Support for a drinks holder

• US 6,758,452 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Raff, John, Steiger, Rainer, Weismeier, Roland, Klatt, Alexander, Salenbauch, Hermann, Neist Vassallo, Traci Angela
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US10/111,108
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 248/311.2, 248/312, 248/310, 224/926, 224/282, 297/188.16, 297/188.19
• US Class Current: 248/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/10 of receptacles for food or beverages, e.g. refrigerated
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/106 with adjustable clamping mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/926 Vehicle attached carrier for beverage container or bottle

Abstract

A support for a drink holder has a receiving opening, the diameter of which can be modified by altering the position of lamella in an iris-like manner. The lamella are disposed on the circumference of the holder.

Claims

1. Holder for a container, wherein the holder has a receiving opening for the insertion of a beverage container, and lamellae which are distributed along a circumference of the receiving opening for adjusting an inside diameter of the receiving opening and which are configured to be adjustable in the manner of an iris diaphragm.

2. Holder for a beverage container comprising lamella distributed along a circumference of a receiving opening in the holder for insertion of the container, the lamella being arranged and operative to reduce the circumference, wherein a drive is provided to swivel the lamella about their respective hinge pin arranged on an end section of each of the lamella.

3. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the hinge pin is rigidly connected with the lamella and the drive acts upon the hinge pin.

4. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the drive is configured to act upon the lamella outside its hinge pin.

5. Holder according to claim 4, wherein the drive has at least one driving device which is configured to interact with a driving element on a lamella.

6. Holder according to claim 5, wherein the drive has a control ring concentrically arranged with respect to the receiving opening, which control ring is situated axially above or below the hinge pins of the lamellae and via its driving devices in each case engages in driving elements at the lamellae constructed as connecting link guides.

7. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the drive has a toothed gearing with a toothing on at least one lamella.

8. Holder according to claim 7, wherein the drive has a control ring with an internal toothing arranged radially outside the lamellae and concentrically with respect to the receiving opening, which internal toothing is arranged to interact with at least one circular-arc-shaped external toothing situated on a lamella and facing the control ring such that a swivelling of the lamella takes place when the control ring is rotated.

9. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the drive has a control ring arranged concentrically with respect to the receiving opening and radially outside the receiving opening, which control ring has at least at least one control cam directed radially with respect to the center axis of the receiving opening, which control cam interacts such with a stop face at a lamella that a swivelling of the lamella takes place when the control ring is rotated.

10. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the drive has an electric motor which drives the control ring by way of a worm gear toothing.

11. Holder according to claim 2, wherein the drive has a tension-proof and pressure-proof element which is applied to at least one lamella and causes a swivelling of the lamella via its displacement.

12. Holder for container, comprising lamellae arranged along a circumference defining a receiving opening, with one end of each of the lamella being pivotable about a hinge pin located at or adjacent the circumference and another end of each of the lamella and being movable one of independently to adapt to at least one of different container shapes and different container diameters, and in unison with the respective free end of the other lamellae, into the area defined by the circumference.

13. Holder according to claim 12, wherein a slot and driving means is provided between adjacent ones of the lamella for forming a connecting link guide.

14. Holder according to claim 13, wherein adjacent lamella are overlapped by being inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.

15. Holder according claim 12, comprising Parmallae distributed along a circumference of a receiving opening in the holder for insertion of the container, the lamella being arranged and operative to reduce the circumference, wherein a drive a swivelling of the lamella in each case about their hinge pin is arranged on an end section.

16. Holder according claim 15, wherein the hinge pin is rigidly connected with the lamella and the drive acts upon the hinge pin.

17. Holder according to claim 15, wherein the drive is configured to act upon the lamella outside its hinge pin.

18. Holder according to claims 17, wherein the drive has at least one driving device which is configured to interact with a driving element on a lamella.

19. Holder according to claim 18, wherein the drive has a control ring concentrically arranged with respect to the receiving opening, which control ring is situated axially above or below the hinge pins of the lamella and via its driving devices in each case engages in driving elements at the lamella constructed as connecting link guides.

20. Holder according to claim 15, wherein the drive has a control ring with an internal toothing arranged radially outside the lamella and concentrically with respect to the receiving opening, which internal toothing is arranged to interact with at least one circular-arc-shaped external toothing situated on a lamella and facing the control ring such that a swivelling of the lamella takes place when the control ring is rotated.