Lighted Cup Holder with Automatic Low-Light Detection for Seating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Seating arrangements in vehicles, aircraft, boats, and theaters often lack easily locatable cup holders in low-light conditions, leading to spills and distractions, and existing solutions are not easily integratable into existing seating designs without additional effort or obtrusiveness.

Innovation Solution

A lighted cup holder is integrated into seating arrangements, featuring a light-producing source within the cup holder body that automatically illuminates under reduced visibility conditions, using a light-sensitive element to control the lighting and maintaining a non-distracting, inconspicuous design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a cup holder is integrated into seating arrangements, then it provides convenient beverage support within easy reach, but it becomes difficult to locate in low-light conditions leading to spills and distractions

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveConvenience of cup holder accessibilityVSAvoidDifficulty of locating cup holder in darkness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies illumination to the cup holder in low-light conditions, effectively changing its visual properties from invisible to visible. The light source illuminates the cup holder, making it detectable without altering its physical structure, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining convenience and improving detectability in darkness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If a light source is added to illuminate the cup holder, then it becomes easily locatable in darkness, but it may create distracting or obtrusive lighting effects

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDetectability of cup holder in darknessVSAvoidDistracting or obtrusive lighting effects

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies illumination locally to the cup holder area rather than providing general ambient lighting. The light source is positioned to illuminate only the cup holder and its immediate vicinity, creating localized visibility without producing distracting effects in the broader environment. This localized approach allows the cup holder to be detectable while minimizing harmful lighting effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a light source that replicates or complements existing ambient lighting conditions rather than creating a fundamentally different lighting scenario. The illumination is designed to match the intensity and character of surrounding light sources, making the cup holder visible without creating obtrusive or distracting effects that would stand out from the overall lighting environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If existing seating designs are modified to include illuminated cup holders, then visibility is improved, but additional effort and complexity are required in the design process

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVisibility of cup holderVSAvoidComplexity of integrating lighting into existing designs

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the lighting function with the cup holder structure itself, integrating the light source into the existing cup holder design rather than adding a separate, complex lighting system. This merging of functions allows the cup holder to be illuminated while maintaining simplicity in the overall design and minimizing the additional complexity required for integration into existing seating arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 darkness, reducing spills and distractions, while being easily adaptable to existing seating designs without additional effort or obtrusiveness, enhancing safety and cleanliness.

Implementation Method 1

using a light-sensitive element to control the lighting

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight-sensitive element detection: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

featuring a light-producing source within the cup holder body that automatically illuminates under reduced visibility conditions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight production: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS10537182B2Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements

Publication Date: 2020.01.21 RAFFEL SYSTEMS LLC

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.