ROTATABLE COUPLING MOUNT

Abstract

An adjustable holder for a detachable receptacle to receive a beverage container is provided, where the holder is attachable to a variety of cylindrical or similar structures and is capable of adjusting the angular position of the receptacle. The adjustable holder has a mounting bracket, a beverage container, and a quick-release system including a tab and a matching slot. The quick-release system provides rotational freedom, where a user can easily rotate the mounting bracket by hand with respect to the beverage container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/773,167 filed Nov. 29, 2018.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present description includes embodiments generally directed to an adjustable holder for a detachable receptacle. More specifically, the embodiments are directed generally to a holder for a receptacle to receive a beverage container wherein the holder is attachable to a variety of cylindrical or similar structures and is capable of adjusting the angular position of the receptacle.

BACKGROUND

In many scenes of outdoor activities such as sports or picnic, adequate hydration is crucial for the health of those participating in the activities. Often, carrying bulky beverage holders may be cumbersome in a lot of activities. For example, cyclists carry minimum amount of belongings to reduce weight when travelling on a bicycle. Water bottles are often tied around either a seat tube or a down tube of the frame. A bottle holder may be tied to the seat tube or the down tube and hold a bottle receptacle, where a water bottle may be stored. These bottle holders are not meant to hold open bottles of general types containing liquid, because the seat tube and the down tube are slanted with respect to the horizontal and vertical directions and these bottle holders are tied to these tubes in line with the direction of the tubes, and the water bottles in the bottle receptacles are also slanted. Only such bottles specifically designed with spout caps or sipping caps may be used without spilling its contents for these bottle holders.

In other occasions, many baby strollers are equipped with bottle holders. Bottle holders on baby strollers may be fixed across the side poles and placed below the handle so that moms can easily reach for milk bottles or other bottles. These bottle holders are usually made in the form of a horizontal tray when the stroller is unfolded. In this way, the bottle holders are able to hold open bottles straight up so that the bottles may not spill liquid in them. However, these bottle holders are bulky plastic pieces and negatively affect the portability of strollers.

Therefore, there is currently need for an adjustable holder for a beverage container that is easily attachable and detachable to and adjustable to various cylindrical poles at various angles.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in any way that would limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

A rotatable coupling mount device for a beverage container is needed. More specifically, a rotatable coupling mount device that can be installed on cylindrical poles of varying sizes and angles so that the beverage container can always be facing upward is needed. Further, a rotatable coupling mount device where the beverage container is easily attachable and detachable is needed.

In one or more embodiments, a rotatable coupling mount device includes at least one of the following elements: (1) a mounting bracket; (2) a cylindrical, rigid beverage container; and (3) a quick-release system including a tab and a matching slot. The tab has the shape of a circular disc and is attached to the mounting bracket. The tab also has a ball placed at the center of the circular disc. The slot is attached to a side of the beverage container and matches with the tab so that the tab can slide into the slot. The slot also has a dimple that matches the shape of the ball such that, when the tab slides into the slot, the ball within the tab is pushed outward by a spring and eventually received by the dimple. In this way the mounting bracket and the beverage container are securely connected by the quick-release system.

The mounting bracket and the beverage container are easily detachable and attachable by hand. Moreover, the angle of the beverage container with respect to the mounting bracket and the structure to which the mounting bracket is fixed may be easily adjusted by rotating the tab around its center of axis inside the slot.

The beverage container has a size configured to contain beverage bottles and/or cups of various sizes. In some embodiments, the beverage container may receive and hold a plastic 500 ml water bottle. In some embodiments, the beverage container may receive and hold mug cups. In some embodiments, the beverage container may receive and hold temperature-preserving bottles having insulating sleeves or insulating layers. Beverage containers of various sizes may be interchangeably used with one mounting bracket.

In some embodiments, the beverage container may have a drain hole for easy cleaning in case some liquid is spilled out of a beverage bottle.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable coupling mount device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a top view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2D is a perspective view from a different angle of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit and an exemplary adjustable strap in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit, taken along line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2C, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective sectional view of one embodiment of a beverage container and a combined unit of tab and mounting bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used—to the extent possible—in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.

