Abstract:
A selectively deployable cupholder that incorporates the best aspects of the static and active component cupholder designs, composed of stationary cylindrical component and a movable cylindrical component that is telescopically nested within the stationary cylindrical component. When the movable cylindrical component is in an undeployed state, whereat it is fully nested with respect to the stationary cylindrical component, a low vertical profile is provided, suitable for drawer applications. When the movable cylindrical component is in a deployed state, whereat it is fully telescopically raised relative to the stationary cylindrical component, the cupholder receives beverage containers with a stable support as is required for the automotive driving environment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to automotive cupholders and particularly to a selectively deployable cupholder which is telescopically nestable and is adaptable for sliding drawer applications.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Modern automotive interior design makes great strides to provide convenience for vehicle passengers. One of these conveniences is the cupholder for holding liquid filled beverage containers, with due regard for the inertial forces commonly involved with normal driving.  
           [0003]    Numerous cupholder designs have been executed in a variety of automotive applications by a variety of manufacturers. These cupholder designs generally fall within one of two categories: static component cupholders and active component cupholders.  
           [0004]    Static component cupholders generally involve molding a “pocket” into an automotive interior component, as for example a floor console, a door panel, etc, with sufficient diametric clearance and depth to accommodate a variety of commonly used beverage containers. While of low cost and durable, this type of cupholder generally does not provide an acceptable tradeoff between packaging space and cupholder functionality. Specifically, packaging space is negatively influenced as the “pocket” wall size dimensions are increased to provide sufficient depth for large beverage containers with high centers of gravity.  
           [0005]    Active component cupholders generally involve multiple pieces that are attached by springs, pins, or other linkages which allow the individual components of the design to “nest” within each other, thereby optimizing packaging space. This cupholder design also allows for a wider size range of beverage containers by optimization of the component piece parts and the locational functionality of the springs, pins or other linkages within the design. However, the active component cupholder design is generally more expensive, more complex, more difficult to manufacture, and has poorer durability performance, as compared to static component cupholder designs.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a cupholder design that is the best of the static and active component designs, providing an optimal balance between the imperatives of packaging space, cost, durability, and cupholder functionality for use in an automotive interior application, and further providing very compact storage of multiple, tall, and effective cupholders achieved with a minimal number of movable component parts.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is a selectively deployable cupholder that incorporates the best aspects of the static and active component designs, providing an optimal balance between the imperatives of packaging space, cost, durability, and cupholder functionality for use in an automotive interior application, and further providing very compact storage of multiple, tall, and effective cupholders achieved with a single movable component part. In this regard, the present invention, while falling within the active component cupholder category, overcomes the deficiencies associated with other designs in this category by avoiding the use of springs, pins, or other linkages.  
           [0008]    The selectively deployable cupholder according to the present invention is composed of a stationary cylindrical (ring shaped) component and a movable cylindrical (ring shaped) component telescopically nested within the stationary cylindrical component. The stationary cylindrical component may be permanently connected, or removably connected, to a surrounding trim component, which may or may not supply the floor of the cupholder. When the movable cylindrical component is in an undeployed state, whereat it is fully nested with respect to the stationary cylindrical component, a low vertical profile is provided, suitable for drawer applications. When the movable cylindrical component is in a deployed state, whereat it is fully telescopically raised relative to the stationary cylindrical component, the cupholder receives beverage containers with a stable support therefor, as is required for use in an automotive driving environment.  
           [0009]    The movable cylindrical component is provided with a plurality of bosses emanating from its outer wall surface adjacent the lower end thereof. The stationary cylindrical component has a plurality of tracks formed into an inner wall surface, one for each boss. Each boss is received into its respective track, wherein the tracks guide telescopic movement of the movable cylindrical component with respect to the stationary cylindrical component. An upper detent and a lower detent are provided at each track for defining the upper and lower telescopic limits of travel of the movable cylindrical component with respect to the stationary cylindrical component via the bosses, respectively. In this regard, each detent and its respective boss interact in a resilient manner so as to provide a snapping location of the boss in the detent which is detectable by the user, wherein this feedback provides user awareness of achievement of each limit of telescopic travel.  
           [0010]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cupholder having only a single moving component part which provides the best aspects of both the static component and active component cupholder designs.  
           [0011]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a cupholder having only a single moving compoinent part which provides the best aspects of both the static component and active component cupholder designs, wherein the cupholder is adapatable for use with a sliding drawer which is slidably stowable.  
