Abstract:
A console and method of installing a console for a motor vehicle or the like including a passenger cabin. The console includes an accessory module for use by occupants of the vehicle and has a housing with fasteners adapted to mount the console within the vehicle cabin. A chamber having an open side is formed in the console and receives an accessory module. At least a portion of the housing comprises an expanded polymeric material, preferably expended polypropylene, to provide a soft surface within the vehicle cabin. A decorative skin covers a surface of the housing that confronts the vehicle cabin in another embodiment

Description:
STATEMENT OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/052,454, filed on Jul. 14, 1997. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a vehicle console and, more particularly, to a motor vehicle console made from soft molded material with an in-molded support structure, decorative outer skin, and fasteners. In another aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle console formed of a soft material and having interchangeable accessory modules. In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for installing such consoles in a vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Overhead consoles have increasingly become a standard feature in automobiles and other motor vehicles. These consoles contain a variety of vehicle accessories such as reading lamps, courtesy lamps, storage compartments, and various electronic gadgetry such as compasses, temperature displays, and clocks. The consoles are typically molded from a relatively hard, structural plastic which during a crash undesirably can become a hard, unyielding impact surface for a portion of an occupant&#39;s body, especially the head. It is desirable to reduce the hardness of the console without sacrificing the required structural integrity provided by the current consoles. 
     It is desirable to increase the productivity and efficiency with which these consoles are manufactured and installed into roof structures. Hence, pre-assembled consoles have become increasingly popular. However, these assemblies have utilized various fastening methods to attach the console to the roof structure. For example, the utilization of conventional fasteners such as bolts or multiple fastening screws for attaching overhead consoles to the vehicle within the vehicle interior slow the speed of the installation processes. Also, with many upholstered consoles, the utilization of fastening devices such as screws that are rapidly inserted and tightened sometimes damages the upholstery when the fastening tool slips from the fastener. Using “Christmas tree”-type fasteners that are inserted and retained at their anchoring end in holes formed in the substrate has facilitated console installation over the prior fastening techniques. However, further reduction of manufacturing speed could be attained if the fasteners were integrally joined with the substrate in the molding process rather than later attached thereto. 
     In addition, the application of decorative fabric or vinyl skin to the console is performed in a separate step after the console is molded. This extra step adds to the manufacturing time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, a console for a motor vehicle or the like having a passenger cabin includes an accessory module for use by occupants of the vehicle as well as a housing having fasteners adapted to mount the console within the vehicle cabin and walls forming at least one chamber having an open side. At least one accessory module is mounted within the chamber for use by occupants of the vehicle and is further accessible through the open side. A portion of the housing comprises an expanded polymeric material to provide a soft surface within the vehicle cabin. In a preferred embodiment, the entire housing is molded from the expanded polymeric material; most preferably, the expanded polymeric material is polypropylene. 
     Preferably, the console is an overhead console. Alternatively, the vehicle can include seats spaced laterally from one another and the console is mounted between the seats. The fasteners are preferably in-molded to the housing. A decorative skin covers a surface of the housing that confronts the vehicle cabin. Preferably, the decorative skin is in-molded to the housing. 
     The housing can further include a support frame of structural material and the accessory module is mounted to the support frame. Preferably, the support frame is in-molded to the housing. 
     The housing can have two or more chambers, each of the chambers having at least one accessory module mounted therein. The accessory module can include several different accessory modules of a common foot print, each of the different accessory modules being interchangeably mounted within the at least one chamber of the housing. The accessory modules are preferably selected from a group including reading lamps, courtesy lamps, storage compartments, compasses, temperature displays, and clocks. Preferably, the support frame has slots and each accessory module has resilient fasteners that snap-fit into the slots. 
     Another embodiment includes a housing having at least one retainer of structural material, wherein the accessory module is mounted to the retainer. Preferably the at least one retainer is mounted in the chamber. Alternatively, the at least one retainer is two or more retainers mounted in the chamber, and each retainer mounts at least one accessory module. Or, the retainer is in-molded in the expanded polymeric material. In either form of mounting, one variation includes the at least one accessory module being several different accessory modules of a common footprint, each of the different accessory modules being interchangeably mounted within the at least one retainer of the housing. Another variation is the at least one retainer being two or more retainers mounted in the chamber, and each retainer mounts at least one accessory module. 
