Item holder having a self-adjusting air bladder system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315551-B2
Application number	US-201715428330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An item holder includes a receiving well with an upper opening. First and second air bladders are disposed in the receiving well. Upper portions of outer casings of the air bladders are substantially flush with the upper opening of the receiving well when the air bladders are in an inflated condition. Also, the abutment portions abut one another along an abutment seam when the air bladders are in an inflated condition. A sensor may be sued to detect the receiving of an item in the receiving well. Valves assemblies are opened as the sensors detect an item being received in the receiving well. The item compresses a filler material disposed within the air bladders as the item is received in the receiving well. When the item is removed from the receiving well, the filler material expands to inflate the air bladders to the at-rest position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An item holder, comprising:
a receiving well having an upper opening;
first and second air bladders disposed in the receiving well, each of the air bladders including an outer casing with an abutment portion and an upper portion, wherein the upper portions are substantially flush with the upper opening of the receiving well and the abutment portions abut one another along an abutment seam when the air bladders are in an inflated condition; and
filler material disposed within each of the air bladders, wherein the filler material is operable between expanded and compressed conditions and is biased to the expanded condition such that air bladders self-inflate due to an internal force of the filler material acting on the outer casing of each of the air bladders.

2. The item holder of claim 1 , wherein the first and second air bladders are disposed on opposite sides of the receiving well.

3. The item holder of claim 1 , wherein the air bladders partially deflate to a deflated condition from the inflated condition when pressure is applied to the air bladders as an item is received in the receiving well.

4. The item holder of claim 3 , wherein the air bladders inflate to the inflated condition from the deflated condition when the item is removed from the receiving well.

5. The item holder of claim 1 , wherein the item is retained in a retained position between the abutment portions of the first and second air bladders when received in the receiving well.

6. An item holder, comprising
a receiving well having opposed sidewalls interconnected by a bottom wall;
one or more air bladders disposed along the opposed sidewalls, wherein the air bladders conceal the bottom wall when inflated to an at-rest position; and
a sensor disposed along an upper opening of the receiving well, wherein the air bladders deflate to a retracted position when the sensor senses the item being received in the receiving well.

7. The item holder of claim 6 , wherein the air bladders inflate to the at-rest position from the retracted position when the item is removed from the receiving well.

8. The item holder of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more air bladders include an outer casing with an abutment portion and an upper portion.

9. The item holder of claim 8 , wherein the item is retained between the abutment portions of the one or more air bladders when the item is received in the receiving well.

10. The item holder of claim 9 , wherein the upper portions of the one or more air bladders are substantially flush with the upper opening of the receiving well when the air bladders are in the at-rest position.

11. The item holder of claim 10 , including:
one or more valve assemblies in communication with interior cavities of each of the air bladders.

12. The item holder of claim 11 , wherein the one or more valve assemblies are operable between open and closed positions.

13. The item holder of claim 12 , wherein the one or more valve assemblies move to the open position as the sensor detects an item being received in the receiving well or as the sensor detects an item being removed from in the receiving well.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Filipovich Michael M
• Kolich Michael
• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Medoro Michael

Classifications

• B60R2011/0007

  Mid-console · CPC title

• B60N3/106 Primary

  with adjustable clamping mechanisms · CPC title

• B60N3/108 Primary

  with resilient holding elements · CPC title

• B60R7/08

  Disposition of racks, clips {, holders, containers} or the like {for supporting specific articles (B60R7/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2011/008

  Adjustable or movable supports · CPC title