Collapsible beverage holder

Abstract

The present invention is a collapsible holder for beverage containers (e.g., cans and bottles) that may present the containers in an appealing “bouquet” fashion while separately securing the containers within the beverage holder. The beverage containers may be placed substantially vertically in holes arranged in a hexagonal arrangement, similar to a vase for flowers with a base for support against tilting. The beverage holder may be made of cardboard with a plurality of fold lines, cut lines, and scored lines.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A beverage display and carrying apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a column inserted into the base; and   an array of apertures supported within the column;   wherein the array of apertures may support a plurality of beverage containers.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the column carries at least one beverage container within the column and below the array of apertures 
     
     
         3 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the column comprises a hollow portion. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a divider is situated within the hollow portion of the column. 
     
     
         5 . A beverage display and carrying apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a column inserted into the base; and   a platform supported Within the column, the platform comprising an array of apertures;   wherein the base is comprised of a precut sheet with nonparellel fold lines for folding the sheet such that the base constitutes a flat bottom for the apparatus and sides of the base of a polygonal section with the sides of the polygon widening downwards.   
     
     
         6 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of bottom tabs that are folded downward and inserted into bottom tab slots within the precut sheet to secure the bottom tabs under the beverage display and carrying apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the platform is comprised of a precut sheet with nonparallel fold lines and a support panel that is folded downward and situated generally perpendicular with a major axis of the column and generally parallel with a plane of an aperture panel, the aperture panel comprising the array of apertures. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the aperture panel comprises a plurality of aperture panel tabs for insertion within a plurality of support panel slots in mating engagement. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a divider is situated within a hollow portion of the column. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the column comprises a plurality of securement tabs that may be folded towards a major axis of the column and resting in contact with a top surface of the aperture panel. 
     
     
         11 . A beverage display and carrying apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a column inserted into the base; and   a platform supported within the column, the platform comprising an array of apertures;   wherein the column is comprised of a precut sheet with nonparellel fold lines for folding the sheet such that the column constitutes a funnel-shaped portion of a prismatic section with the sides of the funnel-shaped portion widening upwards.   
     
     
         12 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the column carries at least one beverage container within the column and below the array of apertures 
     
     
         13 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the column comprises a hollow portion. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a divider is situated within the hollow portion of the column. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the precut sheet of the column comprises an adhesive applied onto a surface of a joining panel of the precut sheet for joining with a flat surface of a column side panel. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the adhesive has a suppressed initial tack level that undergoes subsequent increase of adhesion due to the passage of time sufficient to permanently bond the joining panel to the flat surface of the column side panel. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage display and carrying apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the precut sheet of the column comprises a plurality of securement tabs that may be folded towards a major axis of the column and resting in contact with a top surface of an aperture panel.