GB2194430A - Holder for articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for articles, the holder comprising at least one snap retaining mechanism, supported between two positions which are fixed spatially relatively to one another, and which may be snapped from a first position through a dead-centre position towards a second position in which an article may be retained in the holder. In a particular embodiment a cage-like holder for drinks containers comprises an encircling top member 11, depending vertical members and a base 23, adapted to hold containers of various shapes and sizes by selection of the position of arcuate members 24, 25 capable of snapping over from a convex to a concave configuration or vice versa. A support for the holder comprises a plane, preferably T-shaped, member having on its front face studs and a horizontal bead which engage slidingly with keyhole slots and horizontal notches on the rear vertical member of the holder. The support has rear face recesses, apertures, and front face recesses which enable it to be secured to a variety of articles and surfaces by adhesive or VELCRO (TM) pads, screws, bolts, suction cups, etc., but particularly to prams or pushchairs by band fixings passing about the front face recesses. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Holder for articles This invention relates to a holder for articles, particularly for drinks containers.

In caring for children in their early years, it is usually necessary to have suitable drinks readily available in a variety of circumstances, for example when the child is in the cot, at play, at meals, or when travelling by pram, pushchair, motor vehicle, and so forth.

As children drink from a variety of containers, such as bottles with and without teats, trainer mugs, pierceable cartons, etc., which are frequently open in use and liable to spill or leak, it is inconvenient when moving about to carry such containers in the hand, on the person or in bags used for the child's other necessities. In the home situation, it may be inconvenient to have the container out of reach on a table or underfoot on the floor when the child in in a playpen or high chair.

Similar considerations apply to invalids and hospital patients, and to adults requiring a drink to be readily available when preoccupied with tasks requiring major use of both hands, e.g. driving.

There is, accordingly, a need to provide a holder which retains drinks containers of different type, size and configuration.

There is also a need for a holder for retaining vanity articles and camera components.

Many arrangements of holders have been proposed in the past, such as for example shown in US-A-3,292,223 and GB-A2,128,878, but these are all complex in form leading to relatively high manufacturing costs and the risk of malfunction.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for articles, the holder comprising at least one snap retaining mechanism, supported between two positions which are fixed spatially relatively to one another, and which may be snapped from a first position through a dead-centre position towards a second position in which an article may be retained in the holder.

The invention provides a simple, compact and convenient holder enabling articles such as drinks containers to be quickly and easiiy positioned in the holder where they are retained and may be removed when required.

There are many applications for the invention including: (1) For drinks containers on baby pushchairs, prams, playpens and on any surface convenient for baby drinks; (2) Invalid chairs and on other locations convenient for invalids; (3) For drinks containers, torches, fire extinguishers, de-icing sprays, etc. near the driver's position in car or truck; (4) For comparable ranges of objects in aircraft, trains, caravans, ships or boats or wherever sudden or substantial alteration in position or orientation may take place; (5) For comparable ranges of objects at workbench, easel, kitchen, bathroom or other industrial or domestic work-station; (6) For holding interchangeable lenses, eg.

attached to belt for personal wear by suitable studs, etc., for photographers; (7) As a personally worn holder for joggers', hikers', drinks, etc.

The holder may be adapted to rest on a surface by having supporting legs or a flat base but conveniently a holder support is provided for mounting to a support member, the holder and holder support having cooperating attachment members whereby the holder may be releasably attached to the support.

Preferably the holder and the support are releasably secured by sliding engagement between at least one headed stud protruding from the front of the support and at least one keyhole aperture in a rear vertical member of the holder. The shanks of the studs preferably have flat vertical sides to prevent rocking when engaged with the flat portions of the keyhole apertures. In addition there may be a transverse bead on the front of the support which snap engages with a correspondingly shaped transverse recess on the rear of the holder when the sliding engagement is properly effected.

The various securing means for the support, which may be supplied as part of a kit, may include (1) C-clips or band fixings designed to pass through recesses on the front face of the support and be fixed about the bar of a cot, pram, pushchair, playpen or any other article having suitable bars; (2) rectangular pads with contact adhesive on one face, and contact adhesive or VELCRO (TM) on the other side, adapted to be adhered in rear face recesses of the support and either adhered directly to a flat surface, or if VELCRO (TM), secured to a complementary pad of pile material attached to the flat surface; (3) round-headed screws or bolts to be passed through apertures at the level of front face recesses of the support for fixing directly to a surface; (4) suction pads secured by bolts passing through the aforesaid apertures of the support for fixing to smooth surfaces such as motor vehicle windows; (5) screws or bolts; or (6) inverted hooks.

It would of course be possible to use means (3) and (4) directly in combination with the container holder if relatively permanent fixing of this item alone to walls, windows or similar, was desired.

