Abstract:
Vehicle armrests configured to removably receive beverage container holders are provided. Armrests are configured to removably receive beverage container holders in end portions and/or intermediate portions thereof. Armrests pivotally mounted within passenger compartments of vehicles can be restrained from pivotal movement when beverage container holders are removably secured thereto.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to beverage container holders and, more particularly, to beverage container holders utilized within vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Passenger seats in vehicles, such as automobiles, trains, boats, and airplanes, often include armrests for the comfort of vehicle occupants. Typically, armrests are attached to a side portion of a vehicle seat back and may be configured to pivot between a raised position and a lowered position. In a raised position, an armrest typically is aligned vertically with the seat back; in a lowered position, an armrest typically extends horizontally outwardly from the seat back to provide support for the arm of an occupant. 
     It is generally considered desirable to provide one or more beverage container holders within vehicles for the convenience of vehicle occupants. Various types of beverage container holders for use within vehicles are disclosed, for example, within U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,915,958; 2,518,538; 2,698,155; 2,926,879; 3,842,981; 4,535,923; 4,749,112; 4,779,831; 4,844,400; 4,852,843; 4,877,164; 5,014,956; 5,048,733; 5,106,046; 5,489,055; 5,603,477; 5,938,160; and 6,095,471. 
     With respect to automobiles, various known beverage container holders are constructed to hook over a window or door. Others are constructed with a clamping device which is adapted to be fitted to a dashboard or glove box cover. Some require that a mounting base be secured to a dashboard or other mounting surface, such as by fasteners, adhesive, vacuum cups, or the like. 
     Ergonomically, it is considered desirable to attach beverage container holders to the armrests of vehicle seats. Unfortunately, when not in use, beverage container holders attached to vehicle seat armrests can be bulky and cumbersome. In addition, the contents of a beverage container may spill if an armrest supporting the beverage container within a holder attached thereto is inadvertently moved to a raised position by a vehicle occupant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above discussion, armrests for use within vehicle passenger compartments are configured to removably receive beverage container holders. According to embodiments of the present invention, armrests are configured to removably receive beverage container holders in end portions thereof. According to other embodiments of the present invention, armrests are configured to removably receive beverage container holders in intermediate portions thereof. According to additional embodiments of the present invention, armrests pivotally mounted within passenger compartments can be restrained from pivotal movement when beverage container holders are removably secured thereto. 
     Armrest assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention are ergonomically advantageous because beverage container holders can be positioned in convenient locations for vehicle passengers. Moreover, beverage container holders according to embodiments of the present invention can be easily removed when not needed. In addition, armrest assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention can be advantageous in that potential beverage spills caused by armrest movement can be prevented. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, illustrate key embodiments of the present invention. The drawings and description together serve to fully explain the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional vehicle seat having an armrest pivotally attached thereto and illustrating armrest movement between lowered and raised positions. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat having an armrest assembly with a removable beverage container holder configured to be removably attached to the armrest end portion, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of the end portion of the armrest of FIG. 2 illustrating the beverage container holder in an installed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the armrest assembly of FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat having an armrest assembly with a removable beverage container holder attached to an armrest intermediate portion according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5A is an enlarged perspective view of the beverage container holder of FIGS. 2-4. 
     FIG. 5B is an enlarged perspective view of the armrest of FIGS. 2-4 illustrating a female connector in the end of the armrest that is configured to removably receive the male connector of the beverage container holder. 
     FIG. 6A illustrates the beverage container holder of FIG. 5A in a first orientation for insertion of the male member thereof into the female member in the armrest end portion of FIG.  5 B. 
     FIG. 6B illustrates the beverage container holder of FIG. 5A locked into place upon rotating the beverage container holder after insertion of the male member into the female member in the armrest end portion of FIG.  5 B. 
     FIG. 7A illustrates the beverage container holder of FIG. 5A in a first orientation for insertion of the male member thereof into a female member in an intermediate portion of an armrest according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7B illustrates the beverage container holder of FIG. 7A locked into place upon rotating the beverage container holder after insertion of the male member into the female member in the armrest intermediate portion. 
     FIGS. 8A-8B are perspective views of an armrest assembly according to embodiments of the present invention, wherein a beverage container holder is configured to be removably attached to an armrest end portion and to prevent the armrest from being moved to a raised position. 
     FIGS. 9A-9B are enlarged perspective views of the end portion of the armrest of FIG. 8 illustrating the male member of the beverage container holder in a first orientation for insertion into the female member of the armrest (FIG. 9A) and illustrating the male member locked into place upon rotating the beverage container holder after insertion into the female member (FIG.  9 B). 
     FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the armrest assembly of FIG. 8 illustrating the beverage container holder removably attached to the armrest. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     In the drawings, the thickness of lines, layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region, substrate, or panel is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “attached” to another element, it can be directly connected or attached to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly attached” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. The terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only. 
     Referring initially to FIG. 1, a seat of the type suitable for vehicle use and within which an armrest assembly according to embodiments of the present invention may be utilized is indicated as  10 . The illustrated seat  10  may be installed in a vehicle  20  (e.g., automobile, train, watercraft, aircraft, etc.) in a conventional manner and includes a seat bottom  11  and a seat back  12 . An armrest  13  is pivotally attached to the seat back  12  and is configured to pivot with respect to the seat back  12  between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the armrest  13  is pivoted so that it is substantially vertically aligned with the seat back  12 . In the lowered position, the armrest  13  extends generally outwardly from the seat back  12  so that an occupant can rest his/her arm thereon. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-2A and  3 , the seat  10  of FIG. 1 is illustrated with an armrest assembly  40 , according to embodiments of the present invention, pivotally attached thereto. The illustrated armrest assembly  40  includes an armrest  13  having a substantially rigid, elongated frame  42  covered with upholstery  43  (FIG.  2 A), and a beverage container holder  44  removably secured to the frame  42 . The elongated frame  42  is pivotally secured to the seat  10  via a mounting pin  46  (FIG. 3) that extends between the elongated frame  42  and the seat  10 . The mounting pin  46  is secured to the elongated frame  42  and to the seat  10  such that the frame  42  (and armrest  13 ) can be pivoted about axis A 1  such that armrest  13  can be moved between raised and lowered positions relative to the seat  10  (FIG.  2 ). The mounting pin  46  may be secured to the elongated frame  42  and the seat  10  in various ways without limitation. 
