RETAINER

Abstract

A retainer (1) for releasably retaining an item, such as a bottle, is described. The retainer comprises a housing (19); and a latch. The latch is configurable between: i) an unlocked state for insertion of the item into, or removal of the item from, the housing, in which the latch is movable between an open position and a closed position; and ii) a locked state for retaining the item in the housing, in which the latch is maintained in the closed position. Configuration between the locked state and the unlocked state is effected by a change in orientation of the retainer.

Claims

1. A retainer for releasably retaining an item, the retainer comprising: a housing; and a latch which is configurable between: i) an unlocked state for insertion of the item into, or removal of the item from, the housing, in which the latch is movable between an open position and a closed position; and ii) a locked state for retaining the item in the housing, in which the latch is maintained in the closed position, in which configuration between the locked state and the unlocked state is effected by a change in orientation of the retainer.

2. A retainer according to claim 1, in which the change in orientation of the retainer comprises a change in inclination of the retainer and/or a rotation of retainer.

3. A retainer according to claim 2, in which an inclination of the retainer at least 20 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees relative to a vertical orientation configures the locked state from the unlocked state.

4. A retainer according to any preceding claim, comprising a mobile locking member which can move with the change in orientation of the of the retainer.

5. A retainer according to claim 4, in which the locking member moves under the influence of gravity.

6. A retainer according to any preceding claim, in which the locking member comprises a ball or a roller.

7. A retainer according to any preceding claim, in which the locking member can move between: i) a first position, in the unlocked locked state, which does not resist the latch being urged to an open position; and ii) a second position, in the locked state, which resists the latch being urged to an open position.

8. A retainer according to claim 7, in which in its second position, the locking member wedges the latch in the locked state.

9. A retainer according to any preceding claim, comprising a resilient biasing means for urging the latch to the closed position.

10. A retainer according to any preceding claim, in which the latch comprises at least one arm rotatably attached to the housing.

11. A retainer according to claim 10 comprising two arms rotatably attached to the housing.

12. A retainer according to any preceding claim which is a bottle retainer adapted to retain a bottle.

13. A retainer according to claim 12, in which the latch is positioned to contact a neck and/or lid of the bottle, in use.

14. A retainer according to claim 11 or claim 12, in combination with a bottle.

15. A box comprising a retainer as defined in any preceding claim.

16. A box according to claim 15, comprising a base unit for securing a base of the item, whilst the item is retained in the housing.

17. A box according to claim 16, in which the base unit defines a ridge or well, for securing the base of the item.

18. A method for releasably retaining an item, comprising inserting an item into a housing of a retainer, when a latch of the retainer is in unlocked state and is movable between an open position and a closed position; and changing the orientation of the retainer to configure the latch into a closed state to maintain the latch in the closed position and retain the item in the housing.

19. A method according to claim 18, which comprises changing the orientation of the retainer that is retaining the item, to configure the latch, into the unlocked state; and removing the item from the housing.

20. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19, in which changing the orientation of the retainer comprises changing the inclination of the retainer and/or a rotating the retainer.

21. A method according to claim 20, in which configuring the locked state from the unlocked state comprises inclining the retainer at least 20 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees relative to a vertical orientation.

22. A method according to any of claims 18 to 21, in which the item is a bottle.

Description

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of a bottle retainer of the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows top (A), left side (B), front (C), right side (D) and bottom (E) views of the retainer of FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a retainer of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows views, in section, of the retainer of FIGS. 1 to 3 in an open, unlocked state (A: side view; B: three dimensional view);

[0035] FIG. 5 shows views in section of the retainer of FIGS. 1 to 4 in a close, locked state (A: side view; B: three dimensional view);

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a three dimensional view of a box encompassing the retainer of FIGS. 1 to 5;

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates degrees of freedom of a retainer.

[0038] A bottle retainer 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 has a fitment unit 3. The fitment unit defines a recess 5 on its underside, the recess having an opening 9 at the front of the fitment unit, side-walls 11 and a back wall 13 at the rear of the fitment unit. The top side of the fitment unit defines two front screw housings 17, two rear screw housings 19, and a central locking thread 21.

