GB2466202A

GB2466202A - Collapsible storage apparatus for vehicle cargo compartments

Info

Publication number: GB2466202A
Application number: GB0822547A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Sjoestroem
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2008-12-11
Filing date: 2008-12-11
Publication date: 2010-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2028-12-11
Also published as: GB0822547D0; GB2466202B

Abstract

A load floor, especially arranged in a rear load space of a vehicle, in particular a passenger car, comprising a recess provided with a rectangular surround 2 surrounding a bottom 3 with a functional element 4 arranged therein. The functional element 4 comprises wall units 5-7 which are erectable from a procumbent idle position within the surround into an upright pop-up position for use, in which they project from the surround. The wall units are unfoldably linked with each other and at least one wall unit is hinged at a rim portion 11 of the surround. When in a procumbent idle position the wall units at least lie flat-sided one upon the other or side by side within the recess such that the uppermost surface of the uppermost wall unit is horizontally flushing with the top side of the surround and/or the load floor. The functional element may be provided with a spring loaded hinge and locking mechanism. The wall units may be used for retaining in place grocery/shopping bags in the rear trunk or boot of a vehicle.

Description

Load floor comprising a rectangular surround

Description

The invention relates to a load floor, espe- cially arranged in the rear trunk of a vehicle, in par- ticular a passenger car, comprising a rectangular sur-- round surrounding a bottom with a functional element ar-ranged therein.

Further the invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a passenger car, comprising a rear trunk with a load floor, which load floor is provided with a rectan-gular surround surrounding a bottom and with a functional element arranged therein.

In order to transport individual goods, in par-ticular food or similar products, which have been bought in a grocery, in a convenient way in the rear trunk of a passenger car, there is a need for holding the goods to- gether and on place. Especially there is a need for fix-ing and holding of grocery bags in the rear trunk of a vehicle, especially a passenger car.

To solve this problem it is known to provide an elastic strap or a cable which is drawn across the trunk for securing goods by fasten them to the strap or cable.

Also it is known to provide a foldable bag or other re-ceptacles arranged in the trunk for receiving the goods.

Further, it is known to use pop-up-boxes which in their unfolded position are appropriate to hold and support grocery bags.

From DE 10 2004 047 554 Al a passenger car com-prising a rear trunk with a load floor is known, which load floor is provided with a depression in form of a rectangular surround, which comprises a functional ele- ment in form of a box arranged therein. The box is suit- able to have the functionality of a receptacle and is in-serted into the surround with its upper surface flushing with the load floor.

It is a disadvantage of this known arrangement that it is not possible to use this functional element for storing and holding single and individual shopping goods, especially food and grocery bags, and to give them sufficient support during transportation within the trunk. For this purpose the sidewall and the rim portion of the surround is far to low and the functional element is not able to receive such kind of goods.

It is an object of the invention, to provide a simple and compact solution, which allows a fixing and supporting of single and individual goods in a vehicle trunk.

With the invention it is possible to equip a load floor, in particular a board of a load floor of a vehicle, and/or a vehicle with an arrangement which is simple and compact in its configuration and its construc- tion and which nevertheless is very well adapted and ap-propriate to give sufficient and excellent support to single and individual goods, especially non rigid goods, such as grocery bags. In the upright pop-up-position for use of the of the wall units they give support to such bags and other non rigid products and it is possible to secure those things in the trunk of a vehicle by using the inventive load floor. It is only necessary to form a part or an area of the load floor in form of a surround-ing comprising foldable and unfoldable walls, which in their folded procumbent idle position are lying flat sided one upon the other and which are erectable into a position of use by being unfolded into an upright posi-tion. To give a fixing support at least one of the wall units is connected to a rim portion of the surround by a hinge.

Advantageous embodiments and appropriate modi- fications of the invention are subject matter of the de-pending claims.

In order to have a flat load floor in case that the functional element is not used, the invention is fur- ther characterized in that the wall units in their pro-cumbent idle position at least partly lie flat-sided one upon the other and/or side by side with the uppermost wall unit or wall units horizontally flushing with the top side of the surround.

One advantage embodiment of the invention comprises a load floor, wherein the functional element comprises three wall units, whereof a first wall unit is erectable connected to one side of the rim portion of the surround by at least one hinge and that two other wall units are commonly arranged at and hinged to one rim por-tion of the first wall unit.

