FR3025466A1 - CLOSURE CURTAIN OF A STORAGE DEVICE COMPRISING A WIRELESS LOADING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The closing curtain (1) of a storage device (4) movable between a retracted position where the closing curtain (1) releases access to the storage device (4) and a closed position where the closing curtain (1) closes the storage device (4), includes a wireless charging device (15).

Description

The present invention relates to a curtain for closing a storage device, such as a storage device that can be arranged in a vehicle, preferably on a storage device. vehicle interior trim element. Such a closure curtain has a mainly planar extension and is in known manner used to close a storage device. A storage device is typically disposed in a transport means. For example, in a motor vehicle, it can be an empty-pocket, a glove box or other similar housing. It can be placed in the center console, in or under the dashboard, at the front or rear, in the trunk, in a door, etc. It can still be an interface, such as a table of connectors, a display screen, a car radio face or any other equivalent equipment. It is known, to retain the content, and / or to hide it in view, to selectively close such a storage device. Among the many embodiments of a door of such a storage device, it is known to use a closing curtain. Such a closing curtain is selectively retractable, typically by translation along its plane, to allow to clear the opening of the storage device. In the field of interior design of a vehicle, for example automobile, it is constantly looking for new ways of storage.

The advent of the cell phone leads to offer at least one storage area to deposit such a cell phone. Other objects, such as a bank card, a toll ticket or a key / memory card, are advantageously candidates. Such a storage area is characterized in that the object thus stored is immobilized so as not to risk moving in the cabin while remaining visible and immediately accessible. In the case where the object is a cell phone or other similar portable electrical device (Tablet PC, Ordiphone, GPS receiver, etc.) it is advantageous to be able to electrically recharge the battery of said portable electrical device while it is so disposed in the storage area.

Also an important idea of the invention is to modify a closing curtain in order to provide it with a wireless charging device.

The invention relates to a curtain for closing a storage device, movable between a retracted position where the closing curtain releases access to the storage device and a closed position where the closing curtain closes the storage device. storage, the closing curtain including a wireless charging device.

Advantageously, such integration of a wireless charging device with a closing curtain makes it possible to integrate two functions: closing a storage device and charging the battery, and making it possible to switch from a configuration without a device loading to a configuration with loading device by replacing only the closing curtain.

According to one characteristic, the wireless charging device is fixed under the closing curtain. According to another characteristic, the wireless charging device is integrated in the thickness of the closing curtain. According to another characteristic, the wireless charging device is overmolded in the closing curtain. According to another characteristic, the wireless charging device is flexible. According to another characteristic, the closure curtain has a substantially flat shape in the closed position and a shape at least partially arched in the retracted position.

According to another characteristic, the closure curtain further comprises, on its external surface, at least one storage zone, able to accommodate at least one loadable object by means of the wireless charging device, such as a mobile phone. According to another characteristic, the storage zone is limited, on at least part of its contour, by at least one edge comprising a secant surface on the surface of the closing curtain and facing the storage area. The invention also relates to a storage device, comprising an opening and a closing curtain according to any one of the preceding claims, the storage device being arranged so that the opening is greater and in that at least the portion of the closure curtain comprising the storage area is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane in the closed position. According to another characteristic, at least the portion of the closure curtain comprising the storage area remains in a substantially horizontal plane during the passage from the closed position to the retracted position. According to another characteristic, the storage device is arranged in a vehicle, preferably on a vehicle interior trim element.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description given below as an indication in relation to drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation in longitudinal section of a 5 storage device closed by a closing curtain, according to a first embodiment, - Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the storage device and the closing curtain of Figure 1, - Figure 3 is a representation. schematic in longitudinal section of a storage device closed by a closing curtain, according to a second embodiment, - Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the storage device and the closing curtain of Figure 3, FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation in longitudinal section of a storage device closed by a closing curtain, according to a third embodiment, and accommodating an object, - Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the storage device, the closing curtain and the object of Figure 5, - Figure 7 is a schematic representation. in perspective, a storage device closed by a closing curtain in situ, - Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a storage device closed by a closing curtain, according to a fourth embodiment, without a storage area, FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the storage device and the closing curtain of FIG. 8. FIG. 1, respectively 2, shows a storage device 4 closed by a closing curtain. 1 in cut longitudinal view, respectively transverse. The closing curtain 1 is selectively movable between a closed position, as shown, for which the closing curtain 1 closes the storage device 4, and a retracted position, where the closing curtain 1 leaves access to the closing device. storage 4 and its contents. In order to retract, the closing curtain 1 is translated, substantially parallel to itself in order to enter an offset space with respect to the storage device 4. This offset space is accessible via an opening delimited typically by a top cover 6 and a low hood 7.

