Floor located vehicle container holder

Abstract

A vehicle container holder includes a bottomless container retention section and a mounting section. The container retention section defines a container axis along which a container is received and rested upon the vehicle interior component. The mounting portion of the container holder slips behind a vehicle component adjacent a vehicle floor or includes a multiple of pins to penetrate into a carpeted panel along the vehicle transmission tunnel. The container holder utilizes the vehicle floor as the bottom support for the retained container. Such a bottomless design provides greater ability to handle a range of container sizes and provides a greater range of adjustment/variance with respect to vehicle designs while simplifying manufacturing.

1 . A vehicle container holder comprising: 
 a bottomless container retention section which defines an axis, said bottomless container retention section including a pair of arms which are adjacent and separated to partially surround said axis for a height to maintain a container in a generally vertical position therein; and    a mounting section extending from said container retention section, said mounting section operable to engage a generally vertical surface adjacent a vehicle floor such that a container is supported upon the vehicle floor and the bottomless container retention section maintains the container in the generally vertical position.    
   
   
       2 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mounting section comprises an intermediate arm portion, and a mounting arm end portion interconnected by an arcuate spring mounting arm portion, said intermediate arm portion and said mounting arm end portion generally parallel but laterally offset relative the axis, said arcuate spring mounting arm portion formed as an arc defining an obtuse angle relative a rear container portion.  
   
   
       3 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said arc of said arcuate mounting arm portion is greater than 120 degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said arcuate spring mounting arm portion is resilient.  
   
   
       5 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said mounting end portion defines a radiused end segment to said spring mounting arm portion  
   
   
       6 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said mounting section comprises a multiple of pins which extend from a rear portion of said container section generally opposite said arm ends.  
   
   
       7 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said multiple of pins include an upper set of pins and a lower set of pins.  
   
   
       8 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said upper set of pins are mounted to a pin plate, said pin plate mounted to said rear portion of said container section generally opposite said arm ends.  
   
   
       9 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said upper set of pins and said lower set of pins are angled relative said axis.  
   
   
       10 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bottomless container retention section comprises a frustro conical geometry.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bottomless container retention section and said mounting section are formed from a single planar sheet of material.  
   
   
       12 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said material comprises a stainless steel.  
   
   
       13 . The vehicle container holder as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising a liner attached to said bottomless container retention section.  
   
   
       14 . A method of retaining a container within a vehicle comprising the steps of: 
 (1) locating a bottomless container retention section adjacent a vehicle floor, said bottomless container retention section including a pair of arms which are adjacent and separated to partially surround an axis for a height to maintain a container in a generally vertical position therein;    (2) locating a mounting section extending from the container retention section along a side of a vehicle center transmission tunnel such that the container is supported upon the vehicle floor and the bottomless container retention section maintains the container in a generally vertical position.    
   
   
       15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said step (1) further comprises 
 locating the container retention section upon the vehicle floor and forward of a vehicle front seat.    
   
   
       16 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said step (2) further comprises 
 locating the mounting section extending from the container retention section behind a vehicle interior component extending along a side of the center transmission tunnel.    
   
   
       17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (2) further comprises 
 resiliently maintaining the mounting section in a flexed condition behind the vehicle interior component.    
   
   
       18 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (2) further comprises 
 locating the mounting section behind the vehicle interior component and in front of a vehicle carpeted panel.    
   
   
       19 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (2) further comprises 
 inserting a multiple of mounting pins extending from the mounting section at least partially through a carpeted panel mounted upon the side of the vehicle center transmission tunnel.    
   
   
       20 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (2) further comprises 
 inserting an upper set of mounting pins in a first direction and a lower set of mounting pins in a second direction through a carpeted panel mounted upon the side of the vehicle center transmission tunnel.