Patent Application
20180126919
This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to a cup and device holder providing greater versatility for customization to hold various items and meet any user application or need.
The center console of most motor vehicles in production today incorporates one or more cup holders that are generally shaped to hold a beverage container. People often use the cup holders to house electronic devices such as smart phones or other loose items that they desire to be within easy reach in the center console. Significantly, the cup holder shape is not designed to accommodate these electronic devices or other items. As a consequence those items may move around or even fall out of the cup holder during vehicle operation.
This document relates to a new and improved cup and device holder that is constructed to provide increased versatility for customization to hold various items and not just beverage containers. As such, the new and improved cup and device holder is better adapted to meet any user application or need, thereby increasing user satisfaction with the motor vehicle.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a cup and device holder is provided. That cup and device holder comprises a housing having a first end wall, a second end wall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a bottom wall defining a storage compartment. In addition, the cup and device includes a first divider connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall and a second divider connected to the bottom wall.
The second divider may include a first free lateral edge spaced from the first sidewall and a second free lateral edge spaced from the second sidewall.
In addition, the cup and device holder may include a third divider connected to the bottom wall. The third divider may include a third free lateral edge spaced from the first sidewall and a fourth free lateral edge spaced from the second sidewall.
Still further, the cup and device holder may include a fourth divider connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The second divider and third divider may be positioned in the storage compartment between the first divider and the fourth divider.
In addition, the bottom wall may include a track. Further, the second divider may include a first connector received and held in the track. In addition, the third divider may include a second connector received and held in the track.
Still further, the cup and device holder may include a first retaining feature on the first sidewall and the second sidewall adjacent the first end. That first retaining feature may be for receiving and holding the first divider.
Similarly, the cup and device holder may include a second retaining feature on the first sidewall and the second sidewall adjacent the second end. That second retaining feature may be provided for receiving and holding the fourth divider.
The first retaining feature may comprise a first set of opposed slots. The second retaining feature may comprise a second set of opposed slots. Still further, the cup and device holder may further include a first chamber between the first divider and the first end wall. In addition, a second chamber may be provided between the first divider and the second divider. A third chamber may be provided between the second divider and the third divider. A fourth chamber may be provided between the third divider and the fourth divider. Still further, a fifth chamber may be provided between the fourth divider and the second end wall.
In accordance with an additional aspect, a first elongated storage channel may be provided extending between (a) the first sidewall and (b) the first free lateral edge of the second divider and the third free lateral edge of the third divider. In addition, a second elongated storage channel may be provided extending between (a) the second sidewall and (b) the second free lateral edge of the second divider and the fourth free lateral edge of the third divider.
The track may include a first channel and a second channel opposed to the first channel. Further, the track may also include a first rail having a first series of notches and a second rail having a second series of notches. The first rail and first series of notches are opposed to the second rail and the second series of notches.
The first connector may include a first lug that is received in the first channel and a second lug that is received in one notch of the first series of notches. The first connector may further include a third lug received in the second channel and a fourth lug received in another notch of the second series of notches.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the cup and device holder. As it should be realized, the cup and device holder is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the cup and device holder as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the cup and device holder and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the cup and device holder, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
As illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the cup and device holder 10 also includes a first divider 30, a second divider 32, a third divider 34 and a fourth divider 36. As should be appreciated, the first divider 30, second divider 32, third divider 34, and fourth divider 36 partition the storage compartment 26 into multiple chambers.
More specifically, a first chamber 38 is provided between the first divider 30 and the first end wall 16. A second chamber 40 is provided between the first divider 30 and the second divider 32. A third chamber 42 is provided between the second divider 32 and the third divider 34. A fourth chamber 44 is provided between the third divider 34 and the fourth divider 36. A fifth chamber 46 is provided between the fourth divider 36 and the second end wall 18.
A first retaining feature 48 is provided on the first sidewall 20 and second sidewall 22 adjacent the first end wall 16. In the illustrated embodiment the first retaining feature comprises a series of three channels 50 on each of the first sidewall 20 and second sidewall 22. The channels 50 form a first set of opposing slots 52, a second set of opposing slots 54 and a third set of opposing slots 56.
As illustrated in
Referring back to
The fourth divider 36 may be identical in structure to the first divider 30. A user may position the fourth divider 36 in any of three possible positions. The first of those three positions requires the user to insert the fourth divider 36 into the fourth set of opposed slots 70. The second of those three positions requires the user to insert the fourth divider 36 into the fifth set of opposed slots 72. The third of those three positions requires the user to insert the fourth divider 36 into the sixth set of opposed slots 74. As should be appreciated, depending upon the selected position of the fourth divider 36, the width dimension of the fifth chamber 46 may be altered or adjusted thereby allowing customization of that chamber to meet the particular application of the user at any given time.
Referring to
The track 76 also comprises a second channel 84 and a second rail 86 extending along the second sidewall 22 from the first end wall 16 to the second end wall 18. Note the second rail 86 broken away at the bottom right in
Reference is now made to
As best illustrated in
As illustrated in
While maintaining the second divider 32 in this tilted position with the second and fourth lugs 100, 104 free of the first and second series of notches 82, 88, one slides (note action arrow B) the second divider along the track 76 with the first and third lugs 98, 102 sliding freely through the opposed channels 78, 84.
Upon the second divider 32 reaching the desire position, one tilts the second divider 32 back into a vertical position (note action arrow C in
The third divider 34 includes a structure identical to the second divider 32. Note the second connector 96 including the lugs 98′, 100′, extending from the third free lateral edge 91 and the lugs 102′ and 104′ extending from the fourth free lateral edge 93 in
In the illustrated embodiment, the second divider 32 and the third divider 34 are provided between the first divider 30 and the fourth divider 36 in the storage compartment 26. Accordingly, selected movement or displacement of the second divider 32 and the third divider 34 along the track 76 allows one to customize the size of the second chamber 40 provided between the first divider 30 and the second divider 32, the third chamber 42 provided between the second divider 32 and the third divider 34 and the fourth chamber 44 provided between the third divider 34 and the fourth divider 36.
As should be apparent from reviewing
Similarly, a second elongated storage channel 110 extends between (a) the second sidewall 22 and (b) the second free lateral edge 92 of the second divider 32 and the fourth free lateral edge 112 of the third divider 34. Here it should be appreciated that the first elongated storage channel 106 and the second elongated storage channel 110 are sized and shaped to hold items that could not otherwise be held in the storage compartment 26 by the first chamber 38, second chamber 40, third chamber 42, fourth chamber 44 and fifth chamber 46.
Reference is now made to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the illustrated embodiment of the cup and device holder 10 includes the first divider 30 and fourth divider 36 of a first type connected between the first sidewall 20 and second sidewall 22 and the second divider 32 and third divider 34 of a second type connected to the bottom wall 24 at the track 76. Fewer or more of either of these types of dividers 30, 32, 34, 36 may be provided in the storage compartment 26 depending on the needs of the user. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
