AU767401B2 - A vehicle storage tray - Google Patents

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: FRANCIS JAMES DEED Francis James Deed

INTELLPRO

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7, Reserve Bank Building 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) A VEHICLE STORAGE TRAY Australian Patent Application No. PP4461 filed 2 July 1998.

Details of Associated Provisional Application(s) No(s): The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: A VEHICLE STORAGE TRAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION THIS invention relates to a vehicle storage tray for use in a vehicle and in particular but not limited to storage trays for use in sedan and four wheel drive vehicles of the type having bucket seats as the front seats of the vehicle.

Nowadays vehicles employing bucket seats in the front of the vehicle have a console extending between the seats. The console carries operative parts of the vehicle namely the gear stick, the brake lever and, in four wheel drives, the lever used to engage four wheel drive. The console is usually equipped with a number of shallow trays suitable for holding a small amount of coin or the like.

The vehicle usually has a glove compartment, ashtrays and so on.

Most drivers find the capacity of these storage areas is insufficient or the storage areas are inconvenient to use. For example, it is difficult for the driver of the vehicle to reach the glove compartment.

It would be desirable to provide alternative storage arrangements.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage tray that can be removably located in position close to the driver and simply and easily placed in position and removed when not required.

20 In one broad form therefore the present invention resides in a vehicle storage tray preferably made from a yieldable material and having a tray body of block configuration so as to be freestanding and upright, the body having at least one recess forming a storage compartment, the tray being positionable inside a vehicle close to the driving position.

In another marginally narrower form the present invention resides in a vehicle storage tray having an upper side and an underside and being formed at least in part of resiliently deformable material to safely cushion impacts, the tray having a tray body of block configuration and being freestanding, upright and self holding in a stationary operative position normally seated against a part of the vehicle without being fixed so it may be easily removed for storage, the tray body having at least one recess forming a storage compartment within the tray.

The tray body is preferably made from flexible foam material. Typically, a portion of the surface of the tray body is formed so as to be a non-slip surface, the non-slip portion of the surface is typically untreated flexible foam.

The surface of the foam can, of course, be coated or otherwise treated to be easily cleaned. A glue mixed silicon rubber based coating, spray vinyl or the like coating is suitable.

In a preferred embodiment the tray body is typically shaped so that it extends around the operative parts of the vehicle such as gear stick and so on. In one embodiment the tray body is L-shaped, to extend across the console, the Lshape being adopted to provide space for operation of the gear stick and brake lever. Thus the tray body extends around the operative parts of the vehicle due to the selected shape but still optimises the amount of space available to optimise storage close to the driver.

In order to restrict movementof the block ittypically includes strategic block locating means aiding the positioning and holding the block in place on the console. The locating means can comprise projections in the base of the block, shoulders that bear against the vehicle and sideways projecting tabs engaging parts 20 of the vehicle beside the block.

Alternatively, the block can be sized and arranged for the particular vehicle so that it is a squeeze fit and due to the size of the block being marginally greater than the space in between the adjacent bucket seats it can be gently squeezed in position and through very minor deformation of the block be automatically held in place.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the present storage tray is able to be simply located in position for use and then when not required to be in position can simply be stored elsewhere in the vehicle. Due to the use of flexible foam it could simply be used as a head rest and is safer than harder materials.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate two preferred embodiments of the present invention. It will be realised that the preferred embodiments are only illustrative and the applicant discloses herein forms of the invention suitable for two particular kinds of vehicle, namely a sedan and a four wheel drive vehicle. It will be appreciated that the present invention suitably configured can be applied to any land, sea or air vehicle.

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the interior of a vehicle, in this case a four wheel drive vehicle, showing a storage tray according to the present invention in a form located in front of the seats in the vehicle; Figure 2 is a section through 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tray of Figure 1 showing it isolated from the vehicle; Figure 4 is a drawing similar to that of Figure 1 but showing a second embodiment suitable for a sedan, in this case showing the storage tray positioned between the seats of the vehicle; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the storage tray of Figure 4 isolated from the vehicle.

20 Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated a storage tray 10 having a tray body 11 formed from flexible foam material and being relatively deep so as to be freestanding and upright, the body has in this case four compartments, 12, 13, 14 and 15, with the compartments 14 and 15 being suitable to receive drinking containers and hold them tightly to prevent spillage whereas the compartments 12 and 13 are suitably sized for other items.

As can be seen in phantom the block includes a projecting tab 16 that locates back on the console between the seats to aid in locating the block in place.

