U.S. patent application number 12/807858 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-15 for beverage container holder for above-ground swimming pools.
Invention is credited to Stanley Singh.
Application Number | 20120061411 12/807858 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45805665 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120061411 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Singh; Stanley |
March 15, 2012 |
Beverage container holder for above-ground swimming pools
Abstract
A cup holder for use with an above-ground swimming pool of the
type having a rigid side wall. The cup holder is formed rigid
plastic and includes a beverage container retainer and a pool
attachment element. The beverage container retainer includes a top
wall with a cup-holding aperture. Extending downward from the front
of the top wall is a connecting member which connects the top wall
to a horizontal cup supporting member located underneath and
parallel to the horizontal top member. Extending upward from the
back of the beverage container member is another vertical member
connecting to the pool attachment element. The pool attachment
member comprises a horizontal shelf which rests on the ledge of the
side wall of the pool. At the back of the pool attachment member
and extending down is a hook for attaching the cup holder to a lip
of the pool's side wall's ledge.
Inventors: |
Singh; Stanley; (Manalapan,
NJ) |
Family ID: |
45805665 |
Appl. No.: |
12/807858 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/737 ;
4/496 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 4/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/737 ;
4/496 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00; E04H 4/14 20060101 E04H004/14 |
Claims
1. A beverage container holder for attachment to the top ledge of
the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool comprising: a
beverage container retainer element including a horizontal top
wall, said top wall having at least one cup holding aperture, said
top wall connected to a vertical connecting member, said connecting
member connected to a horizontal cup-support structure situated
beneath said top wall and which is spaced apart and generally
parallel to said top wall, and a pool-attachment member connected
to said beverage container retainer element, said pool-attachment
member comprising a horizontal top shelf which is parallel to the
top wall of the horizontal top wall of the beverage container
element, the top shelf having a back edge, the pool attachment
member including a hook extending down from said back edge of said
top shelf, said hook member having a vertical member which is
perpendicular to the top shelf of the pool attachment member and a
angular member which extends up from said vertical member at a
45.degree. angle, and whereby the horizontal top shelf rests on the
said top ledge of the side wall of the swimming pool, the beverage
container holder held in place utilizing said hook and whereby a
user can place beverages into said cup holding aperture.
2. A beverage container holder for attachment to the top ledge of
the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool comprising: a
beverage container retainer element including a top wall, said top
wall having at least one cup holding aperture, said top wall
connected to a horizontal cup-support structure situated beneath
said top wall and which is spaced apart and generally parallel to
said top wall, and a pool-attachment member connected to said
beverage container retainer element, said pool-attachment member
comprising a horizontal top shelf, the top shelf having a back
edge, the pool attachment member including a hook extending down
from said back edge of said top shelf, whereby the horizontal top
shelf rests on the said top ledge of the side wall of the swimming
pool, the beverage container holder held in place utilizing said
hook and whereby a user can place beverages into said cup holding
aperture.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is a cup holder or beverage container
holder. More specifically, the present invention beverage container
holder is utilized by attachment to the side wall of an
above-ground swimming pool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many people have above-ground back-yard swimming pools as a
pool is the ideal place to cool off on a hot summer afternoon.
There are several types of above-ground swimming pools. Relevant to
this disclosure are above-ground swimming pools having rigid sides,
as compared to inflatable sides. Typically, such above-ground
swimming pools have a horizontal top ledge at the top of the side
wall.
[0003] It would be an advantage if bathers would have ready access
to a cool drink, whether it be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, at their
disposal. It would also be advantageous if such a drink were held
in position at the side wall of the pool so that the bather does
not need to exit the pool for refreshment. As such, it is an
objective of the present invention cup holder to position a drink
at the disposal of a swimming pool bather so that the bather need
not exit the pool for refreshment. It is further an objective of
the present invention to position the drink outside the confines of
the pool side wall and not extending out over the water, rather
than interior to the pool wall. It is further an objective of the
present invention to provide such a device that is reasonably easy
to manufacture and to install onto the side wall of the pool.
Further, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a
device that can be installed onto a swimming pool with no
additional hardware and without the need to puncture the walls of
the pool thereby voiding any existing warranty.
[0004] Other attempts have been made to provide such a cup holder
for above-ground pool use. One example of such a device is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,244 B1 which was issued to
Karpinski on Nov. 5, 2002. This patent shows a refreshment stand
for swimming pools. In comparison with the present invention,
Karpinski's invention is more complicated to manufacture and
install.
[0005] Other objectives, advantages and novel features, and further
scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth
in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, will become apparent to those skilled in
the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by
practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the
invention may be realized and attained by means of the
instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is a cup or beverage dispenser holder
for use with an above-ground swimming pool of the type having a
rigid (i.e. not inflatable) side wall. The side walls of such
swimming pools typically include a horizontal ledge at the top,
where the ledge is perpendicular to the side wall and extends
beyond it in both directions. The cup holder of the present
invention is formed from Plexiglas or other rigid plastic and
generally includes a beverage container retainer element and a pool
attachment element. The beverage container retainer includes a top
wall which includes at least one circular cup-holding aperture.
