Bottle Carrier

Abstract

The bottle carrier ( 10 ) grips and releases the necks (N) of a series of bottles (B) so that the bottles (B) can be conveniently carried and selectively released. The bottle carrier ( 10 ) includes a base plate ( 12 ) with a plurality of bottle clearance passages ( 24 ). In the first embodiment, bottle neck clamps ( 28 a, 28 b ) automatically grip the necks (N) of the bottles (B) when the bottles (B) pass through the bottle clearance passages ( 24 ). The bottles (B) may be selectively released by an actuating a handle ( 60 ) that is separate from the carrying handle ( 50 ).

1 . A bottle carrier, comprising:
 a base plate having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side portion, and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, the first and second side portions defining a carton handle clearance slot disposed centrally therebetween and extending from the first end to the second end, the base plate having a plurality of bottle clearance passages defined therethrough;   a bottleneck gripping mechanism atop the base plate disposed about each of the bottle clearance passages;   a carrying handle support structure extending upwardly from the base plate;   a carrying handle disposed atop the carrying handle support structure and spaced apart from the base plate; and   a bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle disposed between the carrying handle and the base plate, the actuation handle communicating with each of the bottleneck gripping mechanisms.   
   
   
       2 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , said bottle gripping mechanism further comprises:
 a plurality of bottleneck clamps, each of the clamps having first and second clamp elements, first and second hinges pivotally attaching the first and second clamp elements to opposite sides of a corresponding one of the bottle clearance passages atop the base plate, and first and second springs urging the corresponding first and second clamp elements toward one another to close about the neck of a bottle inserted through the corresponding bottle clearance passage, the clamp elements extending upwardly from the base plate and having a generally arcuate configuration including an upper bottleneck grip edge, corresponding pairs of the first and second clamp elements forming a generally conical configuration over each of the bottle clearance passages;   a linkage connecting assembly depending from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle; and   a flexible bottleneck clamp release linkage extending from each pair of the bottleneck clamps to the linkage connecting assembly;   wherein:
 corresponding bottleneck clamp elements automatically push open independently of the other bottleneck clamps when the neck of a bottle is inserted through any one of the bottleneck clearance passages, the upper bottleneck grip edges of the corresponding first and second clamp elements automatically gripping the bottleneck therebetween; and 
 the first and second clamp elements pull apart from one another when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle is lifted relative to the carrying handle to release the bottleneck secured therebetween. 
   
   
   
       3 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottle gripping mechanism further comprises:
 a first and a second slide plate disposed atop the base plate, the slide plates being disposed parallel to each other on opposite sides of the carton handle clearance slot, each of the slide plates having a plurality of bottleneck gripping passages defined therein corresponding to the bottle clearance passages of the base plate;   a lateral pivot depending from the carrying handle, the lateral pivot pivotally securing the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle beneath the carrying handle;   a spring disposed between the carrying handle and the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle, urging the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle away from the carrying handle; and   a first and a second slide plate actuating arm extending from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle, and communicating respectively with the first and second slide plates;   wherein:
 the slide plates move toward the second end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is pivotally actuated toward the carrying handle, thereby closing the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate about the necks of any bottles positioned therein to grip the bottlenecks; and 
 the slide plates move toward the first end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is released, thereby opening the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate to release any bottles placed therein. 
   
   
   
       4 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the bottleneck gripping passages of the slide plates comprises a circular sector having an apex disposed toward the first end of the base plate. 
   
   
       5 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrying handle has mutually opposed first and second ends and the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle has first and second guide rod passages defined therein, the bottle carrier further comprising first and second actuating handle guide rods depending from the carrying handle adjacent the first and second ends thereof, the first and second guide rods passing through the guide rod passages and restricting the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle to linear motion between the base plate and the carrying handle. 
   
   
       6 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrying handle has mutually opposed first and second ends having widths substantially equal to the base plate and a narrow handgrip portion joining the first and second ends. 
   
   
       7 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , further including supplementary lighting disposed within the carrying handle, the lighting selectively illuminating the base plate. 
   
   
       8 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , further including a message board removably disposed thereon, the message board having a message sheet selectively disposed thereon. 
   
   
       9 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein each side of the base plate includes three bottle clearance passages in a linear array, the bottle clearance passages comprising six total passages in a three-by-two matrix. 
   
