Marine Cup Holder Mounting Ring with Flexible Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cup holders in marine vessels tend to loosen over time due to vessel motion when installed with a press fit, and those secured with adhesives are difficult to remove without damaging the deck or the holder.
Innovation Solution
A mounting ring with a cylindrical wall and flange, featuring braces with legs and feet that extend at acute angles, secures the cup holder in place without mechanical fasteners, allowing for easy installation and removal without damaging the vessel or holder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a press fit installation method is used, then the cup holder can be easily installed, but the cup holder loosens over time due to vessel motion
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting ring incorporates flexible legs that can dynamically adjust and flex during installation and operation. The legs bend outward during installation to allow the cup holder to be pushed in, then spring back to lock the cup holder in place, providing adaptive securing that maintains reliability under vessel motion
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting ring is divided into multiple functional segments: a rigid body portion for structural support, flexible legs for mounting engagement, and a flange for positioning. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally while working together as a unified mounting system
2Reliability
If adhesive fastening is used, then the cup holder remains securely mounted, but removal damages the vessel deck or cup holder
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting ring's flexible legs automatically engage and disengage without requiring additional tools or damaging forces. During installation, the legs flex outward and spring back to lock the cup holder; during removal, the same elastic mechanism allows the cup holder to be pulled out cleanly, with the legs returning to their original position without damage to the deck or holder
3Reliability
If the cup holder is securely fastened to withstand vessel motion, then mounting stability is improved, but installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting ring is pre-configured with flexible legs in a ready state that automatically engage during installation. The legs are designed to flex outward and lock into place as the cup holder is pushed in, eliminating the need for separate fastening steps or complex assembly procedures, thus reducing installation time while ensuring secure mounting
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 provides a secure and removable cup holder installation that withstands vessel motion without loosening, enabling quick and damage-free installation and removal, using a mounting ring that fits within the vessel deck opening.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of braces may be of various lengths. The mounting ring is placed in the opening and a cup holder is urged into the cup holder ring, the sides of the cup holder wall forcing the legs in a radially outwardly direction, securing the feet against an edge of the surface adjacent the boat opening.
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting ring for securing a cup holder in an opening in a surface of a marine vessel. The mounting ring has a cylindrical wall and a flange extending from the ring for positioning about the surface around the opening. The mounting ring includes a plurality of braces extending downwardly from the flange, the braces comprising a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the cylindrical wall and a foot extending outwardly from the distal end of each leg at an acute angle to the leg. The mounting ring is placed in the opening and a cup holder is urged into the cup holder ring, the sides of the cup holder wall forcing the legs in a radially outwardly direction, securing the feet against an edge of the surface adjacent the boat opening. The mounting ring may include a protrusion disposed on an upper portion of each foot extending radially inwardly, the protrusion adapted to secure the outer surface of the cup holder wall in the mounting ring.