Patent Application
20200406828
Pick-ups and utility vehicles are often provided with a bed or cargo bay for transporting cargo. A variety of accessories are available for utilizing the cargo space. For example, bed dividers can be purchased as an after-market item. As another example, so-called “headache racks” are available to protect the rear glass proximate the cargo bay. Ladder racks are also commercially available. While useful, these items are often expensive. Moreover, each of these must be purchased as separate items. When not in use, these items must generally be removed from the vehicle and stored off-board. Storing multiple such accessories may occupy a significant amount of space.
A vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a cab having a window. The vehicle also includes a cargo area proximate the cab. The cargo area has a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The vehicle additionally includes a first accessory member coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The first accessory member extends about a portion of a periphery of the window. The vehicle further includes a second accessory member pivotably coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The second accessory member includes a first leg member, a second leg member, and a horizontal member. The first leg member has a first leg member proximal end and a first leg member distal end, and the second leg member has a second leg member proximal end and a second leg member distal end. The first leg member proximal end is coupled to the first sidewall, and the second leg member proximal end is coupled to the second sidewall. The horizontal member couples the first leg member distal end to the second leg member distal end. The second accessory member is pivotable between first, second, and third positions relative to the cargo area. In the first position the horizontal member is disposed proximate the first accessory member, in the second position the first leg member and the second leg member extend generally parallel to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively, and the third position is intermediate the first and second positions.
In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle additionally includes a grid member having a first grid panel and a second grid panel with a folding interface therebetween. The first grid panel is coupled to the first accessory member, and the second grid panel is coupled to the second accessory member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle additionally includes a roller member rotatably coupled to the horizontal member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle additionally includes a tire storage member coupled to the second accessory member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the first leg member comprises a first articulated connection proximate the first leg member proximal end, and the second leg member comprises a second articulated connection proximate the second leg member proximal end. The second accessory member is pivotably coupled to the first sidewall and the second sidewall via the first articulated connection and second articulated connection, respectively. Such embodiments may include a first engagement member associated with the first articulated connection and a second engagement member associated with the second articulated connection. The first engagement member and second engagement member are configured to selectively retain the second accessory member in a desired position among the first position, the second position, and the third position. Such embodiments may also include a first clock spring associated with the first articulated connection and a second clock spring associated with the second articulated connection.
An accessory for a vehicle includes first and second tubular members. The first tubular member is configured to couple to first and second sidewalls of a cargo area. The first tubular member has a first leg member, a second leg member, and a first horizontal member coupling the first leg member to the second leg member. The second tubular member is configured to couple to first and second sidewalls of a cargo area spaced from the first tubular member. The second tubular member includes a third leg member, a fourth leg member, and a second horizontal member. The third leg member has a third leg member proximal end, a third leg member distal end, and a first articulated connection disposed between the third leg member proximal end and the third leg member distal end. The fourth leg member has a fourth leg member proximal end, a fourth leg member distal end, and a second articulated connection disposed between the third leg member proximal end and the third leg member distal end. The second horizontal member couples the third leg member distal end to the fourth leg member distal end. The second tubular member is pivotable between first, second, and third positions about the first and second articulated connections. In the first position the second horizontal member is disposed proximate the first tubular member, in the second position the third leg member and the fourth leg member extend generally orthogonal to the first leg member and the second leg member, respectively, and the third position is intermediate the first and second positions.
In an exemplary embodiment, the accessory additionally includes a grid member having a first grid panel and a second grid panel with a folding interface therebetween. The first grid panel is coupled to the first tubular member, and the second grid panel is coupled to the second tubular member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the accessory additionally includes a roller member rotatably coupled to the second horizontal member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the accessory additionally includes a tire storage member coupled to the second tubular member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the accessory additionally includes a first engagement member associated with the first articulated connection and a second engagement member associated with the second articulated connection. The first engagement member and second engagement member are configured to selectively retain the second tubular member in a desired position among the first position, the second position, and the third position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the accessory additionally includes a first clock spring associated with the first articulated connection and a second clock spring associated with the second articulated connection.
As may be seen, the present disclosure provides a multi-function accessory capable of fulfilling multiple functional roles, and moreover does so via an easily reconfigurable assembly. The above and additional advantages will be made clear in the description below and accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
Referring now to
In this exemplary embodiment, as shown in further detail in
An accessory 30, which may alternatively be referred to as a sport bar, is coupled to the left sidewall 18 and to the right sidewall 20. The sport bar 30 includes a fore member 30a and an aft member 30b.
The fore member 30a comprises a first leg 32, a second leg 34, and a top bar 36. The first leg 32 is coupled to the left sidewall 18, the second leg 34 is coupled to the right sidewall 20, and the top bar 36 couples upper portions of the first leg 32 and second leg 34. In the illustrated embodiment, fore member 30a is a single rigid component comprising the first leg 32, second leg 34, and top bar 36; however, in other embodiments the fore member 30a may be comprise a plurality of discrete components. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second legs 32, 34 are fixedly coupled to the left and right sidewalls 18, 20, respectively, proximate the fore sidewall 22. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second legs 32, 34 are fixedly coupled to the left and right sidewalls 18, 20, respectively, by fixation to aforementioned apertures or ports in the left and right sidewalls 18, 20, e.g. via fasteners. The first leg 32, second leg 34, and top bar 36 thereby define a rigid frame extending about at least a portion of the periphery of the window 16.
The aft member 30b comprises a first leg 38, a second leg 40, and a top bar 42. The first leg 38 is coupled to the left sidewall 18 aft of the first leg 32, the second leg 40 is coupled to the right sidewall 20 aft of the second leg 34, and the top bar 42 couples distal ends of the first leg 38 and second leg 40. The first leg 38 has a proximal end 44, a distal end 46, and is pivotably coupled to the left sidewall 18 via a first pivoting connection 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the proximal end 44 is fixedly coupled to the left sidewall 18 and the pivoting connection 48 is provided as a hinged portion within the first leg 38 proximate the proximal end 44. However, in other embodiments, other pivoting connections may be provided, e.g. as a pivoting interface between the proximal end 44 and the left sidewall 18. The second leg 40 is provided with a second pivoting connection 50, which is arranged generally as a mirror of the first pivoting connection 48.
The aft member 30b is selectively pivotable among at least three distinct positions. In a forward position, as illustrated in
Referring now to
When the aft member 30b is disposed in the forward position, as illustrated in
When the aft member 30b is disposed in the intermediate position, as illustrated in
When the aft member 30b is disposed in the aftward position, as illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Various mechanisms may be used to secure the aft member 30b in a desired position from among the forward position, intermediate position, and aftward position. In an exemplary embodiment, a retention member, e.g. a retention pin, may be used to secure the aft member 30b in a desired position. In another exemplary embodiment, illustrated in
As may be seen, the present disclosure provides a multi-function accessory capable of fulfilling multiple functional roles, and moreover does so via an easily reconfigurable assembly.
As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
