Lighted cup holder for seating arrangements
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.
1. A seating arrangement comprising
a lighted cup holder apparatus, the lighted cup holder apparatus comprising at least one lighted cup holder having a cup holder body adapted for attachment to the seating arrangement, wherein the cup holder body has a lower end, a top end, and a cup holding receptacle therebetween; an illumination circuit comprising one or more light sources that illuminate the lighted cup holder apparatus; at least one control switch attached to the top end of the cup holder body that is operatively connected to the illumination circuit; and at least one control switch attached to the top end of the cup holder body that is operatively connected to a component of the seating arrangement for control thereof.
2. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light sources is a light emitting diode (LED).
3. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the seating arrangement is a chair, a loveseat or a sofa.
4. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a powered reclining mechanism.
5. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a massaging mechanism.
6. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the seating arrangement is a sofa.
7. The seating arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the sofa comprises two reclining chair portions.
8. The seating arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the sofa comprises a fold-down backrest section.
9. The seating arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the sofa comprises two lighted cup holders.
10. A lighted cup holder apparatus, the lighted cup holder apparatus comprising at least one lighted cup holder having a cup holder body adapted for attachment to a seating arrangement, wherein the cup holder body has a lower end, a top end, and a cup holding receptacle therebetween; an illumination circuit comprising one or more light sources that illuminate the lighted cup holder apparatus; at least one control switch attached to the top end of the cup holder body that is operatively connected to the illumination circuit; and at least one control switch attached to the top end of the cup holder body that is operatively connectable to a component of the seating arrangement for control thereof.
11. The lighted cup holder apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more light sources is a light emitting diode (LED).
12. The lighted cup holder apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cup holder apparatus is attached to a piece of furniture selected from the group consisting of a chair, a loveseat, and a sofa.
13. The lighted cup holder apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a powered reclining mechanism of the seating arrangement.
14. The lighted cup holder apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the component of the seating arrangement is a massaging mechanism.