Cup holder for vehicles
A cup holder includes a holder base having a plurality of receiving seats to receive a drink container therein and a plurality of mounting holes formed at a predetermined position in a sidewall of each receiving seat. The cup holder further includes a hollow case that is mounted behind each mounting hole of the holder base, a support member inserted into the hollow case, and a return spring positioned between the support member and the hollow case. The cup holder is able to stably support drink containers having various sizes and shapes, and, when desired, a drink container may easily be removed from the cup holder without interference.
The present application is based on and claims priority from, Korean Patent Application Ser. No. 10-2004-0066609, filed on Aug. 24, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a cup holder for vehicles. More particularly, the cup holder is able to stably support cups or drink containers having various sizes and shapes by using the elasticity of a spring.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONGenerally, cup holders for vehicles are provided in the center of fascia panels along with audio system components and air conditioner control panels. The typical cup holders are operated by a sliding type movement so that the cup holders extract from and retract into the center fascia panels. Alternatively, cup holders may be mounted in floor console trays between gearshift levers and console boxes such that the cup holders are exposed.
Typically, cup receiving holes of cup holders have prescribed sizes, but, recently, cup holders having structures, such that drink containers of various diameters can be seated in the cup holders, have been developed. Furthermore, cup holders, having structures in which cup holders can stably support drink containers such that the drink containers do not move despite the vibration of vehicles, have been proposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn embodiment of the present invention includes a cup holder for vehicles that is able to stably support cups or drink containers of various sizes and shapes by using the elasticity of a spring. When a drink container is seated in the cup holder, a support member simultaneously moves backwards along a guide means and steadily holds the circumferential outer surface of the drink container using the elasticity of the spring. When the drink container is removed from the cup holder, an upper part of the support member is rotated backwards so that the drink container can be smoothly removed from the cup holder without being interrupted by the support member.
Embodiments of the prevent invention provide cup holders for vehicles including a holder base having at least one receiving seat provided in the holder base to receive a drink container therein and at least one mounting hole formed at a predetermined position in a sidewall of the receiving seat. A hollow case is mounted behind the mounting hole of the holder base with an opening formed in a front surface of the hollow case. A pair of first slots, each having an inclined semicircular shape are formed in opposite sidewalls of the hollow case are also included. A pair of second slots, each having an inclined linear shape are formed below the first slots in the opposite sidewalls of the hollow case. A support member is inserted into the opening of the hollow case, the support member being open at a surface thereof with a pair of first pins provided on outer surfaces of sidewalls of the support member and inserted into the first slots of the hollow case. A pair of second pins are provided below the first pins on the outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the support member and inserted into the second slots of the hollow case. A return spring is included at a predetermined position in the support member and supported at a first end thereof by the support member and at a second end thereof by the hollow case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFor a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, in which:
A cup holder for vehicles according to the present invention can be installed in a floor console between a driver's seat and a passenger seat. As shown in the drawings, a cup holder includes a support member 12 which is manufactured through a molding process. The support member 12 serves to substantially support a drink container. The support member 12 is open at a rear surface thereof and has a hollow and semicircular shape. Two first pins 14 and two second pins 16 integrally protrude from outer surfaces of sidewalls of the support member 12 at upper and lower positions, respectively.
A support surface 18, which is preferably convex in a semicircular or elliptical shape and serves to hold the circumferential outer surface of a drink container 10, forms a front surface of the support member 12. Furthermore, a support shaft 22 is integrally included on an inner surface of a sidewall of the support member 12 and a return spring 20 is fitted over the support shaft 22. A stopper 24 is integrally provided on an inner surface of the front wall of the support member 12 so that a first end of the return spring 20 is supported by the stopper 24.
As shown in
The support member 12, to which the return spring 20 is coupled, is mounted to the hollow case 26. As shown in
Each first slot 30 has a semicircular or elliptical shape to allow the upper part of the support member 12 to be rotated backwards when the drink container 10 is removed from the cup holder. Movement of the support member 12 is further described herein. Each second slot 32 is inclined in an upward diagonal direction from the rear end of the hollow case 26 to the front end. Furthermore, two insert ends 38 are integrally provided on opposite side edges of the front surface of the hollow case 26 such that the hollow case 26 may be mounted behind a mounting hole 36 of a holder base 34 in a sliding manner. Moreover, the support groove 28 is formed at an upper position on an inner surface of the rear wall of the hollow case 26 so that the second end of the return spring 20 is hooked to and supported by the support groove 28 of the hollow case 26.
According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of hollow cases 26, each having a support member 12, are mounted behind the holder base 34, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The operation and effect of the cup holder of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction will be described herein below in connection with
When no drink container 10 is in the cup holder, the first and second pins 14 and 16 of each support member 12 are located at uppermost positions in the first and second slots 30 and 32 of the hollow case 26 as a result of the elasticity of the return spring 20. In this state, when a drink container 10 is seated into the receiving seat 42 of the holder base 34, the lower end of the drink container 10 compresses the upper portions of the support members 12 and the support members 12 move backwards. When the drink container 10 is completely seated in the receiving seat 42, the support surfaces 18 of the support members 12 come into close contact with the circumferential outer surface of the drink container 10 and, thus, steadily support the drink container 10 using the elasticity of the return springs 20.
