GB2415123A

GB2415123A - Anti-roll device for bottle or cylinder

Info

Publication number: GB2415123A
Application number: GB0413430A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nool Douglas-Evans
Original assignee: ROLLING STOP Ltd
Current assignee: ROLLING STOP Ltd
Priority date: 2004-06-15
Filing date: 2004-06-15
Publication date: 2005-12-21
Also published as: GB0413430D0

Abstract

A device to prevent a cylindrical container 5 lying on its side from rolling across a surface on which it is placed comprises a support member 10 releasably attachable to the cylindrical container. Member 10 may form a frame around at least part of the circumference of the container, and may be polygonal in shape. Inner parts of the frame which contact the container may be resiliently deformable so as to be held on by friction. The frame may be collapsible. Its underside may have means to prevent movement relative to the surface beneath the device, such as hook and loop fastenings, magnets, a rubber layer, suction pads, protrusions or a sticky coating.

Description

Anti-Roll Device

Description

s The present invention relates to a device to stop bottles and other cylindrical objects from freely rolling around on unstable or uneven surfaces.

Cylindrical containers, and especially bottles, are prone to rolling around when they are placed on their side on an uneven surface such as a shelf that is not level, or on an unstable surface that is not still. This is especially common when bottles are bemg transported in a car, either in the boot, on the front or back seat, or on the back parcel shelf. In such situations, it is common for the bottle to roll off the surface and break. Even If the bottle is placed in the footwell, it can still roll around freely whilst the car is being driven.

In the case of a bottle rollmg off a shelf, the falling bottle could cause injury to anyone below and, if a bottle is being transported in a car, a sudden braking manocovre could cause the bottle to be thrown forward with the potential to injure the driver or a passenger, and also to cause unwanted mess if it should break. Even if the bottle is not subjected to such a violent force, the fact that it is rolling around due to the motion of the vehicle can be distracting for the driver who may be frequently looking at the bottle to make sure it is still intact. This distraction can be dangerous on the road as a lapse of concentration could result in an accident.

Furthermore, even if the bottle Is out of sight of the driver, such as In the boot, the motion of the vehicle could still cause it to roll around and damage other items such as, for example, fragile shopping or expensive audio equipment such as a CD changer that Is often located in the boot in modern cars.

This problem is also relevant to other sorts of cylindrical containers, such as pressurised gas canisters, e.g. scuba tanks or gas fuel tanks. If such containers are being transported on their side, any violent jolts can cause the containers to roll around and hit each other or hit the sides of the vehicle In which they are being transported. This Is especially undesirable with pressured containers because a - 2 - hard enough impact could cause the container to rupture with catastrophic consequences, especially if the gaseous contents are flammable or explosive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means to substantially alleviate or overcome the problems mentioned above.

According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a device to prevent a cylindrical container lying on its side from rolling across a surface on which it is placed, the device comprising a support member releasably attachable to a cylindrical container and shaped so as to stabilise a cylindrical container to prevent it rolling across said surface when a cylindrical container, to which the device is attached, is lying on its side with the support member in contact with the surface.

In a preferred embodiment, the support member comprises a frame to surround at least a part of the circumference of a cylindrical container. The frame is preferably polygonal in shape, and may conveniently be triangular. However, the frame may alternatively be square.

Preferably, the frame is formed from a resiliently deformable material which deforms when attached to a cylindrical container so that it Is held in place by a frictional force between the frame and the cylindrical container.

A preferred embodiment includes resiliently deformable retention means operable to releasably attach the frame to a cylindrical container. The retention means may conveniently comprise at least one elastic member tensioned and extending between two sides of the device, the or each elastic member being configured to deflect and stretch around a cylindrical container when the device is releasably attached thereto so as to grip the cylindrical container and retain the device In position thereon.

Preferably, two sides of the frame meet at an apex and the elastic member extends between said two sides across the apex.

Alternatively, at least two sides of the frame meet at an apex and the retention means may comprise at least one resiliently deformable finger extending from the - 3 apex bisecting the angle between the two sides, the or each Anger being configured to deflect against the side of a cylindrical container when the device is releasably attached thereto so as to grip the cylindrical container and retam the device in position thereon. s

In yet another alternative embodiment, the retention means comprises at least one resiliently deformable pad on an inside face of at least one side of the device, operable to be deformed against the side of the cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place. A pad is conveniently included on an inside face of each side of the device, and preferably extends along all of the inside faces of each side of the device.

Furthermore, the retention means may comprise a plurality of petals attached to the frame so as to extend inwardly, the petals being configured so as to deflect against the side of a cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place. The petals may advantageously taper towards their ends, and preferably have sides which contact sides of adjacent petals in an un-deflected position to form a continuous layer between the sides of the device. Conveniently, the petals may be formed from a single layer of material attached between the sides of the device which is cut radially outwards from the central point towards the sides of the device.

In another preferred embodiment, the retention means comprises a plurality of ribs, ridges or nodes on an inside face of at least one side wall of the device, operable to be deformed against the side of the cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place. The ribs, ridges or nodes are preferably Included on an inside face of each side wall of the device.

The resiliently deformable retention means is preferably made of a rubber material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the frame is collapsible, and the frame preferably comprises at least three sides, at least two sides are hingedly attached to each other, and an end of two of the sides not attached to a hinge includes connection means to releasably connect the said two ends together - 4 In a preferred embodiment, the frame partially surrounds the circumference of a cylindrical container, and preferably includes biasing means to attach the device to the cylindrical container. The device conveniently has a base and resiliently s deformable sides which are spring biased, and the device Is preferably frusto- triangular in shape.

In a preferred embodiment, an outer surface of the frame includes means to prevent movement of the device relative to a surface on which it Is placed, said means conveniently comprising a hook and loop type fastening means, such as Velcro_.

However, the means may also comprise magnets, or may alternatively comprise a rubber layer. The means may also comprise at least one suction pad, or alternatively may comprise a plurality of protrusions such as spikes, ridges, ribs, nodes or fingers.

Furthermore, the means may comprise a sticky coating.

In a preferred embodiment, the frame includes a lip extending from an edge of at least one side wall of the frame. Preferably, the lip extends from each edge of each side wall of the frame.

The device may be made of plastic or a thermoplastic, or may conveniently be made of resin. Alternatively, the device may be made of cardboard. The device may also be made of metal or wood, or a combination of any of the above materials.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a first triangular embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1A shows the device of Figure I with a bottle inserted therethrough; Figure 2 is a second triangular embodiment including bottle-retaimng bands; Figure 3 is a thltd triangular embodiment Including resilient bottle-retaining fingers; Figure 4 is a fourth triangular embodiment including bottle- retaining petals; Figure 4A shows the device of Figure 4 with a bottle inserted therethrough; Figure 5 is a fifth embodiment comprising a frustatriangular shape; - 5 Figurc 6 is a square embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7A is a circular embodiment of the invention including four anti-roll pro jections; Figure 7B shown the embodiment of Figure 7A but with three anti-roll projections; s Figure 8 is another triangular embodiment with a circular collar within the triangular frame; Figure 9 Is a further triangular embodiment with a circular collar within the triangular frame; Figure 1 OA is a collapsible triangular embodiment; Figure IOB shows the embodiment of Figure 10A with two sides detached; and Figure lOC shows the embodiment of Figures 10A and 10B when folded flat.

In the following description, the embodiments of the invention will be described in the context of stablising a 'bottle', although the term 'bottle' may be read as being lS interchangeable with any 'cylindrical container'.

Referring now to Figures 1 and IA, the device of the invention comprises a triangular frame 10 defining a central opening 11. The triangular frame 10 is an equilateral triangle and is of an appropriate size so that it is just able to receive a bottle 5 therethrough (see Figure 1A) with the rounded side of the bottle contacting the mid-point on the inside surface 12a of each side 12 of the triangular frame 10.

The bottle 5 is held in place by frictional resistance with said inside surfaces 12a of each of the sides 12. The triangular frame 10 may be sized so that a standard size bottle of wine is a snug fit therein. It may also be made from a material which has a degree of flexibility so that the sides 12 of the frame will 'give' slightly when fitted to a bottle so that it can accommodate bottles having a range of diameters. It may also be provided with some kind of retention device to releasably locate it around a bottle so that it does not fall off but can still be removed easily when it is no longer required.

It will also be appreciated that the device can be provided in a range of different sizes to that tt can be used with a wide range of differently sized bottles. - 6

Once the device has been attached the bottle 5, it will be apparent that when the bottle is laid on its side, it will be Impossible for the bottle to roll in any direction as the triangular frame attached thereto will prevent such motion. The device of the present invention thereby prevents the occurance of any of the problems mentioned s above.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. As with the device of Figure 1, an equilateral triangular frame 20 comprises side walls 22 and defiers a central triangular aperture 21. However, a resilient member 23 is tensioned from an inside surface 22a of one side wall 22 to the inside surface 22a of another side wall 22, across each vertex 24 where the end of one side wall 22 meets the end of another side wall 22. These resilient members 23 allow the device to securely grip a bottle of such a diameter that the edge is not in contract with inside surfaces 22a of the side walls. Instead, when the bottle is inserted through the central triangular aperture, it deflects the resilient members 23 so that they deform to adopt the shape of the outer curved surface of the bottle 5. The bottle 5 is thereby held in place within the triangular frame 20 by friction with the resilient members 23. Although a resilient member 23 extending across each vertex 24 is shown, it will be appreciated that the frame 20 may be provided with only one or two resilient members 23.

Another alternative embodiment of the present invention comprises an equilateral triangular frame 30 with side walls 32 defining a central triangular aperture 31, as with the two embodiments described above. This embodiment includes at least one resilient finger 33 (three being shown in Figure 3) protruding inwards into the central triangular aperture 31, from each vertex 34 where the ends of the side walls 32 meet.

In use, these fingers 33 are deflected when a bottle 5 is inserted into the triangular aperture 31, and therefore exert a force on three sides of the bottle. This serves to hold the bottle in place within the central aperture 31 and prevent it from sliding out. The dcvce 30 is thereby operable to prevent the bottle 5 from rolling around when the bottle Is placed on its side when the device is attached to it. It is also - 7 operable to accommodate bottles with a range of diameters and hold them firmly in place.

In another embodiment, shown in Figures 4 and 4A, the device 40 comprises a s triangular frame 41 with side walls 42, and a membrane 43 disposed within the frame which extends to all inside edges 42a of the side walls 42. The membrane 43 is divided into a number of petals 44, each of which has a fixed edge 44a joined to the frame 41 and an opposite end which tapers inwardly towards the centre of the frame 41 and, preferably, to a point 44b. All of the pointed ends 44b meet at the middle of the membrane 43, and can be moved relative to one another by folding about their respective fixed edges 44a. The membrane 41 is made of a resilient material, so any such folding movement would require the application of force to the petal 44.

When a bottle 5 is inserted through the frame 41 (see Figure 4A) it must be pushed against the petals 44 to deflect them out the way. The petals then lie against the side of the bottle 5 around it and exerting a force against it, thereby holding the bottle in place within the frame 41. As with the resilient members 23 and the resilient fingers 33 of the previous embodiment, the petals 44 act to attach the device 40 to the bottle 5 to prevent the bottle from rolling when it is placed on its side.

All of the embodiments of the invention described above include a triangular frame with various additional features. However, the invention is not limited to just triangular anti-roll devices, and Figures 5 to 7 show such alternative shaped devices.

