Self-anchoring low-profile container anchor with directional release and attachment capability

A self-anchoring, low profile container anchor with directional release and attachment capability, comprising:

• a container support assembly including a lower base member and an upper movable member;
• said base member having a peripheral sidewall and an interior structure;
• said movable member being disposed on an upper side of said base member interior structure;
• said movable member having an upper side configured for attachment a container, and a lower side configured to operably connect to said base member;
• a seal member disposed on a lower side of said base member interior structure;
• said seal member having a lower side configured to engage an external reference surface and form a substantially airtight seal therewith that defines a periphery of a controlled pressure zone between said seal member and said reference surface;
• a valve seat in said container support assembly, said valve seat being in fluid communication with said seal member lower side;
• a sealing valve disposed on said valve seat, said sealing valve being operably connected to said movable member for lifting off said valve seat when said movable member is raised;
• said sealing valve and said movable member being operably interconnected in a manner that requires said movable member to lift past a first predetermined distance before said sealing valve begins to lift off said valve seat;
• and
• said movable member and said seal member being nested entirely within an area defined by a periphery of said base member;
• whereby when said sealing valve is lifted from said valve seat due to said movable member being raised past said first predetermined distance, said controlled pressure zone is vented to atmospheric pressure and;
• wherein said sealing valve is operably connected to said movable member by a pin that extends through a pin-receiving opening in said movable member, said pin having a head flange that engages said movable member when said movable member has been lifted said first predetermined distance.

A self-anchoring, low profile container anchor with directional release and attachment capability, comprising:

• a container support assembly including a lower base member and an upper movable member;
• said base member having a peripheral sidewall and an interior structure;
• said movable member being disposed on an upper side of said base member interior structure;
• said movable member having an upper side configured for attachment to a container and a lower side configured to operably connect to said base member;
• a seal member disposed on a lower side of said base member interior structure;
• said seal member having a lower side configured to engage an external reference surface and form a substantially airtight seal therewith that defines a periphery of a controlled pressure zone between said seal member and said reference surface;
• a valve seat in said container support assembly, said valve seat being in fluid communication with said seal member lower side;
• a sealing valve disposed on said valve seat, said sealing valve being operably connected to said movable member for lifting off said valve seat when said movable member is raised;
• said sealing valve and said movable member being operably interconnected in a manner that requires said movable member to lift past a first predetermined distance before said sealing valve begins to lift off said valve seat;
• said base member and said movable member being operably interconnected in a manner that allows said movable member to tilt a second predetermined tilting distance without said sealing valve lifting off said valve seat, and to prevent said movable member from tilting beyond said predetermined tilting distance;
• whereby when said sealing valve is lifted from said valve seat due to said movable member being raised past said first predetermined distance, said controlled pressure zone is vented to atmospheric pressure;
• whereby said controlled pressure zone is maintained when said movable member is tilted said second predetermined distance;
• said sealing valve being operably connected to said movable member by a pin that extends through a pin-receiving opening in said movable member, said pin having a head flange that engages said movable member when said movable member has been lifted said first predetermined distance;
• said pin being vertically adjustable on said sealing valve so that said first predetermined distance can be adjusted;
• said movable member being operably connected to said base member by a set of movable member peripheral tabs that engage a corresponding set of peripheral stops on said base member peripheral sidewall when said movable member has been lifted said second predetermined distance;
• said movable member being sized so that a distance between diametrically opposing pairs of said peripheral tabs is such that tilting said movable member said second predetermined distance will not result in said movable member being raised said first predetermined distance and engaging said head flange;
• said pin being single pin operably connecting said valve to said movable member, and said pin-receiving opening being situated equidistantly from said movable member peripheral tabs;
• said movable member being nested entirely within an area defined by said base member peripheral sidewall;
• said seal member being nested entirely within said area defined by said base member peripheral sidewall;
• said container support assembly comprising a generally disk-shaped puck assembly;
• said base member peripheral sidewall being generally ring-shaped, and said base member interior structure being generally annular-shaped with a central aperture that is generally circular in shape;
• said seal member being formed with a central aperture and is generally annular in shape, said seal member being attached to said lower side of said base member interior structure;
• said lower side of said base member interior structure being tapered such that said seal member forms a frustoconical shape;
• said seal member being attached to said lower side of said base member interior structure by way of a seal retainer that inserts through said central aperture in said seal member and engages said central aperture in said base member interior structure;
• said seal retainer including a central well whose bottom defines said valve seat, and one or more apertures providing an air pathway from said valve seat to a lower side of said seal retainer that is in fluid communication with said seal lower side;
• said valve seat comprising a resilient member mounted on said bottom of said seal retainer central well;
• said sealing valve comprising a generally circular disk member and said resilient seal comprises an O-ring;
• said sealing valve including peripheral tabs that reduce friction between said sealing valve and a side portion of said seal retainer central well;
• and
• said base member interior structure being a load-bearing structure and said movable member being supported thereon.