Multifunction beverage container holder

• US 8,919,718 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark David Lueker
• Original Assignee: Mark David Lueker
• Inventors: Lueker, Mark David
• Primary Examiner(s): RODDEN, JOSHUA E
• Application Number:
  US13/680,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20130075351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 772 Days
• Field of Search: 248/311.2, 248/312.1, 248/102, 248/103, 211/85.29, 220/23.83, 220/475, 220/574, 220/575, 220/737, 206/139, 206/427, 206/429, 224/148.7, 224/556, 224/566, 224/926, 108/152
• US Class Current: 248/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/143 producing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0208 for drinking-glasses, plastic cups, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0225 attachable to a plate, table, or the like

Abstract

An apparatus including one or more beverage container receptacles for holding a beverage container in the upright position in multiple convenient and possibly unstable locations is described. Slender legs separate the beverage container receptacles from direct contact with the mounting or bearing surfaces and serve to damp spilling forces transmitted from these surfaces when the apparatus is placed in various horizontal or vertical orientations such as vertically between couch cushions; or horizontally between a bed mattress and box spring; or on a picnic blanket. Multiple stemmed and non-stemmed beverage container types such as wine glasses, coffee cups, large soda cups are simultaneously held. Additional storage space for personal effects such as digital electronic devices, remote controls or reading glasses is included. One embodiment of the invention includes speakers, amplifying electronics and batteries for playing digital music from a users digital electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable multifunction beverage container holder comprising:

a free-standing beverage container holder housing having a top surface and a bottom surface connected via side surfaces and having (i) at least one beverage container receptacle formed as a recessed cavity within said top surface that is sized and shaped to receive and hold a beverage container and position said beverage container in a substantially upright position;

at least two receiving cavities on said bottom surface of said beverage container holder housing;

at least two elongated shaft structural supports, each of which has a first end that extends along a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft structural support and is sized and shaped for insertion into at least one of the shaft receiving cavities and at least one stub that extends along a second axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft structural support and that terminates in a size and shape for insertion into at least one of the shaft receiving cavities; and

wherein said beverage container holder housing has at least one deployable stemmed beverage container support arm attached to said beverage container holder housing for providing lateral and vertical support to a bowl of a stem on a stemmed beverage container in which the stem of the beverage container connects a base section to the bowl section of the stemmed beverage container, and wherein said deployable stemmed beverage container support arm pivots from a storage location on a lateral side of the beverage container holder housing into a use location, wherein the stemmed beverage container support arm is deployed to a position extending outward from the beverage container holder housing such that the stemmed beverage container support arm bears on the bowl of a stemmed beverage container that is positioned in the upright in the deployable beverage container support arm to contain a beverage in the upright bowl section of the stemmed beverage container.

2. The portable multifunction beverage container holder of claim 1, wherein said deployable stemmed beverage container support arm is comprised of a base hinge rod inserted into said beverage container holder housing and slotted fingers attached on said hinge rod for supporting at least one stemmed beverage container when said deployable stemmed beverage container support arm is deployed in a horizontal position and rested on a ledge formed into said beverage container holder housing.

3. The portable multifunction beverage container of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two elongated shaft structural supports includes at least a second stub that terminates in a size and shape for fitting insertion into at least one of the shaft receiving cavities.

4. The portable multifunction beverage container of claim 1, wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.