Abstract:
A cup holder includes: a support housing; an elevator housing, movable within the support housing; a cup bearing tray, movable within the elevator housing; and an elevator unit that moves the elevator housing and the cup bearing tray in opposite directions. The elevator unit includes: a main gear that is linked with the cup bearing tray and is pivotably installed on the support housing, a rack gear that is linked with the elevator housing, and a driven gear that is engaged between the main gear and the rack gear.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2007-0049715, filed on May 22, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    In general, a vehicle cup holder is provided between the driver&#39;s and passenger&#39;s seats. One example of a typical cup holder includes a cup stand that has a toothed support rod, a cup holder fence that surrounds the cup stand, and a cup stand height adjustor that couples the cup stand and the cup holder fence with pinion gears and connecting members such that the cup holder fence is raised when the cup stand is lowered. However, the support rod and the cup stand height adjustor are disposed in what would otherwise be usable cup holder space. 
         [0006]    Another typical cup holder has a cup holding space, a cup holder cover that is rotatably installed on the body through a pair of arms, a spring member that is installed on the body so as to press the cup holder cover, and a slider that moves along the body when the cup holder cover is closed or opened. However, the user lowers the cup holder cover, and then places the cup on the body. This preparation delays the process of placing the cup on the body, and detracts the user&#39;s attention from driving. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A cup holder includes: a support housing; an elevator housing, movable within the support housing; a cup bearing tray, movable within the elevator housing; and an elevator unit that moves the elevator housing and the cup bearing tray in opposite directions. The elevator unit includes: a main gear that is linked with the cup bearing tray and is pivotably installed on the support housing, a rack gear that is linked with the elevator housing, and a driven gear that is engaged between the main gear and the rack gear. 
         [0008]    The cup bearing tray may include a plate configured for a cup to be placed thereon, and an elevator plate that is coupled to the plate and to the main gear. 
         [0009]    The main gear may include a toothed arm that has teeth engaged with teeth of the driven gear and is coupled to the cup bearing tray, and a connecting arm that extends from one end of the toothed arm and is hinged with the support housing. 
         [0010]    The cup bearing tray may be connected with the elevator housing by compressive springs. 
         [0011]    The cup bearing tray may include at least one hook configured to hook the cup bearing tray to the elevator housing, and the support plate may include at least one sliding piece configured to press a face of the hook to unhook the hook when the cup bearing tray is pressed down. The elevator housing may include at least one hooking hole configured for the hooks to be hooked therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a pre-operation state of a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a post-operation state of a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view illustrating a pre-operation, hooked state of a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view illustrating a post-operation, unhooked state of a sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in greater detail to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0020]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cup holder according to an embodiment of the present invention is mainly disposed between the driver&#39;s and passenger&#39;s seats, and comprises a support housing  100 , a cup bearing tray  200  installed in the support housing  100 , an elevator housing  300  disposed between the support housing  100  and the cup bearing tray  200 , and an elevator unit  400 , which raises the elevator housing  300  when the cup bearing tray  200  is pressed downwards. 
         [0021]    More specifically, the support housing  100  is substantially cylindrical, with an open top, and is inserted into a fixing hole  510  of a fixed surface  500 , such as a console cover. 
         [0022]    Further, the support housing  100  is provided therein with the cup bearing tray  200 , on which the cup is to be placed. The elevator housing  300  is mounted between the support housing  100  and the cup bearing tray  200 . 
         [0023]    The cup bearing tray  200  comprises a support plate  210  on which the cup is to be placed, and an elevator plate  220  disposed under the support plate  210 . At least one support spring  240  for elastically supporting the support plate  210  is installed between the support plate  210  and the elevator plate  220 . Further, the elevator plate  220  is coupled thereunder with a link member  230  linked with one end of a main gear  410  of the elevator unit  400 , which will be described below. 
         [0024]    When the user presses the cup down on the top surface of the support plate  210 , the link member  230  transmits the force of the cup bearing tray  200 , lowered by the cup, to the elevator unit  400 , so that the elevator housing  300  is raised. When the raised elevator housing  300  moves down, the force is transmitted to the elevator unit  400 , and then to the elevator plate  220 , so that the cup bearing tray  200  is raised. 
         [0025]    The elevator housing  300  has the shape of a hollow cylinder, and is disposed between the support housing  100  and the cup bearing tray  200 . The top surface  301  of a bottom member of the elevator housing  300  is coupled with a lower surface of the cup bearing tray  200  by a compressive spring  440 . Further, when the cup bearing tray  200  is pressed, the elevator housing  300  is raised to define a place  320  ( FIGS. 3-4 ) for placing the cup. To this end, the elevator housing  300  is coupled with the elevator unit  400  in a drivable manner. 
         [0026]    The elevator unit  400  serves to transmit force between the cup bearing tray  200  and the elevator housing  300 . In other words, the elevator unit  400  comprises the main gear  410  that is linked to the cup bearing tray  200  at one end thereof and is hinged with the support housing  100  at the other end thereof, a rack gear  420  that extends downward below the cup bearing tray  200  and a driven gear  430  that is engaged between the main gear  410  and the rack gear  420 . 
         [0027]    Particularly, the main gear  410  comprises an toothed arm  411  linked with the cup bearing tray  200 , and an connecting arm  412  extending from one end of the toothed arm  411  and hinged with the support housing  100  through a pivot pin  110 . The toothed arm  411  is engaged with the teeth of the driven gear  430  on one side thereof. 
         [0028]    The operation of the sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , before the cup holder operates, the top surface of the cup bearing tray  200  and the upper end of the elevator housing  300  are flush with the top surface of the fixed plate  500 . 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , when a user presses the top surface of the cup bearing tray  200  with his/her hand or through the cup, the cup bearing tray  200  is lowered, and the link  230  transmits the force to the elevator unit  400 . The elevator unit  400  moves the elevator housing  300  upward using the force of the cup bearing tray  200  moving downward, so that the space  320  for placing the cup is defined in the elevator housing  300 . 
         [0031]    In other words, the cup bearing tray  200  is lowered, and thus the link member  230  causes the main gear  410  of the elevator unit  400  to rotate counterclockwise in the drawings about the pivot pin  110 . In this manner, as the main gear  410  rotates, the driven gear  430 , which is engaged with the teeth of the main gear  410 , rotates clockwise. The rotation of the driven gear  430  causes the rack gear  420 , which is engaged with the driven gear  430 , to move upwards. As a result, the elevator housing  300  moves upwards, and thus the space  320  for placing the cup is defined in the elevator housing  300 . 
         [0032]    After the cup is removed from the space  320 , the elevator housing  300 , which protrudes upwards, is pressed down. Then, the rack gear  420  of the elevator housing  300  moves downward, and thereby the driven gear  430  rotates counterclockwise. At the same time, the main gear  410  rotates clockwise, and thus the cup bearing tray  200  moves upwards. Consequently, the downward movement of the elevator housing  300  causes the cup bearing tray  200  to move upwards. The parts return to their original positions, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0033]    If the cup bearing tray  200  were raised beyond its original position, the cup bearing tray  200  would be separated from the elevator housing  300 . To prevent this separation, the cup bearing tray  200  can be provided with at least one hook  250  for hooking the cup bearing tray  200  on the elevator housing  300 . 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the cup bearing tray  200  is provided therein with at least one hook  250 , which hooks the elevator housing  300  in an elastically supported state. 
         [0035]    Specifically, the support plate  210  of the cup bearing tray  200  is provided thereunder with sliding pieces  211 , which protrude outward, and the elevator plate  220  is provided with the hooks  250 , which move toward the center of the cup bearing tray  200  by pressing the sliding pieces  211  when the support plate  210  is lowered. Each hook  250  is supported by a spring. 
         [0036]    Further, each hook  250  has an insertion hole  252  into or out of which each sliding piece  211  moves, and is provided with an inclined internal face  251  which each sliding piece  211  presses while sliding. The elevator housing  300  is provided with hooking holes  310 , in which the ends of the hooks  250  are hooked and fixed, at positions facing the ends of the hooks  250 . 
         [0037]    Hereinafter, the procedures of hooking and unhooking the cup bearing tray in and from the elevator housing in conjunction with the operation of the sink type cup holder will be described below. 
         [0038]    First, before the cup holder is operated, the top surface of the cup bearing tray  200  and the upper end of the elevator housing  300  are flush with the top surface of the fixed plate  500 . In this state, the hooks  250  are hooked in the hooking holes  310 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0039]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , when the user presses the top surface of the cup bearing tray  200  to lower the cup bearing tray  200 , the sliding pieces  211  of the support plate  210  compress the support springs  240 , and press the inclined faces  251  of the hooks  250 , moving the hooks  250  toward the center of the cup bearing tray  200 . 
         [0040]    In this state, the hooks  250  are separated from the hooking holes  310 . This separation of the hooks  250  allows the cup bearing tray  200  to move relative to the elevator housing  300 . 
         [0041]    Then, when the user presses the upper portion of the elevator housing  300 , which protrudes upwards, the cup bearing tray  200  is raised, and thus the hooks  250  of the cup bearing tray  200  reach the hooking holes  310  of the elevator housing  300 . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the hooks  250  are hooked in the hooking holes  310 . 
         [0042]    As described above, in the sink type cup holder for a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the cup bearing tray  200  is pressed, the elevator housing  300  surrounding the cup bearing tray  200  is raised to define the space  320  for placing the cup therein. Thereby, placing the cup in the cup holder is rapidly carried out, and the spatial utility of the height direction is high. Further, the space for placing the cup is provided only when the cup is placed therein, so that the internal space of the motor vehicle is effectively used, and the external appearance can be improved. 
         [0043]    Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.