Seat-integrated access system for storage in a vehicle
A vehicle includes an occupant compartment, a storage compartment, one or more frame elements, a seat assembly, and a door. The frame element forms at least a part of the storage compartment, which is arranged adjacent to an occupant compartment. The frame element includes an opening between the storage compartment and the occupant compartment. The seat assembly is arranged in the occupant compartment, and optionally includes a console. A threshold element is optionally included to provide an interface to the occupant compartment. The door is configured to block and unblock the opening such that an occupant can access the storage compartment from the occupant compartment. The door is configured to rotate, slide, fold, or otherwise be reconfigured, under manual or automatic operation, to unblock the opening. The door is not part of the seat assembly, and interfaces to the frame element or a threshold element affixed to the frame.
1. A vehicle, comprising:
an angled wall of a frame element, wherein:
the angled wall separates an occupant compartment from a storage compartment, and
the storage compartment comprises a pair of side openings;
a center console that covers a passthrough in the frame element from the occupant compartment to the storage compartment when the center console is arranged against the angled wall; and
a threshold element affixed to the frame element and aligned with the passthrough, the threshold element comprising a door that is movable into a recess of the frame element to provide access to the storage compartment from the occupant compartment.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each side opening of the pair of side openings provides access to the storage compartment from a respective exterior side of the vehicle.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more seats independent from and coupled to the angled wall within the occupant compartment.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the center console is movable between a lowered state and a stowed state;
the stowed state corresponds to when the center console is arranged against the angled wall; and
the lowered state provides access to the door from the occupant compartment.
5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a rail assembly affixed to the threshold element, wherein the door slides along the rail assembly into the recess to expose the passthrough.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator coupled to the door; and
control circuitry, coupled to the actuator, that causes the door to cover or expose the passthrough by controlling the actuator.
7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame element at least partially defines the storage compartment by one or more of a top surface or a front surface.
8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a latching mechanism that couples the door to the threshold element when the door covers the passthrough.
9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the threshold element comprises a chute that extends away from the passthrough.
10. A vehicle storage assembly, comprising:
a storage compartment comprising a pair of side openings, wherein the storage compartment is separated from an occupant compartment by an angled wall of a vehicle frame element;
a center console that covers a passthrough in the vehicle frame element from the occupant compartment to the storage compartment when the center console is arranged against the angled wall; and
a threshold element affixed to the vehicle frame element and aligned with the passthrough, the threshold element comprising a door that is movable into a recess of the vehicle frame element to provide access to the storage compartment from the occupant compartment.
11. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , wherein each side opening of the pair of side openings provides access to the storage compartment from a respective exterior side of a vehicle comprising the vehicle storage assembly.
12. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , further comprising one or more seats independent from and coupled to the angled wall within the occupant compartment.
13. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the center console is movable between a lowered state and a stowed state;
the stowed state corresponds to when the center console is arranged against the angled wall; and
the lowered state provides access to the door from the occupant compartment.
14. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a rail assembly affixed to the threshold element, wherein the door slides along the rail assembly into the recess to expose the passthrough.
15. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
an actuator coupled to the door; and
control circuitry, coupled to the actuator, that causes the door to cover or expose the passthrough by controlling the actuator.
16. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a latching mechanism that couples the door to the threshold element when the door covers the passthrough.
17. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , further comprising one or more lights, arranged within the storage compartment and coupled to control circuitry, that illuminate the storage compartment when the control circuitry determines that the door exposes the passthrough.
18. The vehicle storage assembly of claim 10 , wherein the threshold element comprises a chute that extends away from the passthrough.
19. An apparatus, comprising:
a vehicle body comprising a first side and a second side;
a storage compartment arranged within the vehicle body and comprising a first side opening accessible at the first side and a second side opening accessible at the second side, wherein the storage compartment is separated from an occupant compartment of the vehicle body by an angled wall of a frame element of the vehicle body;
a center console that covers a passthrough in the frame element from the occupant compartment to the storage compartment when the center console is arranged against the angled wall; and
a threshold element affixed to the frame element and aligned with the passthrough, the threshold element comprising a door that is movable into a recess of the frame element to provide access to the storage compartment from the occupant compartment.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising one or more seats independent from and coupled to the angled wall within the occupant compartment.