BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to storage and dispensing devices and, more particularly, to an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles.

Bottles are difficult to store efficiently because of their irregular shape that makes them virtually unstackable either on their sides or one atop the other. In other words, bottles and particularly baby bottles, must be stored one beside the other in a cabinet or a basket situated on a countertop. In such instances, the bottles may be easily knocked over or just unsightly as being cluttered. Other times, baby bottles are simply left in the sink or dishwasher until they are needed. Sometimes bottles may be stored in various of these locations for lack of a more systematic and organized solution.

Various devices have been proposed in the art for storing and dispensing objects including various retail items such as cans. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not minimize the area needed to store bottles such as baby bottles, do not organize the bottles, and do not efficiently dispense the bottles when needed.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles that enables bottles to be stacked while laying horizontally and that minimizes the space needed to store a plurality of bottles. Further, it would be desirable to have an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles that utilizes gravity to dispense a single bottle at a time to a user. In addition, it would be desirable to have an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles that is laterally adjustable to selectively house selected sizes of bottles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles according to the present invention includes spaced apart first and second vertical walls, each side wall having upper and lower ends and front and rear sides. Respective first and rear wall front sides include an upper portion recessed toward respective vertical wall rear sides. A female floor element operatively extends from the first wall lower end toward the second wall and is inclined downwardly toward the first wall front side. A first lip extends upwardly from the female floor element for impeding bottles from passing beyond the first wall front side. A male floor element extends from the second wall lower end toward the first wall and is telescopically coupled to the female floor element to allow spacing between the first and second walls to be altered, the male floor element being inclined downwardly toward the second wall front side.

A second lip extends upwardly from the male floor element for impeding bottles from passing beyond the second wall front side. A female rear wall extends outwardly from one of the first wall rear side and the second wall rear side. A male rear wall extends outwardly from another of the first wall rear side and the second wall rear side, the male rear wall being telescopically coupled to the female rear wall to collectively provide a continuous rear wall extending between the first wall rear side and the second wall rear side to restrict bottles from passing beyond the rear sides of the first and second walls regardless of spacing between the first and second walls.

A female front wall extends outwardly from one of the first wall front side upper portion and the second wall front side upper portion. A male front wall extends outwardly from another of the first wall front side upper portion and the second wall front side upper portion, the male front wall being telescopically coupled to the female front wall to collectively provide a continuous front wall extending between the first wall front side upper portion and the second wall front side upper portion to restrict bottles from passing beyond the front side upper portions of the first and second walls regardless of spacing between the first and second walls. An uncovered front opening extends the continuous front wall and the first and second lips, the uncovered front opening being configured to allow the baby bottles to be dispensed from between the first and second walls.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles. Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, that minimizes the space required to store multiple bottles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, that is laterally adjustable for use in storing bottles of various sizes.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, that utilizes gravity to dispense a single bottle at a time to a user.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, that is easy to use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for storing and dispensing bottles and a basket according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the storage and dispensing apparatus as in Fig. 1 at one lateral adjustment configuration;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the storage and dispensing apparatus as in Fig. 1 at another lateral adjustment configuration;

Fig. 4a is a front view of the apparatus as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4b is a front view of the apparatus as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5a is a top view of the apparatus as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5b is a sectional view taken along line 5b-5b of Fig. 5a;

Fig. 6a is an exploded view of Fig. 2 taken from one angle; and

Fig. 6b is an exploded view of Fig. 2 taken from another angle. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An apparatus for storing and dispensing baby bottles will now be described in detail with reference to Fig. 1 through Fig. 6b of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, an apparatus 100 for storing and dispensing baby bottles 10 includes first and second generally vertical walls 110, 120 spaced apart from one another.

As shown in Figs. 6a and 6b, each wall 110, 120 has an upper end HOa, 120a, a lower end HOb, 120b, a front side 110c, 120c, and a rear side HOd, 12Od. The first wall front side 110c has an upper portion 111 that is recessed toward the first wall rear side HOd, and the second wall front side 120c has an upper portion 121 that is recessed toward the second wall rear side 12Od. The first and second walls 110, 120 may each include a plurality of vents 130 to allow air to pass through and between the first and second walls 110, 120.

A female floor element 112 operatively extends from the first wall lower end 110b toward the second wall 120, as shown in Fig. 6b, and the female floor element 112 is inclined downwardly toward the first wall front side 110c. A male floor element 122 operatively extends from the second wall lower end 120b toward the first wall 110, as shown in Fig. 6a, and the male floor element 122 is inclined downwardly toward the second wall front side 120c. The male floor element 122 is telescopically coupled to the female floor element 112 to allow spacing between the first and second walls 110, 120 to be altered (i.e., to allow the first and second walls 110, 120 to move relatively towards and away from one another). This movement can be seen, for example, by comparing Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 and comparing Fig. 4a to Fig. 4b. One lip 113 extends upwardly from the female floor element 112 for impeding the bottles 10 from passing beyond the first wall front side 110c, and another lip 123 extends upwardly from the male floor element 122 for impeding the bottles 10 from passing beyond the second wall front side 120c. In some embodiments, the first lip 113 extends from the first wall 110 toward the second wall 120, the second lip 123 extends from the second wall 120 toward the first wall 110, and at least a portion of the first lip 113 telescopically encases at least a portion of the second lip 123. A set of overlapping rear walls 114, 124 respectively extend from the rear sides HOd, 12Od of the first and second walls 110, 120 to collectively provide a substantially continuous rear wall 140 extending between the first wall rear side HOd and the second wall rear side 12Od. The substantially continuous rear wall 140 may restrict the bottles 10 from passing beyond the rear sides HOd, 12Od of the first and second walls 110, 120 regardless of spacing between the first and second walls 110, 120, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, for example. Similarly, a set of overlapping front walls 116, 126 respectively extend from the front side upper portions 111, 121 of the first and second walls 110, 120 to collectively provide a substantially continuous front wall 145 extending between the first wall front side upper portion 111 and the second wall front side upper portion 121 to restrict the bottles 10 from passing beyond the front side upper portions 111, 121 regardless of spacing between the first and second walls 110, 120.

In some embodiments, one of the rear walls 114, 124 is a female rear wall, the other is a male rear wall, and the two rear walls 114, 124 are telescopically coupled, as shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. Similarly, one of the front walls 116, 126 may be a female front wall, the other may be a male front wall, and the two front walls 116, 126 may be telescopically coupled, as shown in Figs. 6a and 6b. It may be advantageous for all female walls (e.g., female floor element 112, rear wall 114, front wall 116) to extend from the first wall 110 and all male walls (e.g., male floor element 122, rear wall 124, front wall 126) to extend from the second wall 120, as shown in Fig. 6a and Fig. 6b.

As shown in Figs. 1 through 3, a front opening 150 extends between the substantially continuous front wall 145 and the first and second lips 113, 123. The front opening 150 is configured to allow the bottles 10 to be dispensed from between the first and second walls 110, 120. Another opening 155 separated from the front opening 150 may be included for allowing the bottles 10 to be positioned between the first and second walls 110, 120. The opening 155 may extend, for example, between at least a portion of the first wall upper end 110a and at least a portion of the second wall upper end 120a. Means may be included for indicating a distance between the first and second walls 110, 120. For example, as shown in Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, one of the lips 113, 123 may include a window 160 and/or another indicator (e.g., marking 162, etc.), and the other lip 113, 123 may include a plurality of markings 165 respectively viewable through the window 160 or otherwise alignable with the indicator to indicate a distance between the first and second walls 110, 120. Similarly, though not shown, the female floor element 112 may include a window 160 and/or other indicator, and the male floor element 122 may include a plurality of markings 165 respectively viewable through the window 160 or otherwise alignable with the indicator to indicate a distance between the first and second walls 110, 120; one of the front walls 116, 126 may include a window 160 and/or other indicator, and the other front wall 116, 126 may include a plurality of markings 165 respectively viewable through the window 160 or otherwise alignable with the indicator to indicate a distance between the first and second walls 110, 120; and/or one of the rear walls 114, 124 may include a window 160 and/or other indicator, and the other rear wall 114, 124 may include a plurality of markings 165 respectively viewable through the window 160 or otherwise alignable with the indicator to indicate a distance between the first and second walls 110, 120.

A basket 170 having a plurality of compartments 172 configured to receive bottle accessories (e.g., bottle nipples, bottle covers, etc.) may be included, as shown in Fig. 1. The basket 170 (e.g., a wire basket) may include a handle 175 and move independently of the first and second walls 110, 120. Though not shown, the basket 170 may be operatively coupled to the first and second walls 110, 120.

In use, bottles 10 of different sizes (i.e., heights) and configurations (e.g., with pouring/drinking devices and covers, as shown in Fig. 2, and without, as shown in Fig. 3) may be stored and dispensed by the apparatus 100. The first and second walls 110, 120 may be separated a desired amount to hold specific bottles 10 between the first and second walls 110, 120 atop the female and male floor elements 112, 122 by telescopically moving the female and male floor elements 112, 122 relative to one another. To separate the first and second walls 110, 120 the correct amount, the means for indicating distance between the first and second walls 110, 120 may be referenced. For example, as shown in Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, the first and second walls 110, 120 may be moved relative to one another until the desired marking 165 on the lip 123 is viewable through the window 160 or otherwise alignable with the indicator of the lip 113.

The bottles 10 may be inserted between the first and second walls 110, 120 through the opening 155, the inclination of the female and male floor elements 112, 122 may bias the bottles 10 toward to the front opening 150, and the bottles 10 may be respectfully removed through the front opening 150. The lips 113, 123 may keep the bottles 10 from inadvertently passing through the front opening 150, and the substantially continuous rear wall 140 and the substantially continuous front wall 145 may help maintain the bottles 10 between the first and second walls 110, 120. The vents 130 may allow air to pass through and between the first and second walls 110, 120. Bottle accessories (e.g., bottle nipples, bottle covers, etc.) may be placed in the compartments 172 of the basket 170, as shown in Fig. 1, and accessed as desired.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.