Pick-up style utility vehicle with expandable cargo bed

• US 8,328,261 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors Ltd (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kanazawa, Tomohiro, Takahashi, Hideyuki, Jinja, Yoichi, Hamano, Takao, Sakata, Masashi, Morita, Kazuhiro, Ishibashi, Yasushi, Maeda, Kiyoaki, Furman, Tyler, Masuda, Yoshihiro, Govier, Trey
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US12/646,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 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, 296/183.1, 296/183.2, 296/190.03, 296/191, 296/37.6, 296/64, 296/65.01, 296/66, 296/65.09, 280/756, 280/749
• US Class Current: 296/24.43
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/28 Tipping body constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 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 having a front seat and a rear seat. The pick-up style utility vehicle includes a cargo bed movement mechanism for supporting a cargo bed movably within a predetermined movement range in a back and forth direction. Also, a seat movement mechanism is provided for supporting the rear seat movably between a use position set to be within the movement range and a shunting position set to be out of or beyond the movement range.

Claims

1. A pick-up style utility vehicle having a front seat, a rear seat and a chassis, the pick-up style utility vehicle further comprising:

a cargo bed;

a cargo bed movement mechanism for movably supporting the cargo bed on the chassis within a predetermined movement range in a back and forth direction,

wherein the rear seat includes a main seat and a backrest,

wherein the main seat and the backrest are separated from each other, the main seat is fixed to the chassis, and the backrest is fixed to the cargo bed, and

wherein a seating face of the main seat is arranged below a lower level of the cargo bed.

2. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a supplementary screen, wherein the backrest is fixed to the cargo bed via the supplementary screen.

3. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cargo bed includes a screen and supplementary screen, wherein the backrest is fixed to the cargo bed via the supplementary screen such that the backrest moves with the cargo bed while the main seat remains in a fixed position relative to the chassis.

4. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the backrest is forward of the main seat in a forward position of the cargo bed.

6. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the seat support mechanism is capable of coupling and separating the cargo bed and the rear seat.

5. A pick-up style utility vehicle having a front seat and a rear seat, the pick-up style utility vehicle comprising:

a cargo bed;

a cargo bed movement mechanism for movably supporting the cargo bed within a predetermined movement range in a back and forth direction; and

a seat support mechanism for supporting the rear seat on the cargo bed,

wherein the front seat defines a storage space for partially storing the rear seat,

wherein the rear seat is movable together with the cargo bed to permit partial storage of the rear seat in the storage space.