DE9308232U1 - Device for holding beverage cans or the like. Containers in the interior of motor vehicles - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS Reference number:

DiPL-iNG. CONRAD KÖCHLING - - - - - -

DlPL-ING. CONRAD-JOACHIM KÖCHLING Anra. : Paulmann & Crone

FleyerStreet 135, D-5800 Hagen 1 ^ J ^

Call(02331) 811 64 + 85033 We 1IJ &thgr;&Pgr; DU &Ggr; g &THgr;&Ggr; btr. J

Fax(02331) 84840

Telegrams: Patent Cook Hagen

Accounts: Commerzbank AG. Hagen 3515095 (bank code 45040042) W-5880 LÜdenSCneid

Sparkasse Hagen 100012043 (bank code 45050001)

Postgiro: Dortmund 5989-460 (bank code 44010046) „ .. _r ,

Bavarian Motor Works

"L 53 52 Public limited company

VNR: Petuelring

LW. No. ¹ I ⁰¹ .. ⁴ / ⁹³ W-8000 Munich

_from 1 ...June... 199 3

CJK/Hi.

Device for holding beverage cans or similar containers in the interior of motor vehicles

The invention relates to a device for holding beverage cans or similar containers in the interior of motor vehicles.

In the prior art, devices for holding beverage cans are known, for example in the form of open pockets in the door compartments of a motor vehicle or in the area of the center console of a motor vehicle.

There is a need for such devices for holding beverage cans or the like in the immediate area of the handle, for example in the area of the glove compartment or the dashboard of a

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This arrangement should allow the device to be stored in a space-saving manner when not in use and should be easily accessible when in use.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes that the device consists of an approximately cuboid-shaped housing with a front insertion opening and a drawer-like insert that can be inserted into the insertion opening and has a substantially U-shaped cross section, the base of the U-shaped insert forming the front surface that covers the front insertion opening of the housing when the insert is fully inserted, the lower leg of the U-shaped insert in the installed position forming the support surface for beverage cans or similar containers and the upper leg in the installed position having at least one hole for a beverage can or similar container to pass through, the upper leg being held pivotably about a pivot axis on the edge of the base of the insert and means being provided by means of which the

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When the insert is moved into the extended position of use, the upper leg can be forcibly swung open from a rest position in which the free edge of the upper leg is close to or against the lower leg into a position of use in which the upper leg is aligned approximately parallel to the lower leg and can be forcibly swung in the opposite direction when the insert is returned to the rest position.

This design makes it possible to arrange such a device in a space-saving manner in the glove compartment or instrument panel of a motor vehicle, whereby the required installation space can be very small because in the rest position of the device the device parts are folded together into a small space. When the device is transferred into the position of use, easy access to the drinks cans or the like placed in the device is possible, whereby a high level of positional security is also ensured.

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the beverage cans or the like is achieved because in the position of use the legs of the insert are pivoted apart so that a secure enclosure of the beverage can or the like is ensured.

A preferred further development is seen in that the means consists of an angle lever which is pivotally mounted in a bearing fixed to the insert, which is arranged at the free end or near the free end of the lower leg of the insert, that the pivot axis of the angle lever is directed parallel to the pivot axis of the upper leg, that the free end of the upper leg engages with a pin in an elongated hole guide of one end of the angle lever and that the other end of the angle lever engages with a pin in a control curve of a cam disk which is rotatably mounted on the lower leg of the insert about an axis running parallel to the pivot axis of the angle lever and which is forced to rotate via gear means during the sliding movement of the insert, so that

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The upper leg of the insert is pivoted by means of the angle lever.

In this way, the forced control of the movement sequence is achieved using extremely simple means, namely an angle lever and a cam disk.

For the desired movement sequence, it is beneficial that the control curve of the cam consists of a circular area that extends concentrically to the cam, which runs over approximately 120° and merges into an oppositely curved area that runs over approximately 45°.

In order to ensure a high level of operational reliability with simple components, it is also provided that the cam disk is engaged by means of gear wheels with a shaft mounted on the lower leg of the insert near its free end, which has a rotationally fixed

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pinion which engages with a rack fixed to the housing side, which is aligned parallel to the direction of displacement of the insert.

