In-board seat storage

• US 10,377,315 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hellman, Kristin Ann, Hosbach, Christian J., Sakarian, Artur Stanislavovich, Huebner, Annette Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US15/406,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20180201196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 29718801, 29718804
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/102 storable or foldable in a non-use position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/233 Seats; Arm rests; Head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/56 Lighting devices mounted on elongate supports, e.g. on flexible arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/005 Nets or elastic pockets tensioned against walls or backrests

Abstract

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat and a seatback. The seatback further includes a compartment in a side portion of the seatback. The compartment is pivotably and resiliently coupled to the side portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback; and

a compartment in a side portion of the seatback, wherein the compartment is pivotably coupled to the side portion at a lower region and resiliently coupled to the side portion at an upper region, and wherein the resilient coupling of the side portion at the upper region biases the compartment to a fully-closed position, and wherein the compartment is equipped with retention material along vertical sections of the compartment that retain items stored in the compartment when the compartment is in an open position.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the compartment is lined in a thermal reflective material that creates a thermal barrier between an interior of the compartment and a vehicle cabin.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the compartment further comprises:

a tissue holder that is unitarily formed with a door of the compartment, wherein the tissue holder is accessible when the compartment is in the open position and the closed position.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the compartment further comprises:

one or more straps operably coupled to an exterior surface of a door of the compartment.

5. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback; and

a compartment in a side portion of the seatback, wherein the compartment is pivotably coupled to the side portion at a lower region and resiliently coupled to the side portion at an upper region, and wherein the resilient coupling of the side portion at the upper region biases the compartment to a fully-closed position.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 5, wherein the compartment is equipped with retention material along vertical sections of the compartment that retain items stored in the compartment when the compartment is in an open position.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

a cup holder operably coupled to the side portion of the seatback.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 7, wherein the cup holder is deployable for use by at least one of a front passenger and a rear passenger.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 7, wherein the cup holder is accessible after deployment independent of whether a door of the compartment is in an open position or a closed position.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 5, wherein the compartment is equipped with a light source that is coupled to an interior of a door of the compartment.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source is configured to selectively illuminate at least one of the compartment and a center console of a vehicle.

12. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback; and

a compartment in a side portion of the seatback, wherein the compartment is pivotably and resiliently coupled to the side portion, and wherein the resilient coupling biases the compartment to a fully-closed position.

13. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 12, wherein the compartment further comprises:

at least one pocket located within the compartment.

14. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one pocket includes a first pocket and a second pocket.

15. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first pocket and the second pocket are lined with a thermal reflective material that creates a thermal barrier between the interior of the compartment and a vehicle cabin.

16. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14, wherein the first pocket is larger than the second pocket.

17. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14, wherein the first pocket is provided with electric power.

18. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 17, wherein the electric power provided to the first pocket is used to charge an electronic device within the first pocket.

19. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 18, wherein the electronic device in the first pocket is charged inductively.