Abstract:
A center console includes a cylindrical shell defining a compartment. The compartment includes a spindle extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical shell and coaxially positioned within the cylindrical shell for rotation therein, and at least one divider supported by the spindle for subdividing the compartment. The spindle includes at least one support having a first magnet positioned therein and the at least one divider has a second magnet associated with an tongue such that the first magnet and the second magnet cooperate to secure the at least one divider to the spindle within the at least one support. A related method of accessing one of a plurality of subcompartments of a compartment defined by a cylindrical shell includes the steps of establishing a name the subcompartments, selecting by name one of the subcompartments for movement, and rotating the spindle and the subcompartments to allow access to the selected subcompartment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This document relates generally to vehicle center consoles, and more specifically to a rotatable compartment of a center console. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles incorporate center consoles having compartments therein for storing various objects such as keys, spare change, mobile phones, wallets, etc. The compartments are generally cubic and store the objects as in a simple box. Some compartments, however, utilize covers to create different levels inside the main compartment to subdivide the compartment. 
     The compartments are simple to use in that a vehicle operator can access the content of the compartment by pressing a latch release mechanism and raising a lid. Once open, object(s) may be placed inside the compartment or retrieved from the compartment and the lid returned to a closed, latched position. While this provides adequate storage space for the vehicle operator&#39;s chosen items, selecting a desired object from among the several objects stored in the compartment can be challenging while operating the vehicle. Even with the use of covers to create levels within the compartment, objects tend to move about freely dependent upon their weight and the manner in which the vehicle is operated. In other words, even careful placement of an object in one position within the compartment or on a cover does not ensure that the object will remain in the same position such that the object could be easily retrieved. 
     While a front vehicle passenger can devote full attention to the retrieval of an object from the compartment, the lack of suitable subdivisions and movement and mixing of objects within the compartment can still make retrieval difficult. The same is true for a rear vehicle passenger. In fact, the retrieval of objects from the compartment is even more difficult for the rear vehicle passenger. With the compartment lid in an open or raised position, the rear passenger&#39;s view is at least partially obscured and access to the compartment is limited by the open lid. 
     More important than the struggles of the vehicle&#39;s front and rear passengers, however, are the struggles of the vehicle operator in attempting to retrieve an object from the compartment while operating the vehicle. In these instances, the vehicle operator is often required to divert their attention from all aspects of driving to look into the compartment to locate a desired object for retrieval. Diverting the vehicle operators&#39; attention even for a brief moment can result in a distracted driver which increases the danger to the distracted driver, other drivers on the road or highway, or nearby pedestrians. Even were the vehicle operator disciplined enough to keep their eyes on the road while attempting to retrieve an object from the compartment, they remain preoccupied with the task of finding and identifying the desired object while rummaging around within the compartment. Such rummaging action can also result in the vehicle operator damaging one or more objects stored in the compartment and/or being harmed by contact with a sharp or broken object. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a center console compartment that is capable of separating objects into separate subcompartments for easy retrieval. As the objects typically stored in the compartment do not generally vary from day to day, the size of the subcompartments could be chosen by the vehicle operator to accommodate those known objects. Ideally, changing the size of the subcompartments would be easily accomplished by the vehicle operator when the vehicle is not being operated. 
     To accommodate retrieval of the objects stored in the subcompartments, the subcompartments could be individually identified and the compartment could rotate to provide access to a selected subcompartment. Access to the object(s) within the selected subcompartment could be through an aperture created by opening of a compartment lid or door. In order to ensure access to the subcompartment by the vehicle operator and passengers in the front and rear seats, the compartment door could slide into a wall of the center console or compartment so as not to block a line of sight of any of the vehicle occupants. Even more, individually identifying the subcompartments could be done using the vehicle&#39;s infotainment system or similar system and rotating the compartment to provide access to a selected subcompartment can likewise be achieved in a hands-free manner using one or more of the vehicle&#39;s systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a center console for use in a vehicle is provided. The center console may be broadly described as including a cylindrical shell defining a compartment, a spindle extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical shell and coaxially positioned within the cylindrical shell for rotation therein, and at least one divider supported by the spindle for subdividing the compartment. 
     In another possible embodiment, the center console further includes a door forming a portion of the cylindrical shell. 
     In yet another possible embodiment, the cylindrical shell includes an inner wall and an outer wall together defining a slot for receiving the door when the door is moved from a closed position to an open position. 
