Kit And Bulkhead Assembly For Cargo Vehicles

• US 20100066114A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Winget, Larry J., Preiser, Darius J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,909,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/24.430
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0266 comprising energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/026 Rigid partitions inside vehicles, e.g. between passengers and load compartments B60R21/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A kit from which a plurality of parts are selected and arranged in a cargo vehicle to obtain bulkhead assembly for the cargo vehicle is provided. The assembly partitions or divides a cargo area from a driver area in the vehicle. The kit includes a reinforced composite first panel of a cellular core sandwich-type for positioning proximate a first side of and within the vehicle. The kit also includes a reinforced composite second panel of a cellular core sandwich-type. The second panel includes a first portion for positioning proximate a second side of and within the vehicle, a door portion disposed between the first panel and the first portion and a living hinge portion disposed between the first and door portions to allow the door portion of the second panel to pivot between open and closed positions to allow the driver to move between the areas in the open position of the door portion.

Claims

1. A kit from which a plurality of parts are selected and arranged in a cargo vehicle to partition or divide a cargo area from a driver area in the vehicle, the kit comprising:

a reinforced composite first panel of a cellular core sandwich-type for positioning proximate a first side of and within the vehicle; and

a reinforced composite second panel of a cellular core sandwich-type, the second panel including;

a first portion for positioning proximate a second side of and within the vehicle;

a door portion disposed between the first panel and the first portion; and

a living hinge portion disposed between the first and door portions to allow the door portion of the second panel to pivot between open and closed positions to allow the driver to move between the areas in the open position of the door portion.

2. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the panels includes an attachment portion for attaching the at least one of the panels to one of the sides of the vehicle.

3. The kit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one of the panels includes a living hinge portion for hingedly connecting the attachment portion to the rest of the at least one of the panels.

4. The kit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one of the panels includes a skin made of reinforced thermoplastics material and wherein the skin at least partially forms the living hinge portion of the at least one of the panels.

5. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cargo vehicle is a cargo van.

6. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the panels is made of a recyclable thermoplastics material.

7. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the panels is constructed mainly of polyolefin and preferably polypropylene.

8. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the panels includes:

a first skin having an inner surface and an outer surface, the skin being made of reinforced thermoplastics material;

a cellular core bonded to the inner surface of the first skin and made of a thermoplastics material; and

a second skin bonded to the cellular core and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the second skin being bonded to the cellular core, the second skin being made of reinforced thermoplastics material wherein one of the skins of the second panel at least partially forms the living hinge portion.

9. The kit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cellular core has a honeycomb-like structure.

10. The kit as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an outer covering layer disposed on the outer surface of at least one of the skins of at least one of the panels.

11. The kit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the covering layer is made of a woven or non-woven fabric and wherein the at least one of the panels is carpeted.

12. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the panels is a deep-drawn panel having a cavity with a width sufficient to accommodate a seat back when the seat back is moved into a reclined position in the driver area.

13. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the panels defines a cut-out window area.

14. The kit as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a window covering which covers the window area.

15. The kit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the skins are made of a woven fabric or a mat of glass fibers and of the thermoplastics material.

16. The kit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thermoplastics material of the skins is polyolefin and, preferably, polypropylene.

17. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cellular core has an open cell structure of the tubular or honeycomb cell type, constituted mainly of polyolefin and, preferably, polypropylene.

18. The kit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the open cells have a diameter in the range of 2 mm to 10 mm.

19. A bulkhead assembly for cargo vehicles, the assembly comprising:

a reinforced composite panel of a cellular core sandwich-type for positioning proximate a first side of and within the vehicle; and

a reinforced composite second panel of a cellular core sandwich-type, the second panel including;

a first portion for positioning proximate a second side of and within the vehicle;

a door portion disposed between the first panel and the first portion; and

a living hinge portion disposed between the first and door portions, the assembly partitioning or dividing a cargo area from a driver area in the vehicle and the living hinge portion allowing the door portion to pivot between open and closed positions to allow the driver to move between the areas in the open position of the door portion.

20. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein each of the panels includes an attachment portion for positioning proximate one of the sides of the vehicle for attaching its respective panel to one of the sides of the vehicle and wherein each of the panels includes a living hinge portion for hingedly connecting its attachment portion to the rest of its panel.