Pull-out gear driven container holder

A container holder for a vehicle includes a frame slideably mounted within a hollow housing. The frame includes C-shaped recesses along its sides which cooperate with curved arms which are slideably positioned adjacent the recesses and extend to form a ring-shaped structure for holding containers when the frame is extended. The arms rotate between a storage position and a use position as the frame is moved from the retracted stored position to an extended use position respectively by the coupling of a center fixed rack and pinion gears which engage teeth on the arms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a cupholder for use in motor vehicles, and 
particularly to one which is slideable to a compact storage position. 
Today's consumers demand that the interior of vehicles be both functional 
and aesthetically pleasing. One way of satisfying this need has been to 
provide convenience accessories such as cupholders which move between use 
and storage positions. However, as vehicles become smaller, the 
availability of storage locations of adequate size has become more 
limited. At the same time, optimum placement of components, such as 
cupholders, have become increasingly difficult due to the compact size of 
the passenger compartment. Thus there is a need for cupholders which 
compactly fold for storage and which open to provide secure retention of 
containers and at the same time are relatively inexpensive and reliable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A container holder embodying the present invention comprises a frame which 
slides into and out of a slot in a housing. The frame includes one or more 
C-shaped arm means for engaging the sidewalls of a container and drive 
means extend between the frame and said arm means for extending the arm 
means in an arcuate path for use and withdrawing said arm means for 
storage as said frame is moved into said housing. Bail means extend under 
the central container receiving opening defined by said arm means for 
supporting the bottom of a container placed in said container holder 
during use. 
In a preferred embodiment, the means for extending said arm means includes 
gear means extending between said arm means, said frame and said housing 
for extending said arm means as said frame is withdrawn from said housing. 
Thus, a container holder of the present invention provides in a preferred 
embodiment, a compact system with container supporting members which are 
positively moved as the container holder is moved from a storage position 
to a use position. These and other objects, features and advantages of the 
present invention will become apparant upon reading the following 
description of the invention together with reference to the accompanying 
drawings in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A container holder 10 embodying the present invention is illustrated in 
FIGS. 1-3 and is mounted to a suitable support structure 16 in a vehicle 
such as an automobile. Cupholder 10 includes a frame 12 which is slideably 
mounted within a housing 14 of a center armrest 16 which includes a 
forwardly facing slot 18. Frame 12 slides between an extended use position 
shown in FIG. 1 and a retracted storage position within housing 14 of 
armrest 16. A pair of generally C-shaped arms 20 are movably supported 
within correspondingly C-shaped guide tracks 22 on opposite sides of frame 
12 to form a generally ring-shaped structure for holding a pair of 
containers such as a can or cup 24 when frame 12 is in the extended use 
position. Arms 20 slideably retract along a path shown by arrows A in 
FIGS. 1 and 2 into frame 12 to form a compact arrangement for storage as 
frame 12 is slideably retracted into the retracted storage position within 
housing 14. Positive drive means mounted between frame 12, arms 20, and 
the housing 14 cooperate to rotate arms 20 outwardly to a use position as 
frame 12 is slid outwardly and rotate arms 20 inwardly toward a storage 
position as frame 12 is slid into housing 14. 
Frame 12 is a substantially planar structure of generally rectangular 
configuration with sides 32 and 34 but with C-shaped recesses or guides 22 
integrally formed on either side 32 and 34. Frame 12 includes a finger 
grip 36 at its forward edge and includes a rearwardly extending center 
support 38 which provides structural support for frame 112 when frame 12 
is fully extended. Support 38 cooperatingly slides within slot 18 of 
housing 14 to provide a smooth, non-binding sliding action. Located around 
the perimeter of recesses 22 is a curved track or ridge 40 (FIG. 2) which 
cooperates to guide arms 20 as discussed below. 
Mounted within housing 14 is an elongated member 42 centrally positioned 
within slot 18 and extending parallel to the direction of movement of 
frame 12. Member 42 includes teeth 44 on either side along its length, the 
purpose of which is described below. Two ribs 46 extend along support 38 
adjacent and on either side of member 42 and serve to guide and stabilize 
frame 12 as it translates fore and aft. 
Arms 20 are C-shaped and are slideably positioned on frame 12 within 
recesses 22 with one arm 20 adjacent each recess 22. Arms 20 slide on 
tracks 40 around recesses 22 between the rotated use position and 
retracted storage position. Arms 20 each include a generally rectangular 
cross-section defined by an inner surface 48, an outer surface 50, a top 
surface 52 and a bottom surface 54, as best seen in FIG. 4. Inner surface 
48 integrally includes gear teeth 56 extending along its length for the 
controlled movement of the arms as described below. Outer surface 50 
provides a container engaging surface along with surface 23 of recess 22. 
Top surface 52 is flush with, and provides an aesthetically pleasing 
matching surface with upper surface 60 of frame 12 (FIG. 1). Bottom 
surface 54 includes an upwardly extending notch 62 which extends over and 
rides on track 40 of frame 12. In the preferred embodiment, the 
cross-section is substantially rectangular, although it is contemplated 
that alternative cross-sectional shapes are possible 
The means for extending and retracting arms 20 include the gear teeth 56 on 
the vertical edge of the arms which engage a pinion gear 64 rotatably 
mounted to the frame between the upper frame member 11 and the lower frame 
member 3. In the preferred embodiment, two pinion gears 64 are mounted for 
rotational movement about a vertical axis adjacent recesses 22 and 
positioned to engage the teeth 44 on either side of elongated member 42 as 
frame 12 is moved between the extended use position and the retracted 
storage position. Pinion gears 64 also operably engage the teeth 56 on 
arms 20 such that as the frame 12 is withdrawn the gears 64 rotate against 
the stationary rack 42 causing the arms to extend. In the embodiment 
shown, each pinion gear 64 is mounted on vertical pins 66 (FIG. 2). The 
rack 42, as best seen in the half view of FIG. 4, is generally inverted 
U-shaped with guide rails 46 extending upwardly from the floor 15 of lower 
frame half 13 for guideably engaging the inner surface of the rack 42. 
Outer guide rails 47 also provide controlled and stable motion to the 
frame in its motion with respect to the rack which is mounted on a support 
floor 49 (FIG. 3) of housing 14. A slot 45 in floor 15 of lower frame half 
13 provides clearence for member 49. 
In order to support the bottom of a container, a pivoted generally T-shaped 
bail 70 is pivotally mounted to the lower frame half 13 as seen in Figs. 
1-3. Bail 70 includes a cross arm 76 extending at least partially under 
the openings 21 for receiving containers as seen in FIG. 2. Cross arm 76 
is integral with center leg 74 which is pivotally mounted by a hinge pin 
72 to hinge mounting boss 68 on frame 12 (FIG. 3). When frame 12 is in the 
extended use position, leg 74 extends diagonally downwardly from the lower 
frame half 13 and side members 76 extend laterally under the cupholder 
rings formed by arms 20 and is supported in this diagonal position by 
upstanding catch 78 which engages frame 12 for holding bail 70 diagonally 
in a lowered use position. As frame 12 is moved from an extended position 
into the retracted position, leg 74 contacts lower lip 80 of slot 18 thus 
forcing leg 74 and therefore bail 70 upwardly around hinge point 72. Bail 
70 thus is raised upwardly and folds flush into frame 12 as shown by arrow 
B in FIG. 3. 
OPERATION 
Having described the components of the container holder of the present 
invention, the operation of the present invention is as follows. 
Initially, frame 12 and arms 20 are assembled and secured within housing 
14 which is, in turn, securely attached within a vehicle such as within an 
armrest 16. When an operator desires to use the container holder 10, the 
operator grips finger grip 36 pulling frame 12 outwardly from slot 18. As 
frame 12 is extended, center gear rack 42 rotates pinion 66 and causes 
arms 20 to rotationally extend around recesses 22 guided on curved tracks 
40 integrally formed on bottom frame half 13. When frame 12 is about 
halfway extended, arms 20 are fully extended forming a substantially 
ring-like structure for holding one or two containers 24. Simultaneously, 
bail 70 gravity drops downwardly as hinge point 72 slides past the front 
of slot 18, into a container supporting position below arms 20 and 
openings 21 formed thereby. Frame 12 is then fully extended to a use 
position wherein the rack 42 is disengaged from gears 66 as seen in FIG. 2 
until the frame is again pushed rearwardly. 
When the operator is done using cupholder 10, the operator merely pushes 
frame 12 back into slot 18 within housing 14. As frame 12 is moved 
rearwardly, central member 74 of center support 70 strikes lip 80 and is 
forced upwardly into a storage position within frame 12. Also, rack 42, 
again engages pinions 66 and causes arms 20 to rotate into storage 
positions within the confines of the edges 32 and 34 of frame 12 as frame 
12 slides within slot 18. 
Thus, as can be seen, the cupholder of the present invention provides a 
unique assembly which slides into compact arrangement for storage and 
which opens into a cup supporting structure which is larger than the slot 
from which it is housed. The positive gear drive mechanism assures the 
desired controlled movement of the arms without requiring springs or other 
structure which may be subject to failure. While only one embodiment of 
the present invention has been shown and described, modifications will 
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and will fall within 
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.