Apparatus To Hold And Stabilize Fast Food Containers In A Cylindrical Automobile Cup Holder

Abstract

An adapter that holds and stabilizes a fast food container in a standard cylindrical automobile cup holder to prevent spilling of its contents. A typical fast food container would be one that holds French fried potatoes. It has a lower rigid cylindrical member and two flexible upper members that are mechanically biased to return to their original position when they are not holding the container. The lower member fits into the automobile cup holder, and the flexible members hold a larger sized container temporarily in a fixed position. The adapter permits the larger sized container to be conveniently inserted and removed.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An adapter for holding a fast food container in a standard cylindrical automobile cup holder to prevent spilling of its contents comprising: 
 a) a lower member; and    b) at least two flexible upper members, each being in an original position such that the distance between the upper members is smaller than the distance required to accommodate the fast food container.    
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the lower member is a cylinder.  
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the lower member is a conical section.  
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the lower member is rigid.  
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the lower member is not hollow.  
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the lower member is hollow.  
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of protruding strips on the surface of the lower member for positionally stabilizing the adapter in the automobile cup holder or for reinforcing the lower member so as to provide rigidity.  
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 7  wherein the protruding strips are tapered.  
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 7  wherein the number of protruding strips is six.  
     
     
         10 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein each flexible upper member is mechanically biased to return to its original position when not deformed.  
     
     
         11 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the number of flexible upper members is two.  
     
     
         12 . The adapter of  claim 1  wherein each flexible upper member is a section of a cylindrical surface.  
     
     
         13 . An adapter for holding a fast food container in a standard cylindrical automobile cup holder to prevent spilling of its contents comprising: 
 a) a means for fitting the adapter into the automobile cup holder; and    b) a means for holding and stabilizing the fast food container.    
     
     
         14 . The adapter of  claim 13  wherein the fitting means is rigid.  
     
     
         15 . The adapter of  claim 14  wherein the fitting means is made rigid by reinforcing means.  
     
     
         16 . The adapter of  claim 13  wherein the holding means is flexible.  
     
     
         17 . The adapter of  claim 16  wherein the holding means expands from an original configuration to an expanded configuration to accommodate the fast food container upon insertion of the container.  
     
     
         18 . The adapter of  claim 17  wherein the holding means returns to its original configuration upon removal of the container.