Container holder for a vehicle

#The present invention relates to holders for a container and particularly to one for use in connection with a vehicle and more particularly an armrest within a vehicle.

#There exists a variety of cup holders or container holders utilized for supporting cups, cans and other beverage containers in a vehicle such that the vehicle occupants can support such beverages while in the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,764 issued Nov. 29, 1983 is representative of one cup holder structure which is incorporated in the armrest of a vehicle and which can accommodate such containers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,445 discloses a disposable container holder for use on a car seat. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,497,076 and 4,040,659 also disclose cup holders which move from a storage position within a support structure in an automobile to a use position.

#Although these various cup holders are useful for single or limited sized containers, the system of the present invention is adapted to accommodate a variety of beverage containers such as cans, coffee mugs, large cups and the like.

#FIG. 1. is a right side elevational view of an armrest incorporating a container supporting member according to one embodiment of the present invention shown partly in cross-section and partly in phantom form;

#FIG. 2. is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 partly broken away to show the container support member in the stored position;

#FIG. 3. is a top plan view partly broken away of the structure shown in FIG. 2 showing the container support member in an extended use position;

#Referring initially to FIG. 1 there is shown an armrest 10 which is secured to a vehicle 12 by one or more suitable mounting brackets 14. In the embodiment shown, bracket 14 pivotally mounts the armrest to the vehicle through pivot mounting member 15 such that the entire armrest can be lowered for use as shown, or raised for storage. The armrest 10 includes a lower storage housing 16 which defines an interior storage compartment 17. The armrest also includes a cover 88 which is pivoted along its rear edge to the rear of housing 16 such that it can be moved between a closed position shown in phantom form in FIG. 1 and an open position shown in solid form in FIG. 1 by pivoting in a direction indicated by arrow A. Pivotally mounted to the forward edge of the inside of compartment 17 near the front wall 19 of the housing 16 is a container holder 20 embodying the present invention.

#The container holder 20 comprises a generally planar container supporting element 22 having a central circular aperture 24 extending downwardly therethrough and having a diameter slightly larger then the diameter of the largest container desired to be held therein. The support element 22 integrally includes in the preferred embodiment four arcuate sector shaped resilient cup support members 21, 23, 25 and 27 which are equally spaced around the periphery of aperture 24 and which project partially inwardly toward the center of the aperture. In the preferred embodiment, the thickness of members 21, 23, 25 and 27 is substantially thinner than that of the support element 22 to provide, in effect, resilient flaps which will easily deflect under the influence of the downward pressure of a container. Support element 22 also includes in the preferred embodiment a cup shaped floor support 30 as best seen in FIG. 1 which includes a circular floor 32 for supporting the bottom of a container while the resilient flaps support the sidewalls at equally spaced intervals. When containers are positioned in holder 20, the sidewalls are supported by the inner lips 26 of the segments 21, 23, 25 and 27 in spaced relationship around the periphery of the container and in vertical spaced relationship to the floor support 32. This stabilizes the container when inserted into the holder and yet the resilient segments allow easy removal of the container.

#Element 22 includes a pair of rearwardly projecting arms 34 and 66 which are pivotally coupled by pivot pins 35 and 37, respectively to the sidewalls 11 and 13 of housing 16. Thus, the holder 20 can be pivoted to a stored position shown in FIG. 2 and in phantom form in FIG. 1 and concealed by the cover 18 of armrest assembly 10 or pointed outwardly to a horizontally extending use position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 for receiving a container. In the stored position, the edges of the rectangular element 22 are supported on the tops of sidewalls 11 and 13 which are covered by a suitable padded upholstery material 28 to conform the armrest to the vehicle's interior. In the use position typically the cover 18 of the armrest will be closed and the rearwardly extending arms 34 and 36 include a "S" shaped curved section 38 as best seen in FIG. 1 to conceal the pivot connections 35 and 37 within the housing 16 and allow the arms to be supported on the top lip 19' of the front wall 19 of housing 16 as best seen in FIG. 1.