Sliding-Floor Container Holder for Variable Cup Height

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container holders are complex, expensive, and prone to failure due to spillage issues when trying to accommodate containers of varying heights, as they often rely on complicated spring-loaded mechanisms that are not reliable or easy to operate.

Innovation Solution

A container holder design featuring a base with a sliding floor that can move horizontally between two positions, allowing for adjustable depth, made from polymeric materials like polypropylene and ABS, which is easy to manufacture, reliable, and resistant to spillage with a drainage feature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If spring-loaded and latched floors are used to accommodate different container heights, then container height adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer height adaptabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamically adjustable floor system where the floor can be positioned at multiple heights to accommodate different container sizes. The floor includes notches that engage with posts at varying elevations, allowing the container holder to adapt to different container heights while maintaining a simple structural design without complex springs or latches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The container holder is divided into segmented components including a floor with multiple notches, vertical posts with spacing, and a container-receiving wall. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the floor position to match different container heights, providing adaptability through modular positioning rather than complex mechanical systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If spring-loaded and latched floors are used to accommodate different container heights, then container height adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer height adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamically adjustable floor system where the floor can be positioned at multiple heights to accommodate different container sizes. The floor includes notches that engage with posts at varying elevations, allowing the container holder to adapt to different container heights while maintaining a simple structural design without complex springs or latches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive spring-loaded and latched mechanisms with simple geometric features (notches and posts) that can be easily molded into the container holder structure. This approach significantly reduces manufacturing costs while achieving the same adaptability function, making the solution economically viable for mass production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If spring-loaded and latched floors are used to accommodate different container heights, then container height adaptability is improved, but reliability decreases due to spillage susceptibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer height adaptabilityVSAvoidspillage resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamically adjustable floor system where the floor can be positioned at multiple heights to accommodate different container sizes. The floor includes notches that engage with posts at varying elevations, allowing the container holder to adapt to different container heights while maintaining a simple structural design without complex springs or latches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The container holder design allows the user to easily adjust the floor position by manually selecting different notch positions on the posts. This self-service adjustment mechanism eliminates the need for complex spring-loaded or latched systems that are prone to failure from spillage, while maintaining reliable adaptability to different container heights.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9016650B2Container holder with adjustable depth

Publication Date: 2015.04.28 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A container holder has a base, a container holding top positioned above the base, and a floor which is horizontally slideably mounted between the base and top at an intermediate position above the floor of the base and movable between a first position in which the sliding floor forms an upper floor support and a second position in which the floor of the base supports a container to increase the depth of the container holder.