An alternative embodiment of the invention corn- prises a load floor, wherein the functional element com-prises three wall units, whereof a first wall unit is erectable connected to one side of the rim portion of the surround by at least one hinge and wherein two other wall units are respectively unfoldable arranged on and hinged to a common side face of the first wall unit or are re-spectively unfoldable arranged on and hinged to one of two opposing side faces of the first wall unit, respec-tively. This embodiment may be constructed in such a way, that the two other sidewalls are hinged to the first wall unit at the middle thereof and are respectively embedded in a respective different half of opposing side-faces of the first wall unit.

In respect to these two alternative embodiments it is favourably, if the two other wall units have half of the thickness of the first wall unit, respectively.

Another further alternative embodiment of the invention comprises a load floor, wherein the functional element comprises three wall units which are respectively erectable connected to one side of the rim portion of the rectangular surround by at least one hinge and which are commonly unfolded into a pop-up position.

In respect to this embodiment it is further fa-vourably, if two wall units are respectively connected to one of two opposing rim portions of the surround by means of at least one spring-loaded hinge providing a spring force which is sufficient to unfold all the three wall units in a self-acting manner. This allows the wall units to unfold automatically from their procumbent idle posi-tion in case that a user releases a lock mechanism which holds the wall units in their procumbent idle position.

At least one of the three wall units is affected by a locking mechanism, which holds the wall units releasable or unlockable in their procumbent idle position.

To achieve the simultaneous unfolding of all the three wall units of the further alternative embodi-ment it is further advantageous that both of the two wall units comprising a spring-loaded hinge are connected with one of their respective transverse ends to a third wall element which is automatically unfolded together with the two other wall units. It is further possible that when folding flat one of the wall units provided with a spring loaded hinge the respective force is transmitted to the other wall unit provided with a spring loaded hinge via the third wall unit, urging the other wall unit to follow automatically the flat folding movement.

At least one of the respective hinges of the third wall unit is constituted by a strip consisting of a textile material.

For the purpose of providing an additional fix-ing element for fixing the goods and bags on the surround and/or at least one wall unit, it is furthermore advanta-geous that at least two wall units comprise holding means for respectively receiving one end of an elastic strap.

Additionally, the wall units are light weight builded. This helps and assists the spring mechanism of the spring loaded hinges to work properly.

Finally the vehicle is further characterized by the fact, that it comprises a load floor according to one of the claims 2 -13.

The features mentioned above and mentioned be-low may not only be combined as quoted but also used in other combinations. The invention is determined only by the claims.

In the following the invention is exemplary ex-plained and illustrated in more detail with reference to the belonging drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a load floor comprising a surround with a functional element according to a first embodiment of the invention with its wall units in an upright position, Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically a detail of the wall units of Fig. 1 in an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the wall units of the embodiment according to Fig. 1 in use, Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a load floor comprising a surround with a functional element according to a second embodiment of the invention with its wall units in a folded position, Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a detail of the wall units of Fig. 4 in an enlarged scale, Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically the wall units of the embodiment according to Fig. 4 in use with its wall units in an up-right position, Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a load floor comprising a surround with a functional element according to a third embodiment of the invention with its wall units in a folded position, Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically the wall units of the embodiment according to Fig. 7 with its wall units in an upright po-sition, Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically the surround of the embodiment according to Fig. 7 in use with its wall units in an up-right position and with an elastic strap securing bags disposed on the surround, Fig. 10 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a surround arrangeable on a load floor, Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically a perspective view of the surround according to Fig. 10 with a functional element ac-cording to the third embodiment of the invention with its wall units in a folded position and Fig. 12 shows diagrammatically the surround of the embodiment according to Fig. 10 with its wall units in an upright position.

