Abstract:
A cup holder holding an object includes: a storing part being cylindrical and being opened at an upper portion; an opening part provided at a side wall of the storing part; a holder being biased towards an interior of the storing part and being stored inside the opening part so that the holder may protrude and retract; and a restricting part provided on the opening part, wherein the restricting part restrains a movement of the holder at a maximum storage position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-129226, filed Jun. 4, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cup holder of a vehicle, for example. A container of a beverage may be placed on the cup holder. In particular, the present invention relates to a cup holder which supports a peripheral wall of the container of the beverage that is placed, thereby preventing the container of the beverage from wobbling. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional cup holders have been configured as follows: First, the cup holder comprises a storing part of a container of a beverage, which is opened in an upward direction. An opening part is provided at an upper portion of a side wall of this storing part. A pivot shaft is provided on this opening part. An axis of the pivot shaft is in a horizontal direction. A support is made by biasing a holder to this pivot shaft with a biasing part. The holder may protrude and retract from the opening part towards an inner side of the storing part. (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-082887.) 
     Therefore, when the container of the beverage is inserted in the storing part, the holder resists against the biasing part. Thus, the holder is pushed inside the opening part formed on the side wall of the storing part. When the insertion of the container of the beverage is completed, the holder presses against a peripheral wall of the container of the beverage in a condition in which the holder is biased by the biasing part. As a result, the container of the beverage is prevented from wobbling. 
     Further, when there is a constricted part at an outer peripheral surface of the container of the beverage, the holder might become stuck in the constricted part of the container of the beverage that is about to be removed. However, a force, which is applied to the holder from the container of the beverage that is about to be removed, acts on a lower side with respect to the pivot shaft of a supporting part. Therefore, this force is applied so as to push the holder into the opening part. Therefore, the container of the beverage may be removed by directly picking up the container. 
     However, according to the conventional cup holder described above, when a user is about to remove a cup holder, and the user feels even a little resistance during the removing action as if the holder is stuck in the constricted part of the container of the beverage, it is possible that the user may insert his or her finger inside the opening part in order to unlock the holder supporting the container of the beverage. In order to withhold this action, it is necessary to enhance the robustness of the pivot shaft, enlarge components, and the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is made considering the problems described above. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cup holder which does not necessitate a robustness of a pivot shaft to be enhanced nor a size of a component to be enlarged.
     (1) Namely, a cup holder holding an object according to an aspect of the present invention includes a storing part being cylindrical and being opened at an upper portion; an opening part provided at a side wall of the storing part; a holder being biased towards an interior of the storing part and being stored inside the opening part so that the holder may protrude and retract; and a restricting part provided on the opening part, wherein the restricting part restrains a movement of the holder at a maximum storage position.   (2) In addition, the above cup holder may be configured as follows: An upper part of the holder is supported, centered around an axial part provided on the opening part along a horizontal direction. In addition, a lower part of the holder is provided to the opening part so that the lower part may protrude and retract by oscillating.   (3) In addition, the above cup holder may be configured as follows: The restricting part is provided so as to straddle across the opening part.   (4) In addition, the above cup holder may be configured as follows: A guide part is provided at a lower part of the holder. This guide part elastically supports a peripheral wall of the object. The guide part also directs a reactive force, received by the object in a normal line direction at a contact point with the object, towards a position lower than an axial part.   

     According to the above aspect of the present invention described in (1) above, when a container of a beverage is pulled out from the storing part and the storing part became stuck at a constricted part of the container of the beverage, and when a user pushes in the holder in order to release the storing part being stuck, the holder pushed into the opening part of the storing part is restricted by a restricting part from moving in a direction in which the holder is pushed in. Therefore, the load being applied to the axial part is reduced. Further, the axial part is prevented from breaking. Further, it is not necessary to enlarge the axial part in order to enhance the robustness of the axial part. Neither is it necessary to enlarge other periphery components. Therefore, the size may be made smaller and the weight may be made lighter. 
     According to the above aspect of the present invention described in (2) above, a lopsided force is not applied to a fluctuation of the holder to a storing position when the user inserts a finger between a peripheral wall of the container of the beverage and the storing part. 
     According to the above aspect of the present invention described in (3) above, the restricting part may operate as a reinforcing component to enhance the robustness of the opening part. Thus, it is not necessary to increase the thickness around the opening part. Neither is it necessary to provide a separate reinforcing component. In this way, the size may be made smaller. 
