Living storage structure for a vehicle

• US 10,406,984 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hu, Teng
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US15/668,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20190039525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/005 Nets or elastic pockets tensioned against walls or backrests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A storage structure for mounting on an interior mounting surface of a vehicle is described. The storage structure includes a sheet of flexible fabric that forms a pocket on the interior mounting surface. The fabric pocket can be opened and closed with one or more shape memory alloy actuators. The interior mounting surface can be a seatback, door trim, a wall of a cargo area, etc.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a mounting surface within an interior of the vehicle; and

a storage structure affixed to the mounting surface, the storage structure comprising;

a sheet of material secured to the mounting surface and forming a pocket for the mounting surface;

a rigid arch component having inner ends pivotally connected at pivot points to the mounting surface at respective opposing sides of the pocket and the rigid arch component extending radially outward from an axis of the pivot points to an outer end to which the sheet of material is secured; and

an actuator assembly comprising an adjustable length actuator coupled to the outer end of the rigid arch component and configured to cause pivoting movement of the rigid arch component, wherein the rigid arch component pivots about the pivot points between a closed position where the outer end of the rigid arch component is adjacent to the mounting surface to close the pocket and an open position that opens the pocket.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the adjustable length actuator is formed of a shape memory material that extends from a bottom of the pocket to the outer end of the rigid arch component, the shape memory material contracting responsive to application of an energy source to pivot the rigid arch component from the closed position to the open position.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory alloy that contracts into a spring shape when the energy source is applied.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the energy source is a voltage applied to the shape memory material.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the actuator assembly comprises:

a spring extending between the outer end of the rigid arch component and the mounting surface, the spring biased to pivot the rigid arch component into the closed position.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

a first hinge and a second hinge affixed to the mounting surface and forming the pivot points, the spring comprising a first spring located at the first hinge and a second spring located at the first hinge.

7. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein:

the actuator is a first actuator,

the actuator assembly comprises a second actuator formed of the shape memory material that extends from the mounting surface to the outer end of the rigid arch component, the shape memory material of the second actuator deforming responsive to the application of the energy source to the shape memory material of the first actuator and contracting responsive to application of the energy source to pivot the rigid arch component from the open position to the closed position, and

the shape memory material of the first actuator deforms responsive to the application of the energy source to the shape memory material of the second actuator.

8. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising:

a flexible tube made of an insulating material and surrounding the shape memory material of the actuator so as to space the actuator from the sheet of material.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rigid arch component has one of a semi-circular or rectangular shape.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion sensor affixed to the mounting surface, the motion sensor configured to actuate an actuator of the actuator assembly responsive to detection of motion.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting surface is a substantially flat surface, and the open position of the rigid arch component is 90 degrees relative to the mounting surface.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle component forming a mounting surface within an interior of the vehicle; and

a storage structure affixed to the mounting surface, the storage structure comprising;

a sheet of material secured to the mounting surface along three sides of the sheet of material and having an aperture along a fourth side of the sheet of material;

a closure device having a first inner end and a second inner end pivotally supported on the mounting surface for rotation about a pivot axis, the closure device secured to the sheet of material and having a first outer end and a second outer end radially outward of the pivot axis, and the closure device extending horizontally in a direction along the aperture; and

an actuator assembly comprising an actuator formed of a shape memory material that extends from at least one of the first outer end or the second outer end of the closure device to a bottom of the sheet of material where the sheet of material is secured to the mounting surface, the shape memory material contracting responsive to application of an energy source to pull the closure device from a first position that closes the aperture to a second position that allows access through the aperture.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein:

the mounting surface is a rear surface of a seatback of a seat; and

the aperture extends horizontally across the seatback.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the rear surface of the seatback is angled to reduce a force required to move the closure device from the first position to the second position as compared to a force required to move the closure device from the first position to the second position when the rear surface is a substantially flat upright surface.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising:

a latch located on the mounting surface to secure the closure device in the first position.

16. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein:

the closure device forms a rigid arch component having two legs extending from the first outer end and the second outer end to respective pivot point connections with the mounting surface, and

the actuator comprises a first actuator that extends from the first outer end to the bottom of the sheet of material and a second actuator that extends from the second outer end to the bottom of the sheet of material.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the sheet of material comprises a flexible fabric.