GB2508430A

GB2508430A - Storage container for location in a vehicle interior

Info

Publication number: GB2508430A
Application number: GB1221692.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gian Luca Baccelli
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2012-12-03
Filing date: 2012-12-03
Publication date: 2014-06-04

Abstract

A container system 1 suitable as a central console between the front seats of a motor vehicle comprises a container base 2, and an additional container part 3, where the additional container part is optionally fixable, especially removably fixable, to the container base in order to increase the volume of the storage space of the container system. Both the container base and the additional container part may comprise four upstanding walls, where the outer dimensions of the container base are smaller than the inner dimensions of the additional container part so that the latter may be placed over the top of the former and vertically displaced (figure 3) so as to increase the volume of the container system. The additional container part may have a movable cover 20, and a lock 19 may be provided for locking the additional container part in the different vertical positions relative to the base.

Description

Container system

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a container system suitable as a central console between the front seats of a motor vehicle with a container base according to claim 1 and a motor vehicle according to claim 10.

Container systems in motor vehicles are mounted between the front seats in order to store small goods in a container base. The size of the goods, which can be stored in the container base, is limited to the vertical expansion of the container base. Therefore, only small goods with a small vertical expansion can be stored in the container base.

The DE 10 2004 038 059 Al shows a console with a moveable armrest for a motor vehicle.

The invention aims is to provide a container system arid a motor vehicle in which small and big goods with a small and big vertical expansion can be stored in the container system and the container system itself can be adapted to the vertical sizeof the goods.

The aim is solved with a container system suitable as a central console between the front seats of a motor vehicle with a container base, wherein, the container systems comprises an additional container part and the additional container part is optionally fixable, especially removable fixable, to the container base in order to increase the volume of the storage room of the container system with the optional additional container part. The container system can be used only with the container base for storing goods with a small vertical expansion and with the additional container part for storing goods with a big vertical expansion. Therefore, the container system can be adapted to size of the good, which have to be stored in the container system.

As an additional advantage, the size of the container system itself without the additional container part is small and if only goods with a small vertical expansion have to be stored between the front seats the container systems needs not much space between the front seats.

In a further embodiment the container base comprises two lateral base walls, one front base wall and one rear base wall and preferably one ground base wall.

In an additional embodiment the additional container part comprises two lateral additional walls, one front additional wall and one rear additional wall.

Preferably the additional container part is vertically movable relative to the container base when fixed to the container base, especially with a bearing.

The vertical expansion of the container system can be adapted to the size of the goods, which have to be stored in the container system, by vertically moving the additional container part relative to the container base. Therefore, the vertical size of the container system is only as large as it is necessary to store the goods inside the container system.

Especially the outer distance of the two lateral base walls is smaller than the inner distance of the two lateral additional walls and the outer distance of the front base wall and the rear base wall is smaller than the inner distance of the front additional wall and the rear additional wall. The container base can be stored inside the additional container part and the additional container part can be relatively moved to the container base as the lateral base walls, the front base wall, the rear base wall, the lateral additional walls, the front additional wall and the additional rear walls are vertical aligned.

In a further embodiment the container systems comprises a mechanism and with the mechanism the additional container part is fixable in different vertical positions relative to the container base. The mechanism for examples includes a tooth bar at the rear base wall and cog wheel at the rear additional wall and the teeth in the cog wheel are mounted between the teeth of the tooth bar and by fixing the cog wheel the movement of the additional container part relative to the container base is fixed.

In an additional embodiment the container system comprises a lock for locking the additional container part in the different vertical positions relative to the container base. With the lock the mechanism is operated. Also, with the lock the additional container part can be unremoveable fixed to the container base in order to that the additional container part cannot be taken away by persons with no permission to do this. Also by unlocking the lock the additional container part can be removed from the container base. The lock operates a fixing device for removeable fixing the additional container part to the container base.

In a further embodiment the container systems comprises a fixing device for removeable fixing the additional container part to the container base.

Preferably the additional container part comprises a moveable cover, especially a rollo, for covering the upper range of the additional container part. The cover can also be designed as a flap pivotable around an axis.

Furthermore, the lock can also be constructed in order to fix the cover unmoveable and moveable by unlocking and locking the lock. The lock operates an additional fixing device for fixing the cover.

Preferably the container system comprises an additional fixing device for fixing the cover.

Especially the container base and/or the additional container part is made of plastic and/or the container systems functions with the additional container part fixed to the container base and with the closed cover as an armrest. The container system can be produced cheap for example of thermoplastic with injection molding.

In a further embodiment the lock is constructed as a switch, especially a mechanical switch. Therefore, the lock can be operated with no key, for example only by pressing the mechanical switch with a finger of a person in the motor vehicle.

A motor vehicle comprises an above described container system.

In a further embodiment the motor vehicle comprises an engine and/or a bodywork and/or seats and/or doors.

One example of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 gives a perspective view of a container base, Fig. 2 gives a perspective view of the container base and a additional container part, Fig. 3 gives a perspective view of the additional container part fixed to the container base in a upper position of the additional container part.

Fig. 4 gives a perspective view of the additional container part fixed to the container base in a lower position of the additional container part, Fig. 5 gives a horizontal section view of the container base and the additional container part and Fig. 6 gives a side view of a motor vehicle.

