U.S. patent application number 11/845809 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for apparatus for supporting water bottles.
Invention is credited to Itzhak Vishnevsky.
Application Number | 20090057248 11/845809 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40256997 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090057248 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vishnevsky; Itzhak |
March 5, 2009 |
APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING WATER BOTTLES
Abstract
Apparatus for supporting water bottles including a support hub
including first and second support faces axially spaced from and
generally parallel to one another, and a plurality of support ribs
radially extending from and spaced about a periphery of the support
hub, the support ribs including support portions that extend
axially beyond both the first and second support faces, such that
when a water bottle is placed on either of the first and second
support faces, the support portions are outwards of and support an
external periphery of the water bottle.
Inventors: |
Vishnevsky; Itzhak; (Kfar
Hess, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David Klein;DEKEL PATENT LTD.
Beit HaRof'im, 18 Menuha VeNahala Street, Room 27
REHOVOT
IL
|
Family ID: |
40256997 |
Appl. No.: |
11/845809 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 21/0224
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/74 |
International
Class: |
A47B 73/00 20060101
A47B073/00 |
Claims
1. Apparatus comprising: a support hub comprising first and second
support faces axially spaced from and generally parallel to one
another; and a plurality of support ribs radially extending from
and spaced about a periphery of said support hub, said support ribs
comprising support portions that extend axially beyond both the
first and second support faces, and further comprising a water
bottle placed on either of said first and second support faces,
wherein said support portions are outwards of and support an
external periphery of the water bottle.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein junctions of said
support portions with said support hub are curved.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion
that extends axially beyond the first support face is wider than
the support portion that extends axially beyond the second support
face.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first
and second support faces is formed with an aperture for receiving
therein a neck of a water bottle.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an advertisement is
disposed on a visible portion of said support hub.
6. Apparatus comprising: a support hub comprising horizontal first
and second support faces axially spaced from and generally
parrallel to one another; and a plurality of vertical support ribs
radially extending from and spaces about a periphery of said
support hub, said vertical support ribs comprising support portions
that extend vertically axially beyond both the first and second
support faces, and further comprising a water bottle places
horizontally on and supported by one of said first and second
support gfaces, wherein an outer periphery of said water bottle is
placed between and touches said vertical support ribs.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising another
water bottle placed on a floor, said support hub being placed on
top of said other water bottle.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stack
of water bottles and a plurality of said support hubs, wherein each
of the water bottles is supported by one of said support hubs, and
wherein for each of the water bottles, said support portions are
outwards of and support an external periphery of the water
bottle.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first
and second support faces is formed with an aperture, and a neck of
said water bottle is received in said aperture.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to plastic
drinking-water bottles, and particularly to apparatus for
supporting (e.g., vertical stacking) such water bottles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Drinking water is readily available in plastic refillable
and non-refillable containers or bottles ("container" and "bottle"
being used interchangeably throughout the specification and
claims). For example, water (mineral, drinking, table, tab) may be
bottled in 3- and 5-gallon returnable and refillable bottles (other
sizes may also be available) or non-returnable bottles. The bottles
used to be made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), but today the vast
majority of such water bottles are made of polycarbonate (PC).
Other materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are also
used.
[0003] Water bottles are often stacked in a lying position
(horizontal) in metal wire frames. Such frames tend to be expensive
to make. Blackhawk Molding (120 West Interstate Road Addison, Ill.
60101 US) manufactures a plastic divider under the brand name
AQUASTAKKA (seen at
http://www.blackhawkmolding.dom/aquastakka.aspx) that can be used
to stack two 5 gallon water bottles one on top of the other.
[0004] The AQUASTAKKA suffers from a disadvantage in that it does
not fully support the upper bottle. As a result, the upper water
bottle can be easily toppled off the lower water bottle by
inadvertently bumping against the upper water bottle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention seeks to provide improved apparatus
for supporting water bottles, such as vertically stacking one on
top of the other, as is described more in detail hereinbelow.
