Sliding/adjusting container holder

• US 20060237612A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Gregory Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/311.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

A container holder for a vehicle includes a container bin unit with a cavity and a size adjustment mechanism. The cavity has a first portion and a second portion. The adjustment mechanism includes a dual adjustment piece and a single adjustment piece, which are movable between at least a retracted and extended position. When in the extended position, the dual or single adjustment pieces extend into the first portion and/or second portion of the cavity to adjust the diameter of the portions. The adjustment pieces allow for the container holder to adequately hold one small container and one large container, two small containers, or two large containers.

Claims

1. A container holder for a vehicle, comprising:

a container bin unit with a cavity, the cavity comprising a first portion and a second portion; and

an adjustment mechanism, the adjustment mechanism including

a dual adjustment piece movable between at least a retracted position and an extended position; and

a single adjustment piece movable between at least a retracted position and an extended position.

2. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a sliding piece movable between a starting position and an end position, the end position divides the cavity into the first portion and the second portion.

3. The container holder according to claim 2, wherein the single adjustment piece is connected to the sliding piece.

4. The container holder according to claim 2, wherein the dual adjustment piece is connected to the sliding piece.

5. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein when the dual adjustment piece is in the extended position, an end of the dual adjustment piece extends into each of the first portion and the second portion of the cavity, decreasing the diameter of the first portion and the second portion.

6. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein when the single adjustment piece is in the extended position, an end of the single adjustment piece extends into one of the first portion or the second portion of the cavity, decreasing the diameter of that first portion or second portion.

7. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein when the single adjustment piece is in the extended position, the dual adjustment piece is in the retracted position.

8. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein when the dual adjustment piece is in the extended position, the single adjustment piece is in the retracted position.

9. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein the single adjustment piece comprises an extending portion and a connecting portion, and the dual adjustment piece comprises a first extending portion, a second extending portion and a connecting portion.

10. The container holder according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion of the single adjustment piece is substantially superposed on the connecting portion of the dual adjustment piece.

11. The container holder according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion of the dual adjustment piece is substantially superposed on the connecting portion of the single adjustment piece.

12. The container holder according to claim 1, further comprising a dial in the adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position of the single adjustment piece and the dual adjustment piece.

13. The container holder according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion of the single adjustment piece includes an opening for connecting the single adjustment piece in the adjustment mechanism.

14. The container holder according to claim 12, wherein the dial includes a pin configured to connect with a slot in the single adjustment piece.

15. The container holder according to claim 14, wherein when the dial is turned, the pin is configured to move the single adjustment piece.

16. The container holder according to claim 15, wherein the single adjustment piece moves when the dial is turned approximately 90 degrees in a first direction.

17. The container holder according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a connector configured to connect with a slot in the dual adjustment piece.

18. The container holder according to claim 17, wherein when the dial is turned, the connector is configured to move the dual adjustment piece.

19. The container holder according to claim 18, wherein the dual adjustment piece moves when the dial is turned approximately 90 degrees in a second direction.

20. The container holder according to claim 17, wherein the connector is configured to extend through the slot in the dual adjustment piece and to be positioned adjacent an edge of the single adjustment piece.

21. The container holder according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion of the dual adjustment piece includes an opening for connecting the dual adjustment piece in the adjustment mechanism.

22. The container holder according to claim 1, wherein the container holder is configured to adjust the first portion and second portion of the cavity into a first smaller portion and a second larger portion;

a first smaller portion and a second smaller portion; and

a first larger portion and a second larger portion.

23. The container holder according to claim 2, further comprising a spring, the spring includes a first free end attached to a receiving protrusion on the dual adjustment piece and a second free end attached to a connector on an underside of the sliding piece.

24. The container holder according to claim 2, further comprising a spring, the spring includes a first free end attached to a receiving protrusion on the single adjustment piece and a second free end attached to a connector on an underside of the sliding piece.