Holder for Beverage Containers

Abstract

Holders for beverage containers are provided that can hold a beverage container in place and also seal or cover the beverage container, making it more difficult for foreign matter to enter the beverage container. The holder includes a base in which an actuator is mounted. Upper and lower rails are connected to and biased toward each other by the actuator. Upper and lower arms and upper and lower plates are, respectively, connected to the upper and lower rails. The upper and lower plates axially restrain the beverage container from above and below. A locking arm selectively engages at least one of the actuator and the upper and lower arms in a manner that supplements the biasing force provided by the actuator, clamping the upper and lower plates more tightly against the beverage container, and fixing the upper and lower plates in that condition, so that the beverage container is securely and tightly held between the upper and lower plates.

1 . A holder for a beverage container, comprising:
 a base being mountable to a substrate that will support a beverage container;   an actuator mounted to the base; and   an upper plate operably connected to the actuator such that the actuator biases a bottom surface of the upper plate against a top wall of the beverage container, providing an axially directed force against the beverage container that holds the beverage container in a vertical direction against an underlying support.   
   
   
       2 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 1 , the underlying support comprising a lower plate that is operably connected to the base, and the holder further comprising a loading opening extending between the upper and lower plates and defining a loading direction that faces the base and extends transversely toward an axis defined between a pair of facing surfaces of the upper and lower plates. 
   
   
       3 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator moves the upper and lower plates simultaneously and in opposing directions with respect to each other. 
   
   
       4 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 3 , further comprising (i) upper and lower arms extending from the upper and lower plates, and (ii) upper and lower rails that connect the upper and lower arms, respectively, to the actuator, the upper and lower rails slidingly engaging the base. 
   
   
       5 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 3 , further comprising a hinge between multiple ones of or along a length of at least one of (i) the upper rail, (ii) the upper arm, (iii) the lower rail, and (iv) the lower arm. 
   
   
       6 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 3 , wherein the upper and lower rails are movable between a retracted position in which a distance between the upper and lower rails defines a minimum height of the holder and an extended position in which a distance between the upper and lower rails defines a maximum height of the holder. 
   
   
       7 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator biases the upper and lower rails toward the retracted position. 
   
   
       8 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator applies a biasing force having a substantially constant magnitude to the upper and lower rails through an entire range of travel defined between the retracted and extended positions. 
   
   
       9 . A holder for a beverage container, comprising:
 an actuator; and   an upper rail connected to and extending above the actuator, the actuator biasing the upper rail downwardly toward the actuator;   an upper plate connected to the upper rail and moving in unison therewith;   a lower rail connected to and extending below the actuator, the actuator biasing the lower rail upwardly toward the actuator; and   a lower plate connected to the lower rail and moving in unison therewith,   wherein the actuator connects the upper and lower rails to each other such that movement of one of the upper and lower rails in a first direction is translated through the actuator into movement of the other one of the upper and lower rails in a second, opposite direction.   
   
   
       10 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 9 , the actuator comprising a constant force spring assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 10 , the constant force spring assembly comprising first and second constant force springs that are rolled upon each other, such that outwardly facing ends of the first and second constant force springs face different directions. 
   
   
       12 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein an outwardly facing end of the first constant force spring is attached to the upper rail and the outwardly facing end of the second constant force spring is attached to the lower rail. 
   
   
       13 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 9 , further comprising a base that houses the actuator and is attached to a mounting substrate. 
   
   
       14 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 9 , further comprising a locking arm that is movable to engage at least one of the upper rail, the lower rail, and the actuator, so as to prevent movement of the upper and lower rails so as to lock the holder. 
   
   
       15 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 14 , wherein the locking arm is movable in a first direction to lock the holder and in a second, opposite direction to release the holder such that the upper and lower rails are moveable while being biased toward each other by the actuator. 
   
   
       16 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 15 , the actuator comprising a constant force spring assembly including a first constant force spring having an end that extends in a first direction and is connected to the upper rail and a second constant force spring having an end that extends in a second, opposite direction and is connected to the lower rail. 
   
   
       17 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 9 , the upper plate comprising a gasket that engages a top surface of a beverage container that is being axially held between the upper and lower plates, the actuator biasing the upper and lower plates toward each other with sufficient force such that the gasket conforms to and seals against the top surface of the beverage container. 
   
   
       18 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 17 , the actuator comprising a spring having a spring rate of at least 2 pounds. 
   
   
       19 . The holder for a beverage container of  claim 14 , wherein full movement of the locking arm applies a clamping force of at least 3 pounds in an axial direction through a beverage container being held between the upper and lower plates.