Drinking Receptacle Holder with Variable Aperture for Secure Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drinking receptacle holders with fixed apertures often fail to securely hold cups or bottles due to size mismatches, leading to spills or inconvenience, especially in moving vehicles or aircraft where manual holding is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A drinking receptacle holder with a variable aperture size that adjusts automatically or semi-automatically as the base portion moves away from the holding portion under the weight of the receptacle, ensuring a secure fit by reducing the aperture diameter to match the receptacle's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed diameter aperture is used in the drinking receptacle holder, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the holder cannot securely hold receptacles of different sizes, leading to spills or inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture diameter is made dynamically adjustable through the interaction between the base portion and holding portion. As the base portion moves away from the holding portion, the aperture size reduces automatically. This dynamic adjustment allows the holder to adapt to different receptacle diameters without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture parameter (diameter) is changed based on the position of the base portion relative to the holding portion. When the base portion is closer to the holding portion, the aperture is larger; when the base portion moves away, the aperture becomes smaller. This parameter change enables the holder to accommodate various receptacle sizes while maintaining a relatively simple structure.
2Reliability
If the aperture size is reduced to fit smaller receptacles, then smaller receptacles can be securely held, but larger receptacles will not fit through the aperture
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture size is made dynamic rather than fixed. Users can adjust the aperture size by controlling the distance between the base portion and holding portion. For larger receptacles, the base portion is positioned closer to the holding portion, creating a larger aperture. For smaller receptacles, the base portion is moved away, reducing the aperture size for secure holding. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between security and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If manual holding of the receptacle is required, then the user has control over the receptacle position, but the user must continuously hold the receptacle to prevent spilling, which is inconvenient during extended travel
Solution Approach 1:
The drinking receptacle holder performs the function of securing the receptacle automatically without requiring continuous user intervention. By adjusting the aperture size through the base portion position, the holder creates a customized fit that securely holds the receptacle in place. This self-service mechanism prevents spilling during extended travel without requiring the user to continuously hold the receptacle, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A drinking receptacle holder comprising a holding portion, the holding portion providing an aperture with a variable size, and a base portion, wherein the drinking receptacle holder is configured so that a drinking receptacle can be received within the aperture of the holding portion with the drinking receptacle resting upon the base portion, wherein the base portion is configured to be pushed away from the holding portion by the drinking receptacle as the drinking receptacle is moved through the aperture of the holding portion, and wherein the holding portion is connected to the base portion such that the size of the aperture is configured to reduce as the base portion is pushed away from the holding portion.