Retractable storage apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902339-B2
Application number	US-201615013200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2016
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of a retractable storage apparatus are described. Some embodiments include a hinge component, a back support disposed on a first side of the hinge component, and a lower support disposed on the first side of the hinge component. Some embodiments include an anchor component that is disposed on a second side of the hinge component, where when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged, the back support, the lower support, and the anchor component are substantially coplanar and disposed within a mechanism cavity. Similarly, in some embodiments, in response to receiving a force directed into the mechanism cavity, the retractable storage apparatus is engaged such that the back support and the lower support extend from the mechanism cavity to expose the back support and the lower support and the back support and the lower support rotate on the hinge component to receive a mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retractable storage apparatus comprising:
a hinge component;
a back support disposed on a first side of the hinge component;
a lower support disposed on the first side of the hinge component; and
an anchor component that is disposed on a second side of the hinge component,
wherein when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged, the back support, the lower support, and the anchor component are substantially coplanar and disposed within a mechanism cavity, and
wherein, in response to receiving a force directed into the mechanism cavity, the retractable storage apparatus is engaged such that the back support and the lower support independently extend from the mechanism cavity to expose the back support and the lower support, and
wherein the back support and the lower support each rotate independently in different directions on the hinge component to receive a mobile device.

2. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising retractable side supports that extend from the back support.

3. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the retractable side supports are configured as at least one of the following: substantially L shaped and substantially C shaped.

4. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus cover that is substantially flush with an opening of the mechanism cavity when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged and opens the mechanism cavity to allow the retractable storage apparatus to engage.

5. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retractable storage apparatus is integrated into at least one of the following: a vehicle dashboard and a vehicle console.

6. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a charging mechanism for charging the mobile device.

7. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a user input and an electric motor for disengaging the retractable storage apparatus.

8. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the user input and the electric motor are configured to engage the retractable storage apparatus.

9. A retractable storage apparatus comprising:
a hinge component;
a back support coupled to the hinge component;
a lower support that is coupled to the hinge component;
an anchor component that is coupled to the hinge component;
a retraction mechanism for engaging and disengaging the retractable storage apparatus,
wherein when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged, the back support, the lower support, and the anchor component are substantially coplanar and disposed within a mechanism cavity; and
a user input device that is coupled to the retraction mechanism, wherein, in response to receiving user input to engage the retractable storage apparatus, the back support and the lower support independently extend from the mechanism cavity, and
wherein the back support and the lower support each rotate independently in different directions on the hinge component to receive a mobile device.

10. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising retractable side supports that extend from the back support.

11. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the retractable side supports are configured as at least one of the following: substantially L shaped and substantially C shaped.

12. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising an apparatus cover that is substantially flush with an opening of the mechanism cavity when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged and opens the mechanism cavity to allow the retractable storage apparatus to engage.

13. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus cover is coupled to at least one of the following: the back support, a vehicle console, and a vehicle dashboard.

14. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a charging mechanism for charging the mobile device.

15. The retractable storage apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user input device includes at least one of the following: a manual push button that physically engages the retraction mechanism and an electronic push button that activates a motor.

16. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle dashboard;
a vehicle console; and
a retractable storage apparatus that is coupled to at least one of the following: the vehicle dashboard and the vehicle console, wherein the retractable storage apparatus comprises:
a hinge component;
a back support coupled to the hinge component;
a lower support that is coupled to the hinge component;
an anchor component that is coupled to the hinge component;
retractable side supports that are coupled to the back support;
a retraction mechanism for engaging and disengaging the retractable storage apparatus, wherein when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged, the back support, the lower support, and the anchor component are substantially coplanar and disposed within a mechanism cavity of the vehicle; and
a user input device that is coupled to the retraction mechanism, wherein, in response to receiving user input to engage the retractable storage apparatus, the back support and the lower support extend independently from the mechanism cavity, and wherein the back support and the lower support each rotate independently in different directions on the hinge component, and the retractable side supports extend to receive a mobile device.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the retractable side supports are configured as at least one of the following: substantially L shaped and substantially C shaped.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising an apparatus cover that is substantially flush with an opening of the mechanism cavity when the retractable storage apparatus is disengaged and opens the mechanism cavity to allow the retractable storage apparatus to engage.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus cover is coupled to at least one of the following: the back support, the vehicle console, and the vehicle dashboard.

20. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a charging mechanism for charging the mobile device.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Gilling Earnee J
• Hall Jonathan C
• Grant Cassandra R

Classifications

• B60R11/0241 Primary

  for telephones · CPC title

• B60R2011/0049

  for non integrated articles · CPC title

• B60R2011/0005

  Dashboard · CPC title

• B60R11/0258

  for navigation systems · CPC title

• B60R2011/0007

  Mid-console · CPC title