Stowable cargo restraining walled enclosure assembly and method

• US 6,254,162 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael P. Podkomorka, Michael W. Faber
• Original Assignee: Michael P. Podkomorka, Michael W. Faber
• Inventors: Faber, Michael W., Podkomorka, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US09/414,713
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 296/39.2, 296/37.6, 296/37.5, 410/121, 410/129, 410/140, 224/497, 224/403, 224/404, 224/402, 224/498, 224/502, 224/542, 224/539, 224/556
• US Class Current: 296/39.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/0892 by preventing lateral movement of the load, e.g. using stop blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/04 arranged at rear of vehicle B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/02 in separate luggage compartment B60R7/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly (10, 110) for restraining cargo (20) in a cargo space (30) of a transport vehicle (40). The enclosure assembly preferably includes a bed liner structure (70, 170) that may be positioned on the bed (50, 150) of the cargo space and at least one enclosure assembly that includes a plurality of sidewalls (80A, 80B, 90A, 90B, 180A, 180B, 190A, 190B) which are pivoted and/or folded into a collapsed or stowed condition in the bed liner (50, 150). During use, the enclosure assembly (10, 110) is pivoted up into the cargo space (30) and the sidewalls deployed to cooperatively form a walled enclosure for cargo. A transport vehicle (40) having the cargo restraining enclosure assembly (10, 110) and a method of restraining cargo in a transport vehicle also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A stowable cargo restraining enclosure for limiting movement of cargo positioned in a cargo space of a transport vehicle comprising:

a bed liner structure having an enclosure assembly storage cavity therein and formed for mounting in a cargo space of a transport vehicle; and

a cargo restraining enclosure assembly mounted in said enclosure assembly storage cavity and including a plurality of movable sidewalls each mounted for movement between a stowed position substantially inside said enclosure assembly storage cavity and a deployed position in said cargo space in which said plurality of sidewalls encircle an area of placement of cargo inwardly of walls defining said cargo space to form a walled perimeter in said cargo space limiting movement of cargo.

2. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said enclosure assembly includes four substantially planar sidewalls movably mounted to form a generally rectangular enclosure in said deployed position.

3. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 2 wherein,

said bed liner defines said enclosure assembly storage cavity having a rectangular opening at least as large as a piece of said cargo to be restrained, said opening being defined by spaced-apart and opposed first and second bed liner sides substantially orthogonal to spaced-apart and opposed third and fourth bed liner sides;

said enclosure assembly includes spaced-apart first and second sidewalls hingedly secured to said first and second bed liner sides, and spaced-apart third and fourth sidewalls hingedly secured to said third and fourth bed liner sides; and

at least one releasable latch device attached to at least one of said sidewalls and formed for maintaining said sidewalls in an upright latched position when said enclosure assembly is in said deployed position.

4. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 3 wherein,

said first and second sidewalls have a combined height not exceeding a length of said third and fourth bed liner sides, and

said third and fourth sidewalls having a height not exceeding a length of the first or second bed liner sides.

5. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 3 wherein,

a thickness dimension of said first and second sidewalls combined with a thickness dimension of said third and fourth sidewalls does not exceed a thickness of said bed liner structure.

6. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 3 wherein,

said sidewalls have at least one characteristic selected from a group comprising of said first and second sidewalls have substantially equal heights, and said third and fourth sidewalls have substantially equal heights.

7. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 3 wherein,

said at least one releasable latch device is disposed within a thickness of one of said sidewalls.

8. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 3 wherein,

an upper edge of at least one of said sidewalls defines an opening permitting finger access for lifting of said sidewalls from said stowed position to said deployed position.

9. A stowable cargo restraining enclosure comprising:

a bed liner structure formed for positioning in abutting relation to a portion of a space-defining wall of a cargo space of a transport vehicle, said bed liner structure having a rectangular enclosure storage cavity, said cavity being defined by spaced-apart first and second bed liner sides substantially orthogonal to spaced-apart third and fourth bed liner sides; and

an enclosure assembly including spaced-apart first and second foldable sidewalls each having a bottom edge portion pivotally secured to said first and second bed liner sides, said first and second sidewalls being foldable about an axis parallel to said bottom edge portion, said axis being located approximately mid-height of each of said sidewalls, spaced-apart third and fourth sidewalls being storable in superimposed relation to said first and second sidewalls when said enclosure assembly is in said stowed position, and said third and fourth sidewalls each being sized to fit horizontally within said rectangular storage cavity.

10. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure as defined in claim 9, and

a lid pivotally attached to an upper edge portion of one of said first and second sidewalls, and sized to be positioned over said third and fourth sidewalls in said stowed position.

11. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein,

double a thickness of one of said first and second sidewalls combined with a thickness of said third and fourth sidewalls does not exceed a depth of said storage cavity in said bed liner structure.

12. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein,

at least an upper edge portion of at least one of said third and fourth sidewalls is pivotally attached to said lid.

13. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein,

an inner surface of said lid defines a groove;

an upper edge portion of said third sidewall includes a projection sized to matingly engage and slide within said groove; and

said third sidewall being storable within said lid by sliding said third sidewall into said lid.

14. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein,

said third sidewall includes a movable latch;

and

said bed liner structure defines an opening sized to matingly receive a distal portion of said latch when said latch is moved toward said bed liner structure.

15. The stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein,

said lid is formed with at least one opening providing user access to manually lift said lid and said enclosure assembly to said deployed position.