Accessory holder and pocket

Abstract

A pocket (102) suitable for holding an accessory holder (104), the pocket comprising at least one pocket tooth (202) located inside the pocket and arranged to mesh with a toothed wheel (112) of an accessory holder (104); an accessory holder (104); an accessory (106); an accessory mounting system; a parts kit. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Accessory holder and pocket technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a pocket and accessory holder, such as an accessory mounting system, an accessory and a parts kit. TECHNICAL CONTEXT

[0002] In the prior art, accessory clip systems have been proposed for attaching various accessories to hooks or designated areas within a vehicle. These systems generally rely on a common interface to allow the interchangeable mounting of different accessories such as lights, luggage rings, cords, phone holders, or bottle holders. Known solutions, however, have notable drawbacks. Some designs rely on simplified mechanical structures that are inexpensive to produce but offer limited functionality and convenience for the user. Other designs introduce more sophisticated mechanisms that offer better handling, but they require a greater number of components, including parts that must be supplied separately and assembled, thus increasing manufacturing complexity and cost.Therefore, existing accessory clip systems do not offer an optimal compromise between ease of production, affordability, and improved usability of interface and hook mechanisms. There is thus a need for an accessory clip system that combines manufacturing simplicity and improved user functionality while maintaining good cost-effectiveness. Summary of the invention

[0003] A first non-exclusive object of the invention is therefore to provide a pocket adapted to hold an accessory holder, the pocket comprising at least one pocket tooth located inside the pocket and arranged to engage with a toothed wheel of an accessory holder.

[0004] The pocket may include a housing, having a well, for capturing a gear.

[0005] The pocket may include magnetic means to serve as an interface with complementary magnetic means of an accessory holder.

[0006] At least one tooth of the pocket can be such that it allows an indexed rotation of the toothed wheel to maintain the accessory support in a plurality of positions relative to the pocket.

[0007] The pocket can be attached and / or can slide reversibly along a rail.

[0008] The invention also relates to an accessory support comprising a toothed wheel dimensioned to be held securely within the pocket and for the toothed wheel to engage with at least one tooth of the pocket.

[0009] The accessory support may further include complementary magnetic means to serve as an interface with the magnetic means of the pocket described above.

[0010] Optionally, the accessory bracket may further include a connector for connecting the accessory bracket to an accessory, such as a bayonet mount.

[0011] The invention also relates to an accessory comprising the accessory support described above.

[0012] The accessory is, for example, any one of the following: a luggage ring; a lamp; a retractable cord.

[0013] Optionally, the accessory is provided with a pivot point so that the accessory, or an element thereof, can be rotated in an axis different from an axis of rotation of the accessory support.

[0014] The invention also relates to an accessory mounting system comprising a pocket as described above and an accessory support as described above.

[0015] Optionally, the accessory holder is located within the pocket.

[0016] In examples, the accessory mounting system further comprises one or more of the following:

[0017] a rail, optionally dimensioned to receive reversibly and / or slidingly a pocket as described above, an accessory, wherein the accessory is optionally as described above.

[0018] The invention also relates to a kit of parts comprising at least one pocket as described above and at least one accessory support as described above, and optionally wherein the kit of parts further comprises one or more of: a rail, optionally dimensioned to receive reversibly and / or slidingly a pocket as described above; an accessory, wherein the accessory is optionally as described above. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example only, below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] Fig. 1 illustrates a front view of an accessory mounting system.

[0021] Fig. 2 illustrates a rear view of an accessory mounting system.

[0022] Fig. 3 illustrates A) an accessory mounting system assembled in a first position and B) an accessory mounting system assembled in a second position.

[0023] Fig. 4 illustrates an accessory mounting system arranged on a rail.

[0024] Fig. 5A illustrates an accessory mounting system arranged on a rail.

[0025] Fig. 5B illustrates a rail for the accessory mounting system.

[0026] Fig. 6A illustrates an accessory mounting system arranged on a rail.

[0027] Fig. 6B illustrates an accessory mounting system arranged on a rail.

[0028] Figure 6C illustrates an accessory mounting system free from the socket with the rail.

[0029] Fig. 6D illustrates an accessory mounting system free from the socket with the rail.

