Snap-in floor console

• US 5,106,143 A
• Filed: 08/31/1990
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soeters, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/576,279
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.8, 296/37.14, 296/37.7, 224/273, 224/275, 224/42.32, 224/42.45 R, 403/353, 292/303, 292/91, 292/80, 292/87, 292/19, 248/221.4, 248/222.2
• US Class Current: 296/37.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/75 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/438 Spring-arm catch

Abstract

A floor mounted snap-in console includes a first forward pair of mounting brackets with one bracket mounted to the vehicle floor and the other mounted to a front end of the console for extending into the first bracket. The console further includes a second pair of rear mounting brackets with one of these brackets mounted to the vehicle floor and the other mounted to the rear of the console. The second set of brackets snap together and include posts for deflecting arms of one of the brackets to release their interconnection for removing the console.

Claims

1. A snap-in floor console for a vehicle comprising:

a console body;

a first mounting bracket including means for mounting said first mounting bracket to the floor of a vehicle, said first mounting bracket including at least a pair of spaced legs defining an opening facing in a generally horizontal direction and ledge means for receiving a catch of a mating bracket;

a second mounting bracket mounted to said console body, said second mounting bracket including catch means for lockably engaging said ledge means of said first mounting bracket when said second mounting bracket is inserted into said opening of said first mounting bracket;

a third mounting bracket including means for mounting said third mounting bracket to the floor of a vehicle in spaced relationship and aligned with said first mounting bracket, said third mounting bracket being generally U-shaped having a floor and upstanding end walls extending from opposite ends of said floor and including apertures extending therein; and

a fourth mounting bracket mounted to said console body in spaced relationship to said second mounting bracket such that said third and fourth brackets align, said fourth mounting bracket comprising a pair of resilient arms having catches extending outwardly therefrom for engaging edges of said apertures in said third mounting bracket, and means for deflecting said arms to disengage said catches of said fourth mounting bracket from said third mounting bracket for removal of said console body from a vehicle.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first mounting bracket comprises a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from said floor, a first pair of legs extending rearwardly from opposite ends of said front wall, and a center leg horizontally and vertically spaced from said first pair of legs to define said opening.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said catch means of said second mounting bracket comprises a pair of forwardly extending legs spaced to extend between said first pair of legs of said first mounting bracket and said center leg of said first mounting bracket and each including an arrowhead-shaped end for engaging said ledge means of said front wall of said first mounting bracket.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said center leg of said first mounting bracket includes an aperture formed therein and wherein said catch means of said second mounting bracket includes a leg aligned with said center leg of said first mounting bracket and an upstanding post for extending into said aperture of said center arm to latch said second mounting bracket to said first mounting bracket.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said console body includes a central opening and wherein said means for deflecting said arms of said fourth mounting bracket extend into and are accessible from said central opening.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for deflecting said arms of said fourth mounting bracket comprises inwardly-extending posts integrally formed on said arms of said fourth mounting bracket.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said arms of said fourth mounting bracket are secured to the sides of said console body.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said second mounting bracket is mounted to said console body near a first end thereof and said third mounting bracket is mounted to said console body near an opposite end.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second or third and fourth mounting brackets includes interconnecting electrical connectors.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first mounting bracket includes a generally vertically extending wall and said at least a pair of spaced legs include a bifurcated structure in which a pair of upper legs extend outwardly and in horizontally spaced relationship from said wall and a lower leg extends outwardly from said wall in horizontally and vertically spaced relationship to said upper legs.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said upper legs terminate in upwardly inclined ends and said center leg terminates in a downwardly-inclined end to define a V-shaped opening.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said forward mounting bracket includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting to a mating electrical connector in the mating bracket of the vehicle.

12. A snap-in floor console for a vehicle comprising:

a console body including a forward mounting bracket including at least a pair of spaced legs defining catch means facing in a generally horizontal direction for lockably engaging a mating bracket mounted to the floor of a vehicle, said console further including a rear mounting bracket including a pair of downwardly-extending resilient arms including catch means extending therefrom for lockably engaging another mating bracket mounted to the vehicle such that said console can be snap-fitted to the mating brackets of the vehicle for ease of installation and removal wherein said resilient arms of said rear mounting bracket include inwardly-extending post means to facilitate the deflection of said arms to disengage the another mating bracket mounted to the vehicle.

14. A snap-in floor console for a vehicle comprising:

a console body including a forward mounting bracket including at least a pair of spaced legs defining catch means facing in a generally horizontal direction for lockably engaging a mating bracket mounted to the floor of a vehicle, said console further including a rear mounting bracket including a pair of downwardly-extending resilient arms including catch means extending therefrom for lockably engaging another mating bracket mounted to the vehicle such that said console can be snap-fitted to the mating brackets of the vehicle for ease of installation and removal, wherein said resilient arms of said rear mounting bracket include inwardly-extending posts to facilitate the deflection of said arms to disengage the another mating bracket mounted to the vehicle, and wherein said forward mounting bracket includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting to a mating electrical connector in the mating bracket of the vehicle.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 and further including an access opening formed in said console for gaining access to said posts.

16. A snap-in floor console system for a vehicle comprising:

a console body including a forward mounting bracket including at least a pair of spaced legs defining catch means facing in a generally horizontal direction;

a mating bracket including means for mounting said mating bracket to a vehicle floor, said mating bracket including an opening extending generally horizontally for lockably receiving said forward mounting bracket;

said console body further including a rear mounting bracket including a pair of downwardly-extending resilient arms including catch means extending therefrom and post means for deflecting said arms; and

another mounting bracket including means for mounting said another mounting bracket to the vehicle floor in spaced relationship to said first named mounting bracket, said another mounting bracket lockably engaging said rear mounting bracket such that said console can be snap-fitted to said mating brackets of the vehicle for ease of installation and removal.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein at least one of said forward or rear mounting brackets includes an electrical connector mounted thereto for coupling to a wire harness associated with said console, and wherein a mating one of said mating mounting brackets mounted to the vehicle includes an electrical connector for coupling to said first-named connector when said console is mounted to the vehicle for coupling said wire harness of said console to the electrical system of the vehicle.