US20190232879A1 - Collapsible storage compartment with inverting hinge for use in a vehicle - Google Patents
Collapsible storage compartment with inverting hinge for use in a vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20190232879A1 US20190232879A1 US15/886,306 US201815886306A US2019232879A1 US 20190232879 A1 US20190232879 A1 US 20190232879A1 US 201815886306 A US201815886306 A US 201815886306A US 2019232879 A1 US2019232879 A1 US 2019232879A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- bin
- base wall
- storage compartment
- side wall
- wall
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
- B60R21/055—Padded or energy-absorbing fittings, e.g. seat belt anchors
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R5/00—Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like
- B60R5/04—Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like arranged at rear of vehicle
- B60R5/044—Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like arranged at rear of vehicle luggage covering means, e.g. parcel shelves
- B60R5/045—Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like arranged at rear of vehicle luggage covering means, e.g. parcel shelves collapsible or transformable
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R7/00—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps
- B60R7/005—Nets or elastic pockets tensioned against walls or backrests
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R7/00—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps
- B60R7/04—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps in driver or passenger space, e.g. using racks
- B60R7/046—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps in driver or passenger space, e.g. using racks mounted on door
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R7/00—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps
- B60R7/08—Disposition of racks, clips, holders, containers or the like for supporting specific articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R11/00—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
- B60R2011/0042—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for characterised by mounting means
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to collapsible storage compartments with inverting hinges for use in vehicles.
- Vehicles and other modes of transportation often include storage compartments. Occupants of the vehicles or other modes of transportation use the storage compartments to store various items. Such items can include beverages, food, maps, documents, books, purses, wallets, ice scrapers, tools, laptops, tablets, personal care items, mobile communication devices, and the like. These items have various sizes and shapes.
- storage compartments can be positioned in various locations.
- Storage compartments can be positioned in center consoles, on seats, on doors or on other support structures.
- the storage compartments can have various sizes or shapes to accommodate the various sizes and shapes of items to be stored.
- a collapsible storage compartment in one example in accordance with the present disclosure, includes an inner bin with an inner side wall and an inner base wall.
- the inner side wall is connected to a periphery of the inner base wall to define a cavity.
- the collapsible storage compartment further includes an outer bin connected to the inner bin.
- the outer bin includes an outer base wall and a flexible hinge.
- the flexible hinge is movably connected to the outer base wall and is configured to move the outer base wall between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein at least a portion of the hinge flexes into the cavity to move the outer base wall toward the inner base wall when the outer base wall is moved from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- the outer bin is removably connected to the inner bin.
- the outer bin is connected to the inner bin along a portion of the inner side wall of the inner bin to define an access opening to permit access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- a vertical height of the outer base wall is less than a vertical height of the inner base wall such that the outer bin permits access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- the hinge is integrally formed with the outer base wall.
- the hinge is made of a first material and the outer base wall is made of a second material wherein the first material is different from the second material.
- the hinge includes an outer side wall and one or more flex regions.
- the one or more flex regions has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the outer side wall such that the hinge flexes at the flex regions to cause the outer side wall to rotate about the one or more flex regions.
- the outer side wall is made of a material having a first durometer and the one or more flex regions are made of the same material as the outer side wall but have a second durometer wherein the first durometer is different from the second durometer.
- the hinge includes at least a first flex region and a second flex region and the outer side wall is positioned between the first flex region and the second flex region.
- the outer bin includes an attachment collar.
- the attachment collar is connected to a side of the hinge opposite to the outer base wall and the attachment collar is positioned adjacent to the inner bin and connects the outer bin to the inner bin.
- the inner bin includes a saddle portion.
- the saddle portion is positioned along a portion of an outer edge of the inner side wall and is configured to receive the attachment collar to connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- the saddle portion includes a connecting wall facing the attachment collar wherein the connecting wall includes a plurality of apertures.
- the attachment collar includes a plurality of locking tabs projecting outward from the attachment collar wherein the plurality of locking tabs are configured to be received in the plurality of apertures to connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- the locking tabs each include a curved projection with a finger.
- the curved projections of the locking tabs project through the apertures and the fingers engage edges of the apertures to removably connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- the connecting wall and the attachment collar are oriented perpendicular to the inner side wall of the inner bin such that the plurality of locking tabs are positioned perpendicular to the inner side wall when inserted through the plurality of apertures.
- the connecting wall is positioned in a connecting plane that is inset from an outer edge of the inner side wall such that the attachment collar is positioned between inner base wall and the outer edge of the inner side wall.
- the outer base wall is positioned outside of the cavity when in the deployed position and inside the cavity when in the stowed position.
- the outer base wall includes a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge.
- the hinge is connected to the outer base wall along the first edge, the second edge and the third edge.
- the fourth edge is free floating relative to the inner bin to permit access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- the inner bin includes a plurality of connection points projecting outward from the inner side wall.
- the plurality of connection points are configured for connecting the inner bin to a support surface oriented parallel to the inner base wall.
- the support surface is located on a door trim panel of a vehicle.
- a collapsible storage compartment is configured for use in a door trim panel of a vehicle.
- the example collapsible storage compartment includes a rigid inner bin including an inner side wall and an inner base wall.
- the inner side wall is connected around a periphery of the inner base wall.
- the inner side wall includes a plurality of connection points and a saddle portion. The plurality of connection points project outward from the inner side wall to connect the inner bin to the door trim panel and the saddle portion is inset from an outer edge of the inner side wall and extends upward from a bottom of the inner side wall.
- the example collapsible storage compartment also includes an outer bin including a flexible hinge, a rigid outer base wall and an attachment collar.
- the flexible hinge is connected to a first edge, a second edge and a third edge of the outer base wall.
- a fourth edge of the outer base wall is free floating and spaced apart from the inner bin to permit access to an interior of the storage compartment.
- the flexible hinge is connected to and positioned between the rigid outer base wall and the attachment collar. The attachment collar is received into the saddle portion to connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- the flexible hinge includes one or more flex points to permit the hinge to flex inward and toward the inner base wall causing the outer base wall to move toward the inner base wall when the outer base wall is moved from a deployed position to a stowed position, wherein the outer base wall has a height that is less than a height of the inner base wall to define an access opening to permit access to a storage volume located between the inner base wall and the outer base wall.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure shown in a door trim panel;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner bin of the example collapsible storage compartment of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an outer bin of the example collapsible storage compartment of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the example collapsible storage compartment of FIG. 2 showing the outer bin in a deployed position and in a stowed position;
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another example collapsible storage compartment of the present disclosure showing the outer bin in a deployed position and in a stowed position;
- FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the example collapsible storage compartment of FIG. 2 showing locking tabs connecting the outer bin to the inner bin;
- FIG. 8 is a magnified view of one of the locking tabs of the example collapsible storage compartment as indicated in FIG. 7 ;
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an example covered collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the example covered collapsible storage compartment of FIG. 9 shown in the deployed position.