     In still yet another possible embodiment, the cylindrical shell includes an inner wall and the at least one divider extends from the spindle to a position adjacent the inner wall to allow rotation of the at least one divider and the spindle within the cylindrical shell. In another, the at least one divider is removeably supported by the spindle. 
     In one other possible embodiment, the spindle includes at least one support having a first magnet positioned therein and the at least one divider has a second magnet associated with an tongue such that the first magnet and the second magnet cooperate to secure the at least one divider to the spindle within the at least one support. 
     In one additional possible embodiment, a vehicle having a center compartment disposed between a pair of front passenger seats includes a cylindrical shell defining the center compartment, a spindle extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical shell and coaxially positioned within the cylindrical shell for rotation therein, and at least one divider supported by the spindle for dividing the compartment into at least two subcompartments. 
     In another possible embodiment, the vehicle further includes a door providing access in an open position to the two or more subcompartments. In another, the door forms a portion of the cylindrical shell. 
     In yet another possible embodiment, the vehicle further includes an encoder associated with the spindle for determining a position of the spindle. 
     In still another possible embodiment, the vehicle further includes a visual indicator providing information to a vehicle operator concerning the accessibility of the two or more subcompartments based on the determined position of the spindle. In another, the visual indicator is a display. 
     In one additional possible embodiment, the vehicle further includes a switch for selecting one of the subcompartments for access and a motor for rotating the spindle to provide access to the one of the subcompartments through the door. In still another, the switch is mounted to a steering wheel. 
     In another possible embodiment, a method is provided of accessing one of a plurality of subcompartments of a compartment defined by a cylindrical shell having at least one divider supported by a spindle extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical shell and coaxially positioned within the cylindrical shell for rotation therein. The method may be broadly described as comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a name for each of the plurality of subcompartments; (b) sliding a door of the compartment to an open position revealing a subcompartment access aperture; (c) selecting by name one of the plurality of subcompartments for movement to a position accessible through the subcompartment access aperture; and (d) rotating the spindle and the plurality of subcompartments within the cylindrical shell to allow access through the subcompartment access aperture to the one of the plurality of subcompartments having the selected name. 
     In one possible embodiment, the establishing step includes the step of programming the name of each of the plurality of subcompartments into a center console control program. 
     In another possible embodiment, the programming step includes the steps of positioning each of the plurality of subcompartments adjacent the subcompartment access aperture, and assigning a name to each of the plurality of subcompartments when the plurality of subcompartments are positioned adjacent the subcompartment access aperture. 
     In yet another possible embodiment, the step of selecting a name of one of the plurality of subcompartments for movement includes the step of speaking the name. In still another, the step of selecting a name of one of the plurality of subcompartments for movement includes the step of navigating within a listing of names of the plurality of subcompartments to a name of a subcompartment for which access is desired. 
     In still yet another possible embodiment, the rotating step includes actuating a motor for rotating the spindle and the plurality of subcompartments to allow access to the one of the plurality of subcompartments having the selected name through the subcompartment access aperture. 
     In the following description, there are shown and described several embodiments of a center console for use in a vehicle. As it should be realized, the invention is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the assemblies as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the vehicle having a center console or compartment disposed between a pair of front passenger seats and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a passenger compartment of a vehicle having driver and passenger seats and a center console positioned therebetween; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a cylindrical shell defining a compartment of the center console; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cylindrical shell partially cutaway to reveal a spindle and dividers used to form subcompartments within the compartment; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section view of the cylindrical shell; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross section view of a support shown receiving a divider and one possible placement of magnets for removeably supporting the divider; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the spindle and a plurality of supports and a divider being removed from one of the supports; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an exemplary center console controller including a components used to program names of the subcompartments, select a desired subcompartment for access, and rotate the desired subcompartment to an accessible position within the cylindrical shell; 
         FIG. 8  is a front plan view of a display showing a listing of names of subcompartments; and 
