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US 6,502,711 B1Granted
Container holding apparatus
OwnerKerry J. C. Mc Raeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container holding apparatus for holding a container in an inverted orientation such that the contents of the container fall to the top of the container for easy retrieval. The container holding apparatus includes a plurality of tubular members each having a bottom edge, a top edge and a peripheral wall extending between the top and bottom edges. A plurality of supports are coupled to an inner surface of each of the tubular members and spaced from each other. Each of the supports extends from the inner surface toward a longitudinal axis orientated generally perpendicular to a plane of the top edge. A container is inverted and inserted into the tubular member such that the supports support the container in the inverted orientation.
Claims8
A system for holding a container in an inverted position, the container being generally bottle-shaped, said system comprising:
- a plurality of tubular members each having;
- a bottom edge, a top edge and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom edges;
- a plurality of supports, each of said supports being coupled to an inner surface of said tubular member and spaced from each other, each of said supports extending from said inner surface toward a longitudinal axis orientated generally perpendicular to a plane of said top edge and each of said supports having a radial length and a peripheral width, wherein the radial length is greater than the peripheral width;
- wherein the container is inverted and inserted into said tubular member such that said supports support said container in said inverted orientation, and
- said supports comprising an upper support being positioned proximate said top edge of said tubular member and a lower most support being positioned nearer said bottom edge than said top edge such that each of the other of said supports are positioned in a spaced relation from said top support towards said bottom edge of said tubular member, each of said supports including a plurality of elongate members each having a first end attached to an inner surface of said peripheral wall and radially extending toward said longitudinal axis of said tubular member, each of said elongate members having a length such that generally circular shaped openings are defined by second ends of said elongate members, each of said elongate members comprising a resiliently flexible material such that said elongate members of said supports are adapted for supporting containers of varying sizes and shapes when the container is inserted into said tubular member;
- and, an intermediate wall being attached to said inner surface and positioned between said bottom edge and said lower most support, said intermediate wall being concave with respect to said top edge and extending toward said bottom edge, said intermediate wall having a central portion having an aperture extending therethrough.
3 more elements
A system for holding a container in an inverted position, the container being generally bottle-shaped, said system comprising:
- a plurality of tubular members each having;
- a bottom edge, a top edge and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom edges, said tubular member having a generally rectangular shaped cross-section taken traverse to a longitudinal axis orientated perpendicular to a plain of said top edge, said peripheral wall including a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall, wherein said first and second side walls are located opposite of each other, said peripheral wall comprising an elastomeric material;
- a plurality of supports, each of said supports being coupled to an inner surface of said tubular member and spaced from each other, an upper most support being positioned adjacent to said top edge, a lower most support being positioned nearer said bottom edge than said top edge, each of said supports extending from said inner surface toward said longitudinal axis, each of said supports including a plurality of elongate members each having a first end attached to an inner surface of said peripheral wall and radially extending toward said longitudinal axis of said tubular member, each of said elongate members having a length such that generally circular shaped openings are defined by second ends of said elongate members, each of said elongate members comprising a resiliently flexible material;
- an intermediate wall being attached to said inner surface and being positioned between said bottom edge and said lower most support, said intermediate wall being concave with respect to said top edge and extending toward said bottom edge, said intermediate wall having a central portion having an aperture extending therethrough;
- each of said peripheral walls having an outer surface having a slot therein extending from said top edge to said bottom edge, each of said slots being wedge-shaped such that said slots expand as they extend toward an interior surface of said peripheral wall, each of said outer surfaces of said peripheral walls having a protruding member attached thereto and extending between said top and bottom edges, said protruding member having a shape adapted for extending into one of said slots for releasably attaching a first tubular member to a second tubular member;
- a tray comprising a plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of end edges and a pair of side edges, said plate being elongated such that said side edges having a length greater than said end edges, said end edges having a length substantially equal to a length of said first and second walls of said tubular members, each of a pair of lips being attached to and extending upwardly from one of said side edges, each of said lips extending along the length of the side edges, each of said lips having an inner surface, each of a pair of elongated ridges being attached to and extending along the length of one of said inner surfaces of said lips for frictionally engaging a tubular member abutting a top surface of said plate;
- and
- wherein the container is inverted and inserted into one of said tubular members such that said supports support said container in said inverted orientation.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.