Abstract
A centrally loaded self-adjusting positive-hold stowable semirigid framework which both supports and clench's the necks of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size regardless of their varying neck diameters, thereby providing an end user with a reusable, convenient, field friendly, hands-free toting device of universal application for enjoying an unencumbered toting experience with the added benefit of promoting a higher degree of socially responsible behavior in the disposal, recycling, or the repurposing of used ubiquitous beverage bottles.
Claims
1. A semirigid self-adjusting clenching device for the hands-free toting of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size wherein a facilitation slot provides a symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame with the unimpeded ability to expand outwardly and to contract inwardly, and thereby to ultimately self-adjust to clench and support the various neck and neck ring sizes commonly encountered among ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size; wherein said semirigid self-adjusting clenching device is comprised of a semirigid horizontal carrier frame and a semirigid vertical support frame; wherein said semirigid horizontal carrier frame and said semirigid vertical support frame are respectively symmetrical about a shared centrally aligned vertical plane; wherein the interior of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame of said semirigid self-adjusting clenching device is comprised of two overlapping circular apertures sharing a common centerline; wherein said overlapping circular apertures are of different diameters and form an interior opening from one to the other; wherein the circumferential exterior of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame around and about said circular aperture of the larger diameter is conjoined with a connector; wherein said semirigid horizontal carrier frame around and about said circular aperture of the lesser diameter is provided with a facilitation slot; wherein said facilitation slot provides said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame with the unimpeded ability to expand outwardly and to contract inwardly, and thereby to ultimately self-adjust to clench and support the various neck and neck ring sizes commonly encountered among ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size; wherein said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is of adequate thickness to respectively accommodate, clench, and support the neck and neck ring of a manufactured beverage bottle; wherein said circular aperture of the larger diameter located nearest to the conjoined end of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is of sufficient diameter to allow the neck and neck ring of a ubiquitous beverage bottle to pass upward and through said circular aperture of the larger diameter without impediment; wherein said overlap of said circular apertures creates a natural set of opposing retention lobes at said opening leading from one said aperture to the other said aperture which causes said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame to expand outwardly when the neck of a ubiquitous beverage bottle passes by said retention lobes of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame when said ubiquitous beverage bottle is moving from out of said circular aperture of the larger diameter and into said circular aperture of the lesser diameter of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame and vice versa; wherein said circular aperture of the lesser diameter, located furthest from the conjoined end of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame, provides for the neck and neck ring of a ubiquitous beverage bottle to be respectively retained and supported by the self-adjusting clenching attributes inherent to said retention lobes of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame and to said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame; wherein said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame is comprised of two semirigid struts conjoined at the lowest region of said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame; wherein the conjoined end of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is mated to, and supported by, the uppermost ends of said semirigid struts of said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame.
2. The semirigid self-adjusting clenching device for the hands-free toting of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size of claim 1; wherein said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is separate from said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame; wherein the conjoined end of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is configured with sockets thereby allowing said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame to be temporarily mated with, and thereby retained, braced, and horizontally supported by mutually corresponding receptacles configured on said semirigid struts of said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame; wherein the conjoined end of said semirigid horizontal carrier frame is configured to be temporarily mated with, and thereby retained and vertically stowed, on mutually corresponding receptacles configured on said semirigid struts of said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame.
3. The semirigid self-adjusting clenching device for the hands-free toting of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size of claim 2; wherein the said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame is provided with presser protuberances projecting from the outside vertical face of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame; wherein said presser protuberances are symmetrically situated to either side of said facilitation slot of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame.
4. The semirigid self-adjusting clenching device for the hands-free toting of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size of claim 3; wherein said presser protuberances projecting from said outside vertical face of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame are configured with indents; wherein said indents on said presser protuberances projecting from said outside vertical face of said symmetrical semirigid horizontal carrier frame are outfitted with an auxiliary elasticized O-ring.
5. The semirigid self-adjusting clenching device for the hands-free toting of ubiquitous beverage bottles of a personal size of claim 1; wherein said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame consists of a manually manipulated, independently acting, vertically aligned, flexible belt-brake tongue centrally situated between said semirigid vertical struts of said symmetrical semirigid vertical support frame; wherein said independently acting, vertically aligned, flexible belt-brake tongue projects from a peg internally anchored to one said semirigid vertical strut near to the conjoined end of said semirigid vertical support frame.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 An introductory perspective view depicting the present device as it would typically appear when affixed to an accoutrement of an end user while clenching and supporting a commercially manufactured beverage bottle.
[0019] FIG. 2 An introductory perspective view depicting the present device as it would typically appear affixed to an accoutrement of an end user when collapsed and stowed.
[0020] FIG. 3A perspective view of the present device when collapsed and stowed.
