Vehicle equipped with a modular glove box

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising a dashboard (4) and a glove box (6) located inside said dashboard (4). According to the invention, the glove box (6) is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis of a structural element of the vehicle located under the dashboard (4), said glove box (6) being capable of passing, by means of a rotational movement, from a stowed position in which it is completely enclosed within the dashboard (4) to a deployed position in which it protrudes from said dashboard (4) towards the rear to approach a front row of seats of said vehicle located directly behind the dashboard (4). Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle equipped with a modular glove box

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a modular glove box.

[0002] In order to better understand the positioning of the various parts involved in a vehicle according to the invention, the description is made with reference to a direct orthonormal reference frame XYZ in which X is a front-rear longitudinal axis of the vehicle oriented towards the rear, Y is a transverse axis oriented towards the right of the vehicle and Z is a vertical axis directed upwards. The notions "front" and "rear" are indicated in relation to the conventional direction of movement of the vehicle towards the front or towards the rear.

[0003] Currently, an axis of development for certain vehicles consists of: -on the one hand, create an office for the driver who may have to work while the vehicle is stationary, in particular by increasing the number of support areas capable of holding horizontally objects such as, for example, a laptop, an electronic tablet or a pad of paper, and - on the other hand, improve the comfort of the passenger sitting next to the driver by offering him several possibilities for supporting objects directly and easily accessible.

[0004] However, it remains very difficult to meet this dual requirement, because the storage spaces available in the vehicle remain very rare. For example, a glove box is one of these very useful storage spaces in the vehicle, allowing the storage of various everyday objects such as, for example, keys, a smartphone, various paper documents, spare bulbs, etc. However, such a glove box, which is positioned inside a dashboard, remains difficult to access and would force the driver and / or passenger to engage in awkward and tiring manipulations, for example to directly view a laptop screen placed in said glove box or to grab an object inside it.

[0005] A vehicle according to the invention is capable of implementing horizontal storage supports from a glove box already present in the vehicle.

[0006] The subject of the invention is a vehicle comprising a dashboard and a glove box placed inside said dashboard.

[0007] According to the invention, the glove box is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis of a structural element of the vehicle placed under the dashboard, said glove box being capable of passing through a rotational movement from a stowed position for which it is completely included in the dashboard to a deployment position for which it projects from said dashboard towards the rear, to approach a front row of seats of said vehicle placed just behind the dashboard. In the stowed position, the glove box is placed in the dashboard and performs its usual storage space function. In the deployed position, the glove box has pivoted from the stowed position to protrude from the dashboard towards the rear, in order to create a horizontal support element. Advantageously, this horizontal support element can be produced by means of a flat and horizontal upper surface of the glove box. According to an alternative embodiment, this horizontal support element can be produced by means of a flat and horizontal plate, placed on a flat and horizontal upper wall of the glove box. It is assumed that the glove box is fixed in the stowed position with locking means associated with a control element which may for example be a push button. Triggering of this control element causes deactivation of the locking means, releasing the glove box in rotation.Preferably, the glove box is delimited by a curved wall, so that in the deployed position, the glove box which projects from the dashboard towards the rear has a rounded profile which is not likely to injure the passenger who would be seated next to the driver.

[0008] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the maximum rotation amplitude for moving from the stowed position to the deployed position is greater than or equal to 180°. Preferably, this rotation amplitude is equal to 180°.

[0009] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the rotation of the glove box to move from the stowed position to the deployment position is carried out in a direction which brings said glove box closer to a central and longitudinal axis X of the vehicle. Since one of the objectives of rotating the glove box outside the dashboard is to contribute to creating an office for the driver and / or to improve the comfort of the passenger by offering him more horizontal support elements, it is therefore appropriate to move the glove box towards the center of the vehicle. Indeed, for this displacement configuration, the driver or the passenger will be able to fully benefit from the horizontal support created by the glove box in the deployment position.

[0010] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, a first movable tray is fixed to the glove box by covering an upper wall of said glove box, said first movable tray constituting a horizontal support element. Advantageously, this first tray may have reliefs on an upper surface and can therefore serve as a cup holder or support for a laptop or a smartphone. The first tray is flat and of small thickness. It can move on the glove box in a horizontal plane, either by translation, or by rotation, or by a combination of these two movements. This possibility of movement of the first tray on the glove box makes it possible to adjust with a wide range of possibilities, the position of said first tray in order to further improve the comfort of the driver and / or the passenger.

[0011] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the first tray is movable in a horizontal plane on said glove box.

[0012] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the first plate is mounted to move in translation on the glove box along a rectilinear groove in the upper wall of the glove box.

[0013] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the vehicle comprises a second tray mounted to rotate about a second vertical axis of the structural element of the vehicle placed under the dashboard, said second tray being capable of passing through a rotational movement in a horizontal plane from a retracted position for which it is completely included in the dashboard to an extended position for which it has pivoted 90° from its retracted position and projects from said dashboard towards the rear to approach a front row of seats of said vehicle placed just behind the dashboard. This second tray complements the glove box, to constitute an additional horizontal support element. It is important to specify that the rotation of the second tray is independent of the rotation of the glove box.In other words, the rotation of one of these two elements has no influence on the rotation of the other element. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the axis of rotation of the glove box and the axis of rotation of the second plate are the same.

[0014] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the second tray is placed above the first tray of the glove box, leaving a clearance with it. In this way, the second tray does not come into direct contact with the first tray, which could have the consequence of disturbing their respective movements.

[0015] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the first tray and the second tray are parts each having the shape of a quarter of a disc, the rotation of the glove box comprising a first phase for which said glove box has pivoted 90° from the stowed position to find itself in an intermediate position, for which when the second tray is in the extended position it covers the first tray.

[0016] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the rotation of the glove box comprises a second phase for which said glove box pivots 90° from the intermediate position to find itself in a position of maximum deployment, for which when the second tray is in the extended position, the first tray and said second tray are placed side by side and in the extension of one another to form a horizontal support resulting in the shape of a half-disc.

[0017] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, when rotating the glove box to move from the intermediate position to the maximum deployment position, means for raising the first tray are activated when the glove box is rotated, so as to allow the first tray which was placed under the second tray in the intermediate position to come to position itself at the same altitude as the second tray. These raising means can be implemented: - either to slide the first tray upwards once the glove box has reached the maximum deployment position, - either to achieve a progressive raising of the first plate during the rotation of the glove box to move from the intermediate position to the maximum deployment position.

[0018] A vehicle according to the invention has the advantage of having a glove box having a dual function: -the usual one of constituting a storage space in the dashboard, accessible or not by means of a closing flap, and - the other more original one of constituting an additional horizontal support element.

[0019] It also has the advantage of having a glove box which, in the “horizontal support element” configuration, is adjustable by means of the first tray which is able to move on the glove box. Finally, it has the advantage of having a glove box which can be moved in the vehicle, without significantly interfering with the living space of the driver and passenger.

[0020] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention is given below with reference to the following figures:

[0021] [Fig-1] represents a perspective view of a front area of ​​the interior of a vehicle according to the invention,

[0022] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of a glove box of a vehicle according to the invention, said glove box being in the position of maximum deployment and the first tray and the second tray being in continuity with each other,

[0023] [Fig.3] represents a top view of a glove box of a vehicle according to the invention, said glove box being in the maximum deployment position and the first tray and the second tray being offset relative to each other,

[0024] [Fig.4] represents a perspective view of the glove box of [Fig.3],

[0025] [Fig.5] represents a side view of the first tray and the second tray, after a rotation of the glove box to move from the stowed position to the maximum deployment position,

[0026] [Fig.6] represents a side view of the first tray and the second tray of the [Fig.5] after an upward translation of the glove box,

[0027] [Fig.7] represents a perspective view of the first tray and the second tray of [Fig.6],

[0028] [Fig.8] represents a perspective view of a dashboard of a vehicle according to the invention, the glove box being in the stowed position and a closing panel closing said glove box, the second panel being in the retracted position,

[0029] [Fig.9] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.8], the closing panel being open and the second panel being in the retracted position,

