Reconfigurable console mount

• US 7,891,719 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US12/378,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.34, 296/37.8, 296/70, 361/829
• US Class Current: 296/24.34
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/12 of receptacles for cigarettes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

A reconfigurable vehicle console having a plurality of interchangeable overlapping face plates and a single piece cup holder that is structured for coupling to the console. The cup holder is either interchangeable with one of the face plates, or is connectable to an outside surface of the console proper. The cup holder includes one or more beverage receptacle receivers each molded continuous with a top plate thereof with an opening contiguous with an external surface thereof and sized to receive a beverage receptacle, and a plurality of accessory receivers each molded continuous with the top plate with an opening contiguous with the external surface thereof, wherein at least one of the accessory receivers is molded with a different shape than the beverage receptacle receivers.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable vehicle console, comprising:

a pair of substantially rigid side panels, each side panel further comprising a wall portion formed with a support surface;

a pair of substantially rigid end panels substantially rigidly interconnected between the side panels adjacent to respective end portions thereof and spacing apart the respective support surfaces thereof;

a plurality of interchangeable face plates each comprising a pair of spaced apart nesting lip portions positioned to mate with the spaced apart support surfaces of the side panels;

a plurality of connectors operable for securing the nesting lip portions of the face plates to the support surface of each of the side panels; and

a single piece cup holder structured for coupling to the console, the cup holder comprising;

one or more beverage receptacle receivers each formed within a top plate thereof with an opening contiguous with an external surface thereof and sized to receive a beverage receptacle, and

a plurality of accessory receivers each formed within the top plate with an opening contiguous with the external surface thereof, wherein at least one of the accessory receivers is formed with a different shape than the beverage receptacle receivers.

2. The console of claim 1 wherein at least one of the accessory receivers is formed with a different substantially tubular shape than a different one of the accessory receivers having a substantially slotted shape.

3. The console of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of the interchangeable face plates further comprises:

a tongue formed along a first joining edge thereof between the spaced apart nesting lip portions,

a support surface formed along a second joining edge thereof between the spaced apart nesting lip portions opposite from the tongue and positioned to mate with the tongue of a different one of the face plates, and

one or more of the face plates further comprising a cutout positioned between the nesting lip portions and the first and second joining edges and sized to receive an equipment piece there through;

wherein the top plate of the cup holder further comprises;

a pair of spaced apart nesting lip portions positioned to mate with the support surfaces of the respective side panels,

a tongue formed along a first joining edge thereof between the spaced apart nesting lip portions and positioned to mate with the support surface of one of the face plates, and

a support surface formed along a second joining edge thereof between the spaced apart nesting lip portions opposite from the tongue and positioned to mate with the tongue of one of the face plates; and

a plurality of connectors operable for securing the nesting lip portions of the top plate to the support surface of each of the side panels.

4. The console of claim 3 wherein one of the end panels further comprises a tongue formed along a first joining edge thereof between the end portions of the side panels and positioned to mate with the support surface positioned along the second joining edge of one of the face plates and the top plate of the cup holder, and

wherein a different one of the end panels further comprises a support surface positioned along a joining edge thereof between the end portions of the side panels and positioned to mate with the tongue positioned along the first joining edge of one of the face plate and the top plate of the cup holder.

5. The console of claim 3 wherein the second joining edge of the face plate further comprises a pair of the support surfaces positioned there along and forming a groove sized to receive the tongue therein,

wherein the second joining edge of the top plate of the cup holder further comprises a pair of the support surfaces positioned there along and forming a groove sized to receive the tongue therein, and

wherein the joining edge of the end panel comprising the support surface further comprises a pair of support lips positioned there along and forming a groove sized to receive the tongue therein.

6. The console of claim 1 wherein the cup holder further comprises:

an exoskeletal frame continuous with the top plate thereof, the exoskeletal frame extended from the top plate adjacent to the one or more beverage receptacle receivers,

a mounting plate continuous with the top plate and the exoskeletal frame, and

wherein the mounting plate is further secured to an external surface of one of the end panels.

7. The console of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of connectors coupled between the mounting plate of the cup holder and the end panel.

8. The console of claim 7 wherein the end panel further comprises a plurality of apertures therein sized to receive one of the connectors;

the mounting plate of the cup holder further comprises a plurality of apertures therein sized to receive one of the connectors and being substantially alignable with the plurality of apertures of the one of the end panels; and

wherein the plurality of connectors are received between the apertures of the mounting plate of the cup holder and the apertures of the end panel.

9. The console of claim 8 wherein the connectors further comprise threaded fasteners, and the end panel further comprises a nut pocket substantially aligned with one or more of the apertures therein and sized to receive a portion of the threaded fastener.

10. The console of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of interconnecting support webs formed between the exoskeletal frame and each of the one or more beverage receptacle receivers.