Cup holder for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919632-B2
Application number	US-201414299439-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A cup holder for a vehicle includes a holder body, a support unit, a temperature sensor, and a control unit. The holder body is configured to accommodate a cup, is provided with a thermoelectric element, is formed in a double sidewall structure, and is provided with an internal blower that is disposed in the inner space of the double sidewall structure. The support unit is configured such that the front portion thereof protrudes from the inner side of the holder body and supports a side of the cup, and is provided with an illuminant that is capable of expressing a plurality of colors and radiates light onto the cup. The temperature sensor is provided on the holder body, and measures temperature. The control unit changes the color of the illuminant of the support unit based on the measured temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cup holder for a vehicle, comprising:
a holder body configured to accommodate a cup, provided with a thermoelectric element that cools or heats the cup, formed in a double sidewall structure, and provided with an internal blower that is disposed in an inner space of the double sidewall structure and circulates air around the cup;
a support unit wherein a front portion of the support unit protrudes from an inner side of the holder body and supports a side of the cup accommodated in the holder body and is provided with an illuminant that is configured for expressing a plurality of colors and radiates light onto the cup;
a temperature sensor provided on the holder body, and configured to measure temperature; and
a control unit configured to change a color of the illuminant of the support unit based on the measured temperature,
wherein the control unit selectively operates the internal blower or an external blower according to a cooling operation or a heating operation, the internal blower being installed separately from the external blower,
wherein the control unit, when the cooling operation is performed, operates the internal blower and the external blower, and changes a color of the illuminant of the support unit based on the measured temperature,
wherein the control unit, when the cooling operation is terminated, stops the internal blower and keeps the external blower operated for a predetermined time, and
wherein the control unit, when the heating operations is performed, does not operate the internal blower or the external blower, and changes a color of the illuminant of the support unit based on the measured temperature.

2. The cup holder of claim 1 , wherein the holder body comprises an inside holder body configured to accommodate the cup and to come into contact with the thermoelectric element, and an outside holder body configured to surround the inside holder body, wherein the internal blower is disposed in between the inside holder body and the outside holder body.

3. The cup holder of claim 2 , wherein the internal blower draws air between the inside holder body and the outside holder body, and discharges the air toward the accommodated cup via a vent hole formed through the inside holder body.

4. The cup holder of claim 1 , wherein the support unit is made of transparent material and provided with the illuminant including blue and red illuminants, and the control unit separately controls light intensity of each of the blue and red illuminants.

5. The cup holder of claim 1 , wherein the control unit, when a cooling or heating operation is performed, maximizes a control duty of the thermoelectric element if the measured temperature has not reached a target temperature, and reduces the control duty of the thermoelectric element if the measured temperature has reached the target temperature.

6. The cup holder of claim 1 , wherein an opening is formed through a side of an inside holder body, and a front portion of the support unit protrudes from an inner side of the inside holder body through the opening.

7. The cup holder of claim 1 , wherein the support unit is provided with the illuminant including blue and red illuminants, and the control unit separately controls light intensity of each of the illuminants.

8. The cup holder of claim 7 , wherein the control unit controls the support unit so that the support unit radiates darker red light in proportion to hotness of an inside holder body and radiates darker blue light in proportion to coldness of an inside holder body.

9. The cup holder of claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to receive a request to cool or heat the accommodated cup.

10. The cup holder of claim 9 , wherein the control unit operates the thermoelectric element and the illuminant of the support unit only when receiving the request through the switch.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kbautotech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oh Man Ju
• Kim Jae Woong
• Park Jae Woo
• Kim Jae Hoon

Classifications

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• B60N3/104 Primary

  with refrigerating or warming systems · CPC title

• B60Q3/20

  for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments (lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60N3/106

  with adjustable clamping mechanisms · CPC title

• B60Q3/229

  Cup holders · CPC title