Patent Publication Number: US-2022234507-A1

Title: Cargo Space Device for a Front Part of a Motor Vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a cargo space device for a front part of a motor vehicle. 
     In the case of electrically driven cars, the lack of internal combustion engine leads to a gain in space in the region of the front part of the motor vehicle, which can be used for accommodating a cargo space. However, such cargo spaces in the region of a front space of the front part, the front space being able to be sealed by a front bonnet, have the disadvantage that they often extend very deeply into the front space of the front part in the vertical direction of the vehicle and, accordingly, are relatively uncomfortable for loading and unloading. 
     A shiftable cargo space emerges from DE 10 2017 004 263 A1, which is formed as a kind of tub or box and can be shifted by means of a shifting device between a stowed position accommodated in the front part and a position at least partially extended out of the front part in a corresponding shifting direction—usually in parallel to the vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     The object of the present invention is to create a cargo space device of the kind mentioned at the start by means of which an installation space in the region of the front part of the motor vehicle can be used particularly well for accommodating the cargo space and which, on the other hand, is accessible particularly ergonomically and comfortably for loading and unloading. 
     The cargo space device according to the invention is provided in the region of the front space in the front part of the motor vehicle, wherein this front space can be covered at least partially upwardly or from above by means of a front bonnet that can be shifted, in particular pivoted, between an open position and a closed position. The cargo space device is characterised in that a cargo space that is, for example, box-shaped or tub-shaped can be shifted in a shifting direction by means of a shifting device between a stowed position accommodated in the front part and a position that is raised in comparison to this and is, in particular, extended at least partially out of a front part. The shifting device is here supported in the region of the front space, in particular, and preferably does not have any mechanical coupling or similar connection to the front bonnet, by means of which the shifting movement of the cargo space would be mechanically coupled to that of the front bonnet. 
     The shifting direction of the cargo space can run linearly or even in an arcuate manner at least in some longitudinal regions. The shifting device can here only achieve a corresponding mounting or guide, or correspondingly support a manual shifting, for example, by means of spring elements such as gas compression springs or similar. In a particularly comfortable embodiment, it would also be conceivable for the shifting device to comprise an automatic or motorised drive by means of which the cargo space can be shifted between the respective positions. The shifting in the corresponding shifting direction between the position accommodated in the front part and the at least partially extended position here enables as great a use of the free installation space inside the front space of the front part as possible, as a result of choosing a suitable shifting path. 
     In order to now be able to load and unload the cargo space in a particularly ergonomic and comfortable manner, it can be shifted, according to the invention, around a pivoting axis running in the region of its lower front marginal edge in relation to the shifting device in a further shifting direction different to the first shifting direction. Thus, it is conceivable, for example, that the cargo space is firstly shifted in the first shifting direction out of the stowed position accommodated in the front part into the position extended at least partially out of the front part along a corresponding shifting track, and in particular, upon reaching this extended position, but optionally also in a superimposed movement, the cargo space can be shifted in a second shifting direction different to the first shifting direction into a loading and unloading position, in which the cargo space can be accessed particularly comfortably and ergonomically. Thus, the first shifting direction can be, for example, an extensively linear or arcuate shifting track, whereas the different second shifting direction can be a pivoting alignment around a corresponding pivoting axis. Such a pivoting alignment around a corresponding pivoting axis enables a tilting or slanting of the cargo space towards a person standing in front of the vehicle, such that the cargo space is accessible particularly well and comfortably. 
     A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the pivoting of the cargo space in the further shifting direction takes place only upon reaching the extended position. This results in extremely simple and reproducible shifting in terms of the movement courses between the stowed position and the loading and unloading position. It is, however, clear that the cargo space can also optionally be loaded and unloaded in the stowed position or in the position partially extended out of the front part, though this would be correspondingly less comfortable. 
     A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the cargo space can be sealed or is sealed by a cover which can be pivoted around a pivoting axis running in the region of its upper rear marginal edge. In doing so, the cover can be opened upwardly from below in a simple manner and stopped, for example, in order to achieve particularly favourable ergonomic handling. 