During the two opposite displacements which allow the closing curtain 1 to move from a closed position to a retracted position or vice versa, the edge of the closing curtain 1 is advantageously guided by lateral guides 12. In order to be able to Maneuvered between the two closed and retracted positions, the closing curtain 1 may advantageously comprise an operating handle 5.

Such a closure curtain 1 can be rigid. Advantageously, it can still be flexible or semi-rigid, in particular to allow a curvature to limit the size of the closing curtain 1 in the retracted position. Such a closure curtain 1 can be made of any flexible, semi-rigid or rigid material, such as textile, plastic material, elastomer, wood, aluminum, etc. It follows that such a closure curtain 1 can be obtained by any suitable manufacturing process. A flexible closure curtain 1 is typically held in shape by maintaining a tension between its ends. A rigid closure curtain 1 is kept in shape per se. According to one embodiment, a closure curtain 1 can still be flexible in a first direction and rigid in a second direction transverse to the first direction. This is typically achieved by a closure curtain 1 comprising a flexible fabric 2, reinforced by stiffeners 3, reported or material. Thus according to an embodiment as illustrated, said stiffeners 3 are straight, arranged substantially parallel to each other and in the second direction. This advantageously makes it possible to impart rigidity to the closing curtain 1 in the second direction while leaving a flexibility allowing a curvature in the first direction. In this case, the retraction movement is advantageously effected in the first direction, transverse to the second direction of the stiffeners 3. A curvature can then be made around the second direction coinciding with the axis of the stiffeners 3. Thus in an embodiment more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a closing curtain 1 is substantially plane in the closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 8 and is arched, at least partially, in the retracted position, as illustrated In the illustrated example, the opening / closing movement is effected in a first longitudinal direction, while the curvature or curvature of the closing curtain 1 is made around a second transverse direction. . The closure curtain 1 may advantageously comprise rectilinear stiffeners in said second transverse direction. According to an important characteristic of the invention, the closing curtain 1 comprises a wireless charging device 15. Said wireless charging device 15 is advantageously able to electrically recharge the battery of a portable electric device, such as a cell phone or any other similar device (Tablet PC, Ordiphone, GPS Receiver, etc.). For this, the wireless charging device 15 is advantageously an induction charging device shaped according to one of the standards, such as the "Qi" standard defined by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) consortium or the "Powermat" standard defined. by the Power Matters Consortium (PMA). Said wireless charging device 15 is advantageously secured to the closing curtain 1 with which it is fixed by any means. The wireless charging device 15 advantageously has at least the same flexibility or flexibilities as the closure curtain 1, in order to be able to accompany the curtain 1 in its movements, and particularly during the movements of the position. closed in the retracted position, and vice versa. Thus, if the closure curtain 1 is flexible, the wireless charging device 15 is advantageously flexible. If the closure curtain 1 is rigid in a first direction and flexible in a second direction, the wireless charging device 15 is advantageously rigid in the same first direction and flexible in the same second direction. If the closure curtain 1 is rigid, the wireless charging device 15 may optionally be flexible, partially flexible in one direction or rigid. In one embodiment, such as that illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, where the closing curtain 1 is arched in one of its positions, the wireless charging device 15, at least as regards its integral and movable portion with the closing curtain 1, advantageously has a flexibility comparable to the flexibility of the closure curtain 1 in order to accompany it in its movement between the open position and the retracted position and vice versa.

According to a first embodiment, more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, the wireless charging device 15 is disposed on one of the faces of the closing curtain 1. It may be the upper or outer face. However, according to a preferred embodiment, the wireless charging device 15 is placed under the closing curtain 1, or on the face of the closing curtain 1 facing the storage device 4, in order to be advantageously protected and / or concealed. According to another embodiment, more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 3-6, the wireless charging device 15 is arranged in the thickness of the closing curtain 1. Such an arrangement is advantageous in that the wireless charging device 15 is thus protected by the closing curtain 1 against possible contact which may come from both inside and outside of the storage device 4.

According to a variant of this embodiment, the closing curtain 1 is made by plastic molding, and the wireless charging device 15 can then advantageously be integrated in the closing curtain 1, by overmolding. Whatever the arrangement of the wireless charging device 15 on, under or in the closing curtain 1, the assembly can be made by any means, including but not limited to, gluing, clipping, welding, screwing, riveting and / or overmolding. In order to accommodate at least one object 13 that can be loaded by means of the wireless loading device 15 associated with the closing curtain 1, the closure curtain 1 advantageously comprises, on its external surface, at least one storage area 14, suitable for accommodating said at least one object 13. The outer surface of the closure curtain 1 is here defined relative to the storage device 4, as opposed to the inner surface, facing the interior of the storage device 4. Said storage area 14 is characterized by a free surface capable of accommodating an object 13. This object 13 is preferably of smaller dimensions than that of the closing curtain 1 deployed in the closed position. The storage area 14 is adapted to accommodate an object 13 in particular. Alternatively the storage area 14 may be large enough to accommodate one or more objects 13. Alternatively, the curtain may include several storage area 14, said storage areas 14 being adapted to accommodate one or more Objects 13. Depending on the type of curtain 1, flexible or rigid, the acceptable weight of the object 13 may be more or less important. The object of the invention is to be able to accommodate at least a small object 13, reasonable weight, of the type of those encountered in a motor vehicle. Thus such an object 13 may be a credit card, a mobile phone, a key ring, a toll ticket, a memory stick (such as a USB key), a memory card (such as an SD card), a pen, money, or any other equivalent object. Due to the movement related to the rolling of an automobile, an advantageous function of this storage area 14 is to immobilize the object 13. For this according to one embodiment, the outer surface of the closure curtain 30 1, at least in the part where it forms the storage area 14, may advantageously be rough, adhesive or magnetic. According to another embodiment, the closing curtain 1 and the storage area 14 are arranged substantially horizontally, the outer face of the closing curtain 1 being oriented upwards. Such an arrangement advantageously makes it possible to use gravity to maintain the object 13 placed on / against said external surface.

