Cup Holder Tray Stopper Mechanism for Vehicle Armrest
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cup holder trays in automobile rear seats often malfunction when the front face cover is pressed during armrest deployment or housing, leading to inconvenience and increased manufacturing costs due to complex locking device components.
Innovation Solution
A cup holder tray with a stopper mechanism supported by an axis on the lid plate, which automatically releases by weight to allow one-touch push-out in a horizontal state, preventing malfunctions and simplifying components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a one-touch operation cup holder tray is provided, then passenger convenience is improved, but the front face cover is pressed during armrest housing/deployment causing malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
A stopper is introduced as an intermediary component between the cup holder and the tray. The stopper includes a stopper body that can be inserted into a stopper receiving groove to physically block the cup holder from protruding forward, and a pressing portion that contacts the front face cover. This intermediary mechanism prevents direct transmission of pressing force to the cup holder during armrest housing, while still allowing one-touch operation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is designed to be automatically pushed by the pressing portion of the stopper when the front face cover is pressed during armrest housing. This self-actuating mechanism uses the pressing force itself to move the stopper into the receiving groove, eliminating the need for separate locking devices or complex control systems. The stopper serves itself by converting the harmful pressing force into a useful locking action.
2Reliability
If a separate locking device is provided to prevent malfunction, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both a physical blocker (stopper body in receiving groove) and an actuator (pressing portion contacted by front face cover). This merged design eliminates the need for separate locking devices, sensors, and control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper performs multiple functions: (1) blocking the cup holder from protruding when inserted into the receiving groove, (2) being actuated by the pressing portion when the front face cover is pressed, and (3) enabling one-touch operation when retracted. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing overall device complexity.
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
Prevents cup holder protrusion during armrest housing, ensures one-touch operation during deployment, and reduces manufacturing costs through a simplified assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
a position of the stopper (30) is being converted by a rotation of the stopper (30) due to the weight thereof between the lid plate (24) and the cup holder (23)
Data Source
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AI summary
[Object] The present invention relates to a cup holder tray for an armrest of an automobile rear seat. More specifically, in the cup holder tray installed in the armrest which is selectively used by deploying it from the rear seat, or by housing it in the rear seat, a stopper is provided, which restricts a cup holder from protruding in a state wherein the armrest is housed in the rear seat, so as to improve a merchantability and a convenience. [Solving Means] In a structure of the present invention, a tray 20 is placed and installed in an armrest 10 of a rear seat 1, and includes a cup holder 23 which protrudes forward by being unlocked from a lock member 21 formed at a back of a main body with a one-touch operation when a cover 22 provided in a front face is pressed. A stopper 30 is inserted in and supported by an axis at a lid plate 24 of the tray 20. While a position of the stopper 30 is being converted by a rotation of the stopper 30 due to the weight thereof between the lid plate 24 and the cup holder 23, the stopper 30 is structured so as to restrict and release a backward movement of the cup holder 23. Also, in the stopper 30, at the center of a turning axis 31 which is connected to an axis groove 24b provided at a back of the lid plate 24, a locking piece 32, positioned between the lid plate 24 and the cup holder 23, is formed to protrude. From both sides of the locking piece 32, a rotation weight 33 is integrally molded in a lower portion, and a locking protrusion 34 is molded to protrude in an upper portion of the turning axis 31 of the stopper 30 so as to complete the stopper 30. Then, in the rotation weight 33 of the stopper 30, a weight body 33a is formed in such a way as to be detachably attached together.