Utility vehicle equipped with extendable cargo bed

• US 7,841,639 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ichihara, Fumio, Tanaka, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black; Melissa A
• Application Number:
  US12/082,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 296/183.1, 296/65.01, 296/186.4, 296/63, 296/66, 296/65.09, 296/183.2
• US Class Current: 296/65.05
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3031 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• 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 utility vehicle comprises plural rows of seats mounted in a vehicle body of the utility vehicle, and an extendable cargo bed positioned behind the seats. The cargo bed includes a bottom wall member having an extended region which is extended forward relative to a cargo accommodating space in an unextended state of the cargo bed. The plural rows of seats include a rear seat having a rear seat seating portion which is rotatably provided on the extended region of the bottom wall member such that the rear seat seating portion is rotatable forward to an upright position. The rear seat seating portion has a bottom plate provided integrally with a bottom surface thereof. In a state where the rear seat seating portion is rotated forward and is in the upright position, the bottom plate of the rear seat seating portion defines a front wall member of the cargo bed.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle comprising:

plural rows of seats mounted in a vehicle body of the utility vehicle; and

an extendable cargo bed positioned behind the plural rows of seats;

wherein the cargo bed includes a bottom wall member having a forward region which extends forward relative to a cargo accommodating space in an unextended state of the cargo bed;

wherein the plural rows of seats include a rear seat having a rear seat seating portion which is rotatably provided on the forward region of the bottom wall member such that the rear seat seating portion is rotatable forward to an upright position;

wherein the rear seat seating portion has a bottom plate provided integrally with a bottom surface thereof;

wherein in a state where the rear seat seating portion is rotated forward and is in the upright position, the bottom plate of the rear seat seating portion defines a front wall member of the cargo bed;

a rear seat backrest positioned above a rear end portion of the rear seat seating portion;

wherein the rear seat backrest is rotatably coupled to a vehicle body frame by a pivot arm such that the rear seat backrest is able to move forward over the rear seat seating portion to a location forward relative to the rear seat seating portion; and

wherein the pivot arm is angularly displaceable with respect to the vehicle body frame and is angularly displaceable with respect to the rear seat backrest.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a stopper mechanism configured to permit and inhibit the angular displacement of the pivot arm.

3. A utility vehicle comprising:

plural rows of seats mounted in a vehicle body of the utility vehicle; and

an extendable cargo bed positioned behind the plural rows of seats;

wherein the cargo bed includes a bottom wall member having a forward region which extends forward relative to a cargo accommodating space in an unextended state of the cargo bed;

wherein the plural rows of seats include a rear seat having a rear seat seating portion which is rotatably provided on the forward region of the bottom wall member such that the rear seat seating portion is rotatable forward to an upright position;

wherein the rear seat seating portion has a bottom plate provided integrally with a bottom surface thereof;

wherein in a state where the rear seat seating portion is rotated forward and is in the upright position, the bottom plate of the rear seat seating portion defines a front wall member of the cargo bed;

a rear seat backrest positioned above a rear end portion of the rear seat seating portion;

wherein the rear seat backrest is rotatably coupled to a vehicle body frame by a pivot arm such that the rear seat backrest is able to move forward over the rear seat seating portion to a location forward relative to the rear seat seating portion; and

wherein the pivot arm is angularly displaceable with respect to the rear seat backrest in association with angular displacement of the pivot arm with respect to the vehicle body frame.

4. A utility vehicle comprising:

plural rows of seats mounted in a vehicle body of the utility vehicle; and

an extendable cargo bed positioned behind the plural rows of seats;

wherein the cargo bed includes a bottom wall member having a forward region which extends forward relative to a cargo accommodating space in an unextended state of the cargo bed;

wherein the plural rows of seats include a rear seat having a rear seat seating portion which is rotatably provided on the forward region of the bottom wall member such that the rear seat seating portion is rotatable forward to an upright position;

wherein the rear seat seating portion has a bottom plate provided integrally with a bottom surface thereof;

wherein in a state where the rear seat seating portion is rotated forward and is in the upright position, the bottom plate of the rear seat seating portion defines a front wall member of the cargo bed;

a rear seat backrest positioned above a rear end portion of the rear seat seating portion;

wherein the rear seat backrest is rotatably coupled to a vehicle body frame by a pivot arm such that the rear seat backrest is able to move forward over the rear seat seating portion to a location forward relative to the rear seat seating portion; and

wherein in a stowed state in which the rear seat backrest is moved over the rear seat seating portion and is in a location forward relative to the rear seat seating portion, a lower end of the rear seat backrest is lower than the bottom wall member of the cargo bed.