Patent · US Expired

Drink container holder usable especially in automotive vehicles

US5704579A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
4References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 1996
Grant dateJan 6, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 26, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S224/926
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A holder for a beverage container including a container support platform having a central axis, and a series of container contact elements disposed around the central axis for exerting positioning forces on side surfaces of the container. Each container contact element contains a liquid core material that transitions to a near-solid state when subjected to a magnetic field. Magnetic mechanisms are provided in the holder for generating one or more magnetic fields, that have the result of rigidifying the container contact elements to conform to a range of different container sizes and shapes. The magnetic mechanisms can be electro-magnets or permanent magnets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.