     Further according to the invention, a method for installing a console in a motor vehicle or the like including a passenger cabin, wherein the console includes accessory modules for use by occupants of the vehicle, includes steps of molding a housing of an expanded polymeric material to provide a soft surface within the passenger cabin; forming walls defining at least one chamber in the housing, wherein the chamber includes an open side; mounting at least one accessory module within the at least one chamber and through the open side; and fastening the console to the vehicle within the passenger cabin. Preferably, the housing is molded from expanded polymeric material, such as polypropylene. Preferably, the vehicle includes a headliner and the fastening step includes fastening the console to the headliner. Alternatively, the vehicle can include seats spaced laterally from one another and the fastening step includes fastening the console between the seats. 
     The molding step can further include the in-molding of a decorative skin to a surface of the housing that confronts the vehicle cabin. The housing preferably includes fasteners for fastening the console to the vehicle and the molding step further includes in-molding the fasteners to the housing. The housing can also include a support frame of structural material and the mounting step includes mounting the accessory module to the support frame. Preferably, the molding step further includes in-molding the support frame in the housing. 
     In another step, the support frame has slots, the accessory module has resilient fasteners, and the mounting step further includes snap-fitting the resilient fasteners into the slots. The accessory module can include several different accessory modules of a common foot print, and the mounting step further includes interchangeably mounting each of the different accessory modules within the at least one chamber of the housing. 
    
    
     These and other features, advantages, and objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side-elevational, cross-sectional view of an overhead console assembly according to the invention mounted to the roof structure of a vehicle showing two accessory chambers with support frames; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom partially exploded perspective view of the overhead console assembly, headliner, support frame and accessory bin; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a second embodiment according to the invention and illustrating a separate accessory bin and bin retainer mounting the accessory bin to the console; 
     FIG. 4 is a third embodiment according to the invention illustrating multiple accessory bins in combination with a bin retainer mounting multiple accessory bins to the console; 
     FIG. 5 is a fourth embodiment according to the invention and illustrating multiple bin retainers for mounting accessory bins to the console; and 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the snap-fit connection between the bin retainer and the accessory bin. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the overhead console assembly  10  is shown with various electrical and other mechanical components not illustrated so that the mounting structure can be more clearly shown. In FIG. 1, the overhead console assembly  10  according to the invention is shown attached to the roof structure  12  of a vehicle that includes the exterior vehicle roof panel  14  and mounting bracket  16 . The overhead console assembly  10 , which is generally concave to conform to the slope of the roof structure  12 , comprises an inmolded support frame  20 , fasteners  22 , a decorative covering or skin  26 , and accessory chambers  30  all integrally molded with a console body  18 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the fasteners  22  are “Christmas tree”-type or similar fasteners. Preferably, while not shown, the fastener is the mounting clip described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,375 to Adams et al. 
     The console body  18  is a molded article constructed by either blending a pressure sensitive blowing agent with a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene, and injecting the mixture into a mold cavity under heat and pressure, or by injecting pressurized expanded polyolefin particles (EPP) into the mold and expanding the EPP in the mold under heat and pressure. The injected mixture expands to fill the mold cavity and adheres to the skin  26  of decorative material, such as fabric or vinyl, that is predisposed in the mold cavity in a manner so as to cover the lower surface  28  of the console body  18 . The expanded polypropylene surrounds the support frame  20 , which contains the receptors for the fasteners  22 . Accessory chambers  30  of various shapes and sizes can be molded into the console body  18  as desired. Alternatively, the console assembly  10  according to the invention can be formed from expanded polypropylene beads that are charged into a mold cavity and heated to expand and fuse together. These molding techniques are well known in the molding art. 
