Elevating stand for liquid container and a liquid container

Abstract

Elevating stand for a liquid container with a tap, the elevating stand comprises wall sections disposed such that they enclose the liquid container in a passive position for transport. The wall sections comprises side walls forming an enclosure, of four walls or a cylinder. The stand contains a base, arranged at a first end, and an opening, arranged at a second end, enabling displacement of the liquid container into an active position for set-up. An independent claim is included for a container incorporating an elevating stand.

Description

PRIOR ART

The present invention relates to an elevating stand according to the preamble of Patent Claim 1. The invention also relates to a liquid container incorporating an elevating stand according to the preamble of Patent Claim 10. The invention can be assigned to the packaging industry for liquid containers, but is not limited thereto.

At present, there are a number of different types of elevating stand for liquid containers. These are variously designed to solve the problem of how a user is not required to place the liquid container with tap on a table edge, for example, in order to be able to pour liquid into a glass.

There are fixed and mobile elevating stands, which are not supplied together with the liquid container but are bought as a separate component. For the liquid container there are integrated elevating stands, which are supplied together with the liquid container, enclosing the latter. One example is a “flip-box” construction currently on the market, in which a casing can be folded down beneath the pack to form an elevating stand.

Another example is shown in Swedish patent application SE 518 560. This describes an elevating stand consisting of four side walls, which, during transport and storage of the liquid container, serve as a purpose-built casing. Upon use, the liquid container is pulled out through one of the two openings formed by the four side walls and is installed in the elevating stand such that the tap and two of the corners of the liquid container are resting against support points disposed in the elevating stand. One of the problems with this construction is that the elevating stand is weak and unsteady. Another problem is that the tap is locked in one position in the elevating stand, since certain conditions advantageously call for a free-moving tap. Yet another problem is that, when known elevating stands bearing full liquid containers are displaced, sliding these over a table surface, elevating stands with mounted liquid containers require high forces in order to be displaced and have a tendency to vibrate or give way owing to the heavy weight associated with full liquid containers.

Likewise, the tap has to be pulled out so that the liquid container rests with this against one of the support points.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the said drawbacks and other drawbacks of known elevating stands.

Another object is to produce a wine stand which can be used even when the tap is not pulled out.

Yet another object of the invention is to produce a stable wine stand.

One object of the invention is to conceal information on the liquid container in the passive position.

Another object is to produce an elevating stand which simplifies use of the elevating stand with regard to the anatomy of the hands of different users.

For these purposes, the elevating stand described in the introduction is characterized by that which is specified in the defining clause of Patent Claim 1. A stable elevating stand is thereby is. Low friction is obtained between, for example, a table surface and the underside of the base owing to the reduced weight per unit of surface area of the surface of the elevating stand, that is to say the said base, which is in contact with the table surface. Comfortable handling is also thereby assured and any spillage from a pulled-out tap is not shaken down due to vibrations.

Expediently, the side wall consists of four plane walls.

Liquid containers with elevating stand for transport in a passive position can thus be transported such that they occupy a minimum of space.

Preferably, four supporting sections are arranged such that they can be opened out inwardly in the cylinder within the region of the second end and level with one another so as to support the liquid container in the active position.

This ensures that the liquid container stands steady in the elevating stand and that the tap of the liquid container can remain free-moving in a pulled-out position.

Alternatively, a recess is disposed in the side wall at the second end for placement of the tap.

This layout allows the liquid container to be placed slightly depressed in the cylinder, thereby lowering the centre of gravity of the arrangement. This makes the elevating stand easier to handle in the active position. When the elevating stand, above all, is displaced over a table surface, the risk of the elevating stand with mounted liquid container tipping over is lessened. The lower down is the centre of gravity, the safer is the displacement. Expediently, the liquid container is immersed in the cylinder by a distance corresponding to ¼ of the length of the cylinder. Expediently, the tap is free-moving adjacent to the recess in the side wall.

