GB2298567A - Bottle holder with retractable gripping means - Google Patents

Description

Bottle Holder The present invention is concerned with a bottle holder and in particular with a bottle holder which allows a plastics bottle (such as a polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, bottle) to be held, lifted and manipulated.

Typically, in order to pour a liquid such as a carbonated beverage from a bottle, it is necessary for a person to grip the bottle and tilt it to a suitable angle until the contents can be poured through the bottle neck. Large bottles, particularly bottles of at least 1.5 litres capacity, are difficult to grip, because the user must grip around the circumference of the bottle. This can be difficult, particularly for the elderly or infirm, especially where the user is arthritic or weak. Furthermore, the walls of large plastics bottles of this type tend to deform when the cap of the bottle is removed and internal gas pressure released; the deformation of the walls means that the bottle is even harder to grip.

Therefore, it is the purpose of the present invention to alleviate such difficulties and to provide a bottle holder which may be releasably secured on a bottle and which is easier for the user to grip and hold, and which facilitates pouring from the bottle.

Accordingly, there is provided a bottle holder comprising a sleeve for embracing a substantially cylindrical portion of a plastics bottle, the sleeve being slidable along the length of said portion and comprising means for releasably gripping said portion, the gripping means being movable from a retracted position where movement of the sleeve along said portion is permitted, to a gripping position where movement of the sleeve relative to said portion is substantially prevented; and handle means permitting lifting of the sleeve together with a bottle retained therein when said gripping means is in said gripping position.

Thus, advantageously, the sleeve may be easily caused to grip the bottle, obviating the need for the user to grip around the circumference of the bottle.

Reference to the substantially cylindrical portion of the bottle is, of course, when the bottle is in the relaxed, undeformed condition, or the condition of deformation only by internal pressure (such as gas pressure) from within the bottle.

It is appreciated that gripping of the sidewall of the bottle may cause deformation (crumpling) so that the sidewall deviates from a circular cross-section, particularly when the cap of the bottle is released so as to release the internal gas pressure from within the bottle. Surprisingly, even with such deformation of the sidewall, the bottle holder according to the invention may grip the bottle securely.

Preferably, means is provided for actuation of the gripping means such that, as the latter moves from the retracted position to the gripping position, the effective diameter of the sleeve is reduced. Thus, advantageously, when the sleeve embraces the substantially cylindrical portion of the bottle, the latter may be securely held within the sleeve following actuation of the gripping means.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sleeve may comprise a split annulus with the opposed free ends of the annulus having projections extending therefrom, the free ends of the sleeve when overlapping causing the projections to define a channel within which the gripping means may be movably located.

Thus, advantageously, such a split annulus may accommodate bottles of different circumferences or diameters. In this embodiment, the gripping means preferably comprises a substantially wedge shaped member. Advantageously, when the wedge shaped member is moved from the retracted position to the gripping position, within the channel, the projections of the sleeve are forced further apart relative to one another, thereby tightening the sleeve on the bottle and achieving a more secure grip.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, actuation of the gripping means causes the axis of the bottle to be angularly displaced relative to the axis of the sleeve. The gripping means preferably comprises, in cross section, a substantially wedge-shaped member, which is movable between the retracted position and the gripping position, intermediate the sleeve and the bottle. Thus, the wedge-shaped member wedges the bottle securely in position within the sleeve as the wedge-shaped member is moved from the retracted position to the gripping position. Alternatively, the gripping means may comprise a cam rotatably mounted on the sleeve, such that movement of the cam from the retracted position to the gripping position causes a surface of the cam to impinge on the surface of the cylindrical portion of the bottle, thereby gripping the bottle within the sleeve.

Preferably, the bottle holder is moulded of a plastics material. Thus, when the gripping means is actuated, the plastics material of the sleeve may deform slightly to provide an even more secure grip on the bottle.

The handle preferably includes a shaft which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the substantially cylindrical portion of the bottle.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft is ergonomically shaped and includes a series of undulating ridges within which the digits of a hand may comfortably fit, thereby allowing the holder to be comfortably held when in use.