     Each fastener  22  is preferably made of rigid plastic and generally comprises a circular base portion  32  at the anchoring end  24 , a cylindrical trunk  34 , and a series of directional teeth or conical barbs  36  integrally formed on the cylindrical trunk  34 . Each fastener  22  is incorporated in the console body  18  during the molding process such that the base portion  32  and part of the cylindrical trunk  34  are embedded within the console body  18  and the barbs  36  are above an upper surface  38  of the console body  18 . The portion of each fastener  22  not embedded in the console body  18  is pushed through a corresponding hole  40  in the U-shaped portion  42  of the mounting bracket  16  to mount the console body  18  to the roof structure  12 . The mounting brackets  16  have a straight portion  44  in addition to the U-shaped portion  42 . The upper surface  46  of the straight portion  44  of mounting bracket  16  is mounted to the lower surface  48  of the roof panel  14 . The roof mounting brackets can be cantilevered or X-beams as well. FIG. 1 shows two fasteners  22  and two mounting brackets; however, the invention is not so limited and may include as many mounting brackets and fasteners of different types as desired to securely mount the overhead console assembly  10  to the roof structure  12 . 
     Once mounted, the overhead console assembly  10  abuts the headliner  94  in a manner such that the skin  26  at the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  meets the headliner  94  in a substantially streamlined fashion with negligible gaps. The fasteners  22  can be two-piece fasteners of the type that are currently use in conventional door panels. When the console assembly  10  is serviced, for example when the bins are removed for service, one part of the fastener  22  can be removed with the bin and another part remains with the frame  20 . Alternatively, an integral fastener can be employed and the entire fastener can be removed upon servicing the console bins. 
     Accessory chambers  30  are formed during the molding process to conform in size and shape to the desired accessories modules to be disposed therein. Each accessory chamber  30  has an opening adapted to receive accessory modules. Preferably, the accessory modules have a common footprint, whereby they can be interchangeably mounted in the same accessory chamber  30 . For example, a trip computer chamber  50  with a trip computer lens  64  disposed therein is located in the forward portion of the console assembly; a snap-in storage bin  96  with a door  86  is located in the middle portion of the console assembly; and a snap-in map lamp chamber  98  with a lens  88  is shown in the rear portion of the console assembly  10 . Each or all of those aforementioned accessory modules are preferably interchangeably replaceable with a variety of vehicle accessories such as reading lamps, courtesy lamps, storage compartments, and various electronic vehicle gadgetry such as compasses, temperature displays, and clocks. Each accessory chamber  30  generally includes a pair of generally parallel sidewalls  52  connecting a forward wall  54  to a rear wall  56 . An upper wall  58  closes the chamber  30  at an upper end thereof, and an opening is located at the lower surface  28  of the console body  18 . 
     A support frame  20  preferably made of metal or rigid plastic is embedded into the console body  18  during the molding process to mount the accessories mounted within the chambers  30  through a snap fit attachment. The support frame  20  abuts the upper wall  58  of the accessory chamber  30  and is embedded in the console body  18  traversing the sidewalls  52 , forward walls  54 , and rear walls  56  of all accessory chambers  30 . If desirable for injection molding purposes, apertures  60  are formed within the support frame  20  for the passage of injected polymer. Alternatively, individual support frame modules for each accessory chamber  30  can be used, in which case each support frame would likewise abut the upper wall and be embedded in the side walls  52  and forward walls  54 ,  58  of each accessory chamber  30 , but would not require apertures  60  for injection molding. The support frames can be in the form of a plate or spaced rails. 
     The support frames  20  are illustrated in the upper wall  58  of the console for purposes of illustration. The support frames  20  can, however, also be in-molded into the sidewalls  52 , the forward walls  54  and/or rear walls  56 . The support frames  20  can provide sockets for snap fit attachment of various accessory bins. 
     With particular reference now to FIG. 2, an accessory bin  62  is installed through the opening and into the accessory chamber  30 . The accessory bin  62 , which is molded from polypropylene or an equivalent moldable material such as any of the various known plastics, serves as a closure to the opening of the accessory chamber  30  and as a customized housing for a modular vehicle accessory component (not shown). Generally, the support frame includes a pair of sidewalls  66  connecting a forward wall  68  to a rear wall  70 , and a decorative bezel  72  at one end, and a plurality of integral resilient fasteners  74  at the other end. The resilient fasteners  74  extend upwardly and outwardly from the accessory bin  62 , preferably at the four corners formed by the conjunction of the walls  66 ,  68 ,  70 . The resilient fasteners  74  are received within mating slots  80 , which are formed in the support frame  20  and molded in the console body  18 . The mating slots  80  pass from the interior of the accessory chamber  30  and extend through the support frame  20  and the upper surface  38  of the console body  18 . Each resilient fastener  74  has an inner surface  76  that forms an undercut shoulder  78 . The inner surfaces  76  of the resilient fasteners  74  rest against the inner straight edge  82  of the support frame  20  when the accessory bin  62  is forced into the accessory chamber  30  and the undercut shoulders  78  snap over the edges of the mating slots  80 . 
