Storage bin having hidden touch pad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409525-B2
Application number	US-201414319376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A storage bin configuration for a motor vehicle is provided in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. The storage bin includes a storage bin body, a storage bin latch and a touch pad. The storage bin body has an outboard wall, an inboard wall, a forward wall and a rearward wall that collectively define a receptacle. The outboard wall forms a portion of an exterior of the vehicle. The storage bin latch is configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position. In the latched position, the storage bin latch maintains the storage bin body in a closed position. In the unlatched position, the storage bin latch permits movement of the storage bin body to an open position. The touch pad is configured on the storage bin body at a location at least substantially concealed from view behind the outboard wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage bin configured on a pick-up truck having a passenger cabin spaced apart from a cargo bed, the storage bin comprising:
a storage bin body having an outboard wall, an inboard wall, a forward wall and a rearward wall that collectively define a receptacle, the outboard wall forming a portion of an exterior of the vehicle, the forward wall oriented toward the passenger cabin relative to the rearward wall;
a storage bin latch provided on the storage bin body and configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein in the unlatched position, the storage bin latch permits movement of the storage bin body as a whole to an open position; and
a touch pad configured on the storage bin body at a location concealed from view behind the outboard wall, wherein upon actuation of the touch pad, the storage bin latch moves to the unlatched position;
wherein the touch pad is positioned between the passenger cabin and the cargo bed on the forward wall of the storage bin body directly facing the passenger cabin such that the touch pad is accessed by reaching between the passenger cabin and a forward wall of the cargo bed.

2. The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein a forward portion of the outboard wall overlaps the forward wall such that the forward portion overlaps and further conceals the touch pad from view.

3. The storage bin of claim 2 , wherein the storage bin body is positioned between a vehicle cabin and a rear wheel well of the motor vehicle.

4. The storage bin of claim 1 , wherein the outboard wall of the storage bin includes a top edge, a forward edge, a rearward edge and a bottom edge; and
wherein the storage bin further comprises a hinge partially formed proximate the bottom edge of the outboard wall, and wherein the storage bin body rotates about the hinge between the closed and open positions.

5. A storage bin configured on a pick-up truck having a passenger cabin spaced apart from a cargo bed, the storage bin comprising:
a storage bin body formed by an upper lid portion and a lower bin portion and having an outboard wall, an inboard wall, a forward wall and a rearward wall that collectively define a receptacle, the forward wall oriented toward the passenger cabin relative to the rearward wall, the upper lid portion configured to move relative to the lower bin portion to an open position to provide access to the receptacle, wherein in the open position, the upper lid portion is spaced apart from and above the lower bin portion;
a storage bin latch provided on the storage bin body and configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position, wherein in the unlatched position, the storage bin latch permits movement of the upper lid portion to the open position; and
a touch pad configured on the storage bin body at a location concealed from view behind the outboard wall, wherein upon actuation of the touch pad, the storage bin latch moves to the unlatched position;
wherein the touch pad is positioned between the passenger cabin and the cargo bed on the forward wall of the storage bin body directly facing the passenger cabin such that the touch pad is accessed by reaching between the passenger cabin and a forward wall of the cargo bed.

6. The storage bin of claim 5 , wherein a forward portion of the outboard wall overlaps the forward wall and the touch pad so as to further conceal the touch pad from view.

7. The storage bin of claim 5 , further comprising at least one strut coupled between the upper lid portion and the lower bin portion, and wherein the at least one strut is configured to urge the upper lid portion to move generally upwardly away from the lower bin portion upon depression of the touch pad.

8. The storage bin of claim 5 , wherein the outboard wall is collectively defined by an upper outboard wall on the upper lid portion and a lower outboard wall on the lower bin portion; and
wherein the storage bin latch is coupled to the upper outboard wall and a vehicle latch configured to be selectively engaged by the storage bin latch is coupled to the lower outboard wall.

9. The storage bin of claim 8 , wherein the forward wall is collectively defined by an upper forward wall on the upper lid portion and a lower forward wall on the lower bin portion, and wherein the touch pad is positioned on the upper forward wall.

10. The storage bin of claim 9 , wherein the upper outboard wall includes the forward portion that overlaps the upper forward wall and the touch pad thereby concealing the touch pad from view.

11. The storage bin of claim 5 , wherein the storage bin body extends substantially an entire length of the cargo bed of the vehicle from a forward location adjacent the passenger cabin to a rearward location adjacent a tailgate of the motor vehicle.

Assignees

• Gillam Michael C
• Dehner Joseph S
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Gillam Michael C
• Dehner Joseph S

Classifications

• B62D33/023

  Sideboard or tailgate structures {(vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02)} · CPC title

• B60R9/02 Primary

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

• B60R11/06 Primary

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