Climate controlled vehicle console with window

• US 7,407,210 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Izard, Brian, Lechkun, Dave, Metros, Craig, Thetard, Nicolas, Arbaugh, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US11/615,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.32, 296/37.8, 296/37.6, 224/926, 224/539, 224/281, 224/275, 622/61
• US Class Current: 296/24.34
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicle having a climate-controlled console (14) is provided. The vehicle (10) includes a vehicle frame (12) and a console (14) attached to the vehicle frame (12). The console (14) includes a housing (20), a drawer (22), and one or more climate regulators (24). The housing (20) defines a cavity (26). The drawer (22) is slidably attached to the housing (20) and movable into the cavity (26). The drawer (22) includes one or more compartments with a floor portion (38), a lid (36), and a series of wall portions (40) extending between the floor portion (38) and lid. One or more of the wall portions (40) are formed from a transparent material (56) for displaying an interior (58) of the compartment (28). The climate regulators (24) maintain a predetermined climate in the compartment (28).

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a passenger cabin; and

a console attached to said vehicle frame and extending into said passenger cabin;

said console having a housing, a drawer, and at least one climate regulator;

said at least one climate regulator including at least one of a heat exchanger and a humidifier;

said housing defining a cavity;

said drawer slidably attached to said housing and movable into said cavity;

said drawer including at least one compartment with a floor portion, a lid, and a plurality of wall portions extending between said floor portion and said lid;

at least one of said wall portions formed from a transparent material for displaying an interior of said at least one compartment;

said at least one climate regulator maintaining a predetermined climate in said at least one compartment.

2. The vehicle recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one compartment includes a refrigerated compartment and a humidor compartment, with said heat exchanger device cooling said refrigerated compartment and said humidifier device humidifying said humidor compartment.

3. The vehicle recited in claim 2 wherein said floor portion in said refrigerator compartment has a plurality of tray recesses receiving at least one of a decanter, a bottle, an ice receptacle, and a drinking glass.

4. The vehicle recited in claim 1 wherein said floor portion includes a front end, a rear end, and a pair of opposing lateral sides.

5. The vehicle recited in claim 4 wherein said wall portions include a pair of sidewall portions extending from said opposing lateral sides of said floor portion, with said sidewall portions formed from said transparent material.

6. The vehicle recited in claim 4 wherein said floor portion has a stepped construction with a first platform, a second platform, and a rise portion offsetting said second platform lower than said first platform.

7. The vehicle recited in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger device and said humidifier device are attached to at least one of said housing and said drawer.

8. The vehicle recited in claim 4 wherein said wall portions include a pair of sidewall portions extending from said opposing lateral sides of said floor portion, with said sidewall portions formed from said transparent material.