US5060899A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nested container holders
Assignee: ANDERSON ACQUISITION Inc
•
Filing: 1990-11-19
•
Granted: 1991-10-29
•
Expires: 2010-11-19
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides concealable cupholders (3, 5) with several beneficial aspects. Conveniently, the cupholders may be activated by actuating a push-to-release catch (24, 25) so that the cupholders move outwardly in a controlled manner from a housing with the appearance that it is being driven by an electric motor. The cupholders overlap one another in a compact manner within the housing. When moved out of the housing the cupholders may be maintained in the overlapping position such that they jointly support a single beverage or, alternatively a release mechanism (30) may be activated, by the use of, for example, a kick-out spring (10) to permit the secondary cupholder (5) to pivot to a position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder (3) such that both cupholders may support different containers.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian S. Lorence
- 👤 Jeffrey A. Weidman
- 👤 Richard A. Phelps
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:54
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60N; B60N3/00; B60N3/10; B60N3/102; B60N3/105; B60N3/108; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S224/00; Y10S224/926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the cupholders further having means for movably mounting both cupholders within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting the cupholders to move together axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing; and pivoting mount means in contact with both cupholders for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the cupholders further having means for movably mounting both cupholders within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting the cupholders to move together axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing; and pivoting mount means in contact with both cupholders for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The container holder of claim 1 wherein the sliding mount means comprises a rack and pinion mechanism secured to the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The container holder of claim 2 wherein the pinion is mounted to a viscous pot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container holder of claim 1 wherein the pivoting mount means is engaged by a release mechanism affixed to the primary cupholder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The container holder of claim 4 wherein the release mechanism is activated by a push button on the primary cupholder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The container holder of claim 4 wherein the pivoting mount means includes a kick-out spring in contact with the secondary cupholder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The container holder of claim 4 wherein the release mechanism comprises a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button when the secondary cupholder is in the third position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The container holder of claim 1 wherein the holder means for the primary and secondary cupholders further comprise at least one rubber gasket for securing a container within the cupholders.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The container of claim 1 wherein the sliding mount means includes a flat spring secured to the housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
155 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising: sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move together axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and pivoting mount means in contact with both cupholders for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
155 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising: sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move together axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and pivoting mount means in contact with both cupholders for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The container holder of claim 10 wherein the sliding mount means is engaged by pushing the cupholder at a front surface of the cupholder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The container holder of claim 10 wherein the primary and secondary cupholders are disposed so that one substantially overlaps the other when in the first position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The container holder of claim 12 wherein the primary and secondary cupholders are disposed so that one substantially overlaps the other when in the second position permitting the primary and secondary cupholders to jointly support and receive one container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The container holder of claim 13 wherein the primary and secondary cupholders may alternatively assume the third position by activation of a release mechanism permitting both cupholders to receive and support different containers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The container holder of claim 10 wherein the pivoting mount means is activated bya release mechanism on the primary cupholder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The container holder of claim 12 further comprising a release mechanism comprising a movable button secured to the primary cupholder, a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The container holder of claim 10 wherein the primary and secondary cupholders further comprise at least one rubber gasket to secure containers within the cupholders.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
185 words
A container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the cupholders further having means for movably mounting both cupholders within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting the cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing; and pivoting mount means for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers; and further wherein, the pivoting mount means is engaged by a release mechanism which comprises a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button when the secondary cupholder is in the third position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
185 words
A container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having holder means for supporting a container disposed therein, the cupholders further having means for movably mounting both cupholders within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting the cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing; and pivoting mount means for permitting the secondary cupholder to rotate about an axis from a third position where both cupholders substantially overlap to a fourth position substantially disposed away from the primary cupholder such that both cupholders may support different containers; and further wherein, the pivoting mount means is engaged by a release mechanism which comprises a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button when the secondary cupholder is in the third position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
148 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing where the cupholders are disposed so that one substantially overlaps the other to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and a release mechanism comprising a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
148 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing where the cupholders are disposed so that one substantially overlaps the other to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and a release mechanism comprising a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
136 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and a release mechanism comprising a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
136 words
The container holder comprising: a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; a primary cupholder and a secondary cupholder disposed within the housing each having means for supporting a container disposed therein, the primary cupholder further having means for movably mounting the primary cupholder within the housing, the means for movably mounting comprising sliding mount means for permitting both cupholders to move axially from a first position substantially internal to the top and bottom surface of the housing to a second position substantially external to the top and bottom surface of the housing wherein said means comprises a rack and pinion viscous dampener mechanism; and a release mechanism comprising a movable button secured to the primary cupholder and a pin mounted on a spring secured to the secondary cupholder which interacts with the button.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-28 | 1995-04-29 | 1995-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-04-29 | 1999-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-28 | 2003-04-29 | 2003-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |