System and apparatus for providing a secure storage compartment
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDavid Pericak, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Kosta Papanikolaou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage compartment in a vehicle is covered by closing a vehicle door over the storage compartment. The storage compartment may be disposed in an end cap, the door, or part of the door frame. An electronic locking system with mechanical latches, a cinching door system, or an electronic latching system with fully electronic latches may be adapted to include a lock override control. The lock override control may be actuated by a graphic view interface, a portable radio frequency switch, or a telematics controller.
Claims17
A storage compartment that is secured by a closed door of a vehicle, the compartment comprising:
- a door latch for holding the door closed over the storage compartment that has a locked condition and an unlocked condition;
- a lock actuator for selecting the locked condition and unlocked condition;
- a lock actuator override control that prevents the lock actuator from being placed in the unlocked condition when the lock actuator override control is activated to prevent the door from being opened and allowing access to the storage compartment.
A system for preventing access to a storage compartment comprising:
- a vehicle door that is closed preventing access to the storage compartment and that includes an inside electronic door handle and an outside electronic door handle;
- an override control operatively connected to the inside door handle and the outside door handle to selectively render the inside door handle and the outside door handle inoperable in a safe lock mode and operable when not in the safe lock mode.
A system for preventing access to a storage compartment comprising:
- a vehicle door that is closed preventing access to the storage compartment and that includes a cinching system for closing the door;
- an override control operatively connected to the cinching system that renders the cinching door system inoperable in a safe lock mode and operable when not in the safe lock mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.