WO2007148965A1 - Accessory for the map pocket of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle comprising a gutter-like holder, such as a map pocket or the like, provided with an accessory for arranging on this holder, wherein the accessory comprises a support and a utility article carried by this support, wherein the support comprises downward support means resting on a bottom of the holder, and transverse support means resting against mutually opposite inner walls of the holder, and wherein the utility article comprises coupling means engaging on the support.

Description

ACCESSORY FOR THE MAP POCKET OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular intended for passenger transport. Users of such vehicles often need to arrange utility articles, such as a waste bin, holder for a mobile telephone or the like, in firm and reliable manner in the interior of the vehicle. The invention therefore has for its object to provide universally applicable means for this purpose.

The invention is based on a vehicle which comprises a gutter-like holder, such as a map pocket or the like. By far the majority of the present passenger and commercial vehicles are provided with such holders as map pocket. According to the invention the vehicle is provided with an accessory for arranging on this holder, wherein the accessory comprises a support and a utility article carried by this support, such as the above stated waste bin or the holder for a mobile telephone.

According to the invention this support further comprises downward support means resting on a bottom of the gutter-like holder, and transverse support means resting against mutually opposite inner walls of the holder, and wherein the utility article comprises coupling means engaging on the support. The accessory can be arranged on gutter-like holders with a wide variety of shapes, since the support means rest on the bottom and against the inner walls of the gutter-like holder .

For a further universal applicability the measure of claim 2 is preferably applied. The accessory can hereby be adjusted to the width of the gutter-like holder.

The measure of claim 3 is preferably further applied, whereby the accessory can be adjusted to the depth of the gutter-like holder. A suitable embodiment is characterized here in claim 4.

Another suitable embodiment is an embodiment wherein the support means can be screwed in and out. By being screwed in or out, the support means can be adjusted in respect of position to the dimensions of the gutter-like holder. The support means as characterized in claim 6 can also be outwardly spring-loaded so that they can be clamped fixedly in the gutter-like holder. The invention is further elucidated in the following description on the basis of several exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a part of a vehicle with an accessory with waste bin arranged on a map pocket thereof.

Figure 2 shows the accessory according to the invention applied in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a partly broken-away front view as according to arrow III in figure 1. Figure 4 shows a partly cross-sectional side view as according to arrow IV in figure 1.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the accessory according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the support of the accessory of figure 5, and

Figure 7 shows the accessory of figure 5 with exploded parts.

Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the accessory according to the invention. A front door 2 of vehicle 1 according to the invention is shown in figure 1. This front door 2 comprises a gutter-like holder 3 in the form of a map pocket.

This map pocket 3 is provided with an accessory 4. This accessory 4 comprises a support 6 and a utility article carried by this support 6, which in this exemplary embodiment is a waste bin 5. Other utility articles such as a holder for a mobile telephone, an MP3 player and the like can also be applied instead of a waste bin 5.

To enable arrangement on map pocket 3 the support 6 comprises downward support means 7, or a foot, which can rest on bottom 19 of the map pocket, and transverse support means 8, 9 which can lie against inner walls 18 of map pocket 3.

In the embodiment shown here the position of downward support means 7 can be adjusted relative to the body of support 6. This adjustability is realized in the embodiment shown here in that the downward support means are telescopically slidable with a telescopic part 12 which is slidable in a sleeve-like part 13 of support 6. The desired position of telescopic part 12 relative to sleeve-like part 13 is fixed by means of a ratchet lever 15, a ratchet end of which engages in toothing 14 on a side of telescopic part 12.

When adjusting the support 6 in map pocket 3 the user can place his/her fingers through recesses 17 in the upper part of the support so as to press in the ratchet lever 15, place it at the desired position and then release it again so that the set position is fixed. The transverse support means which lie against the inner walls of map pocket 3 are formed in this embodiment by parts 8, 9 which can be screwed out and which engage in threaded bushes 16 which are formed integrally with the body of support 6. Support means 8, 9 can be preset to the desired distance and, when the support is placed in the map pocket, the front wall of the map pocket can for instance be bent slightly outward elastically, after which the support is clamped fixedly in the map pocket due to the resilience of the material of the map pocket.

The adjustability of downward support means 7 and transverse support means 8 and 9 is a preferred aspect of the present invention. It is also possible to provide fixed supports which have a suitable size for specific map pockets. It is also possible for only one of the transverse support means 8, 9 to be adjustable instead of both. The accessory 25 shown in figure 5 has a different embodiment, although the same components as stated in claim 1 can be found therein.

The downward support means are formed here by feet

28 on arms 26, 27. Arms 26 and 27 pivot in support 31 at their top end, and the angle at which arms 26, 27 extend relative to the support can be adjusted using a screwed rod 29, which can be rotated using a turning knob 30.

Screwed rod 29 will have a first part with a right-hand screw thread and a second part with a left-hand screw thread, which co-act with suitable screw members on arms

26, 27.

By rotating the turning knob 30, it will be possible to move arms 26, 27 toward each other from the position shown in figure 5, whereby feet 28 are displaced slightly downward, thus setting a greater distance from feet 28 to the upper surface of support

31.

In this embodiment the transverse support means are formed by two pressing members which are received telescopically in a bore of support 31 and between which a helical spring 33 is arranged. Pressing members 32 are therefore outwardly spring-loaded and can generate a clamping force in suitable manner against the mutually opposite inner walls of map pocket 3. Support 31 is provided with a dovetail groove 34 corresponding to dovetail groove 20 of the above described embodiment, in which a dovetail-shaped ridge

35 on the utility article, in this case the waste bin, can be received. In the embodiment of figure 5, dovetail groove 34 extends in the longitudinal direction of the map pocket, while in the embodiment of figures 1-4 it extends transversely of the map pocket.

The respective supports 6, 31 can thus remain mounted on map pocket 3 while the utility article can be temporarily detached therefrom.

In the embodiment of figures 5-7 the waste bin can be fixed relative to support 31 by means of a ratchet lever 36 which is arranged in flexible manner. Ratchet lever 36 therefore carries ratchet 31 and is provided on the protruding end with a profile 38 where it can be pushed aside using a finger.

When dovetail-shaped ridge 35 is inserted into groove 34, ratchet lever 36 will come to lie in groove 39. Ratchet 37 herein drops into a recess in this groove 39, whereby the waste bin is fixed relative to support 31. For releasing purposes the part 38 of ratchet lever

36 is pressed, wherein ratchet 37 disengages due to the resilient deformation of ratchet lever 36, and the waste bin can once again slide off support 31.

The accessory shown in figure 8 has a different embodiment, although the same components as stated in claim 1 can be found therein. The embodiment shown in figure 8 is a particularly simple embodiment. The accessory shown in figure 8 has a support 40. Support 40 consists of an integral piece of plate material brought into the form shown in figure 8. In this form the support 40 has a first leg 45 and a second leg 46. The bend 42 in first leg 45 and the end 43 of second leg 46 form transverse support means which rest against mutually opposite inner walls of for instance a map pocket when the support is placed therein. The part 41 of support 40 lying between first leg 45 and second leg 46 then forms a downward support means resting on the bottom of the map pocket. Support 40 is provided with anti-slip material 44 around part 41. When support 40 is placed in for instance a map pocket, this anti- slip material 44 for instance prevents support 40 shifting over the bottom of this map pocket. Support 40 is also shown with a recess 51. A utility article in the form of a pencil holder 47 can be placed in recess 51. Pencil holder 47 is shown with holes 48, wherein a pencil 49 is placed in one of these holes. In order to couple pencil holder 47 to support 40, the pencil holder 47 has a coupling means in the form of groove 50 which can be placed into engagement with support 40. Pencil holder 47 can be easily replaced by another utility article. By choosing a flexible material for the plate material it is possible to realize that the position of bend 42 and end 43, which form the transverse support means, can be adjusted relative to the part 41 of support 42 which forms the body. The skilled person will immediately appreciate that, by choosing a material with suitable elastic properties for the plate material, bend 42 and end 43 forming the transverse support means are outwardly spring-loaded.

It will be apparent that the invention can be embodied in many different ways, wherein the embodiments shown here are only a few examples. All possible embodiment variants are deemed to fall within the claims .

Claims

1. Vehicle comprising a gutter-like holder, such as a map pocket or the like, provided with an accessory for arranging on this holder, wherein the accessory comprises a support and a utility article carried by this support, wherein the support comprises downward support means resting on a bottom of the holder, and transverse support means resting against mutually opposite inner walls of the holder, and wherein the utility article comprises coupling means engaging on the support.

2. Accessory for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of the transverse support means is adjustable relative to a body of the support.

3. Accessory for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the position of the downward support means is adjustable relative to a body of the support.

4. Accessory as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the transverse and/or the downward support means comprise a telescopically slidable part.

5. Accessory as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the transverse and/or the downward support means can be screwed in and out.

6. Accessory as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the transverse and/or the downward support means are outwardly spring-loaded.