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US 7,726,527 B2Granted
Center console having hang file storage
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorCharan Singh Lota
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A center console includes a storage bin and a pair of hook members coupled to respective opposing walls of the bin for supporting hanging files in a substantially upright manner within the bin.
Claims8
A center console for use in an interior of an automotive vehicle operable to hold hanging files in a substantially upright manner, the automotive vehicle having a floor, the center console comprising:
- a first wall and a second wall spaced apart, each having inner surfaces, and a pair of opposing side walls also having inner wall surfaces, the pair of opposing side walls extending between the first and second walls, and wherein the first wall, second wall and pair of opposing walls rest on the floor, and wherein the inner wall surfaces of the first, second, and opposing side walls face each other so as to define a storage bin having an opening, and wherein the first and second walls each include a pair of receiving apertures, each of the pair of receiving apertures having an inner peripheral edge, wherein each of the receiving apertures further include an elongated section extending longitudinally between the opening and the floor, and a reduced section extending longitudinally between the pair of opposing side walls, wherein one end of the reduced section is in communication with the mid-portion of the elongated section so as to define a general T shaped receiving aperture;
- and
- a pair of hook members, wherein each of the pair of hook members is configured to receive the end tabs of the hanging files and engage respective receiving apertures so as to be mounted along the first and second walls, and wherein each of the pair of hook members includes a back surface and a pair of tabs, wherein the back surface is generally planar and wherein each of the pair of tabs includes a base portion and a pair of retaining portions, the base portion extending generally orthogonal from the back surface and configured to fittingly engage the reduced section, and wherein each of the pair of retaining portions extend generally orthogonal from a distal end of the base portion, and wherein each of the pair of tabs further includes a back portion having a generally convex surface, wherein the convex surface of the back portion is operable to guide the tabs into engagement with the elongated section so as to place the back surface of the hook member in communication with the inner surface of the storage bin, and wherein the hook member may be displaced laterally so as to slide the base portion into fitting engagement with the reduced section so as to fix the pair of hook members into respective first and second walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.