A motor vehicle 23 shown in fig. 6 comprises two front seats 25 and three back seats 24 as a seat bench.. Between the two front seats a container system 1 is constructed as a console 4. Furthermore, the container system S can also be used at the seat bench.

The container system I comprises a container base 2 and an additional container base 3. The container base 2 and the additional container base 3 are made of thermoplastic. The container base 2 has two lateral base walls 6, one front base wall 7, one rear base wall 8 and a ground base wall 9.

The walls 6, 7, 8 of the container base are aligned vertically. The additional container part 3 has two lateral additional walls 10, one front additional wall 11 and one rear additional wall 12. The outer distance 13 of the two lateral base walls 6 is smaller than the inner distance 14 of the two lateral additional walls 10 and the outer distance 15 of the front base wall 7 and the rear base 8 wall is smaller than the inner distance 16 of the front additional wall 11 and the rear additional wall 12. Also, the walls 6, 7, 8 of the container base 2 and the walls 10, 11, 12 of the additional container part 3 are aligned vertically and therefore the container base 2 can be placed inside the additional container part 3 and the additional container part 3 is vertically moveable relative to the fix container base 2. As a consequence, the storage room inside the container base 2 and the additional container base 3 can be changed and adapted to the size of the goods, which have to be stored in the storage room.

The container system 1 comprises three bearings 18 for bearing the additional container base 3 at the container base 2. The bearings 18 are for example constructed as grooves in the container base 3 in which noses in the additional container part 3 are positioned (not shown). Furthermore, with a mechanism 17 the additional container part 3 can be fixed in different vertical positions relative to the container base 2. The mechanism 17 is operated with a lock 19 outside the additional container base 3.

A rollo 21 as a cover 20 at the upper range of the additional container part 3 is moveable in a grove 22. Therefore, with the rollo 21, the storage room of container system I can be opened and closed. Also, with the lock 19 the rollo 21 can be fixed with an additional fixing device (not shown) in the closed position. In the closed position of the rollo 21 the container systems I functions also as a armrest 5.

In an overall view, the container system 1 has substantial advantages. The additional container part 3 can be removable fixed to the container base 2. If the additional container base 3 is not fixed to the container base 2, only the container base 2 limits the storage room of the container system I and the container system 1 has a small size between the two front seats 25. If it is necessary to store goods in the container system 1 with a great vertical expansion, the additional container part 3 can be fixed to the container part 2 and the container system 1 provides a storage room with a big vertical expansion. Alb, the vertical expansion of the storage room can be adapted to the goods as the additi?nal container part 3 is moveable relative to the container part 2. As higher the additional container part 3 is fixed relative to the container part 2, the bigger the vertical expansion of the storage room is and vice versa. If the additional container part 3 is not any more necessary, because of the size of the goods stored in the container system 1, the additional container part 3 can be removed from the container base 2 and placed somewhere else in the motor vehicle 23, for example in the luggage trunk (not shown).

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the * foregoing summary and detailed description, it should be appreciated that a * vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way.

Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Container system 2 Container base 3 Additional container part 4 Console Armrest 6 Lateral base wall 7 Front base wall S Rear base wall 9 Ground base wall Lateral additional wail 11 Front additional wall 12 Rear additional wall 13 Outer distance of the lateral base walls 14 Inner distance of the lateral additional walls Outer distance of the front base wall and the rear base wail 16 Inner distance of the front additional wall and the rear additional wall 17 Mechanism 18 Bearing 19 Lock Cover 21 Rollo 22 Grove 23 Motor vehicle 24 Back seat Front seat

Claims

CLAIMS1. Container system (1) suitable as a central console (4) between the front seats (25) of a motor vehicle (23) with a container base (2), wherein, the container systems (1) comprises an additional container part (3) and the additional container part (3) is optionally fixable, especially removable fixable, to the container base (2) in order to increase the volume of the storage room of the container system (1) with the optional additional container part (3). $
Containersystemaccordingtotlaimt -------characterized in that the container base (2) comprises two lateral base walls (6), one front base wall (7) and one rear base wall (8) and preferably one ground base wall (9).
3. Container system according to claim I or 2, characterized in that the additional container part (3) comprises two lateral additional walls (10), one front additional wall (11) and one rear additional wall (12).
4. Container system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional container part (3) is vertically movable relative to the container base (2) when fixed to the container base (2), especially with a bearing (18).
5. Container system according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the outer distance (13) of the two lateral base walls (6) is smaller than the inner distance (14) of the two lateral additional walls (10) and the outer distance (15) of the front base wall (7) and the rear base wall (8) is smaller than the inner distance (16) of the front additional wall (11) and the rear additional wall (12).
6. Container system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container systems (1) comprises a mechanism (17) and with the mechanism (17) the additional container part (3) is fixable in different vertical positions relative to the container base (2).
7. Container system according to claim 6, characterized in that the container system (1) comprises a lock (1 9) for locking the additional container part (3) in the different vertical positions relative to the container base (2).
8. Container system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional container part (3) comprises a moveable cover (20), especially a rollo (21), for covering the upper range of the additional container part (3).
9. Container system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container base (2) and/or the additional container part (3) is made of plastic and/or the container systems (1) functions with the additional container part (3) fixed to the container base (2) and with the closed cover (20) as an armrest (5).tD;MOtorvehic23), . -.. -.. -.wherein, the motor vehicle (23) comprises a container system (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims.