GB2309670A

GB2309670A - Receptacle having a high friction material on its floor and a resilient clip.

Info

Publication number: GB2309670A
Application number: GB9602114A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Remi Pierre Deterre
Original assignee: Draftex Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Laird Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1996-02-02
Filing date: 1996-02-02
Publication date: 1997-08-06
Also published as: FR2744405A1; GB9602114D0

Abstract

A receptacle for holding small loose objects within a vehicle comprises a box-like structure 10 which is integrally moulded with the material of the dashboard 12, such as from thermoplastics material. The receptacle incorporates soft high friction material 18, such as fabric or carpet, along its bottom for frictionally restraining the loose objects from movement within the receptacle. It can also incorporate an integrally moulded resilient clip 20 comprising two lower and one upper wall offset to each other for gripping a toll ticket or the like in a manner permitting easy retrieval by the driver.

Description

RECEPTACLES FOR SMALL LOOSE OBJECTS IN VEHICLES The invention relates to receptacles for holding small loose objects in vehicles. A receptacle embodying the invention and to be described in more detail below by way of example only, is arranged for positioning adjacent to the driver and/or front passenger of a vehicle and is for temporarily storing small loose objects (coins, credit cards for example), and other objects which might be required during a journey (toll tickets, for instance), the receptacle being arranged to secure such objects against significant movement and ejection during the journey.

According to the invention, there is provided a receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, which is integrally moulded with the dashboard or trim material of the vehicle so as to be readily accessible by the driver or a passenger in the vehicle, the lower interior surface of the receptacle being lined with soft material which provides relatively high friction for frictionally holding the objects and which is moulded in position.

According to the invent ion, there is further provided a receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, which is integrally moulded into and with the material of the dashboard of the vehicle, the receptacle being of box-like form with an open front in the plane of the dashboard and positioned adjacent to the driver's position, the receptacle having a lowermost internal surface carrying relatively high friction soft material for frictionally restraining the objects from movement relative to the receptacle during movement of the vehicle, and clip means within the receptacle for clippingly and releasingly holding one or more of the objects.

Receptacles embodying the invention and for incorporation into a motor vehicle body will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through part of the dashboard of a vehicle, showing one of the receptacles in cross-section; Figure 2 is a front view of the receptacle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing a modification; Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figures 1 and 3 and showing a further modification; Figure 5 is a front view of the receptacle shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 but showing a modification; and Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 but showing a further modification.

As shown in Figure 1, the receptacle 10 is integrated with the dashboard 12 of the vehicle. The dashboard 12 is advantageously produced by moulding, as from suitable thermoplastics material, and the receptacle 10 is integrally produced during this moulding process. As shown in Figure 2, the receptacle is approximately trapezoidal in cross-section, but this is shown purely by way of example and any suitable cross-sectional shape (such as rectangular) may be used instead. It may, for example, be approximately lOOmm wide, approximately 50mm high and approximately 50mm deep; these dimensions are given purely by way of example.

Advantageously, the base 14 of the receptacle 10 is covered with fabric or carpet-type material 16.

In use, therefore, small objects such as credit cards, toll tickets, coins and the like, which may be needed during the journey, can be temporarily stored in the receptacle and on its fabric base 16. The size of the receptacle, and the fabric base 16, ensure that the articles are held safely within the receptacle and are not dislodged or thrown out, and possibly temporarily lost, by the movement of the vehicle during the journey. By integrally moulding the receptacle in the dashboard, it may be positioned for very convenient and substantially instant access by the driver or front passenger when required during the journey.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the fabric base 16 comprises suitable fabric or carpet which is produced during the moulding process and formed on the moulded base. In the modification shown in Figure 3, however, the same effect is produced by material 18 which forms the base of the receptacle 10 and (in this example) part of its rear wall, the material 18 being integrally moulded with the remainder of the receptacle and the dashboard and being selected so as to have the characteristics of the fabric or carpet-type material 16 of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.

The receptacle of Figures 4 and 5 is further modified by incorporating clip means indicated generally at 20 for more securely holding an object such as a credit card or toll ticket.

The clip means 20 comprises, in this example, a shelf 22 from which upstand two spaced walls 24 and 26. A corresponding wall 28 extends downwardly from the top wall 30 of the receptacle.

The shelf 22 and the walls 24,26 and 28 are preferably integrally moulded with the remainder of the material of the receptacle 10, and the material of the dashboard 12. The material of the shoulder 22 and/or of at least one or some of the walls 24,26 and 28 may be arranged to be resilient.

Figure 5 shows the clip means 20 in use. The credit card or toll ticket is shown at 32. As indicated, it is inserted into the clip means 20 by flexing it slightly, so that it is held between the walls 24 and 26 on one of its faces and by the wall 28 on its opposite face. The resilience of the card or ticket 32 and the resilience of the material of the clip means secure the card or ticket firmly but permitting it to be retrieved when required.

Figure 6 shows a modification of the clip means 20 of Figure 5.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, the wall 28 is replaced by two similar walls 28A and 28B.

It will be appreciated that the clip means 20 shown in Figures 4,5 and 6 may be modified in any suitable manner. For example, one such modification is shown in Figure 7. Here, the clip means comprises a flexible element 34 extending at an angle to the shelf 22. A card or ticket can be temporarily held in the bight 36 between the shelf 22 and the flexible element 34.

The moulding process may be injection moulding, over-moulding or any other suitable moulding process applicable to single or multiple materials (bi-injection or co-injection for example).

Claims

1. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, which is integrally moulded with the dashboard or trim material of the vehicle so as to be readily accessible by the driver or a passenger in the vehicle, the lower interior surface of the receptacle being lined with soft material which provides relatively high friction for frictionally holding the objects and which is moulded in position.

2. A receptacle according to claim 1, which is of box-like form having an opening lying in the generally vertical plane of the dashboard or trim.

3. A receptacle according to claim 1 or 2, in which the material of the receptacle and of the dashboard or trim comprises thermoplastics material.

4. A receptacle according to any preceding claim, in which the high friction material is fabric-type or carpet-type material.

5. A receptacle according to any preceding claim, including clip means for clippingly holding one or more of the objects within the receptacle but allowing any such object to be releasably removed by the driver or passenger.

6. A receptacle according to claim 5, in which the clip means comprises resilient formations extending towards each other within and supported by the interior of the receptacle so as to define a gap for resiliently and clippingly holding the said object between them.

7. A receptacle according to claim 6, in which the resilient means comprise first wall means mounted within the receptacle and extending in one direction partway across the cross-section of the receptacle and second wall means mounted within the receptacle and extending in the opposite direction.

8. A receptacle according to claim 5, in which the clip means comprises means providing two surfaces at least one of which is resilient and which both extend across the interior of the receptacle at an acute angle to each other to define a bight between them in which a said object may be resiliently and clippingly held

9. A receptacle according to any one of claims 5 to 8, in which the clip means is integrally moulded with the remainder of the receptacle.

10. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, which is integrally moulded into and with the material of the dashboard of the vehicle, the receptacle being of box-like form with an open front in the plane of the dashboard and positioned adjacent to the driver's position, the receptacle having a lowermost internal surface carrying relatively high friction soft material for frictionally restraining the objects from movement relative to the receptacle during movement of the vehicle, and clip means within the receptacle for clippingly and releasingly holding one or more of the objects.

11. A receptacle according to claim 10, in which the receptacle and the dashboard are moulded from thermoplastics material.

12. A receptacle according to claim 10 or 11, in which the high friction material is integrally moulded with the receptacle.

13. A receptacle according to any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the clip means comprises resilient formations integrally moulded with the receptacle and mounted within the receptacle and extending towards each other to define a gap between them for resiliently and clippingly receiving the said object.

14. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A receptacle for holding small loose objects in a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.