[0039] Two torsion springs 25 are attached to the fitment unit 3 by screws 27. Two arms 29, each with curved inner edges 31 and a pair of perpendicular projections 33 on the top sides, are positioned over the torsion springs. A notch is defined between the two perpendicular projections. The top side of each arm is upwardly sloped from the rear to the front.

[0040] Ball bearing housings 35 are positioned over each arm 29, each ball bearing housing defining a cavity 37 and perpendicular projection 39 on its underside. A ball bearing 41 is accommodated within each cavity of each ball bearing housing and contacts the top side of each arm. The ball bearing housings are connected to the fitment unit 3 by front screws 43 and rear screws 45 which engage with the corresponding front screw housings 17 and rear screw housings 19 on the top side of the fitment unit. The rear screws 45 are also rotatably attached the arms to the fitment unit and the ball bearing housings by the rear screws.

[0041] A top screw lock 47 engages with the central locking thread 21 on the top side of 15 of the fitment unit 3.

[0042] In use, when the retainer 1 is upright, the arms 29 are in a closed position, such that they project inwardly into the recess 5 of the fitment unit 3, urged by the torsion springs 25.

[0043] However, the arms are in an unlocked state and can be readily moved into an open position in which the arms are rotated outwardly. In the open position, the arms are positioned underneath the ball bearing housings 35 to a greater extent and such that they project into the cavity of the fitment unit to a lesser extent. In the open position, the projection 39 on the underside of each ball bearing housing fits within the correspondingly-shaped notch defined between the pair of projections 33 on the top side of the arm (as shown in FIG. 4).

[0044] Inserting the neck of the bottle into the recess 5 of the fitment unit 3, through the recess opening 9 contacts the neck of the bottle with the curved inner edges 31 of the arms 29 and urges the arms into the open position. Once the neck of the bottle has passed beyond the arms, towards the back wall 13 of the fitment unit, the arms rebound into the closed position, urged by the torsion springs 25. However, as long as the retainer 1 and the bottle remain upright, the arms will be in an unlocked state.

[0045] In the unlocked state, one may readily remove the bottle from the retainer 1 by pulling the bottle out of the recess 5 of the fitment unit 3. Pulling the bottle away from the back wall 13 of the fitment unit toward the opening 9 of the recess contacts the bottle with the curved inner edges 31 of the arms 29, urging them to the outward position.

[0046] The locked state is configured by a forward inclination, or pitching, of the retainer 1. The forward inclination causes the ball bearings 41 in the ball bearing housings 37 to move forwards from a resting position, up the slopes on the topside of each arm 29, to a locking position between the projection 39 on the underside of each ball bearing housing and the notch between the pair of projections 33 on the topside of the arm. This position prevents the arm from rotating underneath the ball bearing housing, thus preventing the arms from being moved into the open position (as shown in FIG. 5). The bottle is thus retained in the retainer and is prevented from falling out. When the retainer and the bottle return to an upright position, the ball bearing rolls back to the resting position, configuring the unlocked state.

[0047] When the arms 29 are in an open position, the ball bearings 41 are not able to move to the locking position. A passageway for each ball bearing is only defined when the arms are in the open position.

[0048] A display box 101, as shown in FIG. 6, has a top 103, left and right side walls 105, a back wall 107 and a base 109. The front of the box is open for insertion and removal of a bottle (not shown).

[0049] The bottle retainer 1 of FIGS. 1-5 is attached to the top 103 of the box 101. The retainer is secured in place by the top screw lock 47 engaging with the central locking thread 21 on the top side of the fitment unit, the central locking thread protruding through a hole defined in the top of the box.

[0050] On the base 109 of the box 101 is a base moulding 111 with a ridge 113 around an outer edge to define a well. In use, the base of the bottle is retained within the well, whilst the neck of the bottle is retained by the retainer 1. When the box is tilted forwards, the bottle is prevented from falling out of the front of the box by configuration of the locked state.