In order to ensure that the insert can be moved independently from the rest position to the use position, it is also provided that the insert can be moved from the rest position to the use position by pre-tensioned spring means, whereby the spring means are at least partially relaxed, and that the spring means can be pre-tensioned by moving the insert from the use position to the rest position.

In order to secure the position of the device in the rest position, it is proposed that the insert can be locked in the rest position by means of locking means which can be unlocked by slightly moving the insert in the direction of insertion.

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In order to allow the extension movement to take place relatively slowly, regardless of the force of the pre-tensioning spring, braking means are provided by means of which the extension movement of the insert caused by the spring means can be braked or slowed down.

For this purpose, it is preferably provided that the pinion engaging with the rack is coupled to a viscous brake.

A preferred detail is that the legs of the angle lever enclose an angle of approximately 135° with one another, whereby in the position of use the leg engaging with the cam disk is directed parallel to the direction of movement of the insert and in the rest position the leg engaging with the pivoting, upper leg of the insert runs parallel to the direction of insertion.

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This design promotes a compact and flat construction.

In order to ensure that when the device is in the position of use, the pivoting leg is not accidentally pivoted down, for example when inserting a beverage can, it is provided that the elongated hole guide of the end of the angle lever coupled to the pivoting leg of the insert runs at an angle at its end transversely to the longitudinal extension of the elongated hole, namely towards the side directed away from the angle enclosed between the ends of the lever.

This ensures that in the position of use the pivoting leg of the insert cannot be pivoted by force from above, but the leg can only be pivoted by moving the device in the insertion direction (i.e. transversely to the adjustment direction of a beverage can), whereby the coupling pin of the pivoting leg, which is located in the angle of the elongated hole, can be moved out of this

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The bend is pushed and transferred into the slot area of the lever end, whereby the desired pivoting movement of the pivoting leg of the insert can then take place. The slot formation is necessary to enable the pivoting of the pivoting leg of the insert and the lever end.

A particularly preferred development, which is also considered to be independently inventive, is seen in the fact that an installation opening, in particular on the dashboard of the motor vehicle, is formed in the interior of the motor vehicle, into which the device can be installed and that an outlet slot for cooling air is formed adjacent to the installation opening, which is connected to an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle, wherein the outlet slot is directed in such a way that the cooling air jets emerging from it can flush the beverage cans or similar containers that are inserted into the insert in the position of use with cooling air.

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It is preferably provided that the insert is coupled to a closure means for the outlet slot, such that when the insert is in the position of use, the outlet slot is open and when the insert is in the rest position, the outlet slot is closed.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. It shows:

Fig. 1 Essential parts of the device according to the invention in the position of use;

Fig. 2 the device in the position according to Figure 1 with further structural components of the forced control mechanism;

Fig. 3 the completed device in plan view;

Fig. 4 and 5 the device according to Figure 3 in section

I-I or II-II of Figure 3;

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Fig. 6 the device in the rest position with the gear members according to Figure 1;

Fig. 7 shows the rest position according to embodiment Figure 2;

Fig. 8 a detail in enlarged view

The drawings show a device for holding beverage cans or similar containers, which is to be arranged and installed in the interior of motor vehicles. In the exemplary embodiment, the device is integrated into the housing of a glove box 20 with a cover flap 21, with this entire unit being installed in a corresponding installation opening in the dashboard 22 of a motor vehicle.

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The device consists of an approximately cuboid-shaped housing 1 with a front insertion opening 23 and a drawer-like insert 2 that can be inserted into the insertion opening 23 and has a substantially U-shaped cross section. The base 24 of the U-shaped insert 2 forms the front surface that covers the front insertion opening of the housing 1 when the insert 2 is fully inserted. The lower, considerably longer leg 25 of the U-shaped insert 2 in the installed position forms the support surface in the area 26 for a beverage can 27 or similar containers. In the exemplary embodiment, the upper leg 3 in the installed position has 2 holes 28 for the beverage can 27 to pass through. The upper leg 3 is pivotably mounted on the edge of the base 24 of the insert 2 about a pivot axis 29. Furthermore, means are provided (and will be described in more detail later) by means of which the upper leg 3 can be moved from a position (see

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Figures 6 and 7) in which the free edge of the upper leg 3 is brought closer to the lower leg 25 in a position of use (see Figure 1) in which the upper leg 3 is directed approximately parallel to the lower leg 25, can be pivoted out and when the insert 2 is returned to the rest position, can be pivoted in the opposite direction.