Extending downward from the front of the horizontal top wall is a
vertical connecting member which connects the top wall to a second
horizontal cup supporting member located underneath and parallel to
the horizontal top member. Extending upward from the back of the
beverage container member is another vertical member connecting to
the pool attachment element. The pool attachment member comprises a
horizontal shelf which rests on the ledge of the side wall of the
pool. At the back of the pool attachment member and extending down
is a hook for attaching the cup holder to a lip of the pool's side
wall's ledge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] For a better understanding of the present invention,
reference is made to the following description of an exemplary
embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of present invention
beverage container holder showing beverage cups in the beverage
container holder.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the present invention
beverage container holder.
[0010] FIG. 3 is side perspective view of the present invention
beverage container holder.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention beverage
container holder.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the present invention
beverage container holder showing its installation onto the side
wall of an above-ground swimming pool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention is a cup holder or holder for other
such beverage containers that attaches to an above-ground swimming
pool to provide bathers within the pool with ready access to cool
drinks for refreshment. This invention is utilized in conjunction
with above-ground swimming pools of the type having rigid (as
compared to inflatable) side walls. Such above-ground swimming
pools typically include a side wall that defines an enclosure to
contain bathing water, the side wall having a horizontal upper
ledge perpendicular to the side wall, which ledge extends in both
directions beyond the side wall. The present invention cup holder
attaches to the ledge of the said side wall of the above-ground
swimming pool. The present invention beverage container holder is
formed or molded from Plexiglas or other rigid plastic, although
other rigid materials may be used, and in the preferred embodiment
is a unitary structure but could also be formed from separate
pieces of plastic attached together.
[0014] Looking at the Figures, the present invention cup holder 10
comprises generally the following two components: the beverage
container retainer element 20, and the pool attachment element 40
which pool attachment element attaches the cup holder to the
horizontal ledge at the top of the side wall of the pool.
[0015] The beverage container retainer element includes a
horizontal top wall 22 measuring approximately 5'' by 12'' which
top wall includes cup-holding apertures 24. As shown in the
Figures, the present invention cup holder has three cup-holding
apertures, although it is not critical that the invention include
three such apertures. As such, within the scope of this disclosure
are swimming pool cup holders including one, two, or even more than
three such apertures so long as there is at least one. Furthermore,
although the depiction the invention in the drawings shows the
cup-holding apertures as being circular having a three-inch
diameters, this circular configuration and diameter are not
critical.
[0016] Extending downward from the front of the horizontal top wall
22 in the beverage container element is a generally vertical
connecting member 26 which extends down approximately 27/8 inches
which connects the top wall to the cup-support structure 28 of the
beverage container element. The connecting member extends downward
from the horizontal top wall at approximately a 90.degree. angle
and then turns back under the top wall, again at approximately a
90.degree. angle. Thus, the cup-support structure is also
horizontal, lies underneath the top wall, and is thus generally
parallel the top wall 22. The cup support structure is spaced
approximately 27/8 inches apart from the horizontal top wall and
therefore is properly positioned so that the bottom of a cup rests
upon it when the cup or beverage container is inserted into one of
the cup-holding apertures. (This dimension, as with all dimensions
disclosed herein is not critical.)
[0017] Now extending back up from the back of top wall of the
beverage container element is another connecting member 32 which
connects the beverage container element to the pool attachment
member 40. The connecting member 32 extends upward approximately
2'' from the beverage container element at approximately a
90.degree. angle and then turns back again at approximately a
90.degree. angle to form a horizontal shelf 42 which horizontal
shelf sits on top of the ledge of the side wall of the pool. As
such, the horizontal shelf 42 is generally parallel to the top wall
of the beverage container element 20. In the embodiment shown, the
horizontal shelf 42 extends back approximately 11 inches, although
this dimension could vary greatly depending on the size of the
ledge on the side wall of the particular swimming pool on which the
cup holder is employed.
[0018] Extending downward from the back of the horizontal shelf 42
is a hook 44 for attaching the cup holder to a lip of the ledge of
the pool. The hook 44 extends downward approximately 3 inches from
the horizontal shelf at approximately 90.degree. and then back up
again at an angle of approximately 45.degree..
[0019] The cup holder of the present invention is utilized in the
following manner. The cup holder is simply positioned into place by
a user with the horizontal shelf 42 situated on top of the ledge on
the top of the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool. (The
side wall ledge of the pool is referenced in FIG. 5 as `swl`.) As
is understood, the beverage container retainer element 20 extends
outside the perimeter of the side wall of the pool. As such, the
swimmer's beverage is readily at hand near the pool walls when the
bather is ready for a drink. To secure the present invention cup
holder in place, the hook 44 is firmly attached to the lip of the
swimming pool's ledge. The cup holder of the present invention is
secured to the ledge of the pools side wall, without the need for
securing brackets and without the risk of damaging the pool by
drilling holes and thereby voiding any existing warranty.
[0020] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles and preferred embodiment of the invention. Furthermore,
since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to one
skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the
exact construction, operation and embodiment shown and described,
and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be
resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
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