Beverage holder

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a beverage holder that removably engages a fishing rod holder. In one embodiment, the beverage holder includes a beverage receiving portion and a rod holder mating portion orientated at an acute angle relative to a center line of the beverage receiving portion. The beverage receiving portion is configured to retain a beverage container in a beverage container receiving pocket.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a beverage holder, and more specifically, relate to a beverage holder adapted to engage a fishing rod holder.

2. Description of the Related Art

Motion of a vessel generally requires some type of beverage holder to prevent spillage. Common types of beverage holders include bulkhead mounted gimble devices and recessed drink holders formed in the vessel or one of its components. As these types of beverage holders are firmly mounted to the vessel, there is often no conveniently located beverage holder nearby. It would be desirable for a beverage holder suitable for use on a vessel to be repositionable at different portions of the vessel.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved beverage holder suitable for use on watercraft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a beverage holder that removably engages a fishing rod holder. In one embodiment, the beverage holder includes a beverage receiving portion and a rod holder mating portion orientated at an acute angle relative to a center line of the beverage receiving portion. The beverage receiving portion is configured to retain a beverage container in a beverage container receiving pocket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of one embodiment of a beverage holder;

FIG. 2 is a respective view of another embodiment of a beverage holder;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the beverage holder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is perspective view of another embodiment of a beverage holder; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a beverage holder having a rod holder mating portion coupled to a beverage receiving pocket in a manner that allows the relative orientation therebetween to be selectively adjusted.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally is a beverage holder configured to slidably engage a rod holder disposed on a vessel or other structure. When used on a fishing vessel, the beverage holder may be moved between rod holders by pulling the beverage holder out of one rod holder and inserting it into another. In this manner, the beverage holder may be readily moved about the cockpit of a vessel without tools, thereby allowing the beverage holder to maintain “a cold frosty one” or other beverage of choice within easy reach of an angler.

FIG. 1 is one embodiment of a beverage holder 100 configured to mate with a fishing rod holder 190. Although the fishing rod holder 190 is shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a flat surface 192, such as a gunnel of a vessel (e.g., or other watercraft), the beverage holder 100 is suitable for interfacing with other rod holders having a tubular body 194 inclined from vertical. Examples of other rod holders to which the beverage holder 100 may interface may be found to include, but are not limited to leaning posts, rocket launchers, fighting chairs, towers, radar arches, among other locations.

The beverage holder 100 generally includes a rod holder mating portion 104 and a beverage container receiving portion 102. The beverage container receiving portion 102 defines a beverage container receiving pocket 150 having a vertical centerline 188. The beverage container receiving pocket 150 may be configured to retain or include a beverage container 126, such as a cup, bottle or can. The beverage receiving pocket 150 may optionally be configured to retain a foam beverage insulator 124, for example, by having a diameter greater than about 3 inches. The foam insulator 124 may integrally define the receiving pocket 150, may be coupled to the beverage holder 100, or alternatively, be removable from the drink holder 100 with the beverage container 126. The beverage container receiver portion 102 generally includes a transition member 110 having at least one wall 120 extending from an upper surface 114 thereof. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the wall 120 has a cylindrical form which extends from the upper surface 114 of the transition member 110 to a height sufficient to retain the beverage container 126 in the beverage container receiving pocket 150. In one embodiment, the height of the wall 120 is about three inches. It is also contemplated that the wall 120 may be defined by a plurality of arc segments.

The rod holder mating portion 104 of the beverage holder 100 extends from a bottom surface 112 of the transition member 110. The wall 120 may optionally include a vent hole 119 (shown in phantom) formed therethrough proximate the transition member 110. The transition member 110 may optionally include a lip 128 extending radially outward of the wall 120.

