Electrical socket seating device and vehicle interior trim employing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150430-B2
Application number	US-201615213979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2016
Priority date	Jul 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a seating device is provided to support an electrical socket. The seating device includes a body, and a lip extending from the body. The lip includes a head, a tail, and a waist positioned there-between along a longitudinal direction. The waist includes upper and lower protrusions directed outwardly against each other along a thickness direction. The electrical socket contacts and pivots about the upper and lower protrusions from a first engagement position to a second engagement position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combination seating device and electrical socket, comprising:
a body; and
a lip extending from the body and including a head, a tail, and a waist positioned there-between along a longitudinal direction, the waist including an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion directed outwardly against each other along a thickness direction, the electrical socket contacting and pivoting about the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion from a first engagement position to a second engagement position.

2. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 1 , wherein the head and waist together define a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, the tail and waist together define a third surface and a fourth surface opposing each other, the first and the fourth surfaces define there-between an upper angle, and the second and the third surfaces define there-between a lower angle with an angle difference relative to the upper angle being no greater than 25 degrees.

3. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein the first surface and the third surface define there-between a first angle of no greater than 25 degrees.

4. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein the second surface and the fourth surface define there-between a second angle of no greater than 25 degrees.

5. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein a first length difference between the first and third surfaces along a longitudinal dimension is no greater than 25 percent.

6. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein a second length difference between the second and fourth surfaces along a longitudinal dimension is no greater than 25 percent.

7. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 1 , further comprising a stop extending from the body, the head being positioned between the stop and the tail along the longitudinal direction.

8. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 7 , wherein the body further defines a recess positioned between the stop and the head along the longitudinal direction, the recess receiving a tongue of the electrical socket at the second engagement position.

9. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 7 , wherein the stop defines a protrusion protruding along the longitudinal direction and engaging a notch on a tongue of the electrical socket at the second engagement position.

10. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a first body portion and a second body portion spaced apart from each other, and the lip includes a first lip portion and a second lip portion respectively extending from the first body portion and the second body portion.

11. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 1 , further comprising a base, the body being supported on the base by contacting a support surface of the base.

12. The combination seating device and electrical socket of claim 11 , wherein the tail is positioned further away from the support surface along a height direction than the head.

13. A combination seating device and electrical socket, comprising:
a body; and
a lip extending from the body and including a head, a tail and a waist positioned between the head and the tail along a longitudinal direction, the waist including an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion directed outwardly against each other along a thickness direction, the electrical socket contacting and pivoting about the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion from a first engagement position to a second engagement position,
wherein the head and the waist together define a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, the tail and the waist together define a third surface and a fourth surface opposing each other, the first surface and the fourth surface define there-between an upper angle, the second surface and the third surface define there-between a lower angle with an angle difference relative to the upper angle being no greater than 25 degrees, the first surface and the third surface define there-between a first angle of no greater than 25 degrees, and the second surface and the fourth surface define there-between a second angle of no greater than 25 degrees.

14. A vehicle interior trim assembly comprising:
an electrical socket; and
a seating device to support the electrical socket, the seating device including a body, a lip extending from the body and including a head, a tail, and a waist positioned between said head and said tail along a longitudinal direction, the waist including an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion directed outwardly against each other along a thickness direction, the electrical socket contacting and pivoting about the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion from a first engagement position to a second engagement position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kang Derek
• Deng Brick
• Liu Kevin
• Xu tom

Classifications

• B60R16/02 Primary

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• H01R13/73 Primary

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title