Under seat capture device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919655-B2
Application number	US-201615013038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2016
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of an under seat capture device are described. Some embodiments include a first chute for aligning below a gap between a center console and a vehicle seat, a first platform component that is coupled to the first chute for receiving an object, and an actuator that is coupled to the first platform component that causes a change in position of the first platform component to guide the object received by the first platform component to a desired location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An under seat capture device comprising:
a first chute for aligning below a gap between a center console and a vehicle seat;
a second chute for aligning below a second gap between a vehicle door and the vehicle seat;
a first platform component that is coupled to the first chute and the second chute for receiving an object from at least one of the following: the first chute and the second chute;
a first receiving tray that is coupled to the first platform component for receiving the object from the first platform component, wherein the first receiving tray comprises a vertical wall to restrict the object from leaving the first receiving tray; and an actuator that is coupled to the first platform component that causes a change in position of the first platform component to guide the object received by the first platform component to a desired location.

2. The under seat capture device of claim 1 , further comprising a second platform component that is coupled to the first platform component at an interior side to create a relative angle between the first platform component and the second platform component, wherein the first platform component and the second platform component alter the relative angle to guide the object to the first receiving tray.

3. The under seat capture device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor that detects a presence and a current location of the object on the under seat capture device; and
a computing device that is coupled to the sensor and the actuator, wherein the computing device stores logic for determining the desired location for the object, and based on the current location of the object, sending a command to the actuator to guide the object to the desired location.

4. The under seat capture device of claim 1 , further comprising a base component that is coupled to the first platform component.

5. The under seat capture device of claim 4 , wherein the base component is coupled to an interior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a plurality of directions.

6. The under seat capture device of claim 4 , wherein the base component is coupled to an exterior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a single direction.

7. An under seat capture system comprising:
a vehicle seat; and
an under seat capture device that is coupled to the vehicle seat, the under seat capture device comprising:
a first chute for aligning below a first gap between a center console and the vehicle seat;
a second chute for aligning below a second gap between a vehicle door and the vehicle seat;
a first platform component that is coupled to the first chute and the second chute for receiving an object from at least one of the following: the first chute and the second chute; and
a first receiving tray that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the first receiving tray comprises a vertical wall to restrict the object from leaving the first receiving tray.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second platform component that is coupled to the first platform component at an interior side; and
a second receiving tray that is coupled to the second platform component.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an actuator that is coupled to the first platform component that causes a change in position of the first platform component to guide the object received by the first platform component to a desired location.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes at least one of the following: a manual actuator and a motorized actuator.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sensor that detects a presence and a current location of the object on the system; and
a computing device that is coupled to the sensor and the actuator, wherein the computing device stores logic for determining the desired location for the object, based on the current location of the object and for sending a command to the actuator to guide the object to the desired location.

12. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a base component that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the base component is coupled to an interior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a plurality of directions.

13. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a base component that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the base component is coupled to an exterior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a single direction.

14. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle seat;
a center console that defines a first gap between the vehicle seat and the center console;
a vehicle door that defines a second gap between the vehicle seat and the vehicle door; and
an under seat capture device comprising:
a first chute for aligning below the first gap;
a second chute for aligning below the second gap;
a first platform component that is coupled to the first chute and the second chute for receiving an object;
a first receiving tray that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the first receiving tray comprises a vertical wall to restrict the object from leaving the first receiving tray; and
an actuator that is coupled to the first platform component that causes a change in position of the first platform component to guide the object received by the first platform component to a desired location.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second platform component that is coupled to the first platform component at an interior side; and
a second receiving tray that is coupled to the second platform component.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:
a sensor that detects a presence and a current location of the object on the under seat capture system; and
a computing device that is coupled to the sensor and the actuator, wherein the computing device stores logic for determining the desired location for the object, based on the current location of the object and for sending a command to the actuator to guide the object to the desired location.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a base component that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the base component is coupled to an interior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a plurality of directions.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a base component that is coupled to the first platform component, wherein the base component is coupled to an exterior side of the first platform component for tilting the first platform component in a single direction.

19. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the actuator includes at least one of the following: a manual actuator and a motorized actuator.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Grant Cassandra R
• Hall Jonathan C

Classifications

• B60N2/793

  for use as storage compartments · CPC title

• B60R7/043 Primary

  mounted on or under a seat · CPC title

• B60N2/4686

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic