Claims:We Claim:
1. A holder 100 for a vehicle interior, the holder comprising:
a frame 110 with an opening 10,
the holder 100 is arranged on a trim panel 200 of the vehicle interior for holding articles thereon,
wherein the holder 100 is pivotally arranged on the trim panel 200 and is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position,
wherein a rolling slate 120 is arranged on the trim panel 200 and
wherein the rolling slate 120 is moveable for at least partially closing the opening 10 of the frame 110 for configuring a tabletop thereon in the deployed position of the holder 100.

2. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder 100 is flushed against the trim panel 200 in the stowed position, and the holder 100 is angular to the trim panel 200 in the deployed position.

3. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein a trim panel 200 is a door panel of the vehicle interior.

4. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder 100 is pivoted above an armrest 300 of the door 200, such that the armrest 300 provides additional support to the frame 110 in the deployed position.

5. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling slate 120 is arranged around the pivot axis 113 on the trim panel 200 of the vehicle interior.

6. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling slate 120 is arranged within the frame 110 of the holder 100 of the vehicle interior.

7. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guiding member 114 is provided on the frame 110 to guide the rolling slate 120 to at least partially closing the opening 10 of the frame 110 to configure a tabletop thereon.

8. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein a locking mechanism is provided on the frame 110 or the holder 100 to retain the rolling slate 120 in an extended position.

9. The holder 100 of a vehicle interior as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the deployed position the rolling slate 120 is movable in Y-direction.
, Description:Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicle interiors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Vehicle interiors are usually provided with various holding arrangements such as glove boxes, armrest cup holders, racks on the instrument cluster and the like for holding articles such as a book, cups etc. These arrangements are limited to certain articles and can't hold articles such as bags or laptops and the like with bigger dimensions. Certain arrangements such as a tabletop arrangement inside the vehicle interiors are provided for meeting the needs of holding larger articles. These arrangements in the instrument panel make the vehicle interior clumsy. Also, these arrangements require more space to configure inside the vehicle.

[0003] Further, these arrangements are complex in mechanism and not easily operable and may consume more space. Since space is a constraint inside the vehicle interior, an easily operable holding mechanism is required to reduce the current difficulties.

[0004] Therefore there is a need of a holder inside a vehicle interior which may overcome few or all the drawbacks of the existing holders.

Objects of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior, which consumes less or no space when not in use.

[0007] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior, which can be used for holding articles such as bags, laptops etc.

[0008] One more object of the present invention is to provide a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior, which is easy to handle and easy in operation.

[0009] Further object of the present invention is to provide a holder for holding articles inside a vehicle interior, which is robust in construction.

Summary of the invention
[0010] According to the present invention, a holder arranged inside a vehicle interior is provided. The holder is for holding articles such as laptop, bags, books and the like. The holder is arranged on a door of the vehicle, specifically on a trim panel. The holder is pivotally arranged at one end on the trim panel such that the holder can be movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the holder is arranged vertically with respect to the door and is flushed against the door. In the deployed position, the holder is angular to the trim panel and is arranged in a horizontal plane to keep the articles thereon.

[0011] The holder is having a frame and a rolling slate. The frame is an open centred structure with a central opening. The frame is pivoted above an armrest configured on the door. The armrest provides additional support for the holder in the deployed position. The frame is generally a hollow rectangular frame, such that a handle of the door is not hindered with the holder arrangement. The frame surrounds the handle of the door in the stowed position so that the occupant can operate the handle of the door without any hindrance from the holder.

[0012] Further, the rolling slate is wound over a roller configured at the pivotal end of the holder. Specifically, the rolling slate is arranged around a pivot axis on the trim panel of the vehicle interior. The rolling slate is moveable over the frame for partially closing the opening of the frame to configure a tabletop thereon.
[0013] A guiding member is provided on the frame to guide the rolling slate over the frame in the stowed position. The guiding member extends or projects above the frame to guide the rolling slate over a guide path of the frame to configure the tabletop configuration. In an embodiment, the rolling slate is a tambour door like arrangement which can be moved easily from one position to another. In an embodiment, the rolling slate is an articulated member forming a sheet-like structure to configure the table top. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to use any other obvious rolling slate such as a flexible sheet or stretchable sheet or metal sheet to configure the table top on the frame.

[0014] In another embodiment the rolling slate is arranged within the frame. The periphery of the frame forms housing for the rolling slate in such a way that the frame can accommodates the rolling slate therewithin. Specifically, the roller is configured within the frame and the rolling slit may guide through a slit provided on a top portion of the frame.

[0015] In the stowed position, the rolling slate is not deployed as the rolling slate interrupts the accessibility of the door handle. In the deployed position, the rolling slate is deployed to configure the table top. Specifically in the deployed position of the holder, the rolling slates are movable in a Y-direction either to a retracted position or to configure the table top. The rolling slate is provided with a handgrip to move the rolling slate forward and backwards over the frame. In the present embodiment, the rolling slate is manually moved over the frame to configure the table top. In an embodiment, an electronic switch may be interfaced with the rolling slate to move the rolling slate to configure the tabletop configuration. Further, a locking mechanism may be provided on the frame or the holder to retain the rolling slate in the extended position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] The advantages and features of the present invention will be understood better with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0017] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a holder for a vehicle interior for holding articles, wherein the holder in a stowed position in accordance with the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 illustrates another schematic view of the holder in a deployed position;

[0019] Figure 3 illustrates a schematic view of the holder in the deployed position with a rolling slate partially covering an opening of a frame;

[0020] Figure 4 illustrates a schematic view of the holder in the deployed position with the rolling slate closing the opening of the frame

