GB2516334A - Cup holder for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A cup holder 10 for a vehicle, comprising at least one holding element 12 for holding at least one beverage container, the holding element 12 having at least one receptacle 14 configured to receive the beverage container at least partially, wherein said holding element 12 has a receiving space 16 containing a magnetorheological (MR) fluid for effecting a holding force to hold the beverage container in the receptacle 14, the receiving space 16 and the receptacle 14 being bounded by at least one wall 18 of the holding element 12, the wall 18 being made of a flexible material. Preferably: said receptacle 14 is cone-shaped; the cup holder 10 comprises at least one coil 24 that surrounds said holding element 12 and is capable of generating a magnetic field for increasing the viscosity of the magneto rheological fluid (also known as MRF).

Description

Cup Holder for a Vehicle The invention relates to a cup holder for a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Cup holders for vehicles are well-known from the general prior art. Such a cup holder is designed to hold at least one beverage container while an occupant such as the driver of a vehicle person is not drinking from the container. Hence, the occupant can use their hands for other purposes. A beverage container is a general term used to describe, for example, but not limited to a liquid containing device, such as a cup. mug, can, bottle, flask or other similar container. Such containers usually comprise a body having a cylindrical outer shape and an open top or some form of cap which can be removed to open the container.

For example, cup holders can be incorporated in or attached to vehicle components such as a dashboard, a door or a centre console. Moreover, such a cup holder can be attached to a seat, for example, an armrest of the seat.

For example, US 2004/1014320 Al shows a holder for a liquid containing device comprising an essentially elongated element having two ends, a first surface, a second enjoining surface, at least one attachment means on each of said surfaces at opposite ends of said surfaces, and a magnetic means positioned on a portion of said first surface.

Cup holders are normally designed for beverage containers having a particular dimension with a circular contour, especially with regard to a circumference and height of the container. Usually, a cup holder comprises at least one holding element for holding at least one beverage container, the holding element having at least one receptacle configured to receive the beverage container at least partially. In conventional cup holders, the receptacle has a permanent, i.e. non-variable shape. Since there are beverage containers having different outer circumferences, at least some of the existing beverage containers cannot be firmly held by a conventional cup holder. The result is that the beverage container can move around in the cup holder. If the beverage container has an open top, a movement of the vehicle and, thus, the beverage container not being firmly held by the cup holder can result in a spilling of the beverage containers contents.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a cup holder which can hold beverage containers with different outer shapes particularly firmly.

This object is solved by a cup holder having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

In order to provide a cup holder of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1, holder cup holder can hold beverage containers with different outer shapes particularly firmly, according to the present invention the holding element has a receiving space containing a magnetorheological fluid for effecting a holding force to hold the beverage container in the receptacle, the receiving space and the receptacle being bounded by at least one wall of the holding element, the wall being made of a flexible material.

A magnetorheological fluid is a fluid which changes its viscosity under the influence of a magnetic field. The magnetorheological fluid itself comprises a carrier liquid such as, for example, oil and particles suspended in the carrier liquid. The carrier liquid and the particles form a suspension. Moreover, the magnetorheological fluid can comprise an additive.

When the magnetorheological fluid is subjected to a magnetic field, the particles suspended in the carrier liquid align themselves along the lines of magnetic flux. This results in the magnetorheological fluid switching from a first state with a first viscosity to a second state with a second viscosity being higher than the first viscosity. For example, the first state can be a liquid state and the second state can be a solid or quasi-solid state.

This switch is rapid, reversible, controllable and proportional to the applied magnetic field.

When a beverage container, especially a beverage container having an irregular outer shape, is arranged in the receptacle bounded by the flexible material, the wall being made of the flexible material can adapt to the outer shape of the beverage container.

In other words, the wall and, thus, the shape of receptacle can align themselves to the outer shape of the beverage container so that the shape of at least a portion of the wall corresponds to at least a portion of the outer shape of the beverage container. When the magnetorheological fluid is then subjected to a magnetic field, the magnetorheological fluid is switched into its quasi-solid state. Thereby, the wall and, thus, the shape of the wall are frozen thereby gripping and holding the beverage container particularly firmly.

Since the shape of the wall corresponds to the outer shape of the beverage container, the wall can touch the beverage container in a large area. Thus, the holding element can exert a holding force on the beverage container via this large area thereby firmly holding the beverage container in place. This essentially prevents the beverage container from moving or tilting in any way, thus preventing or at least keeping spilling particularly low.

A further advantage of the cup holder is that it insulates the beverage container arranged in the receptacle by means of the magnetorheological fluid. Thus, respective temperatures of both hot and cold drinks can be maintained for a particularly long time by means of the cup holder.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figure and/or shown in the figure alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawing shows in the sole Fig. a schematic sectional side view of a cup holder for a vehicle, the cup holder comprising at least one holding element for holding at least one beverage container, the holding element having at least one receptacle configured to receive the beverage container at least partially, wherein the holding element has a receiving space containing a magnetorheological fluid for effecting a holding force to hold the beverage container in the receptacle, the receiving space and the receptacle being bounded by at least one wall of the holding element, the wall being made of a flexible material.

The Fig. shows a sectional side view of a cup holder 10 for a vehicle. The cup holder 10 comprises a holding element 12 for holding at least one beverage container. The holding element 12 has a receptacle 14 configured to receive a beverage container at least partially. In other words, at least a portion of a beverage container such as a can be arranged in the receptacle 14.

The holding element 12 further comprises a receiving space 16 which contains a magnetorheological fluid for effecting a holding force to hold the beverage container in the receptacle 14.

