Abstract:
In order to be able to initiate in a simple way the power adjustment of retaining arms of a device for holding containers, it is proposed to trigger control of an actuating drive initially by displacement of at least a bottom part of the holder, and subsequently by rotation of a container inside the holder. This permits unambiguous and intentional switch-on of the actuating drive inside the holder.

Description:
[0001]    This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 101 59 461.5, filed in Germany on Dec. 4, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The upright transport of containers in motor vehicles or the like is made difficult by the fact that these containers are subjected to the movements of the vehicles during travel. Consequently, for beverage containers in particular, efforts are made to produce a device for holding such containers, often even open containers, that is easy to operate and can hold different types of containers.  
           [0003]    From DE 199 59 599 A1 is known a generic device for holding beverage containers in motor vehicles. This device has a pot-like receiving part with side walls and a bottom wall. Swivel-mounted on the receiving part are retaining arms that can pivot into pockets in the side wall. Beneath the bottom wall is an actuating drive, by which means the retaining arms can be pivoted synchronously in a power-driven manner. The actuating drive is controlled by an occupancy detector, which uses at least two sensors for detection.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for holding containers or similar objects in motor vehicles, or similar powered or unpowered vehicles.  
           [0005]    The device according to the present invention comprises at least one opening and a bottom part along with retaining arms, which are swivel-mounted and can pivot into a release position and a holding position for a container, wherein a pulse generator triggers a first pulse for an actuating drive for the retaining arms when the container is placed on the bottom part, causing at least the bottom part to move downward and the retaining arms to be brought into the holding position, and another pulse is triggered when the container is rotated for removal of the same, causing the retaining arms to be brought into the release position.  
           [0006]    Derived from the consideration that, especially during travel, a vehicle can push, press down, and lift a container, but not rotate it, the invention is based on the concept of actuating the motor drive for the retaining arms of a holder by pressing down and by rotating or turning the container. Thereby, a simple design solution that integrates easily into the holder was chosen, by which the motor drive can be triggered initially by displacing at least a bottom part of the holder to actuate the holding function, and subsequently can be triggered to actuate the “open” function by rotating a container inside the holder. This additionally allows unambiguous switching of an actuating drive in the holder. This device is intended to be used to hold beverage containers.  
           [0007]    The device or holder has at least one opening or one receptacle section with an adjustable bottom part, into which may be placed a container, such as a can, bottle or the like. The bottom part is then moved downward, in particular by the weight of the container itself, and triggers a pulse by means of a pulse generator, which preferably comprises one or more switches. The first actuated switch starts this pulse for a motor as an actuating drive for the retaining arms. This motor pulls preferably three to four holders or retaining arms, which are kidney-shaped for example, inward toward the center so that they contact and lightly grip the outer wall of the container.  
           [0008]    In order to remove the container, a human operator rotates the container by a certain, predetermined angle. This again triggers a pulse (flip-flop circuit). The motor then moves preferably opposite to its previous direction and releases, for example, a retaining spring, for example, to the release point and then moves the retaining arms outward.  
           [0009]    In a further development of the invention, an elastomer is molded onto the tips of the retaining arms and is pressed against the container by the retaining arms. The elastomer presses against the container with a variable force, since the motor continues to move to an end position. The larger the container that is placed inside, the greater is the retaining force.  
           [0010]    In a further development of the invention, the elastomer&#39;s adhesion to the container facilitates easy removal of the container through rotation thereof, which causes the retaining arms to be turned with the container, triggering the pulse required for release. This has the advantage of avoiding premature release of the retaining arms from the container.  
           [0011]    The motor is mounted on a support plate, in or on which the three to four retaining arms are also located. The pivoting retaining arms are connected via levers with toothed segments to a segment wheel which can be moved by the motor via a worm and a drive wheel. Power transfer between the segment wheel and lever is elastic. The sooner the retaining arms make contact with the insert, the greater the force of the spring becomes, because the motor, which travels to its end position, has the effect that the relative rotation between the segment wheel and the support plate is increased. The motor moves the drive wheel back and forth using the worm, preferably only through the same angle.  
           [0012]    In another embodiment, movement of the retaining arms can also be accomplished through levers supported in the segment wheel.  
           [0013]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.  
       