In other words, when the lower end of the drink container 10 compresses the upper portions of the support members 12, the support members 12 compress the return springs 20. Simultaneously, the first and second pins 14 and 16 of each support member 12 move downwards and backwards along the first and second slots 30 and 32 of each hollow case 26. As such, when the support members 12 are moved backwards by the drink container 10 seated in the receiving seat 42, the support surfaces 18 of the support members 12 elastically support the circumferential outer surface of the drink container 10 using the restoring force of the return springs 20, as shown in sequence in
Hereinafter, the operation of removing the drink container 10 from the cup holder will be described. When the drink container 10, which has been seated in the receiving seat 42 is removed from the receiving seat 42, the lower end of the drink container 10 raises the support members 12. Then, as shown in the final sequence view of
In detail, because the second slots 32 are diagonal linear slots, when upward force is applied to the support member 12, the second pins 32 serve as a rotating axis for the angular motion of the support member 12 without moving along the second slots 32. The support member 12 compresses the return spring 20 while rotating backwards around the rotating axis defined by the second pins 16. Here, because the first pins 14 of the support member 12 are inserted in the first slots 32, having semicircular shapes, the upper part of the support member 12 smoothly rotates backwards.
That is, when the upper part of the support member 12 is rotated backwards, the movement path of each first pin 14 is not linear, but is curved. To allow such curved movement of the first pin 14, each first slot 32 has a semicircular shape. Therefore, when the lower end of the drink container 10 raises the support members 12, because the upper parts of the support members 12 are rotated backwards, the drink container 10 is easily removed from the cup holder.
In particular, if a drink container has a relatively wide lower end and is concave at an intermediate portion, even if the lower end of the drink container strikes the lower portions of the support members 12 when being removed from the cup holder, the support members 12 absorb the impact because they rotate backwards. Consequently, the drink container is easily removed from the cup holder.
As is apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in a cup holder for vehicles according to embodiments of the present invention in that when a drink container is seated in the cup holder, a support member simultaneously moves backwards and steadily holds the circumferential outer surface of the drink container using the elasticity of a spring. When the drink container is removed from the cup holder an upper part of the support member is rotated backwards at the moment that the lower end of the drink container raises the lower part of the support member so that the drink container can be easily removed from the cup holder. In other words, the cup holder of the present invention makes it possible for the drink container, which has been supported by the support member in the cup holder, to be easily removed from the cup holder without interference from the support member.
While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the best practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A cup holder for vehicles, comprising:
- a holder base, with at least one receiving seat provided in said holder base to receive a drink container therein, and at least one mounting hole formed at a predetermined position in a sidewall of said receiving seat;
- a hollow case mounted behind said mounting hole of said holder base, with an opening formed in a front surface of said hollow case, a pair of first slots, each having an inclined semicircular shape, formed in opposite sidewalls of said hollow case, and a pair of second slots, each having an inclined linear shape, formed below the first slots in the opposite sidewalls of said hollow case;
- a support member inserted into said opening of said hollow case, said support member being open at a surface thereof, with a pair of first pins provided on outer surfaces of sidewalls of said support member and inserted into said first slots of said hollow case, and a pair of second pins provided below said first pins on the outer surfaces of the sidewalls of said support member and inserted into said second slots of said hollow case; and
- a return spring provided at a predetermined position in said support member and supported at a first end thereof by said support member and at a second end thereof by said hollow case.
2. The cup holder as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
- a plurality of insert ends provided on side edges of the front surface of said hollow case; and
- a plurality of slide grooves formed on opposite sides of the mounting hole of said holder base, so that said insert ends of said hollow case insert into said slide grooves of said holder base in a sliding manner.
3. The cup holder as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
- a support shaft provided on an inner surface of a sidewall of said support member so that said return spring is fitted over said support shaft.
4. The cup holder as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
- a stopper provided at a predetermined position on an inner surface of said support member to support thereon the first end of said return spring.
5. The cup holder as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
- a support groove formed at a predetermined position in an inner surface of a rear wall of said hollow case to support therein the second end of said return spring.
6. A cup holder, comprising:
- a holder base having a receiving seat configured to receive a drink container, the receiving seat having a sidewall defining a mounting hole;
- a hollow case positioned adjacent said mounting hole, the hollow case having a front surface defining an opening, the hollow case further having opposite side walls defining a pair of first slots, each having an inclined shape, and a pair of second slots, each having an inclined shape, defined below the first slots in the opposite sidewalls of said hollow case;
- a support member configured and dimensioned to be inserted into said opening of said hollow case, the support member having sidewalls with first pins provided on outer surfaces of the sidewalls, the first pins being configured and dimensioned to be inserted into said first slots of said hollow case, and second pins provided adjacent said first pins on the outer surfaces of the sidewalls of said support member configured and dimensioned to be inserted into said second slots of said hollow case; and
- a return spring having a first end supported by said support member and a second end supported by said hollow case.
7. The cup holder of claim 6, wherein the first slots are semicircular shape and the second slots are linear shape.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 24, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 2, 2006
Inventor: Seung-Sik Han (Ulsan Metropolitan City)
Application Number: 11/210,622
International Classification: A47K 1/08 (20060101);