           [0012]    These and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the selectively deployable cupholder according to the present invention, shown in the undeployed state and integrally formed at a top surface of an automotive trim component.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the selectively deployable cupholder according to the present invention, shown in the deployed state and operatively with respect to the automotive trim component and a beverage container.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the selectively deployable cupholder according to the present invention, shown in the undeployed state and integrally formed at the bottom of a well of another automotive trim component.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the selectively deployable cupholder according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the bosses are static and the detents are resilient.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1A.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5A is a sectional view, seen along line  5 A- 5 A of FIG. 4.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5B is a sectional view, seen along line  5 B- 5 B of FIG. 4.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, partly sectional side view of the inside wall surface of a stationary cylindrical component according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing in particular a track thereof.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partly sectional, perspective view, seen at circle  7  of FIG. 6.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, partly sectional, perspective view, seen at circle  8  of FIG. 6.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, sectional view, seen along line  9 - 9  of FIG. 8.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a stationary cylindrical component according to the first embodiment of the present invention adapted for removable interface with respect to a complementary trim component.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is a sectional side view of the stationary cylindrical component of FIG. 10, seen removably interfaced with a complementary trim component.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a stationary cylindrical component according to a second embodiment of the present invention for operation with respect to static detents and resilient bosses, a removable configuration, similar to that of FIG. 10, being exemplarly shown.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 13 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  13 - 13  of FIG. 12.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a first version of movable cylindrical component according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 15 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  15 - 15  of FIG. 14.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 16 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  16 - 16  of FIG. 14.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a second, most preferred, version of movable cylindrical component according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 18 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  18 - 18  of FIG. 17.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 19 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  19 - 19  of FIG. 17.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 20 is a partly sectional view, seen along line  20 - 20  of FIG. 17.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 21 is a sectional view, seen along line  21 - 21  of FIG. 17.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 22 is a sectional view, showing track and boss interaction according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 22 is a sectional view, showing detent and boss interaction according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0038]    Referring now to the Drawing, FIGS. 1A and 1B depict an example of a selectively deployable cupholder  100  according to the present invention. A stationary cylindrical component  102  is either intergrally connected (for example by injection molding) or attachably connected (for example by sonic welding or adhesive) to an upper surface  104 U of an automotive trim component  104 . The automotive trim component is, by way of example, a drawer which slides (see arrow S) in and out of an opening  104 P of another trim component, such as for example a console  104 C. The stationary cylindrical wall  106  of the stationary cylindrical component is in upstanding relation to the upper surface  104 U. A lower end  106 L of the stationary cylindrical wall  106  is connected to a floor. The floor may be, for example integral with the trim component or integral with the stationary cylindrical wall, and may be continuous (see  142  of FIG. 4), or may be discontinuous (for example, having a central opening with a perimeter ledge for engaging a beverage container). A movable cylindrical component  108  is telescopically nested inside the stationary cylindrical component  102 , and is telescopically movable with respect to the stationary cylindrical component from an undeployed state, as shown at FIG. 1A, to a deployed state, as shown at FIG. 1B.  
         [0039]    When in the undeployed state, the selectively deployable cupholder  100  has a very low vertical silhouette in that the movable cylindrical component  108  is nested fully into the stationary cylindrical component  102  (to the extent of all but a lip  112  of the movable cylindrical component), which allows for an unobstructed and unobtrusive presence in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and further is nicely adaptable for placement at a drawer which is slidably stowable into, for example, a console. When at the deployed state, the depth provided by the vertical combination of the stationary and movable cylindrical components  102 ,  108  provides excellent support for a beverage container  110  with good stability even as customary inertial forces are encountered during driving. In this regard, the beverage container rests upon the floor (see the floor  142  at FIGS. 4 and 5B).  
         [0040]    The lip  112  (which is preferred, but optional) of the movable cylindrical component  108  may include circumferential knurling K or indents  114  to aid a user to grip the lip and thereby execute its rotation during telescoping of the movable cylindrical component  108  relative to the stationary cylindrical component  102 . A notch  116  may be provided in the movable cylindrical component  108  at the movable cylindrical wall  122  adjacent the upper end  112 U thereof, inclusive of the lip  112 , for receiving a handle  110 H of the beverage container  110 .  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 2 depicts a variation of FIGS. 1A and 1B, in that an automotive trim component  104 ′ now has a significant thickness such that the selectively deployable cupholder  100  is located within a well  104 W of the trim component. Preferably, the well  104 W has sufficient depth to completely receive the vertical height of the selectively deployable cupholder  100  when in the undeployed state, as shown at FIG. 2. The well  104 W has a generous diameter which is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the lip  112  such that a person may easily place his/her fingers/thumb onto the lip to cause deployment of the moveable cylindrical component  108  without interference by the trim component  104 ′.  
         [0042]    A preferred structure for carrying out the telescopic movement of the movable cylindrical component  108  relative to the stationary cylindrical component  102  according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with additional reference to FIGS. 3 through 9.  
