INFINITELY ADJUSTABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER HOLDER BY SPIN ACTUATION

• US 20080099505A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America Inc (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lawlor, Michael J., Miki, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/106 with adjustable clamping mechanisms

Abstract

The present invention affords an adjustable beverage container holder. The holder has an outer case, an actuator ring, a cover ring, at least one container holding arm and a dial. The outer case has a case axis and holds the actuator ring, the cover ring and the at least one holding arm. The at least one holding arm is rotateably attached to an inner flange of the outer case and the cover ring which is fixedly attached to the outer case. The actuator ring is engaged with the at least one holding arm and the dial. The dial is rotateably coupled to the outer casing and rotates relative to said casing about the case axis. With engagement of the dial to the actuator ring, and engagement of the actuator ring to the at least one holding arm, rotation of the dial affords for the extension and/or retraction of the holding arm towards or away from the case axis. In this manner, an adjustable beverage container holder is provided.

Claims

1. An adjustable beverage container holder comprising:

an outer case having a case axis;

an actuator ring, said ring rotateably coupled to said case;

a cover ring fixedly attached to said case; and

an arm engaged with said actuator ring and rotateably attached to said case and said cover ring, for the purpose of moving said arm into and away from said case axis when said actuator ring is rotated relative to said case about said case axis.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said case has a top inner diameter area, a bottom inner diameter area and a shoulder area adjoining said top and bottom diameter areas.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said actuator ring is located above said shoulder area.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said actuator ring is located on the outside of said case.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said case has a top flange and a bottom flange.

6. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a dial, said dial rotateably coupled to said case and engaged with said actuator ring for the purpose of moving said arm into and away from said case axis when said actuator ring is rotated relative to said case about said case axis.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said actuator ring has a dial engaging means, an arm extension push member and an arm retraction means.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said engaging means is selected from the group consisting of a tab, a slot, a weld, an adhesive and combinations thereof.

9. The invention of claim 7, wherein said retraction means is selected from the group consisting of a tab, a rod, a pin, a rail and a slot.

10. The invention of claim 1, wherein said arm has an actuator ring engaging means, a push surface, a container surface and a pivot axis, said pivot axis having a first end and a second end.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein said engaging means is selected from the group consisting of a tab, a rod, a pin, a rail and a slot.

12. The invention of claim 10, wherein the first end and the second end of said pivot axis are selected from the group consisting of a rod, a pin, a sleeve and combinations thereof.

13. The invention of claim 1, wherein said cover ring is fixedly attached to said case and has an axis receiving means.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein said cover ring is fixedly attached to said case using an attachment means selected from the group consisting of a tab, a rod, a pin, a slot, an aperture and combinations thereof.

15. The invention of claim 13, wherein said receiving means is selected from the group consisting of an aperture, a slot, a pin, a rod, a tab and combinations thereof.

16. The invention of claim 1, wherein said dial has a case coupling means and an actuator ring engaging means.

17. The invention of claim 1, wherein said dial and said actuator ring are one piece.

18. The invention of claim 1, wherein said outer case and said cover ring are one piece.

19. The invention of claim 15, wherein said coupling means is selected from the group consisting of a bracket, a slot, a flange and combinations thereof.

20. The invention of claim 16, wherein said engaging means is selected from the group consisting of a tab, a slot, an adhesive and combinations thereof.

21. An adjustable beverage container holder comprising:

an outer case having a case axis, a receiving slot, an outer flange, an inner flange, a top inner diameter, a bottom inner diameter and a shoulder area adjoining said top and bottom diameters;

an actuator ring having a receiving slot, an extension push member and a retraction pull member, said ring located within said case and above said shoulder area;

a beverage container holding arm having a retraction track, a pivot axis, a push surface and a container surface, said track engaging said pull member of said actuator ring, said pivot axis having a first end and a second end, said first end rotateably attached to said inner flange of said case, said push surface adjacent to said push member of said actuator ring and said container surface co-axial to said case axis;

a cover ring having a stationary tab and an axis receiving aperture, said tab engaging said receiving slot of said case for the purpose of holding said cover ring stationary with respect to said case and said aperture engaging said second end of said pivot axis for the purpose of rotateably attaching said arm to said cover ring; and

a dial having an L-shaped bracket and a tab, said L-shaped bracket engaging said outer flange of said case for the purpose of rotateably coupling said dial to said case and said tab engaging said slot of said actuator ring for the purpose of moving said holding arm into and away from said case axis when said dial is rotated relative to said case about said case axis.