Abstract:
A container holder/tray combination includes a housing for mounting to a vehicle. The housing defines a recess for receiving therein at least one container holder, a cover pivotally mounted to the housing for covering the container holder and housing when in a closed position, and movable to an open position. The cover has a surface defining a tray, and the container holder is movably mounted with respect to the housing and tray between a first position coplanar with the tray for positioning a container therein and a second position within the housing. In a preferred embodiment, multiple independently movable adjacent container holders are provided to allow selectable use of the tray area.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/278,306 entitled PIVOT DOWN CONTAINER HOLDER AND TRAY COMBINATION, filed on Mar. 23, 2001, by Kwang-Ha Kim et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to vehicle accessories and particularly a pivot down tray/container holder combination.  
           [0003]    There exists numerous vehicle storage compartments, such as center consoles located between front seats of a vehicle with covers that can be opened for storage of items therein. Further, such consoles frequently include container holders which can be extended for use as, for example, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,184. Some proposals have included both container holders and storage trays independently as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,633. Although these and other various compact container and storage compartments provide essential storage for a variety of items including containers, there remains a need for a compact and flexible storage system which allows for the holding of items in a readily accessible position as well as providing one or more container holders which can be selectively moved to provide temporary storage of items other than cylindrical containers. This invention addresses the remaining need for a flexible, compact storage system for vehicles.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    A container holder/tray combination comprises a housing for mounting to a vehicle, which housing defines a recess for receiving at least one container holder. A cover is pivotally mounted to the housing for covering the container holder and housing recess when in a closed position. When the cover is moved to a first open position, it presents a surface defining a tray. At least one container holder is movably positioned with respect to the housing and tray between a first position coplanar with the tray for holding a container and a second position within the housing exposing the tray. The tray, in one embodiment, includes an area adjacent the container holder serving as a support surface for items. In a preferred embodiment, multiple container holders, which are independently movable, are provided. The resultant structure provides a high degree of flexibility for storage of drink and food containers and other items.  
           [0005]    These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle having one embodiment of the invention installed therein;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a frontal fragmentary perspective view of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention in a first operative position;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in a second operative position;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in a third operative position;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in a fourth operative position;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in the first operative position, showing various containers held therein;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in the second operative position, showing a container and various objects held therein;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in the third operative position, showing various objects held therein;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in the fourth operative position, showing a container and various objects held therein;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    FIGS.  1 - 3  show a vehicle accessory  10  which is a combined flexible container holder and tray. The tray  13  is integrally formed as the inside of a pivot down cover  11  pivotally mounted to a housing  12  conventionally secured, in one embodiment, to the side of the seat  14  of a vehicle, such as a van, automobile, sports utility vehicle, or truck. On the inside of the cover  11  there are pivotally mounted a first container holder  16  and a second container holder  18  which, as seen in FIGS.  4 - 11  of the alternative embodiment, can be individually and independently moved to selected positions to hold a variety of items, as specifically shown in FIGS.  8 - 11 . Thus, either one of container holders  16  and  18  can be individually raised or lowered to change the configuration of the resultant storage tray/container holder(s). The cover  11  defines a tray with a floor  13  and a peripheral rim  13 ′.  
         [0020]    The cover  11 , as seen in FIG. 2, includes a pivot pin  20  mounted on each corner, which also includes a tab  22  on each end projecting within an arcuate slot  24  in side walls  27  of housing  12 . An aperture  21  on each side wall  27  receives pivot pins  20 . A polymeric torque control  28 , generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,807, is interposed between members  20 ,  22  and  21 ,  24  for controlling the motion of the cover  11  between closed and open positions. A conventional rotary damper could also be employed for such purpose. A spring-loaded latch  50  holds the cover/tray  11  in a closed position in which it is generally vertical and encloses the recess  15  of housing  12 . A detent spring  23  secured on each side of the cover  11  engages the associated tab  22  on each side to provide a detent at the horizontal use position as shown in FIGS.  8 - 11 . Upon application of an overload, as for example, stepping on the tray when in an open position, detent springs  23  will allow the cover/tray  10  to breakaway, preventing damage to the tray, which can then be returned to a normal use or closed position.  
         [0021]    The container holders  16  and  18  are pivotally mounted to spaced-apart pivot mounting bosses  30  (FIG. 2), projecting upwardly in appropriately spaced locations on the inside of cover/tray  11 . Container holders  16  and  18  each includes a tab  17 ,  19 , respectively, which releasably engages the inner, somewhat flexible lip  11 ′ of cover/tray  11  for holding the container holders to the cover as it is moved from a closed to an open position, as seen in FIG. 1. Upon pivoting upwardly as shown, for example, in FIGS.  5 - 7 , the tabs  17  and  19  on individual container holders  16  and  18 , respectively, engage spring-loaded catches (not shown) on the inside of the top wall of housing  12  to selectively retain the container holders within the housing when the cover/tray  11  is open.  
         [0022]    The container holders  16  and  18  are each defined by an upper housing  40  and lower plate  42  ultrasonically welded or otherwise secured thereto. Each includes a cylindrical recess  41  for receiving a container therein. A spring-loaded arm  43  is pivotally mounted between members  40  and  42  and is biased inwardly toward the center of aperture  41  by spring  45  to accommodate different sized containers within aperture  41  of each of the holders. Thus, arms  43  engage the cylindrical side wall of different diameter containers to hold them in a stable position in aperture  41 . Further, housings  40  include either an open slot  47  or a notch  47 ′ (FIG. 1) to accommodate handles of mugs which may be stored within apertures  41  of container holders  16  and  18 .  
