BACKGROUND

Technical Field

This present application is generally directed to holding devices. More particularly, this application relates to a device suitable for holding condiment containers provided by fast-food restaurants. Specifically, the application is directed to a condiment holder that is engageable with an air vent fin of a vehicle and which includes a retaining aperture configured to be capable of selectively receiving and retaining any one of a plurality of differently shaped condiment containers therein and to a method of using the condiment holder.

Background Information

People frequently stop at fast-food restaurants while traveling and, instead of eating in the restaurant, take the food back to their vehicle for consumption while driving. It is common for fast-food meals to be accompanied by a variety of condiments such as ketchup or dipping sauces that come in small flexible pouches or rigid condiment containers. Some of these condiment containers comprise a plastic base that defines a recess which holds the condiment. A peelable cover is engaged with the base and must be removed in order to access the condiment retained within the recess. These condiment containers are quite small, typically being around one inch long, one inch or less wide, and one inch or less deep.

Once the consumer has removed the cover, the condiment container may be tilted so that the condiment in the recess may be poured over the consumer's food. In other instances, the consumer may want to dip their food, such as fries or chicken nuggets for example, into the condiment held in the recess of the container in order to smother their food in the condiment. Holding a small condiment container and trying to dip food into the same can become a very messy experience.

As indicated above, other types of condiment container are simply a small plastic pouch that has to be torn open to access the quantity of condiment retained inside the pouch. Attempting to use these flexible pouches for dipping purposes or attempting to pour condiment from a flexible pouch onto food can, again, create quite a mess.

A number of solutions to this problem have been proposed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,199,584 and 9,296,324 (Mango) disclose a holder for condiment packets, where the holder may be engaged in a vehicle cup holder or air vent. The holder comprises a planar body that includes a cylindrical portion that defines an aperture therein and in which a condiment container may be suspended. The body is between 3.5 inches and about 4.5 inches in size to make it suitable to rest on a flange surrounding a cup holder. The holder further includes an extension that protrudes from the cylindrical portion. The extension defines a slot therein and this slot is configured to receive a fin of a vehicle air vent therein and thereby hold the holder on the air vent. In some instances, the extension includes a projection to help retain the extension on a vehicle air vent. The condiment packet is held under slight compression within the aperture. U.S. Pat. No. 9,199,584 discloses separate holders for each of a plurality of differently-configured condiment packets. For example, for rectangularly-shaped condiment packets, the aperture defined in the cylindrical body of a first holder is rectangular in configuration. For square-shaped condiment packets, the aperture defined in the cylindrical body of a second holder is square in configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 9,296,324 discloses an embodiment of a condiment holder that is capable of selectively retaining each of two separate condiment packet shapes. A first condiment packet will be retained in a first orientation within the holder and a second differently-configured packet will be retained in a second orientation within the same holder.

SUMMARY

There remains a need in the art for an improved condiment holder that is relatively easy for a consumer to use and access. The condiment holder and method disclosed herein addresses many of the shortcomings of the prior art.

A condiment holder for supporting a condiment container is disclosed herein. The condiment holder including a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. An aperture is defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body. The aperture extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the body. The peripheral wall includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections and each set of opposed wall sections is configured to engage one of a plurality of differently shaped condiment containers. The peripheral wall includes at least three sets of opposed wall sections and the body is thereby able to selectively engage at least three differently shaped condiment containers. A clip extends outwardly from the body and is utilized to engage a fin of a vehicle air vent. Engaging the fin secures the condiment holder to the air vent.

In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a condiment holder for supporting a condiment container, said condiment holder comprising a body having a top surface and a bottom surface; and an aperture defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body, said aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces; wherein the peripheral wall includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections and each set of opposed wall sections is adapted to engage one of a plurality of differently-configured condiment containers; and wherein the peripheral wall comprises at least three sets of opposed wall sections and the body is thereby adapted to selectively engage at least three differently-configured condiment containers.

In one example, the body is one of substantially square and substantially rectangular in shape when viewed from above. In one example, the body has a length measured between a front end and a rear end of around 2% inches and a width measured between a left side and a right side of around 2% inches. In one example, the condiment holder further includes a clip extending outwardly from the body; said clip being adapted to engage at least one fin of a vehicle air vent. In one example, the body further comprises a second aperture defined by a portion of the interior peripheral wall of the body, said second aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The second aperture is adapted to receive a condiment container therein. The portion of the interior peripheral wall that defines the second aperture includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections and each set of opposed wall sections is adapted to engage one of a plurality of differently-configured condiment containers therein.

In one example, the clip is selectively rotatable about an axis oriented at right angles to a rear end of the body. In one example, the body further comprises a neck extending rearwardly from a rear end of the body; and wherein the clip is operatively engaged with the neck. In one example a base plate that operatively engages the clip to the neck. In one example, the condiment holder includes a ball-and-socket joint that operatively engages the clip to the neck. The neck (or another portion of the body) defines a socket of the ball-and-socket joint and the clip includes a ball of the ball-and-socket joint and the ball extends outwardly from the clip and is frictionally received in the socket. The ball-and-socket joint allows the body to selectively pivot in a first direction or in a second direction relative to a horizontally-oriented plane. In one example, the clip comprises at least two tines separated by a space; wherein the tines are adapted to be received in gaps defined between adjacent air vent fins; and the space is adapted to receive at least one air vent fin therein. In one example, the peripheral wall is oriented at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the top surface of the body. The condiment holder further comprises a flange region extending downwardly from a front end of the body.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a kit for holding condiments; said kit comprising a condiment holder comprising a body having a top surface and a bottom surface; and an aperture defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body and extending between the top and bottom surfaces; wherein the peripheral wall includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections and each set of opposed wall sections is adapted to engage one of a plurality of differently-configured condiment containers; and wherein the peripheral wall comprises at least three sets of opposed wall sections and the body is thereby adapted to selectively engage at least three differently-configured condiment containers; and the kit further includes a fastener mechanism provided on the body; said fastener mechanism being adapted to secure the body to a vehicle air vent; and at least one condiment container sized to be received in the aperture defined by the body of the condiment holder.

In one example, the fastener mechanism includes clip having a first pair of tines spaced a first distance apart and a second pair of tines spaced a second distance apart; wherein the first pair of tines is adapted to selectively receive a first fin of the vehicle air vent therein and the first fin is of a first thickness; and the second pair of tines is adapted to selectively receive a second fin of the vehicle air vent therein, wherein the second fin is of a second thickness. The first pair of tines and the second pair of tines are oriented at right angles to each other. In one example, the kit further comprises a ball-and-socket joint interposed between the clip and the body. In one example, the body is rotatable relative to the fastener mechanism.

In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method of presenting condiments for use while seated in a vehicle; said method comprising providing a condiment holder comprising a body having a top surface and a bottom surface; an aperture defined by an interior peripheral wall of the body, said aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces; wherein the peripheral wall includes a plurality of sets of opposed wall sections; and a clip extends outwardly from the body; engaging the clip of the condiment holder with an air vent of the vehicle; selecting one of the plurality of sets of opposed wall sections for engagement of a condiment container; wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting a set of first wall sections if the condiment container has a first exterior shape; selecting a set of second wall sections if the condiment container has a second exterior shape; selecting a set of third wall sections if the condiment container has a third exterior shape; and orienting the condiment container to engage the selected set of the first, second, or third wall sections; placing a flange of the condiment container on the top surface of the body; engaging the condiment container with the selected set of first, second, third or additional wall sections; and retaining the condiment container in the aperture. In one example, the method further comprises pivoting the body relative to the clip and orienting the top surface of the body so that a condiment container received therein is kept level.

