Abstract:
A sliding console system for a motor vehicle in which one or more console bodies are provided with a track for movement of the console body longitudinally within the motor vehicle. Multiple console bodies can be provided and each adjusted in position in the vehicle independent of one another. An elongated electrical cable or sliding contacts in the track can be utilized to provide electrical power to one or more electrical devices contained in the console bodies.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to motor vehicle consoles and in particular to a sliding console system for a motor vehicle which can be moved longitudinally along a track structure in the vehicle. The console may include multiple console bodies which are movable along the track independently of one another. 
     Automobile manufacturers are seeking to provide vehicles which are versatile in how they can be used and which enable different occupants to use the same vehicle in different ways. One method of providing versatility in a vehicle is to provide adjustable interior components that can be positioned as desired by various users. For example, it is a common practice to provide seats which can be adjusted in a number of directions, including adjusting the position of the seat fore and aft within the vehicle, to accommodate different sized vehicle occupants. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seeks to provide versatility to a vehicle console by providing a console system in which a console body is movable fore and aft in the vehicle to different positions as desired by a vehicle occupant. In one embodiment, the console body is movable along a pair of tracks or rails mounted to the vehicle body in a generally stationary manner. Even greater flexibility is provided with multiple console bodies, or portions, which can each be independently moved within the vehicle. For example, a front console body may be provided which contains electrical controls and devices. An intermediate console body may be provided which contains cup holders. A third, or rear, console body may be provided which contains a storage compartment with a lid that serves as an armrest. Each of the console bodies can be moved along a common rail to various positions within the vehicle. 
     Electrical power can be provided to the sliding console bodies through electrical contacts in the rails. Alternatively, electrical connection can be made by a folding cable connected to the console body which contains the electrical devices. Various electrical devices can be contained in the console including controls for the radio, climate control system, seat adjuster, mirrors, vehicle lighting, rear window defroster, etc. In addition, the console may contain complete electrical devices such as a radio, telephone, a power port, etc., all of which require connection to an electric power source. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle interior containing the console system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the console system shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the console system as seen from substantially the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the track portion of the console system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the generally stationary rail of the console system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the generally stationary rail as seen from substantially the line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a vehicle body floor pan having the generally stationary rails of the console system attached directly thereto. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The console system of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 contained within a vehicle  10 . Only the interior of vehicle  10  is shown. The vehicle  10  includes a body  12  having floor pan portion  14 . The vehicle  10  includes an instrument panel  16  in a conventional manner for motor vehicles. Four bucket seats are shown in the vehicle, a front row driver side seat  18 , a front row passenger side seat  20 , a rear or second row driver side seat  22 , and a rear or second row passenger side seat  24 . Each of the seats  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  includes a generally horizontal seat bottom  26  having a front end  28  and a rear end  30 . The seats  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  further include seat backs  32  which extend upwardly at the rear ends  30  of the seat bottoms  26 . While the rear row is comprised of two bucket seats  22  and  24 , it will be readily appreciated that a single bench seat can be used to form the rear row of seats, if desired. 
     The sliding console system  34  of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 between the driver side seats  18 ,  22  and passenger side seats  20 ,  24 . The console system  34  includes a mounting member  36  (FIG.  3 ), which is attached to the floor pan portion  14  of the vehicle body  12  by fasteners  38 . The vehicle body  12  floor pan portion  14  includes a fore and aft extending raised center portion  40  which projects upwardly above the adjacent portions  42  of the floor pan  14 , in the area where the seats  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  are located. The raised center portion  40  is constructed of a pair of spaced upwardly projecting sides  44  and a top wall  46  spanning between the two sides  44 , forming a generally inverted U-shaped section. The sides  44  do not have to be vertical or planer nor does the top  46  need to be planer. The raised center portion  40  can have various sectional shapes as desired. 
     The mounting member  36  extends longitudinally through the vehicle interior over the entire extent of the adjustment range of the console system  34 . The mounting member  36  provides a structure for mounting the movable console bodies as well as providing a decorative appearance to the center portion  40  of the vehicle floor pan  12  which need not be covered by a floor covering  48  (FIG.  3 ). 
     Attached to the mounting member  36  along each side are rails  50 . The rails  50  extend generally along the entire length of the mounting member  36 . As shown in FIG. 1, the rails  50  extend from the instrument panel rearward to approximately the rear end  30  of the seat bottoms  26  of the rear row of seats  20  and  24 . As will be apparent, the rails  50  can be of any length and, in the case of a bench seat in the second or rear seat row, the rails would stop at the front end  28  of the seat bottom  26  of the rear row of seats. It will be appreciated that the vehicle can have more than two rows of seats with a single console system  34  extending through all or only some of the rows of seats. Additionally, the rails  50  may only extend to the rear end  30  of the front row seats if the console system  34  is only intended for use by the occupants of the front row seats. 
