Stowable Table Unit System for a Vehicle

• US 20090293774A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Theis, Peter, Fu, Katherine, Sato, Gaku, Kaushal, Nikhil, Cheung, Timothy, Jura, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,096,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/06 with legs for supporting the table on the floor tables combined with cabinets A47B83/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/001 of tables or trays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18576 including screw and nut

Abstract

A stowable table unit system for a motor vehicle comprises a table portion, a support leg portion, and a lifting mechanism. The table portion has a top surface and a bottom surface. The lifting mechanism connects to the table portion and positions the table portion between a stowed position and a deployed position. The support leg moves between a stored position within the bottom surface of the table portion when the table portion is in the stowed position and an extended position when the table portion is in the deployed position.

Claims

1. A stowable table unit system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a table portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a support leg portion; and

a lifting mechanism connecting to the table portion and positioning the table portion between a stowed position and a deployed position;

wherein the support leg is moveable between a stored position within the bottom surface of the table portion when the table portion is in the stowed position and an extended position when the table portion is in the deployed position.

2. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the table portion has a mounting bracket portion connecting to the lifting mechanism.

3. The stowable table unit system of claim 2, wherein the mounting bracket portion has a plurality of electrical outlets.

4. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism is located within a B-pillar of the vehicle.

5. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a motor powered threaded rod and a B-pillar bracket attached to the motor powered threaded rod.

6. The stowable table unit system of claim 5, wherein the table portion has a mounting bracket portion connecting to the B-pillar bracket of the lifting mechanism.

7. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the table portion has a plurality of cup holders.

8. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the table portion has a plurality of electrical outlets.

9. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the stowed position is located within a ceiling of the vehicle in the stowed position.

10. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the support leg portion further comprises an actuator mechanism and a linkage attached to the support leg portion and the actuator mechanism, the actuator mechanism being activated to reposition the linkage and the leg portion between a stored position within the table portion and an extended position.

11. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the table portion further comprises a first storage unit forming an opening in the top surface of the table portion.

12. The stowable table unit system of claim 11, wherein the table portion further comprise a second storage unit forming an opening in the top surface of the table portion.

13. The stowable table unit system of claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism has a top ledge and a bottom ledge, the top ledge and the bottom ledge of the lifting mechanism limiting the movement of the table portion.

14. A lifting mechanism for a stowable table unit system for a vehicle having a table portion, the lifting mechanism comprising:

a motor powered threaded rod; and

a B-pillar bracket attached to the motor powered threaded rod, the B-pillar bracket movable by rotation of the motor powered threaded rod, the B-pillar bracket connected to the table portion of the stowable table unit system, the B-pillar bracket positioned adjacent a B-pillar of the vehicle.

15. The lifting mechanism for a stowable table unit system of claim 14 further comprising a top ledge and a bottom ledge the top ledge and the bottom ledge limiting the movement of the table portion between a stowed position and a deployed position of the stowable table unit system.

16. The lifting mechanism for a stowable table unit system of claim 15, wherein the top ledge is positioned proximal to a top of the B-pillar of the vehicle.

17. The lifting mechanism for a stowable table unit system of claim 15, wherein the bottom ledged is positioned proximal to a bottom of the B-pillar of the vehicle.

18. A method of operating a stowable table unit system for a vehicle, the stowable table unit system comprising a table portion having a mounting bracket and a support leg portion having an actuator, and a lifting mechanism having a B-pillar bracket attached to a motor powered threaded rod, the mounting bracket of the table portion being attached to the B-pillar bracket of the lifting mechanism the method comprising:

rotating the motor powered threaded rod in a first direction;

moving the B-pillar bracket and table portion from a stowed position towards a deployed position via the rotation of the motor powered threaded rod in the first direction and the attachment of the B-pillar bracket to the mounting bracket of the table portion; and

deploying the support leg portion using the actuator to rotate the support leg portion from a stored position to an extended position.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

retracting the support leg portion using the actuator to rotate the support leg portion from the extended position to the stored position;

rotating the motor powered threaded rod in a second direction, the second direction being generally opposite the first direction; and

moving the B-pillar bracket and table portion from the deployed position to the stowed position via the rotation of the motor powered threaded rod in the second direction and the attachment of the B-pillar bracket to the mounting bracket of the table portion.