BOTTLE HOLDER

FIELD

A holder may be utilized to hold at least one bottle. The holder may be utilized to hold multiple bottles. The holder may comprise at least one support member extending from a base.

BACKGROUND

Users of cosmetics, toiletries, and personal care products often have a number of bottles of various shapes and sizes containing various liquids, gels or lotions. Users may generally place their collection of bottles in various locations, such as counters, floors, cabinets, tubs, and showers. As a user reaches for a bottle, picks up a bottle and/or moves a bottle, that motion may be cause enough to knock over another bottle. Alternatively, the user may accidentally drop the bottle that was picked up or it may simply slip from the user's grasp. The falling and/or reverberations of the bottle against any other surface may cause the contents of the bottle to escape. This may result in pools of liquids, gels or lotions on a flat surface and/or splatter drops on walls, doors, and mirrors. Furthermore, many bottles placed in bathrooms are handled by children of varying ages. A young child may be in the early stages of learning personal bathroom hygiene, and may not have fully developed their dexterity and motor skills. A child may not grasp the concept of how to actuate a bottle pump without tipping the bottle over. A young child may also not have the ability to lift a bottle with one hand while releasing its contents with the other hand. Adults may face similar issues as they age as the possible onset of arthritis may result in a decrease in dexterity.

Additionally, many bottles containing similar contents may be grouped together in one or two locations. For examples, a user may place bottles containing shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, body wash, and shaving cream in the tub or shower. A user may also group bottles containing foundation, lotion, moisturizing cream, make-up remover, hand soap, hair gels, hair mousse, and skin cleansers together on a bathroom countertop. The accumulation of multiple bottles in a single location may provide for an increase in clutter which may increase the user' s difficulty in differentiating one bottle from another. Not only might the large volume of bottles in a single area create clutter and confusion, but there may also be an increase in the accidental knocking over or dropping of bottles.

As young children are developing in their personal bathroom hygiene, it may be helpful if they were able to learn a system of hygiene skills. The child's education would be improved because the system may group successive tasks together. For example, a system may be able to coordinate bottles containing liquids such as body wash and shampoo or an alternate set of liquids such as shampoo and conditioner. Such a system may assist a child in learning how to progress from a first task to a second task and may also assist a child in differentiating between various tasks.

A holder may be beneficial in these situations. A holder may "hold" a bottle in its current location so that all a user need do is actuate the bottle to remove some of its contents for use. For example, in a situation in which the bottle comprises a pump, a holder may hold the bottle in place in order to allow the user, either single- or double-handed, to press down on the pump to release some of the contents from the bottle. As bottles may be a variety of shapes and sizes, the holder may prevent the bottle from tipping or falling over and possibly knocking additional bottles over. Furthermore, as the holder is holding the bottle, there may no longer be a need for the user to pick up the bottle and, therefore, the accidental dropping or slippage of the bottle may be diminished.

A holder may have the ability to hold more than one bottle. Such a holder may allow the user to coordinate their bottles into a system (e.g., placing shampoo and conditioner bottles together on a single holder). A system of a holder and coordinating bottles may assist the user by decreasing confusion amongst the bottles thereby resulting in fewer mishaps.

A holder may assist in a child's education about personal hygiene. A holder may be created so as to be engaging and/or interactive. A holder may be designed to resemble an anthropomorphic character that may stimulate a child's creative thinking and imagination.

SUMMARY

A holder may comprise a base extending in an XY plane and a support member extending from the base in the Z-direction. The support member may associate with a gripping aid. The holder may comprise an attachment aid.

A holder may comprise a base extending in an XY plane and a support member extending from the base in a Z-direction. The support member may comprise a ZY planar configuration selected from the group consisting of square, rectangle, circle, oval, ellipse,

triangle, semi-circle, semi-oval, semi-ellipse, anthropomorphic shapes, and combinations thereof. At least one gripping aid may associate with the support member.

A system may comprise a holder, comprising a base and a support member extending from the base wherein the support member may associate with a gripping aid and a bottle held by the gripping aid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a holder comprising a single support member.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a holder comprising two support members.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a holder comprising a single support member comprising two gripping aids.

Fig. 4 is a top down view of the holder of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the holder of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of a holder comprising a single support member comprising two gripping aids.

Fig. 7 is a front view of a system comprising a holder and two bottles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term "height" refers herein to the measurement of the item in the Z direction. The term "length" refers herein to the measurement of the item in the X direction. The term "width" refers herein to the measurement of the item in the Y direction.

A holder may accommodate at least one bottle. The holder may accommodate a system of bottles. The holder may accommodate a single bottle shape or a plurality of bottle shapes. The holder may accommodate a single bottle height or a plurality of bottle heights. The holder may assist in a child' s education about personal hygiene and may assist a child or adult with limited dexterity in the removal of contents from a bottle without tipping the bottle over.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a holder 100. The holder 100 may comprise a base 101. The base 101 may extend in the XY plane. The holder 100 may comprise a support member 102. The support member 102 may associate with the base 101 and may extend from the base 101 in the Z direction.

As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment, the support member 102 may comprise a configuration, such as, but not limited to, a rod, pole, tube, and cylinder. In such an embodiment, the support member 102 may comprise two ends, a first end 103 and a second end 104. The first end 103 may associate with the base 101. The first end 103 may associate with the base 101 by any means known to one of skill including, but not limited to, adhesives, screws, rivets, lock and key, grooves, as a unitary piece, integral molding, and combinations thereof. The second end 104 may associate with at least one gripping aid 105. The support member 102 may comprise a continuous curve 107 between the first end 103 and the second end 104. The curve 107 may realign the second end 104 of the support member 102 in such as manner so as to extend the second end 104 over the base 101.

The second end 104 of the support member 102 may associate with at least one gripping aid 105. The gripping aid 105 may comprise at least two gripping prongs 106. The gripping prongs 106 may be utilized to hold an item, such as a bottle, in place on the holder 100. In another embodiment, the gripping aid 105 may comprise at least three gripping prongs 106 and may hold at least two items in place on the holder 100.

Figure 2 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a holder 200. The holder 200 may comprise a base 201 extending in the XY plane. The holder 200 may comprise two support members, 202 and 210. The support members, 202 and 210, may associate with the base 201 and may extend from the base 201 in the Z direction. The support members, 202 and 210, may each comprise two ends, first ends, 203 and 211, and second ends, 204 and 212, respectively. The first ends, 203 and 211, may associate with the base 201. The second ends, 204 and 212, may associate with gripping aids, 205 and 213, respectively. The gripping aids, 205 and 213, may each comprise at least two gripping prongs, 206 and 214, respectively. The support members, 202 and 210, may each comprise a curve, 207 and 215, between the first ends, 203 and 211, and the second ends, 204 and 213, respectively. The curves, 207 and 215, may realign the second ends, 204 and 212, such that the second ends, 204 and 212, extend over the base 201. The holder 200 may hold at least two bottles (not shown).

The holder 200 may comprise the ability to accommodate bottles of varying sizes and shapes. This accommodation may be achieved by any method known to one of skill in the art. It should be recognized that the support members, 202 and 210, may comprise different heights so as to accommodate bottles of varying heights. The support members, 202 and 210, may be

constructed so as to be extensible or collapsible, as the situation demands, in order to accommodate bottles of varying heights. Different heights may be beneficial as a height change may assist a user in differentiating bottle contents. Different heights of the support members may also assist a user in the correct placement of a bottle in the holder. For example, if a holder were to be utilized to hold a system of different size and shape bottles used in successive tasks, the movement of one support member to hold one of the bottles may serve as a signal to the user that an identical bottle should not be placed in another support member as a different bottle may be necessary for the successive task.

The gripping aids, 205 and 213, may be deformable and/or elastic and may be various shapes such as circle, Y-shaped, or U-shaped. The gripping aids, 205 and 213, may be flexible such that they may conform to the exterior shape of a bottle. It may be recognized that bottles may vary in shapes and, therefore, flexibility in the gripping aids, 205 and 213, may in turn allow for flexibility in the type of bottle placed into the holder 200 and for flexibility in the insertion and/or removal of the bottle. The gripping aids, 205 and 213, may also be rigid (i.e., less flexible) so that a bottle may "snap" into the gripping aid and be held at one or more points of contact. The bottle may also comprise deformable and/or elastic properties in order to be placed into the holder. In another embodiment, the gripping aids, 205 and 213, may be fixed or adjustable. For example, an adjustable gripping aid may include one or more adjustable prongs, which can rotate, translate, and/or otherwise adjust in position to grip and/or release a bottle. As another example, an adjustable gripping aid may include an adjustable flexible strap, which can be cinched and/or loosened to grip and/or release a bottle. Adjustable gripping aids may also be adjusted to varying heights in order to secure shorter or taller bottles. This height adjustment may be accomplished by various means such as telescoping elements, interlocking brackets and tabs, or other structures for height adjustment, that may be available to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of an alternate embodiment of a holder 300. The holder 300 may comprise a base 301 extending in the XY plane. The holder 300 may comprise a support member 302 extending from the base 301 in the Z direction. The support member 302 may comprise a wall, plane, or flat surface. The support member 302 may have a front surface 312 and a back surface 313 (shown in Figure 4). As defined herein, the term "ZY planar configuration" means the shape of the support member as viewed by a user when looking at the

