Description

CAN HOLDER

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device comprising a can holder that provides the cans to be carried easily and cooled efficiently.

[0002] There are a good number of state of the art can holders that provide a plurality of cans to be carried all at the same time. These can holders that provide to store, stow and dispense more than one can all together, may also be used in the cooling device in various ways. For example, the can holders can be utilized by attaching above or below the shelves situated in the cooling device.

[0003] In the state of the art United States of America Patent no. US4182455, a rack formed by hollow moulding a plastic sheet comprising more than one side-by- side containers is explained. Each of the containers on this rack has an arcuate surface, surrounding the bottle or placed inside with an angle greater than 180 degrees. Thus the bottles or cans emplaced in the containers are prevented from being displaced from the containers by themselves.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to design a cooling device that comprises a can holder providing more than one can to be stored, carried, dispensed at the same time and provide easy access to the user.

[0005] The can holder situated in the cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises containers formed by moulding a sheet in a wavy or sinusoidal shape, positioned on both the front and back sides of the sheet wherein the bottles and particularly the cans can be emplaced.

[0006] Accordingly, another container on the other side of the sheet is positioned between the two containers on the same side of the sheet.

[0007] The loading/unloading openings of the containers that are consecutively disposed on both sides of the sheet are positioned at opposite directions to each other. Consequently, the cans are enabled to be emplaced on both sides of the holder and taken out easily by the user.

[0008] The container encircles the cans stored inside with an angle of at least 180 degrees. Consequently, the cans stored in the container are prevented from being disengaged from the loading opening by themselves.

[0009] The can holder comprises one or more restrainers on both ends of each container that prevent the disengagement of the cans emplaced in it by resting on their bases and

ceilings. [0010] The can holder comprises a handle, prefer±ily situated on each end for ease of the user in carrying. [0011] The can holder has a resilient shape making it possible for the cans to be easily engaged in and/or disengaged from the containers. [0012] The can holder provides the items empkced inside to be stored or carried either in the vertical or horizontal positions. [0013] The can holder designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0014] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a can holder. [0015] Figure 2 - is the front view of a loaded can holder. [0016] Figure 3 - is the perspective view of a cooling device and a can holder assembled inside. [0017] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Can holder

2. Container

3. Loading/unloading opening

4. Restrainer

5. Handle

6. Cooling device

[0018] The cooling device (6) comprises a can holder (1) that is produced in a wavy or sinusoidal shape by bending and warping a metal sheet or by shaping plastic by means of a mould.

[0019] The can holder (1) comprises one or more containers (2) with a can (T) disposed in each one, that

• are arranged on both the front and back sides of the sheet,

• the consecutive ones being arranged on different sides of the sheet. [0020] The container (2) comprises an arcuately shaped seating surface (Y) - prefer±ily having a form matching the configuration of the can (T) - and two opposite side walls (Z) which are a continuation of the seating surface (Y) that adjoin with the seating surface (Y) of the adjacent container (2). The side walls (Z) of the adjacent containers (2) are common. While the seating surface (Y) and the side wall (Z) of a container (2) are situated on one side of the sheet, the seating surface (Y) and the side wall (Z) of an adjacent container (2) are situated on the other side of the sheet. [0021] The loading/unloading openings (3) of consecutive containers (2) are positioned at

opposite directions to each other.

[0022] The container (2) encircles the cans (T) emplaced inside with an angle of at least 180 degrees. Hence the cans (T) stored in the container (2) are prevented from being disengaged from the loading/unloading opening (3) by themselves.

[0023] The can holder (1) has a resilient shape providing the cans (T) to be easily engaged into the container (2) from the loading/unloading opening (3) or to be disengaged from the container (2). Consequently, the cans (T) emplaced in the container (2) are prevented from being disengaged from the container (2) by themselves by securely surrounding them and also can be easily disengaged from the container (2) by the user.

[0024] While the cans (T) are being emplaced in the containers (2) in the can holder (1), the can (T) exerts pressure on the side walls (Z) of the container (2), the loading/ unloading opening (3) widens as a result of this pressure, and it is secured on the seating surface (Y) of the container (2) by being inserted through the loading/ unloading opening (3). After the can (T) passes through the loading/unloading opening (3), the container (2) side walls (Z) resume their initial positions again and the container (2) prevents the can (T) from being disengaged from the container (2) spontaneously by partially surrounding the can (T).

[0025] When the can (T) is desired to be taken out of the can holder (1), a pressure in the opposite direction is exerted on the side walls (Z) of the container (2) by the can (T), the loading/unloading opening (3) widens as a result of this pressure and it is disengaged from the container (2) by passing through the loading/unloading opening (3). After the can (T) passes through the loading/unloading opening (3), the container (2) side walls (Z) resume their initial positions again.

[0026] In another embodiment of the present invention, the can holder (1) comprises one or more restrainers (4) that extend towards the loading/unloading opening(3), that prevent the disengagement of the cans (T) from the container (2) by resting on the base and ceiling of the can (T) emplaced in each container (2).

[0027] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the can holder (1) comprises one or more handles (5) preferably positioned at each end, for helping the user in carrying.

[0028] The can holder (1) provides the items emplaced inside to be stored or carried either in the vertical or horizontal positions.

[0029] The can holder (1) of the present invention can be easily utilized inside the cooling device (6). The temperature difference between the cans (T) emplaced in the containers (2) is at a minimum due to the container (2) being separated by a material having only

the wall thickness of the sheet. Since the containers (2) entirely surround the cans (T), the beverages can be cooled swiftly by efficiently making use of the cold air circulation inside the cooling device (6).

[0030] The can holder (1) of the present invention provides the cans (T) to be disposed, stored as a group, to be cooled efficiently particularly in the cooling device (6), to be carried by the user and allows the cans (T) to be taken out easily. Due to the configuration of the can holder (1), the cans (T) can be safely held together to be used comfortably in places like a car trunk, a bicycle or in picnics. Furthermore, the unused can holders (1) can easily be stacked on top of each other due to their wavy or sinusoidal shapes.

[0031] The can holder (1) situated in the cooling device (6) of the present invention, can be produced with ease as a result of the shaping process implemented on both sides of a thin sheet and presents a cost advantage by making use of a small amount of material.