US20060091276A1

US20060091276A1 - Swinging utility vessel holder

Info

Publication number: US20060091276A1
Application number: US11/266,066
Authority: US
Inventors: Phyllis Ward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-04
Filing date: 2005-11-03
Publication date: 2006-05-04

Abstract

A vessel holder including a free-swinging receiving and holding device for holding and securing a vessel. A free-swinging vessel holder including a receiving and holding device for holding and securing a vessel, a pivoting device operatively attached to the receiving and holding device for pivoting and swiveling the receiving and holding device and allowing free-swinging of the receiving and holding device, and an affixing device operatively connected to the pivoting device for affixing the receiving and holding device to a fixed surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/625,055, filed Nov. 4, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of vehicle accessories and specifically towards a holder or retainer for vessels and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
There are numerous types of cup holders known to those of skill in the art. Generally, these cup holders are utilized in moving vehicles. The cup holders vary in design, size, and shape. Further, the cup holders can be utilized in various settings such as automobiles. However, the cup holders can always be improved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,096 discloses a drink container stabilizing device that normally rests upon a relatively horizontal surface. The device only prevents the entire drink container from tipping over as opposed to preventing the contents within the drink container from splashing out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,390 discloses a container holding device that is an articulating holder having a suction cup for mounting the holder on any smooth surface. As with other container holding devices, this container holding device does not allow the drink container to sway independently of the holding device. As a result, any movement of the vehicle will be directly translated to the drink container from the container holding device. Thus, the liquid within the drink container will splash and spill out of the drink container.
Further examples of cup holders include U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,109, which discloses a beverage dispenser holder that is mountable on a vehicle dashboard. The holder securely attaches to the dashboard and translates movement of the vehicle directly to the beverage container.
Another example of a cup holder is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,635, which discloses a cup-holder stabilizer that includes a two-fold upper cylinder and a lower cylinder. The cup-holder stabilizer merely prevents the cup placed within the upper cylinder from tipping over. Liquid within the cup can still spill out.
As described above, while driving a moving vehicle, cup holders allow a cup placed therein to tip over entirely or for the liquid inside the cup to spill or splash out of the cup. The cause of these results is due to motion of the vehicle. Generally, cup holders retain or hold the cup in a somewhat stationary position; thus, they fail to prevent the liquid inside the cup from splashing out. Vehicle motion causes the liquid to move. As a result, if the moving vehicle were to make a wide or fast turn, either the cup would tip over or the liquid would spill or splash out of the cup.
Accordingly, there is a need for a free-swinging or swaying vessel holder that would permit a cup inside to sway along with the movement of a vehicle. Therefore, splashing and tip-over of the vessel or cup can be minimized or eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved vessel holder or receptacle for use in a moving vehicle. The present invention provides a vessel holder including a free-swinging receiving and holding device for holding and securing a vessel. Further, the present invention provides a free-swinging vessel holder including a receiving and holding device for holding and securing a vessel, a pivoting device operatively attached to the receiving and holding device for pivoting and swiveling the receiving and holding device and allowing free-swinging of the receiving and holding device, and an affixing device operatively connected to the pivoting device for affixing the receiving and holding device to a fixed surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Other advantages of the present invention are readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the present invention hangs from a dashboard of an automobile;
FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention being utilized within a center console unit; and
FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the present invention is a free-swinging or swaying vessel holder that can be used in a moving vehicle. The present invention is an improvement over other cup holders of the prior art in that it swings and/or sways back and forth and/or side to side with the motion of the moving vehicle. As a result, any liquid contents within the vessel have a reduced amount of splashing that occurs and/or the vessel cannot tip over because the motion of the vehicle is not directly translated to the liquid contents within the vessel. The swaying or swinging motion of the present invention dissipates the force of motion of the liquid contents within the vessel. In the swinging motion, the side of the vessel is effectively raised as a wave of the liquid hits the side wall of the vessel. Hence, the possibility of spillage due to changes in vehicle motion are decreased and minimized.
As used herein, the term “vessel” means a hollow or concave utensil for holding something. It is any type of hollow structure that can hold a solid or liquid. Preferably, the vessel holds a liquid. Examples of vessels include, but are not limited to, cups, cans, bottles, jars, mugs, bowls, and any other similar vessels known to those of skill in the art. The vessel can vary in size, shape, and design. The present invention can accommodate any type of vessel.
The present invention can be made from any suitable material known to those of skill in the art. For example, the present invention can be made from aluminum, copper, brass, stainless steel, plastics, metal, rubber, polymers, synthetic materials, alloys, leather, vinyl, foam, combinations thereof, and any other similar sturdy material known to those of skill in the art. Those skilled in the art can utilize well-known techniques and fabrication processes in order to construct any embodiment of the present invention. Such techniques include, but are not limited to, welding, riveting, stitching, fastening, adhesive processes, molding, injection molding, extrusion techniques, and any other similar techniques known to those of skill in the art. Basically, any technique and/or methodology known to those of skill in the art can be used to manufacture the present invention. Of course, various modifications can be made by those of skill in the art and will still be within the spirit of the present invention.
