Vehicle compartment

• US 9,863,171 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Buttolo, Pietro, Danowski, Christopher Anthony, Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Rankin, II, James Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Blankenship, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US15/278,437
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 296 2434, 296 378
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• 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 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/32 for console boxes, e.g. between passenger seats

Abstract

A compartment for a vehicle is provided herein. The compartment includes a housing defining an interior volume. A lid is pivotably coupled to the housing and is configured to move between a closed position in which the interior volume is inaccessible and an open position in which the interior volume is accessible. A latch is configured to maintain the lid in a locked and an unlocked state when the lid is disposed in the closed position. A compartment sensing system is operably coupled with the latch. The latch is placed in the locked state when the sensing system detects the presence of an item within the interior volume.

Claims

1. A compartment for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume;

a lid pivotably coupled to the housing and configured to move between a closed position in which the interior volume is inaccessible and an open position in which the interior volume is accessible;

a latch configured to maintain the lid in a locked and an unlocked state when the lid is disposed in the closed position; and

a compartment sensing system operably coupled with a controller and including a wireless transceiver, wherein the latch is placed in the locked state when the wireless transceiver detects the presence of an electronic device.

2. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured as a center console that is disposed between two laterally spaced seats within the vehicle.

3. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lid is pivotably coupled to the housing through an actuator module that is operably coupled to the latch.

4. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein an actuator module includes the sensing system therein.

5. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 4, wherein the sensing system includes an object detection sensor.

6. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lid is pivotably coupled to the housing through a hinge.

7. A compartment for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume;

a lid pivotably coupled to the housing;

a latch configured to maintain the lid in a locked and an unlocked state;

a controller operably coupled with the latch; and

a compartment sensing system operably coupled with the controller and including a wireless transceiver, wherein the latch is placed in the locked state when the wireless transceiver detects the presence of an electronic device.

8. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the latch includes a latch interface that is configured to allow an occupant of the vehicle to actuate the latch between the locked and unlocked states.

9. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the latch interface includes a switch for actuating the latch.

10. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 9, wherein the switch is configured as a capacitive sensor.

11. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the latch interface includes a light source that is configured to notify an occupant of the vehicle of the state of the latch.

12. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the sensing system further includes an infrared (IR) sensor for detecting an item within the interior volume.

13. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the latch interface is disposed within a HMI disposed within the vehicle.

14. A compartment for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume;

a lid pivotably coupled to the housing;

a latch configured to maintain the lid in a locked and an unlocked state;

a latch interface operably coupled with the latch and including a photoluminescent structure; and

a compartment sensing system operably coupled with the latch, wherein the latch is actuated based the presence of an item within the interior volume and a vehicle condition.

15. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition is defined as a current state of a vehicle transmission.

16. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the vehicle condition is defined as a current state of a vehicle engine.

17. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the latch interface includes a light source that is configured to notify an occupant of the vehicle of the state of the latch.

18. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein the light source is configured as an RGB LED.

19. The compartment for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein the light source emits light towards the photoluminescent structure causing the photoluminescent structure to luminesce.