     Once snapped into the mating slots  80 , the resilient fasteners  74   s  are resistant to separation and thereby keep the accessory bin  62  securely within the accessory chamber  30 . The resilient fasteners  74  can be removed from the mating slots  80  through access slots (not shown) in the ceiling of insert  62  by relieving the resilient fasteners  74  from engagement with the slots  80 . When the accessory bin  62  is snapped into the chamber  30 , the forward wall  68  of the accessory bin  62  abuts the forward wall  54  of the accessory chamber  30 ; the rear wall  70  of the accessory bin  62  abuts the rear wall  56 ; and the side walls  66  of the accessory bin  62  abut the side walls  52  of the accessory chamber  30 . 
     The decorative bezel  72  of the accessory bin  62  substantially conforms to the curvature of the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  and includes an aperture  84  in register with the opening of the accessory chamber  30 . The decorative bezel  72  is slightly larger than the opening in which the accessory bin  62  fits. As shown in FIG. 1, the bezel  72  fits into a recess  90  molded into the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  such that the bezel outer surface  92  is flush with the skin  26  at the lower surface  28 . The bezel  72  frames the aperture  84  and the door  86 , the lens  88  or any component control switches (not shown) disposed therein. 
     With particular reference now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment is illustrated. A bin retainer  100  releasably mounts an accessory bin  110  through the opening and into the accessory chamber  30 . The bin retainer  100  is mounted within the accessory chamber, and then interchangeably mounts a variety of accessory modules in accessory bins  62 . Generally, the bin retainer  100 , includes a pair of side walls  106  connecting a forward wall  108  to a rear wall  104 , and a surrounding ledge  102  at one end. The accessory bin  110 , which is molded from polypropylene or an equivalent moldable material such as any of the various known plastics, mounts to the retainer  100  and serves as a closure to the opening of the accessory chamber  30  and as a customized housing for a modular vehicle accessory component (not shown). 
     Generally, the accessory bin  110 , like the accessory bin  62 , includes a pair of side walls  66  connecting a forward wall  68  to a rear wall  70 , and a decorative bezel  72  at one end. The description of the accessory bin  62  is hereby incorporated to describe the accessory bin  110 , with a couple notable distinctions. First, the accessory bin  110  includes snap receptacles  120  in at least two of the walls  66 ,  68 ,  70 . The receptacles  112  are shown in walls  68 , 70 . Second, the accessory bin  110  does not include resilient fasteners  74 . 
     In a first embodiment, the bin retainer  100  includes a plurality of integral resilient fasteners  74  on its bottom wall, as illustrated in FIG. 2 for the accessory bin  62 . This embodiment is not illustrated in the figures, but is simply the description of the resilient fasteners  74  for the accessory bin  62  applied to the retainer  100 . Thus, the resilient fasteners  74  extend upwardly and outwardly from the retainer  100 , preferably at the four corners formed by the conjunction of the walls  104 ,  106 ,  108 . Just as for the resilient fasteners  74  depending from the accessory bin  62 , the resilient fasteners  74  depending from the retainer  100  are received within mating slots  80 , which are formed in the support frame  20  and molded in the console body  18 . The above description of the operation of the resilient fasteners  74  for the accessory bin  62  is incorporated herein for the operation of the resilient fasteners  74  for the bin retainer  100 . 
     The bin retainer  100  further includes bin snaps  130 , preferably formed integral with the opposed walls  104 ,  108 . Each bin snap  130  has an inner surface  132  that forms an undercut shoulder  134 . The inner surfaces  132  rest against an inner straight edge  122  of the snap receptacles  120  when the accessory bin  110  is forced into the bin retainer  100  and the undercut shoulders  134  snap over the edges  122  of the snap receptacles  120 . The reception of the snap retainers  130  in the snap receptacles is best shown in FIG.  6 . Once snapped into the snap receptacles  120 , the bin snaps  130  are resistant to separation and thereby keep the accessory bin  110  securely within bin retainer  100 , and within the accessory chamber  30 . The bin snaps  130  can be removed from the snap receptacles  120  through access slots (not shown) in the ceiling of bin  110  by relieving the bin snaps  130  from engagement with the snap receptacles  120 . 
     When the accessory bin  110  is snapped into the bin retainer  100 , which is releasably mounted in the accessory chamber  30 , the forward wall  68  of the accessory bin  110  abuts the forward wall  54  of the accessory chamber  30 ; the rear wall  70  of the accessory bin  110  abuts the rear wall  56 ; and the side walls  66  of the accessory bin  110  abut the side walls  52  of the accessory chamber  30 . The decorative bezel  72  of the accessory bin  110  substantially conforms to the curvature of the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  and includes an aperture  84  in register with the opening of the accessory chamber  30 . The decorative bezel  72  is slightly larger than the opening in which the accessory bin  110  fits. As shown in FIG. 1, the bezel  72  fits into a recess  90  molded into the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  such that the bezel outer surface  92  is flush with the skin  26  at the lower surface  28 . The bezel  72  frames the aperture  84  and the door  86 , the lens  88  or any component control switches (not shown) disposed therein. 
     In an alternative embodiment (not shown), a bin retainer is formed integral with the console body  18 . Preferably, the bin retainer is in-molded to the side walls  52 , the forward walls  54  and/or rear walls  56  of the console body  18 . Structurally, the bin retainer according to this embodiment is similar to the bin retainer  100 , except that it does not include the resilient fasteners  74 . Then, as before, the retainer  100  releasably mounts accessory bin  110  through the opening and into the accessory chamber  30  and interchangeably mounts a variety of accessory modules in accessory bins  62 . 
     In a further embodiment (not shown), a bin retainer is fastened to the headliner or other structure of a motor vehicle, as opposed to the console body  18 , whereby the bin retainer is independently mounted. In one form, this embodiment is essentially the bin retainer  100  wherein the resilient fasteners mount the bin retainer to the vehicle as opposed to the console body  18 . In another form, the bin retainer includes a different fastening system, such as conventional “Christmas tree”-type fasteners or, preferably, mounting clips as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,375 to Adams et al. 
     In yet another embodiment, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, a bin retainer  200  mounts one or more accessory bins  110  of differing sizes. Thus, not only are the accessory bins  110  interchangeably mounted to provide greater flexibility in component choice, this embodiment includes a bin retainer  200  adapted to mount one, two, or more accessory bins  110 , whereby greater flexibility in mounting order, component size, and consumer preference is provided. The bin retainer  200 , as shown, includes two sets of bin snaps  130 , preferably formed integral with the opposed side walls  106 . Of course, three or more sets of bin snaps  130  can be formed in the walls  104 ,  106 ,  108  of the retainer  200 . As described above, each bin snap  130  has an inner surface  132  that forms an undercut shoulder  134 . The inner surfaces  132  rest against an inner straight edge  122  of the snap receptacles  120  when the accessory bins  110  are forced into the bin retainer  200  and the undercut shoulders  134  snap over the edges  122  of the snap receptacles  120 . The reception of the snap retainers  130  in the snap receptacles is best shown in FIG.  6 . Once snapped into the snap receptacles  120 , the bin snaps  130  are resistant to separation and thereby keep the accessory bins  110  securely within bin retainer  200 , and within the accessory chamber  30 . The bin snaps  130  can be removed from the snap receptacles  120  through access slots (not shown) in the ceiling of bin  110  by relieving the bin snaps  130  from engagement with the snap receptacles  120 . 
