Versatile instrument panel storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533622-B2
Application number	US-201514681367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Apr 8, 2015
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle dash panel storage compartment includes a storage compartment including at least a top, a bottom, and sides defining a storage slot, and a pivoting mechanism configured to translate the storage compartment between a stowed configuration within an interior of a housing of the instrument panel and a variety of deployed configurations. Optionally, the top may be hingedly connected to the storage compartment. The pivoting mechanism may include at least one strut pivotally connected at a first end to a support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle dash panel storage compartment, comprising:
a storage compartment including at least a top, a bottom, and sides defining a storage slot, wherein the top is hingedly connected to the storage compartment; and
a pivoting mechanism configured to translate the storage compartment between a stowed configuration within an interior of a housing of the instrument panel and a plurality of deployed configurations.

2. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a first deployed configuration whereby only the storage slot is accessible below the instrument panel housing.

3. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 1 wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a second deployed configuration whereby the storage slot and the storage compartment top are accessible below the instrument panel housing.

4. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a third deployed configuration whereby the storage compartment top is disposed substantially adjacent to a vertical plane defined by the instrument panel housing.

5. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 1 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises at least one strut pivotally connected at a first end to a support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

6. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 4 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises four struts each pivotally connected at a first end to a support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

7. A vehicle dash panel, comprising:
a housing; and
a dash panel storage compartment carried by a pivoting mechanism and including a storage slot defined by at least a top, a bottom, and sides, wherein the top is hingedly connected to the storage compartment;
wherein the pivoting mechanism is configured to translate the storage compartment between a stowed configuration within an interior of the housing and a plurality of deployed configurations.

8. The dash panel of claim 7 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises at least one strut pivotally connected at a first end to a support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

9. The dash panel of claim 8 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises four struts each pivotally connected at a first end to the support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

10. The dash panel of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a first deployed configuration whereby only the storage slot is accessible below the housing.

11. The dash panel of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a second deployed configuration whereby the storage slot and the storage compartment top are accessible below the housing.

12. The dash panel of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of deployed configurations include a third deployed configuration whereby the storage compartment top is disposed substantially adjacent to a vertical plane defined by the instrument panel housing.

13. A vehicle including the dash panel of claim 7 .

14. A vehicle dash panel storage compartment, comprising:
a storage compartment including at least a hinged top, a bottom, and sides defining a storage slot; and
a pivoting mechanism configured to translate the storage compartment between a stowed configuration within an interior of a housing of the dash panel, one or more intermediate deployed configurations, and a fully deployed configuration whereby the storage compartment top is disposed adjacent to a vertical plane defined by the housing.

15. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 14 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises at least one strut pivotally connected at a first end to a support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

16. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 15 , wherein the pivoting mechanism comprises four struts each pivotally connected at a first end to the support and at a second end to the storage compartment.

17. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of intermediate deployed configurations disposes only the storage slot exterior of the housing.

18. The dash panel storage compartment of claim 14 , wherein another of the plurality of intermediate deployed configurations disposes the storage slot and the storage compartment top exterior of the housing.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Huebner Annette Lynn
• Rutman Matthew B
• Hellman Kristin Ann
• Welch Ryan

Classifications

• B60R7/06 Primary

  mounted on or below dashboards · CPC title

• B60K37/00

  Dashboards (as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14) · CPC title

• B60R2011/0082

  collapsible, e.g. for storing after use · CPC title

• B60R11/00

  Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60R2011/0005

  Dashboard · CPC title