[0021] FIG. 4A perspective view of the present device as it would typically appear when assembled in its carry-ready form with the installation trajectory of an auxiliary elasticized O-ring highlighted.
[0022] FIG. 5A top view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0023] FIG. 6A front view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0024] FIG. 7A rear view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0025] FIG. 8A left side view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0026] FIG. 9A right side view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0027] FIG. 10A bottom view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0028] FIG. 11A front view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0029] FIG. 12A top view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0030] FIG. 13A left side view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0031] FIG. 14A right side view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0032] FIG. 15A bottom view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0033] FIG. 16 An exploded frontal perspective view depicting the manner in which the flexure frame components are assembled.
[0034] FIG. 17 An exploded rearward perspective view depicting the manner in which the flexure frame components are assembled.
[0035] FIG. 18 As the first in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component is stowed on the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0036] FIG. 19 As the second in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which the previously stowed semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component is separated from the semirigid vertical flexure frame component.
[0037] FIG. 20 As the third in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which the sockets of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component is aligned with the corresponding mating indents of the vertical struts of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component when preparing for a carry-ready assembly.
[0038] FIG. 21 As the fourth in the series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the sockets of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component fitted and locked onto the mating indents of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component and the manner in which an auxiliary elasticized O-ring may be subsequently fitted to the presser protuberances of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component to further augment the clenching characteristics of a carry-ready assembly.
[0039] FIG. 22 As the first in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which a manufactured beverage bottle is aligned with the receiving aperture of an augmented and fully clenched semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component of a typical semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly.
[0040] FIG. 23 As the second in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the moment when the cap, neck, and neck ring, of a manufactured beverage has passed upward and through the receiving aperture of an augmented and fully clenched semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame of the semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly.
[0041] FIG. 24 As the third in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the moment when the widest neck section of a manufactured beverage bottle, being forced past the retention lobes of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component, causes the carrier arms of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component, as well as the auxiliary elasticized O-ring, to expand outwardly as an end user forces the bottle from out of the receiving aperture and into the self-adjusting retention aperture of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component of the carry-ready assembly.
[0042] FIG. 25 As the fourth in the series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which the semirigid slotted carrier frame component self-adjusts at the moment when the neck of a manufactured beverage bottle has passed into the retention aperture of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame, where the neck of the bottle is positively clenched by the coincident contraction of both the retention lobes and the clenching characteristics inherent to the semirigid carrier arms of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component, whose inherent internal forces are further bolstered by the newly tensioned auxiliary elasticized O-ring, which in turn collectively serve to further support the neck ring of the bottle atop the carrier arms of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame component.
[0043] FIG. 26A side view of a collapsed and stowed assembly of the present device as it might appear when affixed to the accoutrement of an end user.
[0044] FIG. 27A side view of the present device in a carry-ready assembled form to highlight the manner in which the carrier arms of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame ultimately supports a manufactured beverage bottle whose neck is fully clenched within the self-adjusted retention aperture of the semirigid slotted carrier frame component, and the manner in which the semirigid belt brake tongue may be optionally used to interact with an accoutrement of an end user to prevent the device from becoming unexpectedly dislodged from the accoutrement to which it has been affixed.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0045] 1 semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly [0046] 2 semirigid flexure frame stowage assembly [0047] 4 auxiliary elasticized O-ring [0048] 6 semirigid vertical flexure frame [0049] 8 semirigid self-adjusting carrier frame [0050] 10 semirigid vertical strut [0051] 12 castellated stowage protuberance [0052] 13 torsion pillar [0053] 14 torsion pillar mating indent [0054] 16 semirigid belt-brake tongue [0055] 18 ancillary peg [0056] 19 anchoring peg [0057] 20 conjoining connector [0058] 22 carrier mating socket [0059] 24 locking tab [0060] 26 pass through aperture [0061] 28 retention lobe [0062] 30 retention aperture [0063] 32 self-adjusting clenching arm [0064] 34 presser protuberance [0065] 36 facilitation slot [0066] 38 manufactured beverage bottle [0067] 40 bottle cap [0068] 42 bottle neck ring (a.k.a. transfer bead) of a manufactured beverage bottle [0069] 44 neck of a manufactured beverage bottle [0070] 46 ancillary indent to accommodate the tapered feature of a bottle in the region below the neck [0071] 50 lateral displacement of the semirigid vertical struts by user applied force [0072] 52 carrier removal from laterally displaced stowage protuberances of the semirigid vertical frame [0073] 54 carrier attachment to laterally displaced torsion pillars of the semirigid vertical frame [0074] 56 bottle alignment and insertion direction up through the receiving aperture of semirigid carrier frame [0075] 58 end user applied force [0076] 60 direction of a bottle moving past the retention lobes of the semirigid carrier frame [0077] 62 semirigid carrier arms expanding outward as a reaction to a bottle moving past and through the retention lobes [0078] 66 clenching force inherent to the semirigid carrier frame and bolstered by an auxiliary elasticized O-ring [0079] 68 end user accoutrement [0080] 70 an end user
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0081] FIG. 1 An introductory perspective view depicting the semirigid flexure frame assembly 1 when both supporting and temporarily affixing a commercially manufactured beverage bottle 38 to an accoutrement 68 of an end user 70.
[0082] FIG. 2 An introductory perspective view depicting the semirigid flexure frame assembly 2 as it would typically appear when collapsed, stowed, and affixed to an accoutrement 68 of an end user 70.
[0083] FIG. 3A perspective view relative to FIG. 2 depicting the principal features of a stowage assembly 2 of the present device, and to further highlight the manner in which the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 is temporarily mated with the castellated stowage protuberances 12 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6.
[0084] FIG. 4A perspective view relative to FIG. 1 depicting the principal features of a carry-ready assembly 1 of the present device, and to further highlight the manner in which the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 is mated and locked onto 24 the torsion pillars 13 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6 and the manner in which an auxiliary elasticized O-ring 4 may be fitted to the presser protuberances 34 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8.
[0085] FIG. 5A top view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 to highlight the relationships of and between the featured facilitation slot 36 located between the presser protuberances 34 of the semirigid self-adjusting carrier frame 8, the carrier frame mating sockets 22 and their respective locking tabs 24, the conjoining connector 20, and the opposing retention lobes 28 which project inwardly from each independent clenching arm 32 at a point situated between the pass through aperture 26 and the retention aperture 30.
[0086] FIG. 6A front view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 relative to FIG. 5.
[0087] FIG. 7A rear view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 relative to FIG. 5.
[0088] FIG. 8A left side view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 relative to FIG. 5.
[0089] FIG. 9A right side view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 relative to FIG. 5.
[0090] FIG. 10 An underside bottom view of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 relative to FIG. 5.
[0091] FIG. 11A front view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component 6 to highlight the castellated stowage protuberances 12, the torsion pillars 13 and associated pillar mating indent 14 situated at the uppermost region of each respective vertical strut 10, one of which consists of an ancillary peg 18 and an anchoring peg 19 from which the semirigid belt-brake tongue 16 projects.
[0092] FIG. 12A top view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component 6 relative to FIG. 11.
[0093] FIG. 13A left side view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component 6 relative to FIG. 11.
[0094] FIG. 14A right side view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component 6 relative to FIG. 11.
[0095] FIG. 15A bottom view of the semirigid vertical flexure frame component 6 relative to FIG. 11.
[0096] FIG. 16 An exploded frontal perspective view depicting the manner in which the mating sockets 22 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 are aligned with the corresponding torsion pillars 13 and associated mating indents 14 of the semirigid vertical struts 10 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6 prior to carry-ready assembly, noting that the uppermost region of the semirigid vertical struts 10 of the semirigid vertical frame 10 are shown here in an unexpanded state.
[0097] FIG. 17 An exploded rearward perspective view relative to FIG. 16.
[0098] FIG. 18 As the first in a series of four sequential perspective view this illustration, relative to FIG. 3, depicts the principal features of the stowage assembly 2 of the present device, and to further highlight the manner in which the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 is temporarily mated with the castellated stowage protuberances 12 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6.
[0099] FIG. 19 As the second in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which end user applied lateral forces 50 have caused the semirigid vertical struts 10 to expand outwardly which results in the mating sockets 22 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 to separate 52 from the castellated stowage protuberances 12 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6.
[0100] FIG. 20 As the third in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the manner in which the carrier mating sockets 22 of the semirigid self-adjusting carrier frame 8 are subsequently aligned 54 with the mating indents 14 of the torsion pillars 13 of the semirigid vertical struts 10 which have been expanded outwardly by lateral forces 50 applied by an end user to facilitate a carry-ready assembly 1.
[0101] FIG. 21 As the fourth in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts a typical carry-ready assembly 1 to highlight the manner in which the locking tabs 24 of the slotted 36 self-adjusting semirigid carrier frame 8 grip the outer faces of the torsion pillars 13 of the contracted 64 semirigid vertical struts 10 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6, and the manner in which the auxiliary elasticized O-ring 4 may be optionally installed on the presser protuberances 34 as a means of bolstering the inherent clenching attributes of the self-adjusting semirigid clenching arms 32 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8.
[0102] FIG. 22 As the first in a series of four sequential perspective views, and relative to FIG. 21, this illustration depicts the manner in which the cap 40, neck ring 42, and neck 44 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 is pre-aligned with the receiving aperture 26 of the slotted 36 self-adjusting semirigid carrier frame 8 of a typical carry-ready assembly 1 noting that the facilitator slot 36 of the self-adjusting semirigid carrier frame 8 is fully clenched being further bolstered by an auxiliary elasticized O-ring 4.
