초록

A reconfigurable vehicle console having a plurality of interchangeable overlapping blank and equipment mounting face plates, including both tongue-and-groove joints between adjacent face plates, as well as optional lap joints.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of configuring a modular console, comprising: forming a plurality of substantially continuous and uninterrupted face plates, and further comprising forming a tongue along a first joining edge thereof, and forming a support lip formed along a second joining edge thereof opposite from the

1. A method of configuring a modular console, comprising: forming a plurality of substantially continuous and uninterrupted face plates, and further comprising forming a tongue along a first joining edge thereof, and forming a support lip formed along a second joining edge thereof opposite from the first joining edge and positioned to mate with the tongue of a different one of the face plates;providing a console frame comprising two opposing side panels and two opposing end panels with a substantially constant separation between opposing mounting portions of the two side panels; andcoupling a plurality of the face plates to the mounting portions of the two side panels between the two opposing end panels. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the coupling a plurality of the face plates to the mounting portions of the two side panels further comprises releasably coupling the plurality of the face plates to the mounting portions of the two side panels. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising forming a detent between each of the face plates and the mounting portions of each of the two side panels. 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the providing a console frame further comprises interconnecting opposing end portions of the two side panels with the two opposing end panels. 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the plurality of face plates after the forming thereof, and subsequently forming a cutout in at least one of the face plates. 6. The method of claim 2 wherein the forming a plurality of face plates further comprises forming the face plates with a width between the first and second joining edges thereof, the width being one of: a unit width, and an integer multiple of the unit width. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the forming a plurality of face plates further comprises forming the width of at least one of the plurality of face plates different than the width of a different one of the plurality of face plates. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming one of the two end panels with a tongue along an edge thereof between the mounting portions of the two side panels and positioned to mate with the support lip of one of the interchangeable face plates, and forming a different one of the two end panels with a support lip positioned along an edge thereof between the mounting portions of the two side panels and positioned to mate with the tongue of one of the face plates. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming a plurality of face plates further comprises forming a groove along the second joining edge thereof by forming a pair of the support lips there along, the groove being sized to receive therein the tongue of the different one of the face plates. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming one of the two end panels with a tongue along an edge thereof between the mounting portions of the two side panels and positioned to mate with the support lip of one of the interchangeable face plates, and forming a different one of the two end panels with a pair of support lips positioned along an edge thereof between the mounting portions of the two side panels and positioned to mate with the tongue of one of the interchangeable face plates, the pair of support lips being spaced apart to receive the tongue there between. 11. A method of configuring a modular console, comprising: forming a console frame comprising a pair of substantially rigid end panels joined with a pair of substantially rigid side panels, each side panel further comprising an upright wall portion terminating in a mounting lip portion formed along a length thereof, and a substantially constant separation between the mounting lip portions;molding a plurality of substantially rectangular face plates each comprising opposing side nesting lip portions positioned to nest with the mounting lip portions of the pair of side panels, and further comprising: molding a tongue along a first joining edge thereof between the opposing side nesting lip portions,molding a support lip along a second joining edge between the opposing side nesting lip portions thereof opposite from the tongue and structured to mate in a lap joint with the tongue of a different one of the face plates, andforming a clearance passage between inner and outer surfaces thereof and spaced inwardly of each of the side nesting lip portions;operating a releasable connector through the clearance passages of one of the face plates, and connecting the respective side nesting lip portions with the mounting lip portions of the respective side panels. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a detent between the side nesting lip portions and the respective mounting lip portions of the side panels. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the molding a plurality of substantially rectangular face plates further comprises molding one of the face plates with a unit width between the first and second joining edges thereof, and molding a different one of the face plates with an integer multiple of the unit width between the first and second joining edges thereof; and wherein the connecting the pair of side panels to the pair of end panels further comprises spacing apart at least a portion of the end panels adjacent to the respective mounting lip portions of the side panels by a distance that is substantially equal to a plural integer multiple of the unit width between the first and second joining edges of the face plate. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the forming a pair of substantially rigid end panels further comprises: forming a tongue along a joining edge of one of the pair of end panels positioned between the mounting lip portions of the side panels for mating in a lap joint with the support lip of one of the face plates, and forming a support lip along a joining edge of a different one of the pair of end panels between the mounting lip portions of the side panels for mating in a lap joint with the tongue of one of the face plates. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the molding a tongue along a first joining edge of the face plate further comprises offsetting the tongue relative to the outer surface thereof, and wherein the molding a support lip along a second joining edge of the face plate further comprises molding a pair of spaced apart support lips along the second joining edge thereof for receiving there between the tongue of the different one of the face plates. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the forming a pair of substantially rigid end panels further comprises: forming a tongue along a joining edge of one of the pair of end panels positioned between the mounting lip portions of the side panels for mating in a lap joint with the support lip of one of the face plates, and forming a pair of spaced apart support lips along a joining edge of a different one of the pair of end panels between the mounting lip portions of the side panels for receiving there between the tongue of one of the face plates. 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising in at least one of the face plates forming a cutout formed between the inner and outer surfaces thereof and sized to receive an equipment piece at least partially there through, and further forming a pair of substantially upright projections on the inner surface thereof between the first and second joining edges adjacent to the respective side nesting lip portions, each projection further comprising a pair of fastener receivers positioned on opposite sides of the respective clearance passage. 18. A method of configuring a modular console, comprising: forming first and second substantially rigid end panels, and further comprising forming the first end panel with a tongue along a joining edge thereof and forming the second end panel with a support lip portion along a joining edge thereof;forming a pair of substantially rigid side panels each comprising a substantially rigid mounting lip portion along one edge thereof, the pair of side panels being interconnectable with the end panels having the respective mounting lip portions thereof spaced apart a substantially uniform distance;forming a plurality of substantially rectangular face plates each having a substantially planar outer surface and an opposing inner surface, and further comprising: forming each of the face plates with opposing first and second joining edges spaced apart by a width that is substantially equal to an integer multiple of a minimum unit width,forming each of the face plates with a tongue extended along the first joining edge thereof in a position to be received on the support lip of the second end panel,forming each of the face plates with a support lip along the second joining edge thereof in a position to receive thereover the tongue of the first end panel,forming each of the face plates with opposing side nesting lip portions adjacent to opposite ends thereof between the opposing first and second joining edges thereof in a position to be received on a respective one of the mounting lip portions of the side panels,forming each of the face plates with connector clearance passages adjacent to each of the side nesting lip portions,forming substantially upright projections on the inner surface of at least one of the face plates adjacent to each of the side nesting lip portions, and further comprising forming a pair of fastener receivers on opposite sides of the respective connector clearance passage, and at least one cutout communicating between the opposing inner and outer surfaces;interconnecting the pair of side panels with the end panels having the tongue of the first end panel facing toward the support lip of the second end panel, and having the respective mounting lip portions of the side panels spaced apart a substantially uniform distance;positioning a plurality of the face plates on the side panels with respective side nesting lip portions seated on the mounting lip portions thereof, and further comprising: receiving the tongue of one of the face plates over the support lip of the second end panel,receiving the tongue of the first end panel over the support lip of a different one of the face plates,receiving the tongue of each of a remainder of the plurality of face plates over the support lip of a different one of the face plates positioned adjacent thereto; andreleasably connecting each of the face plates to the respective mounting lip portions of the side panels by operating releasable connectors through the connector clearance passages. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the forming a plurality of substantially rectangular face plates further comprises forming a detent interconnectable between each of the side nesting lip portions thereof and the mounting lip portions of the respective side panels. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the forming a plurality of substantially rectangular face plates further comprises molding the face plates. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein the forming the end panels further comprises forming a cover lip spaced apart from the support lip and forming a groove therewith sized to receive therein the tongue of one of the face plates; and wherein the forming each of the face plates with a support lip along the second joining edge thereof further comprises forming a cover lip formed along the second joining edge thereof spaced apart from the support lip and forming a groove therewith sized to receive there under the tongue of the end panel.