Slide-out container holder

Claim 2

An assembly comprising: a vehicle console defined by a housing having an opening formed therein for receiving a container holder; a container holder having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including a guide extending from a side opposite said recess, said guide including an elongated slot, a bar extending through said slot and having an end, said end, of said bar being fixedly mounted to said housing; at least one pivot arm having one end pivotally coupled to said floor of said container holder, said pivot arm pivotally mounted to said housing; and, an over-center spring coupled to said housing and to said pivot arm at an end opposite said coupling to said floor thereby pivoting said pivot arm, wherein said over-center spring acts upon said container holder to bias said container holder to a use position, and to bias said container holder to a stored position.

Claim 3

The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot arm includes two spaced-apart pivot arms, each of said pivot arms having one end pivotally coupled to said floor of said container holder.

Claim 4

The assembly holder as defined in claim 2 including a platform extending between said pivot arms.

Claim 5

The assembly as defined in claim 3 further comprising at least two of said over-center springs, each of said springs being coupled to an end of each of said pivot arms.

Claim 6

The assembly holder as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said springs comprise a coil spring coupled to an end of each of said pivot arms remote from said floor.

Claim 7

The assembly holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide comprises a pair of spaced-apart guide arms, each having an elongated guide slot for receiving said bar.

Claim 8

The assembly holder as defined in claim 6 wherein said pivot arms are pivotally mounted to said guide arms.

Claim 9

The assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said pivot arm includes a central leg and end legs extending orthogonally from opposite ends of said central leg.

Claim 10

The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said container holder is made of a polymeric material.

Claim 11

A container holder comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing defining an opening for receiving a container holder support therein; a container holder support having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including a pair of parallel spaced-apart guides extending from a side of said floor opposite said container holding recess, said guides including slots formed therein for receiving a guide bar, said guide bar extending between said guides, and being fixedly mounted to said housing; at least one pivot arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally mounted to said housing, said pivot arm having an extension from said opposite end for coupling to an over-center spring; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said extension of said pivot arm, wherein said over-center spring acts upon said container holder support thereby urging said container holder support toward a use position and toward a stored position.

Claim 12

A container holder comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing defining an opening for receiving a container holder support therein; a container holder support having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including a pair of parallel spaced-apart guides extending from a side of said floor opposite said container holding recess, said guides including slots formed therein for receiving a guide bar, said guide bar extending between said guides, and being fixedly mounted to said housing; at least one pivot arm having a first end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally mounted to said housing, said pivot arm having an extension from said opposite end for coupling to an over-center spring; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said extension of said pivot arm, wherein said over-center spring acts upon said container holder support thereby urging said container holder support toward a use position and toward a stored position.

Claim 13

The container holder as defined in claim 10, wherein said at least one pivot arm includes two spaced-apart pivot arms, each of said pivot arms having one end pivotally coupled to said floor of said container holder.

Claim 14

The container holder as defined in claim 11 including a platform extending between said pivot arms.

Claim 15

The container holder as defined in claim 12 wherein said pivot arms are pivotally mounted to said guide arms.

Claim 16

A vehicle console comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing including a top having an opening for storably receiving a container holder; a container holder having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including guide means on a side of said floor opposite said recess, said guide means including a pair of parallel spaced-apart members each having an elongated slot formed therein and a bar extending through said slots and fixedly mounted to said housing; at least one pivot arm having one end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally coupled to said housing; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said pivot arm, and acting upon said container holder thereby urging said container holder toward a use position extended from said housing and urging said container holder toward a stored position within said housing.

Claim 17

A vehicle console comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing including a top having an opening for storably receiving a container holder; a container holder having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including guide means on a side of said floor opposite said recess, said guide means including a pair of parallel spaced-apart members each having an elongated slot formed therein and a bar extending through said slots and fixedly mounted to said housing; at least one pivot arm having one end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally coupled to said housing; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said pivot arm, and acting upon said container holder thereby urging said container holder toward a use position extended from said housing and urging said container holder toward a stored position within said housing.

Claim 18

The vehicle console as defined in claim 14 wherein said guide means slideably couples said floor to said housing.

Claim 19

A container holder comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing including a top having an opening formed therein; a tray-shaped member having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including guide means on a side of said floor opposite said recess, said guide means including a pair of parallel spaced-apart members, each having an elongated slot formed therein; a guide bar extending between said guide means and said housing to allow said tray-shaped member to slide with respect to said housing, said guide bar extending through said slots; at least one pivot arm having one end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally coupled to said housing; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said pivot arm, said over-center spring acting upon said container holder thereby selectively urging said container holder toward a use position extended from said housing and toward a stored position within said housing.

Claim 20

A container holder comprising: a housing for mounting to a vehicle, said housing including a top having an opening formed therein; a tray-shaped member having a floor with a recess therein for receiving a container, said floor including guide means on a side of said floor opposite said recess, said guide means including a pair of parallel spaced-apart members, each having an elongated slot formed therein; a guide bar extending between said guide means and said housing to allow said tray-shaped member to slide with respect to said housing, said guide bar extending through said slots; at least one pivot arm having one end pivotally coupled to said floor and an opposite end pivotally coupled to said housing; and an over-center spring extending between said housing and said pivot arm, said over-center spring acting upon said container holder thereby selectively urging said container holder toward a use position extended from said housing and toward a stored position within said housing.

Claim 21

The container holder as defined in claim 16 wherein said over-center spring comprises a coil spring.