Abstract:
A holder for a beverage container has a holding element provided with an insertion opening for a beverage container; a slideway guide provided on the holding element so that the holding element is guided to be displaceable from a non-use position into a use position and vice versa, the holding element being curved in an arc in a displacement direction, the slideway guide being formed as an arcuate guide and guiding the holding element in such a manner that the holding element is displaceable in an arc in direction of its curved shape.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a holder for a beverage container, for example a beaker, a cup, a can and the like.  
           [0002]    Such holders are known in an almost incomprehensibly large number of designs. Such known holders have a holding element with an insertion opening for the insertion of the beverage container. Furthermore, the holders have a slideway guidance means with which the holding element is guided so as to be displaceable back and forth between a non-use position and a use position. In the non-use position the holding element is usually recessed in, for example, the dashboard of a motor vehicle. In the use position, the holding element projects out of the dashboard so that the insertion opening is accessible and a beverage container can be inserted and removed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for a beverage container which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art, and more particularly makes good use of an installation space.  
           [0004]    In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent herein after, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated in that the holding element of the holder according to the invention is curved in an arc in a displacement direction and its slideway guidance means is constructed in the form of an arcuate guidance means. The holding element of the holder according to the invention is displaceable in an arc in the direction of its curved shape from the non-use position into the use position and vice versa. It is possible, but not necessary, for the curved shape of the holding element to correspond to the curvature of a path described by the holding element during its displacement.  
           [0005]    As a result of the arcuate construction of the holding element and its arcuate displacement movement, the holding element during its displacement circumscribes a chamber which can be utilized as a compartment, for example, for the storage of small articles, for the installation of switches, instruments etc., or for the accommodation of an ash tray, a coin tray or the like. As a result, the invention has the advantage of good utilization of the installation space required for the holder. A further advance of the invention lies, from the aesthetic standpoint, in the unusual shaping of the holding element and its unusual displacement movement.  
           [0006]    In a preferred configuration of the invention, the holding element is curved in an arc of a circle, it has the shape of a portion of the curved surface of a cylinder. The slideway guidance means of the holder in this configuration of the invention is constructed in the shape of an arc of a circle, it guides the holding element on a circular path coaxial with the notional axis of the cylindrical holding element.  
           [0007]    In a further development of the invention the holder has a support element which provides support against tipping-over for a beverage container inserted into the insertion opening of the holding element, the support being provided at one point or over a circumferential region of the beverage container. The support element is pivotally mounted on the holding element so as to be able to pivot from a position in which it rests against the holding element into a position in which it projects away from the holding element and vice versa. The support reliably supports a beverage container inserted into the holder against tipping-over. Because the support element is pivotable into a position in which it rests against the holding element, it can be accommodated in a space-saving manner when the holder is not in use.  
           [0008]    Preferably the support element is curved in an arc in correspondence with the holding element, that is to say its curvature is matched to that of the holding element. As a result, when the support element is not in use it can be pivoted into a space-saving position in which it rests against the holding element substantially over its entire length in the circumferential direction. 
       
    
    
       [0009]    The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a view perspective exploded view of a holder in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIGS. 2 a,    2   b,    2   c  are perspective views of the holder of FIG. 1 in an assembled state, in various positions;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 3 a,    3   b  are views showing a cross-section through the holder of FIG. 1 in an assembled state in two different positions; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a view showing a detail of a housing of an inventive holder of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    As shown in the drawing, the holder  10  according to the invention for a beverage container, such as, for example, a beaker, a cup or a can, is intended for recessed installation in, for example, the central console of a motor vehicle (not shown). The holder  10  has a semi-cylindrical housing  12  divided by a semi-cylindrical dividing wall  14 , which is coaxial with the housing  12 , into a storage compartment  16  for small articles and a cylindrically curved receiving chamber  18  for a holding element  20 . The holding element  20  has a cylindrically curved shape corresponding to the receiving chamber  18 , the holding element  20  forms a portion of the curved surface of a cylindrical extending circumferentially through somewhat less than 180°.  
         [0015]    The holding element  20  is guided in the housing  12  by an arc-of-a-circle guidance means  22 ,  24  so as to be displaceable in the direction of its curved shape, the notional axis of an arc-of-a-circle-shaped path described by the holding element  20  during its displacement being coaxial with the notional axis of symmetry of the housing  12 , which corresponds to the notional axis of symmetry of the cylindrical holding element  20 . For guidance in an arc of a circle, the holding element  20  has on each side two outwardly projecting guide pins  22 . One of the two guide pins  22  is arranged at one end of the holding element  20  and the other guide pin  22  is arranged spaced apart in the circumferential direction from the one guide pin  22 .  
         [0016]    The guide pins  22  lie in a guide path  24  of the housing  12  formed by a groove in each side wall of the housing  12 . The guide path  24  extends in an arc of a circle coaxial with the notional axis of symmetry of the housing  12 . By means of the arc-of-a-circle guidance means  22 ,  24  the holding element  20  can be displaced along an arc-of-a-circle-shaped path between a non-use position, in which it is recessed in the receiving chamber  18  of the housing  12 , and a use position in which it projects out of the housing  12 . The non-use position is shown in FIGS. 2 b, c  and  3   b  and the use position is shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  3   a.    
         [0017]    At its end that projects out of the housing  12  in the use position, the holding element  20  has an insertion opening  26 , which is circular in plan view, for the insertion of a beverage container, such as, for example, the drinks can  28  shown in FIG. 3 a.    