     The beverage container holder  44  is removably secured to an end  42   a  of the elongated frame  42 , as illustrated in FIG.  3 . According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the beverage container holder  44  may be removably secured to an intermediate portion  42   b  of the elongated frame  42 , as illustrated in FIG.  4  and in FIGS. 7A-7B. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5A-5B and  6 A- 6 B, the illustrated beverage container holder  44  includes a body  45  having a receptacle  47  that is configured to receive and support a beverage container therein. A slot  48  is formed within wall  45   a  of the illustrated body  45 . A male connector  50  extends outwardly from an opposite wall  45   b  of the body  45 , as illustrated. The illustrated male connector  50  has a generally “bayonet-shaped” configuration with a member  51  extending radially outward from a distal end  50   a  of the male member  50 . Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustrated beverage container holder  44 . Beverage container holders having various shapes, sizes and configurations may be utilized without limitation. 
     The illustrated armrest frame  42  has a female connector  52  (FIG. 5B) formed in the end  42   a  thereof that is configured to removably receive the male connector  50  of the beverage container holder  44  in locking relationship. The illustrated female connector  52  has a generally keyhole-shaped configuration. The female connector  52  is configured to allow the male connector  50  to be rotated about an axis A 2  thereof to a locked position, indicated by arrow  55  (FIG.  6 A). FIG. 6A illustrates the beverage container holder  44  in a first orientation for insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . FIG. 6B illustrates the beverage container holder  44  locked into place upon rotating the beverage container holder  44  about axis A 2  after insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . 
     Another embodiment of the present invention wherein a beverage container holder  44  is removably secured to an intermediate portion  42   b  of an armrest frame  42  is illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7B. FIG. 7A illustrates the beverage container holder  44  in a first orientation for insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . FIG. 7B illustrates the beverage container holder  44  locked into place upon rotating the beverage container holder  44  after insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 8A-8B,  9 A- 9 B, and  10 , an armrest assembly  140  wherein pivotal movement of,the armrest  13  is prevented when a beverage container holder  44  is removably secured to the armrest is illustrated. The armrest  13  is pivotally secured to a seat (not shown) as described above via mounting pin  46  and is configured to pivot between a raised position and a lowered position. The illustrated mounting pin  46  includes a slotted portion  46   a . An elongated member  150  (e.g., a rod) having opposite first and second ends  150   a ,  150   b  is movably secured to the elongated frame  42  within the armrest  13  and is moveable along the longitudinal extent of the frame  42  between first and second positions. The elongated member  150  may have various shapes and/or configurations and is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. 
     In the first position, the elongated member first end  150   a  does not engage the mounting pin (FIG.  8 A); in the second position, the elongated member first end  150   a  engages the mounting pin slotted portion  46   a  (when the armrest  13  is in the lowered position) to prevent pivotal movement of the armrest  13  (FIG.  8 B). A spring  152  is configured to urge the elongated member  150  to the first position when the beverage container holder  44  is not secured to the elongated frame  42 . Insertion of the beverage container holder  44  into the armrest  13  causes the elongated arm  150  to move and engage the mounting pin  46 , thereby preventing the armrest  13  from being moved to a raised position. 
     The first end  150   a  of the illustrated elongated member  150  has a slotted configuration that is configured to engage the mounting pin slotted portion  46   a  when the elongated member  150  is moved to the second position. The engagement of the mounting pin slotted portion  46   a  and the elongated member first end  150   a  prevents pivotal movement of the armrest  13 . The elongated member  150  and the mounting pin  46  may have various configurations and may be configured to engage with each other in various ways to prevent pivotal movement of the armrest  13 . The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. 
     A beverage container holder  44  is configured to be removably secured to an end portion of the elongated frame  42 . The beverage container holder  44  engages the elongated member second end  150   b  and causes the elongated member  150  to move from the first position (unengaged) to the second position (engaged) when removably secured to the elongated frame  42 , thereby preventing the armrest  13  frame from moving from a lowered position to a raised position. 
     The beverage container holder  44  includes a male connector  50  having a generally bayonet-shaped configuration with a member  51  extending radially outward from a distal end  50   a  of the male member  50 . The frame  42  has a female connector  52  formed in the end  42   a  thereof that is configured to removably receive the male connector  50  in locking relationship, as described above. The illustrated female connector  52  has a generally keyhole-shaped configuration. The female connector  52  is configured to allow the male connector  50  to be rotated about an axis A 2  thereof to a locked position. 
     FIGS. 9A-9B illustrate an internal sleeve  60  according to an embodiment of the present invention that is configured to receive the male member  50  and allow the male member  50  to rotate to a locked position. In FIG. 9A, the beverage container holder  44  is in a first orientation for insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . FIGS. 9B and 10 illustrate the beverage container holder  44  locked into place upon rotating he beverage container holder  44  about axis A 2  after insertion of the male member  50  into the female member  52 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Armrests may be configured to receive various types of beverage container holders and in various locations. For example, an armrest assembly according to embodiments of the present invention may be configured such that a beverage container holder removably secured to an intermediate portion of an armrest restrains movement of the armrest when so engaged. 
     The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.