Abstract:
A container holder has a base, a container holding top positioned above the base, and a floor which is horizontally slideably mounted between the base and top at an intermediate position above the floor of the base and movable between a first position in which the sliding floor forms an upper floor support and a second position in which the floor of the base supports a container to increase the depth of the container holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container holder and particularly one with a sliding floor for adjusting the depth of the container holder. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicle occupants and other users of container holders frequently desire a container holder which accommodates different sized containers. Thus, some individuals need to hold relatively small coffee or soda containers, while others prefer to hold large sized containers, such as 20 oz. beverages sold by fast food restaurants and others. Typically, container holders have sides which will accommodate different diameter containers and the height is the issue. In order to accommodate different containers, a variety of container holders have been devised which include vertically movable spring-loaded and latched floors which are somewhat complicated and, therefore, expensive. Also, they are prone to failure and inoperability if a spillage of fluid occurs. Thus, there remains a need for a container holder which provides a variable height support for containers which is easy to operate, inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the container holder of the present invention satisfies this need by providing a base with a floor, a container holding top having a generally cylindrical wall with an open bottom positioned above the base. A sliding floor is horizontally slideably mounted between the base and top at an intermediate position above the floor of the base and movable between first and second positions. In a first position, the sliding floor forms an upper floor support, and, in the second position, the floor of the base supports a container to increase the depth of the container holder. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a dual container holder is provided in which one side has fixed depth and the opposite side has a variable depth. This is achieved by providing a horizontal sliding floor which is slideably positioned on the container holder to slide between first and second positions to selectively increase the depth of the variable depth container holder. 
     A container holder so-designed can be placed in a vehicle center console or in an armrest, or in a furniture armrest, or anywhere a container holder with an adjustable depth is desired. By providing a sliding floor to adjust the depth of the container holder, a relatively inexpensive design is achieved which is reliable and easy for the operator to use. 
     These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the container holder of the present invention, shown with the sliding floor in a first position; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary top plan view of the container holder of the present invention, shown with the sliding floor in a second position to increase the depth of the container holder on the left side as viewed in this figure; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the components of the container holder shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective assembled view of the base and sliding floor, as seen in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of the container holder with the sliding floor in the position shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary perspective view of the container holder with the sliding floor shown in the position of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective assembled view of the container holder in the position shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the container holder taken along section lines VIII-VIII of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container holder taken along section lines IX-IX of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , there is shown a container holder  10  embodying the present invention. The container holder can be mounted to a vehicle for use by the driver or occupants in a center console (front or rear) or an armrest (front or rear), or in the armrest of a piece of household furniture, or wherever an adjustable depth container holder is desired. For purposes of illustration, the container holder  10  shown in the drawings is mounted to a vehicle center console  12  represented schematically in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The container holder  10  is mounted laterally, such that the adjustable depth side (shown to the left in these figures) is on the driver&#39;s side. It is to be understood, however, that the container holder  10  can be oriented in a reversed position or along a longitudinal axis as opposed to laterally. 
     The container holder comprises three sections, as seen in  FIG. 3 , including a base  20 , a sliding floor  40 , and a top  60 , which are sandwiched together as seen in  FIGS. 5-7  in a manner allowing the sliding floor  40  to move from a first position shown in  FIG. 1  to a second position shown in  FIG. 2 . Although the container holder shown in these figures includes a dual container holder with one side having a fixed depth and the opposite side having a variable depth, it is to be understood that a single container holder can be made which has the variable depth feature of this invention. 
     The base  20  of container holder  10 , as best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is a generally rectangular structure having a floor  22 , side walls  24  and  26 , a generally rectangular end wall  28  and a curved opposite end wall  30 . Extending upwardly from sides  24  and  26  are mounting flanges  21  and  23  with apertures  25  and  27  for securing the base to the top  60  utilizing conventional fasteners. The junction of the side walls  24 ,  26  to the flanges  21 ,  23  each include a horizontally extending guide slot  32 , which includes partially obstructing tabs  33  near opposite ends of slots  32  into which guide tabs  42  of sliding floor  40  extend, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The upper surface  50  of the sliding floor has overhanging edge  52  on which tabs  42  are mounted with edge  52  riding on and supported by the upper edges  29  of base  20 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Floor  22  of base  20  includes at least one and preferably a plurality of spaced, parallel grooves  34  which receive downwardly projecting legs  44  of sliding floor  40 , as perhaps best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 9 . The legs  44  together with grooves  34  and guide slot  32  and tabs  42  provide smooth guided movement of the sliding floor  40  between the left most first position (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to the right most second position (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The tabs  33  and  42  interact to provide the user a tactile feel that the sliding floor  40  has reached an end position as well as holding the floor in a position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The sliding floor  40  likewise is generally rectangular having side walls  45 , a generally rectangular end wall  46 , and a curved end wall  48  which mates with the curvature of wall  30  of base  20 . 
     The sliding floor  40  includes a resilient rubber compound pad  54  covering the top  50  and an indentation  56  for sliding the floor in a horizontal plane between a first position shown in  FIG. 1  to a second position in  FIG. 2 , increasing the depth of the container holder aperture  70 . When moved to the position, as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the sliding floor  40  includes a finger tab  58  which allows the user to move the floor in a direction indicated by arrow A in  FIG. 2  toward the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The top  60  defines a generally rectangular frame  62  with mounting tabs  64  on the forward and rearward edges for securing the base  20  to the top  60  in sufficient spaced relationship, such that sliding floor  40  can easily move between the positions shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The tabs  64  include apertures  63  for receiving conventional fasteners for coupling the base to the top as well as securing the container holder assembly so defined to the vehicle in a conventional manner. The top includes a first aperture  66  with generally cylindrical side walls  67 , which are slightly conically tapered to receive typically shaped containers. A container-receiving aperture has a fixed depth floor  68  therein which, as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is located on the passenger side. On the driver&#39;s side, the frame  62  includes an aperture  70  with a generally cylindrical side wall  71  and an open bottom  72  ( FIG. 3 ) which exposes the sliding floor  40  when the floor is in a left most position defining a shallower container holder. Side wall  71  is also slightly tapered inwardly from top to bottom to receive typically shaped containers. When moved to the position shown in  FIG. 2 , opening  72  exposes the floor  22  of the underlying base  20 , thereby increasing the depth of the container holder by an amount equal to the height of walls  24  and  26  of the base. The circular open bottom  72  of the cylindrical container holder is vertically spaced above floor  22  of base  20  a distance “d” ( FIG. 8 ) typically of between 1-2-inches. The floor  68  of fixed depth container holder aperture  66  includes a rubber compound pad  69  to provide frictional engagement with the bottom of a container placed therein. The cylindrical side wall  71  of aperture  70  has a diameter slightly larger than that of aperture  66 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base  20  was made of a polymeric material, such as polypropylene, while the sliding floor  40  was also made of a polymeric material, such as ABS or a polypropylene. Finally, the top  60  likewise was made of a polymeric material, such as ABS or polypropylene. As best seen in  FIG. 9 , the floor  22  of the base is canted downwardly from the fixed container holder side toward the adjustable depth container holder side  70  by an angle a of about 5° to about 10°, such that, if any spillage occurs in the container holder, it will drain to the corner of the base and can be easily absorbed with a towel when the sliding floor  40  is moved to a position shown in  FIG. 2 . The use of polypropylene for the base provides a lubricious polymeric interface between the horizontally sliding floor  40  and the base  20  to ease the sliding movement of the floor as the container holder is used for different sized containers. 
     It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.