Pick-up style utility vehicle with expandable cargo bed

• US 8,322,767 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Morita, Hirokazu, Yamashita, Shigeru, Kawabata, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/849,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 296/165, 296/171, 296/175, 296/24.3, 296/24.33, 296/24.4, 296/24.43, 296/26.08, 296/62.09, 296/26.1, 296/26.11, 296/183.11, 296/183.2, 296/190.03, 296/191, 296/37.6, 296/64, 296/65.01, 296/66, 296/65.09, 296/183.1, 280/756, 280/749
• US Class Current: 296/24.33
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/02 Platforms; Open load compartments flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08
• 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 includes a front seat, a rear seat, a screen shield, a cargo bed, and a cabin frame housing at least the front seat and the rear seat and forming a riding space. The cargo bed is state changeable between the expanded state in which the cargo bed expands forward and the unexpanded state not occupying the riding space. The cabin frame includes a pair of left and right front side frame bodies, a pair of left and right rear side frame bodies, and cross frame members coupling the front and rear side frame bodies. The front side frame bodies are fixed to the vehicle body and the rear side frame bodies and the cross frame members are changeable with respect to the vehicle body according to the state change of the cargo bed.

Claims

1. A pick-up style utility vehicle comprising:

a front seat;

a rear seat;

a screen shield; and

a cargo bed on a vehicle body in this order from front; and

a cabin frame housing at least the front seat and the rear seat and forming a riding space;

wherein;

the cargo bed is state changeable between an expanded state in which the cargo bed expands forward so as to occupy a portion of the riding space provided by moving the rear seat forward and an unexpanded state not occupying the riding space;

the cabin frame includes a pair of left and right front side frame bodies, a pair of left and right rear side frame bodies, and cross frame members coupling the front and rear side frame bodies;

the front side frame bodies are fixed to the vehicle body and the rear side frame bodies and at least one of the cross frame members are changeable with respect to the vehicle body according to the state change of the cargo bed; and

the change of the rear side frame bodies and at least one of the cross frame members to the expanded state is performed by slidably moving the rear side frame bodies and the at least one cross frame member forward on the vehicle body.

2. A pick-up style utility vehicle comprising:

a front seat;

a rear seat;

a screen shield; and

a cargo bed on a vehicle body in this order from a front of the vehicle; and

a cabin frame housing at least the front seat and the rear seat and forming a riding space;

wherein;

the cargo bed is state changeable between an expanded state in which the cargo bed expands forward so as to occupy a portion of the riding space provided by moving the rear seat forward and an unexpanded state not occupying the riding space;

the cabin frame includes a pair of left and right front side frame bodies, a pair of left and right rear side frame bodies, and cross frame members coupling the front and rear side frame bodies;

the front side frame bodies are fixed to the vehicle body and the rear side frame bodies and the cross frame members are changeable with respect to the vehicle body according to the state change of the cargo bed; and

the change of the rear side frame bodies and the cross frame members to the expanded state is performed by pivoting the rear side frame bodies and the cross frame members on the vehicle body and the front side frame bodies, respectively, pivotably mounting the cross frame members so as to be rotatable about a first crossing element and a second crossing element, pivoting the first crossing element and the second crossing element of the cross frame members on the rear side frame bodies, and tiltably moving the rear side frame bodies and the cross frame members forward.