3D Printed Cupholder for the NSX

[MvM]

After having designed a 3D Printed smartphone holder, temperature sensor mount and ashtray replacement cover, it was time for something else.

Based on the telephone mount design, I have just finished the design for a cupholder for the NSX.
It is fitted in the same way as my telephone mount, but because of the larger weight, I have strengthened the design of the hook, making the material both thicker and wider. For more stability, I added a second hook to keep the cupholder ring firmly in place, even when driving over rough roads.
The final design looks like this.

The final design of the hook and cupholder.

The hook of the cupholder in place. The lower part hook rests on the edge of the ventilation grid and supports the actual weight of the cup. The top hook only has to hold the cup upright and so minimizes the stress on the top vent.

The ring of the cupholder has two slits which hook up to the cupholder hook. The two pieces connect together firmly with no play.

The cupholder with a large cup in place. This is probably a larger cup 16.5 cm in height (6.5") it's probably larger than most cups used by people, but I wanted a big cup to test the ability of the cupholder to handle weight.

For me at least, the cup can be accessed easily from the drivers seat without even having to lean forward.

I have been driving around with this cup filled with screws for weight without problems.
Total test weight of the cup was a little over 1.0 kg or 2.2 lbs.
The same cup filled to the top with coffee and with the lid on only weighs 580 grams or 1.28 lbs, so there is definately enough strength built into the cupholder.

The only disadvante might be that you can't really see the airco display very well with a cup this large.
Of course, you can use the right vents to hook the cupholder in place, but then you would have to reach a little.

So, what do you guys think

 

[fd3s_fan]

I live in a humid environment, so any cup without good insulation collects a lot of condensation that can drop below. Of course you can avoid this by using insulated beverage containers. In general this would be a bad location for a spill (not saying that there is a good location for spills in the nsx!). Cool idea though, it is good that people are still designing little gadgets for our cars.

 

[MvM]

I live in a humid environment, so any cup without good insulation collects a lot of condensation that can drop below. Of course you can avoid this by using insulated beverage containers. In general this would be a bad location for a spill (not saying that there is a good location for spills in the nsx!). Cool idea though, it is good that people are still designing little gadgets for our cars.

Good point! Thanks for the feed back.
The cup in the pictures IS in fact an insulated cup, so even in your climate it shouldn't be a problem.
Of course, the cupring holding the cup could also be printed as a closed cup with the ability to catch any spillage as well. That's one of the advantages of 3D printing, it's easy to adjust....

 

[PghMiller]

yeah sorry to say I'd opt for the other guy's cupholder... this one is too "in view" and clunks up the cabin, blocks buttons/controls/displays (plus that condensation thing is an issue with me too, as mentioned above). I like the other one because it's out of view and it sits on the floor literally using the floor as the cupholder "bottom".

 

[scammy]

I think its great, nice thinking when can I get one

 

[Jinks]

I like it. But I still think the most ideal place for the cup holder in an early model would be in the center console. I would gladly give up my leather padded armrest for something with molded cup holders and cell phone pockets made from abs or some kind of black plastic. It might look less then diserable but it would be 100% functional.

 

[Wizard]

Nice work. Unfortunately, I'd have no interest in it. I'd be too worried about about liquids sloshing around and getting out of the cup and then down onto the console/electronics..say in the event of evasive maneuvering or emergency braking. Plus, it's too "in your face" as the other guy said. Kudos for the engineering and effort though.

 

[MvM]

I like it. But I still think the most ideal place for the cup holder in an early model would be in the center console. I would gladly give up my leather padded armrest for something with molded cup holders and cell phone pockets made from abs or some kind of black plastic. It might look less then diserable but it would be 100% functional.

Hmm, I always thougth that a cup that far back on the center console would be easily knocked against with your elbow while driving. But then again, that might depend on how far back your seats are (mine are fairly forward and since I have Recaro seats, my elbows are always outside the seats).

Perhaps a cupholder that would be attached to the ashtray, just forward of the handbrake would be an idea. I will take a look at it.

- - - Updated - - -

Nice work. Unfortunately, I'd have no interest in it. I'd be too worried about about liquids sloshing around and getting out of the cup and then down onto the console/electronics..say in the event of evasive maneuvering or emergency braking. Plus, it's too "in your face" as the other guy said. Kudos for the engineering and effort though.

I understand your concern, although I have done some pretty heavy slaloms with this cupholder and 2 lbs of screws in it and it didn't budge.
Half the 'standard' cars I know of today have foldable cupholders that look much more flimsy than mine and are often located halfway up the center console and I never heard any one complain about spillage when using a well sealed cup.

Mind you, IMHO, you should never use a cupholder with a paper cup and a cheap throwaway lid like you get at the McDonalds when driving. Those are fine if you are parked somewhere, but I wouldn't trust such a up itself during a slalom.

 

[shawn110975]

personally I like feeling cold air blowing on my face vs something covering my vents in the hot state I live in cold a/c on my face is a must.

 

[solidol]

This solution reminds me of that hideous custom navpod that's floating around prime and facebook. I'm yet to find better option than ultimate cup holder. With this one taking few corners hard and it's in your face. But I like the fact that you're trying to come up with custom products. This one I would never buy though.

 

[MvM]

With this one taking few corners hard and it's in your face. But I like the fact that you're trying to come up with custom products. This one I would never buy though.

Actually, even with more than 2lbs of weight in it, the cup is going nowhere even during hard cornering You'd be surprised on how strong a well printed 3D part can be. The cup ring is strong enough to hold in excess of 150 lbs of weight. The hook is also very strong.
The most likely part to fail would be the upper rib of the airvent if you would really pull on it, but since the weight of the cup is actually supported by the lower part of the hook, the torque exerted on the that part is relatively minor, EVEN in hard cornering.

We all know the NSX is an extremily good sportscar, but even a NSX would be hard pressed breaking 1.5 G's in a corner.

 

[solidol]

Actually, even with more than 2lbs of weight in it, the cup is going nowhere even during hard cornering You'd be surprised on how strong a well printed 3D part can be. The cup ring is strong enough to hold in excess of 150 lbs of weight. The hook is also very strong.
The most likely part to fail would be the upper rib of the airvent if you would really pull on it, but since the weight of the cup is actually supported by the lower part of the hook, the torque exerted on the that part is relatively minor, EVEN in hard cornering.

We all know the NSX is an extremily good sportscar, but even a NSX would be hard pressed breaking 1.5 G's in a corner.

Oh don't get me wrong - I really appreciate your effort. I wasn't worried about structural rigidity of the holder itself. It's vent I think is really fragile and maybe not the best place to put stress. But then again maybe I'm wrong (hopefully). Just trying to evaluate based on pictures, mount location etc.

 

[MvM]

Oh don't get me wrong - I really appreciate your effort. I wasn't worried about structural rigidity of the holder itself. It's vent I think is really fragile and maybe not the best place to put stress. But then again maybe I'm wrong (hopefully). Just trying to evaluate based on pictures, mount location etc.

I hear you, no problem
Actually, the top rib of the vent is permanently fixed, it doesn't move like the lower ribs. That's how I came to the idea.
The vent rib IS indeed the limiting factor. 2-3 Lbs of weight IS the practical limit if you want the rib to survive.
If I use it, I do normally use a much smaller cup that the one shown in the pictures because that one is really big and heavy. I just used that for the supported weight testing. Better be safe than sorry...
Most of the time though, I use the smartphone mount instead of the cupholder. The NSX is ment for driving, not drinking

 

[ftuhy]

I like it. But I still think the most ideal place for the cup holder in an early model would be in the center console. I would gladly give up my leather padded armrest for something with molded cup holders and cell phone pockets made from abs or some kind of black plastic. It might look less then diserable but it would be 100% functional.

Hmmm. My '96 came with a removable pop-up cup holder in the rear section of the center armrest. Wasn't that standard?

 

[MvM]

Hmmm. My '96 came with a removable pop-up cup holder in the rear section of the center armrest. Wasn't that standard?

I know the small emtpy square in front of the armrest in the US cars, (the NSX outside the US has a very nice block of switches), but I haven't heard about a pop-up cup holder.
Could you post a picture of it??

 

[robbiedawg]

Hmmm. My '96 came with a removable pop-up cup holder in the rear section of the center armrest. Wasn't that standard?

that started in '93-
http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Changes_by_Year#Changes_for_1993

i pulled mine out because it's a great place to put a phone

 

[ftuhy]

Here's the pictures from my '96, in order:
Console rear compartment w/o cup holder
OEM cup holder (open)
OEM cup holder installed in center console rear compartment (note: holder folds/collapses when the compartment lid is closed

 

[Alpo]

Yea, I had to pull mine out too as they're just about useless. Good place for ezpass storage

 

[Jinks]

My idea of molded cup holders in the console is utilizing all of the space on the console with recessed cup holders and pockets. Those pop up cup holders in the later models are in fact useless. Think of armrest removal with a drop in cup holder/ pocket area. Or better yet, a pull out cup holder/pocket area which the armrest pad conceals.

 

[MvM]

Here's the pictures from my '96, in order:
Console rear compartment w/o cup holder
OEM cup holder (open)
OEM cup holder installed in center console rear compartment (note: holder folds/collapses when the compartment lid is closed

Thanks very much !! Had not seen this cupholder before.

The problem with the console box IMHO has always been that the lid opens sideways. First, it makes the box practically useless for the passenger and it also makes access to the box compartment relatively difficult.
A lid that hinges on the back like in most cars would (again IMHO) have been much more practical.

Let me think on this for a while....

 

[boca rat]

MvM, firstly, congrats on doing this, this is what innovation is all about. Kudos.

Having said that I would be concerned on hanging off the center vents in any form. If thee vents were $20 and easy to get, not such a big deal, but having just been through this, I can tell you, they ain't cheap if they break

I have gone the Integra drop-in to the center glove box/console that someone posted a while ago. Snug fit, but slides back and forth as needed, but I don't think it works for NA2s or targas (not sure where the line is) :

 

[nsxspdfreak]

Nice work, but have to find another place for it. Vents are too fragile and costly to replace if broken.

 

[ftuhy]

Thanks very much !! Had not seen this cupholder before.

The problem with the console box IMHO has always been that the lid opens sideways. First, it makes the box practically useless for the passenger and it also makes access to the box compartment relatively difficult.
A lid that hinges on the back like in most cars would (again IMHO) have been much more practical.

Let me think on this for a while....

The console lid opens toward the passenger side to reveal the larger box below. That lid has the two small shallow compartments within it. The forward one opens toward the front and is too short to hold much of anything. The rear one, with the cup holder, opens toward the rear and at least is long enough to store most cell phones. Note that I removed the cup holder (it just snaps in) because I'm a tad fussy and don't allow any food or drinks in my car.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Nice work, but have to find another place for it. Vents are too fragile and costly to replace if broken.

Resurecting an old thread for 2 points:
1. There is now a repository on Prime for 3D prints to share with other Prime members. Would you be willing to share your design file? Or that of the other parts you described?
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/95-Do-It-Yourself-3D-Printing
2. I also was not too impressed with the OEM cup holder and was worried about the strength of the vents so I 3D printed a cup holder that fits in the stock OEM location but can fold down to close the cover. You can print the whole thing in black, but I printed the middle part in red to illustrate how it folds:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showt...-fits-in-the-Stock-Location-but-doesn-t-spill