A portable bottle holder

Abstract

 A portable bottle holder comprising a piece of string (1) with a loop for carrying a bottle B and a fastener (2) through which two parts of said loop (1a) are slid and threaded for expansion and contracted. The loop (1a) is twined around the neck (B1) of said bottle (B), and said fastener is slid towards the loop (1a). The loop (1a) of the string (1) is then tightened and fastened around the neck (B1) or the cap (C) covering it.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable bottle holder used in carrying, principally, but not exclusively a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle of drinking water, coffee, juice, etc.

[0002] In the past, dedicated portable bottles such as canteens or vacuum flasks were widely used to carry drinks when going on a hike, etc. Recently, however, many people have begun to carry PET-bottled drinks because they are easily available.

[0003] Unlike dedicated portable bottles, PET-bottles are not equipped with a carrying means such as a strap. This makes it necessary for PET-bottles to be carried in a bag, etc.

[0004] The present invention has been devised in the light of the above inconvenience, with the object of providing a portable PET bottle holder that is easy to install on a PET bottle.

[0005] According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided a portable bottle holder comprising a flexible elongate element capable of being looped around the neck of a bottle, and a fastener for securing the loop, characterised in that the fastener comprises a contact part for fitting to the neck or cap of a bottle, and two aperture parts spaced apart along the contact part and adapted for threading two parts of the loop therethrough.

[0006] In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a portable bottle holder comprising a flexible elongate element with a loop for carrying and holding a bottle, and a fastener through which two parts of the loop are threaded for expansion and contraction of the loop so as to facilitate fastening, said loop extending around the neck of the bottle and being fastened to the neck or a cap covering it by said fastener, in which said fastener comprises a contact part which is shaped to fit the neck, and aperture parts which are provided at each end of said contact part and through which said parts of the loop are threaded.

[0007] Preferably the contact part is made of flexible material adapted to allow the part to be shaped by a user to fit the neck of a bottle to be carried.

[0008] Also preferably the aperture parts are positioned one at each end of the contact part.

[0009] The flexible elongate element is preferably a length of string or cord, preferably of round section, but may also be provided by a strap or other flexible elongate element.

[0010] In some preferred arrangements the bottle holder may include an auxiliary fastener component for frictionally engaging two lengths of the flexible elongate element which extend in use distally from the fastener, the auxiliary fastener component being slidable along the said lengths of the elongate element to facilitate fastening.

[0011] There will now be described some further aspects of the invention which may be provided as alternatives to, or in addition to, the aspects already set out. In order to achieve the above object, in some arrangements the portable bottle holder of the present invention comprises a piece of string with a loop for carrying and holding a bottle and a stopper (or fastener) through which parts of said loop are slid and threaded expandably and shrinkably. The stopper comprises a contact part which is shaped to fit the neck, and annular stopper parts which are provided on both sides of said contact part and through which said parts of the string are threaded. The loop is twined around the neck of said bottle, and said stopper is slid in the direction of the loop so that the loop of the string is fastened to the neck or to the cap covering it.

[0012] Preferably the stopper is made by bending a piece of metal wire into a shape designed to fit onto the neck portion of the bottle. The stopper can also be made of a plastic material.

[0013] Said stopper can also comprise said first mentioned stopper and, between the position where said parts of the string are threaded and the ends of the string, an auxiliary stopper through which parts of the string are expandably or shrinkably threaded. The auxiliary stopper not only ensures the stop position of the stopper, but is convenient for carrying the string.

[0014] In this configuration, when carrying a common drink bottle, such as a PET bottle, the loop is twined around the neck portion of said bottle, and the stopper is pushed toward the neck by pulling the string from the stopper parts of the stopper so as to squeeze the loop and fasten it either to the neck or to the cap covering it. When the bottle becomes empty, the position of the stopper is moved along the string so as to loosen the loop from the neck, and the string is taken off the bottle.

[0015] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same showing a fastener or stopper;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the same installed on a bottle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the same as carried by a person; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of an auxiliary fastening component or stopper of the first embodiment.

[0016] FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate an embodiment of the portable bottle holder of the present invention. In order to carry and hold the bottle B (FIG. 5), this bottle holder is equipped with, for example, a piece of round-section string 1 and a fastener or stopper 2 made of for example, metal wire or plastic resin, having aperture parts 2b (also referred to as annular stopper parts 2a) through which parts of a loop 1a of the string 1 are threaded so as to be fastened, and a contact part 2b for contacting a neck B1 of the bottle B. When carrying the bottle B, the loop 1a of the string 1 is twined around the neck B1 of the bottle B, and the fastener 2 is used to fasten the string 1 either to the neck B1 or to the cap C covering it. The fastening position is the part where the cap C is screwed onto and settles on the neck B1, i.e., the groove below an annular part that projects outward on the periphery of the neck B1.

[0017] In this embodiment, the fastener 2 is equipped with the aforementioned aperture parts 2a positioned on both ends of the contact part 2b contacting the neck part B1, and the contact part 2b has a contact surface 2c which is curved so as to fit the neck B1. Between the threading position of the fastener 2 and the ends of the string 1, there is an auxiliary fastening component 3 (also referred to as an auxiliary stopper 3) for ensuring that a stop position of the fastener 2 is maintained (so as to prevent the fastener 2 from moving back from the neck B1).

[0018] This auxiliary component 3 may consist of, for example, a semi-tubular synthetic resin material having in its center a stopper part 3a, which is a hole through which parts of the string 1 are threaded. As shown in FIG. 6, the stopper part 3a consists of a through hole which is divided by a pair of engagement parts 3b each having a near-V-shaped section. These sections frictionally engage the string 1. In the drawings, code 4 is, for example, a synthetic resin connector for joining the ends of the string 1 to make a large loop so that the holder can be worn over the shoulder.

[0019] In this configuration, when carrying a common drink bottle such as a PET bottle, the loop 1a is twined around the neck B1 of said bottle B, and the fastener 2 is pushed toward the neck B1 by pulling the string 1 from the aperture parts 2a of the fastener 2 so as to squeeze the loop 1a and bring the contact part 2b into contact with the neck B1 or the cap C covering it, thereby fastening the loop 1a.

[0020] At this time, the auxiliary fastening component 3 is moved toward the fastener 2 to assist the fastening of the fastener 2 which frictionally engages the string 1. In other words, this prevents the stopper 2, which is fastened to the string, from becoming loose when the user is wearing the string 1 over the shoulder to carry the bottle B while walking, thereby causing the bottle to shake. More concisely, the auxiliary fastening component 3 prevents the fastener 2 from becoming detached from the neck B1. At this time, the engagement parts 3b inside the stopper part 3a frictionally engage the periphery of the string 1 so as to fasten the auxiliary fastening component 3 at any desired position on the string 1.

[0021] When the bottle B becomes empty and needs to be replaced with a new one, the fastener 2 is moved away from the neck B1 of the bottle B along the loop 1a so as to loosen the loop 1a from the neck B1 and allow the string 1 to be removed from the bottle B.

[0022] As described above, the embodiment of the present invention comprises a loop of string for carrying and holding a bottle and a fastener equipped with fastener parts threaded with parts of the loop. Embodiments of the present invention can optionally be equipped with an auxiliary fastening component as necessary. With the loop twined around the neck of the bottle, the stopper fastens the string, either to the neck of the bottle or to the cap covering it.

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention can be easily installed on a portable bottle, such as a PET bottle, and worn over the shoulder. Using the present invention, it is also easy to replace bottles. The present invention also features a simple construction for example comprising only a piece of string and afastener, and can therefore be carried along in a compact format.

[0024] Because the fastener 2 can be made of a metalwire material comprising the contact part 2b shaped to curve along the neck B1 of the bottle B and provided with aperture parts 2a, 2a on both sides, it is possible to accurately fit the fastener 2 to the neck of the bottle and easily reshape it, if needed, so as to accommodate the shape of the bottle, etc. The capability of the fastener 2 to grip the bottle is therefore improved.

Claims

1. A portable bottle holder comprising a flexible elongate element (1) capable of being looped around the neck of a bottle, and a fastener (2) for securing the loop, characterised in that the fastener (2) comprises a contact part (2b) for fitting to the neck or cap of a bottle (B), and two aperture parts (2a) spaced apart along the contact part (2b) and adapted for threading two parts of the loop therethrough.

2. A portable bottle holder comprising a flexible elongate element (1) with a loop (1a) for carrying and holding a bottle (B), and a fastener (2) through which two parts of the loop are threaded for expansion and contraction of the loop so as to facilitate fastening, said loop (1a) extending around the neck of the bottle and being fastened to the neck or a cap covering it by said fastener (2), in which said fastener (2) comprises a contact part (2b) which is shaped to fit the neck, and aperture parts (2a) which are provided at each end of said contact part (2b) and through which said parts of the loop are threaded.

3. A bottle holder according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the contact part (2b) is made of flexible material adapted to allow the part to be shaped by a user to fit the neck of a bottle to be carried.

4. A bottle holder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the aperture parts (2a) are positioned one at each end of the contact part (2b).

5. A bottle holder according to any preceding claim, in which the flexible elongate element is a string or cord.

6. A bottle holder according to any preceding claim including an auxiliary fastener component (3) for frictionally engaging two lengths of the flexible elongate element (1) which extend in use distally from the fastener (2), the auxiliary fastener component being slidable along the said lengths of the elongate element to facilitate fastening.

7. A carry-along bottle holder comprising a piece of string (1) with a loop (1a) for carrying and holding a bottle (B) and a stopper (2) through which two parts of the loop (1a) are expandably and shrinkably threaded so as to facilitate fastening, said loop (1a) being twined around the neck of the bottle and fastened to the neck or to the cap covering it by said stopper (2), characterized in that said stopper (2) comprises a contact part (2b) which is shaped to fit the neck, and annular stopper parts (2a) which are provided on both sides of said contact part (2b) and through which said parts of the string are threaded.

8. A carry-along bottle holder according to Claim 7, wherein said stopper is made of metal-wire.

9. A carry-along bottle holder according to Claim 7, wherein said stopper is made of a plastic material.

10. A carry-along bottle holder according to Claim 7 or 8, further comprising, between the position where said parts of the string are threaded and the ends of the string, an auxiliary stopper (3) through which parts of the string are expandably and shrinkably threaded so as to facilitate fastening.

Drawing