The block includes a shoulder portion at 17 which also assists in locating and in maintaining the block stable.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the L-shape is specifically selected to enable normal operative use of the gear stick 18 and the four wheel drive stick 19.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is illustrated a further embodiment of the present invention suitable for use between seats 20 and 21 in a sedan, in this case the block 22 is also L-shaped having four compartments as shown.

It will be appreciated that the block 22 is marginally wider than the space between the seats so that due to the flexibility of the seats and the flexibility of the foam and the depth of the block, the block can be squeezed in place and retained in place due to friction between the block and the seats.

As can also be seen in relation to Figure 5 the block 22 includes a recessed underside 23 which locates relative to the projecting portions of the vehicle console between the seats.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A vehicle storage tray having an upper side and an underside and being formed at least in part of resiliently deformable material to safely cushion impacts, the tray having a tray body of block configuration and being freestanding, upright and self holding in a non-slip stationary operative position normally seated against and mating with a part of the vehicle without being fixed so it may be easily removed for storage, the tray body having at least one recess forming a storage compartment within the tray.

2. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1,wherein said vehicle storage tray includes two recesses each being adapted to receive, and positively hold a cylindrical drink container, and two generally larger recesses for storing other items.

3. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, being locatable adjacent a gear stick and brake lever of a vehicle, the body being of L-configuration having a first arm and a second arm and a space between the arms, the dimensions of the space being selected and arranged that it can be occupied by the gear stick and brake lever when located in position.

4. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, further comprising a locating means for the purpose of positioning, holding in place, and limiting movement of said vehicle storage tray within a vehicle, said locating means comprising a 20 downwardly projecting shoulder portion that bears against the vehicle. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, further comprising a locating means for the purpose of positioning, holding in place, and limiting movement of Ssaid vehicle storage tray within a vehicle, wherein said locating means comprises a recess in the underside of the body for location and close fitting of said vehicle 00000 0. 00000 .00. 6000* 0 0 00*: storage tray relative to projecting portions of a vehicle console.

6. A vehicle storage tray accordingto claim 1, further comprising a locating means for the purpose of positioning, holding in place, and limiting movement of said vehicle storage tray within a vehicle, wherein said locating means comprises a laterally extending flange portion.

7. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the said storage tray is so configured and arranged for the particular vehicle such that it can be fitted on and extend across a console of the vehicle whilst allowing space for use of the vehicle's operative parts, namely the gear stick and brake lever.

8. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the storage tray body has a height to width ratio configured and arranged such that it can be stably positioned on a seat of the said vehicle.

9. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein said tray body is dimensioned for tight fitting containment and retention between two adjacent seats of a vehicle, such tight fitting requiring only minor and reversible deformation of the body. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the body is adapted to be located between a driver and a passenger seated beside the driver, the body having a first cylindrical recess in close proximity to the driver and a second cylindrical recess in close proximity to the passenger.

11. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the body is adapted to be located between a driver and a passenger seated beside the driver, the body having a first cylindrical recess in close proximity to the driver and a second cylindrical recess in close proximity to the passenger, and a third recess between o 20 the cylindrical recesses, the recesses defining therebetween relatively narrow lands and a relatively narrow peripheral margin about said body.

12. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the body is adapted to be located between a driver and a passenger seated beside the driver, the body having a first cylindrical recess in close proximity to the driver and a second cylindrical recess in close proximity to the passenger, and a third recess between the cylindrical recess, the recesses defining therebetween relatively narrow lands

60-0 and a relatively narrow peripheral margin about said body, and a fourth recess defining a relatively narrow land with the third recess and to a relatively narrow Speripheral margin extending around the fourth recess. 0. o0: 8 13. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the body is adapted to be located between a driver and a passenger seated beside the driver, the body having a first cylindrical recess in close proximity to the driver and a second cylindrical recess in close proximity to the passenger, the body having an outwardly projecting locating tab extending from a position generally between the first and second recesses. 14. A vehicle storage tray according to claim 1, wherein the body is adapted to be located between a driver and a passenger seated beside the driver, the body having a first cylindrical recess in close proximity to the driver and a second cylindrical recess in close proximity to the passenger, the body having a locating shoulder offset to one side of the body. A vehicle storage tray substantially as described with reference to Figure 3. of the accompanying drawings. 16. A vehicle storage tray substantially as described with reference to Figure of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 11th day of July 2003 FRANCES JAMES DEED By his Patent Attorneys INTELLEPRO ee 0 *goo*: 00 0 *0 00 *0 00 000e 0000 0 0 0 00000