Patent ID: 8534491

Claim:
A cup holder ( 10 ) for releasably receiving and supporting a small cup on a larger holder base to facilitate handling by those with reduced motor skills such as younger children, elderly senior citizens and physically handicapped people, the system being safe, convenient and economical, the system comprising, in combination: a support base ( 14 ) in a rectangular configuration having parallel upper and lower edges separated by a height of between 4 and 6 inches, the support base having parallel side edges separated by a width of between 4 and 6 inches, the support base having four corners with flat parallel top and bottom surfaces separated by a thickness of between 0.50 and 0.75 inch, the support base being fabricated of a rigid material, the support base having four cylindrical holes ( 16 ) in a rectangular configuration between 2.1 and 2.2 inches a side, the holes aligned with the upper and lower edges and equally spaced from the side edges and equally spaced from the upper and lower edges, the support base having a vertical central axis, the holes being oriented at a common angle of between 3 degrees and 7 degrees from the vertical central axis; four essentially cylindrical rods ( 20 ), each cylindrical rod having an exterior surface with a circular cross sectional configuration, each cylindrical rod having a diameter of between 0.125 and 0.375 inch, each rod having a lower end ( 22 ) received and retained frictionally and adhesively within an associated hole, each rod having an upper end ( 24 ) located between 2.50 and 2.75 inches above the top surface of the support base, each of the rods being fabricated of a rigid plastic material; four elastomeric pads ( 34 ), each pad adhesively secured to the lower surface of the support base at an associated corner, the elastomeric pads having frictional surfaces to abate inadvertent movement when positioned on a recipient surface; and a cup ( 38 ) with a closed circular bottom ( 40 ) and an open circular top ( 42 ) and a frusto-conical side wall ( 44 ), the bottom having a diameter of between 2.125 and 2.375 inches, the top having a diameter of between 2.875 and 3.125 inches, the cup being fabricated of generally rigid material with limited flexibility whereby the cup is adapted to be moved between a supported orientation and an unsupported orientation, the unsupported orientation being with the cup separated from the support base, the supported orientation being with the bottom of the cup positioned on the top surface of the support base and with the top of the cup secured above the rods and with the side wall of the cup in frictional contact with the cylindrical rods, the cup being movable between the supported orientation and the unsupported orientation.