[0103] FIG. 23 As the second in a series of four sequential perspective views, and relative to FIG. 22, this illustration depicts the manner in which the formerly pre-aligned cap 40, neck ring 42, and neck 44 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 has passed upward and through the receiving aperture 26 of a carry-ready assembly 1 such that the bottom plane of the neck ring 42 lies at the top plane of the clenching arms 32 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 noting that the facilitator slot 36 of the self-adjusting semirigid carrier frame 8 remains fully clenched being bolstered by an auxiliary elasticized O-ring 4.
[0104] FIG. 24 As the third in a series of four sequential perspective views this illustration depicts the instant when end user applied forces 58 acting on the presser protuberances 34 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8, result in the maximum width of the neck 44 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 being forced between the opposing retention lobes 28 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 at the moment when the manufactured beverage bottle 38 moves from out of the receiving aperture 26 and into 60 the retention aperture 30, which actions and conditions simultaneously cause the clenching arms 32 and the bolstering auxiliary elasticized O-ring 4 to self-adjust by expanding outwardly 62 while the spring-like characteristics inherent to the conjoining connector of the self-adjusting semirigid slotted carrier frame 8, and the twisting characteristics inherent to the torsion pillars 13 of each respective semirigid vertical strut 10 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6 collectively react to counter the momentary outwardly expanding stresses 62.
[0105] FIG. 25 As the fourth in a series of four sequential perspective views, and subsequent to the neck 44 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 having fully entered into the retention aperture 30 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8, depicts the manner in which the bottom plane of the neck ring 42 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 is ultimately supported by the top plane of the retracted clenching arms 32 while the neck 44 of the manufactured beverage bottle 38 is simultaneously retained within the confines of the retention aperture 30 by the collective clenching actions of the retracted retention lobes 28, the internal forces 66 inherent to the semi-rigid self-adjusting clenching arms 32 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8, the spring-like characteristics inherent to the conjoining connector 20, the tensile forces inherent to the expanded elasticized auxiliary O-ring 4 acting on the presser protuberances 34 of the self-adjusting semirigid slotted carrier frame 8, and the internal twisting forces inherent to the torsional pillars 13 of each respective semirigid vertical strut 10 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6 which, along with the featured facilitation slot 36, causes the overall carry-ready assembly 1 to self-adjust to ultimately support, clench, and positively hold a wide range of ubiquitous manufactured beverage bottles 38 regardless of the variable neck 44 sizes that are undoubtedly encountered.
[0106] FIG. 26A side view depicting a semirigid flexure frame stowage assembly 2 as the present device would appear when collapsed, stowed, and affixed to an accoutrement 68 of an end user, and to further highlight the manner in which a locking tab 24 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 grips the castellated stowage protuberance 12 of the semirigid vertical flexure frame 6.
[0107] FIG. 27A typical side view of the semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly 1 when temporarily affixed to an accoutrement 68 of an end user to highlight the manner in which the neck ring 42 of a manufactured beverage bottle 38 is supported by the upper plane of the self-adjusted clenching arms 32 when the neck 44 of the manufactured beverage bottle 38 is fully clenched within the retention aperture 30 of the semirigid self-adjusting slotted carrier frame 8 of the semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly 1, and to further highlight the manner in which the semirigid belt brake tongue 16 may be optionally employed to interact with an accoutrement 68 of an end user to prevent the carry-ready assembly 1 from becoming unexpectedly dislodged from the accoutrement 68 to which the semirigid flexure frame carry-ready assembly 1 has been temporarily affixed.
CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE
[0108] The reader will see that I have provided an improved hands-free device for toting manufactured beverage bottles of a personal size that: [0109] a. is of universal application and thus is a field friendly device. [0110] b. is self-adjusting to ensure a positive-hold experience. [0111] c. is practical. [0112] d. is of a simple and compact design. [0113] e. is easy to stow, assemble, and disassemble. [0114] f. is easy to load and/or unload for all age groups and for those with impaired hand abilities. [0115] g. is easy to tote hands-free when either loaded or unloaded. [0116] h. is durable, substantial, reusable, and isn't prone to being arbitrarily discarded. [0117] i. is environmentally necessary. [0118] j. self-promotes the recycling and/or the reuse of plastic bottles, most especially for the most ubiquitous manufactured bottles of the lesser neck size. [0119] k. is potentially made from biodegradable, recycled, and/or from a non-floatable material. [0120] l. is embodied with features which allow the user to take advantage of other added conveniences such as placing a loaded device on a hanger or on a hook.
[0121] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above and/or as shown in the drawings, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
