Container holder

• US 5,170,980 A
• Filed: 04/26/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burrows, Bradford J., Bleau, John J., Frankhouse, Jay M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US07/692,176
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 248/311.2, 248/314, 248/315, 108/25, 108/44, 108/45, 108/46, 220/737, 224/42.45 R
• US Class Current: 248/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/108 with resilient holding elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/926 Vehicle attached carrier for beverage container or bottle

Abstract

A subdividable storage bin is provided for a vehicle which includes a divider movably mounted therein, which moves between a use position dividing the bin into separate areas and a stored position leaving the bin substantially undivided. In one embodiment, the divider pivotally rotates into position. In another embodiment, the divider slideably rotates into position. In still other embodiments, the divider resiliently flexes into position. In another embodiment, the divider slips or is dropped into position and is removable for cleaning, washing or storing.

Claims

1. A subdividable storage bin for a vehicle comprising:

a storage bin in a vehicle useful for storing personal effects, said storage bin having a bottom, sides and ends forming an upwardly facing elongated opening;

a divider movably mounted within said storage bin and moveable between a use position wherein said divider divides said storage bin into smaller areas, and a removed position wherein said divider is positioned to leave said storage bin substantially undivided and unobstructively open for access; and

means for attaching said divider to said storage bin to allow movement between said use and removed positions in said storage bin.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said divider includes a side wall which is mateably positionable adjacent one of said ends of said storage bin when said divider is in said removed position.

3. A subdividable storage bin for a vehicle comprising:

a storage bin in a vehicle useful for storing personal effects, said storage bin having a bottom, sides and ends forming an upwardly facing elongated opening;

a divider movably mounted within said storage bin and moveable between a use position wherein said divider divides said storage bin into smaller areas, and a removed position wherein said divider is positioned to leave said storage bin substantially undivided, said divider including a sidewall which is mateably positionable adjacent one of said ends of said storage bin when said divider is in said removed position, said divider including a bottom portion; and

means for attaching said divider to said storage bin to allow movement between said use and removed positions in said storage bin, said means for attaching including an axle means operably connecting said bottom portion of said divider to said bottom of said storage bin, said axle means permitting rotational movement of said divider relative to said storage bin.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a shallow depression is located in said bottom of said storage bin, said depression being designed to mateably receive said bottom portion of said divider such that said divider forms a substantially flat surface with said bottom of said storage bin thereby providing said flat surface to stably support a container thereon.

5. A subdividable storage bin for a vehicle comprising:

a storage bin in a vehicle useful for storing personal effects, said storage bin having a bottom, sides and ends forming an upwardly facing elongated opening;

a divider movably mounted within said storage bin and moveable between a use position wherein said divider divides said storage bin into smaller areas, and a removed position wherein said divider is positioned to leave said storage bin substantially undivided; and

means for attaching said divider to said storage bin to allow movement between said use and removed positions in said storage bin, said means for attaching including a track means located in said storage bin, said divider being slideably positionable on said track means between said use and removed position.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said track means is located in said bottom of said divider and cooperates with a bottom edge of said divider to allow slideable movement of said divider on said bottom.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said divider includes a side wall, and said track means is located in said side of said storage bin near an upper edge and also a lower edge of said upwardly facing opening, said track means cooperating with said side wall of said divider and said bottom of said storage bin to allow slideable movement of said divider within said storage bin.

8. A subdividable storage bin for a vehicle comprising:

a storage bin in a vehicle useful for storing personal effects, said storage bin having a bottom, sides and ends forming an upwardly facing elongated opening;

a divider movably mounted within said storage bin and moveable between a use position wherein said divider divides said storage bin into smaller areas, and a removed position wherein said divider is positioned to leave said storage bin substantially undivided, said divider including a side wall which is made of a resiliently flexible material having a length and outer ends, said length being somewhat greater than the distance between said sides of said storage bin; and

means for attaching said divider to said storage bin to allow movement between said use and removed positions in said storage bin, said means for attaching being pivotally attached to said outer ends of said divider such that said side wall is resiliently flexibly moveable between said use and removed position.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said divider is made of a rubber-like material.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said divider is positioned mateably adjacent one of said ends of said storage bin when said divider is in said removed position thereby leaving the storage bin substantially undivided, and further is positionable so as to form a ring-like structure suitable for supporting a container such as a cup when said divider is moved to said use position.

11. A container holder system for a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle support member including a C-shaped recess formed therein;

attachment means located on either side of said recess;

a resilient flexible member having outer ends attached to said attachment means, said length of said flexible member being greater than the distance between said spaced attachment means of said recess causing said flexible member to resiliently flex between a use position wherein said flexible member is bowed outwardly to form a ring-shaped container holder with said recess and a stored position wherein said flexible member is bowed inwardly into said recess.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said flexible member is made of a rubber-like material.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said outer ends of said flexible member are pivotally attached to said attachment means, and said attachment means includes axle means which pivotally attach said outer ends to said recess.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said recess includes a bottom capable of providing support to a container placed in said recess when said flexible member is in said use position.

15. A container holder system for a vehicle comprising:

a support member for mounting in a vehicle, said support member including a recess for receiving a container holder; and

a container holder comprising a generally cylindrically shaped shell having a sidewall forming an upwardly facing opening, said shell shaped to mateably and securely removably fit within said recess of said support member, said shell including at least one helically shaped flexible finger spirally extending inwardly from said sidewall of said shell, said finger resiliently deformable to retain variously sized container in said shell.

16. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said shell and said at least one flexible finger are formed of a single material.

17. The container holder as defined in claim 16 wherein said material is rubber-like.

18. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said shell includes a bottom forming a liquid tight container.

19. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said recess is oblong in shape and includes a bottom, and said shell is made of a material having rubber-like frictional characteristics which hold said shell in a given position in said recess, said shell being laterally adjustable in said recess.

20. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said recess and said side wall of said shell include mating ridges and depressions respectively which removably retain said shell in said recess.

21. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one flexible finger twists as said at least one flexible finger extends inwardly to position said at least one flexible finger in an open orientation so as to accept a container.

22. The container holder as defined in claim 15 wherein said flexible finger are sections of said sidewall of said shell defined by slots formed in said sidewall.