Rear seat cushion underside storage flap

• US 7,628,438 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Partch, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H
• Application Number:
  US11/585,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20080093874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.46, 296/37.15, 296/37.16, 296/65.05, 297/188.01, 297/188.04, 297/188.08, 297/188.09, 297/188.1
• US Class Current: 296/24.46
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/005 Nets or elastic pockets tensioned against walls or backrests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A storage area defined by a folded-forward rear seat cushion, an upright rear seatback, the floor tunnel, and an article retaining flap which is stowed when not in use. The storage flap may be folded away for storage under the rear seat cushion when not in use.

Claims

1. A storage area for a motor vehicle having a vehicle floor, the storage area having three walls and a base, said storage area comprising:

a first substantially vertical wall defined by a cushion of a seat, said seat cushion being movable between a lowered position and an upright position, said seat cushion defining said first wall of the storage area when in said upright position;

a second substantially vertical wall defined by a seatback, said seatback and said cushion forming a seat when said cushion is in its lowered position;

a third substantially vertical wall defined by a flap, said flap being movable between a stowed position and an un-stowed position, said flap providing said third wall of the storage area when in said un-stowed position, wherein said flap is operatively associated with said seat cushion and the flap provides the third wall of the storage area extending between the seatback and the seat cushion when in the upright position; and

a base, said base being defined by the vehicle floor.

2. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 1, further including a tunnel formed on the vehicle floor, said tunnel forming a fourth substantially vertical wall of the storage area.

3. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said flap is composed of a rigid material.

4. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said flap is composed of a flexible material.

5. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein said flap includes a first end and a second end, said first end of said flap being attached to said seat cushion.

6. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein said second end of said flap is releasably attachable to said seatback.

7. The storage area for the motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein said seat cushion includes a top side and a bottom side and wherein said first end of said flap is attached to said bottom side of said seat cushion.

8. The storage area of the motor vehicle of claim 7 wherein said bottom side of said seat cushion includes a flap storage area formed therein.

19. The storage area of claim 1, wherein the flap includes a first end and a second end, said first end of said flap being attached to said seat cushion and the second end being attached to said seatback.

9. A storage area in a motor vehicle comprising:

a seat cushion defining a first substantially vertical wall of the storage area, wherein said seat cushion is movable between a lowered, substantially horizontal position and an upright, substantially vertical position, said seat cushion providing said first wall of said storage area when in said vertical position;

a seatback defining the second substantially vertical wall of the storage area;

a flap defining a third substantially vertical wall of the storage area, wherein said flap is operatively associated with said seat cushion so that the flap defines the third wall of the storage area when the seat cushion is in the upright, substantially vertical position; and

a base.

10. The flap of claim 9 wherein the storage area includes a tunnel, said tunnel forming a fourth substantially vertical wall of the storage area.

11. The flap of claim 9, wherein said flap is operatively associated with said seatback.

12. The flap of claim 9, wherein said flap is composed of a rigid material.

13. The flap of claim 9, wherein said flap is composed of a flexible material.

14. The flap of claim 9, wherein said flap includes a first end and a second end, said first end of said flap being attached to said seat cushion.

15. The flap of claim 9, wherein said seat cushion includes a top side and a bottom side and wherein said first end of said flap is attached to said bottom side of said seat cushion.

16. The storage area of the motor vehicle of claim 15 wherein said bottom side of said seat cushion includes a flap storage area formed therein.

18. The storage area of claim 9, wherein the flap includes a first end and a second end, said first end of said flap being attached to said seat cushion and the second end being attached to said seatback.

17. A storage area for a motor vehicle having a vehicle floor, the vehicle floor forming the base for the storage area, the storage area comprising:

a seat attached to the vehicle floor, said seat having a seat cushion and a seatback, said seat cushion being movable between a lowered, substantially horizontal position and an upright, substantially vertical position, said seat cushion providing a first substantially vertical wall of the storage area when in said vertical position and said seatback providing a second substantially vertical wall of the storage area; and

a flap movable between a stowed position and an un-stowed position, said flap providing a third substantially vertical wall of the storage area when in said un-stowed position, said flap being composed of a flexible material and including a first end and a second end, said first end of said flap being attached to said seat cushion, said second end of said flap being releasably attachable to said seatback.