Expandable Cup Holder With Elastic Clamping for Variable Cup Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle-mounted cup slots are typically of fixed dimensions, leading to issues with water cups that are either too large or too small, causing misfit and potential breakage or gaps, which are not adjustable to accommodate different sizes and shapes of water cups.
Innovation Solution
An expandable cup holder with a cup holder body and a blade that is slidably connected, featuring an elastic potential energy storage component and a gear mechanism to adjust the size of the clamping space, allowing for flexible adaptation to various water cup sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-dimension cup slot is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different sizes and shapes of water cups, causing misfit and potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder employs a dynamic expansion mechanism where the cup holder body can change its internal dimensions. The expansion component includes expandable blades that can move between extended and retracted positions, allowing the cup holder to adapt its size dynamically to accommodate different cup dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Reliability
If the cup slot size is fixed, then the manufacturing is simple, but it causes gaps for small cups leading to collision and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder is divided into multiple functional segments including the cup holder body, expandable blades, elastic members, and locking mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard processes, then assembled together to create the adaptive structure, balancing manufacturing simplicity with improved reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an expandable mechanism is added to adjust cup holder size, then adaptability to different cups is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable cup holder utilizes self-service mechanisms where elastic members automatically provide expansion force, and locking components engage passively when the blades are positioned. The trigger switch initiates the expansion sequence, but the system largely manages its own operation through mechanical feedback and elastic energy storage, reducing the need for complex external control systems.
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
The expandable cup holder provides secure and stable clamping for different-sized water cups, reducing operation steps and enhancing driving safety by automatically adjusting to fit various containers without requiring external power, ensuring ease of use and compatibility with diverse cup sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The first elastic member is configured to store elastic potential energy
Implementation Method 2
The second elastic member is configured to prevent the elastic potential energy storage component from automatically releasing the elastic potential energy
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an expandable cup holder, including a cup holder body and a blade slidably connected to the cup holder body. The cup holder body includes an upper disc, an elastic potential energy storage component, and a lower disc that are successively disposed. The upper disc is fixedly connected to the lower disc. The elastic potential energy storage component includes a first elastic member and a second elastic member. Two ends of the first elastic member are respectively fixedly connected to the upper disc and the elastic potential energy storage component, and the first elastic member is configured to store elastic potential energy. Two ends of the second elastic member are respectively fixedly connected to the upper disc and the elastic potential energy storage component, and the second elastic member is configured to prevent the elastic potential energy storage component from automatically releasing the elastic potential energy.