# US 12,759,474 B2 · Mounting rail for vehicle accessories > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,474 B2 - Document ID: US12759474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/497,092 - Filed: 2023-10-30 - Published: 2025-05-01 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-30 - Assignees: GM Global Tehcnology Operations, Inc. - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Sam Kenny; Andrew Close - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759474B2 ## CPC - B60R 11/02: for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof - B60R 16/0231: {Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P)} - B60R 16/03: for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A mounting rail for a vehicle comprises a housing attached to the vehicle and including a first portion and a second portion, a first channel extending along the first portion of the housing between a first end and a second end, the first end defining an opening to the first channel, and a lock located proximate to the opening to the first channel, the lock disposed in a lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the first channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the first channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mounting rail system for a vehicle, the mounting rail system comprising: a mounting rail including a housing that includes a first portion and a second portion; a first channel extending along the first portion of the housing between a first end and a second end, the first end defining an opening to the first channel; a second channel extending along the second portion of the housing between a third end and a fourth end, the third end defining an opening to the second channel; and a first lock located proximate to the opening to the first channel, the first lock disposed in a lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the first channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the first channel; and a second lock located proximate to the opening to the second channel, the second lock disposed in the lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the second channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the second channel, the first lock and the second lock being independently operable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mounting rail system of claim 1, wherein each of the first lock and the second lock extends from an outer surface of the lock housing in the locked state and is recessed from the outer surface of the lock housing in the unlocked state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mounting rail system of claim 2, wherein each of the first lock and the second lock is movable between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to a signal received from an external device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mounting rail system of claim 3, wherein the external device is at least one of a mobile phone or a tablet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mounting rail system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle accessory supported by an accessory mount that is selectively received by the first channel when the first lock is in the unlocked state, the accessory mount movable relative to and within the first channel along a length of the housing between a plurality of positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The mounting rail system of claim 5, wherein the mounting rail includes a first electrical connector and the accessory mount includes a second electrical connector, the first electrical connector selectively coupled to the second electrical connector to form an electrical connection between the mounting rail and the accessory mount to provide at least one of power and data from the vehicle to the vehicle accessory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mounting rail system of claim 6, wherein the electrical connection is one of a USB connection and a pin connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The mounting rail system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle accessory is one of a display, a pushbutton switch, and a toggle switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The mounting rail system of claim 5, wherein the accessory mount includes a latch assembly, the latch assembly configured to selectively secure a position of the accessory mount relative to the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A vehicle incorporating the mounting rail system of claim 1. ### Claim 11 An accessory mounting system for a vehicle, the accessory mounting system comprising: a mounting rail including a housing defining a first channel having an opening and a second channel having an opening; a first lock located proximate to the opening to the first channel, the first lock disposed in a lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the first channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the first channel; a second lock located proximate to the opening to the second channel, the second lock disposed in the lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the second channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the second channel, the first lock and the second lock being independently operable; and a first vehicle accessory attached to an accessory mount including a post, the post configured to enter the first channel at the opening of the first channel when the first lock is in the unlocked state and prevented from entering the first channel at the opening of the first channel or being removed from the first channel at the opening when the first lock is in the locked state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The accessory mounting system of claim 11, wherein the first vehicle accessory is one of a display, a pushbutton switch, and a toggle switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The accessory mounting system of claim 11, wherein the accessory mount includes a latch assembly, the latch assembly configured to selectively secure a position of the accessory mount relative to the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The accessory mounting system of claim 11, wherein each of the first lock and the second lock extends from an outer surface of the lock housing in the locked state and is recessed from the outer surface of the lock housing in the unlocked state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The accessory mounting system of claim 14, wherein each of the first lock and the second lock is movable between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to a signal received from an external device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The accessory mounting system of claim 11, wherein the mounting rail includes a first electrical connector and the accessory mount includes a second electrical connector, the first electrical connector selectively coupled to the second electrical connector to form an electrical connection between the mounting rail and the accessory mount to provide at least one of power and data from the vehicle to the first vehicle accessory. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The accessory mounting system of claim 16, wherein the electrical connection is one of a USB connection and a pin connection. ### Claim 18 A vehicle comprising: an instrument panel; a mounting rail including a housing attached to the instrument panel and defining a first channel having an opening and a second channel having an opening; a first lock located proximate to the opening to the first channel, the first lock disposed in a lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the first channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the first channel; a second lock located proximate to the opening to the second channel, the second lock disposed in the lock housing and movable relative to the lock housing between a locked state blocking entry into the opening of the second channel and an unlocked state spaced apart from the opening of the second channel, the first lock and the second lock being independently operable; and a first vehicle accessory attached to an accessory mount including a post, the post configured to enter the first channel at the opening of the first channel when the first lock is in the unlocked state and prevented from entering the first channel at the opening of the first channel or being removed from the first channel at the opening when the first lock is in the locked state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein each of the first lock and the second lock is movable between the locked state and the unlocked state in response to a signal received from an external device, the external device being one of a mobile phone or a tablet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first vehicle accessory is one of a display, a pushbutton switch, and a toggle switch.