Cargo bed for utility vehicle

• US 9,242,680 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corp. of America (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corp. of America (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Schwab, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, E Turner
• Application Number:
  US14/312,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.4, 296/50, 296/52, 296/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/183 specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts tubular skeleton B62D23/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/043 Superstructures B62D25/161 takes precedence
• 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 33/0276 by vertical translation B62D33/0273 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/033 removable B62D33/0273 takes precedence

Abstract

A cargo bed for a utility vehicle includes a bed portion including a left-side wall portion and a right-side wall portion and a rear opening between rear ends of the side wall portions, and a tail gate to close the rear opening of the bed portion. The side wall portions include a pair of first left and right groove portions extending along an up-down direction at a rear end of the side wall portions. The left-side and right-side wall portions further include a pair of second left and right groove portions disposed forward with respect to the pair of first groove portions and extending along the up-down direction at the left-side and right-side wall portions. The pairs of first and second groove portions are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction and the tail gate is held removably.

Claims

1. A cargo bed for a utility vehicle, the cargo bed comprising:

a bed portion including a left-side wall portion, a right-side wall portion, and a rear opening between rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

a tail gate configured to close the rear opening of the bed portion;

wherein

the left-side wall portion includes a first left groove portion and a second left groove portion, and the right-side wall portion includes a first right groove portion and a second right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion extend along an up-down direction at the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, respectively, and are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a first attachment position at which the rear opening is closed;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are located forward with respect to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and extend along an up-down direction at the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, and are arranged such that the left end and the right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a second attachment position which is forward with respect to the first attachment position;

the tail gate includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface including surface structures that are different from each other;

the first principal surface is an inner surface that includes a depressed portion defining a cargo accommodation space of the cargo bed when the tail gate is held in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion; and

the second principal surface is an outer surface that faces an opposite side of the cargo accommodation space of the cargo bed when the tail gate is held in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion.

2. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion are arranged to receive, in the first attachment position, the tail gate in a regular posture in which the first principal surface is oriented forward, and to slidably receive the tail gate in the first attachment position when the tail gate is in a back-to-front inverted posture in which the second principal surface is oriented forward.

4. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion are arranged to receive, in the first attachment position, the tail gate in a regular posture in which the first principal surface is oriented forward;

and

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are arranged to receive, in the second attachment position, the tail gate in the regular posture in which the first principal surface is oriented forward.

5. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein a gripping portion to grip the tail gate is provided on the first principal surface.

6. The cargo bed according to claim 5, wherein the bed portion further includes a front wall portion connecting front end edges of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion;

the gripping portion is provided at an upper end of the tail gate;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are arranged at the front end edges of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

when the tail gate is in a regular posture, in which the first principal surface is oriented forward, and the tail gate is attached to the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion, at least a portion of the gripping portion of the tail gate is located at a higher position than that of upper end edges of the front wall portion.

7. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are arranged at front ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion.

10. The cargo bed according to claim 1, further comprising:

a linkage member configured to link the tail gate and the bed portion and to hold the tail gate in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion, or to the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion;

wherein

the linkage member and the bed portion are coupled at a different relative position, relative to the tail gate, depending on when the tail gate is held by the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and when the tail gate is held by the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion.

11. The cargo bed according to claim 10, wherein the linkage member and the bed portion are coupled at an inner position of the bed portion, relative to the tail gate, both when the tail gate is attached to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion, and when the tail gate is attached to the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion.

13. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein the tail gate is made from a resin material.

14. The cargo bed according to claim 1, wherein the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion are made from a resin material.

15. A utility vehicle comprising the cargo bed according to claim 1.

3. A cargo bed for a utility vehicle, the cargo bed comprising:

a bed portion including a left-side wall portion, a right-side wall portion, and a rear opening between rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

a tail gate configured to close the rear opening of the bed portion;

wherein

the left-side wall portion includes a first left groove portion and a second left groove portion, and the right-side wall portion includes a first right groove portion and a second right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion extend along an up-down direction at the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, respectively, and are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a first attachment position at which the rear opening is closed;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are located forward with respect to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and extend along an up-down direction at the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, and are arranged such that the left end and the right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a second attachment position which is forward with respect to the first attachment position;

the tail gate includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface including surface structures that are different from each other;

the first principal surface is an inner surface that includes a cargo accommodation space of the cargo bed when the tail gate is held in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion;

the second principal surface is an outer surface that faces an opposite side of the cargo accommodation space of the cargo bed when the tail gate is held in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion are arranged to receive, in the first attachment position, the tail gate in a regular posture in which the first principal surface is oriented forward, and to slidably receive the tail gate in the first attachment position when the tail gate is in a back-to-front inverted posture in which the second principal surface is oriented forward; and