         FIG. 9  is a front plan view of a display showing a Name Subcompartment Section of a central console control program used to name subcompartments of the center console. 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the vehicle having a center compartment disposed between a pair of front passenger seats, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures, wherein like numerals are used to represent like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1  which illustrates a portion of a vehicle  10  including a front row of seats  12 . The front row of seats  12  includes a driver seat  14 , a passenger seat  16 , and a center console  18 . The center console  18  is positioned between the driver seat  14  and the passenger seat  16  and includes a cylindrical shell  20  defining a compartment  22  therein for storing objects. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cylindrical shell  20  includes a first end  24  and a second end  26 . In the described embodiment, a portion of the cylindrical shell  20  is formed by a door  28  having a handle  30  for opening the door to provide access to the compartment  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a spindle  32 , or rod, extends between the first end  24  and the second end  26  of the cylindrical shell  20 . The spindle  32  is positioned coaxially with the cylindrical shell  20  for rotation therein. While the compartment  22  is subdivided into four subcompartments  36  utilizing four dividers  34  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the described embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  includes three dividers  34  supported by the spindle  32  that subdivide the compartment  22  into three separate subcompartments  36 . Although three dividers  34  and three subcompartments  36  are shown in the described embodiment, any number of dividers may be utilized to subdivide the compartment  22  into subcompartments. The compartment  22  may be divided by a single divider, for example, into two subcompartments, by six dividers into six subcompartments. Even more, the spacing of the dividers may be such that the subcompartments are divided into subcompartments of varying sizes. Hereafter, subcompartments will generally be referred to by reference numeral  36 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 4 , the cylindrical shell  20  includes an inner wall  38  and an outer wall  40  which define a slot  42  therebetween. In the described embodiment, the slot  42  is sufficiently wide and positioned to receive the door  28  when the door is moved or slid from a closed position, as shown, to an open position. In another embodiment, the inner wall  38  and outer wall  40  could define a second slot on an opposite side of the door  28  allowing the door to be opened in an opposite direction, or the door could be hinged and open outwardly. 
     The described spindle  32  includes a plurality of supports  44  positioned an equidistance apart around the spindle to support the dividers  34 . In other embodiments, the number of supports  44  and positioning of the supports around the spindle  32  may vary to create different sized subcompartments as discussed above. Each support  44  in the described embodiment, however, includes a generally U-shaped cross section defining a slot  48  or groove as shown in  FIG. 5 . The slot  48  is designed to receive a tongue  50  of a divider  34  and secure the divider to the spindle  32 . A first magnet  52  is positioned within the slot  48  and a second magnet  54  is associated with the tongue  50  of the divider  34 . The first and second magnets  52 ,  54  are positioned such that opposite poles are facing one another to provide an attractive force therebetween. 
     In the described embodiment, the support  44  and the divider  34  are each associated with three magnets. The magnets are shown positioned within the divider  34  and the support  44 , however, the magnets may be associated with the divider and the support in any manner. For example, the support magnets  52  may be positioned below a surface of the support  44  allowing the divider magnets  54  to enter the support before contacting the support magnets. 
     In addition to magnets, the dividers  34  may be removeably supported by the spindle  32  in other manners including, for example, hook and loop fasteners and various mechanical mechanisms releasably securing the dividers in position. In still other embodiments, the number of subcompartments may be fixed allowing the dividers to be permanently attached to or supported by the spindle. In such an arrangement, the spindle and dividers could be integrally formed. 
     Even more, the size and strength of the magnets may vary so long as the magnets are sufficient to secure the divider in position within the slot while allowing a vehicle operator to separate the divider  34  from the spindle  32  in the event the vehicle operator desires to change the number and/or size of the subcompartments of the compartment. In operation, the divider  34  is simply lowered into the slot  48  of the spindle  32 , as shown by action arrow A in  FIG. 5 , allowing the attraction of the magnets to secure the divider in position. Removal of the divider  34  is similarly accomplished by a vehicle operator (V) pulling on the divider with a force that is sufficient to overcome the attractive force of the magnets as shown by action arrow B in  FIG. 6 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 7  which illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary central console control system. As shown, a control module  60  includes a memory  62  wherein a central console control program  64  is stored. The control module  60  continuously monitors a user interface  66  for receiving instruction from a vehicle operator. An encoder  68  associated with a motor  70  for rotating the spindle  32  provides information concerning a position of the spindle and subcompartments  36  to the control module  60 , and a visual indicator  72  provides information to the vehicle operator concerning the subcompartments and their accessibility. Although the noted components are shown directly connected, each of the components may provide signals and/or information through one or more control modules utilizing an internal communications network that interconnects components inside the vehicle (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) or local interconnect network (LIN) as is known in the art. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the motor  70  may be associated with the spindle  32  to rotate the spindle and subcompartments  36  so that a desired subcompartment is positioned for access by the vehicle operator when the door  28  is in the open position. In the described embodiment, the motor  70  includes the encoder  68  to monitor a position of the spindle  32  and provide this information to the control module  60 . In this manner, the spindle  32  can be controllably rotated to a desired position to provide access to a desired subcompartment  36 . Other electronic devices may be utilized to determine the position of the spindle including, for example, a potentiometer, and the encoder or other electronic devices may be separate from the motor  70 , as is known in the art. 