The invention may be better understood from the following description, in which reference is made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a holder according to the invention, secured on a bottle; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the holder of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the holder of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a bottle holder according to the invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the holder of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a bottle holder; and Figure 7 is a plan view of the holder of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated a bottle holder, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1. The holder 1 includes a tubular sleeve 3 which embraces, and is slidably movable along, a cylindrical portion of a bottle 2, which is typically of the type known as a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle.

The holder accommodates an L-shaped gripping member 4, including a trigger 6, integrally connected to a wedge-shaped body 5. The upper surface of trigger 6 can be pressed to allow the wedged-shaped body 5 to be moved up and down. A handle 7 is integrally moulded onto the sleeve 3, the handle including a shaft portion 8 which is substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle. In use, the sleeve 3 is placed around the bottle 2 when the wedge-shaped body 5 is in an upper position between the bottle 2 and the sleeve 3, as shown in Figure 2. When the sleeve 3 embraces the bottle, the wedge-shaped body 5 is then pressed downwardly. The gradually increasing width of the wedge-shaped body 5 at the end nearest the trigger 6, serves to wedge the bottle 2 securely within the sleeve 3. The bottle 2 may then easily be lifted by using handle 7.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the holder 1 consists of a split annular sleeve 13 which embraces a bottle (not shown). At each of the opposed free ends of the sleeve 13 are L-shaped projections 20. When the opposed free ends of the sleeve overlap, the projections define a channel 21, within which part of the gripping member, including a trigger 14, may move up and down. Application of pressure to the upper surface 16 of the trigger 14 forces the L-shaped projections further apart, thereby reducing the circumference of the sleeve 13. The sleeve 13 can then grip the bottle tightly, such that the bottle can be lifted using the handle 7.

A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, in which the gripping member comprises a cam 25 rotatably mounted on the sleeve 23. The action of the cam 25 when rotated about its axis 26, forces a surface of the cam 25 against the bottle (not shown) when the sleeve 23 embraces the bottle. The action of the cam 25 effectively wedges the bottle within the sleeve 23, so that the bottle can be lifted by means of the handle 7.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS:

1. A bottle holder comprising a sleeve for embracing a substantially cylindrical portion of a plastics bottle, said sleeve being slidable along the length of said portion and comprising means for releasably gripping said portion, said gripping means being movable from a retracted position where movement of the sleeve along said portion is permitted, to a gripping position where movement of the sleeve relative to said portion is substantially prevented; and handle means permitting lifting of said sleeve together with a bottle retained therein when said gripping means is in said gripping position.

2. A bottle holder according to claim 1, which further comprises means for actuation of said gripping means such that, as the gripping means moves from the retracted position to the gripping position, the effective diameter of the sleeve is reduced.

3. A bottle holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said sleeve comprises a split annulus with the opposed free ends of said annulus having projections extending therefrom, the free ends of said sleeve when overlapping causing said projections to define a channel within which said gripping means may be movably located.

4. A bottle holder according to claim 3, wherein said gripping means comprises a substantially wedge shaped member.

5. A bottle holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein actuation of said gripping means causes the axis of said bottle to be angularly displaced relative to the axis of said sleeve.

6. A bottle holder according to claim 5, wherein said gripping means comprises, in cross section, a substantially wedge shaped member, which is movable between said retracted position and said gripping position, between said sleeve and said bottle.

7. A bottle holder according to claim 5, wherein said gripping means comprises a cam rotatably mounted on said sleeve, such that movement of said cam from said retracted position to said gripping position causes a surface of said cam to impinge on the surface of said cylindrical portion of said bottle.

8. A bottle holder according to any preceding claim wherein said bottle holder is moulded of a plastics material.

9. A bottle holder according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle comprises a shaft which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said substantially cylindrical portion of said bottle.

10. A bottle holder according to claim 9, wherein said shaft is ergonomically shaped and includes a series of undulating ridges within which the digits of a hand may comfortably fit.

11. A bottle holder as described herein with reference to each of the accompanying drawings.