Vechicle storage compartment along a top surface of a door interior panel

Inventors: Minseok Jeon (Gimpo-si, KR); Hyunsoo Lim (Bucheon-si, KR); Jinki Hwang (Incheon, KR)

Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

B60R7/046 B60R2011/0021

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12686339
App. No.: 18/587,891
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Disclosed is a product that may include a vehicle door interior panel having lower portion having a front surface, opposite rear surface, bottom surface and a top surface, a storage compartment having a lid hinged to the at least one wall, wherein the lid forms a portion of the top surface of the bottom portion of the interior panel.

Claims (25)

1 . A product comprising:

a vehicle door interior panel having lower portion having a front surface, opposite rear surface, bottom surface and a top surface, a storage compartment having a lid hinged to at least one wall, wherein the lid forms a portion of the top surface of the lower portion of the vehicle door interior panel, the top surface of the lower portion defining a window opening, the at least one wall comprises an outer wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and an inner wall each extending from a bottom wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are each fixed to the front wall and the rear wall, and wherein each of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, the inner wall and the bottom wall are solid and do not have a through hole formed therein.

2 . The product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lid includes a lower edge, a first end edge and an opposite second end edge joining the lower edge and a top edge, wherein the lid is hinged to the front wall.

3 . The product as set forth in claim 2 wherein the outer wall has a first upper edge, the rear wall having a second upper edge, the inner wall having a third upper edge, and the front wall having a fourth upper edge.

4 . The product as set forth in claim 3 wherein the lid in a closed position engages at least one of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, or the inner wall.

5 . The product as set forth in claim 3 wherein the lid is hinged to one of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, or the inner wall.

6 . The product as set forth in claim 5 wherein the lid is hinged to one of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, or the inner wall by a metal hinge or a flexible hinge comprising a polymeric material or fabric.

7 . The product as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a zipper having a first row of teeth connected to the lid and a second row of teeth connected to the at least one wall, and a slide for drawing the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth together to close the storage compartment or to separate the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth to open the storage compartment and allow the lid to be moved to an open position.

8 . The product as set forth in claim 3 wherein the lid, the bottom wall, and at least one of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, or the inner wall comprises an inflexible material.

9 . The product as set forth in claim 8 wherein the inflexible material comprises a polymeric material, composite, or metal.

10 . The product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a fabric, natural leather, synthetic leather, or polymeric material covering an outer surface of the lid.

11 . The product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the storage compartment is located along the top surface closer to the front surface than the opposite rear surface of the vehicle door interior panel.

12 . The product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle having a dashboard and wherein the storage compartment is located along the top surface near the dashboard.

13 . The product as set forth in claim 12 wherein interior panel includes an interior face facing a driver seat or passenger seat, and wherein the interior face includes a portion curved toward the dashboard, and wherein at least a portion of the storage compartment is located behind the portion curved toward the dashboard of the interior face of the interior panel.

14 . The product is set forth in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle having an A-pillar and wherein the storage compartment is located along the top surface on the vehicle door interior panel near the A-pillar.

15 . A product comprising:

a vehicle having a pair of spaced a part A-pillars and a dashboard extending therebetween;

wherein the storage compartment is located along the top surface of the vehicle door interior panel closest to the dashboard and one of spaced apart A-pillars, the at least one wall comprises an outer wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and an inner wall each extending from a bottom wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are each fixed to the front wall and the rear wall, and wherein each of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, the inner wall and the bottom wall are solid and do not have a through hole formed therein.

16 . The product as set forth in claim 15 wherein the lid is hinged to the rear wall.

17 . The product as set forth in claim 16 wherein the lid is hinged to one of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, or the inner wall by a metal hinge or a flexible hinge comprising a polymeric material or fabric.

18 . The product is set forth in claim 17 further comprising a zipper having a first row of teeth connected to the lid and a second row of teeth connected to the at least one wall, and a slide for drawing the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth together to close the storage compartment or to separate the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth to open the storage compartment and allow the lid to be moved to an open position.

19 . A product as set forth in claim 18 wherein the vehicle door interior panel includes an interior face facing a driver seat or passenger seat, and wherein the interior face includes a portion curved toward the dashboard, and wherein at least a portion of the storage compartment is located behind the portion curved toward the dashboard of the interior face of the vehicle door interior panel.

20 . A method comprising:

assembling a vehicle door interior panel having lower portion having a front surface, opposite rear surface, bottom surface and a top surface, a storage compartment having a lid hinged to at least one wall, wherein the lid forms a portion of the top surface of a bottom portion of the vehicle door interior panel, the at least one wall comprises an outer wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and an inner wall each extending from a bottom wall, the at least one wall comprises an outer wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and an inner wall each extending from a bottom wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are each fixed to the front wall and the rear wall, and wherein each of the outer wall, the front wall, the rear wall, the inner wall and the bottom wall are solid and do not have a through hole formed therein.