Article attachment system
View Patent ↗An article attachment system for a vehicle includes an elongated rail attached to the interior of the vehicle. The rail has a partially enclosed space with at least one slide interface and a series of projections. A bracket engages the rail for mounting at least one article to the rail. A positioning device engages the bracket and has at least one extension movable between an engaged position for securing the article to the rail and a released position for moving the article relative to the rail.
1. An article attachment system for a vehicle, comprising: an elongated rail member adapted to attach to the vehicle; the rail member defining at least one partially enclosed space having at least one slide interface along an interior surface of the rail member and a plurality of projections; a bracket having at least one glide slidably engaging the slide interface on the interior surface of the elongated rail member and adapted for mounting at least one article; a positioning device operably engaging the bracket and having at least one extension adapted to move between an engaged position adapted for securing the article to the elongated rail member and a released position adapted for moving the article relative to the elongated rail member; and a conductor strip coupled to the elongated rail member and adapted to deliver electrical power to the article.
2. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated rail member is adapted for placement longitudinally within the vehicle.
3. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated rail member is adapted for placement laterally within the vehicle.
4. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated rail member is adapted to attach to an interior portion of the vehicle.
5. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated rail member and bracket are configured to vertically restrain the article.
6. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the conductor strip is coupled to the rail member by a carrier having at least one tolerance adjusting device.
7. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a contact biased for sliding engagement with the conductor strip.
8. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one glide is two glides.
9. The article attachment system of claim 8 , wherein the glide is a low-friction, high-lubricity material.
10. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket further comprises runners operably engaging the slide interface.
11. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the slide interface further comprises a lateral positioning device.
12. The article attachment system of claim 1 , further comprising a trim piece coupled to the elongated rail member.
13. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated rail member is adapted to removably receive the article.
14. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the positioning device is biased in a self-correcting direction.
15. The article attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the positioning device includes an actuator capable of remote actuation and operable to move the extension between the engaged position and the released position.
16. A sliding floor console system for a vehicle interior, comprising: an elongated rail member coupled to the vehicle interior, the elongated rail member having a first electrical conductor and defining at least one partially concealed channel having a slide interface; a bracket adapted to couple to a console, the bracket having at least one non-rotational glide slidably engaging the slide interface for longitudinal movement along the elongated rail member and a second electrical conductor configured to movably engage the first electrical conductor; and a positioning device coupled to the bracket for selectively securing the console at one of a plurality of locations along the elongated rail member.
17. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the elongated rail member includes a plurality of positioning elements.
18. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the positioning device includes an actuator adapted for remote actuation from the article.
19. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the elongated rail member includes at least one lateral extension portion.
20. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the elongated rail member includes an end piece adapted to limit the position of the article.
21. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the positioning device includes at least one locking member operably engaging the actuator for extension and retraction in a lateral direction.
22. The article attachment system of claim 21 , wherein the bracket and the positioning device coact through a biasing device.
23. The article attachment system of claim 22 , wherein the biasing device is a spring.
24. The article attachment system of claim 23 , wherein the biasing device provides a self-correcting interaction between the locking member and the elongated rail member.
25. The article attachment system of claim 16 , wherein the glide is configured for coupling to the bracket only in a single orientation.
26. An article attachment system, comprising: a rail member adapted for attachment to a vehicle, the rail defining at least one partially enclosed space having at least one surface adapted for slideable engagement; a bracket member adapted to couple to an article and adapted to slideably engage the surface; an electrification system configured to provide a source of electricity from the rail member to the article; a positioning device adapted to releasably secure the article in any one of a plurality of locations on the rail member; and an actuator adapted to move the positioning device between an engaged position where movement of the article is prevented and a released position where movement of the article is permitted.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the rail member includes a plurality of projections disposed within the partially enclosed space.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the rail member includes a plurality of projections only on a single side of the rail member.
29. The system of claim 26 , further comprising a glide member adapted to interface between the bracket and the surface.
30. The system of claim 26 , wherein the glide member is non-rotational.
31. The system of claim 26 , wherein the electrification system further comprises a conductive strip coupled to the rail member.
32. The system of claim 26 , further comprising an end piece adapted to couple to an end of the rail member.
33. The system of claim 26 , further comprising a biasing device adapted to bias the positioning device in a self-correcting direction.
34. A method of providing a sliding console system for use in a vehicle interior, the method comprising: providing a rail member adapted for coupling to the vehicle, the rail member defining a partially enclosed space having a slide surface; providing a bracket at least partially surrounding the rail member and adapted to receive a console; providing at least one arm extending from the bracket into the partially enclosed space, the arm including a glide adapted to engage the slide surface; coupling a positioning device to the bracket, the positioning device adapted for movement between an engaged position where the positioning device engages the rail member and a released position where the positioning device is substantially free of engagement from the rail member; and coupling the console to the rail member.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the slide surface provides a slideable interface with the glide.
36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the slide surface provides a non-rotational interface with the bracket.
37. The method of claim 34 , further comprising the step of providing a biasing device adapted to urge the positioning device into the engaged position.
38. The method of claim 34 , further comprising the step of providing a trim portion adapted to couple to the rail member.
39. The method of claim 34 , further comprising the step of providing an actuator adapted to move the positioning device between the engaged position and the released position.
40. The method of claim 34 , further comprising the step of providing an electrification system adapted to couple to the rail member for providing electricity to the article.
41. A system for movably attaching one or more articles to a vehicle portion, comprising: an elongated rail member configured for attachment to the vehicle and having at least one lateral extension projecting at least partially over a slide surface to form a space that is at least partially concealed; a bracket at least partially surrounding the elongated rail member and lateral extension and having an arm projecting into the space; an article coupled to the bracket; and a non-rotational low friction member interfacing between the arm and the slide surface configured to permit movement of the article along the elongated rail member.
42. The system of claim 41 , wherein the vehicle portion is a vehicle interior portion.
43. The system of claim 41 , wherein the arm projects at least partially beneath the lateral extension further comprising means for moving the article relative to the elongated rail member.
44. The system of claim 41 , wherein the elongated rail member further comprises two lateral extensions and two slide surfaces.
45. The system of claim 41 , further comprising an electrification system having at least one resilient contact configured to provide electricity to the article.