An opportunity is thereby given for getting the “last drops” out of the liquid container when the elevating stand is mounted in this active position. Furthermore, different sizes of hands of different users can require different degrees of accessibility of the tap. For example, a large hand can mean that the tap has to be angled outward for comfortable drawing-off.

Preferably, the base has a hole for receiving a handle disposed on the liquid container and for forming a grip for facilitating the displacement of the cylinder along the liquid container from the passive position into the active position.

The liquid container and elevating stand in the passive position can thereby be easily transported from a shop, for example, to a place for mounting the elevating stand into the active position.

Alternatively, the tap is situated adjacent to the first end in the passive position.

The liquid container can thus be displaced in one direction into the passive position, without having to be fully pulled out from the elevating stand. Likewise, the base protects the underside of the liquid container and forms a reinforcement thereof.

Expediently, a lower and upper slot are arranged in the side wall within the region of each supporting section, in which one side edge of the upper slot forms a support surface of the respective supporting section.

Preferably, the elevating stand, in the passive position, covers an information carrier member applied to the liquid container in order to produce an aesthetically pleasing liquid container in the passive position.

For the aforementioned purpose, the liquid container described in the introduction is also characterized by that which is specified in the defining clause of Patent Claim 10.

A supplier of “boxed wine”, for example, is thereby able to supply an elevating stand which is steady for the active position and is user-friendly.

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in diagrammatic representation an elevating stand according to a first embodiment, enclosing a liquid container;

FIG. 2 shows in diagrammatic representation the elevating stand in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows in diagrammatic representation a cross section of the elevating stand in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows in diagrammatic representation an elevating stand according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows in diagrammatic representation a cross section of the elevating stand in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows in diagrammatic representation an elevating stand according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows in diagrammatic representation an example of a supporting section; and

FIG. 8 shows in diagrammatic representation the elevating stand in a passive position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described with reference to the appended figures. Details of no importance to the invention have been omitted with the aim of clarity.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an elevating stand 1 for a liquid container 3 having a pull-out tap 5. The elevating stand 1 comprises wall sections 7 disposed such that they enclose the liquid container 3 in a passive position for transport, that is to say in a position in which the wall sections 7 of the elevating stand 1, which consist of a cylinder-forming side wall 9, fully enclose the greater part of the sides of the liquid container (reference 10, see FIG. 2).

The cylindrical side wall 9 is constituted by four plane walls 19′, 19″, 19″′ and 19″″, which contain a base 13, arranged at a first end 11, and an opening 17, arranged at a second end 15, for receiving the liquid container 3 when this is displaced into an active position for set-up.

The cylinder-forming side wall 9, comprising the four plane walls 19′, 19″, 19″′ and 19″″, a recess 21 has been made in one plane wall 19′ within the region of the second end 15. In an active position, that is to say when the liquid container 3 is mounted in the elevating stand 1 for use, the tap 5 extends through this recess 21.

In the passive position, a handle 22 of the liquid container 3 is guided through a hole 23 in the base 13 in order that a user (not shown) shall easily be able to carry the liquid container 3 with associated elevating stand 1. In order to prevent the elevating stand 1 from sliding out of the liquid container 3 should the user lift the arrangement by grasping it around the side wall 9, a locking member 24 has been provided on the elevating stand 1 in order to hold the liquid container 3 in the illustrated position in FIG. 1. A band 24A is arranged between the lower edges of the plane walls 19″ and 19″″, which band 24A can be easily torn off by means of a perforation (not shown).

Four supporting sections 25′, 25″, 25″′ and 25″″ are arranged such that they can be opened out in the side wall 9, and in each corner formed by the plane walls 19′, 19″, 19″′ and 19″″, inwardly in the cylinder within the region of the second end 15 and level with one another to support the liquid container 3 in the active position.