front of the holder. The support member may comprise a ZY planar configuration including, but not limited to, a square, rectangle, circle, oval, ellipse, triangle, semi-circle, semi-oval, and semi- ellipse. The support member may comprise a ZY planar configuration resembling an anthropomorphic shape of an animal or object, such as, but not limited to, frog, bear, duck, horse, elephant, koala, monkey, tree, shrub, flower and car. As defined herein, the term "anthropomorphic" means to provide an animal or an object with human attributes and characteristics. Figure 3 is an illustration of the support member 302 in a square ZY planar configuration. At least one gripping aid, such as gripping aid 303 may extend from the front surface 312 of the support member 302. The support member may comprise a second gripping aid, such as gripping aid 310. The gripping aids, 303 and 310, may each comprise at least two gripping prongs, 304 and 311, respectively. The base 301 of the holder 300 may comprise an attachment aid 320. The attachment aid 320 may assist the user in retaining the holder 300 in a single location on a counter or other similar support surface or when placed against a surface such as a wall. The attachment aid 320 may be associated with the base 301, support member 302, and combinations thereof. The attachment aid 320 may include, but is not limited to, suction cup, adhesives, no slip surface, rubber naps, magnets, mounting brackets, grooves, male and female fasteners, and combinations thereof. The attachment aid 320 may be associated with the holder 300 in any manner known to one of skill including, but not limited to, adhesives, screws, rivets, lock and key, grooves, as a unitary piece, integral molding, and combinations thereof. The attachment aid 320 as illustrated in Figure 3 is a suction cup.

Figure 4 illustrates a top down view of the holder 300 illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 4 illustrates that a second attachment aid 321 may be located on the support member 302. The second attachment aid 321 may be configured as a suction cup. Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the holder 300 illustrated in both Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 illustrates a front view of an alternate embodiment of a holder 400. The holder 400 may comprise a base 402 extending in the XY plane. The holder 400 may comprise a support member 401 extending from the base 402 in the Z direction. As illustrated in Figure 6, the support member 401 may comprise a ZY planar configuration resembling the shape of an animal. An animal shape may be more appealing to a child in the learning stages of personal bathroom hygiene. The animal shape may stimulate the child's creativity and boost the child's interaction with the holder 400. The increased interaction may enable the child to learn

bathroom hygiene at a faster pace. The pace of the child' s learning may also be increased if the holder is holding a system of bottles, thereby enabling the child to learn about successive bathroom tasks. As the child becomes more engaged with the holder and with the tasks of inserting or removing bottles, the child may notice an increase in dexterity, an increase in the ability to recognize different bottles and different contents of those bottles for different bathroom tasks, and may be able to begin to develop a bathroom routine. At least one gripping aid, such as gripping aid 403, may extend from the support member 401. A second gripping aid, such as gripping aid 410, may also extend from the support member 401. Gripping aids, 403 and 410, may be associated with gripping prongs, 404 and 411, respectively. The gripping aids, 403 and 410, and the gripping prongs, 404 and 411, either separately or in combination, may comprise a configuration related to the anthropomorphic shape of the support member 401. In Figure 6, the support member 401 comprises an anthropomorphic shape of an animal and, thus, the gripping aids, 403 and 410, and the gripping prongs, 404 and 411, may comprise a configuration such as that of hands and/or feet of an animal.

Figure 7 illustrates a front view of a system 500 comprising a holder 524, such as illustrated in Figure 6, and at least two bottles, 504 and 511. The holder 524 may comprise a base 502 and a support member 501. The support member 501 may comprise an anthropomorphic configuration, such as an animal similar to a frog. The support member 501 may comprise further anthropomorphic characteristics such as a head 520, face 521, eyes 522, and mouth 523. The support member 501 may comprise two gripping aids extending therefrom, such as gripping aids 525 and 526. The gripping aids, 525 and 526, may associate with gripping prongs, 503 and 510, respectively. The gripping prongs, 503 and 510, may comprise anthropomorphic characteristics and may be in a hand configuration. The gripping prongs, 503 and 510, may hold bottles, such as bottles 504 and 511, in place on the holder 524. The bottles, 504 and 511, may comprise shapes different from each other.

As previously stated, the various embodiments of the described holder may be utilized to hold bottles of varying shapes and sizes. Bottles may comprise varying shapes in order to assist the user in differentiating between the contents of the bottles (e.g., shampoo and conditioner). Bottles may also comprise varying colors. The shape variation, the color variation, and combinations thereof, may assist a pre-literate child in their education of bathroom hygiene. Bottles may be given particular shapes or color or both, depending on the liquid container

therein. In one embodiment, a system of bottles containing liquids such as shampoo and conditioner may be the same color, but vary in shape. In such an embodiment, a child may be able to differentiate between the contents based on the shape of the bottle. In another embodiment, the bottles may be the same shape, but vary in color. In such an embodiment, a child may be able to differentiate between the contents based on the color. In yet another embodiment, the bottles may vary in both color and shape. In such an embodiment, a child may be able to differentiate between the contents by both the color and shape.

Bottles may also vary in shape in order to assist a user with limited dexterity. The bottle may comprise curvature wherein there may be a concave and convex relationship amongst the curvature. Figure 7 illustrates a longitudinal axis 530 extending heightwise through a bottle. The wall forming the outer surface of the bottle comprises a curved portion such that, when utilizing the longitudinal axis 530 as the reference point, there may be at least one portion of the surface that is concave 531 and at least one portion of the surface that is convex 532. The variation in curvature may provide locations on a bottle wherein it may be easier for a child with small hands or an adult with arthritic hands to grasp a bottle, e.g., a convex surface may provide for a narrow holding location within a larger bottle. The convex curvature may enable easier manipulation of the bottle for placement into and/or removal from the holder. The convex curvature may also provide for locations wherein the gripping aids of the holder may hold the bottle in place on the holder. As the bottles may comprise varying heights and varying shapes, such as varying curvature, the support members and gripping aids may be adjustable, as discussed above, to respond to the differences in the bottles placed in the holder.

A kit of at least two bottles may be utilized with the various embodiments of the described holder. In the kit, a first bottle may be adapted for use within one gripping aid of the holder and a second bottle may be adapted for use within a second gripping aid of the holder. The bottles may each have a convex surface portion that may be inserted into the gripping aids. The first bottle and the second bottle may each contain and liquid and the two liquids may be different from each other.

The holder, base, and support member may comprise any material deemed suitable for its purpose. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, polyolefins, polyethylene, polypropylene, linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, low density polypropylene, polyamides, polyacetals, polyethers, poly(meth)acrylates, thermoplastic

elastomers, styrenic block copolymers, metallocene-catalyzed polyolefins, polyether amides, polyurethanes, polyvinylchloride, ethylene vinyl acetate, and blends and copolymers, filled polymers, biconstituent or bicomponent mixtures thereof, and combinations thereof. The materials may also include various pigments to provide desired colors and/or visual effects and other components such as fillers (such as magnetoplumbite- structure ferrite particles), processing aids, and the like. The materials may also include wood, metal, bone, thermoplastic material, non-thermoplastic material, ceramic, thermosetting polymers, and combinations thereof.

The base may be any size suitable to accommodate at least one bottle. The base may be from 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 or 16 cm to 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or 30 cm in length. The base may be greater than 2 cm in length. The base may be from 2, 4, or 6 cm to 7, 8 or 10 cm in width. The base may be greater than 2 cm in width. The base may be from 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 mm to 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, or 32 mm in height. The base may be greater than 2 mm in height. In one embodiment, the base may be 9 cm in length, about 7.5 cm in width, and 12 mm in height. In another embodiment, the base may be 9 cm in length, about 6.5 cm in width, and 12 mm in height. In yet another embodiment, the base may be 20 cm in length, 6.5 cm in width, and 12 mm in height. In another embodiment, the base may be 30.5 cm in length, 7.5 cm in width, and 12 mm in height.

The support member may comprise any size and shape deemed suitable by one of skill in the art. The support member may be greater than 5 cm in height, as measured from the top of the base to the top of the support member. The support member may be from 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, or 17 cm to 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 or 30 cm in height. The support member may comprise a length from 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 cm to 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, or 30 cm. In another embodiment, the support member may comprise a length that may be equal to the length of the base. The support member may comprise a width that may be less than the width of the base.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an

admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.