Pick-up style utility vehicle with expandable cargo bed

• US 8,096,600 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kawabata, Takao, Tamba, Shinichi, Tanaka, Masaki, Shinnoki, Hideaki, Ihara, Eiji, Yasui, Hidekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/647,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 296/10, 296/26.01, 296/26.1, 296/26.11, 296/37.6, 296/63, 296/64, 296/66, 296/65.01, 296/65.05, 296/65.09, 296/65.16, 296/69, 296/205, 296/182.1
• US Class Current: 296/66
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 23/005 with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like B62D33/044 takes precedence
• 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 pick-up style utility vehicle has a driver'"'"'s seat, a seat next to the driver'"'"'s seat, one or more passenger seats behind the driver'"'"'s seat, and a cargo bed. Each of all the passenger seats and the seat next to the driver'"'"'s seat is independently changeable between a first state in which the seat is seatable and a second state in which the seat is retracted so that an occupied space of the seat can be used as part of the cargo bed. Preferably, a screen shield partitioning the cargo bed and a riding space in front of the cargo bed is provided. The screen shield is divided into left and right screen shield members.

Claims

1. A pick-up style utility vehicle comprising:

a driver'"'"'s seat;

a front passenger seat next to the driver'"'"'s seat;

one or more rear passenger seats behind the driver'"'"'s seat and

a cargo bed, wherein;

at least one of the one or more rear passenger seats is changeable between a first state in which the rear passenger seat is seatable and a second state in which the rear passenger seat is retracted so that the rear passenger seat is used as part of the cargo bed;

the changeable rear passenger seat has a seat bottom and a backrest and is installed so as to be seatable in a vehicle width direction when the changeable rear passenger seat is in the first state in which the changeable rear passenger seat is seatable;

the seat bottom is arranged below a bottom plate of the cargo bed;

the backrest is position changeable between an erected position in which the backrest exposes the upper surface of the seat bottom when the changeable rear passenger seat is in the first state and a fallen position in which the backrest becomes part of the bottom plate to cover the upper side of the seat bottom when the changeable rear passenger seat is in the second state;

the cargo bed has a rear panel erected from the rear end of the cargo bed and a pair of side panels erected from the left and right ends of the cargo bed; and

part of each of the side panels hangs down when the changeable rear passenger seat is in the first state in which the rear passenger seat is seatable.

2. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the changeable rear passenger seat includes right and left changeable rear passenger seats.