Overhead console with drop-down compartment
AssigneeUnited Technologies Automotive, Inc.
InventorsMonte L. Falcoff, Edward G. Curtindale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An overhead console 5 which accommodates an electric garage door opener transmitter or similar signalling device, includes a drop-down compartment (50) stored in a housing (20). Guide means such as tracks (85) and detent (90) as well as damping means such as cams 110 and spring 115 assure smooth operation of the device.
Claims9
An overhead console of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or the like having a roof, said overhead console being characterized by:
- a housing for mounting within said passenger compartment adjacent to the interior of said vehicle roof, said housing including an opening on the underside thereof;
- a compartment for accommodating therewithin an electronic signaling device or the like, said compartment being receivable within said housing and at least partially removable therefrom by the downward translation of said compartment, for exposure of the contents thereof to an occupant of said vehicle, said compartment comprising a wall structure including a lower wall accessible to the occupant of said vehicle through said opening;
- means disposed in said housing for guiding said compartment in said translation;
- and
- means associated with said housing and compartment for selectively latching said compartment to said housing, said latching means being actuatable by pushing said compartment upwardly for both releasing said compartment from a stored position within said compartment and latching said housing in said stored position;
- said latching means comprising a catch disposed within said housing above said compartment;
- and
- a detent interchangeable with said catch and carried by said compartment at an upper surface of the exterior of said wall structure.
An overhead console of for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or the like having a roof, said overhead console being characterized by:
- a housing for mounting within said passenger compartment adjacent to the interior of said vehicle roof;
- a compartment for accommodating therewithin an electronic signaling device or the like, said compartment being receivable within said housing and at least partially removable therefrom by the downward translation of said compartment, for exposure of the contents thereof to an occupant of said vehicle;
- and
- tracks formed in the exterior of said compartment on opposite sides thereof;
- and
- detents provided in the interior of said housing and slidably receivable within said tracks for maintaining the alignment of said tracks and therefore said compartment with said housing.
An overhead console of for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or the like having a roof, said overhead console being characterized by:
- a housing for mounting within said passenger compartment adjacent to the interior of said vehicle roof;
- a compartment for accommodating therewithin an electronic signaling device or the like, said compartment being receivable within said housing and at least partially removable therefrom by the downward translation of said compartment, for exposure of the contents thereof to an occupant of said vehicle;
- and
- means disposed in said housing for guiding said compartment in said translation
- means associated with said housing and compartment for damping the downward translation of said compartment during said partial removal thereof from said housing;
- said damping means comprising at least one cam disposed on the exterior of said compartment and a friction spring fixed to said housing and slidably engageable with said cam as said compartment translates downwardly during said partial removal thereof from said housing.
An overhead console of for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or the like having a roof, said overhead console being characterized by:
- a housing for mounting within said passenger compartment adjacent to the interior of said vehicle roof;
- a compartment for accommodating therewithin an electronic signaling device or the like, said compartment being receivable within said housing and at least partially removable therefrom by the downward translation of said compartment, for exposure of the contents thereof to an occupant of said vehicle;
- and
- means disposed in said housing for guiding said compartment in said translation, said guide means comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected to said compartment and housing for supportably connecting said compartment to said housing.
An overhead console of for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or the like having a roof, said overhead console being characterized by:
- a housing for mounting within said passenger compartment adjacent to the interior of said vehicle roof;
- a compartment for accommodating therewithin an electronic signaling device or the like, said compartment being receivable within said housing and at least partially removable therefrom by the downward translation of said compartment, for exposure of the contents thereof to an occupant of said vehicle;
- and
- means disposed in said housing for guiding said compartment in said translation, said guide means comprising at least one cam provided in said housing and a follower fixed to said compartment and movable along said cam as said compartment translates downwardly for guiding said compartment in said translation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.