Resilient console for a passenger vehicle

• US 6,152,514 A
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur O. Mclellen
• Original Assignee: Arthur O. Mclellen
• Inventors: McLellen, Arthur O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/208,698
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.1, 296/37.8, 296/37.14, 296/24.1, 297/411.24, 297/188.14, 297/188.19
• US Class Current: 296/37.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

A resilient console (10) for a passenger vehicle for holding small to medium sized items stationary and within the reach of the occupants of the vehicle. The resilient console (10) includes a substantially rigid frame (12) and a substantially resilient body (14) with an outer skin (16). A storage compartment (38) is enclosed by a removable closure or lid (52). The top layer (54) of the lid is substantially resilient. A storage recess (58) is formed in the console (10).

Claims

1. A resilient console for mounting to a floor of a passenger compartment of a passenger vehicle comprising:

a rigid support housing for mounting to the floor of the passenger compartment of the passenger vehicle, said support housing having continuous external laterally facing surfaces and an internal compartment bounded by said external surfaces;

a resilient foam adhered to the external surfaces of said support housing and surrounding said support housing;

said resilient foam being characterized by having been molded about said rigid support housing and having areas of thickness forming approximately cylindrical open top receptacles for receiving beverage cans, cups and articles of breadths up to the breadth of the beverage cans.

2. A console for a passenger vehicle comprising:

a substantially rectangular rigid frame having an inner surface and an outside surface, an open top portion, a bottom portion, a front wall and a rear wall, and a substantially rigid inner shelf, wherein said open top portion defines an upwardly facing opening and said inner shelf is disposed between said upwardly facing opening and said bottom portion and fixed to said inner surface of said frame and substantially perpendicular to said inner surface;

a substantially resilient body being of unibody polyurethane construction, having an outer skin, said body being disposed around and adhered to said outside surface of said frame, said body having a front face, a rear face, a left side face and a right side face, a top portion and a bottom portion;

an internal storage compartment defined by said inner surface of said frame and said inner shelf, said internal storage compartment having said open top portion;

a removable closure having a top layer and a bottom layer wherein said top layer is substantially resilient polyurethane and said bottom layer is substantially rigid, said removable closure being disposed parallel to said inner member of said frame, said closure disposed on top of and covering said open top portion of said internal storage compartment, said top layer of said closure facing outward, said closure being hingedly fixed to said body and having a latch and keeper;

a substantially resilient polyurethane rear cushion formed as part of said body, said rear cushion having an upper planar surface and a lower cushion portion, said upper planar surface extending perpendicular from said rear face of said body and being a distance from the top portion of said body at said rear face and having an outer edge, the lower cushion portion of said rear cushion extending upward at an angle toward said outer edge of said upper planar surface of said rear cushion from the bottom portion of said body at said rear face;

a pair of rear storage recesses disposed in said rear cushion, said pair of rear storage recesses inset in said rear cushion and configured to receive a beverage container;

a substantially resilient polyurethane front cushion formed as part of said body, said front cushion having an upper planar surface and a lower cushion portion, said upper planar surface extending perpendicular from said front face of said body and being a distance from the top portion of said body at said front face and having an outer edge, the lower cushion portion of said front cushion extending upward at an angle toward said outer edge of said upper planar surface of said front cushion from the lower cushion portion of said front face of said body;

a front storage recess disposed in said front cushion, said front storage recess inset in said front cushion and configured to receive a beverage container; and

means for fixedly attaching said console to a surface upon which the console is to be used.