The present invention prevents a vessel placed therein from tipping over and preventing spillage of liquid contents within the vessel. In order to achieve this result, the pivoting device is situated above the center of gravity of the liquid contents. Further by free-swinging or free-swaying, the present invention dissipates any momentum or forces caused by the moving vehicle from directly translating to the liquid contents within the vessel. As a result, the contents within the vessel will not splash out of the vessel.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a vessel holder 10 including a free-swinging receiving and holding device 12 for holding and securing a vessel 18. The free-swinging holding device 12 includes a pivoting device 14 operatively attached to the receiving and holding device 12 for pivoting and swiveling the receiving and holding device 12 and for allowing the receiving and holding device 12 to freely swing.
The receiving and holding device 12 can receive and hold a vessel 18 of any size. The receiving and holding device 12 includes an opening 20 defining a receiving area 22 for the vessel 18. Any type, shape, and/or size of vessel 18 can be placed within the receiving and holding device 12. Preferably, the receiving and holding device 12 is cylindrical in shape. The receiving and holding device 12 can optionally have an adjusting mechanism 24 for removeably securing the vessel 18 placed within the receiving and holding device 12. The adjusting mechanism 24 can be a strap, flexible plastic, elastic device, or any other similar device known to those of skill in the art that adjustably holds and/or secures the vessel 18 within the receiving holding device 12.
The pivoting device 14 can be any device or set of devices that can allow the receiving and holding device 12 to freely swing and/or sway with the motion of the moving vehicle. The pivoting device 14 allows the receiving and holding device 12 to move, swing, and/or sway independently from the affixing device 16. Examples of the pivoting device 14 include, but are not limited to, a ball and socket joint, a hook, a peg, a bolt, screw, bolt, swivel device and any other similar pivoting devices known to those of skill in the art. The pivoting device 14 is attached to the receiving and holding device 12 through an attaching device 26 such as, but not limited to, a hole, aperture, indentation, a radial extension, a protrusion of the receiving and holding device 12 of appropriate size and design. The attaching device 26, when engaged with the pivoting device 14 allows the receiving and holding device 12 to move independently from the affixing device 16. As a result, the receiving and holding device 12 swings and/or sways freely and independently when the vehicle is in motion.
The affixing device 16 removeably or permanently attaches the free-swinging vessel holder 10 to a fixed surface of the moving vehicle. The affixing device 16 can be, but is not limited to, a screw, nut and bolt combination, hook and loop fastener, glue, adhesive strip, suction cup, pins, levers, fasteners, and any other similar affixing devices known to those of skill in the art. Preferably, the fixed surface that the affixing device 16 attaches to is the dashboard or center console of the vehicle. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a suction cup is utilized as the affixing device 16. Alternatively, the affixing device 16 can be a strap of material with an aperture that can be placed on a knob, cigarette lighter, handle, lock post, or any other similar extension of the vehicle's interior. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a cigarette adaptor can be used specifically to hold the vessel holder 10 of the present invention.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a free-swinging vessel holder 10 including a receiving and holding device 12 for holding and securing a vessel 18. The receiving and holding device 12 is operatively attached to a pivoting device 14. The pivoting device 14 allows for the pivoting, swaying, and/or swiveling of the receiving and holding device 12 when lateral, longitudinal, and/or other forces are applied to the receiving and holding device 12. Finally, the pivoting device 14 is operatively connected to an affixing device 16.
In operation, a vessel 18 is placed into the receiving and holding device 12. When the vehicle initially moves, the present invention effectively allows the vessel 18 to swing or sway in a direction counter to the vehicle's movement thereby dissipating the force on the liquid contents within the vessel 18 that would cause the contents to spill over the top of the vessel's 18 upper lip. When the vehicle stops or is turned, again, the swinging and swaying of the receiving and holding device 12 (as allowed by the pivoting device 14 of the present invention) counters any spillage of the liquid contents within the vessel 18. As the liquid contents decrease, as by the ingestion of the liquid by a person, there is a decrease in force generated by the decreasing amount of liquid contents within the vessel 18. As a result, less swinging or swaying is necessary because the liquid contents are lower in the vessel 18 relative to the side walls of the vessel 18. Hence, there is an effective self-adjustment of the swinging or swaying motion of the present invention based on the content of the liquid within the vessel 18.
The present invention can be utilized in any environment and with any moving vehicle such as, but not limited to, automobiles, trucks, buses, boats, golf carts, planes, and any other similar moving vehicle known to those of skill in the art. Of course, the present invention can also be utilized in any non-vehicular applications also. If the present invention is utilized in a moving vehicle, it can be attached and/or incorporated into various interior areas of the vehicle including, but not limited to, the dashboard, center console, door panel, seat back, or other similar areas known to those of skill in the art. In order to use the present invention, the affixing device 16 is attached to a fixed surface on the moving vehicle and then the cup containing the liquid is placed within the receiving area 22 of the receiving and holding device 12. As a result, the cup cannot tip over or release from the receiving and holding device 12. Further, the liquid in the cup will have a minimal or negligible amount of splashing that can occur.
Throughout this application, various publications, including United States patents, are referenced by author and year and patents by number. Full citations for the publications are listed below. The disclosures of these publications and patents in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the described invention, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A vessel holder comprising free-swinging receiving and holding means for holding and securing a vessel therein.

