Vehicle equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle equipment for optimizing the storage space of a vehicle, comprising at least one container which, in its installed state and with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, is arranged behind a rear seat and has access from the vehicle cabin side. To optimize the available storage space of a vehicle, particularly the available storage space of a passenger car, the invention provides that the rear seat has at least one headrest which is slidably mounted between an upper and a lower position, wherein the container and the headrest are arranged on a common axis in at least one position of the headrest, which is aligned parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, and the container has a pivotable lid designed for opening and closing the container, wherein the opening of the container is unobstructed in at least one position of the headrest.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle device for optimizing the storage space of a vehicle with at least one container which, in the mounted state and with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, is arranged behind a rear seat and has access from the vehicle cabin side.

[0002] Generic and prior-art vehicle equipment is known from US 3,951,446 and US 4,479,675 and relates to vehicle equipment of a passenger car. According to these, a parcel shelf has a flap that closes a container located below the parcel shelf. In both cases, the rear seats do not have headrests, as is typically found in modern vehicles. However, such headrests block access to the flaps located in the parcel shelves, which is why such vehicle equipment has not become established or widely accepted in modern vehicles.

[0003] According to JP 2010-116029 A, a first non-generic vehicle device with a pivoting rear seat and a pivoting accumulator is known, which is stored in the trunk of the vehicle.

[0004] A second non-generic vehicle device is disclosed in US 2014 / 012592 A1, which relates to an aircraft.

[0005] Based on a generic vehicle equipment, the object of the present invention is to optimize the available storage space of a vehicle, in particular the existing storage space of a passenger car. In particular, the storage space accessible from the vehicle's cabin is to be increased.

[0006] This object is achieved by the vehicle device according to claim 1. According to the invention, the rear seat has at least one headrest which is mounted so as to be displaceable between an upper position and a lower position, wherein the container and the headrest are arranged on a common axis in at least one position of the headrest, which is aligned parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, and the container has a pivotable lid which is designed to open and close the container, wherein the opening of the container is free in at least one position of the headrest and in particular is blocked in at least one position of the headrest.

[0007] In the context of the present application, directional information, in particular the directional information up, down, left, right, front and rear, refers to the vehicle coordinate system, which is right-handed and whose x-axis is aligned in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0008] When the vehicle is moving, i.e. when the headrest is in a position suitable for use, the headrest can be positioned in such a way that it blocks the lid from opening. In order to place objects in the container and / or remove objects from the container, the headrest must then be moved downwards far enough that the lid or container cannot be opened. With the headrest in this position, the container can be opened by pivoting the lid, which allows access to the container from the vehicle cabin. Once the container has been accessed, the lid must be closed and the headrest moved back into a position where it is coaxial with the lid of the container and blocks the lid or container from being opened.

[0009] However, it's also conceivable that the headrest doesn't block the opening of the container even when positioned correctly, meaning the container can be opened freely. In this case, the headrest doesn't have to be moved down first to allow the container to be opened freely.

[0010] Such a container increases the vehicle's accessible storage space from the cabin. In particular, the container can be used to store items that passengers in the rear seat regularly need to access while driving.

[0011] Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified below and in the subclaims.

[0012] Preferably, the pivot axis of the lid runs parallel to the y-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, with the pivot axis preferably being arranged on the upper side of the lid. The lid is preferably arranged on a frame of the container, which, according to an advantageous development of the invention, is pivotally connected to the container, with the pivot axis of the frame running parallel to the y-axis of the vehicle coordinate system. In particular, the pivot axis of the frame is arranged on the upper side of the frame. Alternatively, the pivot axes of the lid and / or the frame can be arranged independently of one another on other sides. The lid is preferably spring-loaded, so that the lid can be pivoted from the open position to the closed position against the force of a spring. A leaf spring or a torsion spring is preferably provided as the spring.The spring-loaded lid makes it easier to load an object, as it doesn't require holding the lid open with one hand. Furthermore, if the lid is improperly locked, it opens automatically, alerting the user that the lid is unlocked.

[0013] According to an advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that the frame in the closed state and the backrest of the rear seat in the folded-up position are arranged coaxially in at least one section on a common axis which runs parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, so that pivoting of the frame by the backrest is blocked.

[0014] Preferably, a locking device is arranged between the cover and the frame, in particular a locking device in the form of a bolt, so that unintentional opening of the cover is blocked regardless of the headrest position.

[0015] The container is preferably delimited at the top, bottom, left, right, and rear by side walls. In one embodiment, the side walls of the container are rigid. According to an alternative and advantageous refinement of the invention, at least the left and right side walls are flexible. The flexible side walls are preferably made of a fabric. A design with flexible side walls of the container has the advantage that the container can be folded up when the trunk is being loaded to adapt to the storage space requirements. In this respect, even bulky objects can be stored in the trunk, even if they protrude into the space occupied by the container itself when unfolded.

[0016] The container is preferably mounted detachably. For this purpose, the vehicle is equipped, in particular, with a cross member that features appropriate fastening elements for detachably securing the container.

[0017] Specific embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1a, b a cross-sectional view and a corresponding front view of a vehicle equipment, Fig. 2a, b a cross-sectional view and a corresponding front view of a vehicle equipment, Fig. 3a, b a cross-sectional view and a corresponding front view of a vehicle device and Fig. 4a, b two cross-sectional views of a vehicle equipment.

[0018] The vehicle device 100 is designed to optimize the storage space of a (only partially shown) vehicle 10 and has a container 11 which, in the mounted state and with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, is arranged behind a rear seat 12 and has access 13 on the vehicle cabin side. The rear seat 12 has a backrest 14 and a headrest 15 which can be adjusted between an upper position ( Fig. 1a, b) and a lower position ( Fig. 2a, b) is mounted displaceably in the direction of arrow 16. The container 11 has a pivotable lid 17, which is designed to open and close the container 11. The lid 17 can be pivoted about a horizontally arranged pivot axis 18. The lid 17 is articulated on a frame 19, which is also articulated on the container 11. The frame 19 can be pivoted about a horizontally oriented rotation axis 20.

[0019] A locking mechanism 21 is arranged between the cover 17 and the frame 19, which locking mechanism must be released to open the cover 17. The frame 19 is dimensioned such that, at least in part, it lies on a common axis B with the backrest 14 of the rear seat 12, wherein the common axis B is aligned parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, whereby the frame 19 and thus the container 11 are supported on the backrest 14 of the rear seat 12. The container 11 is detachably connected to the vehicle 10 and, in the assembled state, is mounted on a cross member 22, which has fastening elements (not shown) as required.

[0020] The lid 17 of the container 11 and the headrest 15 are in the upper position of the headrest 15 ( Fig. 1a, b) are arranged on a common axis A, which is parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system. Fig. 1a, b show a closed container 11. The headrest 15 is in the upper position, so that it blocks the opening of the lid 17 by the headrest 15.

[0021] To open the cover 17, the headrest 15 is moved into the Fig. 2a, b shown position downwards, which allows or releases a pivoting of the lid 17 upwards and thus an opening of the container 11. The Fig. 2a, b show the vehicle equipment 100 with a headrest 15 moved downwards and an open lid 17, so that objects can be placed into the container 11 and / or removed from the container 11.

[0022] After accessing the container 11, the lid 17 must be closed and the headrest 15 must be moved upwards along the direction of the arrow 16 so that it is positioned as required and prevents the lid 17 from being opened. Fig. 3a, b show the closed position of the vehicle equipment 100 with an object 231 stored in the container 11.

[0023] A further embodiment of the invention is described in the Fig. 4a, b. The container shown there has rigid side walls 25 at the top, bottom, and rear, with the rear side wall 25 being hingedly connected to the upper and lower side walls 25. The right- and left-hand side walls 25 are formed from a flexible fabric, so that the container 11 can be folded in the direction of arrow 24. This allows an object 232 to be placed in the trunk of the vehicle 10, which folds the container 11 as far as necessary, so that the object 232 is completely stored in the trunk. List of reference symbols 100 vehicle equipment 10 vehicles 11 containers 12 rear seat 13 Access 14 Backrest 15 Headrest 16 Arrow direction 17 lids 18 Swivel axis 19 frames 20 axis of rotation 21 Locking mechanism 22 cross members 231 Item 232 Object 24 Arrow direction 25 side wall A axis B axis QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 3,951,446

[0002] US 4,479,675

[0002] JP 2010-116029 A

[0003] US 2014 / 012592 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Vehicle device (100) for optimising the storage space of a vehicle (10) with at least one container (11) which, in the mounted state and with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, is arranged behind a rear seat (12) and has access (13) on the vehicle cabin side, characterized by in that the rear seat (12) has at least one headrest (15) which is mounted so as to be displaceable between an upper position and a lower position, wherein the container (11) and the headrest (15) are arranged in at least one position of the headrest (15) on a common axis (A) which is aligned parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, and the container (11) has a pivotable lid which is designed to open and close the container, wherein the opening of the container (11) is free in at least one position of the headrest (15). [2] Vehicle device (100) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the opening of the container (11) is blocked in at least one position of the headrest (15). [3] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by that the pivot axis (18) of the cover (17) runs parallel to the y-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, wherein the pivot axis (18) is preferably arranged on the upper side of the cover (17). [4] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the lid (17) is arranged on a frame (19) of the container (11), which is pivotally connected to the container (11), wherein the pivot axis (20) of the frame (19) runs parallel to the y-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, wherein the pivot axis (20) is preferably arranged on the upper side of the frame (19). [5] Vehicle device (100) according to claim 4, characterized bythat the frame (19) in the closed state and the backrest (14) of the rear seat (12) in the folded-up position are arranged coaxially in at least one section on a common axis (B) which runs parallel to the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system (100), so that pivoting of the frame (19) by the backrest (14) is blocked. [6] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized by that a locking device (21) is arranged between the cover (17) and the frame (19), in particular a locking device (21) in the form of a bolt. [7] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the container (11) is limited at the top, bottom, left, right and rear by side walls (25). [8] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the side walls (25) of the container (11) are rigid. [9] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that at least the left-hand and right-hand side walls (25) are flexible. [10] Vehicle device (100) according to claim 9, characterized by that the flexible side walls (25) consist of a cloth. [11] Vehicle device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by that the container (11) is mounted detachably.

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