Abstract:
A cargo bin comprising a housing having a pair of mounting brackets. A J-shaped slot is formed in each mounting bracket, and a lid that includes a pair of pins slidably mounted in the J-shaped slots is attached to the housing. The lid includes pair of notched portions that are formed in the lid and correspond to the mounting brackets. The lid is actuatable between an open position and a closed position by sliding the pins through the J-shaped slots. To assist in supporting the lid when the lid is open, a surface that defines the notched portion rests on the mounting brackets.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cargo bin for a motor vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Motor vehicles may include cargo bins for stowing various articles. These cargo bins, however, may include a lid that is not supported. Opening the cargo bin and removing articles therefrom, therefore, may be difficult as a user is required to use one hand to hold the lid open while using another hand to remove articles. Furthermore, if the cargo bin includes a system that supports the lid in an open position, these systems are expensive to produce and also prevent the lid from being removed from the cargo bin easily. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A cargo bin includes a housing having a pair of mounting brackets. A J-shaped slot is formed in each mounting bracket, and a lid that includes a pair of pins slidably mounted in the J-shaped slots is attached to the housing. The lid includes pair of notched portions that are formed in the lid and correspond to the mounting brackets. The lid is actuatable between an open position and a closed position by sliding the pins through the J-shaped slots. To assist in supporting the lid when the lid is open, a surface that defines the notched portion rests on the mounting brackets. 
         [0004]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cargo bin according to the present teachings; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a cargo bin according to the present teachings with the lid inverted; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a cargo bin according to the present teachings integrated with a motor vehicle; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating connection between a cargo bin according to the present teachings and a lid; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating connection between a cargo bin according to the present teachings and a lid; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view illustrating a fastener that may be used to secure a cargo bin according to the present teachings to a motor vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present teachings, their application, or uses. 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1 to 3  illustrate a cargo bin  10  according to the present teachings. Cargo bin generally includes a tub or housing  12  and a lid  14 . Housing  12  and lid  14  may be formed of a blow molded plastic. The shape and contours of housing  12  and lid  14 , therefore, may be selected according to configuration desires by one skilled in the art. 
         [0014]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , housing  12  may include a plurality of ridges  16  and recesses  18 . Ridges  16  and recesses  18  provide structural rigidity to housing  12 , and may also correspond to ridges and recesses (not shown) where cargo bin  10  is to be mounted. Housing  12  may also include integral mounting brackets  20  for attaching lid  14  thereto, as well as alignment tabs  22 . Alignment tabs  22  assist in preventing movement of lid  14  when lid  14  is in a closed position relative to housing  12 . 
         [0015]    Lid  14  may be a reversible lid that may include a generally a smooth surface  24  ( FIG. 1 ) and a grooved surface  26  ( FIG. 2 ). Smooth surface  24  enables various cargo items to be stored thereon and easily removed therefrom by sliding and the like. In contrast, lid  14  may be reversed to expose grooved surface  26  that may include a plurality of lands  28  separated by grooves  30 . 
         [0016]    Surrounding lands  28  and grooves  30  may be a retaining wall  32 . Grooved surface  26  increases the functionality of cargo bin  10  in that cargo that is wet or dirty may be disposed thereon. Dirt and water may then drain into grooves  30  and be prevented from dirtying the area where cargo bin  10  is disposed. Grooved surface  26  may also provide a surface with increased friction that may assist in preventing cargo disposed thereon from moving and shifting during operation of the motor vehicle. 
         [0017]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , cargo bin  10  generally may be disposed within a recess  34  in a cargo area  36  of a motor vehicle that may be defined by a rear seat  38 , a tire carrier  40  mounted underneath the motor vehicle, and a mounting surface  42  for a rear hatch or tail gate. By disposing cargo bin  10  in recess  34 , lid  14  may form a surface that is essentially co-planer with a floor surface of cargo area  36  when lid  14  is in a closed position. Sidewalls  44  and a bottom surface  46  of cargo bin  10  define an interior volume  48  that may have dimensions that fill the entire cargo area  36 . 
         [0018]    Alternatively cargo bin  10  may have an interior volume  48  with dimensions that are smaller than cargo area  36 . Regardless, the dimensions of cargo bin  10  may be selected such that cargo bin  10  may be adapted for use in any size cargo area of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, although sidewalls  44  and bottom surface  46  of cargo bin  10  are shown to be slightly angled to adapt cargo bin  10  for mounting in recess  34  the present teachings should not be limited thereto. In contrast, sidewalls  44  and bottom surface  46  may be oriented in any manner to adapt cargo bin  10  for use in any type of motor vehicle. 
         [0019]    In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , mounting bracket  20  of housing  12  includes a slot  50  that accommodates a prong or pivot pin  52  that may be formed on lid  14 . Slot  50  may be hook- or J-shaped, and an end  54  of J-shaped slot  50  is open at an edge  56  of mounting bracket  20  such that pin  52  may be removed from J-shaped slot  50 . In this manner, lid  14  is removable from housing  12  and, as stated above, reversible. 
         [0020]    An inner surface  58  of J-shaped slot  50  provides a bearing surface for pin  52  that enables pin  52  to slide and pivot thereon. J-shaped slot  50  may be shaped so that when lid  14  is opened, pin  52  slides along inner surface  58  in a direction toward a curved portion  60  of J-shaped slot  50 . Once pin  52  reaches curved portion  60 , pin  52  may sit within curved portion  60  and sustain lid  14  in an upright position. 
         [0021]    The configuration of J-shaped slot  50  allows lid  14  to be opened and stationed in a plurality of positions. For example, again referring to  FIG. 3 , lid  14  of cargo bin  10  may be slightly angled relative normal to accommodate seat  38  when seat  38  is in an upright position. Lid  14  may be angled relative normal when pin  52  sits within curved portion  60  of J-shaped slot  50 . In addition, to assist in supporting lid  14  in an open position, an end  62  of lid  14  that includes pins  52  includes notch portions  64 . Notch portions  64  have a size that corresponds to mounting brackets  20  when lid  14  is closed. Pins  52  may be formed in notch portions  64 , and when lid  14  is in an open position, a surface  65  that defines notch portion  64  may rest on mounting bracket  20  to support lid  14  thereon. In this manner, lid  14  may be supported in an open position such that a user may freely remove cargo from the cargo bin  10  without using a hand or device to prop open the lid  14 . 
         [0022]    In  FIG. 4 , lid  14  may be oriented to a position that is substantially normal to housing  12 . To allow lid  14  to be oriented substantially normal to housing  12 , J-shaped slot  50  may further include a recess  68  that extends outward from curved portion  60  in a direction substantially perpendicular to a leg portion  70  of J-shaped slot  50 . Recess  68  may be defined by surfaces  72  that allow pin  52  to sit therein. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 6 , to secure cargo bin  10  to the motor vehicle, housing  12  may be provided with a flange  74  that extends around a perimeter of housing  12 . Fasteners  76  may be used to secure flange  74  to a bracket  77  formed on a floor  78  of the vehicle. Although fasteners  76  are shown, it should be understood that cargo bin  10 , as stated above, may also be formed to include ridges  16  and recesses  18  that may correspond to additional ridges and recesses (not shown) that are formed in the recess  34  of the vehicle cargo area  36 . Accordingly, fasteners  76  are not necessarily required by the present teachings and may be omitted. 
         [0024]    The above description is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the present teachings are intended to be within the scope of the present teachings. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present teachings.