Cup holder

Abstract

A cup holder includes a holder body, a supporting member having a retained end and a swinging end, a first retaining member inhibiting the supporting member from moving upward, a first urging member urging the supporting member so as to swing and direct the swinging end upward, a second retaining member disposed movably to the first retaining member in an up/down direction, and a second urging member urging the second retaining member upward. The supporting member's swinging end supports a container. Upon being pressed by the retained end of the supporting member, the second retaining member descends, thereby enabling the swinging end of the supporting member to swing in an up/down direction. Thus, a user can take a constricted container out of the cup holder without ever interfering the container's constriction with the supporting member.

1 . A cup holder, comprising: 
 a holder body having a top surface provided with an opening through which a container comes in and comes out, a bottom surface, and an inner wall surface, the top surface, the bottom surface and the inner wall surface demarcating an accommodation dent which accommodates the container therein;    a first retaining member disposed in the holder body; and    a supporting member having a retained end, which is disposed swingably to the first retaining member, and a swinging end, which is disposed on an opposite side with respect the retained end, the supporting member for supporting a side surface of the container with the swinging end;    the bottom surface and inner wall surface of the holder body and the swinging end of the supporting member supporting the container;    the cup holder further comprising:    a first urging member accumulating an urging force as the supporting member, which has been positioned substantially horizontally, swings to direct the swinging end downward, and the first urging member urging the supporting member so as to swing and direct the swinging end upward by the accumulated urging force;    a second retaining member disposed movably to the first retaining member in an up/down direction, and having a top surface which contacts with the retained end of the supporting member; and    a second urging member urging the second retaining member upward;    the second retaining member descending upon being pressed by the retained end of the supporting member, thereby enabling the swinging end of the supporting member to swing in an up/down direction.    
   
   
       2 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member further has a swing shaft to which the first urging member is disposed.  
   
   
       3 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the supporting member further has a shaft element, which protrudes from the retained end perpendicularly with respect to the tangent of the swinging direction of the supporting member three-dimensionally;    the first retaining member has a guide groove, which extends in an up/down direction;    the shaft element of the supporting member engages with the guide groove of the first retaining member, thereby disposing the supporting member to the first retaining member swingably and movably in an up/down direction; and    the second urging member doubles as the first urging member.    
   
   
       4 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the supporting member further has a first shaft element, which protrudes from the retained end perpendicularly with respect to the tangent of the swinging direction of the supporting member three-dimensionally, and a second shaft element, which is disposed closer to the swinging end than the first shaft element is disposed and which protrudes parallelly to the first shaft element; and    the first retaining member has a first groove for guiding the second shaft element of the supporting member, first groove which extends as an arc shape about the first shaft element of the supporting member when the supporting member is positioned substantially horizontally, and a second groove for guiding the first shaft element of the supporting member, second groove which extends as an arc shape about the second shaft element of the supporting member when the supporting member is positioned substantially horizontally; and    the second urging member doubles as the first urging member.    
   
   
       5 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first retaining member is formed as a frame shape, and is disposed detachably to the holder body;    the supporting member moves between a retreated position, where it is housed in the first retaining member, and an advanced position, where it comes out of the first retaining member toward the accommodation dent of the holder body;    the first urging member further urges the supporting member toward the advanced position;    the cup holder further comprises a pressing member disposed inside the first retaining member, the pressing member moving between a pressing position, where the pressing member presses the first retaining member outward to flex the first retaining member, and a releasing position, where the pressing member releases the first retaining member from flexure;    the first retaining member further has an engagement element engaging with the supporting member, which is located at the retreated position; and    the pressing member disengages the engagement between the engagement element of the first retaining member and the supporting member when the pressing member moves to the pressing position.    
   
   
       6 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the first retaining member further has a framed interval, which reduces from large to small in the moving direction of the pressing member away from the releasing position to the pressing position.  
   
   
       7 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the second urging member urges the pressing member toward the releasing position.  
   
   
       8 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the supporting member further has a pivotally-supported end, which is disposed pivotally to the first retaining member, and pivots about the pivotally-supported end, thereby moving between the retreated position and the advanced position, or vice versa.  
   
   
       9 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the first retaining member comprises a bottom, which functions as the pressing member.  
   
   
       10 . The cup holder set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the first retaining member comprises paired sides, which function as the engagement element.