Safety system for opening the trunk compartment of a vehicle

• US 6,832,793 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bingle, Robert L., Koops, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US10/263,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 362/459, 362/487, 362/488, 362/501, 362/540, 362/542, 362/543-546, 362/109, 362/119, 362/154, 362/155, 362/362, 362/368, 362/375, 362/800, 362/188, 292/336.3, 292/347, 296/76, 280/14.27, 161/101, 164/12, 164/13, 169/03, 180/271, 70/57, 70/77, 70/91, 70/92, 701/01, 701/06, 702/37, 702/66, 704/65, 492/71
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/82 Knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8946 Emergency unlocking or release arrangements

Abstract

A safety system for opening a deck lid of a trunk compartment of vehicle includes a user operable device and a housing having an outer wall and a perimeter surface. The housing defines a recess therein, which is positioned below or behind a plane defined by the perimeter surface of the housing. The user operable device is positioned in the recess and below the plane defined by the perimeter surface such that the user operable device is actuable within the recess. The user operable to actuate the release mechanism to open the deck lid of the trunk compartment.

Claims

1. A safety trunk release system for opening a deck lid of a trunk compartment of a vehicle, said safety trunk release system comprising:

a release mechanism for opening the deck lid;

a housing disposed in the trunk compartment, said housing having an outer wall and a perimeter surface, said housing defining a recess positioned below or behind a plane defined by said perimeter surface of said housing; and

a user operable device positioned in said recess of said housing, whereby said user operable device is positioned below said plane defined by said perimeter surface such that said user operable device is actuatable within said recess, said user operable device being operable to actuate said release mechanism to open the deck lid of the trunk compartment in response to a user input to said user operable device.

2. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said user operable device is mechanically connected to said release mechanism such that actuation of said user operable device causes a corresponding mechanical movement at said release mechanism.

3. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein actuation of said user operable device causes an electrical actuation of said release mechanism.

4. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said user operable device comprises one of a push button, a handle and a switch.

5. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said user operable device includes at least one of text and a picture on a surface of said user operable device facing outwardly from said recess.

6. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said user operable device is operable to actuate said release mechanism via an electromechanical device.

7. The safety trunk release system of claim 6, wherein said electromechanical device comprises a solenoid which is energizable to actuate said release mechanism in response to actuation of said user operable device.

8. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said user operable device comprises an electromechanical device such that movement of at least a portion of said user operable device actuates said release mechanism.

9. The safety trunk release system of claim 8, wherein said user operable device is operable to electronically actuate said release mechanism, said release mechanism comprising an electromechanical release mechanism.

10. The safety trunk release system of claim 1 including an illumination device positioned at said housing and operable to at least partially illuminate said user operable device.

11. The safety trunk release system of claim 10, wherein said illumination device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

12. The safety trunk release system of claim 10, wherein said illumination device comprises a phosphorescent material.

13. The safety trunk release system of claim 10, wherein said illumination device is automatically actuatable in response to an activating event and deactivatable a period of time following said activating event.

14. The safety trunk release system of claim 13, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a closing of the deck lid, a closing or folding of a rear seat of the vehicle, an opening or closing of a door of the vehicle, actuation of an ignition switch of the vehicle, a detection of movement within the trunk compartment, and a detection of an occupant within the trunk compartment.

15. The safety trunk release system of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least one mounting element configured for securing said housing to an interior surface of the trunk compartment.

16. The safety trunk release system of claim 15, wherein said perimeter surface is at an opposite portion of said outer wall from said at least one mounting element.

17. The safety trunk release system of claim 16, wherein said at least one mounting element comprises a mounting flange extending outwardly around at least a portion of a perimeter of said outer wall of said housing.

18. The safety trunk release system of claim 15, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of the deck lid.

19. The safety trunk release system of claim 18, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of a downward extending portion of the deck lid.

20. A safety trunk release system for opening a deck lid of a trunk compartment of a vehicle, said safety trunk release system comprising:

an electromechanically actuatable release mechanism for opening the deck lid;

a housing disposed in the trunk compartment, said housing having an outer wall and a perimeter surface, said housing defining a recess positioned below or behind a plane defined by said perimeter surface of said housing;

a user operable device positioned in said recess of said housing below said plane defined by said perimeter surface such that said user operable device is actuatable within said recess, said user operable device being operable to actuate said release mechanism to open the deck lid of the trunk compartment, said user operable device comprising an electromechanical device such that movement of at least a portion of said user operable device actuates said release mechanism; and

an illumination source operable to at least partially illuminate said user operable device.

21. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein actuation of said user operable device causes electrical actuation of said release mechanism.

22. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said user operable device comprises one of a push button, a handle and a switch.

23. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said illumination device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

24. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said illumination device comprises a phosphorescent material.

25. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said illumination device is positioned at said housing.

26. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said user operable device includes at least one of text and a picture on a surface of said user operable device facing outwardly from said recess.

27. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said user operable device is operable to actuate said release mechanism via an electromechanical device.

28. The safety trunk release system of claim 27, wherein said electromechanical device comprises a solenoid which is energizable to actuate said release mechanism in response to actuation of said user operable device.

29. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said illumination device is automatically actuatable in response to an activating event and deactivatable a period of time following said activating event.

30. The safety trunk release system of claim 29, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a closing of the deck lid, a closing or folding of a rear seat of the vehicle, an opening or closing of a door of the vehicle, actuation of an ignition switch of the vehicle, a detection of movement within the trunk compartment, and a detection of an occupant within the trunk compartment.

31. The safety trunk release system of claim 20, wherein said housing comprises at least one mounting element configured for securing said housing to an interior surface of the trunk compartment.

32. The safety trunk release system of claim 31, wherein said perimeter surface is at an opposite portion of said outer wall from said at least one mounting element.

33. The safety trunk release system of claim 32, wherein said at least one mounting element comprises a mounting flange extending outwardly around at least a portion of a perimeter of said outer wall of said housing.

34. The safety trunk release system of claim 31, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of the deck lid.

35. The safety trunk release system of claim 34, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of a downward extending portion of the deck lid.

36. A safety trunk release system for opening a deck lid of a trunk compartment of a vehicle, said safety trunk release system comprising:

a release mechanism for opening the deck lid;

a housing disposed within the trunk compartment, said housing having an outer wall and a perimeter surface, said housing defining a recess positioned below or behind a plane defined by said perimeter surface of said housing;

a user operable device positioned in said recess of said housing below said plane defined by said perimeter surface such that said user operable device is actuatable within said recess, said user operable device being operable to electronically actuate said release mechanism to open the deck lid of the trunk compartment in response to a user input to said user operable device; and

an illumination device positioned at said housing and operable to at least partially illuminate said user operable device, said illumination device being automatically actuatable in response to an activating event and deactivatable a period of time following said activating event.

37. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said user operable device comprises one of a push button, a handle and a switch.

38. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a closing of the deck lid, a closing or folding of a rear seat of the vehicle, an opening or closing of a door of the vehicle, actuation of an ignition switch of the vehicle, a detection of movement within the trunk compartment, and a detection of an occupant within the trunk compartment.

39. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said user operable device includes at least one of text and a picture on a surface of said user operable device facing outwardly from said recess.

40. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said illumination device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

41. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said illumination device comprises a phosphorescent material.

42. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said release mechanism comprises an electromechanical device.

43. The safety trunk release system of claim 42, wherein said electromechanical device comprises a solenoid which is energizable to open the deck lid in response to actuation of said user operable device.

44. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said user operable device comprises an electromechanical device, such that movement of at least a portion of said user operable device electronically actuates said release mechanism.

45. The safety trunk release system of claim 44, wherein said release mechanism comprises an electromechanical release mechanism.

46. The safety trunk release system of claim 36, wherein said housing comprises at least one mounting element configured for securing said housing to an interior surface of the trunk compartment.

47. The safety trunk release system of claim 46, wherein said perimeter surface is at an opposite portion of said outer wall from said at least one mounting element.

48. The safety trunk release system of claim 47, wherein said at least one mounting element comprises a mounting flange extending outwardly around at least a portion of a perimeter of said outer wall of said housing.

49. The safety trunk release system of claim 46, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of the deck lid.

50. The safety trunk release system of claim 49, wherein said at least one mounting element is mountable to an interior surface of a downward extending portion of the deck lid.