Portable device for holding a liquid container and method therefor

Abstract

A portable device for holding a liquid container has a substantially rigid vertical handle which may be manually graspable by a user. The vertical handle has an upper end and a lower end. The upper end has a rounded configuration to prevent a hand of the user from sliding up the vertical handle. A substantially rigid top container gripping member extends horizontally from the upper end of the vertical handle. A substantially rigid bottom container gripping member extends horizontally from the lower end of the vertical handle.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A portable device for holding a liquid container comprising: 
 a substantially rigid vertical handle manually graspable by a user, the vertical handle having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a rounded configuration to prevent a hand of the user from sliding up the vertical handle;    a substantially rigid top container gripping member extending horizontally from the upper end of the vertical handle, the top container gripping member being substantially C-shaped; and    a substantially rigid bottom container gripping member extending horizontally from the lower end of the vertical handle, the bottom gripping member being substantially oval shaped.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the top gripping member further comprises winged members coupled to each end of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and angled away from an opening of the substantially C-shaped substantially rigid top container gripping member for guiding a neck of the liquid container into the substantially rigid top container gripping member.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the bottom container gripping member is sized to engage the substantially cylindrical body of the liquid container.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the top container gripping member and the bottom container gripping member are identically oriented.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and an interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the gripping surface is a plurality of ridges formed in the interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and the interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the gripping surface is a rubberized surface formed in the interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and the interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.  
     
     
         10 . A portable device for holding a liquid container comprising: 
 a substantially rigid vertical handle manually graspable by a user, the vertical handle having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end having a rounded configuration to prevent a hand of the user from sliding up the vertical handle;    a substantially rigid top container gripping member extending horizontally from the upper end of the vertical handle, the top container gripping member being substantially square-shaped; and    a substantially rigid base container holding member extending horizontally from the lower end of the vertical handle, the base container holding member having a substantially square-shaped configuration, a bottom rim support surface extending out from the substantially square-shaped wall configuration to support the liquid container.    
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the liquid container is a carton having a substantially rectangular body and a substantially square bottom.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the top container gripping member is sized to engage a body of the carton.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the base container holding member is shaped to receive and support a bottom portion of the carton.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the top container gripping member and the base container holding member are identically oriented, such that a carton extends through the top container gripping member and is received in the base container holding member whereby the carton is securely held as it is tilted.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid base container holding member.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising a gripping surface formed in an interior area of the substantially rigid base container holding member and in an interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the gripping surface is a plurality of ridges formed in the interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and the interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the gripping surface is a rubberized surface formed in the interior area of the substantially rigid top container gripping member and the interior area of the substantially rigid bottom container gripping member.