WO2005073023A1

WO2005073023A1 - Apparatus for holding a container in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2005073023A1
Application number: PCT/US2005/001211
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark A. Calder; David J. Spykerman
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
Priority date: 2004-01-21
Filing date: 2005-01-13
Publication date: 2005-08-11

Abstract

A vehicle cup holder includes a cavity sized to receive a container therein. A plurality of retaining members extend into the cavity and are biased toward the inside of the cavity to securely hold the container.

Description

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING A CONTAINER IN A VEHICLE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/538,005, entitled "Apparatus for Holding a Container in a Vehicle," filed on January 21, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicles, such as motor vehicles (e.g., automobiles, etc.), mobile wheeled vehicles, etc., frequently include cup holders for holding beverages at a location convenient for use by the vehicle operator or passenger. Such cup holders typically accommodate a number of containers such as Styrofoam coffee cups, beverage cans, plastic beverage bottles, etc. Such cup holders may be positioned in an easily accessible arrangement in a console positioned between the seats or in any other suitable arrangement. Also, the cup holders may extend from the instrument panel of a vehicle in a retractable mounting arrangement, extend from a drawer from a center console, be positioned in a center console, or pivot outwardly from a console or armrest of a vehicle so as to position the cup holder in a location readily accessible by the vehicle operator or passenger.

[0003] Due to wide variations in the size and configuration of containers that may be placed in a vehicle cup holder, it is often desirable to provide a cup holder that may be configured to hold all or most of these various cups. However, in doing so, it is also desirable to provide a cup holder that is relatively compact, effective, and simple to make and use. Unfortunately, conventional cup holders are often limited in the breadth of container sizes that can be held by the cup holder. Also, conventional cup holders may exert very little or no pressure on a container as it is placed inside the cup holder, but exert a much larger amount of pressure on the container as it is removed from the cup holder (e.g., cup holders using fingers that are biased toward the container and pivot on a horizontal axis). This may result in the contents of the container being spilled as the user removes it from the cup holder. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a cup holder that overcomes one or more of these deficiencies. DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 is a top side view of one embodiment of a cup holder.

[0005] Figure 2 is a front perspective sectional view of another embodiment of a cup holder.

[0006] Figure 3 is a front side sectional view of another embodiment of a cup holder.

[0007] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of another embodiment of a cup holder.

[0008] Figure 5 is a rear side view of another embodiment of a cup holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Referring to Figure 1, a top side view of a cup holder or apparatus for holding a container 50 in a vehicle (not shown) is shown. The cup holder 50 comprises a frame 56 and a plurality of retaining members, biased members, or fingers 58. Frame 56 includes base 60 and side wall 62 which cooperate to define a first cavity 52 and a second cavity 54. First and second cavities 52, 54 are separated by recesses 64 in side wall 62 of frame 56. In another embodiment, cavities 52, 54 may be separated by an additional wall in the area between recesses 64. Also, in yet another embodiment, cup holder 50 may comprise a single cavity or more than two cavities (e.g., three, four or more adjacent cavities) each of which is defined by a base and a side wall. Cavities 52, 54 may be any suitable shape to hold a container (e.g., substantially round, substantially square, substantially oblong etc.). Also, Frame 56, base 60, and side wall 62 may be made of any suitable material (e.g., plastics, metal, composites, etc.) using any suitable process (e.g., injection molding, machining, etc.) to provide cup holder 50 with the desired characteristics (e.g., low cost, durability, aesthetics, etc.). [0010] Retaining members 58 are generally configured to extend through holes 66 and into cavities 52, 54 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Retaining members 58 are biased towards the interior of cup holder 50. Thus, when a container is positioned inside cup holder 50, retaining members 58 are configured to he spread apart by the container. In this manner, retaining members 58 contact the container and hold the container in a fixed position in the vehicle.

[0011] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, retaining members 58 are configured to pivot around a substantially vertical axis 68. Spring or biasing member 70 is provided to bias retaining members 58 around vertical axis 68 towards the interior of cavities 52, 54. When a contamer is positioned inside cavities 52, 54, spring 70 biases retaining members 70 towards the container. In this manner, retaining members 58 are provided with the desired tension to hold or steady the container.

[0012] Retaining members 58 comprise protrusions 78 which extend into cavities 52, 54 and hold a contamer placed therein. Because retaining members 58 pivot around vertical axis 68 and protrusions 78 extend through holes 66, protrusions 78 are generally shaped with curved outer surfaces 80, 82 that will track through holes 66 as retaining members 58 pivot.

