Vehicle glovebox assembly having separately operable inner and outer doors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351068-B2
Application number	US-201715817974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2017
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A glovebox assembly includes a housing having an aperture for accessing an interior volume. An inner flap is rotationally coupled to the housing and is operable to a securing position within the aperture that at least partially encloses the interior volume. An outer door is rotationally coupled to the housing and selectively operable to an open position to access the interior volume wherein the outer door is operable independently of the inner flap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A glovebox assembly comprising:
a housing having a primary aperture for accessing an interior volume;
an inner flap rotationally coupled to the housing and operable to a securing position within the primary aperture that at least partially encloses the interior volume, wherein the inner flap is coupled to the housing at a primary aperture, wherein operation of the inner flap to an access position provides access to upper and lower sections of the interior volume via the primary aperture, and wherein the inner flap in the securing position defines a secondary aperture between the inner flap and the primary aperture, wherein the secondary aperture provides access to the upper section of the interior volume; and
an outer door that is rotationally coupled to the housing and selectively operable to an open position to access the interior volume wherein the outer door is operable independently of the inner flap.

2. The glovebox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner flap is integrally formed with the housing.

3. The glovebox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner flap is rotationally coupled to the housing at a living hinge.

4. The glovebox assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a primary latch that couples with the outer door to define a closed position of the outer door; and
a secondary latch disposed proximate the primary aperture of the housing, wherein the secondary latch selectively couples with a portion of the inner flap to define the securing position.

5. The glovebox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner flap in the securing position defines the secondary aperture that is formed between an upper edge of the inner flap and the primary aperture.

6. The glovebox assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior volume is a continuous volume, wherein the inner flap in the securing position divides the interior volume into upper and lower sections.

7. The glovebox assembly of claim 6 , wherein the inner flap in the securing position at least partially surrounds the lower section of the interior volume.

8. The glovebox assembly of claim 4 , wherein the secondary latch is defined by a tab on the inner flap and a corresponding tab recess defined within the housing proximate the primary aperture.

9. A vehicle storage compartment comprising:
a housing having an interior volume with upper and lower sections;
an inner flap that is rotationally coupled to the housing at a living hinge and is operable to selectively surround only the lower section of the interior volume, wherein the interior volume is a continuous volume, wherein the inner flap in a securing position divides the interior volume into upper and lower sections, and wherein the inner flap is coupled to the housing at a primary aperture, wherein operation of the inner flap to an access position provides access to the upper and lower sections of the interior volume via the primary aperture, and wherein the inner flap in the securing position defines a secondary aperture between the inner flap and the primary aperture, wherein the secondary aperture provides access tot the upper section of the interior volume; and
an outer door that is rotationally operable independent of the inner flap and operable to selectively enclose the upper and lower sections.

10. The vehicle storage compartment of claim 9 , further comprising:
a primary latch that couples with the outer door to define a closed position of the outer door; and
a secondary latch disposed proximate an aperture of the housing, wherein the secondary latch selectively couples with a portion of the inner flap to define a securing position.

11. The vehicle storage compartment of claim 9 , wherein the housing is fixed within a storage area and the outer door is rotationally operable relative to the housing.

12. The vehicle storage compartment of claim 10 , wherein the secondary latch is magnetically operated.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a glovebox housing having a primary aperture and an interior volume;
an inner flap that is integral with the glovebox housing and is rotationally operable at the primary aperture about a living hinge to selectively enclose a portion of the interior volume in a securing position, wherein die inner flap in an opened access position provides access to upper secondary aperture between the inner flap and the primary aperture, wherein the secondary aperture provides access to the upper section of the interior volume; and
an outer door that is operable independent of the inner flap to selectively enclose the inner flap and the interior volume.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the glovebox housing is fixed within a storage area and the outer door is rotationally coupled to the glovebox housing at a hinge.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the interior volume includes upper and lower sections, and wherein the inner flap is operable to the securing position that selectively encloses only the lower section of the interior volume.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:
a primary latch that couples with the outer door to define a closed position of the outer door; and
a secondary latch disposed proximate an aperture of the glovebox housing, wherein the secondary latch selectively couples with a portion of the inner flap to define the securing position.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the outer door is fixedly coupled to the glovebox housing and the outer door and the glovebox housing are rotationally operable within a storage area between closed and open positions, wherein the inner flap is operable about the living hinge when the outer door is away from the closed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Moran Alan
• Biddinger Glenn
• Kosior Ryan
• Zaetta Angela
• Knight Linneya

Classifications

• E05C19/16

  Devices holding the wing by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction {(E05C17/56 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R7/06 Primary

  mounted on or below dashboards · CPC title

• E05D1/00

  Pinless hinges; Substitutes for hinges · CPC title

• E05B83/30

  for glove compartments · CPC title