         [0023]    Housing  12  may include a lower section  60 , as seen in FIG. 1, which includes a storage pocket  62  therein partially enclosed by a flexible net  64  to allow items such as maps, books and the like to be placed within the storage bin  62  when cover  11  is in a closed position having its outer surface  14 ′ (FIG. 1) substantially flush with the outer surface  12 ′ of the upper section of housing  12 . Although FIGS.  1 - 3  show a first embodiment of container holders  16  and  18 , the independent operation of these container holders and the cover/tray  11  is illustrated also in the embodiments shown in FIGS.  4 - 11 , which are substantially the same as the first embodiment with the exception of the specific shape of the container holders themselves.  
         [0024]    Housing  12  can be mounted in a variety of other locations in the vehicle, such as a door panel, the side of a console or armrest, the back of a seat, or any other location where a pivot down cover tray/container holder assembly conveniently places items for access by an operator or passenger. The inside floor surface  13  of cover  10  defines a support tray, therefore, which, depending on the position of container holders  16  and  18 , can be expanded, constricted, and reconfigured, although the area  13  (to the right in FIG. 1) preferably always remains available for use.  
         [0025]    The embodiment shown in FIGS.  4 - 11  illustrates the operation of the first embodiment shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , with the exception that container holders  16  and  18  are somewhat modified. In these figures, container holders  70  and  80  are individually pivotally mounted to the cover  11  by the use of a single pivot rod  75  (FIGS. 5 and 6) which extends between end bosses  76  in the cover  11  through apertures in mounting bosses  72  and  82  in each of the container holders  70  and  80 , respectively. Cover  11  is otherwise identical to cover  11  in the first embodiment and is identically mounted to housing  14  as in the first embodiment. The container holders comprise a base plate  71  and  81  with an upwardly extending cylindrical collar  73  and  83  having a notch  77 ,  87  therein to accommodate a mug handle. The container holders  70  and  80  each further include a resilient polymeric member  78  and  88 , respectively, at the top edge which is flexible to grip and hold different sized containers within the cylindrical apertures  71 ′,  81 ′ defined by the cupholders  70  and  80 , respectively.  
         [0026]    When the container holders are both lowered to a use position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, various sized containers can be placed therein such as drink cups  90  and  92  as seen in FIG. 8. FIG. 6 shows the combined tray/container holder in yet another configuration with both container holders  16  and  80  or  18  and  70  in a raised position to provide maximum tray surface area  13  for storage of flat objects, as shown in FIG. 10, such as a food or storage bag  94  and a sandwich container  96 .  
         [0027]    In yet another configuration, a seen in FIG. 7, the container holder  70  (or  16 ) is raised to a storage position while container holder  80  (or  18 ) is lowered for use to accommodate, as seen in FIG. 11, a sandwich container  96  in the floor area  13  exposed by the storage of container holders  16  and  70 , a drink cup  90  and a French fry container  98  in the right-most storage area  13  (FIGS.  1 - 4 ), as illustrated in FIG. 11.  
         [0028]    When in the position shown in FIG. 5, the tray/container holder  10 , with container holders  16  or  70  in the lowered position, the system accommodates a drink cup  90  at one end and, with container holder  18  or  80  in the raised position, a sandwich container  96  and a French fry container  98 , as seen in FIG. 9.  
         [0029]    In each of the embodiments, with the cover  11  in a lowered use position as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and  4 , both of the container holders  16  and  18  or  70  and  80  can be in a lowered position for storing two containers therein. In the embodiment shown in FIGS.  4 - 11 , the recess  15  of housing  12  includes cylindrical recesses for receiving the collar  73  and  83  of container holders  70  and  80 , respectively.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a combined tray and storage slot  100  is provided. A housing  112  includes a storage recess  115  therein and a cover  111  is pivotally mounted to the side walls  127  of recess  115  in the same manner as in the first embodiment by the use of pivot pins  120  and  122  and recess  124  in side walls  127  utilizing a detent spring  123  providing break-away action of the cover  111  as in the earlier embodiments. The cover includes a floor  130  mounted in spaced relationship to the inner surface  112  of cover  111  to define a pocket  125  between floor  130  and inner surface  112  of cover  111  such that the pocket  125  can accommodate maps or other relatively small objects therein. A spring release catch  150  secures the cover to a closed position within housing  112  when not in use. When pivoted outwardly to a horizontal use position (such as shown in the alternative embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 3), floor  130  provides a flat storage surface for receiving items such as food storage containers or the like. Floor  130  may also include cylindrical apertures  131  (shown in phantom in FIG. 12) for receiving containers.  
         [0031]    In yet another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 13, a molded polymeric housing  212  includes a top wall  230 , a bottom wall  232 , side wall  213 , front wall  234 , and rear wall  236 . Side wall  213  has a rectangular opening  214  for access to storage area  215  therein. A resilient net  217  (shown broken away) selectively encloses a lower section of opening  214  and has its ends  218  secured to the inner surface of wall  213 . At the left end  234  (as seen in FIG. 13), polymeric housing  212  includes a integrally formed door  220  which is pivotally attached to housing  212  with an integral polymeric coextruded hinge such that items can be reached through the access opening  225  defined by door  220  or through opening  214 . Door  220  includes an integral snap-closed latch (not shown) which cooperates with housing  212  to maintain the door closed. In each of the embodiments, the housings, container holders, and covers are integrally molded of a suitable polymeric material, such as PVC, which is colored and textured to conform to the vehicle&#39;s interior.  
         [0032]    It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the invention as described herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.