When secured to a collapsible pram or pushchair by band fixings, typically to a generally vertical bar or a bar forming an acute angle to the vertical, the support may be rotatable to whatever position is most convenient for use, but preferably to a position parallel with the side of the pram or pushchair when the latter is folded to its collapsed condition.

It is envisaged that prams and pushchairs may be manufactured with studs suitably disposed on a bar generally vertical or forming an acute angle to the vertical, so that a holder may be secured directly thereto.

Preferably, the or each snap retaining mechanism cooperates with a wall part of the holder whereby the article is retained between the or each snap mechanism and the respective wall parts. Thus, depending on the size of the article, a snap mechanism may urge the article against a part of the wall of the holder or simply loosely retain the article.

Conveniently, the or each snap retaining mechanism comprises a flexible portion of the wall of the holder.

In some examples, the or each snap mechanism may comprise an arcuate strip having ends of reduced cross-section attached to other parts of the holder and preferably the or each arcuate strip is integrally formed with other parts of the holder.

In other examples, the or each arcuate strip is pivotally connected at each end to other parts of the holder.

The use of arcuate strips enables a wide variety of differently shaped articles to be held ranging from large cylinders, mugs and beakers to rectangular juice boxes.

Conveniently, the holder has a cage-like form and comprises a horizontal U-shaped top member integral with a vertical T-shaped rear member, the latter having means by which the holder may be secured to the support, at least one further vertical member depending from the top member, and a base member integral with the vertical members and cooperating with them so as to hold articles, such as containers, of various shapes and sizes, and at least two arcuate strips with reduced crosssection ends disposed between the ends of the arcuate portion of the U-shaped top member and the top of the vertical portion of the T-shaped member, each capable of snap-over positioning in the horizontal plane to one of a convex or a concave configuration, so that together with the arcuate portion of the Ushaped top member they are capable of supportively surrounding the upper portion of a great variety of articles. Where a holder support is provided this may have a T-shaped member having securing means cooperating with the rear member of the holder, and having recesses and apertures adapted to permit securing of the support to a variety of articles or surfaces by selection from a variety of means such as band clips, adhesive or VEL CRO (TM) pads, suction cups, screws and bolts.

In a preferred embodiment of the holder, two vertical members are provided in addition to the rear vertical member positioned approximately at the vertices of an equilateral triangle and the base member consists of a generally triangular plate connecting the bases of the vertical members by three concave arcs.

If moulded in plastics material the holder will be of lightweight construction, will not retain spilled liquid and will be easily cleanable with detergent.

Two embodiments of holders and three embodiments of holder systems according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of one embodiment; Figure 2 shows a rear view of the Figure 1 embodiment; Figure 3 shows a side view of the Figure 1 embodiment; Figure 4 shows a side view of the support; Figure 5 shows a plan view of the support; Figure 6 shows a front view of the support; Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment; and, Figures 8 to 10 are plan views of three different holder systems.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the container holder 10 comprises a horizontal U-shaped member 11 integral with a vertical T-shaped member 12 having two keyhole-shaped slots 15, 16 in the upright portion of the T, 13.

Two ribs 17, 18 are formed on either edge of the upright 13, each having a horizontal notch 19, 20. Two further vertical members 21, 22 depend from the top member 11 and together with rear member 12 are integral with a generally triangular-shaped base plate 23.

Two arcuate strips 24, 25 are formed integrally with U-shaped member 11, each having reduced cross-section ends 26, 27 and 28, 29 respectively, which are attached to the edges 30, 31 of the upright 13 and to the ends 32, 33 of the arcuate portion of the Ushaped member. The ends 26-29 are thus spatially fixed relatively to one another.

The strips 24, 25 are shown in their convex (or first) position in full line and in their concave (or second) position in dashed line. Each strip may independently be fully or partially snapped over from its convex to its concave position or vice versa, through a dead centre position, thus allowing containers (or similarly shaped articles) with a wide range of crosssections to be supportively surrounded near their upper ends.

Referring now to Eigures 4 to 6, there is shown a T-shaped support 34 for the container holder comprising a vertical portion 36 and a horizontal portion 35. projecting from the front face of the vertical portion 36 are two headed studs 37, 38 with shanks formed with flat vertical walls. A horizontal bead 44 also projects from the front face. Two cutouts 45, 46 in the front face are sufficiently wide to accommodate suitable band fixings.

Recesses 41, 42, 43 are formed in the rear faces of portions 35 and 36, one or more of which may be used to accommodate adhesive pads faced with VELCRO (TM) or adhesive material. Two holes 39 and 40 pass through the cut-outs 45 and 46 to permit direct fixing by e.g. screws or bolts, or the securing of the bolts of suction cups.

In use, the support 34 may be fixed to a bar by means of suitable band fixings which pass about the cut-out portions 45 and 46.

The support 34 may also be fixed to a wide range of surfaces by a variety of means e.g.

by screws or bolts passing through holes 39, 40; by suction cups secured to the support by bolts passing through the same holes: by fixing adhesive pads in the recesses 41, 42 of the support, the pads being faced with VEL CRO (TM) type material or adhesive material which may be secured respectively to complementary pile material or directly to a smooth surface.

With the support 34 in position the container holder 10 may be offered up to the support so that the studs 37, 38 pass through the lower portions of the keyhole apertures 15, 16. The container holder and the support are then brought into sliding engagement by moving the holder 10 downwards whereupon the flat vertical sides of the studs slide into the narrow portions of the keyhole slots thereby preventing rocking, and the horizontal bead 44 snaps into the notches 19, 20 on the rear member 12 thereby preventing unintended release of the container holder.

The arcuate strips 24, 25 may now be set to whichever positions are most suitable for the container which is to be held.

Thus, both strips may be set into their convex positions for a large cylindrical container, or both into their concave positions for a small cylindrical container. Alternatively, one strip may be set into its convex position and one into its concave position to hold a container of rectangular cross-section, e.g. a small carton of fruit juice.

In cases where the container is not firmly gripped between the arcuate portion of the Ushaped member 11 and the arcuate strips 24, 25 it will be supported by the base, secured against slipping out by the vertical members, and sufficiently closely surrounded by the top member so as to be unable to tilt by more than small, acceptable angle.

Figure 7 illustrates a wall 40 of a box, such as a vanity case, for retaining articles of different shapes, sizes and configurations. The box includes four upstanding posts 41 secured to a base of the box and four arcuate strips 42 positioned between respective pairs of posts 41. Each arcuate strip 42 has an integral collar 43, 44 at each end, the collars being offset in a vertical direction. The posts 41 are spaced such that when the arcuate strips 42 are mounted on the posts each takes up a convex or concave configuration.

Each collar 43, 44 has a length substantially half the height of a respective strip so that collars 43, 44 of adjacent arcuate strips 42 may be stacked onto the same post 41.

Further arcuate strips could be positioned above those shown if taller posts 41 are provided so that judicious positioning of the arcuate strips 42 will enable the cross-sectional area of the box to be divided up according to the number and type of articles to be secured.

Near the side walls of the box, the posts may be formed at a distance from the walls sufficiently less than the smallest diameter of the articles to be secured, so that a D-shaped compartment would be formed when the strip opposite to the side wall was in its convex position with respect to the wall. Similarly at a corner of the box there could be an arcuate strip positioned between posts so as to be opposed to the corner in either convex or concave configuration.

Preferably the box is moulded in high density polystyrene and the arcuate strips 42 in nylon. The posts 41 would have the shanks slightly narrowed over a height corresponding to that of the arcuate strips and the inner diameter of the tubular endpieces would be less than the maximum diameter of the posts but greater than the diameter of the shanks, so that they could be snapped over the heads of the posts thus preventing accidental removal of the strips.

Figure 8 illustrates a holder system comprising a number of holders positioned side by side and defined by a substantially rectangular cross-section wall 50 having a number of arcuate strips 51-57 extending between opposite sides of the wall 50. The strips 51-57 are similar to the arcuate strips 24, 25 of the Figure 1 example. It will be noticed that each arcuate strip 52-56 is common to a pair of holders, for example the holders 58, 59. The arcuate strips can be appropriately adjusted so that a variety of differently shaped containers can be supported in the holder system.

Figure 9 illustrates a variation of the Figure 8 example in which the two long walls of the holder system 60,61 form opposite sides of a triangle with arcuate strips extending between them.

Figure 10 illustrates a further example in which the arcuate strips extend between a planar wall 62 and a curved wall 63.

Claims (13)

1. A holder for articles, the holder comprising at least one snap retaining mechanism, supported between two positions which are fixed spatially relatively to one another, and which may be snapped from a first position through a dead-centre position towards a second position in which an article may be retained in the holder.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the or each snap retaining mechanism cooperates with a wall part of the holder whereby an article is retained between the or each snap retaining mechanism and the respective wall parts.

3. A holder according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each snap retaining mechanism comprises a flexible portion of the wall of the holder.

4. A holder according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the or each snap mechanism comprises an arcuate strip having ends of reduced cross-section attached to other parts of the holder.

5. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the or each arcuate strip is integrally formed with other parts of the holder.

6. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the or each arcuate strip is pivotally connected at each end to other parts of the holder.

7. A holder according to any of claims 4 to 6, the holder having a cage-like form.

8. A holder according to any of the preceding claims adapted to hold containers.

9. A holder for articles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the examples shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A holder system comprising a plurality of holders according to any of the preceding claims, the holders being arranged side by side with adjacent holders having at least one common snap retaining mechanism.

11. A holder system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the examples shown in Figures 8 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

12. In combination: a holder support for mounting to a support member; and a holder according to any of claims 1 to 9, the holder and holder support having cooperating attachment members whereby the holder may be releasably attached to the support.

13. A holder support in combination with a holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.