Central pillar and ducting for automotive vehicle

• US 7,641,266 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rego, Rafael, Jung, Joann, Platto, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Romain; Pinel E
• Application Number:
  US11/972,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.8, 296/24.34, 296/68.1, 296/187.01, 296/193.06, 296/203.01, 296/208, 296/24.4, 454/69, 454/143, 454/144
• US Class Current: 296/193.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0055 the housing or parts thereof being integrated in other devices, e.g. dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00564 of air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/04 Door pillars ; windshield pillars

Abstract

An automotive vehicle is provided having a vehicle body with a passenger compartment between a vehicle floor, a vehicle roof and side pillars. A pair of passenger seats are oriented within the passenger compartment with a center console mounted therebetween. A central structural pillar extends from the center console to the vehicle roof for supporting a central region of the vehicle roof. A ducting assembly is provided with a central duct extending upward from the center console adjacent to the pair of passenger seats and in fluid communication with a heating and cooling system. An outlet port is provided on the central duct for directing the air to the seating row.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a vehicle floor, a plurality of pillars extending from the vehicle floor at both lateral sides of the vehicle body, a vehicle roof supported upon the plurality of side pillars, and a passenger compartment provided between the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof, and within the plurality of side pillars;

at least a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats oriented within the passenger compartment and mounted to the vehicle floor;

a center console mounted to the vehicle floor between the at least a pair of passenger seats; and

a pair of central structural pillars extending from the center console to the vehicle roof for supporting a central region of the vehicle roof.

2. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a system for heating and cooling the passenger compartment by conveying heated or cooled air;

ducting disposed in the pair of central structural pillars in fluid communication with the heating and cooling system for receiving the heated or cooled air; and

at least one outlet port provided in the pair of central structural pillars for directing the heated or cooled air from the ducting to the at least a pair of seats.

3. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 wherein the pair of central structural pillars further to provides clearance for a viewing window therebetween.

4. The automotive vehicle of claim 3 wherein the pair of central structural pillars are each oriented laterally outboard of the center console to further provide clearance for a viewing window therebetween.

5. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the pair of central structural pillars is oriented generally between the at least a pair of seats.

6. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 wherein each of the at least a pair of seats includes a seat back and the pair of central structural pillars is generally displaced rearward of the seat backs.

7. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least a pair of passenger seats further comprises:

a first seating row oriented within the passenger compartment; and

a second seating row oriented within the passenger compartment rearward of the first seating row.

8. The automotive vehicle of claim 7 wherein the first seating row includes a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats and the second seating row includes a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats.

9. The automotive vehicle of claim 8 wherein the center console extends between the pair of seats of the first seating row and the pair of seats of the second seating row.

10. The automotive vehicle of claim 7 wherein the pair of central structural pillars is oriented adjacent to the second seating row.

11. The automotive vehicle of claim 10 further comprising:

a system for heating and cooling the passenger compartment by conveying heated or cooled air;

ducting disposed in the pair of central structural pillars in fluid communication with the heating and cooling system for receiving the heat or cooled air; and

at least one outlet port provided in the pair of central structural pillars for directing the heated or cooled air from the ducting to the second seating row.

12. The automotive vehicle of claim 7 further comprising at least one deployable foot rest oriented beneath a seat in the front seating row, the foot rest having a deployed position extending towards the second seating row for supporting at least one foot of a second row seated passenger, and a retracted position beneath the front seating row.

13. The automotive vehicle of claim 12 further comprising at least one deployable calf rest oriented beneath a seat in the second seating row behind the foot rest, the calf rest having a deployed position extending towards the first seating row for supporting at least one calf of the second row seated passenger, and a retracted position beneath the second seating row.

14. The automotive vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a roof console mounted to the roof within the passenger compartment spaced above the center console.

15. The automotive vehicle of claim 14 wherein the pair central of structural pillars extends from the center console to the roof console.

16. The automotive vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a deployable display mounted to the roof console having a collapsed position along the roof console and a deployed position wherein the display faces the second seating row.

17. The automotive vehicle of claim 16 further comprising a retractable privacy curtain mounted to the roof console rearward of the second seating row to provide an obstacle between the display and a viewer rearward of the second seating row.

18. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a vehicle floor, a plurality of pillars extending from the vehicle floor at both lateral sides of the vehicle body, a vehicle roof supported upon the plurality of side pillars, and a passenger compartment provided between the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof, and within the plurality of side pillars;

a first seating row oriented within the passenger compartment, having a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats mounted to the vehicle floor;

a second seating row oriented within the passenger compartment rearward of the first seating row, having a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats mounted to the vehicle floor;

a center console mounted to the vehicle floor extending between the pair of first row passenger seats and the pair of second row passenger seats;

a pair of central structural pillars extending from the center console adjacent to the second seating row, to the vehicle roof for supporting a central region of the vehicle roof,

a system for heating and cooling the passenger compartment by conveying heated or cooled air;

ducting disposed in the central structural pillar in fluid communication with the heating and cooling system for receiving the heated or cooled air; and

at least one outlet port provided in a pair of central structural pillars for directing the heated or cooled air from the ducting to the pair of second row seats.

19. An automotive vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a vehicle floor, a plurality of pillars extending from the vehicle floor at both lateral sides of the vehicle body, a vehicle roof supported upon the plurality of side pillars, and a passenger compartment provided between the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof, and within the plurality of side pillars;

at least a pair of laterally spaced apart passenger seats oriented within the passenger compartment;

a center console mounted to the vehicle floor between the at least a pair of passenger seats; and

a pair of central structural pillars extending from the center console to the vehicle roof for supporting a central region of the vehicle roof, wherein the central pillars provide clearance for a viewing window therebetween.