     With reference to FIG. 4, the rail  50  is shown as a C-shaped channel having an opening along one side. The rail  50  is disposed in a longitudinally extending recess  52  along the side  44  of the mounting member  36 . It will be appreciated that a variety of different shapes can be employed for the rail  50 . Likewise, the rail  50  need not be attached in a recess in the mounting member  36  but may extend outward from the surface of the mounting member  36 , if desired. The console system  34  includes one or more console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  mounted to the rails  50  and movable fore and aft within the vehicle  10  along the length of the rails  50 . For example, with reference to FIG. 2, three console bodies, a front console body  54 , an intermediate console body  56  and a rear console body  58 , are shown. Each of the console bodies are provided with a slide rail  60  coupled to each rail  50  to mount the console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  to the mounting member  36 . The slide rails  60  also provide for fore and aft movement of the console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  along the length of the rails  50  as shown by the arrow  62  in FIG.  2 . The slide rails  60  may include rollers  64  or other bearings to provide smooth movement of the slide rails  60  within the rails  50 . 
     The three console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  can be equipped with various features as shown with reference to FIG.  2 . For example, the console body  54  is shown with a plurality of electrical devices  66 . The electrical devices  66  may be controls for various components of the motor vehicle such as the radio, climate control system, seat adjuster, mirrors, vehicle lights, rear window defroster, etc. In addition, instead of merely containing controls, actual vehicle devices such as a radio, telephone, electrical power port, etc. may be contained within the console body  54 . 
     The console body  56  has a mounting portion  68  and a cupholder portion  70  which extends forward from the mounting portion  68 . The cupholder portion  70  includes one or more cupholders  72 , illustrated schematically. The cupholder portion  70  is vertically higher than the front console body  54  such that the cupholder portion  70  may be placed above the electrical devices  66  of the console body  54  as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The console body  58  likewise contains a mounting portion  74  and a forward portion  76 . The forward portion  76  is disposed higher than the console body  56  and can be positioned vertically above the console body  56  if desired. The forward portion  76  includes a shallow storage compartment  78  while the mounting portion  74  includes a deeper storage compartment  80 . A lid  82  is attached to the console body  58  by a hinge  84  enabling the lid  82  to be raised for access to the storage compartments  78  and  80 . The lid  82  may serve as an armrest and thus may be provided with a padded upper surface. 
     FIG. 2 only illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The sliding console system  34  of the present invention is not limited to the particular structure shown. For instance, electrical devices are not limited to the front console body  54  only, nor are the cupholders limited to the intermediate console body  56  or the storage compartments limited to the rear console body  58 . The console system may include any number of console bodies. 
     The console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  can be moved rearward such that the armrest provided by the console body  58  can be used by the rear row seat occupants. 
     In order to have electrical devices  66  in a sliding console body  54 , it is necessary to provide electrical power to the console body  54 . One means for doing so is shown in FIG.  4 . There the rail  50  is provided with an electrical contact strip  84  which engages a sliding contact  86  carried by the slide rail  60 . The contact strip  84  is coupled to the vehicle electrical system  97  by a wire, not shown. Likewise, sliding contact  86  is coupled through a wire to the electrical devices  66 . 
     An alternative electrical connection is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 5, the rail  50  is equipped with an elongated slot  90  in the back wall  92  of the C section rail. A bushing or grommet  94  is disposed within the slot  90  having a center passage through which wires  96  can pass. The wires  96  connect devices  66  to the electrical system  97  of the motor vehicle. A length of the wire  96  can be attached to the lower surface of the mounting member  36  to provide the necessary wire length to enable movement of the console body  54  containing the electrical devices  66  along the rail  50 . 
     With reference to FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown. The vehicle body floor pan  14  has a raised center portion  40  with upwardly extending sides  44 . The sides  44  are each formed with longitudinal recesses  98  which receive the rails  50  therein. In this embodiment, a mounting member  36  is not utilized between the rails  50  and the vehicle body  14 . As described above in connection with the mounting member  36 , the rails  50  need not be placed in recesses  98  in the sides  44  but can project outward from the sides  44 . 
     While the console system  34  has been shown in connection with two rails  50  coupled to the vehicle body  12  and two slide rails  60  on each of the console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58 , it will be appreciated that the console system  34  of the present invention can function with a single rail  50  along the longitudinal center line of the console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58 . 
     The console system  34  of the present invention provides a vehicle user with flexibility and versatility in the position of the various components and features in the console system. This is accomplished by enabling the console bodies  54 ,  56 ,  58  and the various features contained therein to be moved relative to the vehicle body  12  at the desire of the vehicle occupants. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above. But that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.