[0030] [Fig. 10] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.8], the second panel being in the extended position,

[0031] [Fig.11] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.10], objects being placed on the second tray,

[0032] [Fig. 12] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig. 10], the glove box having pivoted 90°, the closing panel closing the glove box,

[0033] [Fig.13] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.12], the closing panel being open,

[0034] [Fig. 14] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.8], the glove box having pivoted 180° from the stowed position,

[0035] [Fig.15] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig.14], the second panel being in the extended position and in continuity with the first panel,

[0036] [Fig. 16] represents a perspective view of the dashboard of [Fig. 15], the first panel being offset relative to the second panel.

[0037] Referring to [Fig.l], a vehicle 1 according to the invention comprises a front row of seats, comprising a driver's seat 2 and a passenger seat 3 placed next to said driver's seat 2, said two seats 2, 3 being separated from each other by a central console 5 extending on a floor along a longitudinal axis X of the vehicle 1. This vehicle 1 also comprises a dashboard 4 in the form of a wall extending in front of the driver's seat 2 and the passenger seat 3, along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle 1.

[0038] A vehicle 1 according to the invention has the particularity of having a glove box 6, which is mounted to be able to rotate around a vertical axis of rotation of a structural element of said vehicle 1 placed under the dashboard 4.

[0039] Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, the glove box 6 comprises a horizontal bottom 7, a horizontal upper wall 8 and a vertical side wall connecting said bottom 7 and said upper wall 8. The upper wall 8 has the shape of a quarter of a disc delimited by two rectilinear edges each having a first end and a second end, and by a connecting edge in the form of an arc of a circle extending over 90°. The two rectilinear edges are perpendicular, so that their first ends are in contact with each other, and so that the curved connecting edge connects the two second ends of said rectilinear edges. The side wall of the glove box 6 comprises a flat vertical wall 10 extending under a rectilinear edge of the upper wall 8, and a curved vertical wall 11 extending under the curved connecting edge of said upper wall 8. This glove box 6 also has an opening 12 inclined relative to a vertical plane, said opening 12 being placed under the other rectilinear edge of the upper wall 8.

[0040] As illustrated in [Fig. 13], the opening 12 of the glove box 6 is closed by a closing flap 13 mounted to pivot about a horizontal axis of rotation, between a closing position for which it extends in the plane of the opening 12 and an opening position for which it extends horizontally and releases said opening 12 to be able to access the interior of the glove box 6. In this open position, the closing flap 13 constitutes a horizontal support on which various objects can be placed, such as for example, a smartphone, an electronic tablet, keys, a cup, etc. Referring to [Fig. 2], the curved vertical wall 11 of the side wall of the glove box 6 comprises at least one external compartment 30 intended to house various small objects.

[0041] Referring to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 15 and 16, a first flat and thin plate 14 is mounted on the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6. In a manner identical to the upper wall 8, this first plate 14 has the shape of a quarter of a disc delimited by two perpendicular rectilinear edges 15, 16 and by a curved edge 17 extending over 90° and connecting said two rectilinear edges 15, 16.

[0042] Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 16, the first tray 14 is mounted in translation on the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6 along a rail 18 fixed to said upper wall 8 and which extends parallel to one of said two rectilinear edges of this upper wall 8. In this way, the first tray 14 can pass from a retracted position for which it is perfectly superimposed on the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6, to a variable extended position for which it has slid along the rail 18 to emerge horizontally from said upper wall 8. The retracted position of the first tray 14 is for example visible in Figures 2, 7, 14 and 15, and the extended position of said first tray 14 is for example visible in Figures 3, 4 and 16.The extended position of the first plate 14 is variable, because the travel of said first plate 14 along the rail 18 can be stopped at any time, a specific notch making it possible to fix the position of the first plate 14 along said rail 18. The first plate 14 being secured to the glove box 6, if said glove box 6 is rotated around its vertical axis of rotation, said first plate 14 is simultaneously rotated around said vertical axis with the same amplitude.

