AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention title: "CARTON HOLDER" Applicant: Shannon James Moxham & Steve Douglas Couch Associated provisional applications: Application number 2010904424 filed 1 October 2010 The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 "Carton Holder" 5 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for holding drink cartons. Background to the Invention 10 Vehicles are generally provided with devices for holding drink containers. These devices may comprise a slide out tray or a recess in a door or between the front seats. The recess is most commonly circular in shape to receive a cylindrical bottle or can. 15 Drinks are also sold however in cartons having a square cross section. In particular, milk based drinks such as iced coffee are usually sold in such square cartons. The size of these cartons is often larger than the diameter of the circular holders found in vehicles. The cartons either therefore do not fit into the holders at all, or at least aren't held securely in place. 20 The present invention relates to a device aimed at securely holding beverage cartons having a square cross section in a vehicle. The device is provided in a form that is easy to manufacture, transport and display in suitable locations, such as road side service stations, where such cartons are commonly sold. 25 Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carton holder comprising: 30 an upper portion for receiving a carton, the upper portion comprising a base wall and a plurality of side walls extending therefrom; a lower portion to be received in a circular drink holder; 3 wherein the side walls are pivotally connected to the base wall such that the side walls can pivot between a first position in which the side walls are coplanar with the base wall and a second position in which the side walls form a recess having a rectangular cross section into which the carton can be 5 received. Preferably the base wall is square in shape and first, second, third and fourth side walls are provided each extending from a respective side edge of the base wall. 10 Preferably each of the side walls includes a first side that is pivotally secured to the respective side edge of the base wall and second and third sides that each engage with adjacent side walls in the second position. 15 In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion comprises a tapered cylindrical member extending away from the base wall. The tapered cylindrical member preferably extends from around the periphery of a circular opening provided in the base wall. 20 In one embodiment, the tapered cylindrical member is defined by a plurality of flexible arms provided spaced around the circular opening, each of the arms being arcuate in transverse cross section. Preferably each of the arms is provided with a resilient protrusion located on 25 an outer surface thereof adjacent the base wall to be compressed as the arms are inserted inside the recess of the drink holder. Each resilient protrusion preferably comprises an elongate member connected at a first end thereof to the arm, the elongate member extending upwardly 30 from the first end away from the outer surface of the arm and including an upper portion turned inwardly towards the arm. In one embodiment, the lower portion is provided with an expansion member in connection with the arms such that depression of the expansion member 4 causes the arms to be moved away from each other to engage with an inner surface of the drink holder. Preferably the expansion member comprises a central disc located between the arms adjacent the distal ends thereof connected to each of the arms by an interconnecting member such that 5 depressing the central disc pushes the arms outwardly via the interconnecting members. In one embodiment, a fourth side of each of the side walls, being the side remote from the first side, comprises a concave curve. 10 Preferably the first and third side walls are provided with channel portions along the second and third sides, the channel portions having grooves for receiving second and third sides of the second and fourth side walls when the side walls are moved to the second position. 15 The channels may be provided with lugs in a direction across the groove such that the lugs are received in corresponding apertures provided adjacent the second and third sides of the second and fourth side walls. 20 In a preferred embodiment, a thinned portion of material is provided connecting the side walls to the base wall such that the thinned portion of material is flexible and forms a hinge. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a carton holder in accordance with 30 the present invention; Figure 2a is a side view of the carton holder of Figure 1; Figure 2b is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1; Figure 2c is a cross sectional view of the carton holder through the line A-A; 5 Figure 2d is a close up view of Detail B of Figure 2c; Figure 3a is a top view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in a flattened configuration; Figure 3b is a side cross sectional view of the carton holder through the line 5 A-A; Figure 3c is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in the flattened configuration; Figure 3d is a side view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in the flattened configuration; 10 Figure 4a is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in the flattened configuration; Figure 4b is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 part way between the flattened configuration and the assembled configuration; Figure 4c is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in the 15 assembled configuration; Figure 5a is a side cross sectional view of the carton holder of Figure 1 showing a first step in the process of expanding the lower portion; Figure 5b is a side cross sectional view of the carton holder of Figure 1 showing a second step in the process of expanding the lower portion; 20 Figure 5c is a side cross sectional view of the carton holder of Figure 1 showing the expanded lower portion; Figure 6 is a side view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in use in a circular drink recess holding a carton; Figure 7a is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in use 25 in a circular drink tray holding a carton; Figure 7b is a side view of the carton holder of Figure 1 in use in the circular drink tray holding the carton; Figure 8 is an upper perspective view of a plurality of carton holders stacked together in the flattened configuration; 30 Figure 9 is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 received on top of a carton; Figure 10a is a side cross sectional view of the carton holder of Figure 1 receiving a can; and 6 Figure 10b is an upper perspective view of the carton holder of Figure 1 receiving the can. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments 5 Referring to the Figures, there is shown a carton holder 10 in accordance with the present invention. The carton holder 10 comprises generally an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. The upper portion 12 is provided to receive a beverage carton 16 having a rectangular horizontal cross section. In the embodiment shown, the carton 16 has a square cross section and the upper 10 portion 12 of the carton holder 10 therefore also has a square recess to receive the lower end of the carton 16. The lower portion 14 of the carton holder 10 comprises generally a cylindrical member to be received in a circular recess of a drink holder, such as that 15 provided in a vehicle. In use, the lower portion 14 can therefore be placed in the recess of the drink holder and the carton 16 is supported in the upper portion 12 of the carton holder 10. The carton 16 can therefore be securely connected to the recess of the drink holder. 20 The upper portion 12 comprises a base wall 18 and a plurality of side walls 20. The base wall 18 is square in shape and there is provided first, second, third and fourth side walls 30, 31, 32 and 33 extending each from a respective side edge of the base wall 18. Each of the side walls 20 comprises a first side 22 that is pivotally secured to the respective side edge of the base wall 18. 25 Each side wall 20 also includes second and third sides 23 and 25 that extend perpendicularly from each end of the first side 22. A fourth side 24 is provided extending between ends of the second and third sides 23 and 25, remote from the first side 22. The fourth side 25 of each of the side walls 20 comprises a concave curve. 30 The first side 22 of each of the side walls 20 is pivotally connected to the respective side edge of the base wall 18. In the embodiment shown, the side walls 20 are integrally formed with the base wall 18 and a thinned portion of 7 material is provided connecting the side walls 20 to the base wall 18. The thinned portion of material is flexible and thereby forms a hinge such that the side walls 20 can pivot relative to the base wall 18. The side walls 20 can pivot between a first position (as shown in Figure 3) in which the side walls 20 5 are coplanar with each other and coplanar with the base wall 18 and a second position (as shown in Figure 2). In the second position, the side walls 20 are each perpendicular to the base wall 18 and the second side edge 23 of each side wall 20 abuts the third side wall 25 of an adjacent side wall 20. The side walls 20 therefore define a recess having a square cross section for receiving 10 the lower end of the carton 16. The second and third sides 23 and 25 of each of the side walls 20 engage with the adjacent side walls 20. In the embodiment shown, the first and third side walls 30 and 32 are provided with channel portions 34 along the second 15 and third sides 23 and 25. The channel portions 34 each include a groove 35 therein. The grooves 35 face in the direction of the adjacent second and fourth side walls 31 and 33 when the side walls 20 are in the second positions. The second and third sides 23 and 25 of the second and fourth side walls 31 and 33 are received in the grooves 35 when the side walls 20 are moved to the 20 second position (as best seen in Figures 2c and 2d). The channels 34 are also provided with lugs 60 extending in a direction across the groove 35. The