Lighted Cup Holder Assembly for Low-Visibility Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Seating arrangements in vehicles, aircraft, boats, and theaters often lack easily locatable cup holders in dark or low-visibility conditions, leading to spills and distractions, which can cause accidents, pollution, and increased cleaning costs.
Innovation Solution
A lighted cup holder is integrated into seating arrangements, featuring a light-producing source within the cup holder body that automatically illuminates during reduced visibility, using a light-sensitive element to control the lighting, and can be retrofitted into existing setups without additional effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cup holders are integrated into seating arrangements, then ease of operation is improved, but visibility in dark conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies illumination by incorporating a light source within the cup holder assembly to emit light, changing the visual appearance from dark/invisible to illuminated/visible. This directly addresses the visibility problem in dark conditions while maintaining the integrated cup holder design.
2Illumination intensity
If light sources are added to cup holders, then visibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light source with the cup holder assembly, integrating the illumination function into the existing cup holder structure. This combination approach improves visibility while minimizing the increase in device complexity by consolidating functions rather than adding separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source is configured to automatically illuminate the cup holder in dark conditions without requiring manual intervention. This self-activating feature simplifies operation and reduces the complexity of control mechanisms while ensuring visibility when needed.
3Ease of operation
If automatic lighting is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source operates periodically or conditionally based on ambient light levels rather than continuously. The illumination activates automatically in dark conditions and deactivates when sufficient light is present, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining ease of operation through automatic control.
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 solution enhances the visibility of cup holders in dark conditions, reducing spills and distractions, improving safety and cleanliness while maintaining a non-intrusive and unobtrusive design.
Implementation Method 1
using a light-sensitive element to control the lighting
Implementation Method 2
featuring a light-producing source within the cup holder body that automatically illuminates during reduced visibility
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.