US2996938A

US2996938A - Bottle holder and opener

Info

Publication number: US2996938A
Application number: US1917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard T Holtzclaw; Alfred P Thomasson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-01-12
Filing date: 1960-01-12
Publication date: 1961-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-22

Description

g- 1951 R. T. HOLTZCLAW ET AL 2,996,938

BOTTLE HOLDER AND OPENER Filed Jan. 12. 1960 INVENTORS Richard T. HOHZCICIW Alfred P. Thomosson ATTORNEY) Unite States Patent Q Ala.

Filed Jan. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 1,917 4 Claims. (Cl. 813.1)

The present invention relates toa new and novel bottle holder and opener, and more particularly to a simple and compact structure which at the same time is provided with a maximum degree of rigidity and strength.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use with motor vehicles in conjunction with the door and window portions thereof, the device being especially adapted to be mounted on the door adjacent the window as generally carried thereby.

While the invention device is adapted to support bottles of various sizes and configurations, it is designed primarily to support soft drink type bottles such as Coca-Cola and the like, these bottles having a generally uniform neck size with a standard size cap sealing the upper end thereof.

It is often desirable to support bottles of such carbonated beverages in the interior of the car as at a drive-in movie or the like, or when driving on long trips. As is well-known, it is usually very awkward to try to support this type of bottle in a convenient location in the interior of the car since the car itself is not provided with any suitable means for supporting such bottles. Accordingly, the present invention device is so constructed and arranged that it includes an offset portion adapted to fit down between the glass and the guide bar on the door of a conventional car. When in such position, the integral offset portion serves to firmly support the remaining portion of the device.

The main body portion of the invention includes an elongated open-ended slot adapted to receive and support the neck portion of a soft drink bottle or the like. The device itself is formed from a relatively thin sheet of stock material, and accordingly, a particular problem is to provide -a construction which will be sufliciently rigid to effectively serve both as a bottle support means and also as a bottle opener. In order to produce the required degree of rigidity, a central part of the main body portion is doubled back upon itself to provide a double thickness portion which serves to strengthen and rigidify the device in order that it can readily withstand the forces imposed thereon during operation without deformation.

This doubled back central portion in turn extends away from the main body portion to define the aforementioned offset portion. A further feature of the device is the fact that the offset portion is disposed at an angle of approximately 110 degrees to the general plane of the main body portion. With this arrangement, the main body portion is disposed at the proper angle such that when disposed in operative position, bottles will be supported by the main body portion and will not tend to slide out of the device since the main body portion will be inclined upwardly with respect to the horizontal. In addition, the particular angular disposition of the offset portion with respect to the main body portion enables the offset portion to be effectively employed as a handle and to assist in the use of the device as a bottle opener.

An additional feature of the invention is the fact that it can also serve as a window anti-rattling mechanism. Since the offset portion of the device is adapted to be fitted between the glass of the window and the guide bar on the door, it is adapted to take up a certain amount of slack therebetween to prevent rattling of the window with respect to the door. Accordingly, the device is adapted to perform a number of combined functions when utilized in conjunction with an automotive Vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel bottle holder and opener adapted to fit on the door portion of an automotive vehicle and to serve as a support or rack for holding one or more bottles therein.

Another object is the provision of a bottle holder and opener which also serves as an effective and easily operated opener means for removing the cap from a bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which not only serves the aforementioned. functions, but furthermore, the function as a window anti-rattler device which serves to prevent rattling of the window within the supporting door structure.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combined bottle holder and opener device which is simple and inexpensive in construction and yet which is reinforced to provide a sturdy arrangement which is quite effective in operation.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an automobile or the like with the invention device shown in operative position;

FIG. 2 illustrates the device being employed as a bottle opener;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention device;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 an automotive vehicle in the form of a conventional passenger car indi cated by reference numeral 10, the vehicle including a roof portion 11, a hood portion 12 and a seat 13, A door post 14 extends upwardly at one side of the car and a door is indicated at 15. A conventional side vent window 16 is mounted at the forward portion of the door, and the vertically slidable main window is indicated at 17.

