Pickup-style work vehicle

• US 7,581,780 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Hirooka, Yoshimi, Nakamura, Norimi, Nakamura, Taro, Shimamura, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/208,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.08, 296/26.11, 296/183.1, 296/186.4, 296/183.2, 298/1.A, 298/17.R
• US Class Current: 296/183.2
• 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 33/08 comprising adjustable means B62D33/10 takes precedence
• 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 driver'"'"'s section, a loading floor that is located rearwardly of the driver'"'"'s section and that can be 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 fixing member connected to the vehicle, and partition member position change mechanism for changing the position of the partition member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle between a forward position and a rearward position. The partition member when placed at the forward position is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the first state while the partition member when placed at the rearward position is located immediately forwardly of the loading floor in the second state.

Claims

1. A pickup-style work vehicle comprising:

a driver'"'"'s section;

a loading floor located rearwardly of the driver'"'"'s section, 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 fixing member connected to the vehicle; and

a partition member position change mechanism for changing the position of a partition member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle between a forward position and a rearward position;

wherein the partition member when placed at the forward position is positioned just in front of the loading floor in the first state while the partition member when placed at the rearward position is positioned just in front of the loading floor, and

wherein the partition member is fixed to the fixing member at the forward position or the rearward position.

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

the fixing member is a roll over protective structure (ROPS), and the partition member is supported by the ROPS to be slidable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

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

the ROPS includes a top frame having rail members attached thereto to extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the partition member is supported by the rail members to be slidable.

4. 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.