[0013] In general, each retaining member 58 is coupled to frame 56 using a shaft which defines vertical axis 68. The shaft is attached to mounting brackets 76 at both ends of the shaft. The middle of the shaft is received by a tubular section 72 which is defined by meshing adjacent tubular sections 72 A, 72B that correspond to retaining members 58 A, 58B.

[0014] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, first retaining member 58A and second retaining member 58B are configured to pivot around substantially the same vertical axis 68. By using the same vertical axis 68 to pivot around, only one shaft, one spring 70, and one set of mounting brackets 76 are used to couple the retaining members 58A, 58B to frame 56. In another embodiment, first retaining member 58A and second retaining member 58B may be configured to pivot around separate vertical axes. In another embodiment, retaining members 58 may be configured to biased into cup holder 50 using a translational movement in a horizontal plane. By pivoting around vertical axis 68 or by translational movement in a horizontal plane, the amount of force exerted on a container positioned inside cup holder 50 is substantially the same regardless of whether the container is being put into or pulled out of cup holder 50. [0015] Referring again to Figure 4, in the embodiment shown, adjacent retaining members 58 A, 58B are substantially identical. Retaining members 58 A, 58B maybe positioned adjacent to each other as shown in Figure 4 by rotating one retaining member by one hundred and eighty degrees in a vertical plane from the other one (i.e., flip one of them over). By making and stocking only a single part for retaining members 58, inventory requirements and manufacturing complexity are decreased.

[0016] Retaining members 58 may be made from any suitable material including metal, plastic, composites, etc. In one embodiment, retaining members 58 are made with plastic using an injection molding process. In certain embodiments where retaining members 58 extend a relatively large distance into the interior of cup holder 50, it may be desirable to use a two step overmolded design to provide protrusions 78. A two step overmolded design may be desirable to alleviate any difficulties in creating the mold for retaining members 58.

[0017] Although the embodiments shown herein describe cup holder 50 as including four retaining members 58, it should be understood that other designs may be used which include one, two, three, five, six, or more retaining members 58 to hold a container. Also, retaining members 58 may be positioned in any suitable location on or in cup holder 50. Further, retaining members 58 may be used in various designs where the particular design of base 60 and side wall 62 are varied. For example, cup holder 50 may comprise one, two, three, four, or more separate side walls which define a cavity such as cavity 52.

[0018] In general, cup holder 50 is configured to receive and hold containers of varying sizes and made of various materials. For example, cup holder 50 may receive containers such as aluminum cans (e.g., conventional 12 fluid ounce soda cans, etc.), plastic bottles, paper based drink cups, etc. In one embodiment, cup holder 50 is configured so that the size of frame 56 combined with the range of motion of retaining members 58 allows cup holder 50 to receive and hold containers that are not less than 55 millimeters in diameter to those that are not larger than 95 millimeters in diameter (diameter of non-round shaped containers is measured from the center point to the point of the container furthest away from the center point). In another embodiment, cup holder 50 may receive and steady containers that are not less than 55 millimeters in diameter and not more than 85 millimeters in diameter.

[0019] It should be noted that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the cup holder as shown in the embodiments described herein are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present inventions have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages described. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements show as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the length or width of the structures and/or members or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied (e.g. by variations in the location of the pivot point between the first and second portions). It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures and combinations. It should also be noted that the cup holder may be used in association with a variety of vehicles (e.g., sedans, SUVs, vans, minivans, trucks, boats, heavy duty vehicles, or alternatively other situations where an armrest may be provided). Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present inventions. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A vehicle cup holder comprising: a cavity sized to receive a container therein; a plurality of retaining members extending into the cavity, the retaining members being biased toward the inside of the cavity, each of the retaining members also pivoting around a substantially vertical axis.

2. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein two of the retaining members pivot around the same substantially vertical axis.

3. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein each of the retaining members are interchangeable.

4. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein the retaining members are biased only in a horizontal direction.

5. The cup holder of claim 1 comprising a base; and a side wall coupled to the base and including a hole therein, the base and the side wall defining, at least in part, the cavity; wherein one of the retaining members extends through the side wall.

6. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein the plurality of retaining members includes a first pair of retaining members and a second pair of retaining members, the first pair of retaining members pivoting around a first substantially vertical axis and the second pair of retaining members pivoting around a second substantially vertical axis.

7. The cup holder of claim 6 comprising a first spring positioned in line with the first substantially vertical axis and a second spring positioned in line with the second substantially vertical axis, the first and second springs being used to bias the first and second pairs of retaining members toward the inside of the cavity.

8. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein a force exerted on a cup being placed into the cup holder by the retaining members is substantially the same as a force exerted on the cup being removed from the cup holder.