Beverage holder for vehicle

• US 4,645,157 A
• Filed: 12/23/1985
• Issued: 02/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Parker, Barry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Machado, Reinaldo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN SHUE, ALVIN C
• Application Number:
  US06/812,389
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 248/311.2, 248/310, 248/277, 248/312, 248/312.1, 248/313, 248/293, 248/309.1, 248/316.5, 248/231.9, 211/105, 296/152
• US Class Current: 248/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/78 post or panel mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/102 storable or foldable in a non-use position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/106 with adjustable clamping mechanisms

Abstract

A beverage holder is mounted on the vehicle body above an armrest or other horizontal planar surface upon which a beverage container may be placed by the vehicle occupant. First and second projection links have central portions pivoted together and inner ends pivotally mounted within a housing by a pin and slot slider mechanism so that the inner ends are movable toward one another by which they are projected outwardly from the housing to overlie the planar surface and away from each other by which they are retracted into the housing. First and second connector links have first ends pivotally connected to each other and second ends pivotally connected to the outer ends of the first and second projection links so that the projection links and the connector links cooperate to define a parallelogram which opens as the projection links are extended from the housing to thereby define a receptacle for receiving the beverage container. A spring acts between the inner ends of the first and second projection links to pull the inner ends to the closest together position. The holder is moved to the retracted position by pushing the connector links into the housing so that the pivotal connection between the first and second connector links goes overcenter and the bias of the spring pulling the projection link inner ends together acts to urge the links toward the retracted position whereby the holder is retained in the retracted position within the housing.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle body having a planar surface adapted to support a beverage container, a retractable holder for holding the beverage container on the planar surface comprising:

first and second projection links having inner ends, outer ends, and central portions;

pivot means connecting the central portions of the first and second projection links;

first and second connector links having first ends pivotally connected to each other and second ends respectively pivotally connected to the outer ends of the first and second projection links whereby the projection links cooperate with the connector links to define a parallelogram;

a housing mounted on the vehicle body above the planar surface;

means pivotally mounting the inner ends of the first and second projection links on the housing in spaced apart relation and defining a path of limited movement of at least one of the inner ends toward and away from the other between a furthest spaced apart position in which the parallelogram is collapsed and the links stored within the housing and a closest together position in which the links are extended from the housing and the parallelogram is opened to define a receptacle for receiving the beverage container and holding the container on the planar surface.

2. In a motor vehicle body having a planar surface adapted to support a beverage container, a retractable holder for holding the beverage container on the planar surface comprising:

first and second projection links having inner ends, outer ends, and central portions;

pivot means connecting the central portions of the first and second projection links;

first and second connector links having first ends pivotally connected to each other and second ends respectively pivotally connected to the outer ends of the first and second projection links whereby the projection links cooperate with the connector links to define a parallelogram;

a housing mounted on the vehicle body above the planar surface and having upper and lower walls defining a storage cavity having a horizontal opening slot;

pin and slot means acting between the inner ends of the first and second projection links and the housing to pivotally mount the projection link inner ends in spaced apart relation and define a path of limited movement of the inner ends toward and away from one another between a furthest spaced apart position in which the parallelogram is collapsed and the links stored within the housing and a closest together position in which the links are extended from the housing and the parallelogram is opened to define a receptacle for receiving the beverage container and holding the container on the planar surface.

3. In a motor vehicle body having a planar surface adapted to support a beverage container, a retractable holder for holding the beverage container on the planar surface comprising:

first and second projection links having inner ends, outer ends, and central portions;

pivot means connecting the central portions of the first and second projection links;

first and second connector links having first ends pivotally connected to each other and second ends respectively pivotally connected to the outer ends of the first and second projection links whereby the projection links cooperate with the connector links to define a parallelogram having a central opening for receiving the beverage container;

a housing mounted on the vehicle body above the planar surface and having upper and lower walls defining a storage cavity having a horizontal opening slot;

pin and slot means acting between the inner ends of the first and second projection links and the housing to pivotally mount the projection link inner ends in spaced apart relation and define a path of limited movement of the inner ends toward and away from one another between a furthest spaced apart position in which the parallelogram is collapsed and the links stored within the housing and a closest together position in which the links are extended from the housing and the parallelogram is opened to define a receptacle for receiving the beverage container and holding the container on the planar surface; and

the length of the links and the spacing of said pivots acting therebetween being such that the parallelogram is an equilateral parallelogram and the open position of the parallelogram is a right angle equilateral parallelogram.

4. In a motor vehicle body having a planar surface adapted to support a beverage container, a retractable holder for holding the beverage container on the planar surface comprising:

first and second projection links having inner ends, outer ends, and central portions;

pivot means connecting the central portions of the first and second projection links to one another to define a scissors;

first and second connector links having first ends pivotally connected to each other and second ends respectively pivotally connected to the outer ends of the first and second projection links whereby the projection links cooperate with the connector links to define a parallelogram at the end of the scissors;

a housing mounted on the vehicle body above the planar surface;

means pivotally mounting the inner ends of the first and second projection links on the housing in spaced apart relation and defining a path of limited movement of the inner ends toward and away from one another between a furthest spaced apart position in which the parallelogram is collapsed and the links stored within the housing and a closest together position in which the links are extended from the housing and the parallelogram is opened to define a receptacle for receiving the beverage container and holding the container on the planar surface; and

spring means acting between the inner ends of the first and second projection links and acting to urge the inner ends to their closest together position so that the links are held extended from the housing;

and upon movement of the linkage to the retracted position stored within the housing against the bias of the spring means the pivotal connection between the first and second connector links going overcenter with respect to the pivotal connection between the connector links and the projection links so that the bias of the spring means urging the projection link inner ends together acts through the links to urge the pivotal connection between the connector links toward the retracted position whereby the retractable beverage container holder is retained in the retracted position.