Pick-up style utility vehicle with expandable cargo bed

• US 8,465,074 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sakata, Masashi, Nakamura, Shigeto, Takehara, Yoshiya, Morita, Hirokazu, Iwamoto, Yuuki, Hayashi, Yaoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/647,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 296/182.1, 296/183.1, 296/186.1, 296/186.4, 296/186.5, 296/24.4, 296/24.41, 296/24.42, 296/24.43, 296/24.46, 410/129, 410/142
• US Class Current: 296/24.43
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/423 from transport of persons to transport of goods
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/026 Rigid partitions inside vehicles, e.g. between passengers and load compartments B60R21/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/04 arranged at rear of vehicle B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065
• 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, a rear seat, and a cargo bed in this order from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a screen shield partitioning the cargo bed and a riding space in front of the cargo bed. The cargo bed is changeable between an expanded state and a non-expanded state. The screen shield is shiftable between an expanded position corresponding to the expanded state of the cargo bed and a non-expanded position corresponding to the non-expanded state of the cargo bed. Fixing devices are provided to fix the screen shield in each of the expanded position and the non-expanded position. The screen shield fixing devices have pin insertion holes of the screen shield, pin insertion holes at the upper ends of side panels, and pins provided so as to be separable from the screen shield and a front panel.

Claims

1. The pick-up style utility vehicle comprising:

a front seat;

a rear seat positioned rearward of the front seat; and

a cargo bed positioned rearward of the rear seat, the cargo bed including a stationary bottom plate, a pair of side panels extending from left and right sides of the bottom plate, respectively, and a front panel, wherein each of the side panels includes a stationary side panel and an adjustable side panel connected to a front end of the stationary side panel; and

a screen shield disposed between the cargo bed and a rear seat riding space in front of the cargo bed such that the screen shield separates the cargo bed from the rear seat riding space in front of the cargo bed, the screen shield being integrally connected to the front panel of the cargo bed, wherein;

the cargo bed is changeable between an expanded state in which the cargo bed is expanded forward into the rear seat riding space by adjusting the position of the adjustable side panels and the position of the screen shield and a non-expanded state not occupying the rear seat riding space;

the screen shield is shiftable between an expanded position corresponding to the expanded state of the cargo bed and a non-expanded position corresponding to the non-expanded state of the cargo bed;

front panel fixing means for fixing the front panel to the side panels of the cargo bed in the expanded position and in the non-expanded position;

the front panel fixing means include first rod insertion holes provided in the left-side side panel, second rod insertion holes provided in the right-side side panel, a first rod supported by the front panel so as to be insertable in the first rod insertion holes, and a second rod supported by the front panel so as to be insertable into the second rod insertion holes, and an operating portion for operating the first and second rods at the same time;

the operating portion includes a rotatable rotational shaft coupled to the first and second rods;

the rotational shaft is aligned with a center portion of the cargo bed in a vehicle width direction; and

the rotational shaft is coupled to the first and second rods by a pair of first link arms formed on the rotational shaft and a pair of second link arms connecting the first link arms to the first and second rods, respectively.

2. The pick-up style utility vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a first knob and a second knob fixed to a front end and a rear end of the rotational shaft, respectively, wherein rotation of either of the first and second knobs effects simultaneous movement of the first and second rods in opposite directions via the first and second link arms.