The rod holder mating portion 104 extends from the bottom 112 of the transition member 110 and is configured to insert into the tube 194 of the rod holder 190, thereby preventing the beverage holder 100 from sliding and/or tipping over due to motion of the vessel. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the rod holder mating portion is a tube 106 having a center line 198 respectively inclined at acute angle 196, 198 with the vertical centerline 188 and the plane of the transition member 110. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the plane of the transition member 110 is horizontal. It is noted that on some vessel designs, the plane of the gunnel, and correspondingly transition member may not be truly horizontal, thus causing the orientation of the centerline 188 to rotate from true vertical when disposed in the rod holder 190. The tube 106 may include a passage 108 that fluidly couples the beverage receiving pocket 150 to the rod holder mating portion 104 through a hole 116 formed through the transition member 110. The hole 116 vents the beverage receiving pocket 150 during removal of the beverage container 126 and/or insulator 124 from the pocket 150, thereby preventing generation a vacuum within the beverage container receiving portion 102 that would make removal of the beverage from the pocket difficult. It is contemplated that the beverage receiving pocket 150 may be vented by a hole formed in another portion of the beverage holder 100.

Since most rod holders, such as the deck mounted rod holder 190 depicted in FIG. 1, are inclined at an acute angle to vertical, the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150 generally have a centerline orientation that less than about 60 degrees. In one embodiment, the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150 generally have a centerline orientation (i.e., the angle 198) between about 15 to about 30 degrees. This relative orientation between the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150 allows the beverage receiving pocket 150 to maintain the beverage container 126 disposed therein to be retained in a substantially horizontal orientation, thereby substantially preventing spillage of liquid from the container 126.

The beverage container receiving portion 102 and the rod holder mating portion 104 may comprise separate elements or have single piece construction. The beverage holder 100 may be fabricated from any suitable metal, plastic, elastomer, wood or other suitable material, and in one embodiment, may be injection molded as a single piece.

FIG. 2 depicts another embodiment of a beverage holder 200. The beverage holder 200 is substantially similar to the beverage holder 100. As depicted in FIG. 2, the beverage container receiving portion 102 of the beverage holder 200 includes one or more slots 202 formed therein. Optionally, the bottom 204 of the slot 202 may extend completely to the top surface 114 of the traverse member 110 as depicted by dashed line 210. As such, the beverage receiving portion 102 of the beverage holder 200 is comprised of one or more arc segments 212. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, two arc segments 212 are shown. In another embodiment, four slots 202 may be provided to divide the beverage containing portion 102 of the beverage holder 200 into four arc segments 212. Other configurations having different number (i.e., one or more) slots 202 are contemplated.

Similarly, the rod holder mating portion 104 of the beverage holder 200 may include one or more slots 224 which divide the rod holder mating portion into at least one arc segment 220. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, two slots 224 divide the rod holder retaining portion 104 into two arc segments 220. It is contemplated that both the beverage container receiving portion 102 and the rod holder mating portion 104 of the beverage holder 200 may include any number of arc segments separated by slots of any width and length. Optionally, at least one arc segment 220 may be flared outward at a lower end 226 opposite the beverage container receiving portion 102 to a width greater than the inside diameter of the tube 194 of the rod holder 190. In such an embodiment, the flared rod holder mating portion 104 is fabricated of a resilient material such that the rod holder mating portion is biased against the internal diameter of the tube 194 upon insertion into the rod holder 190, thereby retaining the beverage holder 200 to the rod holder. Optionally, as depicted in FIG. 3, one or more of the arc segments 220 comprising the rod holder mating portion 104 may include an outwardly extending lip 302. The lip 302 is configured to have a diameter and/or width 304 which causes the lip to bias against greater than the inside diameter of the tube 194, thereby improving retention of the beverage holder 200 to the rod holder 190.

FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of a beverage holder 400. The beverage holder 400 is substantially similar to the beverage holders 100, 200 described above. A beverage retaining portion 102 of the rod holder 400 generally includes a least three fingers 406 coupled by at least one traverse member 408 to define a beverage container receiving pocket 150. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, four fingers 106 are coupled together by four traverse members 408. Each finger 406 may have any suitable sectional profile, for example, cylindrical, cylindrical segment, oval, polygonal and the like, and in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the finger has a rectangular cross-section.

