Abstract:
A cup holder for vehicles provided by the present invention enables stable positioning of a beverage container within a vehicle regardless of the container&#39;s shape or size and allows the beverage container to be readily inserted or removed as one desires.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority of Korean Patent Application 10-2004-0078537 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office filed on Oct. 2, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated fully herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (a) Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a cup holder. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cup holder that can accommodate beverage containers of various shapes and sizes and provide stability in the positioning of the container within a vehicle. 
   (b) Description of the Related Art 
   Generally, vehicles are equipped with cup holders as a means by which beverage containers, e.g. beverage can, cup, bottle, can be held in place while the vehicle is in motion or otherwise. A cup holder is commonly attached to a console within the vehicle, the back side of a seat, or a predetermined location that is accessible to the vehicle&#39;s occupants. The structure of a cup holder typically includes a hole or cavity in which a beverage container can be inserted. 
   However, cup holders of the prior art are ill-suited for holding containers of various shapes and sizes, oftentimes leaving spaces between the cup holder and a given beverage container that has been inserted therein. This poor fit between the cup holder and a beverage container can result in spillage of the beverage or dislodgement of the entire container when the vehicle is in motion or subjected to vibrations or noise, e.g. when the vehicle is driven over unpaved or poorly surfaced roads. 
     FIGS. 5A-C  provide examples of cup holders of the prior art, wherein rubbers  120  or supporting members  200  are attached to a interior wall of an insertion hole  110  of a main body portion  100 . Where the beverage container  400  is held in place by the rubbers  120 , as shown in  FIG. 5A , permanent deformation of the rubbers  120  can occur with repeated use, resulting in their loss of function. In the case where the beverage container  400  is held in place by elastic supporting member  200 , as shown in  FIG. 5B , the supporting member  200  can be broken or reversibly bent when a beverage container  400  with a protruding lower portion is drawn out from the cup holder, causing said lower portion to jam against the supporting member  200 . Additionally, where the supporting members  200  are mounted under hinges  300 , as shown in  FIG. 5C , the beverage container has a tendency to fall downwards. As such, there is a need for a cup holder that sidesteps the pitfalls described above, accommodates beverage containers of various shapes and sizes, and provides stability in the positioning of the container within a vehicle. 
   The above information is presented solely to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an admission of such as prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a cup holder for vehicles that can accommodate beverage containers of various shapes and sizes and provide stability in the positioning of the container. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, the cup holder includes a main body defining an insertion hole or cavity for holding a beverage container and at least one supporting unit located at one side of the insertion hole and configured to support the beverage container. The supporting unit comprises a body portion, which is connected to the cup holder main body and defines a receiving space, and at least one guide groove, a supporting member coupled to the at least one guide groove through at least one protruding pin such that the supporting member is movable in the receiving space of the body portion, and at least one elastic member supporting the supporting member and corresponding to movement of the supporting member. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one guide groove comprises a first guide groove located in an upper region of the body portion and a second guide groove located in an area below the first guide groove. In another embodiment of the invention, the at least one protruding pin comprises a first protruding pin formed on a lateral axis of the supporting member so as to allow movement of the first protruding pin along the first guide groove, and a second protruding pin formed under the first protruding pin and attached to the supporting member so as to allow movement of the second protruding pin along the second guide groove. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the first guide groove comprises a first portion that extends in a substantially vertical path and a second portion extends in a substantially horizontal path from said first portion, and wherein the second guide groove extends in a substantially horizontal path. In still another embodiment of the invention, the at least one elastic member comprises a first elastic member providing an elastic force to move the supporting member  20  upwards with respect to the main body, and a second elastic member to rotate the supporting member  20  with respect to the main body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a supporting unit and elastic members of the cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C  are schematic diagrams of a supporting unit of the cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4C  are schematic diagrams of a cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5C  are schematic diagrams of cup holders of the prior art. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  shows a cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a supporting unit and elastic members of the cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C  are schematic diagrams of a supporting unit of the cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4C  are schematic diagrams of a cup holder for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a cup holder  150  for vehicles includes a main body  10  and a supporting unit  153 . At least one insertion hole  11  is formed in the main body  10  for receiving beverage container  40 . At least one supporting unit  153  is located at one side of insertion hole  11  and configured to support the beverage container  40 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3A , the supporting unit  153  includes a body portion  155 , a supporting member  20 , and at least one elastic member  30 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4A , the supporting unit  153  is secured to an inner hole  12  that is formed to the main body  10 . The body portion  155  is connected to the main body  10  of the cup holder  150  and forms a receiving space  157 , and at least one guide groove  13  is formed thereto. More particularly, the body portion  155  is connected to the inner hole  12  of the main body  10 . The body portion  155  may be formed integrally with the main body  10 , or the body portion  155  may be separately formed then connected to the main body  10 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 4A-C , the supporting member  20  is coupled to at least one guide groove  13  through at least one protruding pin  21  such that the supporting member  20  is movably disposed in the receiving space  157  of the body portion  155 . According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, two protruding pins, designated as  21  in the schematic, and two guide grooves, designated as  13 , corresponding thereto are provided. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , at least one elastic member  30  elastically supports a supporting member  20  in a manner that corresponds with movement of the supporting member  20 . One end of at least one elastic member  30  is secured to the protruding pin  21 , and details thereof are described in the following disclosure. 
   As illustrated by  FIGS. 3A-C , the at least one guide groove  13  comprises a first guide groove  13   a  and a second guide groove  13   b.  The first guide groove  13   a  is formed in the body portion  155  and the second guide groove  13   b  is formed in an area below the first guide groove  13   a.    
   As shown by  FIG. 3A , at least one protruding pin  21  comprises a first protruding pin  22  and a second protruding pin  23 . The first protruding pin  22  is formed on a lateral side of the supporting member  20  to allow movement of the first protruding pin  22  along the first guide groove  13   a.  The second protruding pin  23  is formed below the first protruding pin  22  and attached to the supporting member  20  so as to allow movement of the second protruding pin  23  along the second guide groove  13   b.  The protruding pin  21  may be formed integrally with the supporting member  20 , or may be separately formed and connected to the supporting member  20 . To operate, the first protruding pin  22  moves along the first guide groove  13   a  by being inserted therein, and the second protruding pin  23  moves along the second guide groove  13   b  by being inserted therein. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3A-C , the first guide groove  13   a  includes a first portion  131  that extends in a substantially vertical path and a second portion  132  that extends in a substantially horizontal path from the first portion  131 . The second guide groove  13   b  likewise extends in a substantially horizontal path. During operation, the first protruding pin  22  can move either vertically or horizontally along the first guide groove  13   a  while the second protruding pin  23  can move horizontally along the second guide groove  13   b.    
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , at least one elastic member  30  comprises a first elastic member  31  that provides an elastic force to move the supporting member  20  upwards with respect to the main body  10 . A second elastic member  32  provides an elastic force to rotate the supporting member  20  with respect to the main body  10 . 
   In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first elastic member  31  is a torsion spring and the second elastic member  32  is a tension spring. The first elastic member  31  and the second elastic member  32  are mounted to the second protruding pin  23  which penetrates the supporting member  20 . The first elastic member  31  is mounted to a portion of the second protruding pin  23  that is within the supporting member  20 , and the second elastic member  32  is mounted to a portion of the second protruding pin  23  that protrudes outwards from the supporting member  20 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , one end of the first elastic member  31  is responsible for supplying the elastic force to an interior surface of the supporting member  20  and a lower surface of the receiving space  157  of the body portion  155 . In addition, one end of the second elastic member  32  is secured to the second protruding pin  23 , and another end thereof is secured to a lateral side of the body portion  155  of the receiving space  157 . 
   The schematic for one exemplary embodiment of the cup holder  150  is shown in  FIGS. 4A-C .  FIG. 4A  depicts a state prior to insertion of a beverage container  40 .  FIG. 4B  depicts a state wherein the beverage container  40  is being inserted into the cup holder  150  and the weight of said container  40  pushes onto the supporting member  20 .  FIG. 4C  shows a subsequent state wherein the beverage container  40  is completely inserted into the cup holder  150 . 
   For the sake of clarity, operation of the cup holder will be explained below in reference to the supporting unit  153  on the left-hand side in  FIGS. 4A-C . 
   In  FIG. 4A , prior to insertion of the beverage container  40  into cup holder  150 , the supporting member  20  protrudes into the insertion hole  11  of the main body  10  due to the elastic force exerted by elastic member  21 . The first protruding pin  22  is located at the upper end of the first portion  131  of the first guide groove  13   a,  and the second protruding pin  23  is located at the right of the second guide groove  13   b.    
   As the beverage container  40  is being inserted, the supporting member  20  will move downwards if the beverage container  40  pushes the supporting member  20  downwards. In said scenario, as shown in  FIG. 4B , the first protruding pin  22  will move downwards along the path of first portion  131  of the first guide groove  13   a,  and the second protruding pin  23  will move along the second guide groove  13   b  outwards from insertion hole  1 . 
   Referring to arrows in  FIG. 4C , when the beverage container  40  is almost completely in the insertion hole  11 , i.e. bottom of the beverage container  40  is about to contact the bottom of insertion hole  11 , the upper portion of the supporting member  20  rotates outwards away from insertion hole  11 . At this time, the second protruding pin  23  serves as a hinge, as shown in  FIG. 4C . Once the beverage container  40  is completely inserted into insertion hole  11 , the beverage container  40  is secured into place by the elastic force of elastic member  30  on supporting member  20 . 
   The two guide grooves  13  and protruding pins  21  of the present invention allows a beverage container to be readily inserted or removed as one desires. Furthermore, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention allows beverage containers of various shapes and sizes to be more readily inserted or withdrawn from the insertion hole. With the inclusion of the two elastic members  30  (equivalent to the combination of  31  and  32 ), the beverage container would not fall down and cause spillage in the presence of vibrations in the vehicle. 
   It is understood that the embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims.