Container holder of a vehicle

• US 7,380,762 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Company Limited (Kojima Industries Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Company Limited (Kojima Industries Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeichi, Chikashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/146,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20050274862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 248/309.1, 248/311.2, 248/312, 248/312.1, 248/149, 248/154, 206/427, 206/430, 206/545, 206/477, 206/560, 206/565, 206/722, 297/188.14, 224/926, 224/282
• US Class Current: 248/311.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/106 with adjustable clamping mechanisms

Abstract

A container holder of a vehicle includes a holder body and a support assembly. The holder body includes a container housing space. The support assembly includes a first support and a second support. The first support is rotatably coupled to the holder body and is adapted to support a container at a first position of a side wall of the container when the container is positioned in the container housing space. The second support is rotatably coupled to the first support and is adapted to support the container at a second position, different in position from the first position in a vertical direction, of the side wall of the container when the container is positioned in the container housing space.

Claims

1. A container holder of a vehicle for holding a container having a side wall, said container holder comprising:

a holder body including a container housing space; and

a support assembly including a first support and a second support, said first support and said second support supporting a container at the side wall of the container, when the container is positioned in the container housing space;

said first support being rotatably coupled to said holder body and being adapted to support the container at a first position of the side wall of the container when the container is positioned in said container housing space, said second support being rotatably coupled to said first support so as to be rotatable relative to said first support in a vertical direction about a rotational axis of said second support and being adapted to support the container at a second position, different in position from said first position in the vertical direction, of the side wall of the container when the container is positioned in said container housing space, said first support extending in a horizontal or obliquely downward direction, said second support extending in an obliquely upward direction, in said first position, a lower portion of the container being positioned lower than said rotational axis of said second support, in said second position, a middle portion of the container being positioned higher than said rotational axis of said second support.

2. A container holder according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first spring biasing said support assembly relative to said holder body in a rotational direction; and

a second spring for biasing said first support and said second support relative to each other in a rotational direction so as to decrease an angle defined between a surface of said first support facing said container housing space and a surface of said second support facing said container housing space.

3. A container holder according to claim 1, wherein a support among said first support and said second support having an upper position among said first position and said second position has a stopper formed therein, engageable with said holder body for restricting rotation of said support after said stopper engages with said holder body.

4. A container holder according to claim 3, wherein a longitudinal hole having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is formed in said holder body, and a pin capable of being inserted in said longitudinal hole so as to be slidable relative to said longitudinal hole is formed in said first support, said pin being movable in said longitudinal hole in a longitudinal direction of said longitudinal hole whereby said support assembly is movable relative to said holder body between a forward position where said support assembly is closest to a center of said container housing space and a receding position where said support assembly is farthest from the center of said container housing space,

said stopper is capable of engaging with said holder body when said support assembly is located at said receding position, and said stopper is capable of disengaging with said holder body when said support assembly is located at said forward position.

5. A container holder according to claim 4, wherein a first cam portion is formed in said support assembly, said first cam portion being brought into contact with said holder body thereby causing said support assembly to move from said receding position to said forward position, when taking out the container from said container housing space.

6. A container holder according to claim 4, wherein a second cam portion is formed in said support assembly, said second cam portion being brought into contact with said holder body thereby causing said support assembly to move from said receding position to said forward position, when inserting the container into said container housing space.

7. A container holder according to claim 1, wherein a first rotational axis about which said first support is rotatable and a second rotational axis about which said second support is rotatable are offset in position from each other in a direction perpendicular to said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis.