Container support

Claim 2

A support for a container having a neck with an open end comprising a unitary, flat flexible member having an inner ring portion adapted to encompass the neck adjacent the open end, an outer ring spaced outwardly and around the inner ring, a hanger situated outwardly and adjacent to the outer ring and connected at positions at least halfway around the outer ring, and an extendible intermediate segment means interposed around the inner ring and between the inner and outer ring, the segment means being joined to the inner and outer rings at spaced intervals, said extendible intermediate segment means operating when the support member is positioned on the neck of the container so that the hanger, outer ring and segment means are extendibly movable into planes different from the plane of the inner ring so as to encOmpass the container and support it in a vertically depending manner.

Claim 3

A support according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate segment means includes at least two intermediate segments each of which has a first end connected to the inner ring and a second end connected to the outer ring.

Claim 4

A support according to claim 2 wherein there are four intermediate segments of substantially equal length, first ends of adjacent first and second segments being joined at a first position on the inner ring portion and first ends of adjacent third and fourth segments being joined at a second position on the inner ring portion diametrically opposite said first position, the second and third segments being adjacent each other and the first and fourth segments also being adjacent to each other; second ends of the first and fourth segments being joined at a first position on the outer ring element and second ends of the second and third segments being joined at a second position on the outer ring element diametrically opposite said first position of the outer ring element, said first positions on the inner ring portion and the outer ring element being substantially 90* in relation to each other; and the hanger being joined at positions which essentially fall on a straight line extending through said first and second positions on the inner ring portion.

Claim 5

A support according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate segment means includes at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments between the inner and outer rings, each adjacent series being joined to each other.

Claim 6

A support according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate segment means includes at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments separated by and connected to an intermediate ring.

Claim 7

A support according to claim 1 further comprising a cap having a peripheral edge integral with said inner ring portion and means for detachably engaging the neck of said container to close said open end.

Claim 8

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including four intermediate segments of substantially equal length, first ends of adjacent first and second intermediate segments being joined at a first position on the inner support means and first ends of adjacent third and fourth intermediate segments being joined at a second position on the inner support means diametrically opposite said first position, second ends of the first and fourth intermediate segments being joined at a first position on the outer element and second ends of the second and third segments being joined at a second position on the outer element diametrically opposite said first position on the outer element, said first positions on the inner support means and the outer element being substantially 90* in relation to each other, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 9

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including four intermediate segments of substantially equal length, first ends of adjacent first and second intermediate segments being joined at a first position on the inner support means and first ends of adjacent third and fourth intermediate segments being joined at a second position on the inner support means diametrically opposite said first position, second ends of the first and fourth intermediate segments being joined at a first position on the outer element and second ends of the second and third segments being joined at a second position on the outer element diametrically opposite said first position on the outer element, said first positions on the inner support means and the outer element being substantially 90* in relation to each other, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 10

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments between the inner support means and the outer element, each adjacent series being joined to each otHer, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 11

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments between the inner support means and the outer element, each adjacent series being joined to each otHer, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 12

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments between the inner support means and outer element separated by and connected to an intermediate element extending around said inner support means and spaced between said inner support means and outer element, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 13

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof; extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including at least two adjacent series of intermediate segments between the inner support means and outer element separated by and connected to an intermediate element extending around said inner support means and spaced between said inner support means and outer element, said extendible intermediate means being operable to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and said intermediate extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 14

A support for a container having a neck with an open end comprising a unitary, flat flexible member having an inner ring portion adapted to encompass the neck adjacent the open end, an outer ring spaced outwardly and around the inner ring, hanger means situated outwardly and adjacent to the outer ring and connected at spaced positions around the outer ring, and an extendible intermediate segment means interposed around the inner ring and between the inner and outer ring, the segment means being joined to the inner and outer rings at spaced intervals, said extendible intermediate segment means operating when the support member is positioned on the neck of the container so that the hanger, outer ring and segment means are extendibly movable into planes different from the plane of the inner ring so as to encompass the container and support it in a vertically depending manner.

Claim 15

A support for a container having a neck with an open end comprising a unitary, flat flexible member having an inner ring portion adapted to encompass the neck adjacent the open end, an outer ring spaced outwardly and around the inner ring, hanger means situated outwardly and adjacent to the outer ring and connected at spaced positions around the outer ring, and an extendible intermediate segment means interposed around the inner ring and between the inner and outer ring, the segment means being joined to the inner and outer rings at spaced intervals, said extendible intermediate segment means operating when the support member is positioned on the neck of the container so that the hanger, outer ring and segment means are extendibly movable into planes different from the plane of the inner ring so as to encompass the container and support it in a vertically depending manner.

Claim 16

A container support for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising a flat uniplanar flexible member including an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof, and extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segments interposed around said inner support means and connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate segments being operable upon extension to permit said outer element to be longitudinally moved along an axis vertical to said flat uniplanar member away from said inner support means and longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 17

A container support for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising a flat uniplanar flexible member including an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof; an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof, and extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segments interposed around said inner support means and connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate segments being operable upon extension to permit said outer element to be longitudinally moved along an axis vertical to said flat uniplanar member away from said inner support means and longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 18

The container support of claim 11 wherein said inner support means includes a cap member for engaging one end of said container.

Claim 19

The container support of claim 11 wherein said inner support means includes an enclosed inner segment for annularly engaging one end of a container.

Claim 20

The container support of claim 11 which includes a hanger segment connected at opposite ends to said outer element, said hanger segment being connected to said outer element at positions which are at least halfway around said outer element.

Claim 21

The container support of claim 11 which includes hanger means connected to said outer element and adapted to facilitate suspension of said container by said container support, in a vertically depending manner, said extendible intermediate means operating before extension thereof to maintain said outer element and inner support means in substantially the same plane with said outer element surrounding said inner support means.

Claim 22

The container support of claIm 11 which includes a hanger element spaced outwardly from the outer element and joined to said outer element at positions which are at least halfway around the outer element, said extendible means including at least three extendible segments.