    
    
       [0014]    detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a top view of a holder for holding two beverage containers;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a view of the holder from FIG. 1 with motor drive and toothed segment;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a view of the holder from FIG. 1 with lever movement; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional representation of section A-A from FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a holder  1 , or a device to hold two beverage, containers  2  or similar objects in motor vehicles or similar powered or unpowered vehicles. The holder  1  has a housing  3  with at least one opening  4 . Furthermore, movably mounted retaining arms  5 , preferably four in number, are uniformly distributed about the circumference and, for example, are arranged in pockets  6  directly below said opening  4 . Molded onto the tips  5 . 1  of the retaining arms  5  is an elastomer  7  or similar material. A bottom part  8  of the holder  1  is mounted on a support plate  10  by a compression spring  9  (FIG. 4). The bottom part  8  forms, together with the retaining arms  5  and the opening  4 , a so-called receptacle section  11  for the beverage container  2 . The holder  1  has a receptacle section  11  that is adjustable in the diameter D V  by means of the retaining arms  5  with the elastomer  7 . The adjustable diameter D V  of the receptacle section  9  is determined by the different diameters d U  of the different beverage containers  2 . The variation of the adjustable diameter D V  can be between 50 and 90 mm, for example. The retaining arms  5  can pivot into and out of the free spaces or pockets  6 . Within the free spaces  6  is provided a recess  12 , which is delimited by a wall  6 . 1  of the free spaces  6 .  
         [0020]    The retaining arms  5  are moved by an actuating drive (motor)  13 , as shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0021]    The retaining arms  5  are moved by an actuating drive (motor)  13 , as shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0022]    The motor  13  is arranged in the housing  3  of the holder  1 , preferably directly next to the bottom part  8 , and during operation drives, via a worm  14 , a drive wheel  15  beneath the bottom part  8 , in which a spring  16  is attached to one side of said drive wheel. The other end of the spring  16  is connected to a segment wheel  17 . The segment wheel  17  has on its circumference four, corresponding to the number of retaining arms  5 , segment sections  17 . 1 , on which teeth  17 . 2  are located. Cooperating therewith are teeth  18 . 2  of toothed segments  18 . 1 , which in turn are connected to levers  18  for moving the retaining arms  5 .  
         [0023]    When the beverage container  2  is placed inside, the bottom plate  8  is moved downward approximately 1.5-2 mm along with the beverage container  2 . As a result of this movement, a pulse for the motor  13  is triggered by at least one of three switches forming a pulse generator  30 . The motor  13  starts, and in so doing, moves the segment wheel  17 . Movement of the segment wheel  17  causes rotation of the toothed segments  18 . 1 , and thus of the levers  18 , which pivot the retaining arms  5  out of their neutral position in the process. The four retaining arms  5 , which in their nonactuated state can be concealed beneath a decorative wooden trim (not shown), for example, are pulled inward by means of the levers  18 . In the process, the elastomer  7  on the tips  5 . 1  presses against the beverage container  2  with a variable force, thus fixing it in place. When the tips  5 . 1  of the retaining arms  5  grip the beverage container  2 , the drive wheel  15  is still in motion and pulls the spring  16  taut (extends it). The result of this force amplification is that the retaining arms  5  hold the beverage container  2  firmly. The spring  16  thereby functions as a force amplifier.  
         [0024]    For removal, the operator rotates the beverage container  2 , for example by approximately 5°. As a result of the elastomer adhesion, the retaining arms  5  are rotated as well. In this process, a pulse is triggered by the pulse generator  30  or another pulse generator  31 , which activates the motor  13  such that the motor moves preferably opposite to its previous direction of rotation and the pockets or free spaces  6 . Rotation of the retaining arms  5  with the beverage container  2  then causes a pulse to be triggered, for example, if at least one of the retaining arms  5  contacts the wall  6 . 1  in one of the pockets  6 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 shows another solution, wherein the adjusting movement is achieved by articulations  21 . Here, a worm  19  that stands in functional connection with a drive wheel  20 , is moved by a motor, which is not shown. By the articulations  21 , which preferably grip the retaining arms  5  from below, the retaining arms  5  are pulled toward the center or back outward when the drive wheel  20  is actuated.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 shows the holder  1  as a section A-A from FIG. 2 in order to better illustrate the parts located beneath the bottom part  8 . The motor  13  is rigidly mounted on the support plate  10 , and the drive wheel  15  and the segment wheel  17  are movably mounted thereupon. On the same plane as the segment wheel  17  are attached the toothed segments  18 . 1  that are held by levers  18 , which are supported on the support plate  10 . The retaining arms  5  are attached to the levers  8 . A printed circuit board  22 , which carries the necessary electronic components, including, for example, the motor electronics, is likewise located on the support plate  10 . The bottom part  8  has in its center a projection  8 . 1 , which is surrounded by the compression spring  9 , by which the bottom plate  8  presses against the housing  3  in the absence of the effects of weight. The support plate  10  has an opening  10 . 1  to allow entry of the projection  8 . 1  of the bottom plate  8  during functional use.  
         [0027]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.