     Alternatively to this, the cargo space can also be sealed by a cover which can be pivoted around a pivoting axis running in the region of its upper front marginal edge. Thus, the cover can be opened towards the front and downwards, which is particularly favourably possible without great physical exertion. 
     In this context, it has been shown to be further advantageous if the cover is also formed as a cargo edge protection element by means of which components arranged in a loading and unloading region of the cargo space, for example bumper cladding, a soft nose or a crossmember, can be covered in the region of a front bonnet lock or similar. The cover thus assumes a double function, namely on one hand covering the cargo space and, on the other hand, protecting the components in the vicinity of the cargo space. 
     In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cargo space can be shifted by means of the shifting device manually, supported by force and/or powered between the stowed position and the extended position and, optionally, out of this for the loading and unloading position as well. In other words, in a simple embodiment, the shifting device serves only as a guide for the cargo space, in a favourable embodiment as an additional force support, for example by means of gas compression springs or similar, in order to simplify the manual shifting, and in a particularly comfortable embodiment as motorised support in order to optionally completely automatically enact the shifting of the cargo space. Of course, only the respective movement directions can also be carried out in the described manner. 
     Furthermore, it has been shown to be advantageous if the shifting device can be stopped in the stowed position and/or in the extended position. In doing so, a particularly stable and reliable respective positioning of the cargo space emerges. 
     Finally, it has been shown to be advantageous if the shifting device comprises a support console or similar, on which the cargo space is mounted to shift the further shifting device. This has the advantage, in particular, that a particularly stable and reliable positioning and mounting of the cargo space can be achieved. Here, the cargo space can optionally also be formed releasably from the support console in order to be able to particularly favourably clean the cargo space, for example. 
     Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the description below of a preferred exemplary embodiment and by means of the drawings. The features and feature combinations mentioned in the description below and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own without leaving the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cut-out and schematic side view of a front part of a passenger vehicle, which delimits a front space that can be sealed by a front bonnet and inside which a cargo space in a stowed position accommodated in the front part is indicated; 
         FIG. 2  is a cut-out and schematic side view of the front part according to  FIG. 1 , in which the front bonnet is depicted opened and the cargo space is shifted by means of a shifting device out of the stowed position depicted in  FIG. 1  into a position extended out of the front space of the front part in a linear shifting direction and has then been pivoted around a pivoting axis in relation to the first shifting device in a further shifting direction, wherein a cover for sealing the cargo space has then been opened; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic front view of the cargo space held on the shifting device according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a front part  10  of a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger motor vehicle, is depicted in each case in a cut-out and schematic side view. Presently, the passenger motor vehicle is, in particular, a purely electrically operated vehicle (BEV), yet optionally also a hybrid vehicle (PHEV) which, due to a correspondingly large internal combustion engine not being present, has a free installation space for a cargo space device still be described in more detail. In the present case, this cargo space device is arranged inside a front space  12  delimited by a front part  10 , which is upwardly covered by a front bonnet  14  depicted closed in  FIG. 1  and open in  FIG. 2 . 
     The cargo space device comprises a tub- or box-shaped cargo space  16  which, in  FIG. 1 , is arranged below the closed front bonnet  14  in a stowed position accommodated in the front part  10 . 
