Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements

• US 10,051,968 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raffel Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Raffel Systems LLC
• Inventors: Seidl, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Marsh, Steven M
• Application Number:
  US15/868,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20180199723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 2483112, 2483113, 248314, 2972173, 2972174, 2972176, 297181, 29718814, 29718815, 29718816, 29718817
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/02 Reclining or easy chairs supports for parts of body A47C7/36, A47C7/50, A47C7/54
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/12 Theatre, auditorium, or similar chairs seats detachably mounted on stadium benches A47C1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/62 Accessories for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/624 located on side of seat, e.g. on armrest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/68 Arm-rest tables ; or back-rest tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/725 for illumination, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/001 Apparatus for applying movements to the whole body
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0188 Illumination related features
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/797 for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/229 Cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/233 Seats; Arm rests; Head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/44 Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00154 Loudspeakers mounted in the seat back
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0636 : Personal storage means or waste disposal bags
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 : Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 : Cabin passenger reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 : the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 : the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 : Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/301 : for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 : Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring

Abstract

A method and apparatus include attaching a lighted cup holder to a seating arrangement. The lighted cup holder includes a cup holder body and a light-producing light source, with the cup holder body being attached to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, the light-producing source being disposed within the cup receptacle for illuminating the receptacle. A light-sensitive element operatively connected to the light source selectively controls production of light by the light source in such a manner that illumination of the cup holder is provided only under conditions where visibility is reduced to the point that it becomes difficult to locate the cup holder. The light-sensitive element is mounted on a master lighted cup holder and controls illumination of the master lighted cup holder and one or more slave lighted cup holders operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder.

Claims

1. A passenger vehicle having a seating arrangement comprising a cup holder apparatus, the cup holder apparatus comprising

a) a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, wherein the cup holder body includes a substantially tubular sidewall, closed or substantially closed at a lower end thereof by a bottom wall, and open at a top end thereof, such that the tubular sidewall and bottom wall define the cup holding receptacle;

and

b) a flange extending substantially radially outward from the top end of the cup holder body, wherein the flange comprises a control switch that is operatively linked to and controls a component of the seating arrangement other than the cup holder apparatus.

2. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a reclining mechanism of the seating arrangement.

3. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a light producing light source of the seating arrangement.

4. The passenger vehicle of claim 3, wherein the light-producing light source comprises a light emitting diode.

5. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a massaging mechanism of the seating arrangement.

6. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, wherein the seating arrangement comprises a master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder apparatus, wherein each of the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses comprise a light producing light source for illuminating the cup receptacles.

7. The passenger vehicle of claim 6, wherein the flange of the master cup holder apparatus comprises a light-sensitive element or an on-off switch operatively connected to the light sources of both the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses for selectively controlling production of light by the light sources in the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses.

8. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flange further comprises a USB port, audio headset connection, and/or a volume control switch.

9. A movie theater seating arrangement comprising a cup holder apparatus, the cup holder apparatus comprising

a) a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, wherein the cup holder body includes a substantially tubular sidewall, closed or substantially closed at a lower end thereof by a bottom wall, and open at a top end thereof, such that the tubular sidewall and bottom wall define the cup holding receptacle;

and

b) a flange extending substantially radially outward from the top end of the cup holder body, wherein the flange comprises a control switch that is operatively linked to and controls a component of the seating arrangement other than the cup holder apparatus.

10. The movie theater seating arrangement of claim 9, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a light producing light source of the seating arrangement.

11. The movie theater seating arrangement of claim 10, wherein the light-producing light source comprises a light emitting diode.

12. The movie theater seating arrangement of claim 9, wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of cup holder apparatuses, each cup holder apparatus comprising:

a) a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement, wherein the cup holder body has a lower end, a top end, and a cup holding receptacle therebetween;

b) a flange extending substantially radially outward from the top end of the cup holder body; and

c) a light producing light source for illuminating the cup receptacle.

13. The movie theater seating arrangement of claim 9, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a reclining mechanism of the seating arrangement.

14. The movie theater seating arrangement of claim 9, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a massaging mechanism of the seating arrangement.

15. A boat having a seating arrangement comprising a cup holder apparatus, the cup holder apparatus comprising

a) a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, wherein the cup holder body includes a substantially tubular sidewall, closed or substantially closed at a lower end thereof by a bottom wall, and open at a top end thereof, such that the tubular sidewall and bottom wall define the cup holding receptacle;

and

b) a flange extending substantially radially outward from the top end of the cup holder body, wherein the flange comprises a control switch that is operatively linked to and controls a component of the seating arrangement other than the cup holder apparatus.

16. The boat of claim 15, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a reclining mechanism of the seating arrangement.

17. The boat of claim 15, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a light producing light source of the seating arrangement.

18. The boat of claim 17, wherein the light-producing light source comprises a light emitting diode.

19. The boat of claim 15, wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a massaging mechanism of the seating arrangement.

20. The boat of claim 15, wherein the seating arrangement comprises a master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder apparatus, wherein the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses comprise a light producing light source for illuminating the cup receptacles.

21. The boat of claim 20, wherein the flange of the master cup holder apparatus comprises a light-sensitive element or an on-off switch operatively connected to the light sources of both the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses for selectively controlling production of light by the light sources in the master lighted cup holder apparatus and one or more slave lighted cup holder apparatuses.

22. The boat of claim 15, wherein the flange further comprises a USB port, audio headset connection, and/or a volume control switch.