Vehicle Sidewall Storage Bins for Secure Cargo Organization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) lack compartments to securely store smaller items, preventing them from rolling or falling during vehicle operation, and do not provide bins for hiding or locking items for additional security.
Innovation Solution
A storage bin system with removable bins that can be securely locked, featuring integral carriage assemblies for easy access and mobility, and interlocking handles for combined use, along with optional thermal insulation and electronic device docks, which can be concealed within the vehicle when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If storage bins are provided in the cargo area, then items can be securely stored and prevented from rolling or falling, but the bins occupy additional space in the cargo area
Solution Approach 1:
The storage bins are nested within the cargo compartment sidewalls, with each bin fitting into a recess or cavity in the sidewall structure. This nesting approach allows the bins to be integrated into the existing vehicle structure rather than adding external protrusions, thereby providing secure storage while minimizing the impact on cargo area volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage bins are positioned in the vertical dimension within the sidewalls rather than occupying horizontal cargo space. By utilizing the vertical space and depth of the sidewalls, the design provides storage functionality without significantly reducing the usable horizontal cargo area.
2Ease of operation
If storage bins are made accessible from the cargo area, then items can be easily accessed during vehicle operation, but security and concealment of stored items is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into multiple compartments within each sidewall, with each compartment accessible through its own opening. The openings can be independently accessed or covered, allowing selective access to different items while maintaining security for others. This segmentation enables both ease of access for needed items and security for items requiring concealment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If removable storage bins are provided, then items can be carried outside the vehicle, but the bins require additional mechanisms for secure installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The storage bins are designed as removable units that can be extracted from the sidewall cavities. The extraction mechanism utilizes the existing structural features of the sidewall, such as recesses or guide slots, to enable straightforward removal and reinstallation without requiring complex locking systems or specialized tools.
4Temperature
If the storage bin housing material provides thermal insulation, then food and beverages can be maintained at desired temperatures, but the housing material may be more expensive or heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The storage bin housing utilizes composite construction with thermal insulating materials integrated into the sidewall structure. The composite design combines structural materials with insulating layers, providing temperature control functionality while distributing the weight across the entire sidewall assembly rather than adding significant concentrated weight.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively secures and organizes items within the vehicle, preventing them from rolling or falling, while providing easy access and additional security features like thermal insulation and electronic device charging, enhancing user convenience and security.
Implementation Method 1
a first integral carriage assembly including a first set of wheels for rolling the first storage bin over a supporting surface
Implementation Method 2
one or both removable storage bins includes a housing made from a thermal insulating material thereby allowing the storage bin to be utilized as a cooler to maintain food and/or beverages in a hot or cold condition as desired
Data Source
AI summary
A storage bin system is provided for a motor vehicle. That storage bin system includes a first cargo compartment sidewall having a first storage cavity with a first rearwardly oriented access opening. Further, the storage bin system includes a first removable storage bin received and held in the first storage cavity.