The load floor 1 as represented by Fig. 1 com-prises a rectangular surround 2 provided with a bottom 3 and a functional element 4. The load floor 1 is arranged in the rear trunk B of a passenger car. The functional element 4 consists of three wall units 5, 6, 7 which are unfoldable linked with each other. They are shown in their unfolded upright pop-up position for use in which they are projecting from the surround 2. The three wall units 5, 6, 7, consisting of the first wall unit 5 and the two other wall units 6 and 7, are first fold up from their procumbent idle position within the surround 2 and then the other wall units 6 and 7 are additionally fold outwards in respect to the first wall unit 5 as indicated by arrows 9, 10. The first wall unit 5 is connected to a rim portion 11 of the surround 2 with a hinge 12, whereas the other wall units 6, 7 are respectively arranged at and connected to one common rim portion 13 of the first wall unit 5 with a respective hinge 14, 15, which are placed at opposing edges of the rim portion 13. The two other wall units 6, 7 have half the wall thickness com-pared to the first wall unit 5, respectively, so that they are flushing with the first wall unit 5 when they are folded into their idle position, which is indicated by Fig. 2. In their procumbent idle position the first wall unit 5 and the other wall units 6, 7 lie side by side and the two other wall units 6, 7 lie flat-sided one upon the other. In their procumbent idle position the wall units 5, 6 and 7 flush with the surface of those parts of the load floor 1 which are surrounding the sur-round 2.

Fig. 3 shows the functional element 4 in its upright pop-up position for use with goods as a grocery bag 16 and an elongate device 17 arranged adjacent to the wall units 5, 6 and 7. The wall units 5 and 6 are pro-vided with holding means 18 for respectively receiving one end 19a, 19b of an elastic strap 20.

Fig. 4 represents the rectangular surround 2 provided with an alternative functional element 4a. The functional element 4a comprises three wall units 5a, 6a and 7a which are unfoldable linked together and of which the first wall unit 5a is connected to the rim potion 11 of the surround 2 with the hinge 12. The other wall units 6a and 7a are respectively unfoldable arranged on and hinged to one of two opposed side faces 22, 23 of the first wall unit 5a, respectively. The other wall units 6a and 7a are hinged to the first wall unit 5a at the middle thereof by means of a hinge 14a, 15a and are embedded in a respective different half 21a, 21b of the opposing side faces 22, 23 of the first wall unit 5a.

The two other wall units 6a, 7a have half the wall thickness compared to the first wall unit 5a, re-spectively, so that they are flushing with the side faces 22, 23 of the first wall unit 5a when they are folded -10 -into their idle position, which is indicated by Figures 4 and 5. In their procumbent idle position the other wall units 6a, 7a lie flat-sided upon the first wall unit 5a.

In their procumbent idle position the wall units 5a, 6a flush with the surface of those parts of the load floor 1 which are surrounding the surround 2.

The three wall units 5a, 6a, 7a, consisting of the first wall unit 5a and the two other wall units 6a and 7a, are initially commonly fold up from their procum-bent idle position within the surround 2 as indicated by the arrow 24 into an upright position and then the other wall units 6a and 7a are additionally fold outwards in respect to the first wall unit 5a as indicated by arrows 9a, lOa.

Fig. 6 shows the functional element 4a in its upright pop-up position for use with goods as a grocery bag 16 arranged adjacent to the wall unit 5a.

The load floor 1 as represented by Figures 7 and 8 comprises a rectangular surround 2a provided with a bottom 3a and a functional element 4b. The load floor 1 is again arranged in the rear trunk 8 of a passenger car.

The functional element 4b consists of three wall units 5b, 6b and 7b which are unfoldable linked with each other. In Figures 8 and 9 they are shown in their un-folded upright pop-up position for use in which they are projecting from the surround 2a. The wall unit 5b and the other wall units 6b and 7b are respectively erectable connected to one side of the circumferential rim portion of the rectangular surround 2a via a hinge 25, 26, 27, respectively. The wall unit 5b is designated as the first wall unit 5b and the wall unit 7b is designated as the -11 -third wall unit 7b. The wall units 5a and 6b are opposing each other and are connected to the respective opposing rim portions of the rectangular surround 2a by means of spring-loaded hinges 25, 26. The wall units 5a and 6b are linked together by the third wall unit 7b which is with each of its transverse ends connected to one transverse end oh the wall units 5b, 6b by means of a hinge 28, 29.

