GB2321388A

GB2321388A - Cup/can holder

Info

Publication number: GB2321388A
Application number: GB9726753A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shigeru Takimoto; Kenji Kuroki
Original assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Current assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Priority date: 1997-01-28
Filing date: 1997-12-19
Publication date: 1998-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-12-19
Also published as: GB9726753D0; JPH10203225A; DE19802897B4; DE19802897A1; JP3551677B2; GB2321388B

Abstract

A holder for cups or cans comprises a body (such as the floor console box 1 of a vehicle) having a recess 4 to receive cups and/or cans 5, 15 acted on by a detachable pressing member 2 therein. Member 2 includes pivotable pieces 10, 11 urged by spring 12 to press against, and thus grip, cups/cans of various sizes. The member 2 is detachably retained in the recess 4 by interengaging formations 6, 7, 13, 14.

Description

2321388

DESCRIPTION CUP/CAN HOLDER

The present invention relates to a cup/can holder which can be installed in various locations.

Referring to each of Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a conventional cup holder. This cup holder denoted by a reference numeral 52 is provided in the floor console box 51 of an automobile or the like. The cup holder 52 holds a cup, a can, and so on (referred to hereinafter generally as "cans"), inside. The cup holder 52 is constructed by providing a recessed section 54 for putting in a simply round or square-shaped wide can 53 in the upper surface of the floor console box 5 1.

However, there are problems inherent in the conventional cup holder 52. Specifically, since the recessed section 54 is formed to have a diameter corresponding to the wide can 53 so as to house the same, if a narrow can 55 or a paper cup is put in the recessed section 54, a gap is formed between the narrow can 55 and the inner peripheral surface of the recessed section 54. Because of this gap, the narrow can 55 may fall off if vibration occurs during travelling of the automobile. In addition, the conventional cup holder 52 is not suitable for housing small articles other than cans.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-discussed problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a cup holder having excellent general applicability, which can hold cans of various diameters and increase its commercial value.

In order to solve the problems inherent in the related art, according to the present invention, a cup holder comprises in combination a holder main body having a recessed section formed for accepting a can or the like and a can pressing member introduced into the recessed section of the holder main body in a detachable manner.

The recessed section of the holder main body is formed to have a diameter large enough to house a relatively wide can. The can pressing member includes a main body for supporting the wide can on opposite sides and folding type pressing pieces for supporting a relatively narrow can. The pressing pieces are attached to the opposite sides of the main body of the pressing member so as to be freely rotated.

Projections may be provided on either the recessed section of the holder main body or the pressing member. Fitting holes may be provided in the other of the recessed section or the pressing member. The can pressing member is fixed by engaging the projections on either said recessed section or pressing C1 member with the fittin. holes on the other of said recessed section or said pressing member.

Elongate projections may be provided in the recessed section of the holder main body. Recesses then may be provided in the pressing member so as to be engaged with the elongate projections.

As described above, the cup holder of the present invention comprises in combination the holder main body having the recessed section formed to house cans, and so on, and the pressing member fitted in the recessed section -3of the holder main body in a detachable manner. For the holder main body, a floor console box, a door trim, an arm rest or furniture of an automobile may be used. By combining the pressing member with such an accessory, the cup holder can be used as a pocket for putting in small articles. Thus, the cup holder can be used as a multipurpose box. As a result, the general applicability and the commercial value of the cup holder can be enhanced.

According to the cup holder of the present invention, the recessed section of the holder main body is formed to have a diameter large enough to house a wide can. The pressing member includes the main body for supporting the wide can from one side and the folding type pressing pieces for supporting a narrow can, each pressing piece being attached to on either side of the main body in such a manner that they can rotate. Thus, the cup holder can hold not only wide cans of various diameters but also narrow cans. As a result, the convenience of the cup holder can be enhanced further.

Furthermore, according to the cup holder of the present invention, projections or fitting holes are provided in at least one of the recessed section of the holder main body and the pressing member. By engaging the projections with the fitting holes, the pressing member can be fixed in the recessed section. Vertical elongate projections are provided on the wall of the recessed section of the holder main body, and the recesses are provided in the pressing member so as to engage with the projections. Thus, attaching/detaching of the pressing member to/from the holder main body can be facilitated, and fixing of the pressing member can be secured.

1 The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a floor console box and a pressing member as constituting elements of a cup holder of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line A-A of Fig. 1, showing a state in which the floor console box and the pressing member are combined together.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along a line B-B of Fig. 1, showing a state in which the floor console box and the pressing member are combined together.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the pressing member of the embodiment of the present invention Fig. 5 is a front view showing the pressing member of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a floor console box in which a conventional cup holder is provided.

Fit>. 7 is a sectional view taken along a line C-C of Fig. 6.

Figs. 1 to 5 each illustrates an embodiment of the cup holder of the present invention. In the drawings, the numerical reference 1 denotes a floor console box as a holder main body assembled in the cabin interior of a fourwheeled vehicle. The numerical reference 2 denotes a pressing member provided separately from the floor console box 1. The numerical reference 3 denotes a cup holder which comprises in combination the floor console box 1 and the pressing member 2.

A recessed section 4 is disposed in the upper surface of the floor console box 1 so as to house cans, and so on. This recessed section 4 is formed to have a diameter large enough to house two wide cans 5 of 350mi and to be elliptic in plan. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, projections (catches) 6 are provided oppositely to each other in the lower portions of left and right side faces of the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1. These projections 6 are fitted in later-described fitting holes. Elongate projections 7 are also provided oppositely to each other in left and right side faces of the recessed section 4. These projections 7 are formed to be extending in upper and lower directions and engaged with later-described recesses.