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion are arranged such that insertion of the left end and the right end of the tail gate in the back-to-front inverted posture in which the second principal surface is oriented forward is restricted to halfway to the first attachment position.

8. A cargo bed for a utility vehicle, the cargo bed comprising:

a bed portion including a left-side wall portion, a right-side wall portion, and a rear opening between rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

a tail gate configured to close the rear opening of the bed portion;

wherein

the left-side wall portion includes a first left groove portion and a second left groove portion, and the right-side wall portion includes a first right groove portion and a second right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion extend along an up-down direction at the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, respectively, and are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a first attachment position at which the rear opening is closed;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are located forward with respect to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and extend along an up-down direction at the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, and are arranged such that the left end and the right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a second attachment position which is forward with respect to the first attachment position; and

a lower end position of the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion is located higher than a lower end position of the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion.

16. The cargo bed according to claim 8, wherein the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are arranged at front ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion.

17. The cargo bed according to claim 8, wherein the tail gate is made from a resin material.

18. The cargo bed according to claim 8, wherein the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion are made from a resin material.

19. A utility vehicle comprising the cargo bed according to claim 8.

9. A cargo bed for a utility vehicle, the cargo bed comprising:

a bed portion including a left-side wall portion, a right-side wall portion, and a rear opening between rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

a tail gate configured to close the rear opening of the bed portion;

wherein

the left-side wall portion includes a first left groove portion and a second left groove portion, and the right-side wall portion includes a first right groove portion and a second right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion extend along an up-down direction at the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, respectively, and are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a first attachment position at which the rear opening is closed;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are located forward with respect to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and extend along an up-down direction at the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, and are arranged such that the left end and the right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a second attachment position which is forward with respect to the first attachment position;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion are provided, respectively, in a first left protruded portion and a first right protruded portion protruding inward from the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are provided, respectively, in a second left protruded portion and a second right protruded portion protruding inward from the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion forward of the first left protruded portion and the first right protruded portion;

a distance between the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion at the first left protruded portion and the first right protruded portion and at the second left protruded portion and the right protruded portion is greater than a distance between the first left protruded portion and the first right protruded portion and a distance between the second left protruded portion and the second right protruded portion;

a left partition-plate groove and a right partition-plate groove are provided, respectively, in the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, the left partition-plate groove is located between the first left protruded portion and the second left protruded portion, and the right partition-plate groove is located between the first right protruded portion and the second right protruded portion; and

a distance between the left partition-plate groove and the right partition-plate groove is greater than the distance between the first left protruded portion and the first right protruded portion and greater than the distance between the second left protruded portion and the second right protruded portion.

12. A cargo bed for a utility vehicle, the cargo bed comprising:

a bed portion including a left-side wall portion, a right-side wall portion, and a rear opening between rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion; and

a tail gate configured to close the rear opening of the bed portion;

wherein

the left-side wall portion includes a first left groove portion and a second left groove portion, and the right-side wall portion includes a first right groove portion and a second right groove portion;

the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion extend along an up-down direction at the rear ends of the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, respectively, and are arranged such that a left end and a right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a first attachment position at which the rear opening is closed;

the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion are located forward with respect to the first left groove portion and the first right groove portion and extend along an up-down direction at the left-side wall portion and the right-side wall portion, and are arranged such that the left end and the right end of the tail gate are each slidable in the up-down direction in the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion to removably hold the tail gate at a second attachment position which is forward with respect to the first attachment position;

a bed hook is provided in the bed portion; and

at a lower end of the tail gate, a depressed portion is provided at a position corresponding to the bed hook to avoid the bed hook when the tail gate is attached to the second left groove portion and the second right groove portion.