Compact container holder

Abstract

A compact container holder that comprises a housing, a door, and at least one arm is provided. The arm can be linked to the door through a linkage that can also connect opposing dual pivots. The opposing dual pivots can allow the container holder to fully open and close in one controllable motion, providing a container holder that simply and reliably opens and closes.

1 . A container holder comprising: 
 a housing;    a door pivotally connected to the housing;    at least one arm pivotally connected to the housing; and    at least one linkage having a first end pivotally connected to the door and a second end pivotally connected to said arm.    
   
   
       2 . The container holder of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the door is pivotally connected to the housing at a door pivot;    said arm is pivotally connected to the housing at an arm pivot;    the first end of said linkage is pivotally connected to the door at a linkage-door pivot and the second end of said linkage is pivotally connected to said arm at a linkage-arm pivot; and    wherein the linkage-door pivot rotates about the door pivot and the linkage-arm pivot rotates about the arm pivot.    
   
   
       3 . The container holder of  claim 2 , wherein the linkage-door pivot rotates about the door pivot in a direction opposite to the direction the linkage-arm pivot rotates about the arm pivot.  
   
   
       4 . The container holder of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the housing has at least one housing side; and    said arm is pivotally connected to said housing side.    
   
   
       5 . The container holder of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the door has at least one door side; and    wherein said door side is pivotally connected to said housing side at the door pivot.    
   
   
       6 . The container holder of  claim 1 , wherein said “at least one arm” comprises two arms each pivotally connected at spaced-apart positions to the housing; and said “at least one linkage” comprises two linkages each having a first end pivotally connected at spaced-apart positions to the door and a second end pivotally connected to said arms.  
   
   
       7 . The container holder of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the door is pivotally connected to the housing using two spaced-apart door pivots;    the arms are pivotally connected to the housing at spaced-apart arm pivots;    the first end of the linkages are each pivotally connected to the door at spaced-apart linkage-door pivots and the second end of the linkages are each pivotally connected to their respective arms at a linkage-arm pivot;    wherein the linkage-door pivots on each linkage rotates about a door pivot and the linkage-arm pivot on each arm rotate about an arm pivot.    
   
   
       8 . The container holder of  claim 7 , wherein the linkage-door pivot on each linkage rotates about a door pivot in a direction opposite to the direction the linkage-arm pivot on said linkage rotates about an arm pivot.  
   
   
       9 . The container holder of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the housing has at least two generally opposed housing sides; and    wherein one arm is pivotally connected to at least one of said generally opposed housing sides.    
   
   
       10 . The container holder of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the door has at least two generally opposed door sides; and    wherein the at least two generally opposed door sides are each pivotally connected to the at least two generally opposed housing sides at spaced-apart door pivots.    
   
   
       11 . A container holder comprising: 
 a housing;    a door pivotally connected to the housing at at least one door pivot;    at least one arm pivotally connected to the housing at an arm pivot; and    at least one linkage having a first end pivotally connected to the door at a linkage-door pivot and a second end pivotally connected to said arm at a linkage-arm pivot, the linkage-door pivot rotating about said door pivot and the linkage-arm pivot rotating about the arm pivot; and    wherein the linkage-door pivot rotates about said door pivot in a direction opposite to the direction the linkage-arm pivot rotates about the arm pivot.    
   
   
       12 . The container holder of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the housing has at least one housing side; and    wherein said arm is pivotally connected to said housing side at the arm pivot.    
   
   
       13 . The container holder of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the door has at least one door side; and    wherein said door side is pivotally connected to said housing side at said door pivot.    
   
   
       14 . The container holder of  claim 11 , wherein the container holder further comprises: 
 a door pivotally connected to the housing at two spaced-apart door pivots;    two arms pivotally connected to the housing at spaced-apart arm pivots; and    two spaced-apart linkages each having a first end pivotally connected to the door at a linkage-door pivot and a second end pivotally connected to an arm at a linkage-arm pivot, the linkage-door pivot rotating about the door pivot and the linkage-arm pivot rotating about the arm pivot; and    wherein the linkage-door pivot rotates about the door pivot in a direction opposite to the direction the linkage-arm pivot rotates about the arm pivot.    
   
   
       15 . The container holder of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the housing has at least two generally opposed housing sides; and    wherein the each of said arms is pivotally connected to the each of said housing sides at said arm pivot.    
   
   
       16 . The container holder of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the door has at least two generally opposed door sides; and    wherein the at least two generally opposed door sides are each pivotally connected to the at least two generally opposed housing sides at spaced-apart door pivots.