Supports – Brackets – Article holding means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-13
2004-03-30
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Article holding means
C224S926000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cup holder for an automobile, and more particularly to a cup holder for an automobile, which includes a housing inserted and fit into a central housing, the body sliding on the housing and a holder combined to the body to support a cup so that the parts are installed parallel to the central panel, and the cup holder can be vertically mounted onto a narrow space formed at one side of the central panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a cup holder is mounted to such as a central panel or a center console of an automobile so that a driver of a passenger may place a cup or a can thereon. Sometimes, the cup holder is equipped separately and attached to a certain position of the automobile when required. In most automobiles, the cup holder is mounted to the central panel.
The structure and operation of a conventional cup holder are described with reference to FIG.
1
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, an audio system
12
and an air conditioner control unit
13
are mounted to a central panel
11
, and a cup holder
14
is mounted below the audio system
12
and the air conditioner control unit
13
.
The cup holder
14
is slid outward when a user pushes a front surface of the cup holder
14
, and the user may place a cup or a bottle on the extracted cup holder
14
. When not using the cup holder
14
, a user pushes the cup holder
14
until it is locked.
At this time, a support plate
15
is sometimes formed on a lower portion of the cup holder
14
in order to support a cup or a bottle.
Recently however, the size of the audio system is increased and an LED screen is equipped in the automobile so that a passenger may watch a moving image. Thus, this audio system occupies a significant portion of the central panel, so the air conditioner control unit and other requisite components mounted in the central panel can not be placed where the cup holder is mounted. Therefore, there is a problem in that the cup holder cannot be mounted in the central panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is designed to solve the problem of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cup holder for an automobile which is capable of providing space so as to improve a product through space utilization, by mounting a cup holder vertically so as not to interfere with the space of an audio system and other functional components installed on the center of a central panel of an automobile.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cup holder of an automobile mounted to a central panel together with an audio system and various electronic devices, the cup holder comprising: a housing vertically inserted to one side of the central panel, the housing having at least one guide groove vertically formed at both sides thereof, the housing having a plurality of fixing plates protruding laterally at a front surface thereof, each of the fixing plates having a fixing hole; a body sliding into the housing and supporting a cup, the body including a front plate vertically formed and having a cover on the front surface thereof, a bottom plate connected to a lower end of the front plate and horizontally extending backward to a predetermined length, a combination plate connected to the end of the bottom plate and having guide protrusions formed at both sides thereof and inserted to the guide groove, and at least one pin hole being arranged front and rear at an upper portion of the combination plate; and a holder unit fixed by a pin to the pin hole of the body, the holder unit having first and second holders for holding the cup in opposite directions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5618018 (1997-04-01), Baniak
patent: 5865411 (1999-02-01), Droste et al.
patent: 5944240 (1999-08-01), Honma
patent: 5988579 (1999-11-01), Moner et al.
patent: 6010047 (2000-01-01), Osborn
patent: 6095471 (2000-08-01), Huang
patent: 6349913 (2002-02-01), Jankowski
patent: 6578806 (2003-06-01), Dieringer et al.
patent: 1059048 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 410059047 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 11348640 (1999-12-01), None
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Hyundai Mobis
Ramirez Ramon O.
Szumny Jon
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