The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.

Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).

The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range including that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range, including that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose limits include both numbers. For example, “25 to 100” means a range whose lower limit is 25 and upper limit is 100, and includes both 25 and 100.

As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

The present description includes one or more embodiments that are generally related to a rotatable coupling mount device for a beverage container. Further, the present description includes one or more embodiments that include at least one of the following elements: (1) a mounting bracket; (2) a cylindrical, rigid beverage container; and (3) a quick-release system including a tab and a matching slot. The tab has the shape of a circular disc and is attached to the mounting bracket. The tab also has a ball placed at the center of the circular disc. The slot is attached to a side of the beverage container and matches with the tab so that the tab can slide into the slot. The slot also has a dimple that matches the shape of the ball such that, when the tab slides into the slot, the ball within the tab is pushed outward by a spring and eventually received by the dimple. In this way the mounting bracket and the beverage container are securely connected by the quick-release system.

This quick-release system provides rotational freedom, where a user can easily rotate the mounting bracket by hand with respect to the beverage container. Further, the beverage container may be easily detached by hand from the mounting bracket by holding the beverage container and sliding the tab out of the slot. The one or more embodiments may have a combination of the above elements, as well as other elements that will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an exemplary rotatable coupling mount device 100. The device 100 has a beverage container 110 that is in general of a cylindrical shape with a hollow area inside the cylinder such that a user can put in and pull out beverage bottles in the cylinder along container center axis 510. Beverage container 110 may be made of any material including but not limited to plastic or metal that provides enough rigidity to maintain its generally cylindrical shape while holding various beverage bottles. Beverage container 110 may also have an additional inner lining made of soft flexible material such that beverage container 110 may accommodate beverage bottles of various sizes.

In some embodiments, beverage container 110 may be configured to hold cups with sizes commonly used in the art and found in the market. In some embodiments, beverage container 110 may have a slit (not shown) on its side, for example on the opposite side of slot 112 described below, configured to receive and contain handles of mug cups. In some embodiments, beverage container 110 may be configured to hold beverage bottles of various sizes ranging from a 500 ml plastic water bottle to a 1 liter plastic water bottle. In still some embodiments, beverage container 110 may include an insulating sleeve on its walls in order to keep the beverage inside cool or hot. In some embodiments, beverage container 110 may have a hollow area with a larger diameter in order to contain other commercial beverage containers equipped with insulating sleeves.

On a side of beverage container 110 is a slot 112 for receiving a tab 210. The tab 210 is attached to a mounting bracket 250 which is configured to be mounted on a supporting structure. An example of a supporting structure may be a cylindrical pole of a baby stroller. However, mounting bracket 250 may be mounted on a supporting structure having any cross-sectional shape with a finite circumference, such as a square or hexagon. An adjustable strap 310 is configured to be secured onto the supporting structure by being tightly wrapped around the supporting structure. The length or circumference of adjustable strap 310 may be adjustable by a hook-and-loop fastener material, such as a fastener manufactured by Velcro USA Inc. located in Manchester, N.H. under the trademark Velcro® Brand fasteners. Alternatively, the length or circumference of adjustable strap 310 may be adjustable by an adjustable clip and receptacle pair, or any other methods known in the art. In one embodiment, for example, adjustable strap 310 shown in FIG. 1 includes a look-and-loop fastener portion 312 so that a user can fasten adjustable strap 310 around supporting structures of various circumferences. For tight fastening, a user may hold a pull handle 314 and pull it tight around the supporting structure and fasten adjustable strap 310.

It is worth noting that as long as slot 112 of beverage container 110 is of the matching size with tab 210, various beverage containers of different diameters, sizes and shapes for various types of beverage bottles and/or cups may be interchangeably used.

