Storage compartment with magnetic dividing elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9834148-B2
Application number	US-201615060963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A storage compartment for a motor vehicle includes a fixed structural and at least one dividing element that is magnetically fastenable to the structural part in order to form a section together therewith in such manner that a surface section of the dividing element forms a first part of a partition of the section, and a surface section of structural part forms a second part of the partition. The dividing element is deformable in such manner that it can be fastened to structural part in a plurality of different installation form, thereby creating different sections together with the structural part without requiring varied partitions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage compartment for a motor vehicle, the storage compartment having at least two configurations including a first configuration and a second configuration, the storage compartment comprising:
a structural part having a base and a sidewall surrounding the base defining an interior space; and
a dividing element that is elongate, the dividing element having a first end and a second end that are spaced apart along an axis of the dividing element, at least one of the first end and the second end configured to be magnetically fastenable to the structural part for partitioning the interior space in such manner that a surface section of the dividing element forms a first part of a partition in the interior space, and a surface section of the structural part forms a second part of the partition, wherein the dividing element is bendable between a first position and a second position, a curvature of the axis being different in the first position and the second position;
the dividing element, in the first configuration of the storage compartment, being in the first position and magnetically fastened to the structural part to form a first section of the interior space; and
the dividing element, in the second configuration of the storage compartment, being in the second position and magnetically fastened to the structural part to form a second section of the interior space.

2. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the first section and the second section differ in respect to at least one of a size and a geometrical shape.

3. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein at least one fastening position between the dividing element and the structural part is changed for each of the first configuration and the second configuration.

4. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing element comprises at least two magnetic elements, and the structural part has at least one magnetic element, wherein the dividing element is fastened to the structural part by a magnetic connection of the magnetic elements on both the dividing element and the structural element.

5. The storage compartment according to claim 4 , wherein the dividing element comprises at least two discrete magnetic elements as magnetic elements, each of which defines a discrete fastening position on the dividing element.

6. The storage compartment according to claim 5 , further comprising a first magnetic element of the dividing element fastened magnetically at a first fastening position on the structural part, a second magnetic element fastenable magnetically to the structural part in at least two different fastening positions.

7. The storage compartment 4 , wherein the structural part comprises at least one extended magnetic element as the magnetic element, which enables a continuously-variable fastening position on the structural part over an area of the extended magnetic element.

8. The storage compartment according to claim 7 , wherein the structural part comprises at least two discrete magnetic elements as the magnetic elements, wherein each of the discrete magnetic elements prescribe a discrete fastening position on the structural part.

9. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing element has an inherently stable resting shape from which it can be deflected against an elastic force into a different, working shape.

10. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing element comprises a dividing element made from one of rubber or silicone.

11. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing element comprises a band having a cross section with at least one of a constant width or a constant thickness transversely to a lengthwise direction thereof.

12. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the respective fastening of the dividing element to the structural part is maintained exclusively by magnetic force.

13. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein the respective fastening of the dividing element to the structural part is maintained by magnetic force and at least one positive locking joint creating a form-fitting attachment of the dividing elements in a transverse direction relative to the direction of the magnetic force.

14. The storage compartment according to claim 1 , wherein a support element for the magnetic element is affixed to one of the dividing element or the structural part.

15. A motor vehicle having a storage compartment according to claim 1 .

16. A storage compartment for a motor vehicle, the storage compartment having at least two configurations including a first configuration and a second configuration, the storage compartment comprising:
a structural part having a base and a sidewall surrounding the base defining an interior space; and
a dividing element with an elongate band having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being spaced apart along an axis of the dividing element, the dividing element including a first magnetic element supported on the dividing element proximate the first end and a second magnetic element supported on the dividing element proximate the second end, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element configured to be magnetically fastenable to the structural part for partitioning the interior space in such manner that a surface section of the dividing element forms a first part of a partition in the interior space, and a surface section of the structural part forms a second part of the partition, wherein the band is elastically bendable between a first position and a second position, a curvature of the axis being different in the first position and the second position;
the band of the dividing element, in the first configuration of the storage compartment, being in the first position and the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element being magnetically fastened to the structural part to form a first section of the interior space; and
the band of the dividing element, in the second configuration of the storage compartment, being in the second position and the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element being magnetically fastened to the structural part to form a second section of the interior space.

17. The storage compartment of claim 16 , wherein the axis of the dividing element is substantially straight in the first position of the band; and
wherein the axis of the dividing element is nonlinear in the second position of the band.

18. The storage compartment of claim 17 , wherein the sidewall includes a plurality of walls that cooperatively surround the base, the plurality of walls including a first wall and a second wall that face each other across the base;
wherein, in the first configuration of the storage compartment, the first magnetic element is magnetically fastened to the first wall and the second magnetic element is magnetically fastened to the second wall; and
wherein, in the second configuration of the storage compartment, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are magnetically fastened to the first wall.

19. The storage compartment of claim 18 , wherein the first magnetic element is received in the dividing element, proximate the first end; and
wherein the second magnetic element is received in the dividing element, proximate the second end.

20. The storage compartment of claim 19 , wherein the structural part includes a third magnetic element that is configured to magnet

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Gaudig Ralf
• Maier Juergen

Classifications

• B60N3/107

  with different elements of fixed geometry · CPC title

• B60N3/103

  detachable · CPC title

• B60R7/04 Primary

  in driver or passenger space {, e.g. using racks (B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N3/10

  of receptacles for food or beverages, e.g. refrigerated · CPC title