Cylindrical Cup Holder Structure for Container Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cup holders face issues with the falling angle of containers, poor ease of use due to finger accessibility, and excessive movement of containers during sudden inertia, leading to a less stable and inconvenient holding experience.
Innovation Solution
A cup holder design featuring a cylindrical retaining portion with equal inner diameters at the upper opening and bottom wall, divided into first and second holder halves for easy assembly, and incorporating a mortar-shaped bottom wall and arms to restrict lateral movement of containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the side wall is designed with a large inclination angle for easy demolding, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the container falling angle increases and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is divided into two distinct sections: an upper portion with a first inclination angle and a lower portion with a second inclination angle. This segmentation allows each section to serve different functions - the upper section facilitates demolding while the lower section maintains container stability, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different inclination angles are applied to different portions of the side wall based on their specific functional requirements. The upper portion has a larger inclination angle optimized for demolding, while the lower portion has a smaller inclination angle optimized for container stability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its primary function.
2Ease of operation
If the holding depth is reduced to improve ease of use, then finger accessibility improves, but the container falling angle increases and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall inclination is segmented into upper and lower portions with different angles. This allows the holding depth to be optimized for ease of use while the lower portion's smaller inclination angle compensates to maintain stability, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the bottom wall is made horizontal to simplify manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is easier, but container movement increases during inertia events
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall is designed with a specific inclination angle rather than being completely horizontal. This local angular adjustment optimizes container stability during inertia events while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and movement control.
Data Source
AI summary
A cup holder includes a holder main body having a retaining portion, the retaining portion being configured to receive and hold a beverage container on a bottom wall. The retaining portion includes an upper opening for receiving the beverage container, the bottom wall for supporting a bottom of the beverage container, and a side wall formed between the upper opening and the bottom wall, and has a cylindrical shape. An inner diameter at the upper opening is substantially the same as an inner diameter of the bottom wall.