Vehicle having utility bed and locking device

• US 8,313,136 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Arnold, David W., Bury, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/685,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.11, 296/24.43, 296/183.2, 296/186.4, 296/64, 298/17.R
• US Class Current: 296/183.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/591 having operating mechanism

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicular frame, a utility bed, and a locking device. The utility bed is pivotally coupled with the vehicular frame and is pivotable between a hauling position and a dumping position. The locking device is operable between a locked position and an unlocked position and is configured to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position when the locking device is in the locked position.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame;

a utility bed pivotally coupled with the vehicular frame and pivotable between a hauling position and a dumping position, the utility bed comprising;

a bed floor; and

a wall movably coupled with the bed floor and movable between an erected position and a collapsed position;

a locking device coupled with at least one of the wall and the vehicular frame, the locking device being operable between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to movement of the wall between the erected position and the collapsed position, wherein the locking device is configured to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position when the locking device is in the locked position.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein, when the locking device is in the locked position, the locking device is configured to couple the vehicular frame with the wall.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the locking device comprises a first tab and a second tab, the first tab is coupled with the wall, the second tab is coupled with the vehicular frame, and when the wall is in the collapsed position, the first tab and the second tab interface to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an actuator coupled with at least one of the vehicular frame and the utility bed, the actuator being configured to facilitate movement of the utility bed between the hauling position and the dumping position.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the locking device comprises a cutoff switch that is configured to facilitate selective disablement of the actuator when the locking device is in the locked position.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the cutoff switch comprises a plunger-type electrical switch.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the wall is pivotally coupled with the bed floor.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the wall comprises at least one of a front wall, a right wall, and a left wall.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein:

the bed floor comprises a first floor portion that is pivotable between a cargo support position and an upright position;

a seat back is coupled with the first floor portion;

a seat bottom is coupled with the wall; and

when the first floor portion is in the upright position with the wall in the collapsed position, the scat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a seat.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein:

the first floor portion comprises a front floor;

the wall comprises a front wall; and

the seat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a forward-facing rear seat.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the utility bed further comprises:

a left side wall comprising a left door that is pivotable between an opened position and a closed position; and

a right side wall comprising a right door that is pivotable between an opened position and a closed position.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein:

the utility bed further comprises a second floor portion; and

the first floor portion is pivotally coupled with the second floor portion.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame;

a utility bed pivotally coupled with the vehicular frame and pivotable between a hauling position and a dumping position, the utility bed comprising a first floor portion that is pivotable between a cargo support position and an upright position;

a locking device coupled with at least one of the first floor portion and the vehicular frame, the locking device being operable between a locked position and an unlocked position in response to movement of the first floor portion between the cargo support position and the upright position, wherein the locking device is configured to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position when the locking device is in the locked position.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein, when the locking device is in the locked position, the locking device is configured to couple the vehicular frame with the first floor portion.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the locking device comprises a first tab and a second tab, the first tab is coupled with the first floor portion, the second tab is coupled with the vehicular frame, and when the first floor portion is in the upright position, the first tab and the second tab interface to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 further comprising an actuator coupled with at least one of the vehicular frame and the utility bed, the actuator being configured to facilitate movement of the utility bed between the hauling position and the dumping position, wherein the locking device comprises a cutoff switch that is configured to facilitate selective disablement of the actuator when the cutoff switch is in the locked position.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the utility bed further comprises a second floor portion and the first floor portion is pivotally coupled with the second floor portion.

18. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame;

a utility bed pivotally coupled with the vehicular frame and pivotable between a hauling position and a dumping position, the utility bed comprising;

a bed floor; and

a wall movably coupled with the bed floor and movable between an erected position and a collapsed position;

means for preventing the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position when the wall is in the collapsed position.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein the means for preventing a utility bed from pivoting comprises a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab is coupled with the wall, the second tab is coupled with the vehicular frame, and when the wall is in the collapsed position, the first tab and the second tab interface to prevent the utility bed from pivoting to the dumping position.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 further comprising an actuator coupled with at least one of the vehicular frame and the utility bed, the actuator being configured to facilitate movement of the utility bed between the hauling position and the dumping position, wherein the means for preventing the utility bed from pivoting comprises a cutoff switch that is configured to facilitate selective disablement of the actuator.