Vehicle having utility bed and seat

• US 8,348,322 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: King, Darin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US13/017,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.33, 296/24.43, 296/26.1, 296/183.1, 296/183.2, 296/37.6, 296/64, 296/66, 296/65.05, 296/65.09
• US Class Current: 296/24.33
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• 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 31/006 foldable droppable B60F5/006
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/02 Platforms; Open load compartments flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08
• 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 utility bed includes a bed frame, bed floor, pair of carrier arms, end wall, seat bottom, and seat back. The bed floor includes first and second floor portions. The first floor portion is movably coupled with the bed frame and is movable between cargo support and seating positions. Each carrier arm includes first and second ends. The first end is pivotally coupled with the bed frame such that the carrier arms are pivotable about an axis. The end wall is coupled with the second end of each carrier arm. The seat bottom and seat back are respectively coupled with the first floor portion and the end wall. The carrier arms facilitate movement of the end wall between cargo hauling and seating positions. When the first floor portion and the end wall are in their respective seating positions, the seat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a rear seat.

Claims

1. A utility bed comprising:

a bed frame;

a bed floor comprising a first floor portion and a second floor portion, the first floor portion being movably coupled with the bed frame and movable with respect to the bed frame between a cargo support position and a seating position;

a pair of carrier arms, each carrier arm comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of each carrier arm being pivotally coupled with the bed frame such that the carrier arms are pivotable with respect to the bed frame about a first axis;

an end wall coupled with the second end of each carrier arm;

a seat bottom coupled with the first floor portion; and

a seat back coupled with the end wall;

wherein;

the pair of carrier arms facilitates movement of the end wall between a cargo hauling position, in which the end wall rests upon the first floor portion, and a seating position, in which the end wall rests upon the second floor portion; and

when the first floor portion and the end wall are in their respective seating positions, the seat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a rear seat.

2. The utility bed of claim 1 wherein the first floor portion is pivotally coupled with the second floor portion such that the first floor portion is pivotable with respect to the second floor portion about a second axis.

3. The utility bed of claim 2 wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel with one another.

4. The utility bed of claim 1 wherein the end wall is pivotally coupled with the second end of each carrier arm and is pivotable with respect to the pair of carrier arms about a wall axis.

5. The utility bed of claim 1 further comprising a seat belt assembly coupled with the end wall.

6. The utility bed of claim 5 wherein the end wall defines a receptacle adjacent to the seat back and the seat belt assembly comprises a retractor and a seat belt, the retractor being disposed within the receptacle and configured to facilitate selective dispensation of the seat belt from the receptacle.

7. The utility bed of claim 1 wherein the first floor portion comprises a front floor portion, the second floor portion comprises a rear floor portion, and the end wall comprises a front wall.

8. The utility bed of claim 7 wherein the front wall defines a bottom surface, the front floor portion defines a front floor portion surface, the rear floor portion defines a rear floor portion surface, and the bottom surface of the front wall contacts one of the front floor portion surface and the rear floor portion surface when the front wall is in one of the cargo hauling position and the seating position, respectively.

9. The utility bed of claim 8 wherein the front floor portion surface defines a plurality of front apertures, the rear floor portion surface defines a plurality of rear apertures, the front wall includes a plurality of pins that extend from the bottom surface, the pins extend into the plurality of front apertures when the front wall is in the cargo hauling position, and the pins extend into the plurality of rear apertures when the front wall is the seating position.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame;

a front seat coupled with the vehicular frame; and

a utility bed coupled with the vehicular frame and comprising;

a bed frame;

a bed floor comprising a first floor portion and a second floor portion, the first floor portion being movably coupled with the bed frame and movable with respect to the bed frame between a cargo support position and a seating position;

a pair of carrier arms, each carrier arm comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of each carrier arm being pivotally coupled with the bed frame such that the carrier arms are pivotable with respect to the bed frame about a first axis;

an end wall coupled with the second end of each carrier arm;

a seat bottom coupled with the first floor portion; and

a seat back coupled with the end wall;

wherein;

the pair of carrier arms facilitates movement of the end wall between a cargo hauling position, in which the end wall rests upon the first floor portion, and a seating position, in which the end wall rests upon the second floor portion; and

when the first floor portion and the end wall are in their respective seating positions, the seat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a rear seat.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the first floor portion is pivotally coupled with the second floor portion such that the first floor portion is pivotable with respect to the second floor portion about a second axis.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel with one another.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the end wall is pivotally coupled with the second end of each carrier arm and is pivotable with respect to the pair of carrier arms about a wall axis.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the end wall comprises a front wall and the utility bed further comprises a tailgate, wherein the front wall is interposed between the front seat and the tailgate when the front wall is in each of the cargo hauling position and the seating position.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the seat back faces forwardly when the front wall is in each of the cargo hauling position and the seating position.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the first floor portion comprises a front floor portion, the second floor portion comprises a rear floor portion, and the end wall comprises a front wall.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the utility bed further comprises a sidewall that comprises a door.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the seat bottom is beneath the first floor portion when the first floor portion is in the cargo support position.

19. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicular frame;

a front seat coupled with the vehicular frame; and

a utility bed coupled with the vehicular frame and comprising;

a bed frame;

a bed floor comprising a front floor portion and a rear floor portion, the front floor portion being pivotally coupled with the rear floor portion and pivotable with respect to the rear floor portion about a first axis between a cargo support position and a seating position;

a pair of carrier arms, each carrier arm comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of each carrier arm being pivotally coupled with the bed frame such that the carrier arms are pivotable with respect to the bed frame about a second axis;

a front wall defining a receptacle and pivotally coupled with the second end of each carrier arm, the front wall being pivotable with respect to the pair of carrier arms about a third axis;

a seat bottom coupled with the front floor portion;

a seat back coupled with the front wall adjacent the receptacle;

a seat belt assembly comprising a retractor and a seat belt, the retractor being disposed within the receptacle and configured to facilitate selective dispensation of the seat belt from the receptacle;

wherein;

the pair of carrier arms facilitates movement of the front wall between a cargo hauling position, in which the front wall rests upon the front floor portion, and a seating position, in which the front wall rests upon the rear floor portion;

the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel with one another;

when the front floor portion and the front wall are in their respective seating positions, the seat back and the seat bottom cooperate to provide a forward facing rear seat.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the front wall defines a bottom surface, the front floor portion defines a front floor portion surface, the rear floor portion defines a rear floor portion surface, the front floor portion surface defines a plurality of front apertures, the rear floor portion surface defines a plurality of rear apertures, the front wall includes a plurality of pins that extend from the bottom surface, the pins extend into the plurality of front apertures when the wall is in the cargo hauling position, and the pins extend into the plurality of rear apertures when the front wall is the seating position.