     According to the above aspect of the present invention described in (4) above, even when the holder becomes stuck at a constricted part of a container of a beverage when the container of the beverage is pulled up, a force, being applied from the container of the beverage to the holder due to the pulling force of the container of the beverage, is applied so as to push in the holder. Therefore, the pulling up of the container of the beverage may be tolerated. Even if the user feels that the container of the beverage cannot be pulled up, and inserts a finger between the container of the beverage and the storing part and pushes in the holder, the restricting part allows the user to feel that the holder has been pushed into a releasing position. In this way, the restricting part prevents a movement pushing the holder any further. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a around a console according to an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a storing part of a cup holder according to an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a holder according to an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view along line A-A in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  shows how a folder is being attached. 
         FIG. 5A  shows how a holder operates.  FIG. 5A  is a cross sectional view of a condition in which a container of a beverage is stored. 
         FIG. 5B  shows how a holder operates.  FIG. 5B  is a cross sectional view showing a condition in which the holder is released. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a view of  FIG. 2  seen from an arrow B. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereunder, an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the diagrams. In the following description and diagrams, FR indicates a frontal side of a vehicle. 
     In  FIG. 1 , element  1  indicates a console  1  placed between a driver&#39;s seat of a vehicle and a passenger&#39;s seat. A front portion storing part  2  is provided at a front portion of the console  1  in a front-rear direction of the vehicle. An upper portion of the front portion storing part  2  is opened. A rear portion storing part  4  is provided at a rear portion of the console  1 . The rear portion storing part  4  is covered by a lid  3  which may be opened and closed. An upper portion of the lid  3  acts as an arm rest. An AT lever  5  is placed at a rear portion of the front portion storing part  2 . Two cup holders H, H are placed between the position of the AT lever  5  and the rear portion storing part  4 . The cup holders H, H are placed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Incidentally, a lever opening part  6  for a parking lever is placed next to the cup holders H, H. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cup holder H comprises a cup holder main body  10 , a holder  14 , and a panel material  16  (see  FIG. 4  as well). The cup holder main body  10  comprises a storing part  13 . The storing part  13  is cylindrical and comprises a bottom wall  11  and a side wall  12 . An upper portion of the side wall  12  is opened. The holder  14  is provided at the side wall  12  of the cup holder main body  10 . The holder  14  supports a peripheral wall of a beverage container Y (see  FIG. 5 ). The holder  14  supports the beverage container Y by pushing the beverage container Y against an opposing side wall  12 . The panel material  16  comprises an opening  15  through which the beverage container Y is inserted. The panel material  16  surrounds a peripheral of the storing part  13  of the cup holder  10 . A portion of the upper wall of the console  1  comprises the panel material  16 . 
     Two fixing brackets  17 ,  18  are placed at a front side of the cup holder main body  10  of the cup holder H at a front side. Two fixing brackets  19 ,  20  are placed at a rear side of the cup holder main body  10  of the cup holder H at a rear side. The fixing brackets  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20  are each provided continuous to the rim flange part  24 . A mounting hole  21  is placed on each of the fixing brackets  17  through  20 . Here, the two cup holders H, H are configured so that each storing part  13 ,  13  forms a storing space connected at a constricted part  22 . 
     A pair of long opening parts  23  is formed at a side wall  12  of each cup holder main body  10  at a slanted portion close to the constricted part  22 . The opening part  23  is elongated in the upper-lower direction. The opening part  23  comprises a cut out portion  25  at the rim flange part  24  of the cup holder main body  10 . An upper portion of the cut out portion  25  is rectangular. The opening part  23  has a depth towards a thickness direction of the side wall  12  of the cup holder main body  10 . The opening part  23  is slightly narrowed towards a lower portion. A holder  14  is attached to this opening part  23 . The holder  24  supports a peripheral wall of the beverage container Y. 