The invention device is illustrated generally by reference numeral 20 and is shown as being mounted in operative position with a soft drink bottle 21 supported thereby. It is evident that when in the position shown, the soft drink bottle will be readily accessible to a person sitting in the seat of the car, and at the same time will be out of the way such that it will not interfere with normal movements of a person seated in the car. The bottle is also readily accessible such that it can be removed whenever desired to pour out the contents of the bottle.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3-6 of the drawing, the device of the present invention includes a main body portion which is indicated by reference numeral 25, the main body portion including a pair of

spaced legs

26 and 27 which are connected at adjacent ends thereof by a base portion 28. It will be noted as.

seen in FIG. 3 that the main body portion is substantially U-shaped in configuration as seen from above, the

leg portions

26 and 27 being substantially parallel to one another and defining an open-ended elongated slot 30 which is adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottle support thereby.

The entire device is generally manufactured from a piece of relatively rigid flat stock which may be formed of aluminum, steel or the like, the device being formed in a well-known manner by a conventional stamping operation.

The portion of the original flat stock which is stamped out to form elongated slot 30 is formed as shown most clearly in FIG. 6 such that the central part of the base portion 28 is doubled back upon itself as indicated at 35 to provide a reinforced double thickness central portion for the body means which serves to strengthen and rigidify the structure. Central portion 35 extends rearwardly to a point adjacent the rear edge 36 of the main body portion whereupon it is bent downwardly to provide an offset portion 40. The main body portion lies substantially in a plane with which the doubled back portion 35 is parallel. The offset portion 40 extends away from the general plane of the body portion at an angle of approximately 110 degrees as indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawing.

As indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing, the width of slot 30 is such that it will fit around the reduced portion of a bottle as indicated by reference numeral 41, but the width of the slot is less than the diameter of an enlarged head portion formed at the upper end of the bottle as indicated by reference numeral 42. This reduced neck and bead arrangement is a common construction in such soft drink bottles and the device of the present invention may be dimensioned to fit many different bottles as will be well understood.

As seen in FIG. 4, when offset portion 40 is disposed in a normal vertical operative position wherein it will be sandwiched between the glass of the door window and the door itself, the main body portion 25 extends upwardly at an angle of substantially 20 degrees to the horizontal. This is an advantageous arrangement since the bottle can be quickly slid out of the open end of the slot provided in the body means, and at the same time, the position of the body means is such that the bottle will not slip out of the slot inadvertently due to vibration or any other cause. Accordingly, the bottle is effectively retained in operative position.

It will be noted as seen in FIG. 4 that when in operative position, the

opposite leg portions

26 and 27 of the main body portion will have the inner surfaces thereof in engagement with opposite portions of the enlarged bead formed on the bottle, and the neck of the bottle may be in engagement with the curved portion 29 of the base portion which actually defines the closed end of the slot formed in the main body portion. It is of course apparent that the bottle is supported in substantially vertical position which is desirable for preventing the fluid therein from escaping therefrom. It will also be apparent that the leg members may be extended farther to provide a slot of greater length which may be adapted to support more than one bottle if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the manner in which the device may be employed as a bottle opener is illustrated. It should first be noted that in some car constructions, it may be possible to open the bottle while the device is mounted in the position shown in FIG. 1. However, in most American cars, this is not feasible since the door rail is of such thickness that the bottle can not be inserted into the proper position for removing the cap. Accordingly, the device may be quickly removed from the door and utilized as shown in FIG. 2 to remove a cap 45 of conventional construction from a bottle 46.

Here again, the bottle and cap are of well-known construction, and the leg portions of the device are slipped under the cap 45 and on opposite sides of the bottle. The curved portion 29 of the main body portion is slipped under the lip of the cap such that the reinforced double thickness part of the base portion is disposed under the cap.

Referring again to FIG. 6, the arrangement will be such that the upper edge portion 28' of the base portion closely adjacent to the curved portion 29 will be adapted to engage the under surface of the bottle cap.