[0030] Fig. 7A illustrates an exploded view of an accessory mounting system.

[0031] Figure 7B illustrates an alternative exploded view of a mounting system accessory.

[0032] Fig. 8A, Fig. 8B and Fig. 8C illustrate the "manual push and pull" variant of the accessory mounting systems.

[0033] Fig. 9 illustrates the "push-push" variant of accessory mounting systems.

[0034] Fig. 10 illustrates an accessory interface for an accessory mounting system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience and is not exhaustive. The words and phrases "right," "left," "lower," "upper," "front," "back," "up," "down," and "down" denote directions on the drawings to which reference is made and are relative to the component described when assembled and mounted. The words and phrases "internal," "inward," "external," and "outward" refer to directions toward and from, respectively, a designated centerline or geometric center of an element that is described (for example, a center axis), the particular meaning being readily apparent from the context of the description.

[0036] Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "connected," "attached," "coupled," and "mounted" are intended to include direct connections between two elements without any other element interposed between them, as well as indirect connections between elements in which one or more other elements are interposed between them. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned above, their derivatives, and words of similar scope.

[0037] Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the use of ordinal adjectives, such as "first", "second" and "third", etc., simply indicates that different instances of analogous objects are being referred to and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, whether temporal, spatial, in ranking or of any other nature.

[0038] Identical numerical references are used to represent identical features throughout the document.

[0039] The invention relates to an accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle. The system is designed to be modular to allow the addition, removal, and installation of various accessories within the vehicle according to the end user's needs.

[0040] The accessory mounting system shown in [Fig.1] includes a pocket 102, an accessory holder 104 and an accessory 106.

[0041] The pocket 102 is suitable for securely holding the accessory support 104. The accessory support 104 is inserted in a cross-section within the accessory support 104 to provide the required support so that a rotational moment, produced by the weight of the accessory, can be supported by the pocket 102 and the surface on which the pocket 102 is mounted.

[0042] The pocket 102 has at least one pocket tooth 202 (best shown in [Fig. 2]) located inside the pocket and arranged to mesh with a gear 112 of an accessory holder 104. The pocket tooth 202 is preferably elastic, allowing the end user to intentionally rotate the gear 112 from one tooth to the other, but the pocket tooth 202 is sufficiently rigid to otherwise prevent the gear 112 from rotating within the pocket 102. An indexed rotation of the gear 112 is thus obtained, allowing an end user to arrange the gear 112 (and therefore an accessory 106 attached to the 112) in a plurality of positions relative to the 102. The pocket tooth therefore allows an indexed rotation of the gear. to hold the accessory holder in a plurality of positions relative to the pocket.

[0043] The pocket includes a housing to provide an empty space within which the gear 112 can be pocketed. The housing has a well to capture a gear and to allow passage of a shaft of the gear 112 on which an accessory 106 can be mounted. A disc or washer may be provided on the shaft and spaced from the gear 112 to provide a surface that can be fitted with a connector 108 for mounting the accessory 106. The space between the disc and the well may advantageously correspond to a thickness of the housing wall adjacent to the well, to reduce oscillation of the gear 112 within the pocket 102.

[0044] The well can take the form of an elongated notch in the wall of the housing and extending the opening of the pocket 102 to removably receive the toothed wheel 112.

[0045] To ensure that the gear 112 is retained within the pocket 102, the two parts can be equipped with magnetic means. The pocket 102 includes magnetic means 206 which are arranged to interface with complementary magnetic means 204 of the accessory holder 104. That is to say, there is an attractive force between the magnetic means of the two parts, which prevents the gear 112 from being unintentionally removed from the pocket 102.

[0046] The accessory support includes a gear as described above, which is dimensioned to be securely held within the pocket. The gear is also dimensioned so that, once positioned within the pocket 102, the gear 112 engages with at least one pocket tooth 202 (see [Fig. 3]).

[0047] As mentioned above, the accessory holder further includes a connector 108 for connecting the accessory holder to an accessory, such as a bayonet fitting that could be formed from a pair of mushroom-shaped pins arranged to fit within tapered channels in the accessory 106, thus achieving a resistance fit. It is understood that any suitable fitting can be used. The accessory 106 can be supplied with or without the accessory holder 104, and the accessory holder 104 can be pre-attached to the accessory 106. Alternatively, the accessory holder 104 can be formed as a single unit with the accessory 106.