         [0043]    As best shown at FIG. 3, the movable cylindrical component  108  is provided with a plurality of bosses  118  emanating, in perpendicular relation, from the outer wall surface  120  of the movable cylindrical wall  122  adjacent the lower end  122 L thereof. The inner wall surface  124  of the stationary cylindrical wall  106  of the stationary cylindrical component  102  has a plurality of tracks  126  having a concave track wall  126 W formed thereinto, one track, respectively, for each boss  118 . As best shown at FIG. 6, each track  126  is helically oriented from a lower horizontal track section  126 L, whereat is a lower detent  128  located adjacent the lower end  106 L of the stationary cylindrical wall  106 , to an upper horizontal track section  126 U, whereat is an upper detent  130  located adjacent an upper end  106 U of the stationary cylindrical wall. The helical orientation of the tracks  126  provides a guide path for the movable cylindrical component  108  to be rotated while being telescopically raised/lowered relative to the stationary cylindrical component  102 . Each boss  118  is received into its respective track  126 , wherein the tracks guide rotation R (see FIG. 4) and telescopic movement of the movable cylindrical component  108  with respect to the stationary cylindrical component  102 , as can be understood by referencing FIGS. 4 through 5B, wherein there is a freely slidable fit between the inner wall surface  124  and the outer wall surface  120  (see FIGS. 5A and 5B).  
         [0044]    In the example shown, three bosses  118  are provided, equally spaced around the perimeter of the outer wall surface  120 , and three corresponding tracks  126  are provided also equally spaced around the perimeter of the inner wall surface  124 . Three bosses/tracks  118 / 126  are preferred as this distributed number provides a three dimensional guidance of the movable cylindrical component  108 , although the number may be other than three.  
         [0045]    The lower and upper detents  128 ,  130  are provided at each track for defining the lower and upper telescopic limits of travel, respectively, of the movable cylindrical component  108  with respect to the stationary cylindrical component  102 . In this regard, each detent  128 ,  130  has a concavity  132  which provides a snapping placement thereinto of its respective boss  118 , whereby the user detects (feelingly and, if so designed, audibly), in a feedback manner, achievement of a limit of telescopic travel.  
         [0046]    As shown at FIGS. 6, 7 and  8 , the concavity  132  is, in one form, provided by a pair of mutually separated protuberances  132 P and is sized with respect to the cross-section of the track  126  so as to fully receive the boss  118  without strain, whereby plastic creep is prevented at the lower and upper detents  128 ,  130 . In this regard, the width of the tracks  126  is preferably just about the diameter of the bosses  118 , the diameter of the tracks at the protuberances  132 P is less than the diameter of the bosses, and the diameter of the track at the apex  132 A of the concavity  132  is at least equal to the diameter of the bosses. As shown at FIG. 3, it is also contemplated to provide a width of the tracks  126  sufficiently less than the diameter of the bosses  118  that the snapping action at the detents  128 ,  130  occurs without the presence of the protuberances, again, the tracks at the concavities being at least as wide as the diameter of the detents.  
         [0047]    The snapping action of the lower and upper detents  128 ,  130  is provided by lower and upper resilient fingers  134 ,  136 , respectively flexing as the bosses  118  move past the protuberances  132 P. The upper resilient finger  136  is shown at FIG. 7, wherein a cut-out  140  is provided in the wall of the stationary cylindrical component  102  which communicates with the adjoining track  126 . The lower resilient finger  138  is shown at FIGS. 8 and 9, wherein a floor  142  of the stationary cylindrical component  102  has a reduced thickness portion  144  at a cut-out  146  that communicates with the adjoining track  126 .  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 10 and 11 depict a variation in the selectively deployable cupholder  100 ′ according to the present invention, wherein the stationary cylindrical component  102 ′ is removably seated with respect to a complementary trim component  104 ″. Removability of the stationary cylindrical component  102 ′ affords the user an easy methodology for cleaning in the event of an inadvertent beverage spillage. In the example depicted, a tab  150  is provided in perpendicular relation to an outside wall surface of the stationary cylindrical component  102 ′.  
         [0049]    Oppositely positioned on the outside wall surface is a resilient arm  152 , including a barb  154 . In operation, the complementary trim component  104 ″ has an opening  156  into which is received the stationary cylindrical component  102 ′, wherein a pocket  158  of the trim component firstly receives the tab  150  and thereafter the barb resiliently locks into an oppositely located slot  160 . The pocket  158  and the slot  160  prevent rotation of the stationary cylindrical component by interference with the tab  150  and the resilient arm  152 , respectively.  
