Abstract:
A vehicle cargo system includes a support fixed to a roof of the cargo system. The support has a first edge and a second edge. The vehicle cargo system further includes a plurality of protrusions intermittently disposed laterally across the support. The plurality of protrusions is rotatable about the first edge from a vertical to a horizontal position wherein rotating the hooks about the first edge toward the roof attaches the hooks to the second edge of the support. The protrusions allow the vehicle cargo system to support objects capable of being hung.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to vehicle luggage compartment organizing systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Vehicles have cargo areas that are used by consumers to store items and transport cargo. Vehicle cargo areas may be wide-open areas that do not include an organizational system to make efficient use of the cargo area. Organizational systems may be included in vehicle cargo areas as original equipment or as an aftermarket accessory. Such systems may be removable from the vehicle or within the cargo area. And they further may define a plurality of fixed protrusions that take up space within the cargo area when not in use. Using organizational systems that take up space within the cargo area takes away from the available storage space. 
         [0003]    These organizational systems may use a plurality of hangers to hold bags carrying items. The hangers hold the bag handles together to prevent the contents of the bags from spilling. Current organizational systems may also utilize a frame that extends between a compact position and an extended position. The frame includes one or more projections extending from the frame that are fixed relative to the frame. The fixed projections extend into the cargo area and interfere with use of the cargo area when not in use. 
         [0004]    This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A vehicle storage compartment includes a roof, a support, and at least one protrusion. The support has an upper surface, a lower surface defining a notch, and a first edge. The upper surface of the support attaches and extends across the roof. The protrusion is connected to the first edge to pivot about the first edge and engage the notch in the lower surface. 
         [0006]    A vehicle cargo system includes a support fixed to a roof of the cargo system. The support has a first edge and a second edge. The vehicle cargo system further includes a plurality of protrusions intermittently disposed laterally across the support. The plurality of protrusions is pivotable about the first edge from a vertical to a horizontal position wherein rotating the hooks about the first edge toward the roof attaches the hooks to the second edge of the support. 
         [0007]    A vehicle storage system includes a rear portion, a support, and a bar. The rear portion defines a compartment having a roof. The support is disposed within the compartment and is fixedly attached to the roof. The support has a protrusion extending from the support in a direction substantially perpendicular to the roof. The bar is disposed about an axis proximate a first edge of the support and extends through the support. The bar is connected to the protrusion and is configured to pivot the protrusion about the axis and attach the protrusion to the support. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle having a cargo area organizational system; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a cargo area organizational system having a plurality of protrusions; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the protrusions for the storage system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the protrusions for the storage system; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the protrusions for the storage system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features are exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the present invention. The various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic view of a vehicle  10 . The vehicle  10  may include a rear portion  12  that defines a cargo compartment  14 . The cargo compartment  14  may be equipped with an organizational system  16 . The organizational system  16  includes a support member  18  and a plurality of protrusions  20 . The support member  18  is fixedly attached to a roof  22  of the cargo compartment  14 . The organizational system  16  is fixedly attached between the support member  18  and the roof  22  to facilitate supporting a load on the plurality of protrusions  20 . In at least one other embodiment, the organizational system  16  may use a single protrusion. 
         [0015]    The protrusions  20  extend downwardly from the support member  18 . The plurality of protrusions  20  are configured to support objects capable of being hung. The protrusions  20  may define a shape such that while traveling the items hung from the protrusions  20  are not disturbed during travel. The protrusions  20  may define a J-shape or may also be a hook. The protrusions  20  are configured to support the load of a single hung object or multiple objects. The plurality of protrusions  20  may be disposed intermittently across the support member  18 . The plurality of protrusions  20  may also be spaced apart at a fixed distance or may be spaced apart according to a designed configuration to optimize use of the organizational system  16 . 
         [0016]    The fixed attachment between the support member  18  and the roof  22  may be advantageous. The support member  18  uses the roof  22  to support larger loads hung from the protrusions  20 . For example, supporting heavier items from the protrusions  20  increases the force acting on the support member  18 . The support member  18  distributes the weight of the heavier objects across the roof  22  of the cargo compartment  14 . The distribution of weight across the support member  18  and the roof  22  prevents deformation to the organizational system  16  and allows the organizational system  16  to have a wider range of uses. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  depicts the organizational system  16  having some of the protrusions  20  extending downwardly from the support member  18  and other protrusions  20  secured to the support member  18 . The protrusions  20  are pivotally attached to the support member  18 . The support member  18  defines a notch  24 . The notch  24  is configured to receive the protrusions  20  to be a flush with the support member  18 . The notch  24  may have a shape complementary to the protrusions  20 . The flush engagement between the support member  18  and the protrusions  20  reduces the space taken up by the organizational system  16  within the cargo compartment  14 . Attaching the protrusions  20  to the support member  18  allows for storage of larger items when the organizational system  16  is not in use. 
         [0018]    The protrusions  20  pivot about an axis  26  disposed about a first edge  28  of the support member  18 . The protrusions  20  pivot about the axis  26  and are locked within the notch  24  of the support member  18 . The protrusions  20  may be stored on the support member  18  when not in use. Storing the protrusions  20  on the support member  18  allows organizational system  16  to be a self-storing system. The protrusions  20  may be used individually or as a grouping. For example, a single protrusion  20  may be deployed from the support member  18  while other protrusions  20  are stored and attached to the support member  18 . Several protrusions  20  may be deployed at the same time and stored on the support member  18  at the same time. The protrusions  20  may be simultaneously pivoted about the axis  26  on the first edge  28  of the support member  18  or may be individually pivoted about the axis  26  proximate the first edge  28  of the support member  18 . 
