AUXILIARY STORAGE SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE

• US 20070170739A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sims, Emil
• Application Number:
  US11/307,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/26.110
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/40 for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements E04G21/14 takes precedence; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/042 to create an enclosed luggage compartment of increased capacity, e.g. with ventilation apertures for transporting dogs

Abstract

An auxiliary storage system for an automotive vehicle includes a movable unshaped bulkhead adapted to be carried upon a load floor of a vehicle, a movable cover for engaging an upper portion of the bulkhead, and a lock mechanism for selectively locking the removable cover to the bulkhead.

Claims

1. An auxiliary storage system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a movable bulkhead adapted to be carried upon a load floor of a vehicle;

a movable cover for engaging an upper portion of said bulkhead; and

a lock mechanism for selectively locking said movable cover to said bulkhead.

2. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 1, wherein said movable bulkhead comprises a generally unshaped wall having a closed end adapted for orientation toward an open end of a load area defined at least in part by said load floor.

3. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 2, wherein said bulkhead is fabricated from plastics material.

4. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 2, wherein said bulkhead is fabricated from metallic material.

5. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 2, wherein said bulkhead is fabricated from composite material.

6. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 1, wherein said movable cover comprises a cover mounted to a wall surrounding a load floor and having at least one latch for engaging said movable bulkhead.

7. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 1, wherein said movable cover comprises a cover mounted to a wall surrounding a load floor and having at least one telescoping section with a latch for engaging said movable bulkhead.

8. An auxiliary storage system according to claim 1, wherein said movable cover comprises a cover having a plurality of stationary sections mounted to a wall surrounding a load -floor and having at least one telescoping section extending from one of said stationary sections and having a latch for engaging and locking to said movable bulkhead.

9. An automotive vehicle, comprising:

a chassis;

a load floor mounted upon said chassis;

a wall circumscribing at least a portion of said load floor;

a movable bulkhead for enclosing a portion of said load floor not circumscribed by said wall; and

a movable cover mounted to said wall and having a selectively deployable section for engaging said movable bulkhead.

10. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said movable cover comprises at least one stationary section mounted to said wall, and a selectively deployable telescoping section mounted within said stationary section.

11. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said load floor comprises a fixed load floor and a hinged tailgate.

12. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said movable bulkhead comprises a generally u-shaped wall having a closed end adapted for orientation toward an open end of a load area defined by said load floor and said wall.

13. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said movable bulkhead comprises a generally u-shaped wall having a closed end adapted for orientation toward an open end of a load area defined by a fixed portion of said load floor, by a tailgate comprising an extension of said load floor, and further by said wall.

14. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said selectively deployable section of said movable cover comprises a latch for engaging and locking said deployable section to said movable bulkhead.

15. An automotive vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said movable bulkhead is hingedly mounted to said wall for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, with said bulkhead being rotatable from a forwardly located stowed position to a rearwardly located deployed position.

16. A method for expanding a walled storage space within an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:

placing a generally u-shaped movable bulkhead upon a load floor comprising a foldable tailgate, so as to extend a wall circumscribing at least a portion of said load floor; and

extending and locking at least one section of a selectively deployable movable cover upon said movable bulkhead.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said unshaped movable bulkhead is placed upon a load floor within the vehicle by rotating the bulkhead about a generally horizontal axis from a forwardly located stowed position to a rearwardly located deployed position in which the bulkhead extends over at least a portion of said tailgate.