any interest in a cupholder that replaces the ashtray?
 

I'd designing it for my own personal use, but I wonder if anyone else would be interested. I designed it in Autodesk Inventor, and I have been 3d printing my prototypes on an extrusion printer.

Fits a small coffee cup(some companies' extra small).

Still to do:
-3d print 3rd prototype in hi-res SLA or SLS to check fit and finish
-needs orange light hole from ashtray and illuminated ring inside holder
-needs some kind of spring detent to hold smaller cans(like redbull)

Unknowns are:
-maybe cutting the centre console under the ashtray will give more room
-maybe I can fit a can of pop in there? they are fatter at the bottom than a coffee cup.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...25.47%20PM.png
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0348.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0347.jpg

as for price, it would likely cost around 100-200$ in order for it to be worth my while. I'm assuming the RHD version would be a simple matter of mirroring the file, but it might require additional dimensional changes.

It is also possible that the file could be changed to create blanking plates for switch panels or a large storage tray for cellphones.

I would be interested!

Congrats on bringing new idea/part , we will never have enough inventors

Price wise...The JDM armrest is close to 100$
So I think it has to be less or in the same price range to be a competitive product

It is super cool tho that there is other option than the armrest or ashtray , keep the good work :)

im definitely interested

Yes.

Is this your own 3D printer or do you have access to one from work or something?

My dad has a low-res (.3mm resolution) 'PRINTRBOT' 3d printer suitable for prototypes, but not for production. The plastic it uses (PLA) is not durable enough for automotive environments. I'll be sending out to shapeways.com for the final versions. and even those will have to be hand sanded and painted.

here is an update: printed in black this time, includes bottom part.

still to do:
-super minor dimensional correction to curve near front
-illumination features
-retention spring for cups and smaller cans
-notches for clipping into ashtray retention springs in the centre console

Challenges:
-this is a VERY tight space for a cupholder. with a 12oz SOLO brand coffee cup, you still have to watch your elbow position. it turns out the bottom of the ashtray recess can be removed from the centre console, creating more space below. HOWEVER, the width of the opening at the top of the console does not let tapered coffee cups drop very far. maybe it would help for cans though.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0403.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0402.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0376.jpg

I'd be interested in a cup holder solution but not one in that location. I wouldn't be able to shift gears w/o knocking it out of the way. Plus I don't think it is deep enough to keep the cup from tipping over.

I'd prefer a solution that would place it to the right of the shifter, closer to the dash.

If you want another one printed at better resolution (say 0.15mm or so) and out of ABS or Nylon let me know. I'll do it for cost of materials and shipping only (aka not for profit).

Sounds like a great idea, will someone engineer it ?, that's the real question...

this is brilliant!

Would be interested but need to get the cost down. Right now I'm jamming my cup inside the JDM armrest.

I'm rocking the prototype right now, and though the current finish is rough, it works great. You really just need a place to jam the cup when you have to stop at an intersection or eat your donut or whatever.

I understand ~200$ sounds expensive, but I assure you that 3d printing in the appropriate plastics, and then painting them will cost that much. I would be hard pressed to even make any money at that price. I already got quotes.

If I want to keep the cost per unit down, I would have to cast them in urethane or epoxy. this is a messy process that I would have to contract out. I would need at least a dozen customers to make this viable, and I'm not really seeing the interest here. if I'm wrong, feel free to pipe up.

If I use 3d printing as my actual production method, costs may go down in the future as the tech improves. Also, future availability will be easy to maintain since it's just a matter of sending out the cad file.

$200 isn't bad. I'm down for getting one if you make them.

Really cool idea. If people arent willing to fork out the cash maybe you could send them a 3d printed one and they can bondo sand and paint it themselves.

That's a good idea. Would save a lot of labor cost.

I think I could reproduce something like that for 100. Could send it in PLA, ABS, or PETG.

:nod::icon_tup:
http://images.esellerpro.com/2347/I/...holder%201.jpg

Bump to this. If this died I can resurrect it quite fast. Is anyone truly interested in a cup holder?

count me in

what I found was the the ashtray recess is just not deep enough to safely hold a cup. BUT, you can remove the bottom of the recess from underneath the centre console with just 4 screws. This gives you the depth you need to safely hold a 12oz cup of coffee.

I will be working on finishing this, but while i slack off, cups are going unheld. So I decided to make this half finished prototype available for general sale.

I put my prototype up for sale on shapeways, a 3d print-to-order place. you order it, and they 3d print it for you within about a week.


google shapeways rx7 cupholder (no link cause im not a vender, and this isnt really a group buy)



https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0810.jpg

so right now, I have only finished the top part. but it's all you need to hold a cup. unfortunately, when no cup is present, you can see the top of the transmission tunnel as pictured above.

the only print material that shapeways stocks that can handle boiling water tempertures is metallic silver. painting is required. My centre console was refinished sometime in the past and does not match either 93 or 94 plastics.

original prototype cup height. coffee cup would tip over during cornering.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0830.jpg

new prototype with ashtray recess bottom removed.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0829.jpg

the ashtray recess bottom part i'm talking about.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...9/IMG_0832.jpg

You're doing god's work.

well, I havent done any work on this in months, and now I find that the original file is corrupted.

here is the STL file. please enjoy. you can print this up on any 3d printer.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-top-MAR23.stl