Here it is understood by substantially horizontal, an inclination, function of any stopping surfaces 8.9 which will be described further, up to +/- 20 ° relative to the horizontal. According to a possible embodiment, the closure curtain 1 is substantially planar, thus forming a storage area 14 whose bottom, on which the object 13 can be placed, is plane. According to another feature, advantageous in order to limit the lateral movements of the object 13 relative to the storage area 14, said storage area 14 is advantageously limited, on at least part of its contour, by at least one edge. Such a border comprises a secant surface 8,9 on the surface of the closure curtain 1. According to one characteristic, said at least one surface 8,9 is oriented so as to face the storage area 14. Thus such a surface 8 9 opposes a possible movement of the object 13 tending to move it away from the storage area 14, keeping it 15 in said storage area 14 by opposing a movement of the object 13 from the center from the storage area 14 to its periphery. The orientation of a surface 8,9 facing the storage area 14, means that a normal coming out of said surface 8, 9 points towards the interior of the storage area 14. One or more such surfaces 8, 9 are thus arranged on all or part of a contour of the storage zone 14. This contour can be of any shape: circular, elliptical or polyhedral. In the latter case the polyhedron may or may not be regular and include any number of sides, equal or not. It is possible in all directions, including the longitudinal or transverse directions, to have such a surface 8,9. It is also possible in one or more directions not to have such a surface 8,9. Figures 3, 5 and 7 illustrate one or more surfaces 8 arranged parallel to a transverse direction, in order to oppose a longitudinal movement of the object 13. Figures 4, 6 and 7 illustrate surfaces 9 arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction, in order to oppose a transverse / lateral movement of the object 13. Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment where the closing curtain 1 does not include a surface 8.9. Figures 3, 5 and 7 show three embodiments comprising two transverse surfaces 8 facing each other. This makes it possible to oppose a longitudinal movement of the object 13, in one direction or in the opposite direction. Another embodiment, not shown, comprising a single transverse surface is also possible. This surface 8 makes it possible to oppose longitudinal movement of the object 13 in one direction only. In this embodiment, if the closing curtain 1 does not comprise a second transverse surface 8, the role of a second stop can still be provided by the top cover 6. According to another embodiment, not shown, a storage area 14 comprises a single transverse surface 8 disposed on the other side, so as to oppose a longitudinal movement of the object 13, in the other direction, here from right to left in the plane of the figure. In this case, the role of a second abutment absent from the closing curtain 1 can still be provided by the handle 5, if present. Figures 4, 6 and 7 show two embodiments comprising two longitudinal surfaces 9. This makes it possible to oppose a transverse / lateral movement of the object 13 in one direction or in the opposite direction. An embodiment with a single surface 8, 9 can be further adapted to an inclined arrangement of the closure curtain 1. The unique surface 8, 9 is then advantageously oriented, its normal outward pointing upward to prevent object 13 to go down. The role of a second abutment absent from the closing curtain 1 can in this case be provided by gravity. Several embodiments of a border including such a surface 8,9 are possible. Two of them will be described. According to a first embodiment, a rim is formed by a protrusion 10 protruding from the outer surface of the closure curtain 1. This embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Such protuberance 10 can be achieved by any In another embodiment, a rim is formed by a recess 11 formed in the outer surface of the closure curtain 1. This embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 7. Here is meant by recess, the fact that the outer surface of the curtain 1, in the storage zone 14, extends at a distance from the rest of the outer surface of the curtain 1. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 to 9, the storage area 14 in this embodiment forms a recess. Whatever the embodiment, protuberance 10 or recess 11, the resulting thickness of the closure curtain 1 increases substantially by the height of the surface 8,9. So that the closing curtain 1, equipped with a storage area 14, can still retract between the top cover 6 and the bottom cover 7, it may be necessary to increase the opening distance between the top cover 6 In a protruding embodiment 10, if it is assumed that the slides 12 remain at the same height, it is necessary to raise the top cover 6 of the height of the surface 8, 9, the height of the protrusion 10. This is illustrated in Figure 3 by a dotted line. Thus in an embodiment with recess 11, if it is assumed that the slides 12 remain at the same height, it is necessary to lower the lower cover 7 of the height of the surface 8, 9, the height of the recess. 11. This is illustrated in Figure 5 by a dashed line. This only applies if such a bottom cover 7 is present. As seen above, such a storage area 14 is designed to accommodate an object 13, such as a credit card or cell phone. For this purpose, said storage zone 14 is advantageously dimensioned slightly larger than the object 13, or in a substantially rectangular shape of dimension greater than 86 × 54 mm to accommodate a credit card or greater than 160 × 100 mm, for example , to accommodate even a cell phone, even large format. The height of a border, whatever its embodiment, protrusion 10 or recess 11, is preferably between 2 and 10 mm.

The storage area 14 is such that when the hosted object 13 is a portable electrical appliance of the type chargeable by the wireless charging device 15, said object 13 can be positioned facing the wireless charging device 15 in such a way its antenna 18 is positioned relative to the wireless charging device 15 so that charging can be performed.

The wireless charging device 15 typically comprises a mark indicating a "center" of loading which, in order to ensure good loading, must advantageously be placed substantially opposite a reference "center" of loading most often present and spotted. The wireless charging device 15 is advantageously arranged relative to the closing curtain 1 so that its "center" is placed at the center of the statistical locus of the "centers" of the portable electric apparatus. by varying the dimensions of said electrical apparatus. A relatively large positioning tolerance of the wireless charging device 15, +/- 60 mm along the longitudinal axis and +/- 15 mm along the transverse axis, makes it possible to accommodate the variations in dimensions of the electrical appliances. As illustrated more particularly in FIG. 7, a visual cue 19, corresponding to the "center" of the wireless charging device 15, can be drawn on the outer surface of the closing curtain 1, in order to allow the user to optimize the deposit position of its electrical device facing the loading device.

