U.S. patent application number 11/479315 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-18 for securable insulating object holder.
Invention is credited to Glenn J. Deadman.
Application Number | 20070012706 11/479315 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37660748 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070012706 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Deadman; Glenn J. |
January 18, 2007 |
Securable insulating object holder
Abstract
An insulating and securable object holder comprising a solid
insulator for holding the object coupled with a flexible material
that extends downwardly past the rubber insulator protruding
radially to form a flexible skirt. The holder protects, insulates,
and secures differently-sized objects to smooth and semi-smooth
non-porous surfaces by a vacuum created when the holder is firmly
pressed down onto a non-porous surface.
Inventors: |
Deadman; Glenn J.; (San
Antonio, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Miguel Villarreal, Jr.
Suite 1500
700 N. St. Mary's Street
San Antonio
TX
78205
US
|
Family ID: |
37660748 |
Appl. No.: |
11/479315 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60695523 |
Jun 30, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/737 ;
248/311.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2313/06 20130101;
F16B 47/00 20130101; B65D 81/3879 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/737 ;
248/311.2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00; A47K 1/08 20060101 A47K001/08 |
Claims
1. An insulating object holder securable to a non-porous surface,
the object holder comprising: a hollow cylinder having an opened
top, a closed bottom, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a
bottom surface, said bottom surface generally defining the base of
said cylinder; and a skirt encircling and affixed to the perimeter
of said cylinder and having a sealing surface for providing a
sealable chamber, said chamber being further defined by said bottom
surface of said cylinder and said non-porous surface, said skirt
further being a flexible, non-porous material having stiffness
sufficient to support said cylinder above said non-porous surface
when placed on said surface without sealing said object holder
thereto.
2. The securable insulating object holder of claim 1 further
comprising: a passage through said closed bottom forming a passage
between said chamber and the inside of said hollow cylinder.
3. The securable insulating object holder of claim 2 further
comprising: a plug insertable into said passage to seal between
said closed bottom and said plug.
4. The securable insulating object holder of claim 1 wherein said
cylinder is made of foam rubber.
5. The securable insulating object holder of claim 4 wherein said
skirt is made of neoprene.
6. An insulating object holder securable to a non-porous surface,
the object holder comprising: a hollow cylinder having an opened
top, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a bottom surface, said
bottom surface generally defining the base of said cylinder; a
cylindrical bottom member having a side surface shaped to be
attachable to said inner surface, said bottom member further having
an altitude less than the altitude of said cylinder and being
affixed along said side surface to said inner surface of said
cylinder to form a seal therebetween; and a skirt encircling and
affixed to the perimeter of said cylinder and having a sealing
surface for providing a sealable chamber, said chamber being
further defined by said bottom surface of said cylinder and said
non-porous surface, said skirt further being a flexible, non-porous
material having stiffness sufficient to support said cylinder above
said non-porous surface when placed on said surface without sealing
said object holder thereto.
7. The securable insulating object holder of claim 6 further
comprising: a passage through said bottom member forming a passage
between said chamber and the inside of said hollow cylinder.
8. The securable insulating object holder of claim 7 further
comprising: a plug insertable into said passage to seal between
said bottom member and said plug.
9. The securable insulating object holder of claim 6, wherein said
bottom member is substantially flush with said surface when said
object holder is secured thereto.
10. The securable insulating object holder of claim 6 wherein said
cylinder and said bottom member are made of foam rubber.
11. The securable insulating object holder of claim 10 wherein said
skirt is made of neoprene.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a non-provisional application relating to the
content of, and claiming priority to, U.S. Patent Application No.
