DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an integrated overhead vehicle console system 10 in accordance with the present invention. A headliner 12 forms a console body portion 14 of the console system 10 . Referring to FIG. 7 in conjunction with FIG. 1 , it is seen that the console body portion 14 includes a top section 15 adjacent to first side sections 17 , 19 . The console body portion 14 also includes an outer structure 21 , at least a portion of which is formed by second side sections 23 , 25 , 27 , 29 . Two additional first side sections 31 , 33 are shown in FIG. 2 . The two first side sections 31 , 33 are oriented generally parallel with the second side sections 23 , 25 , and are adjacent to the first side sections 17 , 19 and the top section 15 . The top section 15 and the four first side sections define a space 35 having an opening 37 . One method of producing the console body portion 14 is to use a deep drawing operation on the headliner 12 . Well suited to the deep drawing operation are headliners made from thermo-formable materials, though the use of headliners made from thermosets and other polymers is contemplated.

[0023] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 , the console system 10 also includes electronic devices such as map lights 16 and an information and entertainment (infotainment) system 18 . The console system 10 also includes console doors 20 , 22 , 24 . The map lights 16 , the infotainment system 18 , and the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 represent only a few of the console devices that can be included in the vehicle console system 10 . Other console devices contemplated by the present invention include audio components, navigation systems, display systems, compasses, thermometers, and mirrors, or some combination thereof.

[0024] A feature that is noticeably absent from the vehicle console system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a molded frame or bezel. Typical overhead consoles rely on a bezel to hold the various console devices in place, or to cover fasteners which are used to anchor the devices. The present invention eliminates the need for a bezel by integrating all of the console devices such that they attach directly to a retainer 26 , a portion of which is shown in FIG. 3 . The retainer 26 has a top portion 28 and side portions 30 , 32 . The side portions 30 , 32 contain attachment structures, which in this embodiment are bosses 34 . The bosses 34 are raised portions of the retainer 26 that are configured to allow the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 to attach to the retainer 26 . The bosses 34 are one of the attachment structures included in the retainer 26 for attaching the console devices to the retainer 26 . Other attachment structures, such as the clips 39 shown in FIG. 7 , are included so the other console devices-e.g., the map lights 16 and the infotainment system 18 -can also be attached to the retainer. The retainer 26 may be made from any suitable material including metal, though a polymeric material is preferred. For example, the retainer 26 may comprise a polypropylene material, a polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS), or some other suitable polymeric material or materials. The retainer 26 may be held in place by the headliner 12 , or may attach to a vehicle roof panel, such as the roof panel 41 shown in FIG. 7 . The retainer may be attached to the vehicle roof panel with fasteners, which then helps to secure the entire console system. Such a configuration may be particularly useful with larger console systems, such as those used in SUV's.

[0025] The console door 20 , best seen in FIG. 4 , includes hinges 36 , 38 , each of which contains a hinge pin 40 . The other two console doors 22 , 24 also contain similarly configured hinges. The hinge pins 40 pivotally attach to the bosses 34 on the retainer 26 shown in FIG. 3 . The bosses 34 at least partially protrude through apertures in the headliner 12 to facilitate attachment to the hinge pins 40 . In addition, the console door 20 includes clips 42 that mate with side catches 44 located on the side portions 30 , 32 of the retainer 26 . In FIG. 3 , only three of the side catches 44 are visible, though the retainer 26 includes a total of six side catches 44 . The clips 42 and side catches 44 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , are just one configuration that can be used to help maintain the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 in the closed position. Alternatively, the retainer 26 may have any suitable configuration sufficient to help maintain the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 in the closed position.

[0026] FIG. 6 , for example, shows an alternative embodiment 46 of a retainer according to the invention. A retainer 46 includes a top portion 48 and side portions 50 , 52 . Like the retainer 26 , the retainer 46 also includes six bosses 34 configured to accept the hinge pins on each of the console door hinges. Unlike the retainer 26 however, the retainer 46 does not contain side catches such as the side catches 44 shown in FIG. 3 . Rather, the retainer 46 includes center catches 54 that perform much the same function as the side catches 44 , in that they help maintain the console doors in a closed position. Console doors (not shown) that are configured for use with a retainer such as the retainer 46 , include center clips configured to mate with the center catches 54 .