[0021] Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the holder in the deployed position in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] Figures 6 and 7 illustrates another embodiment of the holder having the rolling slates configured within the frame and in deployed positions.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0023] An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising, "having, "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

[0024] The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “an” and “a” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[0025] The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

[0026] Figure 1 illustrates a holder 100 arranged inside a vehicle interior in accordance with the present invention. The holder 100 is for holding articles such as laptop, bags, books and the like. The holder 100 is arranged on a trim panel 200 of the vehicle, specifically on a door panel. The holder 100 can be arranged on any of the doors 200 of the vehicle and not restricted to either front door or back door. The holder 100 is pivotally arranged at one end of the trim panel 200 such that the holder 100 can be movable between a stowed position and a deployed position as shown in figures 2 and 3 respectively. In the stowed position, the holder 100 is arranged vertically with respect to the door 200 and is flushed against the door 200. In the deployed position, the holder 100 is angular to the trim panel 200 and is arranged in a horizontal plane to keep the articles thereon. In the present embodiment, the holder 100 can configure a tabletop arrangement in the deployed position for holding articles.

[0027] The holder 100 is having a frame 110 and a rolling slate 120. The frame 110 is an open centred structure with a central opening 10. The frame 110 surrounds the rolling slate 120 and provides housing for the rolling slate 120. Further, the frame 110 is pivoted to the door trim panel. Specifically, the frame 110 is pivoted above an armrest 300 configured on the door 200. The armrest 300 provides additional support for the holder 100 in the deployed position. The frame 110 is arranged on the door 200 in such a way that the accessibility of a handle 210 of the door 200 is not hindered in the stowed position. The frame 110 surrounds the handle 210 of the door 200 in the stowed position so that the occupant can operate the handle 210 of the door 200 without any hindrance from the holder 100.

[0028] Referring now to figure 5, in the present embodiment, the rolling slate 120 is arranged around a pivot axis 113 on the trim panel 200 of the vehicle interior. Specifically, the rolling slate 120 is wound over a roller 112 configured at the pivotal end of the holder 100. In the deployed position, the rolling slate 120 is moveable over the frame 110 for partially closing the opening 10 of the frame 110 to configure a tabletop thereon as shown in figures 3 and 4. In the complete closure of the opening 10 (figure 4), the rolling slate 120 may be utilised to hold articles such as laptop, bags, books and the like. While smaller articles can be held on the rolling slate 120 in the partial closure of the opening 10 as shown in figure 3.

[0029] A guiding member 114 is provided on the frame 110 to guide the rolling slate 120 over the frame 110 in the stowed position. The guiding member 114 extends or projects above the frame 110 to guide the rolling slate 120 over a guide path of the frame 110 to configure the tabletop. The rolling slate 120 securely moves back and forth over the guide path of the frame 110. In the present embodiment, the rolling slate 120 is a tambour door like arrangement which can be moved easily from one position to another. In an embodiment, the rolling slate 120 can be articulated members forming a sheet-like structure to configure the table top. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to use any other obvious rolling slate 120 such as a flexible sheet or stretchable sheet or metal sheet to configure the table top on the frame 110.

[0030] In the stowed position, the rolling slate 120 is not deployed as the rolling slate 120 interrupts the accessibility of the door handle 210, as shown in figure 1. In the deployed position, the rolling slate 120 is extended to configure the table top, as shown in figure 3. In the deployed position, the rolling slate 120 can also be withdrawn to a retracted position, so that the holder 100 can be used as a hook to hook or hang articles, such as bags or luggage thereon, as shown in figure 2. Specifically in the deployed position of the holder 100, the rolling slates 120 are movable in a Y-direction either to the retracted position (figure 3) or to configure the table top as shown figure 4. In the stowed position, the rolling slate 120 is retracted such that the holder 100 positively fit against the trim panel 200.

[0031] The rolling slate 120 is provided with a handgrip 122 to move the rolling slate 120 forward and backwards over the frame 110. In the present embodiment, the rolling slate 120 is manually moved over the frame 110 to configure the table top. In an embodiment, an electronic switch (not shown) may be interfaced with the rolling slate 120 to move the rolling slate 120 to configure the tabletop configuration.

[0032] In another embodiment as shown in figures 6 and 7, the rolling slate 120 is arranged within the frame 110. The periphery of the frame 110 forms housing for the rolling slate 120 in such a way that the frame 110 can accommodates the rolling slate 120 therewithin. Specifically, the roller 112 is configured within the frame 110 and the rolling slate 120 may guide through a slit (not shown) provided on a top portion of the frame 110. By pulling the handgrip 122, the rolling slate 120 may partially or completely closes the opening 10 of the frame 110. The handgrip 122 is also configured as a stopper to prevent the roll down of the roller slate 120 through the slit when in retracted position.

[0033] Further, a locking mechanism (not shown) may be provided on the frame 110 or the holder 100 to retain the rolling slate 120 in the extended position. Further, in an embodiment, the rolling slate 120 may be provided with a torsion spring arrangement (not shown) or a biasing member arrangement or a spring-loaded assembly on the roller 112 such that the rolling slate 120 wounds automatically on the roller 112 when the rolling slate 120 is unlocked from the locking mechanism to withdraw the tabletop configuration.

[0034] Therefore the present invention has the advantage of providing a holder 100 for holding articles inside a vehicle interior. The holder 100 consumes less or no space for the arrangement. It can be used for holding articles such as bags, laptops etc. Further, the holder 100 is easy to handle and easy in operation. Also, it is robust in construction.

[0035] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.