[0048] Accessories 106 may include: a luggage ring, a lamp, a retractable cord; and / or any other suitable item that a user can mount via the accessory mounting system.

[0049] The accessory may be provided with a pivot point so that the accessory, or a component thereof, can be rotated about an axis different from the axis of rotation of the accessory support. The accessory 106 may have two degrees of freedom of movement to allow a user to position the accessory in a desired position. This could be achieved, for example, by equipping the accessory 106 with a hinged part.

[0050] As can be seen in [Fig. 2], the accessory mounting system is used in three steps. First, a user pushes the connector 108 of the gear 112 into the corresponding shape on the back of the accessory 106. The user then engages the connector 108, for example by turning the gear 112 90° clockwise to lock it onto the accessory 106. The user can then push the accessory 106 with the gear 112 attached into the housing 110 of the pocket 102 until the accessory 106 is locked and the magnetic means are aligned with the complementary magnetic means.

[0051] Once in place, the user can rotate the accessory 106 around an axis, around the pocket 102, and can position the accessory 106 at different angles.

[0052] Figure 4 shows an accessory 106 mounted on a pocket 102 by means of an accessory holder 104 and then attached to a rail 402. The pocket 102 can be mounted on other attachment points, which may be discrete (i.e., point locations rather than a rail providing a plurality of mounting locations). The pocket 102 can be attached and / or slide reversibly along a rail 402, so that the pocket 102 can be mounted at any desired location along the length of the rail 402 by an end user. The pocket 102 may be provided with a gripping mechanism to grasp the rail 402 and remain in the same position. The gripping mechanism could be any type, including, for example, a spring clip. A tab can be provided to allow a user to pull upwards and release the gripping mechanism to reposition pocket 102 on rail 402.Once moved to the desired position, the tab can then be pushed down, allowing the gripping mechanism to grasp rail 402 and lock pocket 102 in the specific location on rail 402.

[0053] Figure 5A shows an alternative view of the pocket 102 mounted on a rail 402 by means of a rail support 414. The rail support 414 includes rail guides 410 for attachment to the rail 402. A tab 404 is provided which can be actuated to move towards or away from the notches 406 on the rail 402. The tab 404 actuates a pin which engages in the notches 406 to hold the pocket 102 in position on the rail 402.

[0054] Fig. 5B shows an alternative view of the rail 402 which has notches 406 which receive the pin to lock the pocket 102 in position.

[0055] Figure 6A shows an alternative view of the rail 402, which has notches 406 that receive the pin 408 to lock the rail support 414 in position. The tab 404 moves away from and towards the notches 406 of the rail 402. The pin 408 is in the engaged position so that the pocket 102 cannot slide along the rail 402.

[0056] Fig. 6B shows the pin 408 in the out-of-grip position with the pin out of the notches 406, so that the rail support 414 can slide along the rail 402.

[0057] Fig. 6C shows a view of the pocket 102 and the rail support 414 free from the grip with the rail 402. The tab 404 is shown in the position engaged with the pin 408 towards a center of the pocket 102.

[0058] Fig. 6D shows a view of the pocket 102 free from the socket with the rail 402. The tab 404 is shown in the out-of-sock position with the pin 408 away from a center of the pocket 102.

[0059] Figure 7A shows the tab 404 disengaged from the grip on the rail support 414. The pin 408 and a clip 412 are attached to the tab 404. The clip 412 engages with a mechanism within the rail support 414 so that it can move within the rail support 414 but cannot be accidentally removed from the rail support 414. The clip 412 may be an anchor clip or any other known mechanism that achieves the same effect. The pocket 102 is attached to a rail support 414 which includes a rail guide 410 that allows the pocket 102 to slide along the rail 402.

[0060] Fig. 7B shows an alternative view of the tab 404 freed from the socket with the rail support 414. The pin 408 and a clip 412 are attached to the tab 404.

[0061] Figures 8 through 10 show alternative accessory clip systems comprising a hollow container and a hook (mushroom-headed or any other suitable shape) that can be retained within the hollow container when required. The hook can be arranged in a deployed position manually or automatically (e.g., by a spring mechanism). Teeth and gripping elements can be provided to form notches allowing the hook's extensions relative to the hollow container to be varied. Accessories, such as flexible, toothed arms, can be provided with a common interface for gripping and holding the hook.

[0062] Fig. 8A, Fig. 8B and Fig. 8C show a first alternative system of clips for accessories 802 having a hook 808 and a housing 804 having lateral fixing clips 806 for placing the housing 804 in a substrate.

[0063] The housing 804 forms a hollow container 810 in which the hook 808 is slidably mounted.

[0064] The housing 804 terminates with a rim 812 surrounding the hollow container 810, to align said rim 812 with the substrate into which it is inserted.

[0065] The accessory clip 802 has several operating positions, for example two or three positions, in which the hook 808 is inserted fixedly more or less deeply into the hollow container 810.

[0066] The hook 808 is linked to the housing 804 by means of a body 818 inserted into the housing 804, as shown in [Fig. 10].

[0067] The body of the hook 826 is joined to the hook 808 by means of a back wall 814 and a foot 816.

[0068] As shown in [Fig.8A] and [Fig.8B], the first alternative clip for accessory of [Fig.8A], [Fig.8B] and [Fig.8C], called "manual push and pull", has two positions.

[0069] In a first position illustrated by [Fig.8A], the hook 808 and the hook body 826, including the back wall 814 and the foot 816, are completely inserted into the hollow container 810, whereas in the second position illustrated by [Fig.8B] and [Fig.8C], the foot 816 and the hook 808 come out of the hollow container 810.

[0070] This allows for an accessory that can conceal an 808 hook.

[0071] Fig. 8C shows that the body of the hook 826 has lateral holes 828 which allow the positioning clips 830 of the housing 804 to fix the body of the hook 826 in position relative to the housing 804.

[0072] The positioning clips 832 form an integrated internal clip which flexes when the hook 808 is pushed or pulled and snaps into place by clips in one of the corresponding lateral holes 828 to hold the hook 808 in position thanks to the elasticity of the material.

[0073] In the illustrated example, three pairs of side holes 828 are provided relative to a pair of positioning clips 830 to allow three different positions of the hook 808 relative to the housing 804.

[0074] In this variant, the hook 808 is smaller than the hollow container 810. It allows a user to pass a finger or a tool between the edge 812 and the hook 808 to change the position of the hook 808.

[0075] Figure 9 shows a second variant of the accessory clip, referred to as the "push-push" clip, in which the hook 808 is substantially the same size as the recessed container 810, preventing a user from passing a finger or tool between the rim 812 and the hook 808. Instead, a push mechanism 818 located inside the housing 804 allows the position of the hook 808 to be changed. The push mechanism 902 includes a latch 820 and a spring 822, configured to work together to close and open the clip assembly 802, so that when the hook 808 is entered into the housing 804, it does not protrude from the housing 804 and is optionally flush with the outer surface of the substrate and the rim 812, and so that a user can push on the hook 808 to open it. The push releases the hook 808 from the lock 820 and the spring 822 pushes the hook 808 out of the housing 804.To close the hook 808, the user can simply push it back until it is caught by the lock 820.

[0076] Figures 8A and 8B illustrate that the side fixing clips 806 allow to fix the clip assembly 802 in a substrate into which it is inserted. Such lateral fixing clips 806 exist on both concepts ("manual push and pull") and "push-push"), to use clips on the side of the 804 housing to clip the 804 housing inside the lining of a substrate such as a wall.

[0077] Figure 10 shows an example of accessory 106 for the various clip assemblies 802. The hooks 808 of both variants have the same accessory mounting system / interface with the accessory 106, comprising, on the hook 808, a flat square button forming a head of the hook 808, and two small indentations 824 (visible on [Fig.9]) on the foot side of the hook 816, and in addition, on the accessory 106, a surface 1002 having a U-shaped fixative 1004.

[0078] The U-shaped fixator 1004 is configured to surround the foot of the hook 816. It has two opposing flexible arms 1006 having a tooth 1008 configured to work with the indentation 824 of the foot of the hook 816.

[0079] The accessory 106 can slide onto the hook 808 when it is outside the housing 804. The accessory will be secured by a click once it has reached its correct position. To remove it, it can be pulled upwards. Then, the hook 808 can be pushed into the housing 804.

[0080] As illustrated in [Fig.10], the accessory 106 may include an annular element 1010 to facilitate its grasping, and the removal of the accessory 106 from the hook 808.

[0081] A person skilled in the art will agree that the detailed examples above have been described by way of example only and without any limiting intent, and that several changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. Various modifications to the detailed examples described above are possible.

[0082] Throughout the description in this document, the words "include" and "contain", and their variants, mean "comprising, but not limited to", and are not intended to exclude (and do not exclude) other fractions, additives, components, integers or steps.

[0083] The features, integers, characteristics, compounds, fractions, or chemical groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example of the invention shall be understood as applicable to any other aspect, embodiment, or example described herein, except where incompatibility exists. All the features disclosed in this document, and / or all the steps of any method or process thus disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except for combinations where at least some of these features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not limited to the details of any of the aforementioned embodiments. The invention extends to any new feature, or new combination, of the features disclosed in this document, or to any new step, or a new combination of steps in any such disclosed procedure or process. List of reference signs

[0084] 102: pocket

[0085] 104: accessory support

[0086] 106: accessory

[0087] 108: connector

[0088] 112: gear

[0089] 202: pocket tooth

[0090] 206: magnetic means

[0091] 402: rail

[0092] 404: tongue

[0093] 406: notch

[0094] 408: pin

[0095] 410: rail guide

[0096] 412: clip

[0097] 414: rail support

[0098] 802: Accessory clip system

[0099] 804: housing

[0100] 806: Side fixing clips

[0101] 808: hook

[0102] 810: hollowed-out container

[0103] 812: border

[0104] 814: rear wall

[0105] 816: foot

[0106] 818: body

[0107] 820: lock

[0108] 822: spring

[0109] 824: indentation

[0110] 826: hook body [YES] 828: side holes

[0112] 832: Positioning clips

[0113] 902: thrust mechanism

[0114] 1004: U-shaped fixative

[0115] 1010: ring element

Claims

Demands

1. Pocket (102) adapted to hold an accessory holder (104), the pocket (102) comprising at least one pocket tooth (202) located inside the pocket (102) and arranged to engage with a toothed wheel (112) of the accessory holder (104).

2. Pocket (102) according to claim 1, wherein the pocket (102) comprises a housing (110), having a well (114), for capturing the gear (112).

3. Pocket (102) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pocket (102) comprises magnetic means (206) for serving as an interface with complementary magnetic means (204) of an accessory support (104).

4. Pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one pocket tooth (202) permits indexed rotation of the toothed wheel (112) to hold the accessory support (104) in a plurality of positions relative to the pocket.

5. Pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pocket (102) can be attached and / or can slide reversibly along a rail (402).

6. Accessory support (104) comprising a gear (112) dimensioned to be held securely within the pocket (102) according to claim 1 and for the gear (112) to engage with at least one pocket tooth (202).

7. Accessory holder (104) according to claim 6, further comprising additional magnetic means (204) for serving as an interface with magnetic means (206) of the pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and / or wherein the accessory holder (104) further comprises a connector for connecting the accessory holder (104) to an accessory (106), such as a bayonet attachment.

8. Accessory (106) comprising the accessory support (104) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the accessory (106) is any one of: a luggage ring; a lamp; a retractable cord; and / or wherein the accessory (106) is provided with a pivot point so that the accessory (106), or a component thereof, can be rotated in a different axis from an axis of rotation of the accessory support (104).

9. Accessory mounting system comprising a pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and an accessory support (104) according to claim 6 or claim 7, and optionally wherein: the accessory support (104) is located within the pocket (102), and / or the accessory mounting system further comprises one or more of: a rail (402), optionally dimensioned to reversibly and / or slidingly receive a pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 5; an accessory (106), according to claim 8.

10. A kit of parts comprising at least one pocket according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and at least one accessory support (104) according to claim 6 or claim 7, and optionally wherein the kit of parts further comprises one or more of: a rail (402), optionally dimensioned to reversibly and / or slidingly receive a pocket (102) according to any one of claims 1 to 5; an accessory (106) according to claim 8.