The wireless charging device 15 may further be capable of detecting the distance between the "center" of the wireless charging device 15 and the "center" of the electric device being charged. Also an application, with a man-machine interface eg graphic on a screen present in the vehicle or still sound, can interactively display an indicator of said distance, to allow the user to reduce said distance, to optimize loading .

According to one embodiment (not illustrated), the wireless charging device 15 is entirely integrated with the closing curtain 1. Only a connection, typically by a flexible cable, allows it to be connected to a power supply. According to an alternative embodiment, more particularly illustrated in FIG. 3 or 5, the wireless charging device 15 comprises a part 15 integral with the closing curtain 1 and a fixed part 17. The part 15 is typically connected to the part 17 by a flexible cable 16, to accommodate the movements of the closing curtain 1. In such an embodiment, the portion 15, flexible with the closing curtain 1, may for example contain only one antenna, while that part 17 includes the rest of the processing electronics.

The invention also relates to a storage device 4 comprising a closing curtain 1 according to one of the previously described embodiments. Such a storage device 4 is advantageously arranged in such a way that its opening is upwards and that the closing curtain 1 is arranged substantially horizontally in the closed position, at least for the portion comprising the storage area 14. This advantageously makes it possible to use gravity to hold an object 13 in place in said storage zone 14. According to an advantageous embodiment, this horizontality characteristic is preserved during the transition from the closed position to the retracted position. Thus at least the portion comprising the storage area 14, and whatever the position of the closing curtain 1, is permanently substantially horizontal. Advantageously, a sufficiently thin object 13, for example an object 13 capable of passing between the two covers 6, 7 can remain on the closing curtain 1, even when the latter is in position. retracted. This advantageously makes it possible to also retract said object 13 and to thus subtract it from the view. The wireless charging device 15 being integral with the closing curtain 1, including in this retracted position, makes it possible to continue to charge the electrical apparatus 13. Such a storage device 4 thus advantageously makes it possible to conceal a cellular telephone 13 in plain sight. passersby, storing it on the closing curtain 1 in the open / retracted position, while continuing to ensure its loading. 35

Claims (11)

CLOSURES1.- Closure curtain (1) of a storage device (4) movable between a retracted position where the closing curtain (1) releases access to the storage device (4) and a closed position where the curtain closure (1) closes the storage device (4), characterized in that the closing curtain (1) comprises a wireless charging device (15). 2. Curtain closure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the wireless charging device (15) is fixed under the curtain (1). 3. Curtain closure (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the wireless charging device (15) is integrated in the thickness of the curtain (1). 4. Curtain closure (1) according to claim 3, wherein the wireless charging device (15) is overmolded in the closing curtain (1). 5. Curtain closure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wireless charging device (15) is flexible. 6. Curtain closure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, having a substantially flat shape in the closed position and a shape at least partially arched in the retracted position. 7.- closing curtain (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising, on its outer surface, at least one storage area (14), adapted to accommodate at least one object (13) loadable at means of the wireless charging device (15), such as a mobile phone. 8. Curtain closure (1) according to claim 7, wherein the storage area (14) is limited, on at least part of its contour, by at least one edge comprising a surface (8, 9) intersecting the surface of the closing curtain (1) and facing the storage area (14). 9. A storage device (4), comprising an opening and a closing curtain (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage device (4) is arranged in such a way that the opening is greater and in that at least the portion of the closing curtain (1) comprising the storage area (14) is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane in the closed position. 10. A storage device (4) according to claim 9, wherein at least the portion of the closure curtain (1) comprising the storage area (14) remains in a substantially horizontal plane during the transition from the closed position to the position retracted. 11. A storage device (4) according to any one of claims 9 or 10, arranged in a vehicle, preferably on a vehicle interior trim element.