     In the described embodiment, the visual indicator  72  is a display. The display  72  could be a central console or navigation screen, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a heads up display (not shown), or more simply an indicator within a cluster panel of the instrument panel whether digital or analog. The vehicle operator can look at the display  72  showing a listing of names  80  of the various subcompartments  36  and use the user interface  66  to step through the listing of names until a desired name of a subcompartment is selected. 
     In the described embodiment, the user interface  66  is a switch mounted on a steering wheel  80  as is known in the art. More specifically, the switch  66  includes an “UP” button  82  and a “DOWN” button  84  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the vehicle operator can look at the display  72  showing the listing of names  80  and use the “UP” button  82  and the “DOWN” button  84  to navigate or step through the listing of names  80  until a desired subcompartment name (e.g., “SUNGLASSES”) is selected. The selected subcompartment name is highlighted, as shown, to simplify the task for the vehicle operator. Once selected, the control module  60  communicates the selected subcompartment  36  to the motor  70  which rotates the spindle  32  accordingly to allow access to the selected subcompartment through the door  28 . Selection may occur by positioning the desired subcompartment name within a highlighted area  81  of the display  72  or a separate push button (not shown) may be utilized to confirm the selection. 
     In operation, the vehicle operator must first establish a desired number of subcompartments  36  and position one or more dividers  34  accordingly. The dividers  34  may be spaced an equidistance apart creating uniformly sized subcompartments  36  or otherwise creating subcompartments of varying sizes. Once the dividers  34  are positioned, a name for each of the subcompartments  36  is established. 
     In the described embodiment, subcompartment names are established by programming a name for each of the subcompartments  36  into the central console control program  64 . This includes positioning a subcompartment  36  adjacent a subcompartment access aperture created when the door  28  is opened. Once the subcompartment  36  is positioned, a name is assigned to the subcompartment. 
     In the described embodiment, the name is assigned using a configuration panel  82  of the display  72 . As is known in the art, the configuration panel  82  and display  72  may be part of a vehicle infotainment system. The vehicle operator opens the configuration panel  82 , activates a “Name Subcompartment Section” option, and enters the name of the subcompartment  36 . In the described embodiment, the name is entered using an electronic keyboard  84  displayed on the configuration panel  82  and display  72 . In alternate embodiments, the listing of names  80  may simply include selectable numeric or alphanumeric names. Even more, the subcompartments  36  may be pre-named. The name of the subcompartment  36  and a position of the spindle  32  are stored in memory  62  for later reference by the central control console program  64 . These steps are repeated until the subcompartments  36  are named and their respective positions associated with the name and stored. This may include one or more of the subcompartments  36 . 
     As described above, the vehicle operator can look at the display  72  showing the listing of names  80  of the various subcompartments  36  and use the user interface  66  to step through the listing until a desired subcompartment is selected. In the described embodiment, the name of the subcompartment presently accessible through the door  28  is shown and the names of subcompartments immediately to the left and to the right are also shown above and below the name of the accessible subcompartment. In this manner, the vehicle operator can easily determine which subcompartment  36  is accessible and the names of adjacent subcompartments. Once the name of the subcompartment is selected, the motor  70  is actuated to rotate the spindle  32  and the subcompartments  36  to allow the desired access to the named subcompartment. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the vehicle operator could use voice commands to select the subcompartment  36  by simply speaking the name of the subcompartment. In this embodiment, a speaker (not shown) mounted in the passenger compartment receives the spoken command and instructs the control module  60  to rotate the motor  70  such that the desired subcompartment  36  is accessible when the door  28  is open. 
     In summary, numerous benefits result from the utilization of a rotatable center console compartment of a vehicle  10  as illustrated in this document. The center console allows for separating objects into separate subcompartments for easy retrieval. To accommodate retrieval of the objects stored in the subcompartments, the subcompartments are individually identified and the compartment rotates to provide access to a selected subcompartment. Even more, individually identifying the subcompartments is accomplished using the vehicle&#39;s infotainment or similar system and rotating the compartment to provide access to a selected subcompartment is likewise achieved in a hands-free manner using one or more of the vehicle&#39;s systems. 
     The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the number and size of subcompartments may be predetermined and names programmed for each subcompartment (e.g., “Phone,” “Money,” and “Sunglasses”). In such an embodiment, the user would simply select the name of the subcompartment for which access is desired from the listing of names. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.