Single cup coffee container holder

Abstract

A rack adapted to retain a plurality of beverage filter cartridges including a rotatable base member, a stand extending vertically from the rotatable base member, a plurality of spaced-apart hoop members encircling the stand, and a plurality of ring members coupled tangentially to the hoop members and extending from the hoop members at an oblique angle. The base member further includes a stationary segment and an inner plate. The inner plate is rotatably secured to the stationary segment, and the stand projects vertically from the inner plate such that when the inner plate rotates, so does the stand. The spaced-apart hoop members encircle the stand and are supported by parallel bars that extend the diameter of the hoop members. The parallel bars are secured to the stand at different positions along the axis of the stand. The ring members are sized to retain a beverage filter cartridge, wherein a rim of the beverage filter cartridge hangs on the ring.

1 . A rack for storing beverage filter cartridges, said beverage filter cartridges having an outer container with a bottom, and side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to a peripheral rim surrounding an upper opening, the rack comprising: 
 a) a rotatable base member;    b) a stand of a predetermined length extending perpendicularly from the base member;    c) a plurality of spaced-apart hoop members encircling the stand at different positions along the length of the stand; and    d) a plurality of rings tangentially coupled to each hoop member and extending from the hoop member at an oblique angle, said rings also being in tangent with one another, the rings sized to retain said beverage filter cartridge therein by suspending the beverage filter cartridges from the rings by the peripheral rim of the beverage filter cartridges.    
   
   
       2 . The rack in  claim 1  wherein the rotatable base member includes 
 a) a stationary segment having a top surface and a side wall extending from a perimeter of the top surface, said side wall having a free edge opposite the perimeter of the top surface; and    b) an inner plate journaled for rotation on the top surface of the stationary segment wherein the stand extends perpendicularly from the inner plate.    
   
   
       3 . The rack in  claim 2  wherein a plastic flange surrounds the free edge of the side wall to eliminate scratching of a surface on which the rack is placed.  
   
   
       4 . The rack in  claim 2  wherein the top surface of the stationary annular segment further includes: 
 a) a plurality of bearing pockets;    b) a plurality of bearings disposed individually in the bearing pockets; and    c) an axle member extending from the stationary segment to the inner plate wherein the inner plate rotates on the axle and the plurality of bearings reduces friction between the inner plate and the stationary annular segment as the inner plate rotates on the stationary annular segment.    
   
   
       5 . The rack in  claim 1  wherein the stand is a unshaped tube having first and second legs.  
   
   
       6 . The rack in  claim 1  wherein the hoop members each include first and second parallel bars spanning the diameter of the hoop member and wherein the stand is disposed in between the first and second parallel bars and the first and second parallel bars are spot welded to the stand.