In their procumbent idle position as shown by Fig. 7 the three wall units 5b, 6b, and 7b lie flat-sided partly one upon the other with the wall units 5b and 6b flushing with the surface of those parts of the load floor 1 which are surrounding the surround 2a. The three wall units 5b, 6b and 7b are commonly unfolded into their upright pop-up position for use as shown by Fig. 8. At least one of the wall units Sb and Gb is affected by a locking mechanism 30, which withstands the force of the spring or springs of the spring-loaded hinges 26, 27 and holds the wall units 5b, 6b, 7b releasable in their pro-curnbent idle position as disclosed by Fig. 7. By pulling a handle of the lock mechanism 30 the lock mechanism 30 releases the lock and the spring force provided by the hinges 26 and 27 moves the wall unit 5b and 6b into their upright position in a self-acting manner. Additionally the spring force is sufficient to also move the third wall unit 7b into its upright position, which is auto-matically unfolded together with the two other wall units 5b and 6b due to the fact, that it is linked and coupled to both wall units 5b and 6b. This simultaneous movement is indicated by the arrows 31, 32, 33.

The third wall unit 7b consists of three trian-gular parts 34, 35, 36, of which a first triangular part 34 is connected with its basis side representing the hy- -12 -potenuse of part 34 to the dedicated rim portion of the surround 2a by means of the hinge 27 and to whose other opposing sides representing the adjacent leg and the op-posite leg of part 34 a second triangular part 35 and a third triangular part 36 is connected by means of a re- spective further hinge 37, 38. In the procumbent idle po-sition of the functional element 4b the second and third triangular part 35, 36 are lying on the first triangular part 34. The respective hinges 27, 28, 29, 37 and 38 of the third wall unit 7b are constituted by a strip of a textile material, possibly provided with or attached to some reinforcing material.

To move the functional element 4b from its up-right pop-up position for use back into its procumbent idle position it is only necessary to push one of the wall units 5b or 6b with a required push-in-force against the direction indicated by the arrow 31 or 32 and against the spring force provided by the hinges 25 and 26. As all the three wall units 5b, 6b and 7b are linked together the push-in-force will be transmitted to the remaining other wall unit of the wall units 5b and 6b via the third wall unit 7b. Thus, by moving only one of the wall units 5b or 6b all the three wall units 5b, 6b and 7b are urged to automatically follow the flat folding movement into the procumbent idle position of the functional element 4b.

Fig. 9 shows the functional element 4b in its upright pop-up position for use with goods as grocery bags 16 arranged adjacent to the wall units 5b, 6b and 7b. The wall units 5b and 6b are provided with holding means 18 for respectively receiving one end of an elastic strap 20.

-13 - Fig. 10 to 12 show a functional element 4b ar-ranged in a surround 2b which is part of a frame 39 which may be placed onto a load floor in the trunk of a vehicle according to requirements. Thus, this embodiment of the invention is contrary to the before mentioned embodiments not an integral part of the load floor. This frame or de-vice 39 can be removed from the load floor and placed onto the load floor, if desired. All other elements and parts are identical to those of the third embodiment ac-cording to Fig. 7 to 9 so that the same reference numbers are used in Fig. 10 to 12. For detailed description it is referred to the description in respect to Fig. 7 to 9, as all these other elements and their respective functions with exception of the device 39 are identical to those of the third embodiment.

All the wall units 5 to 7b are light weight build for instance in a honeycomb or sandwich construc-tion.

The surround 2, 2a, 2b has preferable the form of a depression with the respective bottom 3, 3a and sur-rounding sidewalls of low height forming the rim portion 11, ha, lib surrounding the three wall units 5 -7b in such a way, that the top surface of the load floor 1 re-mains flush when the wall units 5 -7b are collapsed.

In respect to the third embodiment the outer wall units 5b, 6b are spring loaded so that they will open as soon as the rear mounted locking mechanism 30 is released. In this movement they will pull up the rear or third wall unit 7b that is connected to the other wall units 5b, 6b with a system of hinges 28, 29 and also 27, -14 - 37 and 38. This hinge arrangement also helps the rear or third wall unit 7b to collapse in a controlled way when the other wall units 5b, 6b are folded down to their locking and procumbent idle position.

List of specifications

1. load floor 21a half 2. surround 21b half 3. bottom 22. side face 4. element 23. side face 5. wall unit 24. arrow 6. wall unit 25. hinge 7. wall unit 26. hinge 8. trunk 27. hinge 9. arrow 28. hinge 10. arrow 29. hinge 11. rim portion 30. locking mechanism 12. hinge 31. arrow 13. rim portion 32. arrow 14. hinge 33. arrow 15. hinge 34. triangular part 16. bag 35. triangular part 17. elongate device 36. triangular part 18. holding means 37. hinge 19a end 38. hinge 19b end 39. frame 20. strap

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