lugs 60 are received in corresponding apertures 62 provided adjacent the second and third sides 23 and 25 of the second and 25 fourth side walls 31 and 33 to secure the second and fourth side walls 31 and 33 in the grooves 35 of the first and third side walls 30 and 32. The base wall 18 includes a circular opening 38 located centrally therein. The lower portion 14 of the carton holder 10 extends away from the base wall 18 30 from around the periphery of the opening 38. The lower portion 14 comprises a tapered cylindrical member 40 extending away from the base wall 18. The tapered cylindrical member 40 is defined by a plurality of flexible arms 42. The arms 42 are provided spaced around the 8 circular opening 38 and each extend downwardly away from the base wall 18. Each of the arms 42 is arcuate in transverse cross section and extends from the base wall 18 slightly towards the central axis of the lower portion 14 to define the taper. 5 Each of the arms 42 is provided with a resilient protrusion 44 located on an outer surface thereof adjacent the base wall 18. The resilient protrusion 44 can be compressed inwardly and will then flex back out. The resilient protrusions 44 will therefore be compressed as the arms 42 are inserted 10 inside the recess of the drink holder. In the case of a tray type holder (as shown in Figure 7), the recess of the drink holder is provided in a planar tray 46. The resilient protrusions 44 will pass below the tray 46 and then expand outwardly below the tray 46 to secure the lower portion 14 of the carton holder 10 to the tray 46. 15 In the embodiment shown, each of the resilient protrusions comprises an elongate member 64 connected at a first end thereof to the arm 42. The elongate member extends upwardly from the first end away from the outer surface of the arm 42 and includes an upper portion 66 turned inwardly 20 towards the arm 42. The lower portion 14 is also provided with an expansion member 48 in connection with the arms 42. The expansion member 48 is provided such that depression of the expansion member 48 causes the arms 42 to be moved 25 away from each other. As can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, the expansion member 48 comprises a central disc 50 located between the arms 42 adjacent the distal ends thereof. The central disc 50 is connected to each of the arms 42 by an interconnecting member 52. Each interconnecting member 52 is flexibly connected to the central disc 50 and to the arm 42 at each end 30 thereof. The central disc 50 and the interconnecting members 52 are arranged such that depressing the central disc 50 (as shown in Figure 5) pushes the arms 42 outwardly. The central disc 50 moves from an uppermost position to a 9 lowermost position in which the arms 42 are moved outwardly against the inner surface of the recess of the drink holder. As can be seen in Figure 6, this arrangement allows the arms 42 to be pushed outwardly against the inner surface 42 of a standard cylindrical drink holder and thereby retain the lower 5 portion 14. The carton holder 10 is expected to be provided for transport and sale in a flattened configuration, in which each of the side walls 20 is in the first position thereof. In this flattened position, each carton holder 10 can be placed upside 10 down with the side walls 20 thereof flat on a surface. Further carton holders 10 can then be placed in the same orientation on top of previous carton holders 10 by having the lower portion 14 received in the central opening 38 of the subsequent carton holder 10. As can be seen in Figure 8, a plurality of carton holders 10 can be placed on top of each other in a relatively small 15 space for sale or transport. When a carton holder 10 is purchased for use, the side walls 20 are pivoted to the second positions thereof and connected together. The lower portion 14 of the carton holder 10 can be inserted into the circular recess of a drink holder 20 in a vehicle and the square carton 16 received securely in the upper portion 12 of the carton holder 10. Also, the arms 42 are shaped such that the upper peaked portion of a carton 16 can be received within the lower portion 14 of the carton holder 10 if the 25 upper end of the carton 16 is inserted into the first portion 12 of the carton holder 10. In the embodiment shown, four arms 42 are provided with gaps 43 between each adjacent pair or arms 42. The gaps 43 are each located adjacent a midpoint of a side wall 20. The upper peaked portion of the carton 16 can therefore be received in the lower portion 14 between an opposed pair 30 of gaps 43 as shown in Figure 9. In this way, the carton holders 10 may be sold individually with a single carton 10 with the carton holder 10 resting on top of the carton 16.
10 It will also be noted that the circular opening 38 is preferably wide enough to receive a standard beverage can 17. In this way the carton holder 10 may also be used to hold a standard can by receiving the lower end of the can in the circular opening 38 in the base wall 18, as can be seen in Figure 10. 5 It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic 10 inventive concepts of the present invention.