- a collapsible storage compartment includes an outer bin that is removably connected to an inner bin.
- the outer bin and the inner bin combine to define a storage volume that can be increased by moving an outer base wall of the outer bin from a stowed position to a deployed position.
- the outer bin includes a flexible hinge that is connected between the inner bin and the outer base wall of the outer bin to permit the outer base wall to move relative to the inner bin to increase the storage volume of the collapsible storage compartment.
- the flexible hinge includes an outer side wall and two or more flex points.
- the outer side wall is positioned between two such flex points such that the outer side wall can rotate about the flex points to move the outer base wall toward or away from the inner base wall.
- the outer side wall of the flexible hinge rotates inwardly toward the inner base wall and into the inner bin when the outer side wall moves from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- Such movement of the outer side wall of the flexible hinge can cause contents that may be positioned in the storage compartment to be moved toward the outer side wall in a manner that does not pinch or trap such contents in the storage compartment.
- the flexible hinge is configured to invert or rotate into the inner bin such that the outer base wall is positioned flushly or inside the inner bin when the outer base wall is moved to the stowed position. In this manner, the outer bin and/or the outer base wall do not project outward beyond the outer profile of the inner bin.
- the example collapsible storage compartments of the present disclosure can be used in the interior cabins of vehicles.
- the collapsible storage compartments can be mounted in the door trim of a vehicle.
- the outer bin can be stowed flushly with or inside the door trim and then moved to the deployed position to increase the storage volume of the storage compartment.
- the collapsible storage compartment of the present disclosure can be used in other environments or other applications such as in various personal, public, commercial or industrial vehicles, in marine environments, in furniture or the like.
- an example collapsible storage compartment 50 includes an inner bin 52 and an outer bin 54 .
- the storage compartment 50 can be mounted in a door trim panel 56 of a vehicle.
- the inner bin 52 is mounted to a back side of the door trim panel 56 at an opening 58 .
- the outer bin 54 is connected to the inner bin 52 at the opening 58 so that the outer bin 54 projects through the opening 58 when the outer bin 54 is in the deployed position.
- the outer bin 54 can be moved to a stowed position in which an outer base wall 60 of the outer bin 54 moves toward the inner bin 52 .
- the outer base wall 60 can be positioned flushly with the door trim panel 56 or inside the inner bin 52 . In such a stowed position, the outer bin 54 does not project outward from the door trim panel 56 .
- the outer bin 54 does not completely cover the inner bin 52 .
- the upper edge 46 of the inner bin 52 and the upper edge 48 of the outer bin 54 are spaced apart from each other to define an access opening 44 .
- the access opening 44 permits objects to be inserted (or removed) from the storage compartment 50 when the outer bin 54 is in either the deployed position or in the stowed position.
- the inner bin 52 and the outer bin 54 have a similar outer profile.
- the inner bin 52 and the outer bin 54 have a trapezoidal shape.
- the inner bin 52 and/or the outer bin 54 can have other shapes such as rectangular, circular, oval or other suitable shapes.
- the inner bin 52 and/or the outer bin 54 can have formations that are suitable to hold or retain objects that may be stored in the storage compartment 50 .
- the inner bin 52 and/or the outer bin 54 can have suitable formations to hold beverage containers, maps, sunglasses, tools, documents, electronic devices or other items.
- the inner bin 52 includes an inner base wall 62 and an inner side wall 64 .
- the inner side wall 64 is connected to the inner base wall 62 to define an inner cavity 66 .
- the inner side wall 64 wraps around a periphery of the inner base wall 62 .
- the inner side wall 64 is connected to the inner base wall at an inner edge 68 of the inner side wall 64 .
- the outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 is positioned on a side opposite to the inner edge 68 .
- the inner bin 52 is connected to a supporting surface (e.g., the door trim panel 56 ) at or near the outer edge 70 .
- the inner side wall 64 is a rounded continuous wall that extends around the periphery of the inner base wall 62 .
- the inner side wall 64 can be separated into discrete panels that are joined together or the inner side wall 64 can have corners that define one or more panels that together create the inner side wall 64 .
- the inner cavity 66 is a volume of space inside the inner bin 52 in which items can be stored. As shown in FIG. 5 , the inner cavity 66 has a depth that can be measured as the perpendicular distance between a first plane P 1 defined by inner base wall 62 and a second plane P 2 defined by the outer edge 70 . The depth of the inner cavity 66 can have any suitable dimension.
- the depth of the inner cavity 66 is sufficient to permit items to be stored inside the inner cavity 66 and to permit the outer bin 54 to be moved to a stowed position in which the outer base wall 60 and/or the hinge 72 to be positioned inside the inner cavity 66 (i.e., between the first plane P 1 and the second plane P 2 ).
- the inner bin 52 includes a plurality of connecting points 74 positioned on one or more attachment tabs 76 .
- the attachment tabs 76 in this example, are rectangular shaped projections that extend away from the outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 .
- the connecting points 74 are openings that are positioned in each attachment tab 76 .
- a fastener (not shown) can be inserted through the connecting points 74 to secure the inner bin 52 to a support surface such as the door trim panel 56 .
- the attachment tabs 76 can include stiffening features such as ribs, fillets, darts or the like to strengthen the attachment tabs 76 and to limit the deflection of the attachment tabs 76 when the storage compartment is subjected to external forces.
- the inner bin 52 includes a saddle portion 78 .
- the outer bin 54 connects to the inner bin 52 at the saddle portion 78 .
- the saddle portion 78 in this example, is an inset feature of the inner bin 52 that extends across a bottom 80 of the inner side wall 64 and extends upward along the upstanding portions 82 of the inner side wall 64 .
- the saddle portion 78 does not continue along the entire length of the upstanding portions 82 . Instead, the saddle portion 78 terminates below the top 84 of the inner side wall 64 .
- the saddle portion 78 terminates below the top 84 so that the outer bin 54 does not completely cover the inner cavity 66 and permits a user to access the inner cavity 66 to insert or remove items from the inner cavity 66 .
- the saddle portion 78 in the example shown, includes a connecting wall 86 and an insertion wall 88 .
- the connecting wall 86 is oriented parallel to and inset from the second plane P 2 defined by the outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 .
- the connecting wall 86 is connected to the insertion wall 88 .
- the insertion wall 88 is oriented parallel to the inner side wall 64 .
- the connecting wall 86 defines a connecting plane P 3 in the inner bin 52 which the outer bin 54 can be attached. Since the connecting wall 86 is inset from the outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 , the outer bin 54 is connected to the inner bin 52 at a location that is inset as well. As will be further explained, this permits all or a portion of the outer bin 54 to be positioned inside the inner cavity 66 when the outer bin is moved from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- the outer bin 54 is connected to the inner bin 52 at the saddle portion 78 .
- the outer bin 54 includes the outer base wall 60 , the hinge 72 and an attachment collar 100 .
- the outer base wall 60 is a planar member and has a trapezoidal shape as previously described.
- the hinge 72 is connected to the perimeter of the outer base wall 60 . As will be further described, the hinge 72 is flexible such that the hinge 72 can permit the movement of the outer base wall 60 relative to the inner bin 52 between the stowed position and the deployed position.
- the attachment collar 100 is connected to the hinge 72 .
- the attachment collar 100 connects the outer bin 54 to the inner bin 52 .
- the attachment collar 100 in the example shown, includes a foot 102 and an extension 104 .
- the extension 104 projects inward toward the inner base wall 62 when the attachment collar 100 is seated inside the saddle portion 78 .
- the foot 102 abuts the connecting wall 86 at the connecting plane P 3 to connect the outer bin 54 to the inner bin 52 .
- Various attachments can be used to connect the foot 102 to the connecting wall 86 to secure the attachment collar 100 to the saddle portion 78 .
- Adhesive, welds, stakes, fasteners, tabs, clips and the like can be used to secure the attachment collar 100 to the saddle portion 78 .
- the attachment collar 100 includes a plurality of locking tabs 106 that project outward from the foot 102 of the attachment collar 100 .
- the locking tabs 106 include a curved projection 108 and a finger 110 .
- the locking tabs 106 interface with corresponding apertures 112 located in the connecting wall 86 of the inner bin 52 .
- the locking tabs 106 are inserted through the apertures 112 .
- the curved projections 108 abut the edges of the apertures 112 to locate the attachment collar 100 relative to the inner bin 52 .
- the fingers 110 are raised angular features that project outward from the curved projections 108 .
- the fingers 110 engage the edges of the apertures 112 to lock the locking tabs 106 in the apertures 112 and resist the movement of attachment collar 100 that would disengage the outer bin 54 from the inner bin 52 .
- the attachment collar 100 and the corresponding connecting wall 86 include a plurality of the locking tabs 106 and the apertures 112 , respectively.
- the outer bin 54 is located in a desired position relative to the inner bin 52 through the use of elastic averaging across the plurality of locking tabs 106 and the apertures 112 .
- Such use of the elastic averaging for locating the outer bin 54 relative to the inner bin 52 eliminates the need to include separate locator features on the outer bin 54 and/or the inner bin 52 such as a 2-way or 4-way locator.
- the curved projections 108 are sized relative to the apertures 112 to permit the curved projections 108 to elastically deform when the curved projections 108 are inserted into the apertures 112 .
- the curved projections 108 are inserted through the apertures 112 .
- a point is reached where a curved projection 108 abuts an edge of an aperture 112 such that the curved projection 108 elastically deforms so that the curved projection 108 can be inserted through the aperture 112 .
- This process continues as all the curved projections 108 are inserted through all the apertures 112 .
- the elastic deformation that occurs is elastically averaged over all the curved projections 108 and their corresponding apertures 112 .
- the curved projections 108 and the corresponding apertures 112 are sized appropriately given their geometric variations such that the outer bin 54 is precisely located at the desired position relative to the inner bin 52 .
- the hinge 72 is positioned between the attachment collar 100 and the outer base wall 60 .
- the hinge 72 in one example, includes an outer side wall 120 and one or more flex points.
- the hinge 72 is flexible and can move in order to translate the outer base wall 60 between the deployed position and the stowed position.
- the hinge 72 includes a first flex point 122 and a second flex point 124 .
- the outer side wall 120 is positioned between the first flex point 122 and the second flex point 124 .
- the first flex point 122 and the second flex point 124 are localized regions of the hinge 72 in which the material thickness is less than the material thickness of surrounding regions such as the material thickness of the outer side wall 120 .
- the reduced thickness of the first flex point 122 and of the second flex point 124 relative to the outer side wall 120 causes the outer side wall 120 to rotate around the first flex point 122 and/or the second flex point 124 when a force is exerted against the outer base wall 60 .
- the first flex point 122 and/or the second flex point 124 has a curved shape.
- the curved shape can facilitate the rotation of the outer side wall 120 in a certain direction.
- the first flex point 122 has a curved shape that curves into the inner cavity 66 .
- the second flex point 124 has a curved shape that curves away from the inner cavity 66 .
- first flex point 122 and/or the second flex point 124 can have other shapes or profiles such as v-shapes, u-shapes or can have notches or grooves that can cause similar desired movement of the outer side wall 120 .
- the hinge 72 can include more than two flex points.
- the hinge 72 includes a first flex point 130 , a second flex point 132 and a third flex point 134 .
- a first outer side wall 136 is positioned between the first flex point 130 and the second flex point 132 and a second outer side wall 138 is positioned between the second flex point 132 and the third flex point 134 .
- the first flex point 130 , the second flex point 132 and the third flex point 134 have material thicknesses that are less than the material thicknesses of the first outer side wall 136 and the second outer side wall 138 .
- the first flex point 130 , the second flex point 132 and the third flex point 134 have curved shapes.
- the first outer side wall 136 rotates about the first flex point 130 and the second flex point 132 to cause the outer base wall 60 to translate inward toward the inner bin 52 to move the outer bin from the deployed position to the stowed position (as shown in dashed lines).
- the hinge 72 can include other quantities of flex points and other quantities of outer side walls to cause outer base wall 60 to move from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- the hinge 72 is connected along three sides of the outer base wall 60 .
- the hinge 72 is connected to the outer base wall 60 on a lower side and along the two opposing upwardly directed edges.
- An upper edge 140 of outer base wall 60 is not directly connected to the inner bin 52 .
- the upper edge 140 is free floating relative to the inner bin 52 in that no structure spans across an access opening 142 that is defined by the upper edge 140 and a portion of the outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 that is located above the outer bin 54 .
- the upper edge 140 is free floating so that there is not an impediment to inserting or removing items from the inner cavity 66 when the outer bin 54 is in either the deployed position or the stowed position.
- the outer base wall 60 can move from the deployed position to the stowed position (as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5 ).
- the hinge 72 In the deployed position, the hinge 72 has an angled profile that projects away from the inner bin 52 . In this position, the hinge 72 causes the outer base wall 60 to be positioned outward and away from the inner base wall 62 such that the outer base wall 60 is outward of the second plane P 2 (i.e., outward from outer edge 70 of the inner side wall 64 ).
- the separation between the second plane P 2 and the outer base wall 60 results in an increased storage volume in the storage compartment 50 because there is an additional cavity created in addition to the inner cavity 66 defined by the inner bin 52 .
- the outer bin 54 projects outward of a support surface to which the storage compartment is mounted.
- the outer bin 54 projects into the vehicle cabin.
- the outer bin 54 can interfere with an occupant's legs or can interfere with or block an occupant from entering or exiting a vehicle.
- the outer bin 54 can be moved from the deployed position to the stowed position in these circumstances.
- the hinge 72 In the stowed position (as shown in the dashed lines in FIG. 5 ), the hinge 72 has rotated inward toward the inner base wall 62 and caused the outer base wall 60 to translate inward into the inner cavity 66 .
- the outer base wall 60 is positioned between the first plane P 1 and the second plane P 2 such that the outer base wall 60 does not project outward from the inner bin 52 .
- the hinge 72 moves toward the inner base wall 62 and into the inner cavity 66 .
- the outer side wall 120 and the second flex point 124 rotate in a counter clockwise direction into the inner cavity 66 .
- this movement of the hinge 72 also can move items that are stored in the storage compartment 50 toward the inner base wall 62 .
- the hinge 72 does not create a vertically oriented pocket or other pinch point that can be otherwise created using a traditional accordion-type or corrugated structure. As such, the hinge 72 of the present disclosure does not bind or prevent the removal of items that may be stored in the storage compartment 50 after the outer bin 54 has been moved from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- the storage compartment 50 can be made of any suitable material.
- the storage compartment 50 is made of multiple materials with varying degrees of flexibility.
- the inner bin 52 in one example, is made of a relatively rigid material. Such a rigid material is capable of withstanding normal loads without significant deformation that may be exerted during the storage of typical items that are inserted or removed from a storage compartment in a door trim panel of a vehicle.
- the inner bin 52 can be made from a suitable plastic material such as thermoplastic polymer such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). In other examples, the inner bin 52 can be made of other suitable materials.
- the outer bin 54 can also be made from a variety of materials.
- the outer bin 54 is made of a suitable thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) having variable durometers.
- TPE thermoplastic elastomer
- portions of the outer bin 54 are relatively more rigid than other portions of the outer bin 54 .
- the attachment collar 100 and the outer base wall 60 can be made of relatively rigid material and the hinge 72 can be made of relatively flexible material.
- the outer bin 54 is a single integrated part wherein the attachment collar 100 , the hinge 72 and the outer base wall 60 are formed as a single integrated part. This can reduce complexity during assembly as well as reduce the weight of the outer bin 54 .
- another example storage compartment 200 includes an inner bin 202 , an outer bin 204 and a lid 206 .
- the storage compartment 200 can include one or more aspects of the previously described storage compartment 50 .
- the outer bin 204 of the storage compartment 200 can move from a stowed position ( FIG. 9 ) to a deployed position ( FIG. 10 ).
- the outer bin 204 is connected to the inner bin 202 .
- the outer bin 204 moves away from the inner bin 202 when the outer bin 204 is moved from the stowed position to the deployed position. In this manner, the storage compartment 200 can have an increased storage volume when in the deployed position.
- the outer bin 204 includes a flexible hinge 208 . While not shown, the hinge 208 can include one or more of the aspects of the hinge 72 previously discussed to cause the hinge 208 to move an outer base wall 210 of the outer bin 204 relative to the inner bin 202 .
- the lid 206 in this example, is connected to the inner bin 202 and is positioned on top of the storage compartment 200 to cover an access opening (not shown) of the storage compartment 200 .
- the outer base wall 210 includes a first retention post 212 and a second retention post 214 .
- the first retention post 212 is positioned above the second retention post 214 on the outer base wall 210 .
- the first retention post 212 and the second retention post 214 are circular projections in this example. In other examples, the first retention post 212 and/or the second retention post 214 can have other shapes or sizes.
- the lid 206 in this example, includes a tether 216 that is connected to a forward portion of the lid 206 .
- the tether 216 removably connects to either the first retention post 212 or the second retention post 214 to secure the lid 206 in a closed position to cover the storage compartment 200 .
- the tether 216 in this example, is a loop of material. In other examples, other hooks, clips and other retention features can be used to removably secure the lid 206 in a closed position.
- the lid 206 can be secured in the closed position when the outer bin 204 is in the stowed position ( FIG. 9 ) by connecting the tether 216 to the second retention post 214 .
- the lid 206 can be secured in the closed position by connecting the tether 216 to the first retention post 212 .
- the stacked orientation of the first retention post 212 and the second retention post 214 permits the lid to be secured in a closed position when the outer bin 204 is in either the stowed position or in the deployed position.
- the covered collapsible storage compartment 200 can be used in environments where the storage compartment 200 may be exposed to weather, contaminants or other elements.
- Example applications for the covered collapsible storage compartment 200 include bicycles, motorcycles, boats and the like.
- Spatial and functional relationships between elements are described using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements.
- the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
Abstract
Description
- The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
- The present disclosure relates to collapsible storage compartments with inverting hinges for use in vehicles.
- Vehicles and other modes of transportation often include storage compartments. Occupants of the vehicles or other modes of transportation use the storage compartments to store various items. Such items can include beverages, food, maps, documents, books, purses, wallets, ice scrapers, tools, laptops, tablets, personal care items, mobile communication devices, and the like. These items have various sizes and shapes.
- To accommodate the storage needs of occupants, storage compartments can be positioned in various locations. Storage compartments can be positioned in center consoles, on seats, on doors or on other support structures. The storage compartments can have various sizes or shapes to accommodate the various sizes and shapes of items to be stored.
- In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a collapsible storage compartment includes an inner bin with an inner side wall and an inner base wall. The inner side wall is connected to a periphery of the inner base wall to define a cavity. The collapsible storage compartment further includes an outer bin connected to the inner bin. The outer bin includes an outer base wall and a flexible hinge. The flexible hinge is movably connected to the outer base wall and is configured to move the outer base wall between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein at least a portion of the hinge flexes into the cavity to move the outer base wall toward the inner base wall when the outer base wall is moved from the deployed position to the stowed position.
- In one aspect, the outer bin is removably connected to the inner bin.
- In one aspect, the outer bin is connected to the inner bin along a portion of the inner side wall of the inner bin to define an access opening to permit access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- In one aspect, a vertical height of the outer base wall is less than a vertical height of the inner base wall such that the outer bin permits access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- In one aspect, the hinge is integrally formed with the outer base wall.
- In one aspect, the hinge is made of a first material and the outer base wall is made of a second material wherein the first material is different from the second material.
- In one aspect, the hinge includes an outer side wall and one or more flex regions. The one or more flex regions has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the outer side wall such that the hinge flexes at the flex regions to cause the outer side wall to rotate about the one or more flex regions.
- In one aspect, the outer side wall is made of a material having a first durometer and the one or more flex regions are made of the same material as the outer side wall but have a second durometer wherein the first durometer is different from the second durometer.
- In one aspect, the hinge includes at least a first flex region and a second flex region and the outer side wall is positioned between the first flex region and the second flex region.
- In one aspect, the outer bin includes an attachment collar. The attachment collar is connected to a side of the hinge opposite to the outer base wall and the attachment collar is positioned adjacent to the inner bin and connects the outer bin to the inner bin.
- In one aspect, the inner bin includes a saddle portion. The saddle portion is positioned along a portion of an outer edge of the inner side wall and is configured to receive the attachment collar to connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- In one aspect, the saddle portion includes a connecting wall facing the attachment collar wherein the connecting wall includes a plurality of apertures. The attachment collar includes a plurality of locking tabs projecting outward from the attachment collar wherein the plurality of locking tabs are configured to be received in the plurality of apertures to connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- In one aspect, the locking tabs each include a curved projection with a finger. The curved projections of the locking tabs project through the apertures and the fingers engage edges of the apertures to removably connect the outer bin to the inner bin.
- In one aspect, the connecting wall and the attachment collar are oriented perpendicular to the inner side wall of the inner bin such that the plurality of locking tabs are positioned perpendicular to the inner side wall when inserted through the plurality of apertures.
- In one aspect, the connecting wall is positioned in a connecting plane that is inset from an outer edge of the inner side wall such that the attachment collar is positioned between inner base wall and the outer edge of the inner side wall.
- In one aspect, the outer base wall is positioned outside of the cavity when in the deployed position and inside the cavity when in the stowed position.
- In one aspect, the outer base wall includes a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge. The hinge is connected to the outer base wall along the first edge, the second edge and the third edge. The fourth edge is free floating relative to the inner bin to permit access to the cavity when the outer base wall is in the deployed position and in the stowed position.
- In one aspect, the inner bin includes a plurality of connection points projecting outward from the inner side wall. The plurality of connection points are configured for connecting the inner bin to a support surface oriented parallel to the inner base wall.
- In one aspect, the support surface is located on a door trim panel of a vehicle.
- In another example in accordance with the present disclosure, a collapsible storage compartment is configured for use in a door trim panel of a vehicle. The example collapsible storage compartment includes a rigid inner bin including an inner side wall and an inner base wall. The inner side wall is connected around a periphery of the inner base wall. The inner side wall includes a plurality of connection points and a saddle portion. The plurality of connection points project outward from the inner side wall to connect the inner bin to the door trim panel and the saddle portion is inset from an outer edge of the inner side wall and extends upward from a bottom of the inner side wall. The example collapsible storage compartment also includes an outer bin including a flexible hinge, a rigid outer base wall and an attachment collar. The flexible hinge is connected to a first edge, a second edge and a third edge of the outer base wall. A fourth edge of the outer base wall is free floating and spaced apart from the inner bin to permit access to an interior of the storage compartment. The flexible hinge is connected to and positioned between the rigid outer base wall and the attachment collar. The attachment collar is received into the saddle portion to connect the outer bin to the inner bin. The flexible hinge includes one or more flex points to permit the hinge to flex inward and toward the inner base wall causing the outer base wall to move toward the inner base wall when the outer base wall is moved from a deployed position to a stowed position, wherein the outer base wall has a height that is less than a height of the inner base wall to define an access opening to permit access to a storage volume located between the inner base wall and the outer base wall.
- Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
- The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure shown in a door trim panel; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner bin of the example collapsible storage compartment ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an outer bin of the example collapsible storage compartment ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the example collapsible storage compartment ofFIG. 2 showing the outer bin in a deployed position and in a stowed position; -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another example collapsible storage compartment of the present disclosure showing the outer bin in a deployed position and in a stowed position; -
FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the example collapsible storage compartment ofFIG. 2 showing locking tabs connecting the outer bin to the inner bin; -
FIG. 8 is a magnified view of one of the locking tabs of the example collapsible storage compartment as indicated inFIG. 7 ; -
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an example covered collapsible storage compartment in accordance with the present disclosure; and -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the example covered collapsible storage compartment ofFIG. 9 shown in the deployed position. - In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and/or identical elements.
- In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a collapsible storage compartment includes an outer bin that is removably connected to an inner bin. The outer bin and the inner bin combine to define a storage volume that can be increased by moving an outer base wall of the outer bin from a stowed position to a deployed position. The outer bin includes a flexible hinge that is connected between the inner bin and the outer base wall of the outer bin to permit the outer base wall to move relative to the inner bin to increase the storage volume of the collapsible storage compartment.
- In such an example collapsible storage compartment, the flexible hinge includes an outer side wall and two or more flex points. The outer side wall is positioned between two such flex points such that the outer side wall can rotate about the flex points to move the outer base wall toward or away from the inner base wall.
- In one example, the outer side wall of the flexible hinge rotates inwardly toward the inner base wall and into the inner bin when the outer side wall moves from the deployed position to the stowed position. Such movement of the outer side wall of the flexible hinge can cause contents that may be positioned in the storage compartment to be moved toward the outer side wall in a manner that does not pinch or trap such contents in the storage compartment. In one example, the flexible hinge is configured to invert or rotate into the inner bin such that the outer base wall is positioned flushly or inside the inner bin when the outer base wall is moved to the stowed position. In this manner, the outer bin and/or the outer base wall do not project outward beyond the outer profile of the inner bin.
- The example collapsible storage compartments of the present disclosure can be used in the interior cabins of vehicles. For example, the collapsible storage compartments can be mounted in the door trim of a vehicle. The outer bin can be stowed flushly with or inside the door trim and then moved to the deployed position to increase the storage volume of the storage compartment. As can be appreciated, the collapsible storage compartment of the present disclosure can be used in other environments or other applications such as in various personal, public, commercial or industrial vehicles, in marine environments, in furniture or the like.
- Referring now to
FIG. 1 , an examplecollapsible storage compartment 50 includes aninner bin 52 and anouter bin 54. As shown, thestorage compartment 50 can be mounted in a doortrim panel 56 of a vehicle. In such an example application, theinner bin 52 is mounted to a back side of the doortrim panel 56 at anopening 58. Theouter bin 54 is connected to theinner bin 52 at theopening 58 so that theouter bin 54 projects through theopening 58 when theouter bin 54 is in the deployed position. As shown in the dashed lines, theouter bin 54 can be moved to a stowed position in which anouter base wall 60 of theouter bin 54 moves toward theinner bin 52. In the stowed position, theouter base wall 60 can be positioned flushly with the doortrim panel 56 or inside theinner bin 52. In such a stowed position, theouter bin 54 does not project outward from the doortrim panel 56. - In the example shown, the
outer bin 54 does not completely cover theinner bin 52. Theupper edge 46 of theinner bin 52 and theupper edge 48 of theouter bin 54 are spaced apart from each other to define anaccess opening 44. The access opening 44 permits objects to be inserted (or removed) from thestorage compartment 50 when theouter bin 54 is in either the deployed position or in the stowed position. - In the example shown, the
inner bin 52 and theouter bin 54 have a similar outer profile. Theinner bin 52 and theouter bin 54 have a trapezoidal shape. In other examples, theinner bin 52 and/or theouter bin 54 can have other shapes such as rectangular, circular, oval or other suitable shapes. In addition, theinner bin 52 and/or theouter bin 54 can have formations that are suitable to hold or retain objects that may be stored in thestorage compartment 50. For example, theinner bin 52 and/or theouter bin 54 can have suitable formations to hold beverage containers, maps, sunglasses, tools, documents, electronic devices or other items. - Referring now to
FIGS. 2 to 4 , theexample storage compartment 50 is shown apart from the doortrim panel 56. Theinner bin 52 includes aninner base wall 62 and aninner side wall 64. Theinner side wall 64 is connected to theinner base wall 62 to define aninner cavity 66. Theinner side wall 64 wraps around a periphery of theinner base wall 62. Theinner side wall 64 is connected to the inner base wall at aninner edge 68 of theinner side wall 64. Theouter edge 70 of theinner side wall 64 is positioned on a side opposite to theinner edge 68. Theinner bin 52 is connected to a supporting surface (e.g., the door trim panel 56) at or near theouter edge 70. As shown, theinner side wall 64 is a rounded continuous wall that extends around the periphery of theinner base wall 62. In other examples, theinner side wall 64 can be separated into discrete panels that are joined together or theinner side wall 64 can have corners that define one or more panels that together create theinner side wall 64. - As previously stated, the
inner side wall 64 and theinner base wall 62 define theinner cavity 66. Theinner cavity 66 is a volume of space inside theinner bin 52 in which items can be stored. As shown inFIG. 5 , theinner cavity 66 has a depth that can be measured as the perpendicular distance between a first plane P1 defined byinner base wall 62 and a second plane P2 defined by theouter edge 70. The depth of theinner cavity 66 can have any suitable dimension. In the example shown, the depth of theinner cavity 66 is sufficient to permit items to be stored inside theinner cavity 66 and to permit theouter bin 54 to be moved to a stowed position in which theouter base wall 60 and/or thehinge 72 to be positioned inside the inner cavity 66 (i.e., between the first plane P1 and the second plane P2). - As further shown in the
storage compartment 50, theinner bin 52 includes a plurality of connectingpoints 74 positioned on one ormore attachment tabs 76. Theattachment tabs 76, in this example, are rectangular shaped projections that extend away from theouter edge 70 of theinner side wall 64. The connecting points 74 are openings that are positioned in eachattachment tab 76. A fastener (not shown) can be inserted through the connectingpoints 74 to secure theinner bin 52 to a support surface such as the doortrim panel 56. Theattachment tabs 76 can include stiffening features such as ribs, fillets, darts or the like to strengthen theattachment tabs 76 and to limit the deflection of theattachment tabs 76 when the storage compartment is subjected to external forces. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , theinner bin 52 includes asaddle portion 78. Theouter bin 54 connects to theinner bin 52 at thesaddle portion 78. Thesaddle portion 78, in this example, is an inset feature of theinner bin 52 that extends across a bottom 80 of theinner side wall 64 and extends upward along theupstanding portions 82 of theinner side wall 64. Thesaddle portion 78 does not continue along the entire length of theupstanding portions 82. Instead, thesaddle portion 78 terminates below the top 84 of theinner side wall 64. As will be further explained, thesaddle portion 78 terminates below the top 84 so that theouter bin 54 does not completely cover theinner cavity 66 and permits a user to access theinner cavity 66 to insert or remove items from theinner cavity 66. - The
saddle portion 78, in the example shown, includes a connectingwall 86 and aninsertion wall 88. The connectingwall 86 is oriented parallel to and inset from the second plane P2 defined by theouter edge 70 of theinner side wall 64. The connectingwall 86 is connected to theinsertion wall 88. Theinsertion wall 88 is oriented parallel to theinner side wall 64. In this manner, the connectingwall 86 defines a connecting plane P3 in theinner bin 52 which theouter bin 54 can be attached. Since the connectingwall 86 is inset from theouter edge 70 of theinner side wall 64, theouter bin 54 is connected to theinner bin 52 at a location that is inset as well. As will be further explained, this permits all or a portion of theouter bin 54 to be positioned inside theinner cavity 66 when the outer bin is moved from the deployed position to the stowed position. - As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 4 , theouter bin 54 is connected to theinner bin 52 at thesaddle portion 78. Theouter bin 54 includes theouter base wall 60, thehinge 72 and anattachment collar 100. Theouter base wall 60 is a planar member and has a trapezoidal shape as previously described. Thehinge 72 is connected to the perimeter of theouter base wall 60. As will be further described, thehinge 72 is flexible such that thehinge 72 can permit the movement of theouter base wall 60 relative to theinner bin 52 between the stowed position and the deployed position. Theattachment collar 100 is connected to thehinge 72. Theattachment collar 100 connects theouter bin 54 to theinner bin 52. - The
attachment collar 100, in the example shown, includes afoot 102 and anextension 104. Theextension 104 projects inward toward theinner base wall 62 when theattachment collar 100 is seated inside thesaddle portion 78. Thefoot 102 abuts the connectingwall 86 at the connecting plane P3 to connect theouter bin 54 to theinner bin 52. Various attachments can be used to connect thefoot 102 to the connectingwall 86 to secure theattachment collar 100 to thesaddle portion 78. Adhesive, welds, stakes, fasteners, tabs, clips and the like can be used to secure theattachment collar 100 to thesaddle portion 78. - In one example, as shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8 , theattachment collar 100 includes a plurality of lockingtabs 106 that project outward from thefoot 102 of theattachment collar 100. The lockingtabs 106, in this example, include acurved projection 108 and afinger 110. The lockingtabs 106 interface withcorresponding apertures 112 located in the connectingwall 86 of theinner bin 52. As shown, the lockingtabs 106 are inserted through theapertures 112. Thecurved projections 108 abut the edges of theapertures 112 to locate theattachment collar 100 relative to theinner bin 52. Thefingers 110 are raised angular features that project outward from thecurved projections 108. Thefingers 110 engage the edges of theapertures 112 to lock the lockingtabs 106 in theapertures 112 and resist the movement ofattachment collar 100 that would disengage theouter bin 54 from theinner bin 52. - As shown in this example, the
