Vehicle storage compartment along top surface of door inner panel

Abstract

A product is disclosed that may include a door inner panel having a lower portion with a front surface, an opposing rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, a storage compartment having a cover hinged to at least one wall, where the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the bottom of the inner panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The field generally relates to vehicle storage compartments and components and methods of using the same. Background Art

[0002] Traditionally, cars have storage compartments in glove boxes, center consoles, and door pockets. However, these compartments are often small and inconveniently located. For example, the glove box is often difficult to reach while driving, and the center console can be cluttered with other items. Door pockets are also small and awkward to use, especially in the back seat. Front door upper trim is often non-functional decorative piece made of plastic or other materials. Storage space in a car is always important, especially in a small car where every cubic inch counts.

[0003] It is therefore desirable to provide a product that includes a vehicle storage compartment that, in a number of variations, can include non-traditional materials for vehicle storage compartments and can be located in non-traditional locations in a vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the variations disclosed herein will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Several variations may include a product comprising a door inner panel having a lower portion having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, a storage compartment having a cover hingedly connected to at least one wall, wherein the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the lower portion of the inner panel.

[0005] Variations may include a product wherein the at least one wall comprises a bottom wall.

[0006] Variations may include a product wherein the at least one wall further comprises at least one connecting wall extending from the bottom wall.

[0007] Variations may include a product wherein the at least one connecting wall includes a front wall and an opposing rear wall, and outer and inner side walls each connected to the front and rear walls.

[0008] Variations may include a product wherein the lid is hingedly connected to at least one connecting wall.

[0009] Variations may include a product wherein the cover is hinged to at least one connecting wall by a metal hinge or a flexible hinge comprising a polymeric material or fabric.

[0010] Variations may include a product further comprising a zipper having a first row of teeth connected to the lid and a second row of teeth connected to at least one connecting wall, and a slider for drawing the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth together to close the storage compartment, or separating the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth to open the storage compartment and allow the lid to be moved to an open position.

[0011] Variations may include a product wherein the lid, the bottom wall, and the at least one connecting wall each comprise a non-flexible material.

[0012] Variations may include a product wherein the non-flexible material comprises a polymeric material, a composite material, or a metal.

[0013] Variations may include a product further comprising fabric, natural leather, synthetic leather, or a polymeric material covering an outer surface of the cover.

[0014] Variations may include a product wherein the storage compartment is positioned along the top surface, closer to the front surface than to the rear surface of the inner panel.

[0015] Variations may include a product further comprising a vehicle having an instrument panel, and wherein the storage compartment is positioned along a top surface adjacent the instrument panel.

[0016] Variations may include a product wherein the inner panel includes an inner face facing the driver seat or the passenger seat, and wherein the inner face includes a portion that curves toward the instrument panel, and wherein at least a portion of the storage compartment is located behind the curved portion of the inner face of the inner panel.

[0017] Variations may include a product further comprising a vehicle having an A-pillar, and wherein the storage compartment is positioned along a top surface on the door inner panel proximate the A-pillar.

[0018] Variations may include a product comprising a vehicle having a pair of spaced-apart partial A-pillars and an instrument panel extending therebetween; an inner door panel having a lower portion having a front surface, an opposed rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, a storage compartment having a cover hingedly connected to at least one wall, wherein the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the bottom portion of the inner panel; wherein the storage compartment is positioned along the top surface of the inner panel nearest the instrument panel and one of the spaced-apart partial A-pillars.

[0019] Variations may include a product wherein the at least one wall includes a front wall and an opposing rear wall, and outer and inner side walls each connected to the front and rear walls.

[0020] Variations may include a product wherein the cover is hinged to at least one wall by a metal hinge or a flexible hinge comprising a polymeric material or fabric.

[0021] Variations may include a product further comprising a zipper having a first row of teeth connected to the lid and a second row of teeth connected to at least one connecting wall, and a slider for drawing the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth together to close the storage compartment, or separating the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth to open the storage compartment and allow the lid to be moved to an open position.

[0022] Variations may include a product wherein the inner panel includes an inner face facing the driver seat or the passenger seat, and wherein the inner face includes a portion that curves toward the instrument panel, and wherein at least a portion of the storage compartment is located behind the curved portion of the inner face of the inner panel.

[0023] Several variations may include a method comprising assembling a vehicle door inner panel having a lower portion having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, a storage compartment having a cover hingedly connected to at least one wall, wherein the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the lower portion of the inner panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The variations will be described below with reference to the following drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0025] Figure 1 A vehicle door including a door frame and a door inner panel according to a number of variations is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lower portion of a door inner panel having a storage compartment along a top surface of the lower portion of the door inner panel according to a number of variations;

[0027] Figure 3 is based on multiple variations along Figure 2 a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3;

[0028] Figure 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of a door inner panel according to a number of variations, the door inner panel having a storage compartment along a top surface of a lower portion of the door inner panel, the storage compartment having a cover and an open position of the storage compartment;

[0029] Figure 5 Variations of a hinge for use with a lid of a storage compartment are shown according to a number of variations;

[0030] Figure 6 A zipper for closing and / or locking a lid of a storage compartment according to a number of variations is shown;

[0031] Figure 7 is a partial view illustrating a vehicle interior having a door inner panel having a curved portion that engages an instrument panel, wherein the curved portion provides a space therebehind that is adapted to receive at least a portion of a storage compartment according to a number of variations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following detailed description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, summary or the following detailed description.

[0033] Figure 1 , which may include a product, which may be a door inner panel 30 having a lower portion 32 and an upper portion 42. The lower portion 32 may include a front surface 34, a rear surface 36, a bottom surface 38, and a top surface 40. The upper portion 42 may include an A-pillar engaging portion 44, a top portion 46, and a B-pillar engaging portion 48, which, together with the top surface 40 of the lower portion 32, define a window opening 50. The door inner panel 30 may be mounted to a door frame 52, which is typically formed from stamped metal. The door frame 52 may include a roof engaging edge 54, an A-pillar engaging edge 56, a front edge 58, a bottom edge 60, a rear edge 62, and a B-pillar engaging edge 64. The lower portion 32 of the door inner panel 30 may be configured to accommodate a storage compartment area 66 near the upper front portion of the lower portion 32 of the door inner panel 30.

[0034] Figure 2-Figure 3 , which may include a lower portion 32 of the door inner panel 30 having a storage compartment 68 therein. The storage compartment 68 may include a lid 70, at least one hinge 72 connected to the lid 70, an outer wall 74 connected to a bottom wall 76, and a front wall 78 and a rear wall 80 each connected to the bottom wall 76. The door inner panel 30 may include an inner face 84 that joins the top surface 40. The lid 70 of the storage compartment 68 may form a portion of the top surface 40 of the lower portion 32 of the door inner panel 30.

[0035] Figure 4 A number of variations are shown, wherein the cover 70, outer wall 74, bottom wall 76, front wall 78, rear wall 80 and inner wall 82 ( Figure 4 The lid 70 (not shown) defines space for luggage and other objects. At least one hinge 72 can be operably connected to the lid 70 and one of the outer wall 74, front wall 78, rear wall 80, and inner wall 82, so that the lid 70 can be swung to an open position or a closed position, wherein the lid 70 engages at least one of the outer wall 74, front wall 78, rear wall 80, and inner wall 82. The lid 70 can include a lower edge 71, a first end edge 136, and an opposing second end edge 134 connecting the lower edge 71 and the top edge 132. The outer wall 74 can have a first upper edge 75, the rear wall 80 can have a second upper edge 138, the inner wall 82 can have a third upper edge 140, and the front wall 78 can have a fourth upper edge 142.

[0036] Figure 5, which may include a hinge 72 made of metal or a polymeric material, the hinge including a first hinge piece 88 having a first finger 90 and a spaced-apart second finger 92. The hinge 72 may include a second piece 94 having a third finger 96 and a spaced-apart fourth finger 98. The first finger 90 and the second finger 92 may intersect with the third finger 96 and the fourth finger 98. The hinge 72 may be made of a relatively flexible material, such as metal, a polymeric material, or fabric, and may extend along at least a portion of the lower edge 71 of the lid 70 and to a respective upper edge 75, 142, 138, 140 of one of the outer wall 74, the front wall 78, the rear wall 80, or the inner wall 82.

[0037] exist Figure 6 , which may include a zipper 100 having a first fabric strip 102 having a first row of spaced-apart teeth 104 attached thereto, a second fabric strip 106 having a second row of spaced-apart teeth 108 attached thereto, and a slider 110 for pulling the first and second rows of spaced-apart teeth 104, 108 together to close the storage compartment 68, or separating the first and second rows of spaced-apart teeth 104, 108 to open the storage compartment 68 and allow the lid 70 to be moved to the open position. The first fabric strip 102 and the first row of spaced-apart teeth 104 may be disposed along at least one of the lower edge 71, the first end edge 136, the opposing second end edge 134, or the top edge 132 of the lid 70. In various variations, the first fabric strip 102 and the first row of spaced-apart, partial teeth 104 can be positioned along three of the lower edge 71, the first end edge 136, the opposing second end edge 134, or the top edge 132 of the lid 70. The second fabric strip 106 and the second row of spaced-apart, partial teeth 108 can be positioned along at least one of the first upper edge 75 of the outer wall 74, the second upper edge 138 of the rear wall 80, the third upper edge 140 of the inner wall 82, or the fourth upper edge 142 of the front wall 78. In various variations, the second fabric strip 106 and the second row of spaced-apart, partial teeth 108 can be positioned along three of the first upper edge 75 of the outer wall 74, the second upper edge 138 of the rear wall 80, the third upper edge 140 of the inner wall 82, or the fourth upper edge 142 of the front wall 78. In various variations, the storage compartment 68 and the lid 70 therein can have various shapes.

[0038] Figure 7FIG2 is a partial view illustrating a vehicle interior, wherein the vehicle may include a pair of spaced-apart A-pillars 120 and 2120 and an instrument panel 128 extending therebetween. A driver's side door inner panel 112 and a front passenger's side door inner panel 114 may be provided. A steering device 116 may be connected to a shaft (not shown) extending through the instrument panel 128. A driver's seat 118 may be positioned adjacent to the driver's side door inner panel 112, and a front passenger's seat 124 may be positioned adjacent to the front passenger's side door inner panel 114. The driver's side door inner panel 112 may include a top surface 40 and an inner surface 84 facing the driver's seat 118. According to various variations, the inner surface 84 may include a curved portion 122 that provides a space behind it for receiving at least a portion of a storage compartment. Similarly, according to various variations, the front passenger's side door inner panel 114 may include a top surface 2040 and an inner surface 2084 that may include a curved portion 2122 that provides a space behind it for receiving at least a portion of a storage compartment. A center console 126 may be disposed between the driver seat 118 and the front passenger seat 124 .

[0039] Although at least one illustrative variation has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that there are a large number of variations. It should also be understood that the exemplary embodiment or multiple exemplary embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure in any way. On the contrary, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient roadmap for implementing the exemplary embodiment or multiple exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes may be made to the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A product comprising: A vehicle door inner panel has a lower portion having a front surface, an opposite rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, the storage compartment having a cover hingedly connected to at least one wall, wherein the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the lower portion of the inner panel.

2. The product according to claim 1, wherein The at least one wall includes a bottom wall.

3. The product according to claim 2, wherein The at least one wall further includes at least one connecting wall extending from the bottom wall.

4. The product according to claim 3, wherein The at least one connecting wall includes a front wall and an opposite rear wall, and an outer side wall and an inner side wall each connected to the front wall and the rear wall.

5. The product according to claim 3, wherein The cover is hingedly connected to the at least one connecting wall.

6. The product according to claim 5, wherein The cover is hingedly connected to the at least one connecting wall by a metal hinge or a flexible hinge comprising a polymeric material or fabric.

7. The product of claim 6, further comprising a zipper having a first row of teeth connected to the lid and a second row of teeth connected to the at least one connecting wall, and a slider for drawing the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth together to close the storage compartment, or separating the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth to open the storage compartment and allow the lid to be moved to an open position.

8. The product according to claim 3, wherein The cover, bottom wall and at least one connecting wall each comprise a non-flexible material.

9. The product according to claim 8, wherein The non-flexible material includes a polymeric material, a composite material or a metal.

10. A method comprising: Assembling a door inner panel having a lower portion with a front surface, an opposing rear surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, a storage compartment having a cover hingedly connected to at least one wall, wherein the cover forms a portion of the top surface of the lower portion of the inner panel.

Images