[0043] Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16, a second tray 19 is mounted in rotation around a vertical axis of rotation of a structural element of the vehicle 1 placed under the dashboard 4. In a manner identical to the upper wall 8 and to the first plate 14, this second plate 19 has the shape of a quarter of a disc delimited by two perpendicular rectilinear edges 20, 21 and by a curved edge 22 extending over 90° and connecting said two rectilinear edges 20, 21. This second plate 19 is positioned just above the first plate 14 which is secured to the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6 by means of the rail 18, so that it provides clearance with said first plate 14. This second plate 19 extends in a horizontal plane and its rotational movement also takes place in the same horizontal plane. Advantageously, this second tray 19 comprises a horizontal upper surface 25 having different reliefs 26 to support and hold certain objects such as for example a smartphone or a cup.

[0044] The second plate 19 can therefore pass: -a retracted position as illustrated in figures 8, 9 and 14 for which it is completely retracted into the glove box 6, so that a straight edge 20 of said second plate 19 levels a surface of the dashboard 4, -to an extended position as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16 for which it has pivoted through an angle of 90° around its vertical axis of rotation. The straight edge 20 which tangents the dashboard 4 in the retracted position projects perpendicularly from the dashboard 4 and the other straight edge 21 which was buried in said dashboard 4 in the retracted position tangents said dashboard 4.

[0045] It should be noted that the rotations of the glove box 6 and the second tray 19 are completely independent of each other. In other words, the rotation of one of these two elements 6, 19 has no influence on the rotation of the other elements 6, 19.

[0046] Thanks to the implementation of all the elements previously described, a vehicle 1 according to the invention can be available in several configurations: - The second tray 19 is in the retracted position and the glove box 6 is also in a stowed position, so that neither of these two elements 6, 19 protrudes from the dashboard 4. Such a configuration is visible in [Fig.8]. The glove box 6 can then be opened so that the driver of the vehicle or the passenger can access the interior of the glove box 6, - The second tray 19 is in the extended position and the glove box 6 is in a stowed position, as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. The second tray 19 then serves as a horizontal support, on which different objects can be placed. The closing flap 13 of the glove box 6 can also be opened to provide an additional horizontal support, -The glove box has pivoted 90° around its vertical rotation axis from its stored position in the dashboard 4, to find itself in an intermediate position as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. This rotation is carried out in a direction which brings it closer to the driver. For this intermediate position, the glove box 6 projects behind the dashboard 4, and the second tray 19 can also occupy the extended position, and in this case it comes to be superimposed on the first tray 14 which is itself superimposed on the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6. The opening 12 of the glove box 6 is oriented along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle 1. The closing flap 13 of the glove box 6 can also be opened to serve as a horizontal support for objects.The curved side wall 11 of the side wall of the glove box 6 is easily accessible by the passenger, who can store objects in the external compartment 30 of this curved side wall 11 or grab objects already stored in said external compartment 30. - The glove box has pivoted 90° from the intermediate position, in a direction that brings it even closer to the driver, and the second tray 19 is in the retracted position, as illustrated in [Fig. 14].. Compared to the stowed position, this new position of maximum deployment corresponds to an overall rotation of the glove box 6 of 180°. For this new position of maximum deployment, the curved side wall 11 of the side wall of the glove box 6 is easily accessible by the driver, who can store objects in the external compartment 30 of this curved side wall 11 or grab objects already stored in said external compartment 30. The first tray 14 can then slide along the rail 18 which is oriented along a longitudinal axis X of the vehicle, to move closer to the driver -The glove box has pivoted 90° from the intermediate position, in a direction which brings it even closer to the driver, and the second tray 19 is in the extended position, as illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 15. The first tray 14 and the second tray 19 are then in perfect extension of each other to form a resulting horizontal support having the shape of a half-disc as illustrated in figures 2, 7, 15. This resulting horizontal support is of large dimension and extends along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle 1. It can therefore benefit both the driver and the passenger who would be seated next to the driver. It should be noted that the rectilinear part of this resulting support in the shape of a half-disc is in contact with the dashboard 4 and the rounded part of said resulting support extends towards the rear of said dashboard 4.From this configuration for which the two plates 14, 19 form a resulting support in the form of a half-disc, the first plate 14 can be translated along the rail 18 of the upper wall 8 of the glove box 6 which extends along a longitudinal axis X of the vehicle 1 to move closer to the driver and / or the passenger as illustrated in figures 1, 3, 4. and 16.

