Drainage system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325656-B2
Application number	US-202017007434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A drainage system for a vehicle is disclosed herein. A drain is disposed within a vehicle substrate and has a floor. A receiver is disposed proximate to the floor. A cap feature is operably coupled to the drain and is operable between first and second positions relative to the drain. The cap feature includes an upper platform and a sidewall that extends generally downward from the upper platform. A cutout is defined by the cap feature and is configured to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature. An engagement feature is coupled to the cap feature and is operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the engagement feature is engaged with the receiver. Movement of the cap feature from the first position to the second position moves the engagement feature from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drainage system for a vehicle, comprising:
a drain disposed within a vehicle substrate and having a floor;
a plurality of apertures defined by the floor and configured to allow liquid to flow through the drain;
a cap feature operably coupled to the drain and having an upper platform and a sidewall that extends generally downward from the upper platform to define a recess; and
a cutout defined by the cap feature and configured to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature, wherein the sidewall and the upper platform define the cutout such that the cutout extends through a portion of the sidewall and a portion of the upper platform.

2. The drainage system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a receiver disposed proximate to the floor of the drain; and
an engagement feature coupled to the cap feature and operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the engagement feature is engaged with the receiver, wherein the cap feature is operable to move between first and second positions relative to the drain and movement of the cap feature from the first position to the second position moves the engagement feature from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

3. The drainage system of claim 2 , wherein the receiver is an elongated aperture extending through the floor of the drain.

4. The drainage system of claim 3 , wherein the engagement feature extends downward from the upper platform of the cap feature into the recess and is configured to protrude through the receiver in the engaged position.

5. The drainage system of claim 4 , wherein the engagement feature is configured to protrude through the receiver in the disengaged position.

6. The drainage system of claim 5 , wherein the cap feature moves from the first position to the second position via rotational movement of the cap feature.

7. The drainage system of claim 5 , wherein the engagement feature comprises:
a leg coupled to the upper platform at a first end and extending downward to a second end; and
a foot coupled to the leg proximate to the second end of the leg and extending outward therefrom.

8. The drainage system of claim 7 , wherein the foot of the engagement feature is aligned with the receiver in the first position of the cap feature and is not aligned with the receiver in the second position of the cap feature.

9. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the cap feature comprises:
a lower rim disposed cap feature-downward of the cutout.

10. The drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the cap feature contains phosphor configured to be energized by light.

11. A vehicle, comprising:
a storage compartment having a base and a storage compartment sidewall that extends generally vehicle-upward from the base, wherein the storage compartment is a front trunk of the vehicle; and
a drain assembly disposed proximate to the base and comprising:
a drain disposed within the base and having a floor;
a plurality of apertures defined by the floor and configured to allow liquid to flow through the drain;
a cap feature operable between an assembled position, wherein the cap feature is assembled to the drain, and a removed position, the cap feature having an upper platform and a sidewall that extends generally downward from the upper platform;
a cutout defined by the cap feature and configured to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature; and
an anchoring feature coupled to the cap feature and the drain in the assembled position of the cap feature and the removed position of the cap feature.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the anchoring feature comprises:
a tether that extends through a hole defined by the upper platform of the cap feature and through at least one of the plurality of apertures defined by the floor of the drain.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the tether slides within at least one of the plurality of apertures as the cap feature moves between the assembled position and the removed position.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the anchoring feature further comprises:
a ball coupled to the tether and configured to be seated within a socket defined by the upper platform of the cap feature.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the sidewall and the upper platform of the cap feature define the cutout such that the cutout extends through a portion of the sidewall and a portion of the upper platform.

16. A vehicle, comprising:
a storage compartment disposed within the vehicle;
a light-emitting device coupled to the vehicle and configured to emit light into the storage compartment;
a drain disposed within a base of the storage compartment;
a cap feature operably coupled to the drain and having a cutout configured to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature and into the drain; and
a phosphor coupled to the cap feature, wherein the phosphor is configured to be energized by the light emitted by the light-emitting device and emit visible light.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the phosphor is contained within a material of the cap feature, such that the cap feature is configured to emit visible light via the phosphor.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the cap feature comprises:
an upper platform and a sidewall extending generally downward from the upper platform to define a recess.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the cutout is defined by the upper platform and the sidewall and extends through a portion of the sidewall and a portion of the upper platform.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the cap feature comprises:
a lower rim disposed cap feature-downward of the cutout.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Glickman David Brian
• Nayak Darshan Arun
• Halonen Aaron
• Dellock Paul Kenneth

Classifications

• B60R5/00 Primary

  Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like (primarily intended for stowing loads in load-transporting vehicles B60P; arrangements for stowing spare wheels B62D43/00) · CPC title

• B62D25/24 Primary

  Superstructure sub-units with access {or drainage} openings having movable or removable closures; {Sealing means therefor}(inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05) · CPC title

• B60R5/02

  arranged at front of vehicle {(B60R5/003 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R7/02

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

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title