Figure 5 shows a frusto-triangular device 50, having a base 51 and sides 52. The ends 52a of the sides 52 remote from the base 51 do not meet and therefore do not make a complete triangle. Instead, they remain separated by a gap 'd'. The sides 52 are not rigidly secured to the base 51 but are resiliently deformable so can be deflected from their normal rest position by an applied force.

This device is used as with those described above, and is to be attached to a bottle to prevent the bottle from rolling when placed on its side. A bottle can either be slid in between the base 51 and the sides 52, or the ends 52a of the sides 52 can be - 8 resiliently deflected or pulled apart for the bottle to be slipped between them into place. The gap d is smaller then the diameter of the bottles which the device 50 is intended to be attached to, and so once the bottle 5 is m place, the resilient sides 52 are biased against the sides of the bottle and friction therebetween hold the device s 50 attached to the bottle 5.

Figure 6 shows a square embodiment of the device GO that works in the same way as that of Figure 1. The device 60 is dimensioned such that the sides 61 are lust able to receive a bottle therebetween with the sides of the bottle in contact with inside surfaces 61a of the sides 61 and friction holding the device 60 attached to the bottle. It will be appreciated that this square embodiment 60 could also include resilient members or fingers at the corners as described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

Figures 7A and 7B show two further alternative embodiments 70 comprising a circular collar 71 shaped so as to be a push-fit over a specific size bottle and be held in place by friction with the side of the bottle. The collar 71 has a number of arms 72 extending radially outwards therefrom (four in Figure 7A, three in Figure 7B). In use, when the bottle is placed on its side with the attached device 70, the arms act to contact the surface on which the bottle is laid and prevent the bottle from being able to roll. It will be appreciated that the collar 71 could be made from an elastic material that stretches to enable it to be placed over a bottle. Not only does this enable it to be used for a wide range of differently sized bottles, but the elasticity of the collar also retains it in position on the bottle to which it is attached.

Figure 8 shows another triangular embodiment comprising a frame 80 having side walls 82 defining a central triangular aperture 81. A circular collar 83 is attached to the inside surface 82a of the side walls 82, and the collar 83 defines a circular aperture 83a. The circular collar 83 is operable to receive a cylindrical container or bottle through said circular aperture 83a and to retain such a container in place.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment similar to Figure 8, comprising a frame 90 having side walls 92 defining a central triangular aperture 91. This embodiment also has a circular collar 93 attached to the inside surfaces 92a of the side walls 92 and which defines a circular aperture 93a, but the collar 93 itself does not contact the inside surfaces 92a of the side walls 92. Instead, the device is provided with appropriate means to support the collar 93 within the frame 92. These are shown as support rods 94 extending between the collar 93 and the frame 92. As with the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the circular collar 93 is operable to receive a cylindrical container or bottle through said circular aperture 93a and to retain such a container in place.

It will be appreciated that all of the embodiments described above are of a 'fixed 0 form'- i.e. the shape of the overall device cannot be substantially altered. However, it is intended to provide within the scope of the invention, a device which can not only perform the function of those described above, but which may also be collapsible. Such an embodiment is shown in Figures 10A - 10C which show a triangular frame 100 comprising three flat bars 102a, 102b, 102c which make up the three sides of the triangular frame 100. Two of the bars 102a, 102b have one of their ends attached by a hinge 104 to each end of the remaining bar 102c respectively. The opposite ends of the two bars 102a, 102b from the ends attached to the remaining bar 102c, include connection means 105 such that said opposite ends can be connected together as shown in Figure 10A. The connection means 105 are releasable so that said opposite ends can be detached from one another (see Figure NOB). Any suitable connection means could be used, but in the embodiment shown, a two-part clip is used, with one part attached to each of said opposite ends of the two bars 102a, 102b respectively.

In use, the two part clip 104 is connected so that the triangular frame 100 is formed from the three side bars 102a, 102b, 102c as shown in Figure 10A, and the device can be used as described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

However, when the device is not in use, the clip 105 can be disconnected, and the two side bars 102a, 102b can be separated and pivoted about the hinges 104 away from each other. The device can then be folded flat either as one straight bar, or the two bars 102a, 102b could be folded flat against either side of the remaining bar 102c, as shown in Figure 10C. The device IS thereby much more compact that when - 10 it is in its erected state shown In Figure lOA, anal so can be more efficiently and easily stowed away.

The shape of all of the articles described above are chosen to IJC highly stable and s unlikely to roll on a surface, either if the surface is sloped or if the bottle and attached device are subjected to an external force, such as being in a car under heavy braking. However, in order to reduce the risk of rolling even more, it is intended that at least one of the faces on the outside of the device may include means by which the device can be attached to the surface on which it is to be placed. For example, the outside faces could be provided with a layer of tiny hooks as found in known 'hook and loop' fasteners such as Velcro_. Alternatively, the layer could be made of a non-slip material or one with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber, that would resist slipping on smoother or more polished surfaces.

Alternatively, the outside faces could include small nodules or spikes which would grip a fabric surface or a carpet of a car boot for example. The device could even be formed from or incorporate a magnetic material to enable it to be attached to metal surfaces.

The devices of the invention are intended to be mass produced items and as such, made from suitably cost effective materials. For example, they could be made from an appropriate plastic, polymer or resin. Alternatively they could be made from stiff cardboard, a material especially suitable for the embodiment shown m Figure 4. The device may include a lip extending perpendicularly from the side walls of the frame to strengthen them, which would be particularly useful if the device is made of cardboard as mentioned above.

It will be appreciated that combinations of the venous bottle-retaining means described above could be used with a single device of the invention. For example, one embodiment could include both the resilient members 23 shown in Figure 2 as well as the resilient fingers 33 shown in Figure 3.

Although some of the embodiments described above are designed to be able to accommodate bottles of differing diameters, it is intended that the devices of the Invention could be made in different sizes so that a purchaser could choose the most appropriate size device for the particular bottle(s) they intend to use it with.

Furthermore, the device could be longer than those shown in the Figures so that tt covers a larger proportion of the outside surface of the cylindrical container or s bottle. It is also intended that the device could be operable to be attached to the shoulder or neck of a bottle, rather than just the mam body of a bottle as shown in Figures 1A and 4A, and still perform its intended function of preventing a bottle from rolling on the surface on which it is resting.

The regular polygonal nature of the embodiments described above has an added advantage that a plurality of the same device can be arranged with sides in contact with those of other devices so that they fit together in a regular pattern. Therefore, when the devices are attached to bottles, they enable the bottles to be stacked, which can be useful for presentation purposes in retail outlets, for example. This stacking function could be more easily performed if the devices were longer and covered a larger proportion of the length of the bottles, as mentioned above.

It is envisaged that any blank space on the outside surface of the devices could be used for promotional purposes, such as advertising or display of brand logos and the flat outer surfaces of the device lend themselves well for this purpose. The devices could therefore be placed for sale along side bottles in retail outlets such as supermarkets or off- licences and serve as marketing tools for companies and businesses. A corporate identity or advertising/promotional information could be printed directly onto the flat outer surfaces of the device. Alternatively, the device could be provided with a separate, clip-on, branding plate. - 12

