Carrier Devices And Carrier Systems For Carrying And Transporting Containers

Abstract

A carrier device for containers, the carrier device has a body that includes a planar bottommost surface and at least one opening. The opening in the body is configured to receive at least one container at a time. Moreover, the opening has an inside periphery configured to receive containers having different outer periphery configurations.

1 . A carrier device for containers, the carrier device comprising:
 a base comprising a planar bottommost surface; and   a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the base, the plurality of sidewalls defining at least one opening, a support surface defining a bottom portion of the opening, the support surface comprising a concave surface extending downwardly, the opening configured to receive at least one container at a time, the opening having an inside periphery configured to receive containers having different outer periphery configurations.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier device of  claim 1  wherein the different outer periphery configurations comprise at least two of the following configurations: a rectangular configuration, a square configuration, a round configuration and a cylindrical configuration. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The carrier device of  claim 1  wherein a bottom periphery of the opening comprises a scale device configured to provide weight measurements. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier device of  claim 1  further comprising a first spacer device in the at least one opening, the first spacer device comprising at least one cavity to receive a container, the cavity having an inside periphery that is different from the inside periphery of the at least one opening. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier device of  claim 6  wherein the first spacer device comprises at least two cavities, the two cavities having one of the following relative inside peripheries: the same inside peripheries or different inside peripheries. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier device of  claim 6  further comprising a second spacer device in the cavity of the first spacer device, the second spacer device comprising an opening having one of the following inside peripheries: an inside periphery that is the same as the inside periphery of the first spacer device or an inside periphery that is different from the inside periphery of the first spacer device. 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The carrier device of  claim 1  wherein the body comprises:
 a planar base comprising the planar bottommost surface; and 
 a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the base and encircling a portion of the base, the combination of the sidewalls and the encircled portion comprising the opening having the inside periphery configured to receive the containers having the different outer periphery configurations, the sidewalls comprising a material having characteristics to maintain the physical shape and form of the inside periphery. 
 
     
     
         12 . The carrier device of  claim 11  wherein the material of the plurality of the sidewalls comprises closed cell rubber. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier device of  claim 11  wherein the base and the sidewalls are an integral and single structure. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier device of  claim 11  wherein the base is a discrete structure and the plurality of the sidewalls are collectively a discrete structure from the base, and wherein the base is removably secured to the collective plurality of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         15 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A carrier system for carrying and transporting containers, the carrier system comprising:
 a first receptacle comprising an opening configured to receive at least one container, the opening having an inside periphery configured to receive containers having different outer periphery configurations;   a first planar base supporting the first receptacle and comprising a first portion extending laterally from the first receptacle; and   a first interlocking device in the first portion of the first base.   
     
     
         19 . The carrier system of  claim 18  wherein the first interlocking device comprises a dovetail joint. 
     
     
         20 . The carrier system of  claim 18  further comprising a second receptacle supported upon a second planar base comprising a second interlocking device, the second interlocking device interlocked with the first interlocking device. 
     
     
         21 . The carrier device of  claim 1  further comprising a planar surface in the center of the concave surface. 
     
     
         22 . The carrier device of  claim 1  wherein the concave surface comprises a first concave surface, and further comprising a second concave surface in the center of the first concave surface, the first concave surface comprising a curvature different from a curvature of the second concave surface. 
     
     
         23 . The carrier device of  claim 1  further comprising a planar surface extending between an upper periphery of the concave surface and the plurality of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         24 . The carrier device of  claim 1  wherein an upper periphery of the concave surface is located in the center of the support surface. 
     
     
         25 . The carrier system of  claim 18  wherein the first receptacle comprises a single, integral, unitary structure and is removably secured to the first planar base. 
     
     
         26 . The carrier system of  claim 18  wherein the opening of the first receptacle comprises a first opening, the first opening laterally adjacent a second, separate, discrete opening, each opening comprising a support surface, one support surface being located at an elevation that is different from an elevation of the other opening.