Magnetic beverage holder with cluster magnets and biasing tabs

Abstract

A beverage holder having a molded polymeric outer shell; a molded polymeric liner disposed inside the shell, a cluster of closely spaced magnets disposed on one side of the holder between the shell and the liner, the magnets cooperating with the shell to present a substantially flat, outwardly facing surface, and the liner having a biasing member exerting a force radially inward. The magnet cluster causes the holder to be attachable to a substantially vertical ferrous-metal-containing surface with sufficient attractive force to support the weight of a full beverage container disposed inside the holder. A beverage holder having magnets disposed in both the side and bottom walls, and a docking disk assembly useful in supporting the beverage holder on non-ferrous mounting surfaces is also disclosed.

1 . A holder for a single-serving beverage container, the holder comprising a substantially cylindrical, flexible polymeric shell having a substantially continuous bottom and an open top; an injection molded, substantially cylindrical polymeric liner disposed inside the shell, the liner also having a substantially continuous bottom and an open top; and a cluster of closely spaced magnets disposed between the shell and liner to define a substantially flat magnetic attraction surface on a side of the shell, the magnets collectively exerting an attraction force sufficient to support the holder and a beverage container disposed inside the holder against a substantially vertical ferrous-metal-containing surface without relative movement between the holder and the ferrous-metal-containing surface; wherein the liner further comprises at least one biasing member exerting a force radially inward against a surface of the beverage container disposed inside the holder.  
   
   
       2 . The holder of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one magnet disposed between the bottom of the liner and the bottom of the shell.  
   
   
       3 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the magnets are disposed in recesses formed in a sidewall of the shell.  
   
   
       4 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the cluster comprises four disk-shaped magnets.  
   
   
       5 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the magnets are round and have a diameter of about 15 mm.  
   
   
       6 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the magnets have a thickness of about 3 mm.  
   
   
       7 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the magnet are permanent magnets.  
   
   
       8 . The holder of  claim 7  wherein the magnets are made of a material selected from the group consisting of neodymium iron boron, barium ferrite and strontium ferrite.  
   
   
       9 . The holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a backing member disposed between the magnets and the liner.  
   
   
       10 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the liner further comprises at least one biasing member exerting a force directed radially inward.  
   
   
       11 . The holder of  claim 10  wherein the liner comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced biasing members, each of which exerts a force directed radially inward.  
   
   
       12 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the shell is applied to the liner by dip molding.  
   
   
       13 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the shell is attached to the liner using an adhesive.  
   
   
       14 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the polymeric shell is foamed.  
   
   
       15 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the sidewall and bottom are unitarily formed.  
   
   
       16 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric liner is more rigid than the shell.  
   
   
       17 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the liner comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots.  
   
   
       18 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein an aperture extends through both the bottom of the shell and the bottom of the liner.  
   
   
       19 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the liner has an annular lip disposed around the open top.  
   
   
       20 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein there is at least one air gap between the shell and the liner.  
   
   
       21 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the liner further comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs.  
   
   
       22 . The holder of  claim 21  wherein the reinforcing ribs are circumferentially spaced and are contacted by the beverage container when the beverage container is inserted into the beverage holder.  
   
   
       23 . The holder of  claim 1  wherein the shell comprises flexible polyvinyl chloride.  
   
   
       24 . The holder of  claim 1  in combination with a docking disk assembly comprising a ferrous-metal disk, the assembly being attachable to a mounting surface lacking sufficient ferrous metal to produce an attraction force adequate to releasably support the holder and a beverage container disposed in the holder in a substantially fixed position relative to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       25 . The holder of  claim 24  wherein the docking disk assembly comprises a steel disk having one side releasably attachable to the holder and another side having an adhesive pad attachable to a mounting surface.  
   
   
       26 . The holder of  claim 25  wherein the adhesive pad comprises urethane foam and an acrylic adhesive.