         [0019]    The adaptability of the organizational system  16  allows for a wider range of objects to be stored within the cargo compartment  14 . The protrusions  20  may be deployed from the support member  18  wherein the organizational system  16  uses minimal space within the cargo compartment  14 . The organizational systems reduction of space allows larger or bulkier items within the cargo compartment  14 . Simultaneous rotation of the protrusions  20  about the axis  26  from the support member  18  may also be advantageous. The simultaneous rotation of the protrusions  20  eases the ability to hang multiple objects from the protrusions  20 . Rotation of the protrusions  20  about the axis  26  proximate the first edge  28  of support member  18  and engagement of the protrusions  20  in the notch  24  on the support member  18  are discussed in more detail with reference to the other Figures. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  depicts the protrusions  20  using a pin  30 , a rib  32 , and a tab  34  to effectuate rotation and engagement of the protrusions  20  on the support member  18 . The pin  30  is disposed along the axis  26  proximate the first edge  28  of the support member  18 . The rib  32  is disposed opposite the pin  30  and is configured to engage the notch  24  of the support member  18 . The tab  34  is disposed adjacent the rib  32  and is configured to disengage the protrusion  20  from the notch  24  on the support member  18 . Pressure is applied to the tab  34  to release the engagement between the rib  32  and the support member  18 . 
         [0021]    Rib  32  is defined on an engagement portion  36  of the protrusions  20 . The notch  24  receives the engagement portion  36  when the protrusions  20  pivot. Pivoting of the protrusion  20  into the notch  24  causes engagement between the rib  32  and the support member  18 . The rib  32  frictionally secures the engagement portion  36  of the protrusions  20  within the notch  24  defined on the support member  18 . The rib  32  uses a shape and location to lock the protrusion  20  to the support member  18 . The shape of the rib  32  is such that the protrusion  20  does not inadvertently disengage from the support member  18 . And the shape of the rib  32  requires no further adaptation to the support member  18 . The shape of the rib  32  may define a substantially square shape. The rib  32  may also define other shapes such as a substantially ovate shape, a substantially circular shape, or any other shape that allows the rib  32  to frictionally secure the engagement portion  36  to the support  18 . The tab  34  is positioned on the engagement portion  36  proximate the rib  32 . Optimizing the position of the tab  34  and the rib  32  optimizes storage and use of the protrusion  20 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  depicts the protrusion  20  using a biasing member  38 , or spring, and the tab  34  to effectuate pivoting about the axis  26 . The spring  38  biases the protrusion  20  into engagement with the support member  18 . The biasing member  38  uses a spring force to pivot the protrusion  20  towards the support member  18 . The tab  34  may be used to resist the spring force of the biasing member  38  and allow the protrusion  20  to extend downwardly from the support member  18 . The force applied to the tab  34  opposes the force from the biasing member  38 . The protrusion  20  pivots toward the support member  18  and comes to rest within the notch  24  when no force is applied to the tab  34 . 
         [0023]    The biasing member  38  allows the protrusion  20  to automatically engage the support member  18 . The spring  38  biases the protrusion  20  into engagement with the support member  18 . The automatic engagement between the protrusion  20  and the support member  18  allows the organizational system  16  to be a self-storing system. The protrusion  20  is in plane with the support member  18  when a load is not applied to the protrusion  20 . The protrusion  20  pivots about the axis  26  and extends downwardly from the support member  18  when a load is applied to the protrusion  20  counteracting the spring force of the biasing member  38 . The protrusion  20  maintains this extended position until the load is removed from the engagement portion  36  of the protrusion  20 . The biasing member  38  stores the protrusion  20  within the notch  24  of the support member  18  during travel. The spring force of the biasing member  38  accounts for noise, vibration, and harshness on the organizational system  16  from various road conditions. The biasing member  38  further provides a rigid protrusion  20  when a load is applied to the engagement portion  36 . The rigid protrusions  20  transmit the weight of the load through the support member  18  ensuring objects creating the load are not damaged during travel. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  depicts the protrusion  20  using a lever  40  and a bar  42  to allow pivoting of the protrusion  20  about the axis  26 . The bar  42  extends through the support member  18  along the axis  26 . The bar  42  attaches to the plurality of protrusions  20  at an attachment portion  44  disposed opposite of the engagement portion  36 . Attachment between the bar  42  and the protrusions  20  allow the protrusions  20  to pivot freely about the axis  26 . The lever  40  is attached to an end  46  of the bar  42 . Movement of the lever  40  about the axis  26  causes the protrusions  20  to extend away from the support member  18 , or to be received by the notch  24  on the support member  18 . 
         [0025]    The connection between the lever  40  and the bar  42  allows simultaneous pivoting the protrusions  20 . Pivoting the lever  40  pivots the bar  42  and simultaneously pivots of all of the protrusions  20  about the axis  26 . A plurality of levers  40  may also be attached to individual segments of the bar  42 . The plurality of levers  40  attach to individual segments of the bar  42  when pivoting of a single protrusion  20 , or pivoting of individual protrusions  20  is needed. 
         [0026]    Pivoting the lever  40  in a downward position releases the protrusions  20 . Pivoting the lever  40  and an upward position locks the protrusions  20  within the notch  24  on the support member  18 . The protrusions  20  are able to support a load when the lever  40  is pivoted in a downward position. The protrusions  20  are stored within the support member  18  when the lever  40  is pivoted in upward position. The organizational system  16  provides an economical use of space by maintaining a flush engagement between the plurality of protrusions  20  and the support member  18 . The support member  18  may define a substantially ovate shape. The protrusion  20  may define a complementary curvature to the shape of the support member  18 . The shape of the support member and the curvature of the protrusion  20  effectuate the flush engagement of the organizational system  16 . The support member  18  and the protrusion  20  may also define other shapes to effectuate a flush engagement, such as but not limited to square, or circular.