     Axial parts  31 ,  31  are coaxially provided at an upper portion of the opening part  23 . Each of the axial parts  31 ,  31  protrudes in a horizontal direction from side walls  30  of the opening part  23  which oppose one another. Furthermore, at a lower portion of the opening part  23 , a rod shaped restricting part  32  is provided. The rod shaped restricting part  32  connects the opposing wall parts  30  of the opening part  23  so as to straddle the opposing wall parts  30 . The restricting part  32  is placed lower than the axial parts  31 ,  31  and towards the storing part  13  side compared to the axial parts  31 ,  31 . Here, the restricting part  32  is provided at a position corresponding to a height at which a finger hits when a user inserts a finger between the beverage container Y and the side wall  12  of the storing part  13 . Incidentally, although the restricting part  32  according to an aspect of the present invention is configured so that its cross section is circular, a configuration is also possible such that the cross section of the restricting part  32  is not round (triangular, rectangular, and the like). Here, each opposing wall part  30  of the opening part  23  is connected at an upper back side with a rear wall  33 . Meanwhile, each opposing wall part  30  of the opening part  23  is connected at a lower portion with a lower wall part  29 . In these ways, a periphery of the opening part  23  is made robust. An end of a torsion spring  40 , described later, is latched to the rear wall  33 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the holder  14  is provided at the opening part  23  in a condition in which the holder  14  is biased towards an inner side of the storing part  13 . The holder  14  is provided so that the holder may be pressed against the inner side of the storing part  13  and may also be released so as to protrude from the inner side of the storing part  13 . 
     The holder  14  comprises a guide part  35  placed in a direction along the side wall  12  of the storing part  13 . A flat part  36  is provided at an upper portion of the guide part  35 . A curved part  37  is provided at a lower portion of the guide part  35 . The curved part  37  is curved towards an outer side of the storing part  13 . The guide part  35  elastically supports the peripheral wall of the beverage container Y with a torsion spring  40 . When the guide part  35  is supported, the guide part  35  is shaped so that, a direction of the reactive force F, applied at a contact point P with the beverage container Y from the beverage container Y in a direction of a normal line, is pointed towards a position lower than the axial parts  31 ,  31  (see  FIG. 5(   a )). 
     At both ends of the guide part  35 , a pair of side wall parts  38 , placed along the wall part  30  of the opening part  23 , is placed so as to form a U shape with the guide part  35 . The side wall part  38  comprises a lower side wall part  41  and an upper side wall part  42 . The lower side wall part  41  is formed so as to protrude by a longer length. 
     An axis-receiving cut out part  46  is formed at a side rim of each of the upper side wall part  42 . The axis-receiving cut out part  46  receives the axial portions  31 ,  31  of the opening part  23  and rotatably supports the axial portions  31 ,  31 . By latching this axis-receiving cut out part  46  to the axial portions  31 ,  31  of the opening part  23 , the holder  14  is supported by the opening part  23 , with the axial parts  31 ,  31  being the center. Here, the holder  14  is supported in a condition such that the holder  14  may oscillate. 
     As described above, the upper side wall part  42  and the lower side wall part  41  protrude by a longer length. As a result, when the holder  14  oscillates inside the opening part  23 , with the axial parts  31 ,  31  being the center, the wall part  30  of the opening part  23  still operates as a guide even when an upper portion and a lower portion having a large amount of oscillation is detached from the wall part  30  of the opening part  23 . Here, each of the lower side wall part  41  is connected with a lower side wall part  39 . As a result, the guide part  35  is reinforced. 
     Further, a restriction protrusion  28  is provided at an upper end of the guide part  35 . The restriction protrusion  28  contacts a rear wall  33  of the opening part  23 . The restriction protrusion  28  puts a restraint on a maximum protrusion position of the holder  14  biased by the torsion spring  40  towards a storing part  13  side. 
     Between an upper side wall part  42  and the lower side wall part  41  of the holder  14 , a restricting part receiving member  43  is formed at a position corresponding to a position at which the restricting part  32 , provided on the opening part  23 , is formed. The length of protrusion of the restricting part receiving member  43  from the guide part  35  is small. The restricting part receiving member  43  is formed so that a side rim of the upper side wall part  42  and the lower side wall part  41  are gradually dropped in. 
     A reinforcing rib  44  is provided between a back side of the guide part  35  of the holder  14  and the upper side wall part  42 . Due to this reinforcing rib  44 , a compartmentalized space is formed in an upper portion of the holder  14 . As a result, the robustness and the rigidity are enhanced. A torsion spring  40  is provided on the axial parts  31 ,  31  of the opening part  23  of the storing part  13 . The torsion spring  40  is provided such that an end part is latched to a latching part  45  and the reinforcing rib  44 . Due to this torsion spring  40 , the holder  14  is provided in a condition in which the holder  14  is biased towards an inner side of the storing part  13 . Moreover, the holder  14  may protrude and retract from the opening part  23 . 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the holder  14  moves in a direction so as to be contained inside the opening part  23 , the restricting part  32  restricts the holder  14  from moving outside the storing part  13 . In further detail, the restricting part  32  presses the restricting part receiving member  43  at a maximum storage position which roughly matches with a position at which a flat part  36  of the guide part  35  of the holder  14  is positioned along the side wall  12  of the storing part  13 . 
