US4789062A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carrier for empty beverage containers
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1987-06-29
•
Granted: 1988-12-06
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Expires: 2007-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A carrier for empty beverage containers including a plurality of vertical tubes within a housing, a cover for the housing, a slidable door at the bottom of the housing to permit discharge of empty beverage containers from the tubes, and spaces between the tubes for permitting ventilation within the housing.
Inventors
- 👤 James F. Walsh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:55
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65F; B65F1/00; B65F1/12; B65F1/14; B65F1/1463; B65F2240/00; B65F2240/112; B65F2240/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A carrier for vertically oriented empty beverage containers, having openings in their upper portions and having first longitudinal axes, comprising a plurality of vertical compartments having second longitudinal axes and having tops and bottoms, each of said compartments being of a length greater than the length of each of said beverage containers so that a plurality of said beverage containers can be received in each of said vertical compartments with said first axes in substantial alignment with said second axes and with their upper portions facing upwardly so that there is no spilling of liquid from their openings, a housing for enclosing said compartments in a lateral direction and having a housing top and a housing bottom proximate said tops and bottoms, respectively, of said compartments for containing said vertical compartments, door means in said housing proximate said bottoms of said compartments for holding said containers in said compartments when said door is closed and for permitting said containers to drop from said vertical compartments when said door is open, and a cover for said housing overlying all of said compartments and spaced from said tops of said compartments to close said housing to confine odors therein while said spacing of said cover from said tops permits ventilation among said tops of said compartments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A carrier for vertically oriented empty beverage containers, having openings in their upper portions and having first longitudinal axes, comprising a plurality of vertical compartments having second longitudinal axes and having tops and bottoms, each of said compartments being of a length greater than the length of each of said beverage containers so that a plurality of said beverage containers can be received in each of said vertical compartments with said first axes in substantial alignment with said second axes and with their upper portions facing upwardly so that there is no spilling of liquid from their openings, a housing for enclosing said compartments in a lateral direction and having a housing top and a housing bottom proximate said tops and bottoms, respectively, of said compartments for containing said vertical compartments, door means in said housing proximate said bottoms of said compartments for holding said containers in said compartments when said door is closed and for permitting said containers to drop from said vertical compartments when said door is open, and a cover for said housing overlying all of said compartments and spaced from said tops of said compartments to close said housing to confine odors therein while said spacing of said cover from said tops permits ventilation among said tops of said compartments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 1 including a handle on said housing proximate said housing top for carrying said carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 1 including slot means in said housing proximate said housing bottom, and wherein said door means comprises a plate slidable through said slot means proximate said bottoms of said vertical compartments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plate includes a tab at one end thereof, and wherein said slot means comprises a first slot on one side of said housing through which said plate passes and a second slot on the opposite side of said housing through which said tab passes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 4 including a hole in said tab, and pin means for insertion into said tab when said tab extends outwardly of said housing, to thereby lock said plate against movement out of said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 5 including means for fastening said pin means to said housing,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 3 including handle means secured to said housing proximate said housing top.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of vertical compartments comprise seven cylindrical tubes formed in a circle with their axes parallel to each other and surrounding an eighth circular tube which is parallel thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cylindrical compartments are of a length to receive at least three beverage containers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compartments are cylindrical.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 1 wherein said door means does not fully obstruct said bottoms of all of said compartments, thereby permitting ventilation to at least some of said compartments through said housing bottom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 11 including spaces between said compartments whereby there can be ventilation from said door means which does not obstruct all of said compartments through said spaces between said compartments into the tops of said compartments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 11 wherein said compartments are slightly wider than said beverage containers to permit ventilation through said compartments when they contain said beverage containers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 13 wherein said door means is spaced from said bottoms of said compartments to permit ventilation from said housing bottom into all of said compartments.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
A carrier for vertically oriented empty beverage containers having openings in their upper portions and having first longitudinal axes comprising a plurality of vertical compartments having second longitudinal axes and having tops and bottoms, each of said compartments being of a length greater than the length of each of said beverage containers so that a plurality of said beverage containers can be received in each of said vertical compartments with said first axes in substantial alignment with said second axes and with their upper portions facing upwardly so that there is no spilling of liquid from their openings, a housing for enclosing said compartments in a lateral direction and having a housing top and a housing bottom proximate said tops and bottoms, respectively, of said compartments for containing said vertical compartments, and door means in said housing proximate said bottoms of said compartments for permitting said containers with their openings in their upper portions to descend from said vertical compartments while still oriented vertically.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
164 words
A carrier for vertically oriented empty beverage containers having openings in their upper portions and having first longitudinal axes comprising a plurality of vertical compartments having second longitudinal axes and having tops and bottoms, each of said compartments being of a length greater than the length of each of said beverage containers so that a plurality of said beverage containers can be received in each of said vertical compartments with said first axes in substantial alignment with said second axes and with their upper portions facing upwardly so that there is no spilling of liquid from their openings, a housing for enclosing said compartments in a lateral direction and having a housing top and a housing bottom proximate said tops and bottoms, respectively, of said compartments for containing said vertical compartments, and door means in said housing proximate said bottoms of said compartments for permitting said containers with their openings in their upper portions to descend from said vertical compartments while still oriented vertically.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 15 including a cover for said housing overlying said compartments.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 16 wherein said compartments are wider than said beverage containers, and opening means at said housing bottom to permit ventilation into said compartments.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 17 including spaces between said compartments to permit ventilation into said spaces through said opening means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
69 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 11 wherein said housing bottom extends downwardly beyond said door means and includes an end portion which rests on the ground so that there is an empty space below said door which is confined laterally by said bottom of said housing whereby there can be ventilation between said empty space and said at least some of said compartments.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
A carrier for empty beverage containers as set forth in claim 19 wherein said housing bottom includes an extreme end which lies in a single plane so that when said extreme end rests on a planar surface said empty space is entirely confined so that odors cannot be transmitted beyond said housing bottom.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-12-06 | 1992-06-06 | 1992-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-12-06 | 1996-06-06 | 1996-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-12-06 | 2000-06-06 | 2000-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |