REAR SHELF FOR AUTOMOBILE WITH A STORAGE BIN

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear shelf (10) of a motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises at least one storage compartment (12) having an edge (13) flush with an upper surface (11) of the rear shelf. In particular, at least one retaining element (16, 17, 18) extends above the storage compartment and is attached to the rear shelf (10) or to the storage compartment (12) in order to hold an object (1, 2) inside the storage compartment. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: REAR SHELF OF A MOTOR VEHICLE PROVIDED WITH A STORAGE TRAY

[0001] The invention relates to a rear shelf of a motor vehicle provided with a storage bin.

[0002] In most vehicles, the storage space available for the rear seats is generally limited to storage bins located in the rear door panels or even part of the center console. However, these storage spaces may be insufficient.

[0003] The invention aims to overcome all or part of these drawbacks by proposing a rear vehicle shelf having storage spaces.

[0004] For this purpose, a rear shelf of a motor vehicle is proposed comprising at least one storage bin having an edge flush with an upper surface of the rear shelf.

[0005] Therefore, the cavity defined by each storage bin extends below the upper surface of the rear shelf, with only the edge of the storage bin (the edge of the cavity) extending at the level of the upper surface. In particular, a storage bin may be chosen whose shape is adapted to receive a particular type of object. The storage bin may thus have a shape allowing a bottle to be placed without it being able to come out of the storage bin, or a less hollow shape for placing smaller or flat objects (telephones, tablets, headphones, keys, books, etc.). The shape of the storage bin may in particular have a complementary or similar shape to an object to be received.

[0006] In one embodiment, the at least one storage bin can be made in one piece with the rear shelf. This makes it easier to make the storage bin.

[0007] In another embodiment, the rear shelf may have an orifice receiving the at least one storage bin, the edge of the storage bin then resting on the upper surface of the rear shelf around said orifice. This makes it possible to receive storage bins of different shapes, and in particular of different depths, in the same orifice of the rear shelf. In particular, the at least one storage bin may be inserted into an orifice of the same size, without play, for better support of the bin relative to the shelf.

[0008] Regardless of the embodiment, the shelf may include at least one object holding element extending above the at least one storage bin and attached to the rear shelf or the storage bin. This is particularly useful for holding a large object, such as a bottle, especially when the storage bin is shallow.

[0009] This holding element may or may not be removable. Alternatively or in combination, it may also be elastic or not, i.e. non-deformable.

[0010] When the holding element is elastic, at least one pair of orifices may be provided through the shelf or an edge of the at least one storage bin located on either side of the storage bin. Ends of the at least one holding element may then be introduced through these orifices, each end of the at least one holding element being held on a side of the shelf opposite its upper surface by a fixing element or by gluing. In particular, the ends of the same holding element may be secured by gluing, a staple or the like. The fixing element may thus be a staple or the like, assembled to the rear shelf or not, or even be fixed to the end of the holding element and have at least one dimension larger than the orifice. In the latter case, it may in particular have a shape allowing its passage through the orifice from the upper surface of the shelf.The end may for example be attached to a loop-type fixing element which may be inserted through a slot-shaped orifice and then come to bear on the periphery of the orifice on the side of the tablet opposite its upper surface.

[0011] When the holding element is non-deformable, it may be in the form of a tab or flange extending at least partly above the storage bin and one end of which is fixed to the shelf or to the storage bin. This tab or flange may have a shape complementary to a shape of an object to be held inside the storage bin, for example a rounded shape for holding a bottle.

[0012] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a rear shelf according to the invention separating the passenger compartment from a part of the rear trunk. Advantageously, the at least one storage bin of the rear shelf can be located on one side of the shelf proximal to a row of rear seats, for easier access by passengers seated in this row of seats.

[0013] The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying non-limiting drawings, in which:

[0014] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view from above of a rear shelf according to one embodiment.

[0015] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a bottom view of the shelf of [Fig.l].

[0016] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a variant of the bottom view of the tablet of the [Fig.l].

[0017] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a perspective view from above of a rear shelf according to another embodiment.

[0018] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] represents a bottom view of the shelf of [Fig.4].

[0019] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] represents a perspective view from above of a rear shelf according to another embodiment.

[0020] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] represents a perspective view from above of a rear shelf according to another embodiment.

[0021] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] represents a perspective view from above of a rear shelf according to another embodiment.

[0022] [Fig.l] represents a rear shelf of a motor vehicle 10 having an upper surface 11 and at least one storage bin 12, here a single one receiving two objects 1, 2. This storage bin 12 has an edge 13 flush with the upper surface 11 of the rear shelf 10. Thus, the cavity 14 of the storage bin 12 is accessible from this upper surface 11 and extends under the upper surface of the rear shelf 10, as represented in [Fig.l].

[0023] In this example, the storage bin 12 is made in one piece with the rear shelf, for example by molding. In order to hold objects in position inside the storage bin 12, three holding elements 16, 17, 18 are provided. These are elastic holding elements. These holding elements extend above the storage bin 12, in other words, above its cavity 14, more precisely through it. They are fixed indifferently to the rear shelf 10 or to the storage bin 12. Here, each holding element 16, 17, 18 passes through two orifices 19, 20, arranged through the shelf, either in a part of the shelf entirely outside the storage bin, or at the edge 13 of the storage bin, as visible [Fig.l]. It will be noted that the invention is not limited by a particular position of the orifices, provided that it allows a holding element to be positioned above the cavity of the storage bin.

[0024] [Fig. 2] shows the lower surface 15 of the shelf (opposite the upper surface 11) and the ends 16a, 16b of one of the holding elements, these ends being fixed for example by stapling, gluing or the like to the lower surface 15, either to the shelf or to the storage bin.

[0025] Alternatively, the ends 16a and 16b could be assembled to each other on the side of this lower surface 15, here by a staple 21, as shown [Fig. 3]. These ends could also be assembled by gluing or any other suitable means.

[0026] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3, the holding elements are elastic threads.

[0027] [Fig. 4] shows a similar embodiment, in which two holding elements 116 and 117 are elastic bands passing through orifices 119 and 120 respectively of the shelf 10. These orifices 119 and 120 are here located at the edge 13 of the storage bin 12 and are slot-shaped to allow the passage of the holding elements 116 and 117 without deforming them across their width. Eyelets 119a, 120a border these orifices to facilitate the sliding of the holding elements when they are extended.

[0028] As seen in [Fig.5], the ends 116a, 116b and 117a, 117b of the holding elements 116 and 117 are fixed to the lower surface 15 of the tablet. This fixing can be carried out by gluing or stapling or any other suitable means.

[0029] In the examples shown in Figures 1-5, the holding elements can be adjusted so that they are taut or barely taut above the cavity of the storage bin when no traction is exerted on them: they then extend substantially parallel to the upper surface 15. Depending on the tension, it will thus be possible to hold larger objects inside the housing by sliding them under the holding elements. Since the holding elements are deformable due to their elasticity, it is also possible to place a heavy object in the storage bin over these holding elements.

[0030] The embodiment shown [Fig.6] differs from the previous ones by the shape of the holding element 216: here it is a rigid, non-deformable holding element, which extends above the cavity 14 of the storage bin 12, over at least part of the width of the cavity. This holding element 216 is here in the form of a rounded tab or flange which will for example make it possible to hold in position a bottle resting in the cavity 14 of the storage bin 12 by partially matching its shape. This holding element is for example made of rigid polymer material, for example of the polypropylene type. It is here fixed by one of its ends only on the upper surface 11 of the shelf 10, for example by screws or rivets. It will be noted that it is fixed on the shelf, near the edge 13 of the storage bin, on one side of the storage bin located along a row 4 of rear seats.Thus, in the event of sudden braking of the vehicle, the holding element will more effectively oppose the movement of a bottle placed in the storage bin under the holding element. Of course, two or more non-deformable holding elements may be provided per storage bin or a storage bin may be equipped with at least one elastic holding element and at least one non-deformable holding element.

[0031] Figures 7 and 8 show embodiments in which the storage bin 112 is an added part, inserted inside a complementary shaped orifice formed through the rear shelf 10 (hidden by the edge 113 in the figures). The storage bin 112 here rests by its edge 113 on the upper surface 11 of the shelf, under the effect of gravity. The orifice of the shelf and the storage bin storage can be sized so that there is no play between them for better support of the storage bin. These two embodiments differ from each other only in the shape of the cavity 114 of the storage bin, the storage bin of [Fig.7] having a flat-bottomed cavity of shallower depth than the storage bin of [Fig.8], the latter also having a rounded bottom having a shape substantially complementary to a bottle 3.

[0032] Of course, it is also possible to equip the shelves shown in Figures 7 and 8 with one or more holding elements, identical or not, for example of the type described above. These holding elements may be fixed either to the shelf or to the storage bin. In particular, in the case of a non-deformable holding element, the latter may be made in one piece with a storage bin.

[0033] As seen in Figures 7 and 8, the rear shelf 10 separates the passenger compartment of the vehicle from a rear trunk portion (located under the shelf). The rear shelf 10 is thus located along a row 4 of rear seats, close to it in order to facilitate the use of the storage bin by the passengers of the rear seats. In the embodiments shown, the storage bins have an elongated shape, here substantially rectangular, the greater length of which extends transversely to the vehicle. This makes it possible to locate the storage bin as close as possible to the row of seats 4. The invention is however not limited to a particular shape of the bins, nor to a particular position thereof, provided that they are accessible to passengers. The invention is also not limited by the number of storage bins.

Claims

Claims

1. Rear shelf (10) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one storage bin (12, 112) having an edge (13, 113) flush with an upper surface (11) of the rear shelf, characterized in that it has an orifice receiving the at least one storage bin (112), the edge (113) of the storage bin resting on the upper surface (11) of the rear shelf around said orifice.

2. Rear shelf (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one object holding element (16, 17, 18; 116, 117; 216) extending above the at least one storage bin and fixed to the rear shelf (10) or to the storage bin (12, 112).

3. Rear shelf (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one holding element is removable.

4. Rear shelf according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the at least one holding element is elastic.

5. Rear shelf (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one pair of orifices (19, 20; 119, 120) provided through the shelf or an edge of the storage bin are located on either side of the at least one storage bin, and in that ends (16a, 16b; 116a, 116b) of the at least one holding element are introduced through these orifices, each end of the at least one holding element being held on a side of the shelf opposite its upper surface by a fixing element or by gluing.

6. Rear shelf (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the fixing element is a clip (21) or in that the fixing element is fixed to the end of the holding element and has at least one dimension larger than the orifice.

7. Rear shelf (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the at least one holding element is non-deformable.

8. Motor vehicle comprising a rear shelf (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 separating the passenger compartment from a rear trunk part, optionally, the at least one storage bin of the rear shelf is located on one side of the shelf proximal to a row of rear seats (4).

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