Patent Abstract:
A storage bin includes a base, a plurality of pins supported by and moveable relative to the base, and a locking plate. The locking plate includes a plurality of sidewalls that each define an opening for one of the pins to pass therethrough. Each of the sidewalls are configured to engage one of the pins to lock the pins relative to the base in response to movement of the locking plate.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to storage bins for motor vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Motor vehicles typically include storage bins disposed on or in various interior trim components, such as center consoles, dash boards, door panels and arm rests. The storage bins are utilized to hold beverages, cell phones, and other personal items. Traditional storage bins have a fixed size that may be either too large, or too small, for many items. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment, a cup holder includes a base, a plurality of pins supported by the base, and a locking plate spaced away from the base. Each of the pins are biased in an extended position and movable to a depressed position in response to a downward force. The locking plate defines openings. Each of the pins extend through one of the openings. The locking plate is engageable with the pins to prevent movement of the pins. 
     According to another embodiment, a vehicle interior component includes a panel defining a recess. A storage bin is disposed within the recess and includes a base, a plurality of pins supported by and movable relative to the base, and a locking plate. The locking plate is movable relative to the pins and includes a plurality of sidewalls that are each engageable with one of the pins to lock the pins relative to the base in response to movement of the locking plate. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a storage bin includes a base, a plurality of pins supported by and moveable relative to the base, and a locking plate. The locking plate includes a plurality of sidewalls that each define an opening for one of the pins to pass therethrough. Each of the sidewalls are configured to engage one of the pins to lock the pins relative to the base in response to movement of the locking plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a center console including a storage bin. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view, in cross-section, of the storage bin of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a locking plate of the storage bin of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of a pin assembly of the storage bin of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of another pin assembly. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of yet another pin assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, 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. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3  a vehicle cabin  20  includes a center console  22  having at least one storage bin  24  built into the center console. The storage bin  24  may include a housing  26  having sidewalls  28  and a finished panel (or top surface)  32 . The housing  26  defines a storage area  30  where items can be stored. The housing  26  includes a base  34  that may be connected to each of the sidewalls  28 . A mid-plate  36  is disposed above the base  34  and below the finished panel  32 . The mid-plate  36  may be attached to the sidewalls  28  and oriented parallel to the base  34 . The mid-plate  36  may include holes  41 , and the base  34  may include holes  43 . The holes  41  are aligned with holes  43  such that a plurality of vertical pins  40  are each receivable through one of the holes in the mid-plate and a corresponding hole of the base  34 . The mid-plate  36  and the base  34  provide lateral support for each of the vertical pins  40  while allowing the pins to freely move up and down. The storage bin  24  may be located on other components of the vehicle cabin—such as the dash, door panels, seat backs, and/or arm rests. 
     Each of the pins  40  is individually vertically displaceable relative to the base  34  between an extended position and a depressed position. The pins are spring biased to rest in the extended position. The pins  40  form a floating pin floor within the storage area  30 . When an item is received within the storage area, the weight of the item causes the pins in contact with the item to depress downwardly. The surrounding pins not in contact with the item remain in the extended position. This creates a depression—in the floating pin floor—that is in the shape of the item. The surrounding pins that are not depressed define a ministorage area that prevents the item from sliding around the storage area  30 , which could cause damage to the object or spills if the object is a beverage. Traditional cup holders have a fixed size that may be too large or too small for many different beverage containers or cups. The floating pin floor of storage bin  24  is able to take on many shapes and sizes to effectively secure a variety of different sized beverage containers. 
     A locking plate  38  is disposed between the base  34  and the mid-plate  36 . The locking plate  38  may include a plurality of lower arms  54  connected to the mid-plate  36  to suspend the locking plate  38  above the base  34 . The locking plate  38  may be pivotably attached to the mid-plate  36  allowing the locking plate  38  to displace horizontally. For example, the locking plate  38  may include a hub  56  disposed on an axle  58  projecting from the mid-plate  36 . The locking plate  38  also includes an upper surface  42 , a lower surface  44 , and a plurality of slots  46  extending between the upper and lower surfaces. The slots  46  may be aligned in parallel rows. Each of the slots  46  may be defined by at least one sidewall  48 . The slots  46  may be aligned with the holes  41 ,  43 . Each of the pins  40  is disposed within one of the slots  46  when assembled. The locking plate  38  may be horizontally displaceable between a locked position and an unlocked position. When in the unlocked position, the slots  46  align with the holes  41 ,  43  allowing the pins  40  to vertically displace relative to the base  34 . When in the locked position, at least a portion of each of the sidewalls  48  engages with one of the pins  40  to frictionally lock the pins  40  in a vertical position relative to the base  34 . The locking plate  38  allows the floating pin floor to remain in a desired shape after the force on the pins  40  is removed. 
     The locking plate  38  may be actuated between the locked and unlocked positions by any mechanism known to a person skilled in the art. For example, an upper arm  52  may extend upwardly from one of the hubs  56  to a slide button  60 . Movement of the slide button  60  causes the hubs  56  to pivot about the axles  58  causing the locking plate  38  to move horizontally and engage, or disengage, with the pins  40 . The finished panel  32  may include a slot providing the upper arm  52  space to move. The slide button  60  and the finished panel  32  may include features for holding the slide button  60  in the locked position. For example, the finished panel  32  may include an L-shaped slot, a slot with a detent, or a tapered slot. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a detail view of the pins  40  according to one embodiment. Each of the pins  40  may include an upper portion  62  having a head  64  defining an upper end, and a shaft  66  extending downwardly from a lower end of the upper portion  62 . The upper portion  62 , the head  64 , and the shaft  66  may be integrally formed. The pin  40  may be arranged in the housing  26  with the upper portion  62  received through the mid-plate  36  and with the shaft  66  received through the locking plate  38  and the base  34 . The head  64  may have a diameter larger than the hole  41  in the mid-plate to prevent the head  64  from traveling below the mid-plate  36 . The pin  40  may include a shoulder  68  where the upper portion  62  and the shaft  66  meet. A spring  72  may be disposed on the shaft  66  between the shoulder  68  and the upper surface  42  of the locking plate  38 . The shaft  66  may include a flared end  70  that is larger than the hole  43  in the base  34  to prevent the shaft  66  from dislodging from the base  34 . Alternatively, a clip (or similar feature) may be used to retain the shaft  66  in the base  34 . 
     In another embodiment, the locking plate may be arranged closer to the mid-plate  36  and engage with the upper portion  62 . Here, the spring  72  is disposed below the locking plate  38  and is disposed between the base  34  and the shoulder  68 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate alternative embodiments of the pins  40 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , a pin  80  includes a head  82  and an internal sleeve  84 . A projection  86  is connected to the base  34  and extends vertically upward therefrom. The projection  86  may include a clip  90  for retaining the projection in the base  34 . Alternatively, the projection  86  and the base  34  may be integrally formed. The pin  80  may be received onto the projection  86  such that the sleeve  84  and the projection  86  can telescopically slide relative to each other. A spring  88  may be disposed between a lower end  92  of the pin  80  and an upper surface  94  of the base  34 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a pin  100  includes a head  102  and an internal sleeve  104 . A projection  106  is connected to the base  34  and extends vertically upward therefrom. The projection  106  may include a lower portion  108  and an upper portion  110 . The lower portion  108  may have a larger diameter than the upper portion  110  creating a shoulder  112 . The lower portion  108  may have a diameter that is substantially the same as the internal sleeve  104 . The outer surface of the lower portion  108  may form the bearing surface upon which the pin  100  slides. A spring  114  may be disposed on the upper portion  110  between a ceiling  116  of the sleeve  104  and the shoulder  112 . 
     The shapes of the pins and projection have been shown and described as cylindrical cylinders. But, the pins and the projections may have a different cross-sectional shape in other embodiments. For example, the pins and projections could have a square cross-section. The shape of the holes in the mid-plate and the locking plate correspond to the shape of the pins and vary according to the cross-sectional shape of the pins. The shape of the heads may be the same shape as the main body of the pins or may be a different shape. For example, the pins may have a circular cross-section while the heads may have a square cross-section. A number of different head shapes and sizes may be used. The density of pins  40  varies according to design needs and cost. 
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1