Mounting bracket 250 is connected to tab 210 through a neck 212. Tab 210 has a shape having circular symmetry such as a disc-like shape so that beverage container 110 may be rotatable with respect to mounting bracket 250 around the axis of symmetry 214 of tab 210.

As shown in FIG. 1, in one or more embodiments, tab 210 and slot 112 are configured so that tab 210 can slide in a vertical direction 118 into slot 112 through a guide 114 along the side wall of beverage container 110 and snuggly fit the top portion 116 of slot 112. Guide 114 is tapered with a widened opening in the direction away from top portion 116 so that a user can easily slide tab 210 into slot 112. At the bottom surface of the top portion 116 on the side wall of beverage container 110, there is a dimple 512 (shown in FIG. 5). When tab 210 reaches the top portion 116 of slot 112, a ball 230 in tab 210 which is pushed by a spring 414 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) snuggly fits the dimple 512 so that the relative position of tab 210 along the vertical direction 118 is fixed. The relative sizes of tab 210 and slot 112 are made such that, after ball 230 snuggly fit in dimple 512, beverage container 110 is able to rotate around a center axis 214 with respect to tab 210 with sufficient friction. The friction is considered sufficient if, regardless of the angle of mounting bracket 250, a user can easily tilt by hand the angle of beverage container 110 and retain its upward position to contain beverage bottles so that the liquid inside the bottles is not spilled.

Alternatively, in one or more embodiments (not shown), tab 210 and slot 112 are configured so that tab 210 can be inserted along an axis of symmetry 214. In these embodiments, slot 112 has an opening in the shape of a hollow disc, and instead of sliding, tab 210 is configured to snap into slot 112 in the direction of axis of symmetry 214. In these embodiments, slot 112 is disposed on the side wall of beverage container 110 and has a receptacle or opening in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the side wall of beverage container 110 and has a shape of a hollow cylinder or hollow circular disc. The receptacle or opening is configured such that a user may push tab 210 having a circular disc shape into slot 112.

In one of these embodiments, the receptacle or opening is in the form of a flexible clamp such that it widens when slot 112 is depressed by tab 210 when a user pushes tab 210 into slot 112. In this embodiment, the pressure exerted by tab 210 on slot 112 is applied in the axially outward direction from the axis of symmetry 214. Once tab 210 snaps into slot 112, the clamp narrows again and tightly grabs tab 210.

In another of these embodiments, a retaining ring is disposed around the perimeter of slot 112, and tab 210 has two or more bearings retained around the perimeter of tab 210 with springs that push out the bearings axially away from axis of rotation 214. The diameter of tab 210 including the bearings is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the retaining ring of slot 112, such that when tab 210 is pushed into slot 112, the springs are depressed with their respective bearings pushed inwardly by the retaining ring. When tab 210 is snapped into slot 112, the retaining ring of slot 112 prevents tab 210 from escaping and thereby locks tab 210 inside slot 112. Once tab 210 is received by and locked inside slot 112, these bearings axially push against the inner wall of slot 112 such that beverage container 110 connected with slot 112 is able to rotate around center axis 214 with respect to tab 210 with sufficient friction. As previously described, the friction is considered sufficient if, regardless of the angle of mounting bracket 250, a user can easily tilt by hand the angle of beverage container 110 and retain its upward position to contain beverage bottles so that the liquid inside the bottles is not spilled.

Turning to FIGS. 2A-2D, FIGS. 2A-2D are respectively a front view, a top view, a perspective view, and another perspective view from a different angle of exemplary tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 connected together. Tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be in one piece, or alternatively, tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be made of two separate pieces and later assembled together using a screw, adhesive, or any other method known in the art. Tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be made out of any material having sufficient rigidity. For example, tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be made out of such materials including, but not limited to, plastic, aluminum, or any other metal.

