Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9867471-B2
Application number	US-201715421115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2006
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

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 cup holder apparatus for a seating arrangement, the apparatus comprising:
a) a cup holder body having a cup receptacle therein wherein the cup holder body includes a substantially tubular sidewall, closed or substantially closed at a lower end thereof by a bottom wall, and open at a top end thereof, such that the tubular sidewall and bottom wall define the cup receptacle; and
b) a flange, wherein the flange extends substantially radially outward from the tubular side wall when connected to the cup holder body, and wherein the flange comprises one or more control switches that is/are operatively linked to and control one or more components of the seating arrangement other than the cup holder apparatus.

2. The cup holder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flange is adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement.

3. The cup holder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a control switch is an on-off switch.

4. The cup holder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a control switch is operatively connected to and controls a light producing light source.

5. The cup holder apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the light producing light source illuminates the cup receptacle.

6. The cup holder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a control switch is operatively connected to and controls a message mechanism.

7. The cup holder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a control switch is operatively connected to and controls a powered reclining mechanism.

8. A seating arrangement comprising a cup holder apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a) a cup holder body having a cup receptacle therein wherein the cup holder body includes a substantially tubular sidewall, closed or substantially closed at a lower end thereof by a bottom wall, and open at a top end thereof, such that the tubular sidewall and bottom wall define the cup receptacle; and
b) a flange, wherein the flange extends substantially radially outward from the tubular side wall when connected to the cup holder body, and wherein the flange comprises one or more control switches that is/are operatively linked to and control one or more components of the seating arrangement other than the cup holder apparatus.

Assignees

• Raffel Systems Llc

Inventors

• Seidl Ken

Classifications

• F21W2131/301

  for furniture · CPC title

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N3/101

  fixed · CPC title

• F21V23/0464

  the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors · CPC title

• F21V33/0012

  Furniture (hospital beds F21V33/0072) · CPC title