The pressing member 2 is fitted in the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1 so as to be detachable. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the pressing member 2 includes a main body 8 formed to be gate-like in front, a shaft 9 disposed in the upper centre position of the left and right side faces 8a of the main body 8 of the pressing member, a pair of front and rear folding type pressing pieces 10 and 11 attached to the shaft 9 by hinge connection so to freely rotate and positioned to project in two opposite directions crossing over the upper surface 8b of the main body 8, and a spring 12 for constantly pressing the pressing pieces 10 and 11 upward. The base end portion 12a of the spring 12 is attached to the shaft 9, and its front and rear tip portions 12b are disposed in contact with the lower surfaces of the presser pieces 10 and 11.

The left and right side faces 8a of the main body 8 are formed in a size -6 to be fitted in the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1. In each of the lower portions thereof, a fitting hole 13 engaged with the projection 6 of the floor console box 1 is provided. In the left and right side faces 8a of the main body 8, recesses 14 engaged with the elongate projections 7 of the floor console box 1 are provided along upper and lower directions. For the upper surface 8b of the main body 8, the middle portions of its front and rear sides are bent inward. A wide can 5 when housed in the recessed section 4 is supported by these bent middle portions.

The presser pieces 10 and 11 are provided in the left and right side faces 8a of the presser main body 8 and below the upper surface 8b. Usually, these presser pieces 10 and 11 are disposed laterally in directions nearly orthogonal to a housed narrow can 15. For housing the wide can 5, the presser pieces 10 and 11 are pushed from above to be rotated against the pressing force of the spring 12 and fall down. Then, these presser pieces 10 and 11 are disposed in a lower portion obliquely to the wide can 5. For the presser pieces 10 and 11, their outer edge line is bent inward so as to fit the round shape of can surfaces. The narrow can 15 of 250mI when housed in the recessed section 4 is supported by these tip portions with a bent edge line.

For housing and disposing the wide can 5 or the narrow can 15 by using the cup holder 3 thus constructed, as shown in Fig. 1, first the pressing member 2 is held and then fitted from above into the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1. The elongate projections 7 are engaged with the recesses 14 and inserted. The projections 6 are fitted in the fitting holes 13 of the main 7- body 8. Thus, the can pressing member 2 is fixed in the floor console box 1.

For putting in two narrow cans 15 or only one narrow can 15, the narrow can 15 is disposed to be directly inserted between the presser pieces 10 and 11 of the pressing member 2 and the wall surface of the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1. Then, narrow can 15 is then supported and held by the presser pieces 10 and 11 (see the solid line of Fig. 3).

For putting in two wide cans 5 or only one wide can 5, the presser pieces 10 and 11 of the pressing member 2 are pressed from above by the wide can 5. The presser pieces 10 and 11 are rotated downward to fall against the pressing force of the spring 12. Then the wide can 5 is disposed to be inserted between the upper surface 8b of the pressing member main body 8 and the wall surface of the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1. Thus, the wide can 5 is supported and held by the upper surface 8b of the main body 8 of the pressing member (see the broken line in Fig. 3). After the wide can 5 has been taken out from the cup holder 3, the presser pieces 10 and 11 are rotated upward by the pressing force of the spring 12 and returned to their original lateral positions.

For putting in one narrow can 15 and one wide can 5, operations similar to those described above are respectively performed.

If the cup holder 3 is not used, the recessed section 4 can be used as a pocket for putting in small articles such as sunglasses by taking out the pressing member 2 from the floor console box 1 in a procedure in reverse to that described above.

The effects of the present invention can be summarized as follows: - (1) Excellent general applicability.

According to the described embodiment, the pressing member 2 as a constituting element of the cup holder 3 is provided separately from the floor console box 1 which functions as a holder main body. Accordingly, by fixing the can pressing member 2 in a door trim, an arm rest or furniture having a recessed section other than the floor console box 1, the cup holder 3 can be used as a pocket for putting in various articles.

(2) Reliable holding of cans.

According to the described embodiment, the upper surface 8b of the main body 8 of the pressing member and the folding type presser pieces 10 and 11 are provided in the pressing member 2 placed in the cup holder 3. Accordingly, any cans placed in the recessed section 4 of the floor console box 1 can be firmly held, whether they be wide cans 5 or narrow cans 15 of different diameters.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made based on the technical teachings of the invention.

For example, according to the foregoing embodiment, for the cup holder 3, the floor console box 1 is used as a holder main body, and the floor console box 1 and the pressing member 2 are combined together. Instead, the door trim, the arm rest or furniture of the automobile may be used as a holder main body, and the cup holder may be used as a pocket for putting in various articles by combining the pressing member with such an accessory.

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Claims

-9CLAIMS

A cup holder comprising in combination:

a holder main body having a recessed section for accepting cans; and a pressing member for pressing a can introduced into said recessed section of said holder main body in a detachable manner.
2. A cup holder according to claim 1, wherein said recessed section of said holder main body is formed to have a diameter sufficient for housing a wide can, and said pressing member includes a main body for supporting said wide can from one side and folding-type pressing pieces for supporting a narrow can, the pressing pieces being attached to respective sides of said main body of the pressing member in such a way that the pieces can rotate.
3. A cup holder according to claim 1, wherein a projection is provided on either of said recessed section of said holder main body or said pressing CP member, and a fitting , hole is provided in the other of said recessed section or said pressing piece, and said pressing member is fixed by engaging said projection on either said recessed section or said pressing member with said fitting hole in the other of said body or said member.
4. A cup holder according to claim 1, wherein an elongate projection is provided in said recessed section of said holder main body, and recesses engaged with said elongate projection are provided in said pressing member.

W
5. A cup holder substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.