The receptacle 14 is bounded by a wall 18 of the holding element 12. As can be seen from the Fig., the wall 18 also bounds a portion of the receiving space 16 towards the receptacle 14. The wall 18 is made out of a flexible material such as, for example, silicon.

Hence, the wall 18 per se is flexible. Moreover, further portions of the receiving space 16 are bounded by walls 19 and 20 which can be made of a flexible material or a rigid material. Hence, the walls 19 and 20 can be flexible or rigid.

The cup holder 10 further comprises a case 22 and a magnetic coil 24 arranged in the case 22. The magnetic coil 24 is powered by a power supply 26. The power supply 26 can be incorporated into the cup holder 10 or being arranged externally. For example, power can be provided by an on-board power system of the vehicle. The power supply 26 is controlled by a switch 28 via which the holding function of the cup holder 10 can be activated and deactivated. This switch 28 can be arranged on the power supply 26 as shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the switch 26 can be arranged, for example, directly on the cup holder 10 or a dashboard of the vehicle. Having arranged a beverage container, for example, a bottle, in the receptacle 14, the switch 28 is used provide the magnetic coil 24 with electrical power. Thereby, a holding force is exerted on the beverage container by the cup holder 10 since, by subjecting the magnetorheological to the magnet field, the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid is increased. For example, the magnetorheological fluid is switched from a liquid state into a quasi-solid state.

The receiving space 16 is filled at least partially with the magnetorheological fluid. The holding element 12 and, thus, the receiving space 16 is surrounded by the case 22 which contains the magnetic coil 24 being capable of generating the magnetic field for increasing the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid. The case 22 is preferably made of a non-magnetic material in order to not inhibit the magnetic field. Moreover, the case 22 can be made of at least one magnetic material and at least one non-magnetic material in such a way that the magnetic field is not inhibited towards the receptacle 14 and the magnetorheological fluid is not inhibited, wherein the rest of the vehicle, especially any electronic equipment, is protected from the magnetic field.

Since the magnetic coil 24 surrounds the holding element 12 completely, a particularly homogenous force exertion can be realised. The case 22 protects the coil against negative environment influences such as dirt.

The magnetorheological fluid comprises a carrier medium such as, for example, oil and particles suspended in the carrier medium. For example, the carrier medium is a liquid such as a mineral oil or a synthetic oil. For example, the particles are made of a metallic and/or magnetic material such as iron or carbonyl iron.

When the magnetic coil 24 is switched off and, thus, the magnetorheological fluid is not subjected to a magnetic field, the shape of the wall 18 can be varied since the wall 18 is made of a flexible material. Thus, when a beverage container is arranged in the receptacle 14, the wall 18 can adapt to an outer shape of the beverage container so that the shape of the wall 18 corresponds to the outer shape of the beverage container.

Hence, the wall 18 can touch the beverage container in a particularly large portion.

When the magnetic coil 24 is switched on and, thus, the magnetorheological fluid is subjected to a magnetic field generated by the magnetic coil 24, the particles suspended in the carrier medium align themselves along the lines of magnetic flux. Thereby, for example, the particles form chains in the direction of the magnetic flux within milliseconds.

Thereby, the magnetorheological fluid switched from its liquid state into its quasi-solid state. As a consequence, the current shape of the wall 18 is fixed or frozen by the magnetorheological fluid. Thus, the holding element 12 exerts a holding force on the beverage container thereby holding the beverage container particularly firmly. Thus, the beverage container is prevented from tilting or moving around and spilling its contents.

Since the shape of the wall 18 can be varied when the magnetic coil 24 is switched off, the shape of the wall 18 and, thus, the shape of the receptacle 14 can be adapted to different outer shapes of different beverage containers which can all be held particularly firmly by the cup holder 10.

As can be seen from the Fig., the receptacle 14 is cone-shaped and tapers towards a bottom 29 of the holding element 12. The beverage container can be arranged on the bottom 29. Since the receptacle 14 tapers towards the bottom 29, beverage containers having large outer circumferences as well as beverage containers having small outer circumference can come into contact with the wall 18 at least partially when they are moved towards the bottom 29. Thus, different cup holders having different outer dimensions can be held firmly since a holding force for firmly holding the beverage containers can be exerted on them via the wall 18 touching the beverage containers. In other words, the cone-shaped receptacle 14 has the advantage of being able to receive differently shaped beverage containers with a variety of diameters or outer circumferences and still provide a holding force.

The cup holder 10 can be mounted on or incorporated into components such as a dashboard, a door, a centre console, a seat, especially an armrest etc. of a the vehicle. In the present case, the cup holder 10 is mounted on an armrest 30.

List of reference signs cup holder 12 holding element 14 receptacle 16 receiving space 18 wall 19 wall wall 22 case 24 coil 26 power supply 28 switch 29 bottom armrest

Claims (4)

1. Claims A cup holder (10) for a vehicle, the cup holder (10) comprising at least one holding element (12) for holding at least one beverage container, the holding element (12) having at least one receptacle (14) configured to receive the beverage container at least partially, characterised in that the holding element (12) has a receiving space (16) containing a magnetorheological fluid for effecting a holding force to hold the beverage container in the receptacle (14), the receiving space (16) and the receptacle (14) being bounded by at least one wall (18) of the holding element (12), thewall (18) being made of a flexible material.
2. 2. The cup holder (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cup holder (10) comprises at least one coil (24) capable of generating a magnetic field for increasing the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.
3. 3. The cup holder (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the coil (24) surrounds the holding element (12).
4. 4. The cup holder (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receptacle (14) is cone-shaped.