Modular beverage can interlocking device

• US 20050139500A1
• Filed: 08/28/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Charles Smithers
• Original Assignee: Matthew Charles Smithers
• Inventors: Smithers, Matthew Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/427
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/50 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/70 Trays provided with projections or recesses in order to assemble multiple articles, e.g. intermediate elements for stacking

Abstract

A modular beverage can interlocking device which is adapted for forming a plurality of conventional beverage cans into a building block for use as a toy or in display applications. The device generally comprises a plurality of ring-shaped members, each having an upper and lower orifice which is optimally contoured to hold the lower and upper end of a conventional beverage can respectively via at least a snug friction-fit. Preferably, the lower orifice has an inwardly facing annular slot for releasable retention of the upper lip of a conventional can via a snap-fit, and most preferably, has multiple inwardly facing annular slots of varying diameter in order to provide a snap-fit for cans of varying outer dimensions. Optional designs are provided which enable the use of thermoplastic materials having a wide range of hardnesses as well as end-cap means which provide for rigid securement to any generally flat surface.

Claims

1. A modular beverage can interlocking device adapted for releasable retention of a plurality of conventional beverage cans wherein each of said cans has a top end and a bottom end, said device comprising:

a plurality of generally ring-shaped members, wherein each of said ring-shaped members has an upper orifice and a lower orifice, said upper orifice generally conforming to the shape of the bottom end of said can for releasable retention therein, said lower orifice generally conforming to the top end of said can for releasable retention therein; and

,

a plurality of inner fillets which are integrally formed with said plurality of ring-shaped members, said plurality of inner fillets interconnecting said plurality of ring-shaped members in such a manner to maintain said ring-shaped members in a generally co-planar relationship to each other, whereby the insertion of a plurality of said beverage cans into the lower orifice of said plurality of said ring-shape members forms a modular building block for stacking one upon another.

2. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein either said lower orifice or said upper orifice comprises at least one inwardly facing annular slot which is adapted for removable retention of either the top or bottom end of said can therein via a snap-fit.

3. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 2, wherein either said lower orifice or said upper orifice of each of said ring-shaped members comprises at least two inwardly facing annular slots which is adapted for removable retention of either the top or bottom end of of said can, wherein each of said inwardly facing annular slots having varying diameter.

4. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein said lower orifice and said upper orifice comprises at least one inwardly facing annular slot, wherein said lower orifice is adapted for removable retention of the top end of said can therein and upper orfice is adapted for removable retention of the bottom end of another said can therein.

5. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of said ring-shaped members are disposed in at least one column of equally spaced linear rows, wherein said rows comprise at least two said ring-shaped members.

6. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein said inner fillets are cutable by a user in order to form two smaller beverage can interlocking devices.

7. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of outer fillets which are integrally formed with said ring-shaped members, said plurality of outer fillets are tangentially interconnected to each of said ring-shaped members thus partially forming an outer periphery of said device.

8. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of disk-shaped membranes integrally attached around the inner periphery of each of said ring-shaped members in order to isolate and seal the contents of said plurality of cans disposed in the lower orifices thereof.

9. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of disk-shaped end caps integrally attached around the periphery of either the lower orifice or the upper orifice of each said ring-shaped members, wherein each of said end caps having a hole centrally formed therein, said hole being adapted for placement of a screw therethrough.

10. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of ring-shaped members, and said plurality of inner fillets are integrally formed from one piece of material.

11. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 10, wherein said material is thermoplastic.

12. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 1, wherein each of said ring-shaped members further comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having said upper orifice formed therein and said lower portion having said lower orifice formed therein, said upper portion and lower portion have a plurality of gaps integrally formed therein thereby increasing the relative effective pliability of the upper orifice as well as lower orifice respectively.

13. A modular beverage can interlocking device adapted for releasable retention of a plurality of conventional beverage cans, each of said cans having a top end and a bottom end, said device comprising:

a plurality of generally cylindrically-shaped members having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, wherein each said upper end portion having an upper orifice formed therein and each of said lower end portion having a lower orifice formed therein, said upper orifice generally conforming to the shape of the bottom end of said can for releasable retention therein via a snug friction-fit, either said lower orifice or said upper orifice comprises at least one inwardly facing annular slot which is adapted for removable retention of the top end of said can therein via a snap-fit; and

,

a plurality of inner fillets which are integrally formed with said plurality of cylindrically-shaped members, said plurality of inner fillets interconnecting said plurality of cylindrically-shaped members in such a manner to maintain said cylindrically-shaped members in a generally co-planar relationship to each other, whereby the insertion of a plurality of said beverage cans into the lower orifice of said plurality of said cylindrically-shaped members forms a modular building block for stacking one upon another.

14. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein either said lower orifice or said upper orifice of each of said ring-shaped members comprises at least two inwardly facing annular slots which is adapted for removable retention of either the top or bottom end of of said can, wherein each of said inwardly facing annular slots having varying diameter.

15. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein said lower orifice and said upper orifice comprises at least one inwardly facing annular slot, wherein said lower orifice is adapted for removable retention of the top end of said can therein and upper orfice is adapted for removable retention of the bottom end of another said can therein.

16. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein said plurality of said cylindrically-shaped members are disposed in at least one column of equally spaced linear rows, wherein each of said rows comprises at least two ring-shaped members.

17. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein said inner fillets are cutable by a user in order to form two smaller beverage can interlocking devices.

18. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of disk-shaped end caps integrally attached around the periphery of either the lower orifice or the upper orifice of each said ring-shaped members, each of said end caps having a hole centrally formed therein, said hole being adapted for placement of a screw therethrough.

19. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein said plurality of cylindrically-shaped members and said plurality of inner fillets are integrally formed from one piece of material.

20. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 19, wherein said material is thermoplastic.

21. The modular beverage can interlocking device of claim 13, wherein the upper portion and lower portion of each of said cylindrically-shaped members have a plurality of gaps integrally formed therein thereby increasing the relative effective pliability of the upper orifice as well as lower orifice respectively.

22. A modular beverage can interlocking device adapted for releasable retention of a plurality of conventional beverage cans wherein each of said cans has a top end and a bottom end, said device comprising:

a plurality of generally cylindrically-shaped members having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, wherein each of said upper end portion having an upper orifice formed therein and each of said lower end portion having a lower orifice formed therein, said upper orifice generally conforming to the shape of the bottom end of said can for releasable retention therein, said lower orifice generally conforming to the top end of said can for releasable retention therein;

a plurality of inner fillets which are integrally formed with said plurality of ring-shaped members, said plurality of inner fillets interconnecting said plurality of ring-shaped members in such a manner to maintain said ring-shaped members in a generally co-planar relationship to each other, whereby the insertion of a plurality of said beverage cans into the lower orifice of said plurality of said ring-shape members forms a modular building block for stacking one upon another; and

,

a plurality of gaps formed on the upper portion and lower portion of each of said cylindrically-shaped members, thereby increasing the relative effective pliability of the upper orifice as well as lower orifice respectively.