to be removed from the six-pack carton.

When it is desired to release the bottles, the user need only extend his or her fingers around the bottleneck grip actuation handle 260, and lift or pull the handle 260 toward the underside of the carrying handle assembly 250. This draws up the slack in the bottleneck clamp release linkages 282, causing them to pull the first and second bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b to more upright positions, thereby spreading their upper bottleneck gripping edges 232 apart from one another for corresponding clamps. This allows the wider external diameter of the mouth of the bottle(s) B to pass between the bottleneck gripping edges of each pair of bottleneck clamps 228a, 228b, thereby releasing the bottle(s) B from the device 10.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate an additional feature which may be included with any of the bottle carriers described herein. A light 284 (e.g., a “superbright” LED, or, alternatively, a small incandescent bulb, etc.) is installed in the underside of the carrying handle 250 to provide supplementary illumination of the general area of the base plate 212, including the bottleneck passages 224 and the necks N and upper portions of any bottles B which might be secured within the carrier 210. A switch 286 (e.g., a momentary contact pushbutton switch, slide switch, toggle switch, etc.) is installed in the handle 250 at some ergonomically. convenient location for the user. One or more electrical storage cells or batteries 288 are installed within the handle 250, e.g., in end-to-end series connection along the central portion 256 of the handle. The light 284, switch 286, and electrical cells or batteries 288 communicate with one another electrically by appropriate circuitry 290, shown in broken lines in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

FIG. 9 illustrates another feature of the bottle carrier embodiment 250 that may be adapted to any of the embodiments of the bottle carrier described herein. In FIG. 9, the bottle carrier 210 is equipped with a message board 292 that may be removably secured to the carrier 210. In the example of FIG. 9, the ends of the two handle end members 252 and 254 and the lateral ends of the first side 214 of the base plate 212 are equipped with a first attachment device 294a (e.g., either the hook or the loop portion of hook and loop fabric fastener material, or one portion of a snap fastener, etc.) with the corresponding corners or portions of the message board 292 being equipped with mating material 294b for removable attachment to the bottle carrier 250. The message board 292 is preferably formed of a transparent or translucent material, e.g., acrylic plastic, to allow penetration of light therethrough and viewing of the contents of the carrier 250, although the message board could be formed of an opaque sheet of material. The use of a plastic material for the message board 292 facilitates the removable attachment of a thin, flexible sheet 296 of plastic material thereto by electrostatic action (“static cling”). The removable flexible sheet 296 may include various messages 298 thereon, e.g., “today\'s special.”

The bottle carrier in any of its embodiments is well suited for picking up and delivering fresh, unopened beverage bottles from one point to another, and for picking up used or empty bottles for disposal as well. It will be seen that in most environments, it would not be desirable to use the same carrier for the delivery of new, unopened bottles as has been used for carrying used, empty bottles. While the carrier could be washed between uses, it would likely be more efficient to provide different bottle carriers for use in carrying new, unopened bottles and used empty bottles. These different carriers could be designated by color coding the structure (interiors of the bottleneck clearance passages, exterior of the base plate and/or handle, etc.), and/or designating the bottle carriers with appropriate notation 300, e.g., the word “NEW” for the carriage of new, unopened bottles or the word “USED” for the carriage of used, empty bottles. Thus, the bottleneck clamps and other structure of the “NEW” carrier would never come in contact with or be contaminated from material from used bottles.

In conclusion, the bottle carrier, in any of its embodiments, will greatly facilitate the labor involved in unpackaging, distributing, and gathering beverage bottles in the restaurant or bar environment. The bottle carrier serves to reduce the workload of the typical staff person in restaurants and bars, not only by means of the mechanizing of the handling of bottles, but also by obviating the need for the staff person to remove the bottles from a six-pack carton before the device can be used to pick up the bottles. Thus, the bottle carrier will be greatly appreciated by waiters and other staff members in dining and drinking establishments where the handling of large quantities of bottled beverages is accomplished.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.