The hole 23 in the base 13 for receiving the handle 22 disposed on the liquid container 3 also forms a grip for facilitating the displacement of the elevating stand 1 along the liquid container 3 from the passive position into the active position, which will be more closely explained with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows the elevating stand 1 in FIG. 1 in a position for mounting of the liquid container 3 in the elevating stand 1. The elevating stand 1 has been pulled by the user off the liquid container 1 upward in the direction u and rotated half a turn according to the arrow q and placed on a table surface (not shown). A tab 26, formed partially by a perforation in the plane wall 19′, is removed from the plane wall 19′, thereby forming the recess 21.

A lower and upper slot 27 and 28 are arranged in the said side wall 9 within the region of each supporting section 25′, 25″, 25″′ and 25″″, in which one side edge 29 of the upper slot 28 (see also FIG. 3) forms a support surface of the respective supporting section for supporting the base of the liquid container 3.

With his finger, the user presses in tabs forming the supporting sections 25′, 25″, 25″′ and 25″″, whereby four support points for the liquid container 3 are formed (see FIG. 3 in which the elevating stand 1 is shown from above). The liquid container 3 is then guided according to arrows p down into the elevating stand 1 until the liquid container 3 is resting on each supporting section 25′, 25″, 25″′ and 25″″.

The liquid container 3 now stands steady in the elevating stand 1 with non-extended tap 5, at the same time as the arrangement can be slid over a table surface with little force and effort, since the base 13 steadies the elevating stand 1, whilst, at the same time, the underside of the base 13 slides easily over the table surface of the table owing to the low load per unit of surface area.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, in which the side wall 9 is constituted by a cylindrical surface having a circular cross section and a centre line CL, which is also shown according to the section I-I in FIG. 5. The liquid container 3 is configured as a cylindrical sleeve of circular cross section, yet having an external diameter somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the elevating stand 1, so that fitting is achieved by friction. The recessed tap can thereby be placed. The recessed tap 5 thereby can be placed adjacent to the first end 11 in the passive position, at the same time as the user can carry the liquid container 3 by the handle 22 without the elevating stand 1 sliding off the latter. This means that the user only needs to draw in the handle 22 and 22a in order to surmount the said friction, so that the liquid container 3 is displaced in the elevating stand 1 into the active position for set-up without the user needing to rotate the elevating stand 1 in the manner described in connection with FIG. 2.

According to the second embodiment, the side wall 9 is provided with four hatches 31 at one and the same level for receiving the base of the liquid container 3. The hatches 31 are evenly distributed in the said circular cross section, that is to say at an angle of ninety degrees between each, defined starting from the centre line CL, as is shown in FIG. 5.

It has been shown that four support points 25′, 25″, 25″′ and 25″″ supporting the liquid container 3, and produced by the hatches 31, provide perfect stability, at the same time as the tap 5, in the active position, can be free-moving adjacent to the recess 21 in the side wall 9. The recess 21 is disposed in the side wall at the second end 15, in such a way that, in the active position, the said tap 5 is placed a distance a above the lower section 35 of the recess 21.

The hatches 31 are arranged such that they can be pivoted about the hinge 33, made of the same material as the elevating stand 1. For the active position, the hatches 31 are directed toward the centre line CL so as thereby to constitute supporting sections.

According to this embodiment, nor does the base 13 contain any hole 23, which helps further to reduce the load per unit of surface area, allowing a full liquid container placed in the elevating stand to be more safely displaced over a table surface and in contact with the latter.

FIG. 6 illustrates in diagrammatic representation an elevating stand 1 according to a third embodiment, broadly ready for use in the active position. FIG. 7 shows a supporting section 25 of the elevating stand 1 from above and in perspective. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the elevating stand 1 in FIG. 6 comprises four plane walls 19′, 19″, 19′″ and 19″″, in which a collar 37 containing the recessed tap 5 in the passive position is located adjacent to the first end 11 (see also FIG. 8). According to this third embodiment, the liquid container 3 comprises an information carrier member 39 with advertising print 41 applied to the outer side of the liquid container 3. FIG. 8 illustrates that, in the passive position, the wall sections 7 of the elevating stand 1 cover the information carrier member of the liquid container 1 in order to produce an aesthetically pleasing liquid container.