Mounting bracket 250 is configured to engage adjustable strap 310 such that, when adjustable strap is fastened around a supporting structure, for example a cylindrical structure such as a pole 318 of a baby stroller as shown in FIG. 3, mounting bracket 250 and tab 210 may be fixed with respect to the supporting structure. In one or more embodiments, mounting bracket 250 has two sidebars 252 on the sides of mounting bracket 250. In these embodiments, mounting bracket 250 engages adjustable strap 310 by weaving adjustable strap 310 around sidebars 252 as shown in FIG. 3. In a non-limiting exemplary mode of operation, when adjustable strap 310 is tightened around pole 318 of a baby stroller, sidebars 252 push mounting bracket 250 toward pole 318 so that mounting bracket 250 and tab 210 are tightly attached to pole 318. In a non-limiting alternative embodiment, one end of adjustable strap 310 is fixed and anchored on one of the two sidebars 252 (not shown). In this embodiment, adjustable strap 310 is wrapped around a supporting structure, looped through the other of the two sidebars 252, and tightly fastened by a hook-and-loop fastener or using any other fastening method. It is worth noting that the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is only exemplary, and other methods of fastening and/or strapping around a supporting structure known in the art may be used.

Turning to FIGS. 4-5, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of exemplary tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 connected together, taken along line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2C. Ball 230 is contained in a cylindrical hollow 410 formed inside tab 210 and is stopped by a ball stop 412 so that it does not escape the cylindrical hollow 410. Ball stop 412 may be in the shape of a ring around the opening of cylindrical hollow 410, or alternatively, ball stop 412 may be comprised of two or more bumps protruding inwardly from the opening of cylindrical hollow 410. In the cylindrical hollow 410, when there is no force pushing ball 230 inside cylindrical hollow 410, spring 414 pushes ball 230 toward ball stop 412 so that ball 230 protrudes slightly from the flat surface of tab 210. When tab 210 slides through guide 114 of slot 112, ball 230 is pushed all the way inside cylindrical hollow 410. When tab 210 reaches top portion 116 of slot 112, protrusion of a portion of ball 230 pushed by spring 414 lands on dimple 512 (shown in FIG. 5). The strength of spring 414 is chosen so that the locking of ball 230 and dimple 512 is secure enough, but at the same time a user can easily pull and slide tab 210 out of slot 112 by hand.

FIG. 5 is a perspective sectional view of one embodiment of beverage container 110, tab 210, and mounting bracket 250 when tab 210 and beverage container 110 are locked in position by matching ball 230 and dimple 512. Ball 230 protrudes out of the flat surface of tab 210 and fits the space made by dimple 512. As disclosed above, guide 114 shown in FIG. 5 is tapered out from top portion 116 of slot 112 so that a user can easily put tab 210 into slot 112. As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, beverage container 110 may have a drain hole 516 at the bottom 514 of the beverage container 110.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad application. This application is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described because various other modifications within the spirit of the present invention may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. A rotatable coupling mount device for a beverage container comprising:

a beverage container comprising a slot;

a mounting bracket comprising a tab; and

a fastening system for fastening the mounting bracket, wherein the slot is configured to receive and engage the tab in a locked position, and the tab is configured to rotate along an axis of rotation in the locked position.

2. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein

the beverage container further comprises a central axis, and

the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the central axis.

3. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein

the tab has a spring-loaded ball protruding from a surface of the tab,

the slot has a dimple, and

the spring-loaded ball fits the dimple when the slot engages the tab in the locked position.

4. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein the tab is of a disc shape.

5. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, the slot further comprising a guide.

6. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 5, wherein the guide is tapered with a widening opening.

7. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, the slot further comprising a flexible clamp.

8. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein

the tab further comprises a plurality of bearings, and

the slot further comprises a retaining ring.

9. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein the fastening system further comprises a strap.

10. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 9, wherein the strap is adjustable.

11. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 10, wherein the strap further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.

12. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 10, wherein the strap further comprises a pair of adjustable clip and receptacle.

13. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein the fastening system is configured to wrap around and tighten a supporting structure.

14. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 13, wherein the supporting structure has a finite cross-sectional circumference.

15. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, the beverage container further comprising a slit for receiving a cup handle.