Cup Holder Light Guide Lens Drainage and Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cup holders with light sources face issues with liquid penetration, which can damage the light source and require increased size for drainage features.
Innovation Solution
A cup holder design featuring a recess-shaped cup housing with a light source on the back, a plate-shaped light guide lens, and strategically placed holes for effective liquid drainage without increasing size, using protrusions and holes to fix components and create gaps for liquid drainage while maintaining light distribution and source protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a channel and drain port are provided beneath the cup housing portion to drain liquid, then liquid drainage capability is improved, but the size of the cup holder is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom surface of the cup housing portion is divided into multiple drainage holes (first hole, second hole, third hole) instead of using a single large drain port. This segmentation allows effective liquid drainage while maintaining a compact size, as the multiple small holes provide sufficient drainage area without requiring additional space for a large drain port or channel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide lens serves multiple functions: it guides light from the light source to illuminate the cup housing portion, and simultaneously acts as a barrier structure where its thickness variation creates a liquid barrier to prevent liquid from reaching the light source. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate drainage components, maintaining compact size while ensuring both illumination and liquid protection functions
2Illumination intensity
If a light source and light guide body are added to improve visibility and decorativeness, then illumination function is improved, but the risk of liquid penetration to the light source is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide lens has non-uniform thickness with a thicker portion positioned to create a liquid barrier between the cup housing interior and the light source. This local variation in thickness provides enhanced liquid protection at the critical interface where liquid penetration risk is highest, while maintaining the overall illumination function of the light guide lens
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide lens acts as an intermediary structure between the liquid-containing cup housing portion and the light source. Its thicker portion serves as a physical barrier that mediates the interaction between liquid and light source, preventing direct contact while still allowing the light guide function to operate effectively
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively drains liquid from the cup housing portion to prevent it from reaching the light source, maintaining visibility and decorativeness without enlarging the cup holder's size, and preventing damage to the light source.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide body attached to a bottom portion of the cup housing portion, and a light source emitting light to be supplied to the light guide body
Data Source
AI summary
A cup holder includes a main body that includes a recess-shaped cup housing portion for housing a cup, a light source arranged on a back surface of the main body and located under the cup housing portion, and a plate-shaped light guide lens placed on a bottom surface of the cup housing portion of the main body. The main body includes a first hole and a second hole on the bottom surface of the cup housing portion. The second hole is arranged to guide light emitted from the light source to the light guide lens, and the first hole is arranged to drain liquid inside the cup housing portion.