         [0050]    The hereinabove recounted first embodiment of the present invention involved static bosses on the movable cylindrical component and resilient detents on the stationary cylindrical component, wherein the detents have an axial orientation with respect to the tracks (by “axial orientation” is meant that the concavity is formed in the tracks parallel to the cylindrical axis of the movable cylindrical member). Hereinbelow is recounted a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the bosses are resilient on the movable cylindrical component and the detents are static on the stationary cylindrical component, wherein the detents have a radial orientation with respect to the tracks (by “radial orientation” is meant that the concavity is formed in the tracks radial to the cylindrical axis of the movable cylindrical member).  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 12 depicts an example of the static cylindrical component  202  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. While a removable version is shown which operates with respect to a complementary trim component similarly to that described with respect to FIGS. 10 and 11, the stationary cylindrical component  202  may be configured with respect to trim components similar to that described with respect to FIGS. 1A through 4.  
         [0052]    The static cylindrical component  202  now has tracks  226  formed in the inner wall surface  224  of the stationary cylindrical wall  206  which are differently configured from the tracks  126  depicted in the first embodiment. In this regard, each track  226  has a concave shaped wall  226 W, and is helically oriented from adjacent an upper end  206 U of the stationary cylindrical wall  206  to adjacent a lower end  226 L of the stationary cylindrical wall (without the upper and lower horizontal sections of the first embodiment), wherein the lower and upper detents  228 ,  230  are semi-circular concavities  232  which are deeper than the concave shaped wall  226 W (as shown best at FIG. 13). As mentioned hereinabove with respect to the first embodiment of the present invention, three tracks  226  are preferred.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIGS. 14 through 21 depict two variations of the movable cylindrical component  208 ,  208 ′, wherein the bosses  218  thereof are resilient.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 14 depicts a variation of the movable cylindrical component  208  in which the bosses  218  are radially resilient, via each boss  218  being mounted at a distal end of a vertically oriented resilient arm  270 , whereby the boss is located adjacent the lower end  222 L of the movable cylindrical wall  222 , as shown additionally by FIG. 15. One boss  218  is provided for each track  226 .  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 16 depicts that the movable cylindrical wall  222  is U-shaped, having an annular spacing  222 S at the lower end  222 L, and such that the outer wall surface  220  is flush with the resilient arm  270 . The spacing  222 S allows for radially resilient movement of the bosses.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 17 depicts another variation of the movable cylindrical component  208 ′in which the bosses  218  are radially resilient, via each boss being mounted centrally upon a tangentially oriented resilient arm  272  which is connected at each end to the movable cylindrical wall  222 ′ (alternatively, only one end of the resilient arm may be connected). Each boss  218  is located adjacent the lower end  222 L′ of the movable cylindrical wall  222 ′, as shown additionally by FIG. 20. As shown best by FIGS. 19 and 21, the resilient arm  272  is separated from the outer wall surface  220 ′ at an indentaton  220 I thereof. The separation  276  allows for the radially resilient movement of the bosses. FIG. 21 depicts the resilient arm  272  in a relaxed state. One boss  218  is provided for each track  226 .  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 22 depicts the interaction between the concavely shaped wall  226 W of a track  226  and a boss  218 . FIG. 23, on the other hand, depicts the boss  218  now located at a semi-circular concavity  232  of a detent  228 ,  230 . It will be noted that FIG. 22 depicts a first flexed state of the resilient arm and FIG. 23 depicts a second flexed state of the resilient arm, wherein the first flexed state (of FIG. 22) is more flexed than the second flexed state (of FIG. 23), and the second flexed state is somewhat flexed relative to the relaxed state (of FIG. 21), which is unflexed.  
         [0058]    Since the concavity  232  of the detents  228 ,  230  are concavely semi-circular, since the bosses  218  are convexly semi-circular, and since the flexible arms are flexed in the first state at the tracks and flexed in the second state at the detents, the bosses tend to snappingly center into the detents in a manner detectable to the user as the user rotates the movable cylindrical component relative to the stationary cylindrical component.  
         [0059]    It will be noted from inspection of FIGS. 14 and 17 that a lip is absent, whereas present is a series of regularly spaced indents  274 . While a lip may be applicable to the movable cylindrical component  208 ,  208 ′ of the second embodiment, likewise the absence of a lip is applicable to the movable cylindrical component  108  of the first embodiment.  
         [0060]    A preferred material for the stationary and movable cylindrical components is a low friction plastic material, such as acetal.  
         [0061]    The tracks  126 ,  226  may be open at the upper end of the stationary cylindrical wall, as shown for example at FIGS. 6 and 12, or may be closed as shown at FIG. 10. In the event the tracks are closed, the bosses are press fit into the tracks at the time of manufacture.  
         [0062]    While a single selectively deployable cupholder has been shown relative to a trim component, it is preferred to provide a set of two selectively deployable cupholders.  
         [0063]    To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above described preferred embodiment may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.