GB2350093A

GB2350093A - Cup holder

Info

Publication number: GB2350093A
Application number: GB9911718A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Howard Karslake; Alan Joscelyn
Original assignee: ARTHOUSE DESIGN ASSOCIATES Ltd
Current assignee: ARTHOUSE DESIGN ASSOCIATES Ltd
Priority date: 1999-05-21
Filing date: 1999-05-21
Publication date: 2000-11-22
Also published as: GB9911718D0

Abstract

A holder 10 for supporting a cup or the like container in a vehicle having a door 20 with a window 18 slidable in a gap defined between outer and inner 16 door panels comprises a body 12 within which the cup may be placed, the body having a lower surface which, in use, rests on the upper ledge of the inner door panel 16 and a flap 14 extending downwards from one side of the body for insertion into the gap between the window glass 18 and the inner door panel 16 to prevent the body from moving laterally relative to the door. The holder may be formed by folding a cardboard blank.

Description

2350093 CUP HOLDER

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a cup holder for use in a motor vehicle to hold a cup or other open drink or food container.

Background of the invention

When a driver or a passenger is eating while seated in a vehicle, for example after buying a meal from a drivein fast-food outlet, there is a need to be able to rest a partly full cup or an opened can of drink temporarily in the vehicle without the risk of the drink spilling. To this end, cup holders have already been incorporated as a permanent feature in some modern motor vehicles taking the form of a tray that pulls out of the dashboard or being integrated into the lid of the glove box.

For vehicles without such cup holder, there have been proposed various cup holders, some of which are designed to be window mounted. Some of those intended for window mounting have suction pads to attach to the window glass.

Some of the others are designed either to straddle the window glass or the door while still others are designed to f it in the gap in the door between the inner door panel and the sliding window.

The present invention relates to a cup holder of the type that fits in the gap between the window glass and the inner door panel. An example of such cup holder is described in US Patent No. 5,106,046.

In the known cup-holders, the cup hangs from the top surface of the trim panel. When mounted on the door of a vehicle, the centre of gravity of the cup and holder lies below the ledge at the top of the inner door panel and the holder is required to extend across the full of the inner door panel and any trim panel f itted over it. As inner door panels and trim panels are not of a standard width, if the cup is not to overhang but rest neatly against the side of the trim panel, the cup holder needs to be made adjustable in width. This adds to the cost and complexity of the cup holder.

Object of the invention The present invention seeks to provide a cup holder of fixed geometry but can fit most vehicles.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a holder for supporting a cup or the like container in a vehicle having a door with a window slidable in a gap defined between outer and inner door panels, the holder comprising a body within which the cup may be placed, the body having a lower surface which, in use, rests on the upper ledge of the inner door panel and a flap extending downwards from one side of the body for insertion into the gap between the window glass and the inner door panel to prevent the body from moving laterally relative to the door.

The cup holder of the present invention differs from known cup holders in that centre of gravity of the cup and the holder is higher than the upper ledge of the inner door panel. The cup rests above the inner door panel and its weight is taken by the reaction force of the upper ledge of the inner door rather than by a bracket that straddles the inner door panel. The flap inserted into the window gap does not take the weight of the cup and holder but only serves for lateral location.

One important advantage of this construction is that the same cup holder can be used in virtually any vehicle without the need for any adjustment and without interfering with the raising and lowering of the window.

The cup holder body and flap may be formed of an injected moulded plastics material. Alternatively, the holder may be formed of flexible plastics or plastics-coated sheeting with a foam lining for retaining the cup or other container.

In a particular inexpensive embodiment of the invention, the cup holder may be formed by folding a suitably shaped cardboard blank.

The cup holder of the invention may thus be constructed very inexpensively, making it commercially viable for the holder to be given away free of charge by fast-food outlets as a sales promotion. In this respect, the fact that the holder sits above the inner door panel when it is in use is particularly advantageous because the holder and the cup can be seen through the window. The holder can serve as an excellent advertising medium in that any advertising mate rial printed on it will be on constant display in the vehicle window.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cup holder formed of injection moulded plastics material, Figure 2 is a section of the cup holder of Figure 1 schematically shown mounted in the window gap of a vehicle door, 4 Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cup holder made of cardboard, and Figures 4 is a plan view of a cardboard blank that can be folded to form the cup holder of Figure 3.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Figures 1 and 2 show an injection moulded cup holder 10 having a main body formed with a recess 12 into which one can place a cup or a can. A flap 14 extends downwards from one side of the body for insertion in the manner shown in Figure 2 in the gap between the window glass 18 and the inner door panel 16 of a vehicle door 20.

When mounted on the vehicle door 20, the body of the cup holder 10 rests on the upper ledge of the inner door panel 16 and its weight is supported in this manner. The flap 14 acts merely to locate the cup holder 10 laterally to prevent it from falling off this ledge.

Figure 3 shows a cup holder that is used in the same manner as described above but can be constructed from cardboard by folding the blank shown in Figure 4.

The cup holder 30 in Figure 3 has a box-like body and a flap 34 for insertion into the gap between the window glass and the inner door panel of a vehicle door. The top of the box is formed with an opening 32 the mouth of which is defined by radial finger to allow it to accommodate cups and containers having different outside diameters.

The cup holder 30 can be made by folding the blank shown in Figure 4 and to assist in identifying the various sections of the blank in the surfaces of the assembled cup holder, they have been allocated the same reference numerals in both drawings. Hence, the blank is cruciform with the top 40 of the cup holder arranged at the centre of the cross.

The four sections 42 and 44 of the blank contiguous with the top 40 form the sides of the box, the section 50 forms the bottom of the box while the two end sections 46 and 48 can be secured to each other by means of adhesive strips 52 to form the flap 34. Two further sections 54 are designed to have their ends inserted in slots 56 in the bottom of the box to hold the sides 42 in an assembled state.

It will be clear that the design of the blank can differ from that illustrated and that other methods can be used to maintain the configuration of the assembled cup holder.

As can be seen in Figure 3, it is possible to print advertising material on the cup holder in a position that is visible from outside the vehicle when the cup holder is in use. Of course, advertising material may also be printed on the inwardly facing surfaces of the cup holder it desired.

It will also be clear that there are numerous other ways in which the cup holder of the invention may be cons tructed inexpensively. For example, a f oam block with a central cut-out for a cup or a can may be attached to a sheet of plastics or plastics-coated material defining a flap for insertion into the window opening. The central opening may have serrations about its periphery to accommodate cups and cans of different sizes. The foam block may simply rest above of a sheet bent into an inverted Lshape or the sheet may be wrapped around the periphery of the foam block leaving the foam block to rest directly on the upper ledge of the inner door panel.

Claims

1 A holder for supporting a cup or the like container in a vehicle having a door with a window slidable in a gap defined between outer and inner door panels, the holder comprising a body within which the cup may be placed, the body having a lower surface which, in use, rests on the upper ledge of the inner door panel and a flap extending downwards from one side of the body for insertion into the gap between the window glass and the inner door panel to prevent the body from moving laterally relative to the door.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder body and flap are formed of an injected moulded plastics material.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder is formed of a flexible plastics or plastics-coated sheeting and a foam block for retaining the cup or other container.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder is formed of cardboard.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the holder is by folding a single blank.

6. A holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein advertising material is printed on the body of the holder so as to visible when the window is in use through the window opening of the vehicle door.

7. A holder for supporting a cup or the like container in a vehicle having a door with a window slidable in a gap defined between outer and inner door panels, the holder being constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.