         [0018]    The displacement of the holding element  20  into the use position is effected by means of a spring element. In the embodiment of the invention shown and described, the spring element selected is a scroll spring  30 . The scroll spring  30  is a flat spring which coils itself up as a result of its resilience, that is to say it is a tension spring. The scroll spring  30  is mounted on a roller  32  which is rotatably mounted on the end of the holding element  20  that is guided in the housing  12 . The uncoilable end of the flat spring  30  is affixed to the dividing wall  14  of the housing  12  close to the mouth of the receiving chamber  18 . An uncoiled portion of the flat spring  30  therefore lies on the outer or convex side of the dividing wall  14 . The scroll spring  30  displaces the holding element  20  into the use position in which it projects out of the housing  12 .  
         [0019]    Displacement of the holding element  20  into the non-use position, in which it is recessed in the housing  12 , is effected by hand against the spring force of the scroll spring  30 . A releasable locking device holds the holding element  20  in the non-use position, in which it is recessed in the housing  12 , against the spring force of the scroll spring  30 . The locking device is constructed in the form of a push-push or the cardioid mechanism (known per se and therefore not described in detail here) with a locking bar  35  pivotally mounted on a side wall of the housing  12 . The locking device is released by brief pressure in the direction of the non-use position on the holding element  20  locked in the recessed non-use position. The displacement movement is damped by a rotary damper  33  per se, which is installed in a seat  34  in the housing element  20 .  
         [0020]    At the end of the holding element  20  that projects out of the housing  12  in the use position there is mounted a shutter  36  which provides a flush closure to the opening of the receiving chamber  18  when the holding element  20  has been displaced into the recessed non-use position.  
         [0021]    At the end of the holding element  20  that projects out of the housing  12  in the use position there is mounted a shutter  36  which provides a flush closure to the opening of the receiving chamber  18  when the holding element  20  has been displaced into the recessed non-use position.  
         [0022]    A support element  38  is pivotally mounted on the holding element  20  of the holder  10  according to the invention by means of a pin-type connection. The support element  38  is arranged on an outer or convex side of the holding element  20  and has a curved shape corresponding to the curved shape of the holding element  20 . The support element  38  therefore likewise has the shape of a portion of the curved surface of a cylinder. For the pivotal connection of the support element  38  to the holding element  20 , the support element  38  has on each side an inwardly projecting pivot pin  40  which engages rotatably in a bearing hole  42  in the sides of the holding element.  
         [0023]    When the holding element  20  is in the use position, two leg springs  44  placed onto the pivot pins  40  pivot the support element  38  into a position in which it projects outwards away from the holding element  20  at an acute angle, as shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  3   a.  In the use position, a semi-circular recess  46  of the support element  38  is located above the holding element  20  approximately in register with the insertion opening  26 . The recess  46  supports over a circumferential region a drinks container  28  inserted into the insertion opening  26  above the holding element  20 , so that the drinks container  28  is reliably secured against tipping.  
         [0024]    In the non-use position, the support element  38  has been pivoted into a position in which it rests against the outer side of the holding element  20 . For that purpose, the support element  38  has integrally formed rigid pivot arms  48  which are arranged as arc-of a circle-shaped extensions on the support element  38  at its end remote from the recess  46 . Pins  50  project outwards from the free ends of the pivot arms  48 , which pins  50  engage in guide paths  51  of the housing  12 . The guide paths  51  are in the form of arc-of-a-circle-shaped slots in side walls of the housing  12 , they are arranged coaxially with the notional axis of symmetry of the housing  12  and are offset radially inwards with respect to the guide paths  24  for the holding element  20 . The guide paths  51  for pivoting the support element  38  have, close to the mouth of the receiving chamber  18 , a widened portion  52  towards the inside, forming a ramp  54 .  
         [0025]    When the holding element  20  is in its use position in which it projects out of the housing  12 , the pins  50  of the pivot arms  48  of the support element  38  are located in the widened portion  52  of the guide paths  51 . The widened portion  52  allows the pivot pins  50  to pivot inwards and thus allows the support element  38  to pivot, as already described, into the position in which it projects outwards away from the holding element  20  at an acute angle. When the holding element  20  is displaced into its non-use position, the pins  50  of the pivot arms  48  of the support element  38  slide along the ramps  54  and in so doing are moved outwards into the guide path  51 . At the same time the pins  50  pivot the support element  38  inwards, against the spring force of the leg springs  44 , into the position in which it rests against the outside of the holding element  20 .  
         [0026]    The storage compartment  16  can be closed by two covers  56 ,  58  each of which covers approximately half of the storage compartment  16 . The covers  56 ,  58  have outwardly projecting slide pins  60  at the sides, which engage in straight grooves  62 , arranged one above the other, in side walls of the housing  12 , so that the covers  56 ,  58  are displaceable. To use the holder  10  according to the invention, the two covers  56 ,  58  are closed, as shown in FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  3   a.  A drinks container  28  inserted into the insertion opening  26  of the holding element  20  which has been displaced into the use position stands on one of the two covers  56 . When the holder  10  is not in use, one of the two covers  56 ,  58  can be pushed over the other of the two covers  58 ,  56 , so that the storage compartment  16  is accessible. This is shown in FIG. 2. It will be understood that the covers  56 ,  58  can also be displaced and the storage compartment  16  opened when the holding element  20  has been displaced into the use position.  
         [0027]    It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0028]    While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in holder for a beverage container, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0029]    Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.