Automotive vehicle rear seat storage system

• US 6,161,896 A
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Oberson, David, Johnson, Victor, Neag, Dorinel, Cauvin, David J., Husted, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US09/417,061
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.1, 297/188.09, 297/188.08, 297/188.11
• US Class Current: 297/188.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A selectively operable storage system incorporated within the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle is described. The storage system is preferably deployed underneath the rear seat structure, for example, below the seat bottom structure. The storage system can include any number and combination of selectively operable sliding trays, pivoting trays, collapsible trays, pivoting lids, storage bins, and track systems.

Claims

1. A storage system deployed beneath a bottom surface of a seat bottom structure of a rear seat structure of an automotive vehicle, wherein the rear seat structure further includes a seat back structure, the seat bottom structure being capable of being pivoted upwardly towards the seat back structure, comprising:

a base;

a front wall; and

a rear wall, the front and rear walls being spaced and opposed, the base being pivotally fastened to the rear wall for permitting the base to contact the rear wall when the base is pivoted towards the rear wall, the base being pivotally fastened to the front wall for permitting the base to contact the front wall when the front wall is pivoted towards the base, the rear wall being fastened to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure;

wherein the base is capable of being positioned substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure when the base is pivoted towards the rear wall;

wherein the base is capable of being positioned substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure when the base is pivoted away from the rear wall;

wherein when the seat bottom structure is pivoted upwardly towards the seat back structure, the storage system is capable of being positioned such that the storage system is substantially perpendicular to the seat back structure;

wherein when the seat bottom structure is pivoted downwardly away from the seat back structure, the storage system is capable of being positioned such that the storage system is adjacent to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a selectively operable linkage assembly pivotally fastened to the base and the front wall for permitting the front wall to collapse upon the base.

3. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a track member disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom seat structure, wherein at least a portion of the rear wall is slidably engaged with the track member.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the rear wall is capable of being selectively positioned at any location along the track member.

5. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of spaced and opposed side walls.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein the side walls are capable of collapsing upon the base.

7. A storage container deployed beneath a bottom surface of a seat bottom structure of a rear seat structure of an automotive vehicle, wherein the rear seat structure further includes a seat back structure, the seat bottom structure being capable of being pivoted upwardly towards the seat back structure, comprising:

a track member disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom seat structure; and

a base;

a front wall; and

a rear wall, the front and rear walls being spaced and opposed, at least a portion of the rear wall being slidably engaged with the track member, the base being pivotally fastened to the rear wall for permitting the base to contact the rear wall when the base is pivoted towards the rear wall, the base being pivotally fastened to the front wall for permitting the base to contact the front wall when the front wall is pivoted towards the base;

wherein the base is capable of being positioned substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure when the base is pivoted towards the rear wall;

wherein the base is capable of being positioned substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure when the base is pivoted away from the rear walls

wherein when the seat bottom structure is pivoted upwardly towards the seat back structure, the storage system is capable of being positioned such that the storage system is substantially perpendicular to the seat back structure;

wherein when the seat bottom structure is pivoted downwardly away from the seat back structure, the storage system is capable of being positioned such that the storage system is adjacent to the bottom surface of the seat bottom structure.

8. The invention according to claim 7, further comprising a selectively operable linkage assembly pivotally fastened to the base and the front wall for permitting the front wall to collapse upon the base.

9. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the rear wall is capable of being selectively positioned at any location along the track member.

10. The invention according to claim 7, further comprising a pair of spaced and opposed side walls.

11. The invention according to claim 10, wherein the side walls are capable of collapsing upon the base.