[0006] There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention apparatus for supporting water bottles
including a support hub including first and second support faces
axially spaced from and generally parallel to one another, and a
plurality of support ribs radially extending from and spaced about
a periphery of the support hub, the support ribs including support
portions that extend axially beyond both the first and second
support faces, such that when a water bottle is placed on either of
the first and second support faces, the support portions are
outwards of and support an external periphery of the water
bottle.
[0007] The apparatus of the invention may have different
non-limiting features. For example, junctions of the support
portions with the support hub may be curved. The support portion
that extends axially beyond the first support face may be wider
than the support portion that extends axially beyond the second
support face.
[0008] Each of the first and second support faces is formed with an
aperture for receiving therein a neck of a water bottle. An
advertisement can be disposed on a visible portion of the support
hub.
[0009] The water bottle can be placed on and supported by one of
the first and second support faces. For example, a first water
bottle can be placed on a floor, the support hub can be placed on
top of the first water bottle, and a second water bottle can be
placed on top of the support hub supported by one of the first and
second support faces.
[0010] In general, the invention enables making a stack of water
bottles with a plurality of the support hubs, wherein each of the
water bottles is supported by one of the support hubs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of apparatus
for supporting water bottles, constructed and operative in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the
apparatus of FIG. 1 with a water bottle placed neck down
thereupon;
[0014] FIGS. 3A and 3B are simplified pictorial illustrations of
using the apparatus of FIG. 1 to stack water bottles one on top of
the other, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the
apparatus of FIG. 1 with a water bottle placed horizontally
thereupon.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates apparatus
10 for supporting water bottles, constructed and operative in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Apparatus 10 may include a support hub 12 that has first and
second support faces 14 and 16, respectively, axially spaced from
and generally parallel to one another. A plurality of support ribs
18 radially extend from and are spaced about a periphery of support
hub 12. Support ribs 18 include support portions 20 that extend
axially beyond both first and second support faces 14 and 16. As
seen in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, when a water bottle 22 is placed on
either of the first and second support faces 14 and 16, the support
portions 20 are outwards of and support an external periphery of
water bottle 22 (and water bottle 24 in FIGS. 3A and 3B). FIG. 4
illustrates water bottle 22 placed horizontally upon apparatus 10,
wherein support portions 20 support a different portion of the
external periphery of water bottle 22.
[0018] As seen in FIG. 1, junctions 26 of support portions 20 with
support hub 12 may be curved. The support portion 20 that extends
axially beyond the first support face 14 may be wider than the
support portion 20 that extends axially beyond the second support
face 16. Both first and second support faces 14 and 16 may be
formed with an aperture 28 for receiving therein a neck of a water
bottle 22 or 24.
[0019] Apparatus 10 may be manufactured from a sturdy plastic,
preferably as least as hard as or harder than the plastic of the
water bottle. An advertisement 30 can be disposed on a visible
portion of support hub 12. The advertisement 30 can be integrally
molded with support hub 12 or can be glued thereon, printed
thereon, engraved thereon or otherwise formed thereon.
[0020] The water bottle can be placed on and supported by one of
the first and second support faces 14 and 16. For example, as seen
in FIG. 3A, a first water bottle 22 can be placed on a floor, the
support hub 12 can be placed on top of the first water bottle 22,
and a second water bottle 24 can be placed on top of the support
hub 12 supported by one of the first and second support faces 14
and 16. As seen in FIG. 3B, the invention enables making a stack of
water bottles with a plurality of the support hubs, wherein each of
the water bottles is supported by one of the support hubs.
[0021] Reference is made again to FIG. 1. As another option,
apparatus 10 can be used to support a water dispenser 30 (shown in
dashed lines) onto which a water bottle (not shown) may be placed
neck down. The water dispenser 30, as is known in the art, may be
connected to a source of electricity and has a spigot for
dispensing cold or hot water from the water bottle.
[0022] It is appreciated that various features of the invention
which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate
embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single
embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which
are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment,
may also be provided separately or in any suitable
subcombination.
* * * * *
References