Convertible cargo rack

• US 8,322,772 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Knight, Daniel J., Swanson, Larry D., Gilbeck, Jon C., Deblack, Darren, Piber, Kenneth John, Oliver, Joseph, Camenisch, Gregory Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/251,971
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.15, 296/37.16, 296/37.5, 296/65.16, 296/66, 296/69
• US Class Current: 296/37.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/366 characterised by the locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/363 characterised by provisions for enhancing the cargo floor surface, e.g. elements closing gaps or enlarging the back-rest surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods

Abstract

A convertible cargo rack has a platform attached to a rear seat back and pivots between a seating position and a cargo position. A side rail is linked to the platform and pivots together with the platform. The side rail provides a retaining structure above and around the perimeter of the platform in the cargo position, and is generally coplanar with the front, side and rear walls of the cargo box in the cargo position. Linkages between the platform and the side rail align the platform and the side rail so they are generally parallel to each other in any position.

Claims

1. A convertible cargo rack, comprising:

a rear seat having a seat back pivotably mounted to a utility vehicle frame at a first pair of pivot points;

a platform attached to the seat back and pivotable with the seat back between an upright position in a generally vertical plane and a down position in a generally horizontal plane;

a side rail pivotably mounted to the utility vehicle frame at a second pair of pivot points and pivoting together with the platform between an upright position generally parallel to the platform and a down position generally parallel to and above and around a perimeter of the platform; and

a pair of pivoting linkages connecting the side rail to the platform.

2. The convertible cargo rack of claim 1 wherein the side rail is at least about six inches above the platform in the down position.

3. The convertible cargo rack of claim 1 wherein the second pair of pivot points are above and rearwardly of the first pair of pivot points.

4. The convertible cargo rack of claim 1 further comprising a cargo box behind the seat back and having front, back and sides in the same horizontal plane as the side rail in the down position.

5. The convertible cargo rack of claim 1 wherein the side rail has a tubular cross section.

6. A convertible cargo rack, comprising:

a platform attached to a rear seat back pivoting between a seating position and a cargo position, the platform having a perimeter that is forward of a utility vehicle cargo box having front, side and rear walls in the seating position and the cargo position; and

a side rail linked to the platform and pivoting together with the platform between the seating position and the cargo position, and providing a retaining structure above and around the perimeter of the platform in the cargo position, and being generally coplanar with the front, side and rear walls of the cargo box in the cargo position.

7. The convertible cargo rack of claim 6 further comprising a pair of linkages between the platform and the side rail, the linkages aligning the platform and the side rail generally parallel to each other in the seating position, the cargo position, and any intermediate position between the seating and the cargo positions.

8. The convertible cargo rack of claim 6 further comprising a frame around the perimeter of the platform.

9. The convertible cargo rack of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the platform is perforated.

10. The convertible cargo rack of claim 6 further comprising a first latch holding the platform and the side rail in the seating position, and a second latch holding the platform and the side rail in the cargo position.

11. A convertible cargo rack, comprising:

a rear seat pivotably mounted behind a front seat of a utility vehicle and pivotable between a seating position and a cargo position;

a platform attached to the rear seat and pivoting with the rear seat to provide a generally horizontal floor over the rear seat in the cargo position; and

a side rail pivotably mounted to the utility vehicle behind the rear seat and pivoting together with the platform to a generally horizontal position above the platform in the cargo position.

12. The convertible cargo rack of claim 11, wherein the side rail is tubular metal.

13. The convertible cargo rack of claim 11, wherein at least part of the platform has a plurality of openings.

14. The convertible cargo rack of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of linkages between the platform and the side rail, the linkages securing the platform and the side rail in parallel alignment to each other.

15. The convertible cargo rack of claim 11, further comprising a cargo box behind the platform and the side rail in the seating position and the cargo position;

the cargo box having a front wall and side walls that are coplanar with the side rail in the cargo position.