2. The vessel holder according to claim 1, wherein said free-swinging holding means includes pivoting means operatively attached to said receiving and holding means for pivoting and swiveling said receiving and holding means and for allowing said receiving and holding means to freely swing.

3. The vessel holder according to claim 2, wherein said receiving and holding means includes attaching means for attaching said receiving and holding means to said pivoting means.

4. The vessel holder according to claim 3, wherein said attaching means is defined as a hole, aperture, indentation, a radial extension, a protrusion of said receiving and holding means, and combinations thereof.

5. The vessel holder according to claim 4, wherein said pivoting means is defined as a ball and socket joint, a hook, a peg, a bolt, screw, swivel device and combinations thereof.

6. The vessel holder according to claim 2, wherein said pivoting means is operatively attached to affixing means for affixing said pivoting means and said receiving and holding means to a fixed surface.

7. The vessel holder according to claim 6, wherein said affixing means is defined as a screw, nut and bolt combination, hook and loop fastener, glue, adhesive strip, suction cup, pins, levers, fasteners, and combinations thereof.

8. The vessel holder according to claim 2, wherein said receiving and holding means further includes adjusting means for tightly securing a vessel within said receiving and holding means.

9. A free-swinging vessel holder comprising:

receiving and holding means for holding and securing a vessel;

pivoting means operatively attached to said receiving and holding means for pivoting and swiveling said receiving and holding means and allowing free-swinging of said receiving and holding means; and

affixing means operatively connected to said pivoting means for affixing said receiving and holding means to a fixed surface.