attachment collar 100 and the corresponding connectingwall 86 include a plurality of the lockingtabs 106 and theapertures 112, respectively. Theouter bin 54 is located in a desired position relative to theinner bin 52 through the use of elastic averaging across the plurality of lockingtabs 106 and theapertures 112. Such use of the elastic averaging for locating theouter bin 54 relative to theinner bin 52 eliminates the need to include separate locator features on theouter bin 54 and/or theinner bin 52 such as a 2-way or 4-way locator. - As shown in
FIG. 8 , thecurved projections 108 are sized relative to theapertures 112 to permit thecurved projections 108 to elastically deform when thecurved projections 108 are inserted into theapertures 112. As theouter bin 54 is mated to theinner bin 52, thecurved projections 108 are inserted through theapertures 112. During this mating process, a point is reached where acurved projection 108 abuts an edge of anaperture 112 such that thecurved projection 108 elastically deforms so that thecurved projection 108 can be inserted through theaperture 112. This process continues as all thecurved projections 108 are inserted through all theapertures 112. The elastic deformation that occurs is elastically averaged over all thecurved projections 108 and theircorresponding apertures 112. Thecurved projections 108 and the correspondingapertures 112 are sized appropriately given their geometric variations such that theouter bin 54 is precisely located at the desired position relative to theinner bin 52. - As previously described, the
hinge 72 is positioned between theattachment collar 100 and theouter base wall 60. Thehinge 72, in one example, includes anouter side wall 120 and one or more flex points. Thehinge 72 is flexible and can move in order to translate theouter base wall 60 between the deployed position and the stowed position. As shown in the example ofFIG. 5 , thehinge 72 includes afirst flex point 122 and asecond flex point 124. Theouter side wall 120 is positioned between thefirst flex point 122 and thesecond flex point 124. Thefirst flex point 122 and thesecond flex point 124, in the example shown, are localized regions of thehinge 72 in which the material thickness is less than the material thickness of surrounding regions such as the material thickness of theouter side wall 120. The reduced thickness of thefirst flex point 122 and of thesecond flex point 124 relative to theouter side wall 120 causes theouter side wall 120 to rotate around thefirst flex point 122 and/or thesecond flex point 124 when a force is exerted against theouter base wall 60. - To further cause the
hinge 72 to move in a desired direction, thefirst flex point 122 and/or thesecond flex point 124 has a curved shape. The curved shape can facilitate the rotation of theouter side wall 120 in a certain direction. In the example shown, thefirst flex point 122 has a curved shape that curves into theinner cavity 66. Thesecond flex point 124 has a curved shape that curves away from theinner cavity 66. These opposing curved shapes of thefirst flex point 122 and thesecond flex point 124 cause theouter side wall 120 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction or in a direction toward theinner cavity 66. In other examples, thefirst flex point 122 and/or thesecond flex point 124 can have other shapes or profiles such as v-shapes, u-shapes or can have notches or grooves that can cause similar desired movement of theouter side wall 120. - In still other examples, the
hinge 72 can include more than two flex points. In one such example, as shown inFIG. 6 , thehinge 72 includes afirst flex point 130, asecond flex point 132 and athird flex point 134. In this example, a firstouter side wall 136 is positioned between thefirst flex point 130 and thesecond flex point 132 and a secondouter side wall 138 is positioned between thesecond flex point 132 and thethird flex point 134. Thefirst flex point 130, thesecond flex point 132 and thethird flex point 134 have material thicknesses that are less than the material thicknesses of the firstouter side wall 136 and the secondouter side wall 138. In addition, thefirst flex point 130, thesecond flex point 132 and thethird flex point 134 have curved shapes. - When a force is applied to the
outer base wall 60, the firstouter side wall 136 rotates about thefirst flex point 130 and thesecond flex point 132 to cause theouter base wall 60 to translate inward toward theinner bin 52 to move the outer bin from the deployed position to the stowed position (as shown in dashed lines). In still other examples, thehinge 72 can include other quantities of flex points and other quantities of outer side walls to causeouter base wall 60 to move from the deployed position to the stowed position. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , thehinge 72 is connected along three sides of theouter base wall 60. Thehinge 72 is connected to theouter base wall 60 on a lower side and along the two opposing upwardly directed edges. Anupper edge 140 ofouter base wall 60 is not directly connected to theinner bin 52. Theupper edge 140 is free floating relative to theinner bin 52 in that no structure spans across an access opening 142 that is defined by theupper edge 140 and a portion of theouter edge 70 of theinner side wall 64 that is located above theouter bin 54. Theupper edge 140 is free floating so that there is not an impediment to inserting or removing items from theinner cavity 66 when theouter bin 54 is in either the deployed position or the stowed position. - Referring back to the example shown in
FIG. 5 , when a force is applied to theouter base wall 60 in a direction generally normal to theouter base wall 60 and toward theinner bin 52, theouter base wall 60 can move from the deployed position to the stowed position (as shown in dashed lines inFIG. 5 ). In the deployed position, thehinge 72 has an angled profile that projects away from theinner bin 52. In this position, thehinge 72 causes theouter base wall 60 to be positioned outward and away from theinner base wall 62 such that theouter base wall 60 is outward of the second plane P2 (i.e., outward fromouter edge 70 of the inner side wall 64). In the deployed position, the separation between the second plane P2 and theouter base wall 60 results in an increased storage volume in thestorage compartment 50 because there is an additional cavity created in addition to theinner cavity 66 defined by theinner bin 52. - In the deployed position, the
outer bin 54 projects outward of a support surface to which the storage compartment is mounted. In the example where thestorage compartment 50 is mounted to the doortrim panel 56, theouter bin 54 projects into the vehicle cabin. Such a circumstance can be undesirable in that theouter bin 54 can interfere with an occupant's legs or can interfere with or block an occupant from entering or exiting a vehicle. As previously described, theouter bin 54 can be moved from the deployed position to the stowed position in these circumstances. - In the stowed position (as shown in the dashed lines in
FIG. 5 ), thehinge 72 has rotated inward toward theinner base wall 62 and caused theouter base wall 60 to translate inward into theinner cavity 66. In the example shown, theouter base wall 60 is positioned between the first plane P1 and the second plane P2 such that theouter base wall 60 does not project outward from theinner bin 52. - During the movement of the
outer bin 54 from the deployed position to the stowed position, at least a portion of thehinge 72 moves toward theinner base wall 62 and into theinner cavity 66. In the example shown inFIG. 5 , theouter side wall 120 and thesecond flex point 124 rotate in a counter clockwise direction into theinner cavity 66. In addition to moving theouter base wall 60 toward theinner base wall 62, this movement of thehinge 72 also can move items that are stored in thestorage compartment 50 toward theinner base wall 62. For example, if an item is contained in thestorage compartment 50 when theouter bin 54 is in the deployed position, the item would be pushed toward theinner base wall 62 by theouter base wall 60 and/or thesecond flex point 124 when theouter bin 54 moves to the stowed position. The structure of thehinge 72 does not create a vertically oriented pocket or other pinch point that can be otherwise created using a traditional accordion-type or corrugated structure. As such, thehinge 72 of the present disclosure does not bind or prevent the removal of items that may be stored in thestorage compartment 50 after theouter bin 54 has been moved from the deployed position to the stowed position. - The
storage compartment 50 can be made of any suitable material. In the example shown, thestorage compartment 50 is made of multiple materials with varying degrees of flexibility. Theinner bin 52, in one example, is made of a relatively rigid material. Such a rigid material is capable of withstanding normal loads without significant deformation that may be exerted during the storage of typical items that are inserted or removed from a storage compartment in a door trim panel of a vehicle. Theinner bin 52 can be made from a suitable plastic material such as thermoplastic polymer such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). In other examples, theinner bin 52 can be made of other suitable materials. - The
outer bin 54 can also be made from a variety of materials. In one example, theouter bin 54 is made of a suitable thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) having variable durometers. In such examples, portions of theouter bin 54 are relatively more rigid than other portions of theouter bin 54. For example, theattachment collar 100 and theouter base wall 60 can be made of relatively rigid material and thehinge 72 can be made of relatively flexible material. Such a structure is possible by creating theouter bin 54 via a two-shot molding process or by printing the outer bin 54 (via 3D printing techniques) using two different durometer materials. In such examples, theouter bin 54 is a single integrated part wherein theattachment collar 100, thehinge 72 and theouter base wall 60 are formed as a single integrated part. This can reduce complexity during assembly as well as reduce the weight of theouter bin 54. - Referring now to
FIGS. 9 and 10 , anotherexample storage compartment 200 includes aninner bin 202, anouter bin 204 and alid 206. Thestorage compartment 200, in the example shown, can include one or more aspects of the previously describedstorage compartment 50. For example, theouter bin 204 of thestorage compartment 200 can move from a stowed position (FIG. 9 ) to a deployed position (FIG. 10 ). Theouter bin 204 is connected to theinner bin 202. Theouter bin 204 moves away from theinner bin 202 when theouter bin 204 is moved from the stowed position to the deployed position. In this manner, thestorage compartment 200 can have an increased storage volume when in the deployed position. - The
outer bin 204, in this example, includes aflexible hinge 208. While not shown, thehinge 208 can include one or more of the aspects of thehinge 72 previously discussed to cause thehinge 208 to move anouter base wall 210 of theouter bin 204 relative to theinner bin 202. - The
lid 206, in this example, is connected to theinner bin 202 and is positioned on top of thestorage compartment 200 to cover an access opening (not shown) of thestorage compartment 200. Theouter base wall 210 includes afirst retention post 212 and asecond retention post 214. Thefirst retention post 212 is positioned above thesecond retention post 214 on theouter base wall 210. Thefirst retention post 212 and thesecond retention post 214 are circular projections in this example. In other examples, thefirst retention post 212 and/or thesecond retention post 214 can have other shapes or sizes. - The
lid 206, in this example, includes atether 216 that is connected to a forward portion of thelid 206. Thetether 216 removably connects to either thefirst retention post 212 or thesecond retention post 214 to secure thelid 206 in a closed position to cover thestorage compartment 200. Thetether 216, in this example, is a loop of material. In other examples, other hooks, clips and other retention features can be used to removably secure thelid 206 in a closed position. - As shown, the
lid 206 can be secured in the closed position when theouter bin 204 is in the stowed position (FIG. 9 ) by connecting thetether 216 to thesecond retention post 214. When theouter bin 204 is in the deployed position (FIG. 10 ), thelid 206 can be secured in the closed position by connecting thetether 216 to thefirst retention post 212. The stacked orientation of thefirst retention post 212 and thesecond retention post 214 permits the lid to be secured in a closed position when theouter bin 204 is in either the stowed position or in the deployed position. - The covered
collapsible storage compartment 200 can be used in environments where thestorage compartment 200 may be exposed to weather, contaminants or other elements. Example applications for the coveredcollapsible storage compartment 200 include bicycles, motorcycles, boats and the like. - The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be executed in different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in and/or combined with features of any of the other embodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with one another remain within the scope of this disclosure.
- Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example, between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
- None of the elements recited in the claims are intended to be a means-plus-function element within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless an element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for,” or in the case of a method claim using the phrases “operation for” or “step for.”
Claims (20)
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US15/886,306 US10363878B1 (en) | 2018-02-01 | 2018-02-01 | Collapsible storage compartment with inverting hinge for use in a vehicle |
CN201910049423.5A CN110103834A (en) | 2018-02-01 | 2019-01-18 | The foldable storage compartments with convertible hinge for vehicle |
DE102019101800.5A DE102019101800A1 (en) | 2018-02-01 | 2019-01-24 | Folding storage compartment with reversible hinge for use in a vehicle |
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US15/886,306 US10363878B1 (en) | 2018-02-01 | 2018-02-01 | Collapsible storage compartment with inverting hinge for use in a vehicle |
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WO2023183393A1 (en) * | 2022-03-22 | 2023-09-28 | The MPW Irrevocable Trust, UTA | Interior accessory for vehicle and method of installing same |
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GB2572159A (en) * | 2018-03-20 | 2019-09-25 | Mirus Aircraft Seating Ltd | Storage pocket |
US10836439B2 (en) * | 2018-05-29 | 2020-11-17 | Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. | Fixation leg for a vehicle interior panel and method of manufacturing same |
FR3087404B1 (en) * | 2018-10-23 | 2020-10-16 | Faurecia Interieur Ind | TRIM ELEMENT INCLUDING A RETRACTABLE STORAGE VOLUME |
DE102019216049A1 (en) * | 2019-10-17 | 2021-04-22 | Faurecia Innenraum Systeme Gmbh | Storage compartment and assembly |
US11577655B2 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2023-02-14 | John J. Hahn | Flexible shelf guard for recreational vehicles |
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-
2018
- 2018-02-01 US US15/886,306 patent/US10363878B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2019
- 2019-01-18 CN CN201910049423.5A patent/CN110103834A/en active Pending
- 2019-01-24 DE DE102019101800.5A patent/DE102019101800A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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WO2023183393A1 (en) * | 2022-03-22 | 2023-09-28 | The MPW Irrevocable Trust, UTA | Interior accessory for vehicle and method of installing same |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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DE102019101800A1 (en) | 2019-08-01 |
US10363878B1 (en) | 2019-07-30 |
CN110103834A (en) | 2019-08-09 |
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