Patent ID: 7140658
Filing Date: 2006-11-28
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. In combination: a row of seating including laterally spaced seats in an automotive vehicle body; each of said seats being pivotally mounted in the vehicle body for movement from a normal, occupant-supporting position to a forwardly tumbled position facilitating access to an area in the vehicle body behind the row of seating; a combination storage and tread unit comprising an elongated housing mounted in the vehicle body beneath the seats when the seats are in the normal occupant-support position, said housing having a tread pad at opposite ends of said housing to serve as a step by a person when the person moves into the area behind the row of seating; said housing further having at least one module-receiving compartment between said tread pads, said compartment being protected by said seating when the seats are in the occupant-supporting position but being readily accessible when said seats are in the forwardly tumble position; wherein said tread pads and said module holders are integral parts of, and of one piece with, said housing, said housing further having a second module-receiving compartment between said tread pads, said compartments being spaced apart lengthwise of said housing; each of said compartments comprising a downwardly dished, pan-shaped module holder, each of said module holders further including a removable cover to close each of said compartments; each of said module holders having a flat, generally horizontal bottom wall, generally upwardly extending side, front and rear walls, and a continuous, laterally outwardly extending, generally horizontal ledge along upper edge portions of the side, front and rear walls supporting side, front and rear edge portions of the associated cover; and further including abutment walls along at least a portion of each of said ledges to oppose lateral shifting of said covers, wherein each of said covers has a tab adjacent one edge slidably engageable in a slot in said housing, and each of said covers has a locking strip spaced from said tab and releasably with a second locking strip on said housing.