The rod holder mating portion 104 of the rod holder 400 generally includes at least two fingers 402 which extend downward from the at least one traverse member 408. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, two are shown. Optionally, at least one of the fingers 408 may have a feature 404 extending laterally therefrom which functions to engage the inside diameter of the tube 194 of the rod holder 190.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a beverage holder 510 having a rod holder mating portion 104 coupled to a beverage receiving pocket 150 in a manner that allows the relative orientation therebetween to be selectively adjusted. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, a flexible joint or universal fitting 500 is disposed between the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150 such that the angular orientation between the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150 may be adjusted between about 180 and about 90 degrees. It is also contemplated that the universal fitting 500 may provide different angular range of motion between the rod holder mating portion 104 and the beverage receiving pocket 150. In one embodiment, the universal fitting 500 is comprised of at least one first plate 502 extending from the rod holder mating portion 104 and at least one mating second plate 504 extending from the beverage receiving pocket 150 held together by a thumb screw 506 and wing nut 508. At least one of the plates 502, 504 may include ribs, grooves or other surface feature to enhance retention of the portions 102, 104 in a selected orientation after the nut 508 and bolt 506 are tightened.

Thus, embodiments of a beverage holder suitable to be removably engaged with a rod holder have been disclosed. Advantageously, the beverage holder may be easily moved between different rod holders positioned around a vessel or watercraft, thereby allowing a beverage container to be securely retained against a rocking motion of the vessel and flexibly repositioned. It is contemplated that any of the features described in any one of the embodiments above may be advantageously utilized in the other embodiments.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A beverage holder for mating with a rod holder mounted to the structure and having a non-vertically orientated rod receiving tube, comprising:

a rod holder mating portion; and

a beverage container receiving portion coupled to the rod holder mating portion and having a beverage receiving pocket disposed above the rod holder mating portion, the beverage receiving pocket configured to retain a beverage container in a substantially vertical position when the rod holder mating portion is engaged with the rod receiving tube of the rod holder.

2. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein a centerline of the beverage container receiving portion is orientated at an acute angle relative to a center line of the beverage container receiving portion.

3. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a cylindrical member defining a beverage receiving pocket.

4. The beverage holder of claim 3, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a hole venting the beverage receiving pocket.

5. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a plurality of fingers extending away from the rod holder mating portion and defining a beverage receiving pocket.

6. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein the rod holder mating portion further comprises:

a cylindrical member.

7. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein the rod holder mating portion further comprises:

a plurality of fingers extending away from the beverage container receiving portion.

8. The beverage holder of claim 1, wherein a centerline of the beverage container receiving portion is orientated at an angle between about 15 to about 30 degrees relative to a center line of the rod holder mating portion.

9. The beverage holder of claim 1 further comprising:

a universal fitting coupling the rod holder mating portion and the beverage container receiving portion, wherein an orientation between the rod holder mating portion and the beverage container receiving portion is selectively adjustable through the universal fitting.

10. A beverage holder for mating with a rod holder, comprising:

a rod holder mating portion configured to insert into a rod receiving tube of the rod holder; and

a beverage container receiving portion coupled to the rod holder mating portion, the beverage container receiving portion having a beverage container receiving pocket defined therein.

11. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein a centerline of the beverage container receiving portion is orientated at an angle between about 15 to about 30 degrees relative to a center line of the rod holder mating portion.

12. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a cylindrical member defining the beverage receiving pocket.

13. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a hole venting the beverage receiving pocket.

14. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein the beverage container receiving portion further comprises:

a plurality of fingers extending away from the rod holder mating portion and defining the beverage receiving pocket.

15. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein the rod holder mating portion further comprises:

a cylindrical member.

16. The beverage holder of claim 10, wherein the rod holder mating portion further comprises:

a plurality of fingers extending away from the beverage container receiving portion.

17. The beverage holder of claim 10 further comprising:

a universal fitting coupling the rod holder mating portion and the beverage container receiving portion, wherein an orientation between the rod holder mating portion and the beverage container receiving portion is selectively adjustable through the universal fitting.

18. A beverage holder for mating with a vessel mounted rod holder, comprising:

a rod holder mating portion configured to slidably mate with a rod receiving tube of the rod holder; and

a beverage container receiving portion coupled to the rod holder mating portion, the beverage container receiving portion having a beverage container receiving pocket defined therein and disposed above the rod holder mating portion, wherein a centerline of the beverage container receiving pocket is orientated at an angle between about 15 to about 30 degrees relative to a center line of the beverage container receiving portion.

19. The beverage holder of claim 18, wherein the beverage container receiving pocket is at least 3 inches in diameter.

20. The beverage holder of claim 18, wherein the rod holder mating portion is substantially cylindrical.