     This latter embodiment can be further varied by the aforementioned bin retainer embodiments wherein: (1) the bin retainer is formed integral with the console body  18 ; and (2) the bin retainer is fastened to the headliner or other structure of a motor vehicle, as opposed to the console body  18 . If formed integral, the bin retainer  200  is preferably in-molded to the side walls  52 , the forward walls  54  and/or rear walls  56  of the console body  18 . If mounted independently of the console body  18 , the bin retainer  200  preferably includes a conventional fastening system to mount the bin retainer  200  to the vehicle, as discussed briefly above. 
     Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5, which includes bin retainers  300  fastened to one another. In this embodiment, the accessory chamber  30  includes an opening adapted to receive multiple bin retainers  300 . The bin retainer  100  is mounted within the accessory chamber  30 , and then interchangeably mounts, in differing combinations, a variety of accessory modules in accessory bins  300 . The bin retainers  300 , which are structurally similar to the bin retainers  100 , generally include a pair of side walls  306  connecting a forward wall  308  to a rear wall  304 , and a surrounding ledge  302  at one end. In distinction to the prior embodiments, mated edges of the ledge  302  form a lap joint  310 . On one side of the bin retainer  300 , an edge  312  of the ledge  302  is generally planar and includes a pair of upstanding snap retainers  320  disposed at opposite corners of the edge  312 . The opposite edge  314  of the ledge  302  includes a depending flange  316  extending from the edge  314  in a plane parallel to the ledge  302 . The flange  316  includes a pair of apertures  322  disposed at opposite corners adjacent the edge  314 . Adjacent bin retainers  300  are joined to one another by overlaying the flange  316  of edge  314  on the edge  312  and axially aligning the snap retainers  320  and the apertures  322 . The flange  316  is urged downwardly to meet the edge  312  and force the aperture  322  over the snap retainer  320 , whereby the snap retainer  320  will secure the adjacent bin retainers  300  to one another. The bins  300  can be released from one another by squeezing the halves of the bisected head of the snap retainer  320  toward one another and removing it from the aperture  322 . 
     This latter embodiment can be further varied by the aforementioned bin retainer embodiments wherein: (1) one of the bin retainers is formed integral with the console body  18  and another, or several others, are removably fastened to the retainer formed integral with the console body; (2) the bin retainers are fastened to the headliner or other structure of a motor vehicle, as opposed to the console body  18 ; and (3) each bin retainer mounts one or more accessory bins of differing sizes. If formed integral, one bin retainer  300  is preferably in-molded to the side walls  52 , the forward walls  54  and/or rear walls  56  of the console body  18 . If mounted independently of the console body  18 , the bin retainers  300  preferably include a conventional fastening system to mount the bin retainers  300  to the vehicle, as discussed briefly above. If each bin retainer  300  interchangeably mounts one or more accessory bins  110 , even greater flexibility is provided in component choice because the number of bin retainers  300  themselves can be varied as well. Thus, two or more bin retainers  300  can mount one, two, or more accessory bins each, whereby even greater flexibility in mounting order, component size, and consumer preference is provided. 
     The resulting console assembly  10  with in-molded fasteners  22 , in-molded support frame(s)  20 , in-molded decorative fabric  26 , in-molded bin retainers, and molded accessory chambers  30  is essentially pre-assembled and may be readily secured to the roof of the vehicle interior by simply snapping the fasteners  22  into mounting brackets  16 . Various vehicle accessories can be inserted into the molded chambers  30  and securely mounted to the support frame  20 . The invention thus provides flexibility in console manufacture in that a single module can be used for many different types of consoles with a wide variety of accessories. Further, the structure for fastening the bins to the retainers and the retainers to the vehicle can be varied to provide even greater flexibility in mounting order, number of components, component size, and consumer preference. Furthermore, the decorative upholstery attached to the lower surface  28  of the console body  18  by the expanded polypropylene molding process eliminates an additional step previously required for application of fabric onto the console body. These improvements eliminate the need for fastening tools, reduce injury to the surface of the console, and increase the speed of assembly and installation. In addition, the expanded polypropylene makes for a lightweight assembly with enhanced safety features, such as good head-impact qualities and energy absorption. 
     Whereas the invention has been described with reference to an overhead console for an automobile, the invention is equally applicable to and includes console adapted to mount between seats of an automobile. 
     Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the spirit of the foregoing specification and drawings without departing from the scope of the invention.