Center console arrangement

Abstract

Center console arrangement (1) in a motor vehicle (2) with an upwardly open storage compartment (3) which can be closed by means of a cover (4) pivotably mounted at the rear end of the storage compartment (3), wherein - the cover (4) is displaceable in the longitudinal direction (5) of the vehicle and is supported against an edge of the storage compartment (3) at least in its two end positions, - plastic slide rails (10) are arranged on an underside of the cover (4), over which the cover (4) slides and is supported on abutments (11) on the storage compartment side, - support elements (14) are arranged on the plastic slide rails (10) in the area of ​​the end positions, - in the area of ​​the edge of the storage compartment (3) or in the area of ​​the abutments (11) abutment elements (15) are arranged, on which the support elements (14) rest when the lid (4) is closed, characterized in that the abutment elements (15) are held in a rubber grommet (16) on the edge of the storage compartment (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a central console arrangement in a motor vehicle having an open-top storage compartment which can be closed by means of a cover pivotably mounted at the rear end of the storage compartment, according to the preamble of claim 1.DE 102 44 300 A1 discloses a generic center console arrangement having an upwardly open storage compartment and a pivotably mounted cover, wherein a crash locking device is additionally provided which comprises a swivel latch which is preferably held in the release position counter to the force of a return spring and a pivotable stop part which, in the release position, bears against an abutment notch of the swivel latch.DE 10 2005 060 196 A1 discloses an armrest for a seat in the interior of a motor vehicle.From DE 602 05 488 T2 an armrest is known comprising: an armrest support member movable in a linear direction between a first position and a second position; a release mechanism configured to selectively engage the armrest support member to maintain the armrest support member between the first position and the second position, the release mechanism including a rail and at least one cam member configured to pivot between a position in which it is engaged with the rail and a position in which it is not engaged with the rail, wherein the armrest support is movable between the first position and the second position when the at least one cam member is in the position in which it is not engaged with the rail.DE 11 2008 002 079 T5 discloses a console box having a box body and a cover which is displaceable on the box body.From US 2003 / 0 184 133 A1 a displaceable armrest console assembly for a vehicle is known, comprising a console and a storage container arranged within the console, a storage door pivotably connected to the console for opening and closing the storage container, and a displaceable armrest arranged over the storage door for movement between a retracted position over the storage door and an extended position extending forwardly over that of the storage door.From US 2011 / 0 140 475 A1 a vehicle console is known comprising a base structure defining a cavity and having an opening allowing access to the cavity, a lid having a surface area sufficient to cover at least a part of the opening when the lid is in a closed position, and a hinge element arranged between the base structure and the lid.DE 203 11 467 U1 discloses a central console arrangement having an upwardly open storage compartment and a pivotably mounted cover, wherein a crash locking device is additionally provided which comprises a pivotable latch which is preferably held in the release position counter to the force of a return spring and a pivotable stop part which, in the release position, bears against an abutment notch of the pivotable latch. This is intended to create, in particular, a central console arrangement with a crash locking device arranged at the rear.DE 41 30 847 C2 discloses a further central console arrangement having a storage compartment which can be closed by means of a cover.The present invention is concerned with the problem of specifying an improved or at least one alternative embodiment for a central console arrangement of the generic type, which is distinguished in particular by an increase in comfort for a user and an increased stability with at the same time low weight.This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.The present invention is based on the general idea of supporting a cover for covering an upwardly open storage compartment of a central console arrangement in a motor vehicle such that it can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and at the same time supporting this cover, at least in its two end positions, that is to say in a front end position and a rear end position as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with respect to an edge of the storage compartment. The displaceable cover makes it possible to easily adapt an arm rest for a user of the motor vehicle to the respective height of the user's body and thus allows the user to drive in a particularly comfortable and comfortable manner. By supporting the cover at least in its two end positions, an optimum support is additionally provided, which makes it possible to make the cover itself lighter. If the cover were to freely protrude in the manner of a cantilever beam in its front end position, it would have to be made much more rigid and thus also heavier. By supporting the cover at least in its front and its rear end position, however, the cover can be designed comparatively easily, which is of great advantage in particular in the area of sports car construction.According to the invention, plastic slide rails are arranged on an underside of the cover, via which slide rails the cover slides and is supported on abutments on the storage compartment side. The plastic slide rails according to the invention allow permanent support of the cover in all positions, whereby a stable support of an arm of a user in each position is provided. On the plastic slide rails, in the region of the end positions, support elements are arranged, via which the plastic slide rails are supported in the respective end position on opposing abutment elements arranged in the region of the edge of the storage compartment, wherein these abutment elements are formed from a soft plastic, for example from polyoxymethylene (POM). In the same way, the support elements can also be formed from a soft plastic, which in particular enables a nearly noise-free closing of the cover. The support elements or the abutment elements and above all the slide rails are matched to one another with regard to the selection of material in such a way that they enable simple and above all easy sliding of the slide rails on the abutment elements. In order to be able to additionally reduce, in particular, an impact noise when folding the cover, the abutment element on the storage compartment side is additionally held in a rubber bushing, which dampens the placement of the cover and thus a collision of the support elements on the abutment elements. The selection of material, in particular of the abutment elements and of the support elements, should also be optimized in particular with regard to wear and, in addition, should enable high support forces.In a further embodiment not falling under the invention, the abutment elements are designed as roller elements, so that when the cover is slid longitudinally over its slide rails, these slide rails are mounted on the roller elements and thus comparatively smoothly. As a result, a particularly easy adjustment movement can be realized, in particular in the case of higher-quality interior fitting.Expediently, the cover is mounted pivotably via a magnesium die casting hinge on the central console arrangement or on the storage compartment. The use of the material magnesium die casting for a hinge for the pivotable mounting of the cover is possible due to the forces to be absorbed which become lower due to the support, since the support forces are not transmitted via the hinge as before, but directly from the cover via the plastic slide rails to the storage compartment or the central console arrangement. Of course, a direct support of the cover via the magnesium die casting hinge on a cover of the center console arrangement, for example again via a suitable rubber buffer, is also conceivable in addition to the support via the plastic slide rails, as a result of which the forces to be absorbed in the hinge region can likewise be reduced. The plastic slide rails are integrated, for example, into a plate which is designed as a plastic injection-molded part and is attached to the cover from below. The support elements can be formed from a different plastic than the plastic for the plastic slide rails, so that the plate can generally be formed as a two-component injection molded part.Expediently, the cover is mounted on the center console or on the magnesium die casting hinge in a longitudinally adjustable manner via guide rails, wherein the guide rails each have an outer rail made of aluminum and an inner rail made of steel. In addition, a crash locking device can be integrated in the guide rails, which ensures a secure end stop of the cover during the longitudinal displacement forward. In addition, an end position locking can also be integrated into the guide rail, in which the inner rail locks with corresponding elements in the outer rail and thus indicates haptically to the user that the respective end position has been reached.Further important features and advantages of the invention are evident from the dependent claims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.It is understood that the features mentioned above and those still to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally the same components.In each case, diagrammatically show, FIG. 1 shows a view of a center console according to the invention with a cover displaced forwards and backwards (right and left illustration), FIG. 2 shows an inner life of the cover, FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration through the central console arrangement with the cover displaced to the rear, FIG. 4 is a view as in FIG. 3, but with the cover displaced forward, FIG. 5 shows a detailed view A from FIG. 3, FIG. 6 shows a detailed view A from FIG. 4, FIG. 7 shows a detailed illustration of a mounting of a magnesium pressure cable hinge on the central console, FIG. 8 shows a detailed illustration of the cover from below with integrally formed plastic slide rails, FIG. 9 shows different views on guide rails, FIG. 10 shows different sectional views through the guide rails shown in FIG. 9.Corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2, a central console arrangement 1 according to the invention in a motor vehicle 2, which is not otherwise shown, has an upwardly open storage compartment 3 (compare FIGS. 3 and 4 ), which can be closed by means of a cover 4 pivotably mounted at the rear end of the storage compartment 3 and is also closed according to FIGS. 1 to 4. According to the invention, the cover 4 is now displaceable in the vehicle longitudinal direction 5 and is supported against an edge of the storage compartment 3 at least in its two end positions, that is to say in the rearward position shown on the left according to FIG. 1 and also in its forward position shown on the right according to FIG. 1. This not only allows simple and convenient adjustment of the cover 4 and thus a significant increase in comfort for a user of the motor vehicle 2, but additionally the cover 4 and in particular also the central console arrangement 1 can be made lighter due to the additional support, in particular when the cover 4 is pushed forward, which is of great advantage in particular in sports car construction. However, the cover 4 is not only adjustable in the longitudinal direction 5 of the vehicle, but is also pivotable about an axis running in the transverse direction of the vehicle at the rear edge of the storage compartment 3 and thus can be opened up. The longitudinal adjustment of the cover 4 is effected via guide rails 6 (compare FIGS. 2 to 4 and 9, 10), wherein these guide rails 6 each have an outer rail 7 made of aluminum and an inner rail 8 made of steel. The inner rail 8 is firmly connected to a hinge, in particular to a magnesium die casting hinge 9, and thus allows the cover 4 to be pivoted.In order to be able to ensure constant support of the cover 4 with respect to the storage compartment 3 or the central console arrangement 1, plastic slide rails 10 (compare also FIGS. 3 to 8 ) are arranged on an underside of the cover 4, the cover 4 sliding over said slide rails and being supported thereby on abutments 11 on the storage compartment side. The plastic slide rails 10 can be an integral part of a cover 12 (see FIG. 8 ) which closes off the cover in the downward direction. In the cover 12 a recessed grip 13 can also be formed, which facilitates opening of the cover 4. The cover 12 can be designed as a plastic injection-molded part and can have support elements 14 in the area of the end positions as well as in the area of the plastic slide rails 10. In the region of the edge of the storage compartment 3 abutment elements 15 (compare in particular FIGS. 3 to 6 ) are again provided, which are formed for example from polyoxymethylene (POM). In order to be able to reduce an impact noise of the cover 4, moreover, the abutment elements 15 are held in a rubber bushing 16 at the edge of the storage compartment 3. The support elements 14 can also be formed from a comparatively soft plastic which, when it hits the opposite abutment elements 15, generates no or only little noise.Looking at FIGS. 3 and 4, the cover 4 can be seen in its rear position according to FIG. 3 and in its front position according to FIG. 4. In the position shown in FIG. 3, the cover 4 rests via its front support elements 14 on the abutment elements 15 on the storage compartment side, whereas in FIG. 4 it rests via its rear support elements 14 on the abutment elements 15 on the storage compartment side. This is still illustrated in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6. The support elements 14 can be produced in one working step together with the cover 12 containing the plastic slide rails 10, so that in this case the cover 12 is formed as a two-component plastic injection molded part. The rubber bushing 16, which holds the storage compartment-side abutment element 15, can be held at the edge of the storage compartment 3 via a corresponding groove 17. The respective plastic slide rail 10 runs between the front and rear support elements 14, so that in any position and not only in the two end positions shown according to FIGS. 3 and 4, it supports the cover 4 with respect to the abutments 11 and thus with respect to the edge of the storage compartment 3.If FIG. 7 and in particular the detailed illustration of FIG. 7 are considered, it can be seen that the magnesium die casting hinge 9 is also supported with respect to an edge of the storage compartment 3, in particular via a rubber buffer 18. The rubber buffer 18 also reduces an impact noise when closing the cover 4 and when the magnesium die casting hinge 9 hits the rubber buffer 18.The cover 12 and in particular the plastic slide rails 10 can be formed from a plastic having a low sliding resistance, wherein, in order to further reduce the forces required for the longitudinal adjustment of the cover 4, it is also conceivable for the abutment elements 15 to be formed as roller elements, so that the plastic slide rails 10 can no longer slide on the abutment elements 15 during the adjustment of the cover 4, but can roll thereon in a particularly low-friction manner. In this way, in particular a slip stick effect can also be avoided. Due to the constant support of the cover 4 via its plastic slide rails 10 on the abutment elements 15, it is possible in particular to be able to use comparatively low-weight magnesium die-cast hinges 9.Now looking at FIGS. 9 and 10, the respective inner rails 8 and outer rails 7 of the guide rails 6 can be seen, wherein recesses 19 can be seen on the outer rail 7, which are designed as end position catches. When the front or rear end position is reached, catches 20 (compare FIG. 10 ) arranged on the inner rail 8 engage in the recesses 19 and thereby indicate haptically to the user the reaching of the front or rear end position. Due to the low rigidity of aluminum rails compared to steel rails, an additional crash safety is provided. When the cover 4 accelerates in the event of a crash, a rib 21 formed on the inner rail 8 engages in a positively locking manner in a recess 22 on the outer rail 7 and thus prevents the end stop from being bent open.All in all, a significant increase in comfort for a user of the motor vehicle 2 can be achieved with the center console arrangement 1 according to the invention, since the cover 4 can be adjusted comparatively easily and easily in the vehicle longitudinal direction 5 and, owing to the constant support of the cover 4 via the plastic slide rails 10 and the abutment elements 15, a constructionally light construction can be achieved at the same time, which is of great advantage in particular in sports car construction.

Claims

Central console arrangement (1) in a motor vehicle (2) having an upwardly open storage compartment (3) which can be closed by means of a cover (4) pivotably mounted at the rear end of the storage compartment (3), wherein - the cover (4) can be displaced in the vehicle longitudinal direction (5) and is supported at least in its two end positions with respect to an edge of the storage compartment (3), - plastic slide rails (10) are arranged on an underside of the cover (4), via which slide rails the cover (4) slides and is supported on abutments (11) on the storage compartment side, - support elements (14) are arranged on the plastic slide rails (10) in the region of the end positions, - abutment elements (15) are arranged in the region of the edge of the storage compartment (3) or in the region of the abutments (11), on which abutment elements the support elements (14) rest when the cover (4) is closed, characterized in that, the abutment elements (15) are held in a rubber bushing (16) at the edge of the storage compartment (3).Central console arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the abutment elements (15) are formed from polyoxymethylene (POM).Central console arrangement according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the cover (4) is mounted on the central console in a longitudinally adjustable manner via guide rails (6), the guide rails (6) each having an outer rail (7) made of aluminium and an inner rail (8) made of steel.Central console arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cover (4) is mounted pivotably via a magnesium die casting hinge (9).Motor vehicle (2) having a central console arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images