Container support

Claim 2

A combination cap and support for enclosing the open end of a container and for supporting the container in the administration of fluids, comprising a closure member having a side wall with means for detachably engaging the neck of a container and an end wall integral with the side wall, a drip tube surrounding an opening in the end wall and projecting outwardly therefrom, a drip chamber connected for communication with the drip tube, and an air inlet means in the end wall and adjAcent to the drip chamber; and flexible support means integral with a periphery of the closure member, the support means including an outer ring spaced outboard of the periphery of the closure member, a hanger spaced outwardly from the outer ring and joined thereto at positions which are at least halfway around the outer ring; and extendible segment means connecting the periphery of the closure to the outer ring, the extendible segment means including at least two extendible segments.

Claim 3

The combination cap and support of claim 1 wherein said flexible support means is integral with the side wall of said closure member, said extendible segment means including four arcuate segments of substantially equal length, first ends of adjacent first and second segments being joined at a first position on the side wall and first ends of adjacent third and fourth segments being joined at a second position on the side wall diametrically opposite said first position, second ends of the first and fourth segments being joined at a first position on the ring and second ends of the second and third segments being joined at a second position on the ring diametrically opposite said first position of the ring, said first positions on the side wall and the ring being substantially 90* in relation to each other, and the hanger connections being at positions which approximately fall on a straight line extending through said first and second positions on the side wall, the hanger, ring and arcuate segments lying in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the end wall.

Claim 4

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof said inner support means including a cap member for engaging one end of said container, said cap member having an end wall with an opening therein and a tubular extension projecting outwardly from said opening, an elongated chamber disposed about said tubular extension having one end enclosed by said end wall, the other end being open and of reduced size for connection to tubing and an air inlet formed in said cap member, an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof, and extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segments and operating to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and a plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 5

A container support of flexible material for suspending a container in a vertically depending manner, comprising an inner support means for engaging said container adjacent one end thereof said inner support means including a cap member for engaging one end of said container, said cap member having an end wall with an opening therein and a tubular extension projecting outwardly from said opening, an elongated chamber disposed about said tubular extension having one end enclosed by said end wall, the other end being open and of reduced size for connection to tubing and an air inlet formed in said cap member, an outer element extending around said inner support means and spaced outboard thereof, and extendible intermediate means connecting the inner support means to the outer element, said extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segments and operating to permit said outer element to be moved away from said inner support means longitudinally of a container engaged with said inner support means to cause said outer element and a plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 6

A support according to claim 3 wherein said air inlet further includes filter means detachably secured to said inlet.

Claim 7

A support for a container having a neck with an open end comprising a unitary, flat flexible member having an inner ring portion adapted to encompass the neck adjacent the open end, an outer ring spaced outwardly and around the inner ring, a hanger situated outwardly and adjacent to the outer ring and connected at positions at least halfway around the outer ring, an extendible intermediate segment means interposed around the inner ring and between the inner and outer ring, the segment means being joined to the inner and outer rings at spaced intervals, said extendible intermediate segment means operating when the support member is positioned on the neck of the container so that the hanger, outer ring and segment means are extendibly movable into planes different from the plane of the inner ring so as to encompass the container and support it in a vertically depending manner, and a cap having a peripheral edge integral with said inner ring portion, said cap including means for detachably engaging the neck of said container to close said open end, an end wall with an opening therein and a tubular extension projecting outwardly from said opening, an elongated chamBer disposed about said tubular extension having one end enclosed by said end wall, the other end being open and of reduced size for connecting to tubing, and an air inlet in said cap.

Claim 8

A support for a container having a neck with an open end comprising a unitary, flat flexible member having an inner ring portion adapted to encompass the neck adjacent the open end, an outer ring spaced outwardly and around the inner ring, a hanger situated outwardly and adjacent to the outer ring and connected at positions at least halfway around the outer ring, an extendible intermediate segment means interposed around the inner ring and between the inner and outer ring, the segment means being joined to the inner and outer rings at spaced intervals, said extendible intermediate segment means operating when the support member is positioned on the neck of the container so that the hanger, outer ring and segment means are extendibly movable into planes different from the plane of the inner ring so as to encompass the container and support it in a vertically depending manner, and a cap having a peripheral edge integral with said inner ring portion, said cap including means for detachably engaging the neck of said container to close said open end, an end wall with an opening therein and a tubular extension projecting outwardly from said opening, an elongated chamBer disposed about said tubular extension having one end enclosed by said end wall, the other end being open and of reduced size for connecting to tubing, and an air inlet in said cap.

Claim 9

A combination cap and support for enclosing the open end in the neck of a container and for supporting the container in the administration of fluids comprising a substantially flat, uniplanar member including a closure member for the open end of said container having a side wall with means for detachably engaging the neck of the container and an end wall integral with the side wall, a fluid outlet means formed in said closure member, and flexible support means connected to said closure member, the flexible support means including an outer element extending around said closure member and spaced outboard thereof and extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segment means connecting said closure means to said outer element, said extendible intermediate segment means being operable upon extension to permit said outer element to be longitudinally moved away from said closure member and longitudinally of a container engaged with said closure member to cause said outer element and plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 10

A combination cap and support for enclosing the open end in the neck of a container and for supporting the container in the administration of fluids comprising a substantially flat, uniplanar member including a closure member for the open end of said container having a side wall with means for detachably engaging the neck of the container and an end wall integral with the side wall, a fluid outlet means formed in said closure member, and flexible support means connected to said closure member, the flexible support means including an outer element extending around said closure member and spaced outboard thereof and extendible intermediate means including a plurality of extendible segment means connecting said closure means to said outer element, said extendible intermediate segment means being operable upon extension to permit said outer element to be longitudinally moved away from said closure member and longitudinally of a container engaged with said closure member to cause said outer element and plurality of extendible segments to encompass said container.

Claim 11

The combination cap and support according to claim 6 wherein said fluid outlet means includes an opening in said end wall, and a drip tube surrounding said opening and projecting outwardly from said end wall.

Claim 12

The combination cap and support according to claim 7 wherein said fluid outlet means includes air inlet means formed in said closure member.

Claim 13

The combination cap and support according to claim 8 wherein said air inlet means includes air filter means secured thereto.