In the exemplary embodiment, the means consists of an angle lever 4, which is pivotally mounted in a bearing 30, which is arranged near the free end of the lower pivot 25 of the insert 2, the pivot axis of the angle lever 4 (at 30) being directed parallel to the pivot axis 29 of the upper leg 3. The free end of the upper leg 3 engages with a pin 31 in a slotted guide 32 of one end of the angle lever 4, while the other end of the angle lever (4) engages with a pin 33 in a control cam 34 of a cam disk 5. This cam disk 5 is pivotable on the lower pivot 25 of the insert 2 by a pivot parallel to the

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The cam 5 is rotatably supported by an axis 35 running along the pivot axis (at 30) of the angle lever 4. The cam disk 5 is forced to rotate via gear means during the sliding movement of the insert 2, so that the upper leg 3 of the insert 2 is pivoted by means of the angle lever 4. The control curve 34 of the cam disk 5 consists of a circular area extending concentrically to the cam disk 5, which runs over approximately 120° and merges into an oppositely curved area that runs over approximately 45°. The cam disk 5 is connected to a coaxially arranged gear 40 or is formed in one piece, which is in engagement with a pinion 6. The pinion 6 is fastened to a polygonal shaft 10, which has further pinions 7 at its ends. The pinion 7 is in engagement with racks 41 fastened to the housing side.

The insert 2 can be moved by pre-tensioned spring means from the rest position according to Figure 6 into the operating position according to Figure 1, whereby the spring means partially relax. The spring means are moved

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of the insert 2 from the position of use according to Figure 1 into the rest position according to Figure 6. The spring means can consist, for example, of a spiral spring supported between the leg 25 and the gear 40. In addition, locking means (not shown in the drawing) are provided, by means of which the insert 2 can be locked in the rest position. These are standard locking means, such as those used, for example, to operate ashtrays or the like in motor vehicles. Such locking means lock into place when the insert 2 is moved into the rest position. They can be unlocked by moving the insert 2 slightly again in the direction of the insertion movement. This movement is applied by pressure on the front face 24. As soon as this front face 24 is then released manually, the insert 2 moves from the rest position into the position of use

In addition, braking means are provided by which the extension movement of the

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Insert 2 can be braked or slowed down. In the embodiment, the braking means are formed by viscous brakes 42, which are coupled to the pinions 7.

As can be seen in particular from Figures 1 and 6, the legs of the angle lever 4 form an angle of approximately 135° with one another. In the position of use according to Figure 1, the leg of the angle lever 4 engaging with the cam disk 5 is directed parallel to the direction of movement of the insert 2, while in the rest position according to Figure 6, the leg of the angle lever engaging with the pivotable upper leg 3 of the insert 2 runs parallel to the direction of insertion.

The slot guide 32 of the pivoting leg

3 of the insert 2 coupled end of the angle lever

4 runs at its end at an angle transverse to the longitudinal extension of the long hole 32. The angle is designated 43 in Figure 6. It runs to the

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the side facing away from the angle enclosed by the lever ends. This design ensures that when the insert 2 is in the position of use (see Figure 1), the pin 31 of the pivoting leg 3 is held in such a position that it cannot be pivoted in by exerting pressure on the pivoting leg 3 from above, but is locked in place by the bend 43. Only when horizontal pressure is exerted on the front surface 24 can the pin 31 slide out of the bend 43 and be transferred into the elongated hole 32.

As already stated at the beginning, the device is installed in an installation opening on the dashboard 22 of the motor vehicle. This installation opening can preferably be adjacent to an outlet slot for cooling air (indicated at 44) which is connected to an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle. The outlet slot is directed in such a way that the cooling air jets 44 emerging from it wash around the beverage cans 27 or the like when the beverage cans 27 are in the position according to

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Figure 1 are inserted into the device.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment, but is variable in many ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new individual and combination features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are considered essential to the invention.

Claims (12)

Paulmann / BMW 11014/93 Protection claims: 1. Device for holding beverage cans or similar containers in the interior of motor vehicles, characterized in that the device consists of an approximately cuboid-shaped housing (1) with a front insertion opening (23) and a drawer-like insert (2) which can be inserted into the insertion opening (23) and which has a substantially U-shaped cross section, the base (24) of the U-shaped insert (2) forming the front surface which, when the insert (2) is completely inserted, covers the front insertion opening (23) of the housing (1), the lower leg (25) of the U-shaped insert (2) in the installed position forms the support surface for beverage cans (27) or similar containers and the upper leg (3) in the installed position has at least one hole (28) for a beverage can (27) or similar container to pass through, that the BMW 11014/93 upper leg (3) is pivotably mounted on the edge of the base (24) of the insert (2) about a pivot axis (29) and that means are provided by means of which the upper leg (3) can be forcibly pivoted open when the insert (2) is moved into the extended position of use from a rest position in which the free edge of the upper leg (3) is approached or rests against the lower leg (25) into a position of use in which the upper leg (3) is directed approximately parallel to the lower leg (25) and can be forcibly pivoted in the opposite direction when the insert (2) is returned to the rest position. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means consists of an angle lever (4) which is pivotally mounted in a slide-in bearing (30) which is arranged at the free end or near the free end of the lower leg (25) of the slide-in (2), that the pivot axis (30) of the angle lever (4) is parallel to the pivot axis (29) of the upper BMW 11014/93 leg (3), that the free end of the upper leg (3) engages with a pin (31) in a slotted hole guide (32) of one end of the angle lever (4) and that the other end of the angle lever (4) engages with a pin (33) in a control cam (34) of a cam disk (5) which is mounted on the lower leg (25) of the insert (2) so as to be rotatable about an axis (35) running parallel to the pivot axis of the angle lever (4) and which is forced to rotate via gear means during the sliding movement of the insert (2), so that the pivoting of the upper leg (3) of the insert (2) takes place by means of the angle lever (4). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control cam (34) of the cam disc (5) consists of a circular area extending concentrically to the cam disc (5), which runs over approximately 120° and merges into an oppositely curved area which runs over approximately 45° BMW 11014/93 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cam disc (5) is in engagement by means of gear wheels with a shaft (10) mounted on the lower leg (25) of the insert (2) near its free end, which has at least one end, preferably at both ends, a rotationally fixed pinion (7) which is in engagement with a rack (41) fastened to the housing side and which is directed parallel to the direction of displacement of the insert (2). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the insert (2) can be moved from the rest position into the use position by prestressed spring means, the spring means relaxing at least partially, and that the spring means can be prestressed by transferring the insert (2) from the use position into the rest position. BMW 11014/93 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the insert (2) can be locked in the rest position by locking means which can be unlocked by slightly displacing the insert (2) in the insertion direction. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that braking means are provided by means of which the extension movement of the insert (2) caused by the spring means can be braked or slowed down. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the pinion (7) engaging with the rack (41) is coupled to a viscous brake (42). 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the legs of the angle lever (4) form an angle of approximately 135° with each other, whereby in the position of use the BMW 11014/93 The leg engaging with the cam disc (5) is directed parallel to the direction of movement of the insert (2) and in the rest position the leg engaging with the pivoting upper leg (3) of the insert (2) runs parallel to the insertion direction. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the elongated hole guide (32) of the end of the angle lever (4) coupled to the pivotable leg (3) of the insert (2) extends at its end at an angle (at 43) transversely to the longitudinal extension of the elongated hole, namely to the side directed away from the angle enclosed between the lever ends. 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an installation opening, in particular on the dashboard (22) of the motor vehicle, is formed in the interior of the motor vehicle, into which BMW 11014/93 the device can be installed and that an outlet slot for cooling air (44) is formed adjacent to the installation opening, which is connected to an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle, whereby the outlet slot is directed in such a way that the cooling air jets (44) emerging from it can flush the drinks cans (27) or similar containers that are placed in the insert (2) in the position of use. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the insert (2) is coupled to a closure means for the outlet slot, such that when the insert (2) is in the position of use, the outlet slot is opened and when the insert (2) is in the rest position, the outlet slot is closed.