   
       10 . A bottle carrier, comprising:
 a base plate having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side portion, and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, the base plate having a plurality of bottle clearance passages defined therethrough;   a carrying handle support structure extending upwardly from the base plate;   a carrying handle disposed atop the carrying handle support structure and spaced apart from the base plate;   a bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle disposed between the carrying handle and the base plate;   a plurality of bottleneck clamps, each of the clamps having first and second clamp elements, first and second hinges pivotally attaching the first and second clamp elements to opposite sides of a corresponding one of the bottle clearance passages atop the base plate, and first and second springs urging the corresponding first and second clamp elements toward one another to close about the neck of a bottle inserted through the corresponding bottle clearance passage, the clamp elements extending upwardly from the base plate and having a generally arcuate configuration including an upper bottleneck grip edge, corresponding pairs of the first and second clamp elements forming a generally conical configuration over each of the bottle clearance passages;   a linkage connecting assembly depending from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle; and   a flexible bottleneck clamp release linkage extending from each pair of the bottleneck clamps to the linkage connecting assembly;   wherein:
 corresponding bottleneck clamp elements automatically push open independently of the other bottleneck clamps when the neck of a bottle is inserted through any one of the bottleneck clearance passages, the upper bottleneck grip edges of the corresponding first and second clamp elements automatically gripping the bottleneck therebetween; and 
 the first and second clamp elements pull apart from one another when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle is lifted relative to the carrying handle to release the bottleneck secured therebetween. 
   
   
   
       11 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 10 , wherein the carrying handle further includes mutually opposed first and second ends having widths substantially equal to the base plate and a narrow handgrip portion joining the first and second ends. 
   
   
       12 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 10 , wherein the carrying handle has mutually opposed first and second ends and the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle has first and second guide rod passages defined therein, the bottle carrier further comprising first and second actuating handle guide rods depending from the carrying handle adjacent the first and second ends thereof, the first and second guide rods passing through the guide rod passages and restricting the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle to linear motion between the base plate and the carrying handle. 
   
   
       13 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 10 , further including supplementary lighting disposed within the carrying handle, the lighting selectively illuminating the base plate. 
   
   
       14 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 10 , further including a message board removably disposed thereon, the message board having a message sheet selectively disposed thereon. 
   
   
       15 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 10 , wherein each side of the base plate includes three bottle clearance passages in a linear array, the bottle clearance passages comprising six total passages in a three-by-two matrix. 
   
   
       16 . A bottle carrier, comprising:
 a base plate having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side portion, and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, the first and second side portions defining a carton handle clearance slot disposed centrally therebetween and extending from the first end to the second end, the base plate having a plurality of bottle clearance passages therethrough;   a bottleneck gripping mechanism having first and second slide plates disposed atop the base plate, the slide plates being disposed parallel to each other on opposite sides of the carton handle clearance slot, each of the slide plates having a plurality of bottleneck gripping passages defined therein corresponding to the bottle clearance passages of the base plate;   a carrying handle support structure extending upwardly from the base plate;   a carrying handle disposed atop the carrying handle support structure, the carrying handle being spaced apart from the base plate;   a bottleneck gripping mechanism actuation handle depending from the carrying handle, the actuation handle being disposed between the carrying handle and the base plate;   a lateral pivot depending from the carrying handle, the lateral pivot pivotally securing the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle beneath the carrying handle;   a spring disposed between the carrying handle and the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle, urging the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle away from the carrying handle; and   a first and a second slide plate actuating arm extending from the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle, and communicating respectively with the first and second slide plates;   wherein:
 the slide plates move toward the second end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is pivotally actuated toward the carrying handle, thereby closing the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate about the necks of any bottles positioned therein to grip the bottlenecks; and 
   the slide plates move toward the first end of the base plate when the bottleneck gripping mechanism actuating handle is released, thereby opening the bottleneck passages defined by the slide plates and base plate to release any bottles placed therein.   
   
   
       17 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the bottleneck gripping passages of the slide plates comprises a circular sector having an apex disposed toward the first end of the base plate. 
   
   
       18 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 16 , wherein the carrying handle has mutually opposed first and second ends having widths substantially equal to the base plate and a narrow handgrip portion joining the first and second ends. 
   
   
       19 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 16 , further including a connector plate joining the first end of the base plate to the carrying handle, the connector plate further including a carton handle clearance slot therein aligned and contiguous with the carton handle clearance slot of the base plate. 
   
   
       20 . The bottle carrier according to  claim 16 , wherein each side of the base plate includes three bottle clearance passages in a linear array, the bottle clearance passages comprising six total passages in a three-by-two matrix.