Holder

Abstract

A holder for holding an object in a storage position against the underside of a shelf that includes an upper arm adapted to engage an upper surface of the shelf and a lower arm maintained in spaced-apart relation to the upper arm by a body for engaging and supporting the object against the underside of the shelf. The space between the upper and lower arm is predetermined to be approximately equal to the combined thickness of the shelf and the object.

1 . A holder for holding an object against the underside of a shelf, and comprising an upper arm adapted to engage an upper surface of the shelf and a lower arm maintained in spaced-apart relation to the upper arm by a body for engaging and supporting the object against the underside of the shelf, wherein the space between the upper and lower arm is predetermined to be approximately equal to the combined thickness of the shelf and the object. 
   
   
       2 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a solid bridging member. 
   
   
       3 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a finger recess for withdrawing the holder and object from the shelf. 
   
   
       4 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the holder includes an intermediate arm for engaging a lower surface of the shelf. 
   
   
       5 . A holder according to  claim 1 , and including first and second spaced-apart upper arms and first and second spaced-apart lower arms. 
   
   
       6 . A holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the upper arms each have downwardly-extending hooks thereon for catching against a lip of the shelf. 
   
   
       7 . A holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the lower arms each include upwardly-extending gripping elements thereon for engaging the bottom of the object. 
   
   
       8 . A holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the lower arms each include upwardly-extending teeth thereon for engaging the bottom of the object. 
   
   
       9 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a rotatable cam for cooperating with the upper arm and lower arm to permit adjustment of the distance between the upper arm and lower arm. 
   
   
       10 . A holder according to  claim 1 , and including biasing means positioned between the upper and lower arms for biasing the upper and lower arms into a closed position, and first and second finger grips for being held between the thumb and forefinger and squeezed together to open the arms sufficiently wide to accommodate both the shelf and object. 
   
   
       11 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes first and second separable segments for permitting the space between the upper and lower arm to be adjustable, and includes locking means for locking the upper and lower arms in a desired position in relation to each other. 
   
   
       12 . A holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower arm is collectively comprised of a plurality of adjacent fingers. 
   
   
       13 . A holder for holding an object against the underside of a shelf, and comprising a plurality of upper arms adapted to engage an upper surface of the shelf and a plurality of lower arms maintained in spaced-apart relation to the upper arm by a body for engaging and supporting the object against the underside of the shelf, wherein the space between the upper arms and lower arms is predetermined to be approximately equal to the combined thickness of the shelf and the object. 
   
   
       14 . A holder according to  claim 13 , wherein the upper arms diverge from each other in a radially outwardly direction and the lower arms diverge from each other in a radially outwardly direction. 
   
   
       15 . A holder according to  claim 1 , and including a structure attached thereto and selected from the group consisting of a magnet, a writing surface and a chemically-treated surface that changes color as contents of the object ages. 
   
   
       16 . A holder according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of upper arms comprise first and second spaced-apart U-shaped arms and the plurality of lower arms comprise first and second spaced-apart U-shaped arms, and the body comprises a bridging member joining the upper and lower U-shaped arms at respective midpoints thereof. 
   
   
       17 . A method of storing an object under a shelf in the space normally not occupied by objects on a lower shelf that includes the steps of:
 (a) providing a holder for holding an object against the underside of a shelf, and comprising an upper arm adapted to engage an upper surface of the shelf and a lower arm maintained in spaced-apart relation to the upper arm by a body for engaging and supporting the object against the underside of the shelf, wherein the space between the upper and lower arm is predetermined to be approximately equal to the combined thickness of the shelf and the object;   (b) sliding the holder onto one side edge of the object; and   (c) sliding the holder and object under the shelf so the that the upper arm engages the top of the shelf, and the lower arm engages the bottom of the object.   
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , and including the step of supporting the object with an intermediate arm that extends outwardly from the body and engages the bottom of the shelf. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 17 , and including the step of adjusting the space between the upper arm and lower arm to accommodate the combined thickness of the shelf and the object. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 17 , and including the step of biasing the upper arm and lower arm towards each other for applying a clamping force to the top of the shelf and the bottom of the object.