The liquid container 3 is drawn almost entirely out of the elevating stand 1 according to the arrow s. The four supporting sections 25, constituting by corner triangles 44, are opened out and slid into notches 46 in the side wall 9 and are then re-folded according to the arrow f and finally folded in by the user in the directions of the arrows 43. The liquid container 3 is then pushed, or slides with the aid of gravitational force, back a bit, so that the base of the liquid container 3 comes into contact with the four supporting sections 25.

The recess 21 is arranged such that a gap a is formed between the collar 37 underside and the lowest region 45 of the recess 21. A user of the elevating stand 1 in the active position who wishes to empty some of the content from the liquid container 3 out into a glass (not shown) conventionally presses with his thumb on a button (not shown) on the tap 5 for emptying. The gap a helps a user to be able, at the same time, to angle the tap 5 according to requirement, which is advantageous with a view to the different anatomy of hands (not shown).

The embodiments described above should not be regarded as limiting for the invention. Other embodiments can be found within the scope of the invention. The embodiments described above can be combined with one another.

More support points than four can be provided in order to lend stability and allow the elevating stand to be used in the active position even if the tap with collar is not pulled out.

The supporting sections of the elevating stand can be arranged so that the liquid container can be depressed in the elevating stand to a distance amounting to ¼ of the height of the elevating stand. Other relationships in terms of depressed distance likewise exist within the scope of the invention, such as ⅓, ⅕, ⅙ and so on. The liquid container can likewise be depressed just a little bit in the elevating stand.

The underside of the base 13 can be made of a material having a low friction coefficient, such as, for example, Teflon or some other plastic, in order to facilitate displacement of the liquid container in the active position over a table surface and in contact with the latter.

Claims

1. An elevating stand for a liquid container with a tap on a side of the container, the elevating stand comprising:

wall sections disposed such that they enclose the liquid container in a passive position of the liquid container in the stand, the wall sections comprising side walls which together form an enclosure around the container;

a base arranged at a first end of the elevating stand and an opening arranged at a second end of the elevating stand, for enabling displacement of the liquid container in the stand and through the opening into an active position for set-up of the liquid container.

2. The elevating stand according to claim 1, wherein the said side wall comprises four plane walls.

3. The elevating stand according to claim 1, further comprising supporting sections at the wall sections and the supporting sections being operable such that the supporting sections can be opened out inwardly into the enclosure within a region of the second end of the stand, and the supporting sections are level with one another in the enclosure so as to support the liquid container in the active position thereof.

4. The elevating stand according to claim 1, further comprising a recess disposed in the side wall at the second end of the stand for placement of the tap of the liquid container at the recess.

5. The elevating stand according to claim 4, wherein the tap is free-moving adjacent to the recess in the side wall.

6. The elevating stand according to claim 1, wherein the base of the stand has a hole therein for receiving therethrough a handle disposed on the liquid container and for forming a grip for facilitating the displacement of the enclosure along the liquid container from the passive position into the active position.

7. The elevating stand according to claim 4, wherein the tap is situated adjacent to the first end of the stand in the passive position.

8. The elevating stand according to claim 3, wherein each supporting section comprises a lower slot and an upper slot above the lower slot, the slots are arranged in the side wall within the region of and defining the supporting section between the upper and lower slots and one side edge of the supporting section at the upper slot forms a support surface of the respective supporting section.

9. The elevating stand according to claim 1, wherein the elevating stand, in the passive position covers an information carrier applied to the liquid container.

10. In combination, a liquid container comprising a pull-out tap combined with an elevating stand configured according to claim 1, and the container is movable in the enclosure of the stand.

11. The elevating stand of claim 2, wherein the four plane walls meet at corners between neighboring side walls.

12. The elevating stand of claim 1, wherein the side walls are configured to define a cylindrical enclosure for the container.

13. The elevating stand of claim 3, wherein the supporting sections are part of the wall sections and are displaceable inward into the enclosure.

14. The elevating stand of claim 8, wherein the supporting sections are part of the wall sections and are displaceable inward into the enclosure.