Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Seating arrangements in vehicles, aircraft, boats, and theaters often face difficulties in locating cup holders in dark or low-visibility conditions, leading to spills, distractions, and increased cleaning costs due to the inability to easily access these holders.
Innovation Solution
A lighted cup holder apparatus is integrated into seating arrangements, featuring a light-producing source within the cup holder body that illuminates the receptacle, with a light-sensitive element controlling the light to activate only in reduced visibility conditions, and can include a master and slave configuration for multiple holders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is added to illuminate the cup holder, then the cup holder becomes visible in dark conditions, but the lighting may distract occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-changing light sources that emit different colors at different times. The light source emits a first color (e.g., white or bright) when a cup is placed to indicate placement, then transitions to a second color (e.g., red or dimmer) to indicate the cup holder is occupied. This color variation allows the system to provide necessary visibility while reducing distraction during different operational states.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when a cup is placed in the holder. The system detects cup placement and triggers a lighting sequence that illuminates the cup holder briefly to confirm placement, then dims or changes color. This periodic operation provides visibility when needed while minimizing unnecessary lighting that could distract occupants.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple cup holders are illuminated with individual light sources, then each holder is visible, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a single light source that serves multiple cup holders simultaneously. This single illumination device can light up several adjacent cup holders at once, eliminating the need for separate light sources for each holder. The system maintains visibility for multiple cup holders while significantly reducing the complexity associated with multiple individual lighting components.
3Illumination intensity
If continuous lighting is provided, then cup holders are always visible, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when a cup is placed in the holder. The system detects cup placement and triggers a lighting sequence that illuminates the cup holder briefly to confirm placement, then dims or changes color. This periodic operation provides visibility when needed while minimizing unnecessary lighting that could distract occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is self-regulating through automatic detection of cup placement. When a cup is placed in the holder, the system automatically activates the light source to illuminate the area. After a predetermined time without detection of cup removal or new placement, the system automatically deactivates the lighting. This self-service operation eliminates the need for manual control while optimizing energy consumption.
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
Facilitates easy location and use of cup holders in dark or low-visibility conditions without distracting occupants, reducing spillage and enhancing safety and cleanliness by providing inconspicuous indirect lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a light-sensitive element operatively connected to the light source for selectively controlling the light source so that the light source does not produce light when the light-sensitive element detects ambient light of a selected intensity
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus include attaching a lighted cup holder to a seating arrangement. The lighted cup holder includes a cup holder body and a light-producing light source, with the cup holder body being attached to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, the light-producing source being disposed within the cup receptacle for illuminating the receptacle. A light-sensitive element operatively connected to the light source selectively controls production of light by the light source in such a manner that illumination of the cup holder is provided only under conditions where visibility is reduced to the point that it becomes difficult to locate the cup holder. The light-sensitive element is mounted on a master lighted cup holder and controls illumination of the master lighted cup holder and one or more slave lighted cup holders operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder.