Vehicle-integrated reaching aid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046720-B2
Application number	US-201615351824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 15, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle includes trim panel walls defining a cargo compartment. At least one trim panel wall has an indented portion defining a recess. A reaching aid is disposed within the recess in a stored configuration, and is selectively removable from the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
trim panel walls defining a cargo compartment, a trim panel wall having an indented portion defining a recess; and
a reaching aid disposed within the recess in a stored configuration, and selectively removable from the recess, and including an object engaging portion including a first protruding ridge extending in a first direction from an inner surface contour, and a second protruding ridge extending a second direction from an outer surface contour.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the reaching aid is held within the recess through an interference-fit engagement.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the reaching aid includes a handle portion, and an elongated body portion extending in a generally longitudinal direction between the handle portion and the object engaging portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the elongated body portion has an inner surface contour substantially matching a surface contour of the trim panel wall, and wherein the inner surface contour is substantially flush with the surface contour of the trim panel wall in the stored configuration.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the inner surface contour has a curvilinear profile, and wherein the surface contour of the trim panel wall has a matching curvilinear profile.

6. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the handle portion protrudes from the recess beyond the trim panel wall in the stored configuration.

7. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the object engaging portion includes a protrusion extending in a generally lateral direction orthogonal to the generally longitudinal direction.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the reaching aid is at least 10 inches in length.

9. A reaching aid for storage in a trim panel wall of a vehicle, comprising:
a handle portion;
an object engaging portion; and
an elongated body portion extending in a generally longitudinal direction between the handle portion and the object engaging portion, the elongated body portion adapted to form an interference fit with the trim panel wall of the vehicle in a stored configuration, wherein the object engaging portion includes a first protruding ridge extending in a first direction from an inner surface contour, and a second protruding ridge extending a second direction from an outer surface contour.

10. The reaching aid of claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion has an inner surface contour substantially matching a surface contour of the trim panel wall, and wherein the inner surface contour is substantially flush with the surface contour of the trim panel wall in the stored configuration.

11. The reaching aid of claim 10 , wherein the inner surface contour has a curvilinear profile, and wherein the surface contour of the trim panel wall has a matching curvilinear profile.

12. The reaching aid of claim 9 , wherein the handle portion protrudes beyond the trim panel wall in the stored configuration.

13. The reaching aid of claim 9 , wherein the object engaging portion includes a protrusion extending in a generally lateral direction orthogonal to the generally longitudinal direction.

14. A method for handling an elongated reaching aid comprising:
inserting at least a portion of the elongated reaching aid within an indented portion of a trim panel wall of a vehicle, wherein the elongated reaching aid includes
a handle portion;
an object engaging portion; and
an elongated body portion extending in a generally longitudinal direction between the handle portion and the object engaging portion, the elongated body portion adapted to form an interference fit with the trim panel wall of the vehicle in a stored configuration, wherein the object engaging portion includes a first protruding ridge extending in a first direction from an inner surface contour, and a second protruding ridge extending a second direction from an outer surface contour; and

engaging the trim panel wall with the elongated reaching aid to provide an interference-fit between the elongated reaching aid and the trim panel wall.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
pressing at least a portion of the elongated reaching aid into an extended indented portion of the indented portion to rotate the elongated reaching aid relative to the indented portion; and
removing the elongated reaching aid from the indented portion of the trim panel wall.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Barrera Munoz Dario Jesus
• Gallardo Almiray Juan Manuel
• Vega Velazquez Sergio Alberto

Classifications

• B60R11/06 Primary

  for tools or spare parts (for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D) · CPC title

• B60R5/04 Primary

  arranged at rear of vehicle {(B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065)} · CPC title

• B60R7/02

  in separate luggage compartment {(B60R7/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2011/0036

  Luggage compartment · CPC title

• B25J1/04

  rigid, e.g. shelf-reachers {(without grippers A47F13/06)} · CPC title