Functional unit for a vehicle interior

• US 7,445,262 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BOS GMBH & CO. KG
• Original Assignee: BOS GMBH & CO. KG
• Inventors: Seidl, Peter, Seeg, Thomas, Zaiser, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chenevert; Paul A
• Application Number:
  US11/788,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.43, 296/24.44, 296/37.8, 296/37.16, 296/98, 296/100.01, 296/100.11, 296/100.12, 160/133, 160/181, 160/183, 160/270, 160/271, 160/273.1, 160/370.22, 160/267.1, 160/274, 160/282, 160/284, 160/285, 160/287, 410/130, 410/150
• US Class Current: 296/24.43
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/047 collapsible by rolling-up

Abstract

A functional unit for a vehicle interior has a dimensionally stable functional profile including two mutually opposite end regions which are arranged in a longitudinally movable manner along profiled guide structures arranged in the vehicle interior. Provision is made for each end region to be provided with at least one rolling element, which is mounted on the end region in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one axis of rotation such that, during a longitudinal movement of the end region, the rolling element rolls along at least one surface region of the associated profiled guide structure. The functional unit is used for loading-space coverings in passenger vehicles.

Claims

1. A functional unit for a vehicle interior, comprising:

a rigid functional profile having a longitudinal axis passing through a length of said profile and through two mutually opposite end regions of said profile, said longitudinal axis of said functional profile being arranged in a transverse direction of said vehicle interior and each said end region being arranged for movement within a corresponding profiled guide structure,

wherein each profiled guide structure is arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle interior, each end region of said functional profile being provided with a rolling element mounted on the end region, said functional profile being supported by said rolling element on a surface region of said corresponding profiled guide structure, said rolling element having an axis of rotation parallel to said longitudinal axis of said functional profile at said end region and eccentric to a centerline of said functional profile, and said rolling element being partially shrouded within said end region of said functional profile.

2. A functional unit for a vehicle interior, comprising:

a rigid functional profile which has two mutually opposite end regions, said end regions being arranged for longitudinal movement along profiled guide structures arranged in the vehicle interior;

a first rolling element mounted on each end region in a manner that it can rotate about an axis of rotation parallel to a longitudinal axis of the functional profile such that, during a longitudinal movement of the functional profile, the first rolling element is supported by and runs along at least one surface region of the associated profiled guide structure; and

a second rolling element on each end region having an axis of rotation orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the first rolling element and arranged to run along a second surface region of each profiled guide structure.

3. The functional unit according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said end regions can be displaced telescopically along said longitudinal axis of the functional profile.

4. The functional unit according to claim 3, wherein a supporting-force device acts on said at least one of said end regions that can be displaced telescopically along said longitudinal axis of the functional profile.