     After opening the front bonnet  14  pivotably mounted in a region close to the windscreen in a direction indicated with an arrow  18 , the cargo space  16  can be raised by means of a shifting device  20  out of the stowed position depicted in  FIG. 1  into a position shifted upwardly in relation to this. In the exemplary embodiment, depicted in the figures, of the cargo space device, it is provided that the cargo space  16  in its raised position is extended at least partially out of the front part  10  or the front space  12 , as indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
     For this, as can be seen in  FIG. 3  in a cut-out and schematic front view, the shifting device  20  has respective lateral telescopic rods  22  or other suitable mounting and/or guiding means, by means of which the cargo space  16  can be shifted upwardly or downwardly in a shifting direction indicated with an arrow V. In the present case, the shifting direction V corresponds to a straight line, which runs diagonally in the driving direction to the front in relation to the vertical direction of the vehicle (z-direction). Because of this alignment of the telescopic rods, the cargo space also simultaneously shifts in the direction of a person standing in front of the vehicle when raising, such that they do not have to carry the objects to be introduced into the cargo space so far in opposition to the forwards driving direction of the motor vehicle, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction), in order to introduce them into the cargo space. It would also be conceivable for the shifting direction to run in parallel or substantially in parallel to the z-direction. It would also be conceivable for the shifting direction V to run in an arc-like manner in longitudinal regions. 
     As can further be seen in  FIG. 3 , a support console  24  is arranged centrally between the two lateral telescopic rods  22 , which is formed overall to be U-shaped, for example, and is connected with its respective upper ends to those of the respectively laterally allocated telescopic rod  22 . In doing so, the support console  24  has a support plate  26  on which, in the present case, the cargo space  16  is arranged. On a front lower edge region  28 , the box-shaped cargo space  16  is flexibly connected to the support plate  26  in the region of a pivoting axis S, which presently runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and at least substantially horizontally. In doing so, the cargo space  16  can be shifted around the pivoting axis S in relation to the support plate  26  or to the support console  24  of the shifting device  20  in a second shifting direction different to the first shifting direction V and indicated with an arrow  30 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the cargo space  16  can be sealed or is sealed by a cover  32  which can be pivoted around a pivoting axis s running in the region from its upper rear marginal edge  32 . Accordingly, in the present case, the cover  32  can be opened upwardly from the diagonal cargo space  16  according to an arrow  36 . Alternatively to this, it is also conceivable to pivotably arrange the cover  32  around a pivoting axis of the cargo space  16  running in the region of the upper front marginal edge  38 . In this case, the cover  32  can also be formed as a cargo edge protection element by means of which components of the front part  10  arranged in a loading and unloading region arranged, in particular, in front of the front part  10 , for example parts of the bumper cladding and/or crossmember covering bar on the motor vehicle bodywork side. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the cargo space  16  can be shifted manually between both the stowed position shown in  FIG. 1  and the extended position, in which the cargo space  16  is initially still in contact with the support plate  26 . To do so, there are handles  33  on the cover  32 , which is stopped on the cargo space  16  in its closed position and can be opened for loading and unloading by releasing the stop. 
     Similarly, a force-supported solution would be conceivable in which gas compression springs or similar elements, for example, are used in order to facilitate manual raising, in particular. Vice versa, manual lowering can accordingly also be facilitated and attenuated. In the present case, the cargo space  16  can then be pivoted forwards around the pivoting axis s out of the extended position or the rest position on the support plate  22  according to the arrow  30 , after which the cover  32  can in turn be opened according to arrow  36 . The pivoting movement of the cargo space in the further movement direction according to arrow  30  can also optionally be supported by force or be carried out automatically by a drive. This also applies to opening and closing the cover  32 . 
     In the present case, the shifting device  20  can moreover be stopped in the stowed position and/or in the extended position in order to achieve particularly favourable fixtures and cargo positions in each case. 
     Furthermore, it can be seen, in particular, that the shifting of the cargo space between the stowed position and the extended position according to the shifting direction V as well as the further pivoting according to arrow  30  and opening and closing the cover  32  according to arrow  36  is carried out independently of a movement or position of the front bonnet  14 . This makes it possible, in particular, to control the respective position of the cargo space  16  in a space-saving and individual manner. 
     The second shifting movement of the cargo space  16  and the pivoting axis s in the second shifting direction  30 —and back—can be carried out, in particular, if the shifting device  20  is in its fixed upper position when the cargo space  16  is extended. In certain circumstances, a superimposed movement of the cargo space  16  in the first shifting direction according to arrow V and in the second shifting direction according to arrow  30  would also be conceivable.