Deployable in-seat cup holder
AssigneeBE Aerospace, Inc.
InventorRyan J. Suhre
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deployable cup holder including linkage arranged such that a portion of the linkage is movable between a folded configuration positioned within a space defined in a seat, and a deployed configuration positioned forming a closed loop defining an opening between the linkage, the linkage including a ground link, first and second grounded links, and a coupler link, wherein the ground link and the coupler link are pivotably connected to each of the first and second grounded links to define a closed loop.
Claims18
A deployable cup holder for a seat back portion of a seating assembly, including the seat back and a seat bottom, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of linkage elements mounted for pivotal movement on respective vertical axes and adapted for being moved about the respective vertical axes in a single lateral plane between a folded, stowed position in the seat back and a deployed position extending outwardly from the seat back in the single lateral plane;
- (b) a cup holder portion having a cup-holding void defined by the linkage elements when the linkage elements are in the deployed position;
- and
- (c) a biasing element interconnecting the linkage elements to bias the linkage elements in the deployed position wherein, in the stowed position in the seat back, the links extend generally parallel with a rear surface of the seat back.
A deployable cup holder for a seat back portion of a seating assembly, including the seat back and a seat bottom, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of linkage elements mounted for pivotal movement on respective vertical axes and adapted for being moved about the respective vertical axes in a single lateral plane between a folded, stowed position in the seat back and a deployed position extending outwardly from the seat back in the single lateral plane;
- (b) a cup holder portion having a cup-holding closed void defined by the linkage elements when the linkage elements are in the deployed position;
- (c) a biasing element interconnecting the linkage elements to bias the linkage elements in the deployed position;
- (d) wherein the plurality of linkage elements comprises no more than four total links, at least three of the links having a generally recessed portion, including a ground link, first and second grounded links, and a coupler link, the ground link and the coupler link being pivotally connected to each of the first and second grounded links;
- and
- (e) wherein the first and second grounded links and the coupler link are cooperatively movable between the stowed position within a space defined in a seat bezel, and the deployed position wherein the linkage elements rotate in the same direction when moved between the stowed and deployed positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.