Rotating Child Seat Cup Holder for Narrow Width Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cup holders in children's seating systems occupy excessive space, making it difficult to maintain a narrow footprint, which is essential for vehicle seating capacity and stroller usage, especially in narrow spaces, and existing solutions have drawbacks such as using non-deformable or deformable materials that are not practical.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable cup holder design featuring a static and rotating section that can be adjusted from a stored to a use configuration, utilizing a combination of static and rotating components with alignment tabs and slots, and a biasing mechanism to minimize space usage while ensuring the cup holder remains integrated and functional.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cup holder is placed along one side of the child seat and extends horizontally out from the side frame, then the cup holder is functional and accessible, but the width footprint of the child seat increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder is designed with a movable outer portion that can rotate between a first position (extending outward for accessibility) and a second position (retracted toward the side frame for compact storage). This dynamic configuration allows the cup holder to adapt between functional use and space-saving modes, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and width footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If the outer portion of the cup holder is made from deformable material to reduce space when not in use, then the width footprint is reduced, but the structural integrity and stability of the cup holder deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder is divided into two distinct portions: an inner portion made from rigid material providing structural integrity, and an outer portion made from deformable material that can be rotated and stored. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function - the rigid inner portion maintains stability while the deformable outer portion enables compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup holder combines two different materials with complementary properties: a rigid material for the inner portion that provides structural support, and a deformable material for the outer portion that enables rotation and compact storage. This composite construction resolves the contradiction between structural integrity and space reduction.
3Area of stationary object
If the outer portion of the cup holder is removed and replaced with an elastic band, then the width footprint is reduced, but the cup holder becomes less reliable and practical for holding cups
Solution Approach 1:
The cup holder is segmented into an inner portion that remains permanently attached to the side frame for reliability, and an outer portion that can be rotated and stored. This segmentation ensures that the critical load-bearing function is always supported by the rigid inner portion, while the outer portion provides optional accessibility without compromising overall reliability.
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 adjustable design allows for compact storage and easy deployment, maintaining the necessary space efficiency while ensuring the cup holder remains functional and securely attached to the child seat, accommodating various child seating products.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing mechanism to bias the rotating cup holder section
Data Source
AI summary
A child seat can include a seat bottom and seat back. The seat back can be fixedly, rotatably, and/or removably coupled to the seat bottom. The child seat can further include an adjustable cup holder that can be integrally formed with the seat bottom or positioned adjacent to the seat bottom. For example, the child seat can include one or more arm rests positioned adjacent the seat bottom and the adjustable cup holder can be provided in at least one of the arm rests. The adjustable cup holder can include a static cup holder section and a rotatable cup holder section. The rotatable cup holder section can rotate with respect to the static cup holder section from a stored configuration to a use configuration. The adjustable cup holder can include alignment tabs and corresponding recessed slots and/or bosses and corresponding boss receivers to assist in positioning the adjustable cup holder.