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  Adjustable beverage holderUSPTO Application #: 20080017774Title: Adjustable beverage holder Abstract: An adjustable beverage holder for securely supporting a variety of container shapes, sizes and configurations is disclosed. The beverage holder comprises an insulated base member, a vertical backbone, and a handle assembly that is vertically adjustable with respect to the backbone. The handle assembly supports a pair of curved, symmetrically configured arms, which may be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of beverage container shapes. The base may further contain a removable insert that provides means for accommodating multiple types of containers and absorbing spillage or condensation. In addition, the insert can be utilized to hold a small ice pack or ice cubes. The beverage holder of the present invention securely accommodates cups, cans, bottles and other containers, contains condensation and spillage, provides supplemental cooling, and permits the user to hold a hot or cold beverage container without discomfort. (end of abstract)
Agent: James Ray & Associates - Monroeville, PA, US Inventor: Eleanor Jackson USPTO Applicaton #: 20080017774 - Class: 248311200 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Supports, Brackets, Article Holding Means, Receptacle Type The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080017774. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/283,585, filed on Nov. 21, 2005, now abandoned. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a holder for beverage containers and, more particularly, this invention relates to an adjustable holder for a variety of sizes and shapes of hot or cold beverage bottles, cans or cups. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, there have been a wide variety of holders for beverage cups, cans and bottles disclosed in the art. Some beverage holders, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,538 to Kent-Fawkes and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,851 to Griffin et al., are designed to be hand-held. Others, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,452 to Huynh, are adapted to be mounted on a vertical or horizontal surface, such as an automobile door panel. Beverage holders such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,061 to Duff et al. have included means to provide supplemental cooling to a container. Many beverage holders disclosed in the prior art have means to adjust to accommodate containers or volumes of various sizes. The holder disclosed by Lynd in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,831 has a vertically-adjustable base to accommodate multiple volumes of liquid. The holder disclosed by Wright in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,089 contains flexible arms that cooperate to grasp the top of beverage containers of various diameters, within the limits of the flexibility of the arms. [0004] The beverage coolers in the prior art, such as those described above, do not combine the features of vertical and circumferential adjustability, insulation and cooling of a beverage container, and means to absorb spillage and condensation. It was in an effort to combine these features, and to improve upon them, that the present invention was created. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION [0005] It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a beverage holder that is adjustable to securely accommodate containers of varying heights as well as containers of varying diameters. [0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulated beverage holder that can provide supplemental cooling to a beverage container by means of an ice pack or ice cubes stored in an insert in the base of the holder. [0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide self-contained means to absorb moisture resulting from condensation or spillage from the container. [0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stable, secure platform to hold a beverage container and to minimize the likelihood of its tipping or spilling. [0009] An additional object of the present invention is to provide means for a user to enjoy a hot or cold beverage without directly contacting a hot or cold container. [0010] In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention provides a beverage holder designed for use with beverage cups, cans, bottles and other containers of various shapes and sizes. The beverage holder is comprised of a holder base member, a removable, interchangeable insert adapted to the size of the container to be held, a backbone member extending vertically from the edge of the holder base member, a handle assembly that is vertically adjustable with respect to the backbone member, and two adjustable curved arms engaged with the handle assembly, which cooperate to securely grasp a beverage container within the holder. [0012] The holder base member can be insulated by lining its interior surface with a layer of appropriate insulation. Alternatively, a cylindrical second wall could be positioned inside the wall of the holder base, and the space between the outer and inner wall could be filled with insulating material. The holder base member can accommodate an insert which holds a beverage container of the user's choosing. The holder base member can be designed such that two small rims are positioned along the inside wall of the base, defining a groove between the rims. The upper of the two rims includes two notches designed to engage two tabs from the insert. By engaging the tabs of the insert with the notches positioned on the wall of the holder base and twisting the insert half a turn, the insert can be locked in place in the holder base. [0013] The insert is designed to seat in the holder base by the mechanism described above. The insert is interchangeable in that inserts of different sizes may be chosen to accommodate containers of different sizes. The insert is comprised of an insert base, which includes holes to drain spillage and condensation, and insert side walls. The insert base and insert side walls define a cavity in which a beverage container is accommodated. A pad of absorbent material is fastened to the insert on the external face of the insert base. Moisture from spillage or condensation then drains from the container into the insert, through the holes in the insert base, and into the absorbent pad. The pad is composed of absorbent material such as sponge, sandstone, cork, or other absorbent materials known in the art. The pad may be glued to the base of the insert or, alternatively, the pad may include means to snap into an aperture in the insert base. In this embodiment, the absorbent pad would be removable and replaceable. The insert may further include a space to seat a small ice pack or a small quantity of ice cubes. Moisture from melted ice would likewise drain through the insert base to the absorbent pad. [0014] A backbone member extends vertically from an outer edge of the holder base member. The backbone member may be contoured to provide lateral support to a container positioned in the beverage holder. In a preferred embodiment, the backbone member includes a plurality of apertures spaced along its length. These apertures are designed to align with apertures in the handle assembly to adjust the height of the holder along a vertical axis. The backbone member and holder base member may be molded in one piece, or may be separately molded and assembled from suitable materials including plastic, metal and the like. [0015] The handle assembly comprises a hand grip, means to align the handle assembly with the backbone member, and means to support the curved arms which grip the beverage container. The handle assembly includes at least one handle alignment aperture that aligns with one of the plurality of apertures along the length of the backbone member. When the respective apertures of the handle assembly and the backbone are in alignment, fastening means can be positioned through the two apertures to fix the height of the beverage holder. The fastening means may be removed, and the handle assembly adjusted up or down to align the alignment aperture on the handle assembly with a different aperture on the backbone. In this way the beverage holder can be vertically adjusted to accommodate containers of different heights. Appropriate fastening means include pins, screws, bolts, dowels, or other fasteners known in the art. A second aperture, not in alignment with the backbone member may optionally be included on the handle assembly to store the fastening means when not in use. The handle assembly also supports the two curved arms which grasp the beverage container. The curved arms may be fixed as a component of the handle assembly, or the arms may be adjustable. In the adjustable embodiment, two apertures in the handle assembly are designed to accommodate a sprocket-type appendage that is integral to the curved arm. The sprocket of the curved arm engages the aperture in the handle assembly along a vertical axis, such that the curved arm projects outwardly in a horizontal plane from the handle assembly. These apertures in the handle assembly include means to engage tooth-like projections on the sprocket, so that the arms may be adjusted by a ratcheting mechanism. [0016] As described above, the beverage holder includes two curved arms that may be fixed, or in a preferred embodiment, are adjustable. The two arms are symmetrically configured. Each curved arm includes a sprocket-type appendage at the end of the arm that is nearest the handle assembly. When one of the sprockets is seated in one of the apertures of the handle assembly, the curved arm projects in a horizontal plane outwardly from the handle assembly. With both arms in place, a C-shaped configuration consisting of the two projected arms with the handle assembly at the center forms a cradle to accommodate the upper end of a beverage container. The diameter of the C-shaped configuration may be adjusted by ratcheting the arms toward each other or away from each other. In this way containers of varying diameter sizes are accommodated by the beverage holder of the present invention. [0017] The surface of the curved arm that contacts the beverage container may include a non-slip material to enhance the grip of the arms on the container. The material may be chosen from non-slip natural and synthetic rubbers and plastics known in the art. [0018] The beverage container of the present invention may further include means to display indicia for promotional, advertising or identification purposes. A panel may be designed by molding plastic grooves on the surface of the handle or the base, creating a window to display indicia. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading... Full patent description for Adjustable beverage holder Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Adjustable beverage holder patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Adjustable beverage holder or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Tilt mount lighting assembly Next Patent Application: Barrier against crawling pests Industry Class: Supports ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Adjustable beverage holder patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.68717 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. 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