[0047] Since the second tray 19 is placed above the first tray 14, if the second tray 19 is in the extended position and if the glove box 6 has pivoted 180° from the stowed position to reach the maximum deployment position as illustrated in [Fig. 5], the first tray 14 will never be able to be in perfect extension of said second tray 19 to form a resulting horizontal support in the shape of a half-disc. Indeed, referring to [Fig. 6], the first tray 14 will have to be slightly raised to reach the altitude of the second tray 19 and be in perfect extension of it. This raising can be achieved in two possible ways: - either by means of a vertical translation upwards of the glove box 6 once the glove box 6 has pivoted through an angle of 180° to find itself in the maximum deployment position. This upward movement will be added to the 180° rotation movement, - either by means of a combined upward rotation / translation movement for which means for raising the glove box 6 are implemented during the 180° rotation of said glove box 6. In this way, during this 180° rotation, the first plate 14 gradually rises to reach the height of the second plate 19 at the end of rotation.

[0048] In an alternative embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention, the dashboard 4 and the glove box 6 each comprise magnetic means designed to cooperate together just before the glove box 6 has reached the maximum deployment position. Indeed, these magnetic means are designed to attract each other, and allow the glove box 6 to come to rest against the dashboard 4 at the end of its 180° rotation movement and find itself in the maximum deployment position.

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle (1) comprising a dashboard (4) and a glove box (6) placed inside said dashboard (4) and mounted to rotate about a vertical axis of a structural element of the vehicle placed under the dashboard (4), said glove box (6) being capable of passing through a rotational movement from a stowed position for which it is completely included in the dashboard (4) to a deployment position for which it projects from said dashboard (4) towards the rear to approach a front row of seats of said vehicle placed just behind the dashboard (4), a first movable tray (14) being fixed to the glove box (6) by covering an upper wall (8) of said glove box (6), said first movable tray (14) constituting a horizontal support element,characterized in that the first plate (14) is mounted movable in translation on the glove box (6) along a rectilinear groove (18) of the upper wall (8) of the glove box (6).,

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the maximum rotation amplitude for moving from the stowed position to the deployed position is greater than or equal to 180°.

3. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotation of the glove box (6) to move from the stowed position to the deployed position, is carried out in a direction which brings said glove box (6) closer to a central and longitudinal axis X of the vehicle.

4. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a second tray (19) mounted to rotate about a second vertical axis of the structural element of the vehicle placed under the dashboard (4), and in that said second tray (19) is capable of passing through a rotational movement in a horizontal plane from a retracted position for which it is completely included in the dashboard (4) to an extended position for which it has pivoted 90° from its retracted position and projects from said dashboard (4) towards the rear to approach a front row of seats of said vehicle placed just behind the dashboard (4).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the second tray (19) is placed above the first tray (14) of the glove box (6), leaving a clearance with it.

6. Vehicle according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the first tray (14) and the second tray (19) are parts each having the shape of a quarter of a disc, and in that the rotation of the glove box (6) comprises a first phase for which said glove box has pivoted 90° from the stowed position to find itself in an intermediate position, for which when the second tray (19) is in the extended position it covers the first tray (14).

7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the rotation of the glove box (6) comprises a second phase for which said glove box pivots 90° from the intermediate position to find itself in a position of maximum deployment, for which when the second tray (19) is in the extended position, the first tray (14) and said second tray (19) are placed side by side and in the extension of each other to form a horizontal support resulting in the shape of a half-disc.

8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that when the glove box (6) is rotated to move from the intermediate position to the maximum deployment position, means for raising the first tray (14) are activated when the glove box (6) is rotated, so as to allow the first tray (14) which was placed under the second tray (19) in the intermediate position to come to position itself at the same altitude as the second tray (19).

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