US 12,030,417 B2
Cup holder assembly
Diego F. Villacres Mesias, Mexico City (MX); Gustavo Llamas Maldonado, Mexico City (MX); Jose Carlos Hernandez, Mexico City (MX); Matthew J. Hickey, Canton, MI (US); and Michele M. Mathews, Macomb, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/931,950.
Prior Publication US 2024/0083327 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
Int. Cl. B60N 3/10 (2006.01); A47G 23/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60N 3/108 (2013.01) [A47G 23/0208 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cup holder assembly, comprising:
a body that defines a cup-receiving cavity and an aperture that extends through a side wall of the body;
a first bracing feature coupled to the body and positioned outside of the cup-receiving cavity;
a second bracing feature coupled to the body and positioned outside of the cup-receiving cavity; and
a retention finger, comprising:
a first portion that extends into the cup-receiving cavity through the aperture;
a first engagement feature coupled to the first portion and pivotably engaged with the first bracing feature; and
a second engagement feature coupled to the first portion and engaged with the second bracing feature;
wherein the first portion, the first engagement feature, and the second engagement feature are integrally formed as a single unitary body, and wherein the retention finger is operable to move via pivotal movement of the first engagement feature relative to the first bracing feature between a first position, wherein the first portion extends into the cup-receiving cavity a first distance and the second engagement feature is elastically deformed a first amount due to contact with the second bracing feature, and a second position, wherein the first portion extends into the cup-receiving cavity a second distance that is less than the first distance and the second engagement feature is elastically deformed a second amount that is greater than the first amount due to contact with the second bracing feature.