The device is slipped into the operative position as shown in full lines in FIG. 2 and is held in a persons 4 hand as illustrated. It will be noted that the downwardly extending offset portion 40 serves as a handle which is engaged by the fingers of the hand while the thumb of the hand rests upon the upper surface of base portion 28. A simple lifting motion of the device will then cause the device to pivot about the points of contact between the inner edges of the legs and the outer surface of the bottle to cause the base portion to move upwardly into the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 whereby the cap of the bottle will be snapped off as shown.

It is apparent that a relatively large force is required to snap off the cap of a soft drink bottle, and accordingly, the construction of the central portion of the device is important in this connection. By providing the doubled over reinforced rigid central portion, the underedge of the lip of the cap is engaged by a double thickness area. Furthermore, the rounded portion 29 assists in permitting the device to be pivoted upwardly, and outward pressure on the offset portion 40 tends to produce leverage which assists in moving the entire device upwardly to snap off the bottle cap. With this construction, the relatively thin stock material is provided with a great deal of strength and rigidity for resisting deformation during operation and insures the desired mode of function.

It will also be apparent that when the device is mounted in operative position as shown in FIG. 1, it will serve as a window anti-rattling mechanism due to the fact that it is wedged between the glass of the window and the associated door structure such that it will resist relative movement between the glass and the door structure.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided a new and novel bottle holder and opener device which is adapted to fit on the door of a conventional automobile or the like and which is adapted to support a bottle in readily accessible position adjacent to the door. The device also serves as an efficient and effective bottle opener for removing the cap from a conventional soft drink bottle and the like. The device furthermore serves as a window anti-rattling mechanism when mounted in place on a door. In addition, the device of the present invention is obviously quite simple and inexpensive in construction and yet is provided due to its novel structure with a great deal of rigidity and sturdiness such that it is extremely effective in operation.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

We claim:

1. A bottle holder and opener comprising a unitary body means including a main'body portion and an oifset portion, said main body portion being substantially planar and including a pair of spaced leg members defining an open-ended elongated slot for receiving a portion of the bottle to be supported thereby, said main body portion including a base portion extending between adjacent ends of said spaced leg members, the central portion of said base portion being bent back upon itself to provide a reinforced double thickness portion for rigidifying the structure, said central portion extending away from said base portion at an angle of greater than degrees with respect to the general plane of said main body portion to define said offset portion, said offset portion serving as a means for mounting the device in operative position and also as a handle means when the device is used as an opener.

2. A bottle holder and opener comprising a unitary relatively rigid body means including a main body portion disposed substantially in a fiat plane, said main body portion including a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs defining an open-ended elongated slot, said main body portion also including a base portion extending between and connected to adjacent ends of said legs, a central part of said base portion being doubled back upon itself to form a double thickness reinforced central portion for rigidifying the structure, said doubled back central portion extending to a point adjacent the rear edge of said base portion and then extending away from said main body portion at an angle of greater than 90 degrees to the general plane of said main body portion to define an oifset portion which serves as a means for mounting the device in operative position and further serves as a handle means adapted to be manually engaged when the device is utilized as an opener.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said otfset portion extends at an angle of approximately 110 degrees to the general plane of said main body portion.

4. A bottle holder and opener comprising a unitary body means including a main body portion and an offset portion, said main body portion being substantially U- shaped in configuration and including a pair of elongated spaced similar leg members defining an open-ended elongated slot for receiving a portion of a bottle, said main body portion including a base portion connected between adjacent ends of said leg members, said ofiset portion being formed integral with a central part of said base portion and extending at an angle from said base portion, said offset portion being of substantially less width than said base portion and further being of a width slightly less than said slot formed between the leg members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,550 Moss Dec. 21, 1926 1,746,634 Breneman Feb. 11, 1930 2,205,152 Pearson June 18, 1940 2,264,903 Kruea Dec. 2, 1941 2,431,813 Lawler et a1. Dec. 2, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 449,690 Great Britain July 1, 1936