US4940137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coaster carrier
Assignee: STRAUB CONCEPT PARTNERS Ltd 13060 SKYLINE BOULEVARD WOODSIDE CA A OF LP
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Filing: 1988-03-25
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Granted: 1990-07-10
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Expires: 2008-03-25
Abstract
Abstract A carrier (10) for a six pack (20) of beverage containers (14) has rings (12) interconnected by strips (16) and (18). The rings (12) fit around the beverage containers (14) in a friction fit. The strips (16, 18) are severed from adjacent rings (12) to remove one of the beverage containers (14) from the six pack (20). The ring (12) is moved so that it extends partially below bottom (24) of the container (14) so that the ring (12) will function as a coaster by supporting the container (14) above a surface (26) to prevent condensation on the container (14) from contacting the surface (26).
Inventors
- 👤 Albert H. Straub
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:46
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D71/00; B65D71/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A coaster for a beverage container having generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses on an outer surface of said ring parallel to the axis, said plurality of projections and said plurality of recesses being configured and positioned to engage corresponding recesses and projections in interlocking engagement fastening said plurality of projections and recesses and the corresponding projections and recesses together, said ring having a plurality of resilient ribs on an inside surface of said ring, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container, being dimensioned to fit around the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from a bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A coaster for a beverage container having generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses on an outer surface of said ring parallel to the axis, said plurality of projections and said plurality of recesses being configured and positioned to engage corresponding recesses and projections in interlocking engagement fastening said plurality of projections and recesses and the corresponding projections and recesses together, said ring having a plurality of resilient ribs on an inside surface of said ring, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container, being dimensioned to fit around the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from a bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 1 in which said projections extend from said recesses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 2 in which there are a plurality of said projections extending from each of said recesses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 1 in which said plurality of resilient ribs extend axially along the inside surface of said ring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coaster for beverage container of claim 4 in which said plurality of resilient ribs each have an inclined lead-in tip for facilitating insertion of the beverage container in said ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 5 in which said coaster is integrally formed in one piece from plastic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 2 in which said recesses are between said projections and are defined by sides of said projections.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 7 in which said projections have angled bases which interlock with angled bases of the corresponding projections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 2 in which said plurality of recesses extend completely between a top and a bottom of said ring, said projections terminating short of the top or the bottom of said ring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 9 in which said projections and recesses have walls tapered from top to bottom.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 2 in which said ring has planar surfaces positioned adjacent said projections and recesses to engage planar surfaces of another coaster when the corresponding projections of said coasters are in interlocking engagement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 2 in which said recesses have stops at their bottom to prevent mating projections from sliding downward all the way through said recesses when the corresponding rod projections are in interlocking engagement.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A carrier for a group of generally cylindrical containers each having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an interconnected plurality of the coasters of claim 1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A package comprising, in combination, the carrier for a group of generally cylindrical containers of claim 13 and a plurality of the generally cylindrical containers, each of the plurality of generally cylindrical containers having one of said open ended rings around said beverage container in a friction fit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
210 words
A coaster for a beverage container having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, said ring having a plurality of resilient ribs on an inside surface of said ring, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container, being dimensioned to fit around the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from the bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
210 words
A coaster for a beverage container having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, said ring having a plurality of resilient ribs on an inside surface of said ring, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container, being dimensioned to fit around the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from the bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 15 in which said plurality of resilient ribs extend axially along the inside surface of said ring.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 16 in which said plurality of resilient ribs each have an inclined lead-in tip for facilitating insertion of the beverage container in said ring.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 17 in which said coaster is integrally formed in one piece from plastic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
223 words
A coaster for a beverage container having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, a plurality of projection pairs on an outer surface of said ring parallel tot he axis, said plurality of projection pairs being configured and positioned to engage corresponding projection pairs in interlocking engagement, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
223 words
A coaster for a beverage container having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an open ended ring having a side extending parallel to an axis of said ring, a plurality of projection pairs on an outer surface of said ring parallel tot he axis, said plurality of projection pairs being configured and positioned to engage corresponding projection pairs in interlocking engagement, said ring having a width which is narrow when compared with a height of the beverage container in a friction fit in a location spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and having sufficient rigidity to support the beverage container above a horizontal supporting surface when said ring is slid along the beverage container from the position spaced from the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container so that said ring extends partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit and the width of said ring being sufficient to hold said ring at the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container and extending partially beyond the lateral projection free bottom end of the beverage container, the friction of the friction fit further being such that said ring may be slid by hand along the beverage container.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 19 in which said projection pairs comprise parallel, closely spaced rods attached to the outer surface of said ring by parallel, closely spaced strips.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
A carrier for a group of generally cylindrical containers each having a generally cylindrical shape and a lateral projection free bottom end, which comprises an interconnected plurality of the coasters of claim 20.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 19 in which said ring has a plurality of resilient ribs extending axially along an inside surface of said ring.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 22 in which said plurality of resilient ribs extend axially along the inside surface of said ring.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 23 in which said plurality of resilient ribs each have an inclined lead-in tip for facilitating insertion of the beverage container in said ring.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 24 in which said coaster is integrally formed in one piece from plastic.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 1 in which the width of said ring is about one inch.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 20 in which the width of said ring is about one inch.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The coaster for a beverage container of claim 19 in which the width of said ring is about one inch.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-09 | 1994-01-08 | 1994-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-09 | 1998-01-08 | 1998-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-09 | 2002-01-08 | 2002-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |