Supports – Brackets – Article holding means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-15
2004-02-17
Chan, Korie (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Article holding means
C224S926000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a holder for a beverage container, such as, for example, a drink bottle, a cup, or a glass.
Such types of holders are known, in particular, those which are built into motor vehicles. Typically, the holders have a receiving area for placement of the drink container. For adapting the holder to drink containers with various diameters, it is also known, for example, to provide a pivotable diameter-equalizing shutter or cover on an edge of the receiving area, which is pressed into the receiving area in a spring-action manner. Upon placement of a drink container in the receiving area, the beverage container presses the spring-action diameter-equalizing shutter to the side to a point that is as wide as the diameter of the drink container. The spring-action diameter-equalizing shutter presses the placed beverage container to an opposite side of the receiving area and holds the beverage container stable therein.
The invention addresses the problem of providing a holder of the above-described type, in which the size of the receiving area is adjustable and which can be adaptable to the diameter of a drink container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This problem is resolved with the present invention. The inventive holder has a swiveling support, whose distance from a side wall of the receiving area is adjustable by swiveling of the support. In this manner, an area of the receiving area opposite the support is common with the side wall of the receiving area. A beverage container placed in the receiving area is located between the side wall and the support and is held stable by the side wall and support. A shape of the support is desired that fulfills the purpose of holding a drink container in cooperation with the side wall. By means of a securing device, the support of the inventive holder retained in its respective swivel position and, therewith, in its distance from the side wall of the receiving area.
The securing device of the inventive holder has a securing element, which is arranged spaced from the swivel axis of the support and which is fixedly connected with the support. The securing element, for example, can be disposed on a lever arm, which projects from a swivel shaft of the support. The securing element is pressed from a spring element against a counter element fixed with the holder. A connection between the securing element and the counter element can be friction and/or form-locking, such that the securing element can, for example, be a friction lining, which is pressed by the spring element against a fixed counter surface. The securing element, which is fixed to the support and pressed by the spring element against the fixed counter element, holds the support against swiveling and maintains the support in its position. For displacement of the support, the securing element is lifted up against the force of the spring element from the fixed counter element and the swivels the support.
The invention makes possible a constructively simple holder made of relatively few individual components with a possibility for adjustment of the size of the receiving area for the drink container.
One form of the invention contemplates that the securing element and/or the counter element is circular and concentric to the swiveling axis of the support.
In order to reliably hold the support in its adjusted swiveling position, one form of the invention contemplates a locking device as a securing device, that is, a securing device, in which the support is held in its respective swiveling position by a form-locking of the securing element with the fixed counter element. The locking device, for example, can have a detent or latch or a pin, which engaged in a one of a plurality of complementary receiving areas, whereby each of the receiving areas provides a swiveling position of the support. One form of the present invention contemplates teeth for the securing element and the counter element, whereby for one of the two elements, a separate tooth is sufficient.
In a preferred form of the invention, the securing element and the counter element are disposed on an underside of a bottom or floor of the receiving area for placement of the drink container. This makes possible a constructively simple form of the securing device. With a built-in holder, the securing device is not visible.
In another preferred form of the invention, the holder is integrated in an upwardly opening pigeon hole. In this manner, a part of a side wall of the pigeon hole, for example, in the area of a corner of the pigeon hole, forms the side wall of the receiving area of the holder for the drink container. The support is so arranged, that it is able to be brought into the swivel position, in which it separates an area of the pigeon hold as the receiving area for placement of the drink container from the rest of the pigeon hole. When the support is not in use, preferably it is swiveled or pivoted out from the pigeon hold, for example, into a receiving area of the side wall of the pigeon hole. The support of the inventive holder, in use, forms a division or component of the pigeon hole. This form of the invention has the advantage of a double use of a pigeon hole also as a holder for a drink container. When the holder is not in use, the entirety of the pigeon hole is useable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5257765 (1993-11-01), Halle
patent: 5671877 (1997-09-01), Yabuya
patent: 5749554 (1998-05-01), Avila et al.
patent: 5791618 (1998-08-01), Lancaster
patent: 5839711 (1998-11-01), Bieck et al.
patent: 5921519 (1999-07-01), Dexter et al.
patent: 6092775 (2000-07-01), Gallant
Chan Korie
Fischer Automotive Systems GmbH
Striker Michael J.
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