Vehicle electronic connector hub

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257799-B2
Application number	US-201414300759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2014
Priority date	Jun 10, 2014
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A console assembly includes a console housing with a storage compartment having a member in a wall that is rotatable between a plurality of positions. The member includes an electronic port for connecting an electronic device that is accessible from within the compartment when the member is rotated to a first position and accessible from outside the compartment when the member is rotated to a second position. A second port may be added to the member such that the member can rotate to an intermediate position where one port is accessible from within the compartment while the second port on the member is simultaneously accessible from the outside of the compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic connector hub for a vehicle comprising:
a vehicle compartment;
a member mounted to the compartment and configured to rotate about an axis between a first position, an intermediate position, and a second position;
a latch configured to hold the member in the intermediate and second positions; and
a port disposed on the member and accessible from within the compartment in the first position and from outside the compartment in the second position.

2. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the member contains first and second ports.

3. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first port is accessible inside the compartment and the second port is accessible outside the compartment simultaneously when the member is rotated to an intermediate position between the first and second positions.

4. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the member rotates less than 45 degrees to move from the first position to the second position.

5. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the port is disposed in an upwardly position in the first and second positions.

6. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the member includes a stop defining the maximum rotation between the first and second positions, the stop configured to break away from the compartment to prevent part breakage when a sufficient amount is applied to the member.

7. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the member is biased to the second position.

8. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein two ports are positioned adjacent to each other on a single side of the member.

9. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the latch includes a compressible detent to maintain the member in an intermediate position and a non-movable stop to maintain the member in the second position.

10. The electronic connector hub for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the member has a substantially triangular cross section, wherein the port is on one surface thereof and the rotational axis is proximate to an intersection of the two surfaces that do not have the port thereon.

11. A vehicle electronic connector hub comprising:
a movable member mounted to a compartment, the member having a first side substantially matching a compartment contour and a second side having first and second ports, wherein the first port is accessible within the compartment in a first position and accessible external to the compartment in a second position, and the second port is non-accessible in the first position and accessible within the compartment in the second position.

12. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 11 , wherein the member further comprises:
a first port accessible from within the compartment and a second port accessible from outside the compartment simultaneously.

13. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 11 , wherein a second interior panel abuts the second side of the member.

14. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 11 , wherein the member is biased towards one of the first and second positions.

15. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 14 , further comprising:
a latch to maintain the member in the other of the first and second positions.

16. A vehicle electronic connector hub comprising:
a rotatable member mounted to an interior panel, wherein the member rotates about an axis between a plurality of positions;
first and second ports disposed on the member, wherein the first and second ports are on the same side of a vehicle interior panel in a first position and simultaneously accessible on two different sides of the interior panel when rotated to an intermediate position; and
a latch on the member having a movable portion and a stationary portion.

17. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 16 , further comprising:
a position maintaining assembly for holding the member in an intermediate position.

18. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 16 , wherein the panel is configured as a back panel of a vehicle center console such that an occupant in a front row of the vehicle may access the member through the center console when the member is in the first position and an occupant may only access the member when the member is disposed in the intermediate or second position.

19. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 18 , wherein the latch includes a detent button on an upper surface of the member that engages with a corresponding detent pocket formed in the compartment to retain the member in the intermediate position.

20. The vehicle electronic connector hub of claim 16 , further comprising:
a dampener connected to the member and the interior panel.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Stubbs Ed
• Murray Andrew John
• Southey Bruce
• Agius Alicia

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• 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

• H04M19/08 Primary

  with current supply sources at the substations (generating ringing current H04M19/04) · CPC title

• B60K35/00 Primary

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title