Pickup-style work vehicle

• US 7,578,544 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Taro, Shimamura, Teruo, Hirooka, Yoshimi, Nakamura, Norimi
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/203,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.11, 296/26.08, 296/65.05, 296/65.09, 296/183.1, 296/186.4, 296/183.2, 296/190.11, 298/1.A, 298/17.R
• US Class Current: 296/183.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3015 the axis being located at the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/16 actuated by fluid-operated mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/26 Means for controlling movement of tailboards or sideboards open loading compartments with movable sideboards or tailgates B62D33/027
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/283 Elements of tipping devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/037 Latching means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/003 convertible in order to modify the number of seats foldable compact cars B62D31/006; convertible from one use to a different one B60P3/42

Abstract

A pickup-style work vehicle comprises a front driver'"'"'s seat, a backseat, a loading floor that is located rearwardly of the backseat and that can be moved to a dumping position, a loading floor size changeover mechanism, and a backseat posture change mechanism. The loading floor size changeover mechanism changes the size of the loading floor between a first state in which a front wall portion and a front bottom portion of the loading floor are moved forwardly in a fore-and-aft direction and a second state in which the front wall portion and the front bottom portion of the loading floor are moved rearwardly in a fore-and-aft direction. The backseat posture change mechanism changes a posture of the backseat between a first posture which is a non-use state and a second posture which is a use state. The fore-and-aft dimension of the backseat in the first posture is less than a fore-and-aft dimension of the backseat in the second posture. the backseat in the first posture is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the first state and the backseat in the second posture is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the second state.

Claims

1. A pickup-style work vehicle comprising:

a front driver'"'"'s seat;

a backseat;

a loading floor located rearwardly of the backseat, the loading floor capable of being moved to a dumping position;

a loading floor size changeover mechanism that changes a size of the loading floor between a first state in which a front wall portion and a front bottom portion of the loading floor are moved forwardly in a fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle and a second state in which the front wall portion and the front bottom portion of the loading floor are moved rearwardly in the fore-and-aft direction;

a backseat posture change mechanism that changes a posture of the backseat between a first posture which is a non-use state and a second posture which is a use state, a fore-and-aft dimension of the backseat in the first posture being less than the fore-and-aft dimension of the backseat in the second posture;

wherein the backseat in the first posture is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the first state and the backseat in the second posture is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the second state.

2. The pickup-style work vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the loading floor size changeover mechanism is a folding mechanism that allows the front wall portion and the front floor portion to be folded in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

3. The pickup-style work vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the backseat posture change mechanism is a pivoting mechanism that allows the backseat to be pivoted about an axis laterally extending with respect to the vehicle wherein a seat bottom surface, to be sat on, of the backseat extends vertically when the backseat is in the first posture and the seat bottom surface of the backseat extends horizontally when the backseat is in the second posture.

4. The pickup-style work vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the backseat is supported by one or more back seat support frames and the loading floor is supported by one or more rear frames connected with the one or more backseat support frames.