Claims

Claims 1. A device to prevent a cylindrical container lying on its side

from rolling across a surface on which it is placed, the device comprising a support member s releasably attachable to a cylindrical container and shaped so as to stabilise a cylindrical container to prevent it rolling across said surface when a cylindrical container, to which the device is attached, is lying on its side with the support member in contact with the surface.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a frame to surround at least a part of the circumference of a cylindrical container.
3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the frame is polygonal in shape.
4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the frame is triangular.
5. A device according to claim 3 wherein the frame is square.
G. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame is formed from a resiliently deformable material which deforms when attached to a cylindrical container so that it is held in place by a frictional force between the frame and the cylindrical container.
7. A device according to any of claims 2 to G. including resiliently deformable retention means operable to releasably attach the frame to a cylindrical container.
8. A device according to claim 7 wherein the retention means comprises at least one elastic member tensioned and extending between two sides of the device, the or each elastic member bemg configured to deflect and stretch around a cylindrical container when the device is releasably attached thereto so as to grip the cylindrical container and retain the device in position thereon. - 13
9. A device according to claim wherein two sides of the frame meet at an apex and the elastic member extends between said two sides across the apex.
10. A device according to claim 7 wherein at least two sides of the frame meet at s an apex and the retention means comprises at least one resiliently deformable finger extending from the apex bisecting the angle between the two sides, the or each finger being configured to deflect against the side of a cylindrical container when the device is releasably attached thereto so as to grip the cylindrical container and retain the device in position thereon.
11. A device according to claim 7 wherein the retention means comprises at least one resiliently deformable pad on an inside face of at least one side of the device, operable to be deformed against the side of the cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place.
12. A device according to claim 11 including a pad on an inside face of each side of the device.
13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the pad extends along all of the inside faces of each side of the device.
14. A device according to claim 7 wherein the retention means comprises a plurality of petals attached to the frame so as to extend inwardly, the petals being configured so as to deflect against the side of a cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place.
15. A device according to claim 14 wherein the petals taper towards their ends.
16. A device according to claim 15 wherein the petals have sides which contact sides of adjacent petals in an un-deflected position to form a continuous layer between the sides of the device. - 14
17. A device according to claim 16 wherem the petals are formed from a single layer of material attached between the sides of the device which is cut radially outwards from the central point towards the sides of the device.
18. A device according to claim 7 wherein the retention means comprises a plurality of ribs, ridges or nodes on an inside face of at least one side wall of the device, operable to be deformed against the side of the cylindrical container to frictionally hold the device in place.

0
19. A device according to claim 18 including ribs, ridges or nodes on an inside face of each side wall of the device.
20. A device according to any of claims 7 to 17 wherein the resiliently deformable retention means is made of a rubber material.
21. A device according to any of claims 2 - 7 wherein the frame is collapsible.
22. A device according to claim 21 wherein the frame comprises at least three sides, at least two sides are hingedly attached to each other, and an end of two of the sides not attached to a hinge includes connection means to releasably connect the said two ends together.
23. A device according to claim 2 wherein the frame partially surrounds the circumference of a cylindrical container.
24. A device according to claim 23 including biasing means to attach the device to the cylindrical container.
25. A device according to claim 24 havmg a base and resiliently deformable sides which are spring biased.
26. A device according to any of claims 23 to 25 wherein the device is frusto- triangular in shape.
27. A device according to any of claims 2 to 26 wherein an outer surface of the frame includes means to prevent movement of the device relative to a surface on which it is placed. s
28. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises a hook and loop type fastening means, such as Velcro_.
29. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises magnets.
30. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises a rubber layer.
31. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises at least one suction pad.
32. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises a plurality of protrusions such as spikes, ridges, ribs, nodes or fingers.
33. A device according to claim 27 wherein the means comprises a sticky coating.
34. A device according to any of claims 2 to 33 wherein the frame includes a lip extending from an edge of at least one side wall of the frame.
35. A device according to claim 34 wherein the lip extends from each edge of each side wall of the frame.
36. A device according to any preceding claim made of plastic or a thermoplastic.
37. A device according to any preceding claim made of resin.
38. A device according to any preceding claim made of cardboard. - 16
39. A device according to any preceding claim substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

s
40. A bottle including a device according to any preceding claim shaped to stabiles said bottle to prevent it from rolling across a surface on which it is placed.