     According to the above embodiment, when the cup holder H is used, even if the holder  14  gets stuck at the constricted part K of the beverage container Y, as shown in  FIG. 5A , it is possible to pull up the beverage container Y directly. This is because, when the beverage container Y is pulled up directly, the reactive force F that the holder  14  receives from the beverage container Y is pointing towards a lower side of the axial parts  31 ,  31 , thereby making the holder  14  oscillate outwards around the axial parts  31 ,  31 . 
     Here, when the user pulls up the beverage container Y and feels that the beverage container Y is somehow stuck, the user might insert a finger between the beverage container Y and the holder  14  and try to pull up the beverage container Y by pushing in the holder  14 , as shown in  FIG. 5B . At this time, even if a large magnitude of force applies to the holder  14  in a direction pushing in the holder  14 , the restricting part  32  supports the restricting part receiving member  43  of the holder  14 . The restricting part  32  is fixed across the wall part  30  of the opening part  23 . 
     Therefore, the force applied to the holder  14  is supported collectively by the entire opening part  23  by the restricting part  32  and the wall part  30 . As a result, it is possible to reduce the load applied to the axial parts  31 ,  31  of the opening part  23 , thereby preventing the axial parts  31 ,  31  from breaking. Therefore, it is not necessary to enhance the robustness of the axial parts  31 ,  31 . Neither is it necessary to enlarge the axial parts  31 ,  31 . Neither is it necessary to enlarge various peripheral components. In this way, it is possible to reduce the size of the cup holder and also reduce the weight of the cup holder. 
     Further, the restricting part  32 , provided on the opening part  23 , is located towards a storing part  13  side compared to the axial parts  31 ,  31 . Therefore, the holder  14 , which was pushed in by the user&#39;s finger, may be received before the axial parts  31 ,  31 . As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent the axial parts  31 ,  31  from breaking. In particular, the position of the restricting part  32  is set to be at a height corresponding to a position at which the finger hits when the user inserts the finger between the beverage container Y and the side wall  12  of the storing part  13 . In this way, it is possible to reliably receive the force being applied by the finger. 
     Furthermore, the restricting part receiving member  43 , which relatively receives the restricting part  32 , is formed so that the restricting part receiving member  43  is dropped in between the upper side wall part  42  of the holder  14  and the lower side wall part  41 . As a result, the restricting part receiving member  43  can receive the restricting part  32  at a deeper position closer to the guide part  35 . Therefore, in a condition in which the holder  14  is restricted from being pushed in, the guide part  35  of the holder  14  becomes closer to the restricting part  32 . Hence, the holder  14  may be supported in a stable manner at the maximum storage position. 
     Here, the upper portion of the holder  14  is supported, with the axial parts  31 ,  31  being the center. The axial parts  31 ,  31  are provided on the opening part  23  along a horizontal direction. The lower portion of the holder  14  is provided so that the holder  14  may protrude and retract with respect to the opening part  23  by oscillating. Therefore, when the user inserts a finger between the constriction part K of the beverage container Y and the side wall  12  of the storing part  13 , a lopsided force will not be applied to an oscillation towards a storage position of the holder  14 . 
     Further, since the restricting part  32  acts as a reinforcing member to enhance the strength of the opening part  23 , there is no need to increase the thickness around the opening part  23 , nor is it necessary to place a separate reinforcing component. Therefore, the overall size can be reduced. 
     Further, the restricting part  32  is also advantageous in that, even when the user thinks that the beverage container Y cannot be pulled up, and therefore inserts a finger between the beverage container Y and the storing part  13  and pushes in the holder  14 , the restricting part  32  can make the user feel that the holder  14  has been pushed into a releasing position, thereby making the user to refrain from pushing in the holder  14  any further. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting the present invention. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment described above, an example was described in which a cup holder is provided on a console. However, the present invention may also be applied to a cup holder placed on a center cluster. The invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description, and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.