Monolithic container holder

• US 20060138814A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cosco Management Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burbrink, Philip W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/188.140
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed

Abstract

A monolithic container holder has a top surface and a receptacle depending from the top surface. The receptacle includes a generally bottom planar wall, a pair of end walls having a height extending between the top surface and the bottom planar wall, and a pair of side walls. Each side wall consists essentially of a concave curved section. The concave curved sections are spaced apart and arranged to receive a curved or round container therein. The end walls are spaced apart and arranged to receive a generally rectangular container therein. The monolithic container holder, or cup holder, may be formed as part of another structure such as a seat formed to support a juvenile with arms and a back, all forming a monolithic body.

Claims

1. A monolithic container holder comprising

a surface having an aperture,

curved side walls extending from the aperture,

flat end walls extending from the aperture, and

a bottom joining the curved side walls and flat end walls to form a cavity, and

wherein the surface, bottom, curved side walls, and flat end walls are a monolithic body.

2. The monolithic container of claim 1, further comprising means for firmly holding one of a round container or a rectangular container.

3. The monolithic container of claim 1, further comprising means for firmly holding a round container and a rectangular container.

4. The monolithic container of claim 3, further comprising means for supporting round container surfaces and means for supporting flat container surfaces.

5. The monolithic container of claim 2, wherein the cavity comprises means for firmly holding one of a container having a curved bottom of a diameter of up to about two inches or a rectangular container having a length or width of up to about three inches

6. The monolithic container of claim 2, wherein the cavity comprises means for holding a round container having a bottom diameter of up to about two inches and a rectangular container having a length or width of up to about three inches

7. The monolithic container of claim 1, wherein the side walls diverge outwardly from the bottom to the top.

8. The monolithic container of claim 7, wherein the side walls diverge at an angle of up to about 4°

.

9. The monolithic container of claim 1, further comprising a beveled edge at the opening in the monolithic body.

10. The monolithic container of claim 1, further comprising a rounded edge at the opening in the monolithic body.

11. A monolithic container holder comprising

an aperture in a support surface,

opposing curved side walls extending from the aperture,

opposing flat end walls extending from the aperture, and

a bottom joining the curved side walls and flat end walls to form a cavity with the opposing curved side walls terminating at the opposing flat end walls, and

wherein the support surface, bottom, opposing curved side walls, and opposing flat end walls are a monolithic body.

12. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein each opposing curved side wall consists of essentially an outwardly curved section.

13. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein the height of the opposing curved side walls and opposing flat end walls is substantially the same.

14. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein the height of one of the opposing flat end walls is less that the height of the other.

15. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein the opposing curved side walls cooperate to define a round-receiver for receiving a container having a circular cross section therebetween.

16. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein the opposing flat end walls cooperate to define a rectangle-receiver for receiving a container having a rectangular cross section therebetween and the bottom provides a container-receiving floor.

17. The monolithic container holder of claim 11, wherein the bottom, opposing curved side walls and opposing flat end walls are monolithic.

18. A monolithic container holder comprising

a surface having an opening, and

a receptacle depending from the surface with the opening forming the mouth of the receptacle, the receptacle including a bottom planar wall, a pair of end walls having a height extending between the top surface and the bottom planar wall, and a pair of side walls, each side wall consisting essentially of a concave curved section, each of the concave curved sections having a height equivalent to the height of the end walls, the concave curved sections being spaced apart and arranged to receive a round container therein, and the end walls being spaced apart and arranged to receive a rectangular container therein.

19. A monolithic container holder comprising

a top surface having an opening and

a receptacle extending from the opening in the top surface, the receptacle comprising a planar bottom wall, first and second straight end walls positioned to interconnect the bottom wall and top surface and in spaced-apart, opposed relation to one another, and first and second side walls positioned to interconnect the bottom wall and top surface and in spaced-apart, opposed relation to one another, each side wall consisting essentially of a curved section terminating at and interconnecting the first and second straight end walls, the curved section of the first side wall bowing outwardly in a first direction, the curved section of the second side wall bowing outwardly in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the height of the side walls and straight end walls being substantially the same, the curved sections of the first and second side walls cooperating to define a round-receiver means for receiving a container having a curved cross section therebetween, the first and second straight end walls cooperating to define rectangle-receiver means for receiving a container having a rectangular cross section therebetween, the top surface opening providing an entry into each of the round-receiver means and the rectangle-receiver means, the planar bottom wall providing a container-receiving floor in each of the round-receiver means and the rectangle-receiver means, and

wherein the top surface is adapted to be coupled to another body.

20. A monolithic container holder comprising

a surface having an aperture,

side walls extending from the aperture,

end walls extending from the aperture,

a bottom joining the side walls and end walls to form a cavity with the surface, bottom and walls forming a monolithic body, and

means for firmly holding a round container and a rectangular container.

21. The monolithic container holder of claim 20, wherein the means for firmly holding further includes means for preventing container damage as the container is inserted, removed, or held.

22. A monolithic container holder comprising

a bottom wall having, in series, a straight back end edge, a convex outside side edge, a straight front end edge, and a convex inside side edge,

a back end wall appended to the straight back end edge of the bottom wall and arranged to extend upwardly away from the bottom wall,

a front end wall appended to the straight front end edge of the bottom wall and arranged to extend upwardly away from the bottom wall,

a curved outside side wall appended to the convex outside side edge and arranged to extend upwardly away from the bottom wall, the curved outside side wall having a rear-end edge appended to the back end wall and a front-end edge appended to the front end wall to cause the curved outside side wall to extend between and interconnect the front and back end walls, and

a curved inside side wall appended to the convex inside side edge and arranged to extend upwardly away from the bottom wall, the curved inside side wall having a rear-end edge appended to the back end wall and a front-end edge appended to the front end wall to cause the curved inside side wall to extend between and interconnect the front and back end walls, and wherein each of the curved inside and outside side walls has concave surfaces arranged to extend between the front and back end walls and face toward one another to locate the bottom wall therebetween.

23. The monolithic container of claim 22, wherein each of the front and back end walls is flat, each of the concave surfaces has a radius of curvature, and the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the curved outside side wall is about equal to the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the curved inside side wall.

24. The monolithic container of claim 22, wherein each of the front and back end walls has a width extending between the curved inside and outside side walls, each of the concave surfaces has a radius of curvature, and the radius of curvature of each of the concave surfaces is greater than the width of each of the front and back end walls.