# US 10,479,270 B2 · Illuminated vehicle cup holder with grating film > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,270 B2 - Document ID: US10479270B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/715,929 - Filed: 2017-09-26 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-26 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Stuart C. Salter; Linsheng Chen; Paul Kenneth Dellock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479270B2 ## CPC - B60Q 3/80: Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) - B60Q 3/10: for dashboards - B60Q 3/20: for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments (lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60Q 3/229: {Cup holders} - B60Q 3/66: for distributing light among several lighting devices - B60Q 3/82: Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL ## Abstract A vehicle cup holder includes a console substrate defining a well for receiving cup; a light source provided within a lamp cavity positioned below the well; a film provided between the well and the lamp cavity, such film defining a grating for projecting a desired image when illuminated by the light source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle cup holder, comprising: a console substrate defining a cup well; a lamp cavity defined by the console substrate and positioned below the cup well; a film positioned between the cup well and the lamp cavity, wherein the film has an interior surface proximate the lamp cavity and defines at least one first grating on the interior surface; and more than one light source positioned within the lamp cavity in a vertically stacked configuration and configured to emit light onto the film. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle cup holder of claim 1, wherein the film defines at least one of a diffraction grating and a holographic grating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle cup holder of claim 2, wherein the at least one grating is configured to create at least one of a projected text, symbol, picture, and logo within the cup well. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle cup holder of claim 1, further comprising: an insert positioned within the cup well, wherein the insert defines one or more second gratings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle cup holder of claim 4, wherein the film is at least partially metalized. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle cup holder of claim 5, wherein the at least one grating is a diffraction grating employed in one or more portions of the interior surface of the film. ### Claim 7 A vehicle cup holder, comprising: a console substrate defining a cup well; a lamp cavity defined by the console substrate and positioned below the cup well; a film defining at least one holographic grating positioned between the cup well and the lamp cavity; and a plurality of light sources positioned in a vertically stacked configuration, wherein light sources of the plurality of light sources are configured to emit light at the film, and wherein the light emitted from the light sources falling on the at least one holographic grating diffracts into a light field defining a projected image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle cup holder of claim 7, wherein the film defines at least one diffraction grating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle cup holder of claim 7, wherein the light sources of the plurality of light sources are disposed in a spaced apart configuration around a perimeter of the lamp cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The vehicle cup holder of claim 7, further comprising: a controller in communication with the light sources of the plurality of light sources, wherein the controller selectively activates the light sources to emit light in a lighting pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The vehicle cup holder of claim 7, wherein the at least one holographic grating has a period in a range of from about 50 nm to about 5 microns. ### Claim 12 A vehicle cup holder, comprising: a console substrate defining a cup well; a lamp cavity defined by the console substrate and positioned below the cup well; a film positioned between the cup well and the lamp cavity, wherein the film defines more than one first grating and a space therebetween; and at least one light source positioned within the lamp cavity, wherein the at least one light source emits light at the film. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle cup holder of claim 12, wherein the grating has a thickness is a range of from 250 nm to about 1000 nm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vehicle cup holder of claim 12, further comprising: an insert positioned within the cup well, wherein the insert defines one or more second gratings on at least one of an interior surface and an exterior surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicle cup holder of claim 12, wherein the grating is configured to create at least one of a projected text, symbol, picture, and logo within the cup well. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The vehicle cup holder of claim 12, wherein the film is at least partially metalized. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The vehicle cup holder of claim 12, wherein the at least one light source includes a first plurality of lights and a second plurality of lights. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle cup holder of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of lights emits light towards a first portion of the more than one first grating and the second plurality of light emits light toward the a second portion of the more than one first grating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The vehicle cup holder of claim 17, wherein the first grating is a diffraction grating and the second grating is a holographic grating. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The vehicle cup holder of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of lights are positioned in a vertically stacked configuration relative to one another, and wherein the second plurality of lights are positioned in a vertically stacked configuration relative to one another.