60/695,523, filed Jun. 30, 2005, which is incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to an insulating object holder that is
securable to a surface. The object holder may hold an object, such
as a cell phone or a drink container, in an upright position and
allow for the object to be removed from the holder at the user's
convenience.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] Numerous inventions have been directed to devices for
keeping a beverage a desired temperature while not spilling the
beverage. The prior art in this area, however, is replete with
limitations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,764 discloses a
two-part device that comprises a cylindrical sleeve and a flexible
base, both made of nitrile. The tubular and flat flexible base is
removably attached to the outside wall of the cylindrical sleeve,
thus allowing the device to float in an aqueous environment. The
device, however, is not securable to prevent spilling of contained
fluids or to prevent the loss of an object held thereby.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,575 teaches a cylindrical sleeve with a
suction cup disposed thereunder. The sleeve is the same size as the
base, which reduces stability. Moreover, the suction cup is
positioned at the bottom center of the container holder instead of
the side of the bottom sidewalls. The placement of the suction cup
is obscured by the legs and does not allow for easy removal.
[0007] U.S Pat. No. 6,571,976 discloses an insulated container
sleeve with a suction base. The sleeve contains a flexible concave
base that extends downward past the edges of the sleeve. This
device allows for a container to be placed inside the sleeve. Once
the container is placed inside the sleeve, the base can be pressed
firmly against a surface to force the air from the base and create
a vacuum. The device, however, cannot maintain a vacuum when the
container is removed from the sleeve.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,374 contains the same limitations as the
preceding patent. The device has an opening through a flexible
material extending from the top to the bottom thereof. Inserting an
object into the top of the device creates a seal at one end. The
other end comprises flexible lips at the bottom that, when pressed
against a surface, create a sealed suction chamber. Because the
seal is formed using the container, once the container is removed,
the vacuum is lost and the stability of the device is reduced.
[0009] The present invention addresses these and other problems
apparent from prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention, a securable insulating object holder,
helps to maintain beverage temperature by surrounding an object
with foam insulation. Moreover, the invention may be secured to a
non-porous surface to provide stability during transport (e.g.,
road travel or boat travel).
[0011] The holder's wider base provides greater stability than the
prior art. Moreover, the holder also offers the added protection of
adhering to a surface by creating a vacuum. According to one
embodiment, the holder can maintain the vacuum without the need for
a beverage container being inserted into the cylindrical insulator
like other similar devices. These features help prevent the loss of
the object when the individual places the holder down without a
container inserted. The holder is not limited to containing
beverage containers, as other objects may also be held thereby. The
holder may be removed after the vacuum has been created with the
surface by lifting the flexible skirt, thus breaking the seal
between the holder and the surface.
[0012] The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a hollow
cylinder having a closed bottom with a skirt encircling and affixed
to the perimeter of the cylinder, the skirt defining a sealable
chamber. The skirt is affixed to the cylinder by an adhesive,
stitching, or other means sufficient to form a seal therebetween so
that a vacuum created within the sealable chamber will be
maintained.
[0013] One feature of the invention includes a passage through the
closed bottom from inside the cylinder into the chamber. The
passage must be sealed for the vacuum to form, although the passage
may be plugged by the held object (e.g., a drink can) or an
insertable plug.
[0014] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylinder
is made of foam rubber and the skirt from neoprene, although any
materials sufficient for forming and maintaining a seal between the
holder and a surface may be used.
[0015] According to another embodiment of the invention, the object
holder further comprises a cylindrical bottom member with a side
surface attached to the inner surface of the cylinder. In this
embodiment, the bottom member serves to close off one end of the
cylinder. Similar to the preferred embodiment, the bottom member
may further comprise a passage therein extending from inside of the
hollow cylinder to the sealable chamber.
[0016] When the object holder is pressed firmly against a flat or
semi-flat surface, air is forced from the chamber defined by the
closed bottom, the skirt, and the surface, which creates a vacuum
within the chamber that secures the object holder to the surface
due to the pressure differential between the chamber and
atmospheric pressure. When the holder creates this differential,
the seal is continuous. According to one aspect of the invention,
the vacuum is maintained when objects are added or removed, but can
be broken by lifting the skirt and breaking the seal.
[0017] The holder may be secured by a vacuum to smooth and
semi-smooth surfaces. The surface does not need to be flat for the
device to contort and still create a vacuum. However, the surface
must be non-porous for the holder to be secured thereto by means of
the created vacuum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The present invention, as well as further objects, aspects;
and features thereof, are more clearly and fully set forth in the
following description of the preferred embodiment, which should be
read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the present invention with
a beverage container therein;
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the present invention with a
cellular phone therein;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the present invention along
Line 3-3 of FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0023] FIG. 5 depicts a sectional view of an alternative embodiment
of the present invention along Line 5-5 of FIG. 6; and
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates the present invention, a securable
insulating object holder 1 that comprises a hollow cylinder 3 and a
flexible skirt 5 that protrudes radially outwardly past the base of
the cylinder 3. The holder 1 contains a soda can S while secured to
a surface 10 with the skirt 5 fully extended so that the sealing
surface 18 of the skirt 5 substantially contacts the surface 10. As
shown by FIG. 2, the holder may hold a cell phone C or other
objects therein.
[0026] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the cylinder 3 of the preferred
embodiment having a closed bottom 20 and an opened top 22, in
addition to an inner surface 24 and an outer surface 26. The skirt
5 encircles and is affixed to the perimeter of the cylinder 3,
partially defining a sealable chamber 28 from which air will be
forced to form a vacuum therein, and which is further defined by
the bottom surface 30 of the cylinder 3. The skirt 5 may be affixed
to the outer surface 26 by adhesive or stitching, or any other
means suitable to prevent air from entering the chamber 28 at the
junction of the skirt 5 to the cylinder 3.
[0027] As shown by FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, an alternative embodiment of
the holder 1 further comprises a cylindrical bottom member 4 having
a side surface 32 shaped to attach to the inner surface 24 of the
hollow cylinder 3. The altitude, or thickness, of the bottom member
4 is less than the altitude of the cylinder 3. To maximize holding
space of the holder 1, the base of the bottom member 34 is
substantially flush with the bottom surface 30 of the cylinder
3.
[0028] In this embodiment, a passage 36 extends through the bottom
member 4 into the sealable chamber 28 and the inside of the
cylinder 3. To be secured to the surface 10 (not shown) when the
holder 1 is pressed downwardly to force air from the chamber 28,
the passage 36 must be filled, either by a portion of the object
being held (such as the soda can S or the cellular phone C shown in
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, respectively) or by a plug 38 that may be
inserted into the passage 36 to prevent air from flowing there
through.
[0029] Ideally, the cylinder 3 is made from foam rubber, although
other insulating and non-porous materials may be used. In an
embodiment comprising a bottom member 4, foam rubber is also an
ideal material for manufacture of the bottom member 4, although
other insulating and non-porous materials may be used. The skirt 5
is preferably neoprene, but, as with the cylinder 3 and bottom
member 4, other non-porous materials may be used.
[0030] Although dimensional variations of the present invention may
exists, according to one embodiment, the inner surface 24 of the
cylinder 3 has a diameter of six to seven centimeters, and the
cylinder 3 itself an altitude of between nine and ten centimeters.
These dimensions provide a snug and effective fit for a
standard-sized soda can, as shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, according to
this embodiment, the skirt 5 is sized to provide a sealing surface
18 of between one and two centimeters in width that completely
encircles the cylinder 3 when the cylinder 3 has been secured to a
surface 10, although generally a larger width of the sealing
surface 18 increases stability of the holder 1 due to more surface
area contacting the surface 10.
[0031] When the object holder 1 is pressed firmly against a flat or
semi-flat surface 10 (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), air is forced
from the chamber 28 defined by the skirt 5, bottom surface 30, and
surface 10, which creates a vacuum within the chamber 28 that
secures the object holder 1 to the surface 10. When the holder 1
forms a vacuum, the seal is continuous, but can be broken by
lifting the skirt 5 and breaking the seal.
[0032] The present invention is described above in terms of a
preferred illustrative embodiment in which a specifically described
securable insulating object holder is described. Those skilled in
the art will recognize that alternative constructions of such an
object holder can be used in carrying out the present invention.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention
may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings,
along with the appended claims.
* * * * *