ADAPTIVE CONTAINER HOLDER

Abstract

This adaptive container holder comprises a support (2) capable of holding a container, and a base (3) forming a base of the container holder (1) and carrying the support (2), said support (2) comprising a cylinder (6) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and grippers (9) mounted in pivot connection on said cylinder (6) and configured to have a deployed position in which said grippers have an end close to said longitudinal axis (X) so as to grip a container placed in the cylinder (6), and a retracted position in which said end of each gripper (9) is spaced from the longitudinal axis (X) so as to release said container from any gripping by said grippers (9), said adaptive container holder (1) further comprising an actuation system (12, 13, 15, 16) configured to rotate said grippers (9) from and to their deployed and retracted positions. Figure for abstract: [Fig 1]

Description

Title of the invention: ADAPTIVE CONTAINER HOLDER Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to container holders for holding a container, such as a cup, a glass or a mug.

[0002] The present invention aims to constitute an adaptive container holder, that is to say one which allows the user to transport a container whatever its dimensions. Prior techniques

[0003] Known container holders do not have an adaptive mechanism to allow the user to transport a container regardless of its cup dimensions, particularly within a vehicle. Statement of the invention

[0004] The invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawback and to propose a container holder capable of combining the advantages of speed, simplicity and reliability for its implementation, and this over a wide range of container dimensions, while also being able to be manufactured in one piece by an additive manufacturing process, with moving parts.

[0005] In view of the foregoing, the subject of the invention is an adaptive container holder comprising a support capable of holding a container, and a base forming a leg of the container holder and carrying the support, said support comprising a cylinder extending along a longitudinal axis and grippers mounted in pivot connection on said cylinder and configured to have a deployed position in which said grippers have one end close to said longitudinal axis so as to grip a container placed in the cylinder, and a retracted position in which said end of each gripper is spaced from the longitudinal axis so as to release said container from any gripping by said grippers, said adaptive container holder further comprising an actuation system configured to rotate said grippers from and to their deployed and retracted positions.

[0006] Preferably, the grippers have a first end connected to the cylinder by a pivot connection relative to said cylinder, and a second free end for gripping the container in the deployed position of the grippers.

[0007] For example, the cylinder has an annular plate along an upper periphery of the cylinder, and the grippers are retracted under said annular plate when in their retracted position.

[0008] Advantageously, the annular plate covers the upper edge of the cylinder and is mounted to rotate freely relative to the cylinder and around the longitudinal axis, each gripper being fixed relative to the cylinder and further comprising a groove, the annular plate further comprising a pin per gripper inserted into the groove of said gripper.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the actuation system comprises locking tabs mounted in radial translation on the cylinder in slots on the sides of the cylinder and under the annular plate, the actuation system further comprising first notches extending radially on each tab and second notches extending radially on the cylinder and configured to be able to cooperate with said first notches so as to provide a plurality of positions for partially locking the rotation of the upper plate by intersecting the first notches and the second notches when the tabs are inserted radially into said slots.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second crenellations are arranged under the annular plate.

[0011] Advantageously, the first crenellations and the second crenellations have complementary shapes of increasing lengths in an orthoradial direction around the longitudinal axis.

[0012] The adaptive container holder may further provide that the grippers have an elongated and curved shape, which allows an inner curved portion 17 of the grippers to adapt to the curvature of the container regardless of its dimension.

[0013] Preferably, the base has a flared shape widening towards the support.

[0014] The invention also relates to a container holder in which the grippers are three to seven in number, distributed in quadrants around the longitudinal axis and on the upper periphery of the cylinder, each of the grippers being coupled to the actuation system and configured to be actuated so as to rotate said grippers from and to their deployed and retracted positions during rotation of the annular plate around the longitudinal axis. Brief description of the drawings

[0015] The invention will be better understood from a detailed study of an embodiment taken as a non-limiting example and illustrated by the attached drawing, in which:

[0016] [Fig-1] shows the adaptive container holder in perspective view. Detailed description

[0017] [Fig.l] illustrates the adaptive container holder 1 according to the invention, comprising a support 2 capable of holding a container, such as a glass, a cup, a mug, etc.

[0018] The adaptive container holder 1 further comprises a base 3 forming a leg of the container holder 1 and carrying the support 2.

[0019] The support 2 comprises a cylinder 6 extending along a longitudinal axis X.

[0020] The adaptive container holder 1 comprises grippers 9 mounted in pivot connection on said cylinder 6 and configured to have a deployed position in which said grippers have an end close to said longitudinal axis X so as to grip a container placed in the cylinder 6, and a retracted position in which said end of each gripper 9 is spaced from the longitudinal axis X so as to release said container from any gripping by said grippers 9.

[0021] The adaptive container holder 1 further comprises an actuation system 12, 13, 15, 16 configured to rotate said grippers 9 from and to their deployed and retracted positions.

[0022] An adaptive container holder 1 is thus produced thanks to the mechanism which adapts to the diameter of the container when the grippers are in the deployed position, and which the user can manipulate to optimize the clamping of the object by bringing the grippers closer to the center represented by the longitudinal axis X, to choose the holding force of the container by these grippers 9.

[0023] Preferably, the grippers 9 have a first end connected to the cylinder 6 by a pivot connection 14 relative to said cylinder 6, and a second free end for gripping the container in the deployed position of the grippers 9.

[0024] For example, the cylinder 6 comprises an annular plate 7 along an upper periphery of the cylinder 6, and the grippers 9 are retracted under said annular plate 7 when they are in their retracted position.

[0025] Advantageously, the annular plate 7 covers the upper edge of the cylinder 6 and is mounted to rotate freely relative to the cylinder 6 and around the longitudinal axis X, each gripper 9 being fixed relative to the cylinder 6 and further comprising a groove 15, the annular plate 7 further comprising a pin 16 per gripper 9 inserted into the groove 15 of said gripper 9.

[0026] This forms a wheel used to tighten the container and which the user can rotate around the longitudinal axis X to move in translation.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the actuation system 12, 13, 15, 16 comprises locking tabs 10 mounted in radial translation on the cylinder 6 in slots 11 on the sides of the cylinder 6 and under the annular plate 7, the actuation system 12, 13, 15, 16 further comprising first notches 12 extending radially on each tab 10 and second notches 13 extending radially on the cylinder 6 configured to be able to cooperate with said first notches 12 so as to provide a plurality of positions for partially locking the rotation of the upper plate 7 by intersecting the first notches 12 and the second notches 13 when the tabs 10 are inserted radially into said slots 11.

[0028] In one embodiment, the second crenellations 13 are arranged under the ring plate 7.

[0029] Advantageously, the first crenellations 12 and the second crenellations 13 have complementary shapes of increasing lengths in an orthoradial direction around the longitudinal axis X.

[0030] The method may further provide that the grippers 9 have an elongated and curved shape.

[0031] Preferably, the base 3 has a flared shape widening towards the support 2.

[0032] The base 3 ends for example with a plate-shaped holding element 4 of diameter less than cylinder 6.

[0033] The container holder 1 may include extensions 5 which may include a curvature to form the flared shape.

[0034] The holding element 4 connects the extensions 5 together to reinforce the base 3.

[0035] The annular plate 7 may include through or blind recesses 8 making it possible to lighten the container holder 16.

[0036] The invention also relates to a container holder in which the grippers 9 are three to seven in number, distributed in quadrants around the longitudinal axis X and on the upper periphery of the cylinder 6, each of the grippers 9 being coupled to the actuating system which is configured to be actuated so as to rotate said grippers 9 from and to their deployed and retracted positions during rotation of the annular plate 7 around the longitudinal axis X.

[0037] By its design, the container holder 1 can thus be manufactured entirely by additive manufacturing, each part being able to be, for example, printed in three-dimensional printing directly in its intended location in the container holder 1 to form the complete container holder 1 in any of the shapes described above.

[0038] The advantage of being able to manufacture the container holder 1 entirely by additive manufacturing is particularly important because this allows a significant saving of time by eliminating the assembly phase, the entire solution being able to be produced in one piece, with parts moving between them.

Claims

Claims

1. An adaptive container holder (1) comprising a support (2) capable of holding a container, and a base (3) forming a leg of the container holder (1) and carrying the support (2), said support (2) comprising a cylinder (6) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and grippers (9) mounted in pivot connection on said cylinder (6) and configured to have a deployed position in which said grippers have one end close to said longitudinal axis (X) so as to grip a container placed in the cylinder (6), and a retracted position in which said end of each gripper (9) is spaced from the longitudinal axis (X) so as to release said container from any gripping by said grippers (9), said adaptive container holder (1) further comprising an actuation system (12, 13, 15, 16) configured to rotate said grippers (9) to and from their extended and retracted positions.

2. An adaptive container holder according to claim 1, wherein the grippers (9) have a first end connected to the cylinder (6) by a pivot connection (14) relative to said cylinder (6), and a second free end for gripping the container in the deployed position of the grippers (9).

3. An adaptive container holder according to claim 2, wherein the cylinder (6) comprises an annular plate (7) along an upper periphery of the cylinder (6), and the grippers (9) are retracted under said annular plate (7) when in their retracted position.

4. Adaptive container holder according to claim 3, wherein the annular plate (7) covers the upper edge of the cylinder (6) and is mounted to rotate freely relative to the cylinder (6) and around the longitudinal axis (X), each gripper (9) being fixed relative to the cylinder (6) and further comprising a groove (15), the annular plate (7) further comprising a pin (16) per gripper (9) inserted into the groove (15) of said gripper (9).

5. An adaptive container holder according to claim 4, wherein the actuation system (12,13,15,16) comprises locking tabs (10) mounted in radial translation on the cylinder (6) in slots (11) on the sides of the cylinder (6) and under the annular plate (7), the actuation system (12,13,15,16) further comprising first notches (12) extending radially on each tab (10) and

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10. second crenellations (13) extending radially on the cylinder (6) and configured to be able to cooperate with said first crenellations (12) so as to provide a plurality of positions for partially blocking the rotation of the upper plate (7) by intersecting the first crenellations (12) and the second crenellations (13) when the tabs (10) are inserted radially into said slots (11). Adaptive container holder according to claim 5, wherein the second notches (13) are arranged under the annular plate (7). Adaptive container holder according to claim 6, wherein the first notches (12) and the second notches (13) have complementary shapes of increasing lengths in an orthoradial direction around the longitudinal axis (X). Adaptive container holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the grippers (9) have an elongated and curved shape. Adaptive container holder according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base (3) has a flared shape widening towards the support (2). An adaptive container holder according to claim 3, wherein the grippers (9) are three to seven in number, distributed in quadrants around the longitudinal axis (X) and around the upper periphery of the cylinder (6), each of the grippers (9) being coupled to the actuating system configured to be actuated so as to rotate said grippers (9) to and from their extended and retracted positions upon rotation of the annular plate (7) around the longitudinal axis (X).

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