Beverage Container Holder Storage Unit

Abstract

A beverage container holder storage unit is described as having a housing having a first end and a second end, a support member extending across the first end of the housing, and a force delivering element. The housing defines an interior cavity to receive a plurality of beverage container holders. The housing has a discharge slot along a portion of the first end for removing the beverage container holders. The support member has a recess formed along one side and is configured to receive a bottom tab of the beverage container holders. The recess is aligned with the discharge slot, such that when a user positions the tab of a bottommost beverage container holder within the recess, the beverage container holder is removable through the discharge slot. The force delivering element is positionable within the interior cavity and is configured to deliver force to collapse the bottommost beverage container holder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage unit for storing and dispensing a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders having a sidewall and a bottom connected to the sidewall, with the bottom forming a bottom tab when the sidewall is collapsed, the storage unit comprising:
 a housing having a first end and a second end and defining an interior cavity to receive the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders in a stacked formation, the housing having a discharge slot along a portion of the first end thereof for removing one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders from the interior cavity; and   a support member extending across the first end of the housing, the support member having a recess formed along at least one side thereof and configured to receive the bottom tab of one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, the recess being aligned with the discharge slot, such that when a user positions the bottom tab of a bottommost collapsible beverage container holder, of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, within the recess, the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder is removable through the discharge slot.   
     
     
         2 . The storage unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a lid sized and dimensioned to cover the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge slot has a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The storage unit of  claim 3 , wherein the housing further defines a semicircular notch extending upwardly from the discharge slot sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a finger of a user. 
     
     
         5 . The storage unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a force delivering element positionable within the interior cavity of the housing and configured to deliver force sufficient to collapse the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder within the interior cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The storage unit of  claim 5 , wherein the force delivering element is configured to deliver consistent force to the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders regardless of a vertical position of the force delivering element within the interior cavity of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The storage unit of  claim 6 , further comprising a connector extending between the force delivering element and the housing to connect the force delivering element proximate to the second end of the housing, such that the force delivering element maintains a connection to the housing when removed from the interior cavity. 
     
     
         8 . A beverage container holder storage unit, comprising:
 a housing having a first end and a second end and defining an interior cavity to receive a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders in a stacked formation, the housing having a discharge slot along a portion of the first end thereof for removing one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders from the interior cavity;   a support member extending across the first end of the housing, the support member having a recess formed along at least one side thereof and configured to receive a bottom tab of one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, the recess being aligned with the discharge slot, such that when a user positions the bottom tab of a bottommost collapsible beverage container holder, of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, within the recess, the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder is removable through the discharge slot; and   a force delivering element positionable within the interior cavity of the housing and configured to deliver force sufficient to collapse the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder within the interior cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The beverage container holder storage unit of  claim 8 , further comprising a lid sized and dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage container holder storage unit of  claim 8 , wherein the discharge slot has a generally rectangular shape and the housing further defines a semicircular notch extending upwardly from the discharge slot configured to receive at least a portion of a finger of a user. 
     
     
         11 . The beverage container holder storage unit of  claim 8  wherein the recess has a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
         12 . The beverage container holder storage unit of  claim 8 , wherein the force delivering element is configured to be positioned on top of the stack of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders within the interior cavity and to deliver consistent force to the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders regardless of a vertical position of the force delivering element within the interior cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage container holder storage unit of  claim 8 , wherein a connector extends between the force delivering element and the housing to connect the force delivering element proximate to the second end of the housing, such that the force delivering element maintains a connection to the housing when removed from the interior cavity. 
     
     
         14 . A storage unit in combination with a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, the collapsible beverage container holders each having a sidewall and a bottom connected to the sidewall, with the bottom forming a bottom tab when the sidewall is collapsed, the storage unit comprising:
 a housing having a first end and a second end and defining an interior cavity having the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders in a stacked formation, the housing having a discharge slot along a portion of the first end thereof for removing one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders from the interior cavity; and   a support member extending across the first end of the housing, the support member having a recess formed along at least one side thereof and configured to receive the bottom tab of one of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, the recess being aligned with the discharge slot, such that a user positions the bottom tab of a bottommost collapsible beverage container holder, of the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders, within the recess to remove the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder through the discharge slot.   
     
     
         15 . The storage unit of  claim 14 , further comprising a lid sized and dimensioned to cover the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The storage unit of  claim 14 , wherein the discharge slot has a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         17 . The storage unit of  claim 16 , wherein the housing further defines a semicircular notch extending upwardly from the discharge slot configured to receive at least a portion of a finger of a user. 
     
     
         18 . The storage unit of  claim 14 , further comprising a force delivering element positioned within the interior cavity of the housing to deliver force sufficient to collapse the bottommost collapsible beverage container holder within the interior cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The storage unit of  claim 18 , wherein the force delivering element is configured to deliver consistent force to the plurality of collapsible beverage container holders regardless of a vertical position of the force delivering element within the interior cavity of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The storage unit of  claim 19 , further comprising a connector extending between the force delivering element and the housing to connect the force delivering element proximate to the second end of the housing, such that the force delivering element maintains a connection to the housing when removed from the interior cavity. 
     
     
         21 . A method for dispensing a beverage container holder, comprising:
 utilizing a beverage container holder storage unit configured to receive a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders in a stacked configuration, the beverage container holder storage unit comprising a housing, a support member extending across a first end of the housing, and a force delivering element;   inserting a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders into the beverage container holder storage unit to form the stacked configuration;   inserting the force delivering element on top of the stacked configuration of the plurality of beverage container holders; and   dispensing one or more of the plurality of beverage container holders from the beverage container holder storage unit through a discharge slot in the beverage container holder storage unit.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more beverage container holders are dispensed from the beverage container holder storage unit without a finger of a user breaking a vertical plane extending upwardly from a recess in the support member. 
     
     
         23 . A method for storing a beverage container holder, comprising:
 utilizing a beverage container holder storage unit configured to receive a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders in a stacked configuration, the beverage container holder storage unit comprising a housing, a support member extending across a first end of the housing, and a force delivering element;   inserting a plurality of collapsible beverage container holders into the beverage container holder storage unit to form the stacked configuration; and   inserting the force delivering element on top of the stacked configuration of the plurality of beverage container holders.