Collapsible container holder

Abstract

A collapsible container holder that can be used to hold bottles, cans, glasses and other containers in either a vertical or horizontal position. The container holder can be made of a tough, durable plastic that is inflatable or semi-inflatable or it can be made of a rugged, yet shapeable material such as fairly firm foam rubber. The container holder is durable and flexible enough so that it can fit into irregularly shaped areas within various transportation vehicles such as boats, recreational vehicles, and trucks.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This non-provisional patent application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 730,054 filed on Oct. 25, 2005.FEDERAL RESEARCH STATEMENT [0002] None BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] This invention relates to a holder or rack for storing containers of various sizes and shapes. More particularly, this invention relates to flexible and collapsible holders and racks that can be inserted into a variety of irregular shaped openings in various transportation vehicles such as boats, recreational vehicles, and trucks. [0005] The prior art discloses a multitude of storage racks and holders for containers of various shapes and sizes. However, virtually all of these storage devices are rigid and therefore not flexible enough to fit into the variety of small and irregular shaped openings that are typically found in, for example, a boat, truck, recreational vehicle, or even a private airplan...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] As Americans become more mobile, they are spending more time in a variety of vehicles, including automobiles, trucks, motor homes, campers, boats, yachts, and even private airplanes. As Americans spend more time in their chosen mode of personal transportation, a need has arisen for safe, flexible, lightweight, and compressible container holding and storage devices. In particular, a need has arisen for safely and conveniently storing bottles, cans, and similar containers. The present invention addresses the need for such safe, flexible, lightweight and compressible container storage devices in the form of inflatable and / or foam rubber storage racks. These racks can be adapted to fit into just about any opening and can be adjusted such that they can hold bottles, cans, and jars of a wide range of dimensions.

Problems solved by technology

However, there is no indication that the rack is anything but a rigid, non-collapsible rack.

However, the inflatable bag provides no structure for carrying relatively heavy weights as would be present in a bottle.

However, Weder's device only allows containers to be stored in a vertical position and does not provide the variety of storage options that the present invention provides.

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