Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11089701-B1
Application number	US-202017074235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Apr 25, 2006
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A method and apparatus include attaching a lighted cup holder to a seating arrangement. The lighted cup holder includes a cup holder body and a light-producing light source, with the cup holder body being attached to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, the light-producing source being disposed within the cup receptacle for illuminating the receptacle. A light-sensitive element operatively connected to the light source selectively controls production of light by the light source in such a manner that illumination of the cup holder is provided only under conditions where visibility is reduced to the point that it becomes difficult to locate the cup holder. The light-sensitive element is mounted on a master lighted cup holder and controls illumination of the master lighted cup holder and one or more slave lighted cup holders operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chair comprising a cup holder apparatus, the cup holder apparatus comprising at least one cup holder having a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the chair, wherein the cup holder body has a lower end, a top end, and a cup holding receptacle therebetween, and a flange extending from the top end of the cup holder body, wherein the flange comprises two or more control switches, wherein one of the two or more control switches is operatively connected to a light source for control thereof and one of the two or more control switches is operatively connected to a component of the chair for control thereof.

2. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the component of the chair is a powered reclining mechanism.

3. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The chair of claim 3 , wherein the light emitting diode (LED) illuminates the cup holder apparatus.

5. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the flange further comprises a USB port.

6. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the top end of the cup holder body.

7. The chair of claim 1 , wherein one of the two or more switches is operatively connected to a light source for control thereof and one of the two or more switches is operatively connected to a power recline mechanism for control thereof.

8. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the two or more control switches are mounted on or attached to the flange.

9. A sofa comprising a cup holder apparatus, the cup holder apparatus comprising at least one cup holder having a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the sofa, wherein the cup holder body has a lower end, a top end, and a cup holding receptacle therebetween, and a flange extending from the top end of the cup holder body, wherein the flange comprises two or more control switches, wherein one of the two or more control switches is operatively connected to a light source for control thereof and one of the two or more control switches is operatively connected to a component of the sofa for control thereof.

10. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the component of the sofa is a powered reclining mechanism.

11. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

12. The sofa of claim 11 , wherein the light emitting diode (LED) illuminates the cup holder apparatus.

13. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the flange further comprises a USB port.

14. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the top end of the cup holder body.

15. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein one of the two or more switches is operatively connected to a light source for control thereof and one of the two or more switches is operatively connected to a power recline mechanism for control thereof.

16. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the sofa comprises two reclining chair portions.

17. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the sofa comprises a fold-down backrest section.

18. The sofa of claim 9 , wherein the two or more control switches are mounted on or attached to the flange.

Assignees

• Raffel Systems Llc

Inventors

• Seidl Ken

Classifications

• B60Q3/229

  Cup holders · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• A47C7/72

  Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like · CPC title

• B60N2/976

  massaging systems · CPC title

• B60N3/101

  fixed · CPC title