Storage system for a vehicle wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440479-B2
Application number	US-202117173912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2021
Priority date	Feb 11, 2021
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle assembly includes a wall of a cargo bed, and a storage system. The wall has an inner panel spaced from an outer panel to provide a cavity. The storage system has a first bin and a second bin that are each at least partially disposed within the cavity when in an installed position. The first bin provides a first cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position. The first bin is configured to be moved to the installed position through an aperture in the inner panel. The second bin provides a second cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position. The second bin is configured to be moved to the installed position without moving through the aperture in the inner panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle assembly, comprising:
a wall of a cargo bed, the wall having an inner panel spaced from an outer panel to provide a cavity; and
a storage system having a first bin and a second bin that are each at least partially disposed within the cavity when in an installed position,
the first bin providing a first cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position, and configured to be moved to the installed position through an aperture in the inner panel,
the second bin providing a second cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position, and configured to be moved to the installed position without moving through the aperture in the inner panel, the second cargo area opening to the first cargo area when the first and second bins are in the installed position.

2. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bin is snap-fit to the second bin when the first and second bins are in the installed position.

3. A vehicle assembly, comprising:
a wall of a cargo bed, the wall having an inner panel spaced from an outer panel to provide a cavity; and
a storage system having a first bin and a second bin that are each at least partially disposed within the cavity when in an installed position,
the first bin providing a first cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position, and configured to be moved to the installed position through an aperture in the inner panel,

the second bin providing a second cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position, and configured to be moved to the installed position without moving through the aperture in the inner panel, wherein the second bin provides part of a wheel well liner when the second bin is in the installed position.

4. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lid that is moveable back-and-forth between a closed position and an open position, the lid covering an opening to the first cargo area when in the closed position, the lid providing access to the first cargo area through the opening when the lid is in the open position.

5. The vehicle assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a hinge system that couples the lid relative to the inner panel such that the lid can move back-and-forth between the closed position and the open position, wherein the hinge system biases the lid to the closed position.

6. The vehicle assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a frame that is moveable back-and-forth between a stowed position and a deployed position, the hinge system coupling the frame relative to the inner panel.

7. The vehicle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the frame is an extendable frame that can extend and retract.

8. The vehicle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the frame extends circumferentially continuously about a frame aperture, wherein the frame is configured to extend to increase a size of the frame aperture, and configured to retract to decrease a size of the frame aperture.

9. The vehicle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the frame is configured to fold over itself when in the stowed position.

10. The vehicle assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a lock assembly that transitions back-and-forth between a locked position and an unlocked position, the lock assembly configured to hold the lid in the closed position when the lock assembly is in the locked position, the lid moveable from the closed position to the open position when the lock assembly is in the unlocked position, wherein the lock assembly is configured to transition from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a vehicle having the vehicle assembly detecting an authorized user.

11. The vehicle assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a camera of the vehicle that captures images of the cargo bed and areas proximate the cargo bed, the lock assembly configured to transition at least in part in response to the authorized user being detected using the camera.

12. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first bin is configured to telescope back-and-forth between an extended position and a retracted position, the first bin extending further from the cavity into the cargo area when the first bin is in the extended position than when the first bin is in the retracted position.

13. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cord that is held within the first cargo area, the second cargo area, or both.

14. The vehicle assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a traction battery of a vehicle having the cord, the traction battery configured to be charged using the cord, the cord configured to be held on a reel within the first cargo area when stored.

15. The vehicle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a heater configured to be selectively held within the cavity as part of the first bin, as part of the second bin, or as part of both the first and second bin.

16. A method of installing a vehicle assembly, comprising:
moving a first bin through an aperture in an inner panel of a wall into an installed position such that the first bin is at least partially disposed within a cavity between the inner panel and an outer panel of the wall;
without moving a second bin through the aperture, moving the second bin into an installed position such that the second bin is at least partially disposed within the cavity; and
securing the first bin and the second bin relative to each other to provide a storage system the first bin having a cargo area that opens to a cargo area of the second bin when the first and second bins are in the installed position.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising snap-fitting the first bin and the second bin when securing the first bin and the second bin relative to each other.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising moving the second bin through a wheel well area when moving the second bin to the installed position.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second bin provides part of a wheel well liner when the second bin is in the installed position.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first bin is joined to the second bin when the first and second bins are in the installed position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Glickman David Brian
• Berry Hussein H
• Halonen Aaron
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Huebner Annette Lynn
• Ripley Sarah A

Classifications

• B60P7/135

  Securing or supporting by load bracing means · CPC title

• B60P7/0892

  by preventing lateral movement of the load, e.g. using stop blocks · CPC title

• B60R11/06 Primary

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

• B60R9/02 Primary

  at the sides, e.g. on running-board · CPC title

• B60P7/15

  the load bracing means comprising a movable bar · CPC title