[0027] Returning to FIG. 3 , it is seen that the top portion 28 of the retainer 26 is not solid. That is, it contains cut-out portions 56 , 58 which are included to reduce the amount of material used in the production of the retainer 26 . This not only reduces material costs, but also reduces weight. A motion control damper 60 is configured to attach to the hinges on the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 to help control the movement of the doors as they are opened and closed. Although only one motion control damper 60 is shown in FIG. 3, a total of six motion control dampers 60 will be used in this embodiment, one for each hinge. The motion control dampers 60 in this embodiment are hydraulic devices that facilitate a smooth opening and closing of the console doors. Of course, other types of dampers—e.g., pneumatic—may be used in place of hydraulic devices. In addition, as explained below in conjunction with FIG. 8 , the motion control dampers can be geared to provide motion control for large console doors.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 , and 5 , it is seen that each hinge pin 40 contains a socket 62 . When the console door 20 is attached to the retainer 26 , the hinge pins 40 extend into the bosses 34 . A portion of each motion control damper 60 inserts into a corresponding socket 62 . The motion control dampers 60 are also attached to the retainer 26 at flanges 64 . The flanges 64 are fastened to apertures 66 using any one of a number of methods—e.g., they may be snapped in place, heat staked, riveted, welded, etc. The console door 20 , also shown in FIG. 7 , is configured to allow a vehicle occupant to actuate a garage door opener located behind the console door 20 , without having to open it. A hook and loop fastener 68 is attached to the top section 15 of the console body portion 14 of the headliner 12 . A garage door opener (not shown) may be attached to the hook and loop fastener 68 such that the button used to actuate the garage door opener is aligned with an actuator 72 . The actuator 72 attaches to the console door 20 at a rectangular boss 74 , and can be configured to work with a wide variety of garage door openers. When a vehicle occupant pushes a movable portion 73 in the console door 20 , the actuator 72 moves upward to engage the button on the garage door opener. The movable portion 73 pivots about a hinge 75 , thus allowing the garage door opener to be used when the console door 20 is in the closed position. This eliminates the need to repeatedly remove and replace the garage door opener each time it is used.

[0029] Each of the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 is shown in FIG. 7 in the closed position, but each can be pivotally opened as indicated by the three direction arrows. In the closed position, each of the three console doors 20 , 22 , 24 covers a portion of the opening 37 . It is also seen in FIG. 7 that each of the console doors 20 , 22 , 24 has a slightly different configuration. For example, the console door 22 includes a storage bin 76 configured to hold small items such as tissue or other accessories that can be conveniently accessed by the vehicle occupants. The console door 24 includes another type of storage bin 78 , configured to hold items such as sunglasses. As previously described, the console door 20 does not contain any type of storage bin, but rather, is configured to facilitate the use of a garage door opener.

[0030] Also shown in FIG. 7 are the electronic devices—i.e., the map lights 16 and the infotainment system 18 . Other configurations of the present invention include smaller consoles having just storage areas covered by console doors, and consoles that merely contain electronic devices or other equipment such as audio components, navigation systems, display systems, compasses, thermometers, and mirrors, or some combination thereof. In these configurations, the space defined by the vehicle headliner may have a relatively small opening that is completely covered by a single door or electronic device.

[0031] Returning to FIG. 2 , it is seen that the second side sections 23 , 25 have an approximate vertical orientation. This orientation distinctly marks the outer structure 21 of the console body portion 14 and helps to define it as separate from other portions of the headliner 12 . In an alternative embodiment, the console body portion of the headliner has no sharply rising side sections, such as the second side sections 23 , 25 , but rather, blends into other portions of the headliner in a smooth transition. FIG. 8 , for example, shows a sectional view of an integrated overhead vehicle console system 80 as viewed from the rear of the vehicle facing forward. A console door 82 has a hinge 84 that includes a hinge pin 86 . The hinge pin 86 is pivotally attached to a retainer 88 at an attachment structure, which in this embodiment is a boss 90 that protrudes through a headliner 92 .

[0032] The headliner 92 is configured to form a console body portion 94 including a top section 96 . The top section 96 is adjacent to four first side sections, only one of which, first side section 98 , is visible in this view. Attached to the retainer 88 is a geared motion control damper 100 that helps to control the motion of the console door 82 as it opens and closes. The geared motion control damper 100 includes a first set of gear teeth 102 that intermeshes with a second set of gear teeth 104 on a spur gear 106 . The spur gear 106 is attached to the hinge pin 86 . By appropriately adjusting the gear ratio between the spur gear 106 and the motion control damper 100 , the movement of even relatively large console doors, such as the console door 82 , can be effectively controlled by a small damper, such as the damper 100 .

[0033] As in the other embodiments of the invention, the vehicle console system 80 can be configured with a variety of console devices including console doors having storage compartments or those having a button to facilitate use of a garage door opener. In addition, electronic devices such as map lights, infotainment systems, audio components and the like are similarly installed in the vehicle console system 80 . In each case, an outer portion of the console device is configured to blend smoothly from the center of the vehicle to the sides of the vehicle. One of the advantages of such a configuration is the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the smoothly shaped outer structure of the console system.

[0034] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.