Cargo space expanding device of vehicle

Details Cargo space expanding device of vehicle Cargo space expanding device of vehicle

2001-11-19

2002-07-16

Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Door or window with specified vehicle feature

C296S056000, C296S106000, C296S146800, C296S190110, C296S201000, C049S372000, C049S374000, C049S375000, C049S377000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06419299

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cargo space expanding device of a vehicle and more particularly to a cargo space expanding device of a vehicle to prevent any damage by completely accommodating glass into a mid-gate that can be folded out into the internal side of the vehicle.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In general, a hollow space is offered to load cargoes at a rear part of a vehicle. The vehicle mainly aiming at carrying cargoes or freights as shown in
FIG. 1
, is made to load bulky matter in the hollow cargo space, if needed, by expanding even to inner space of the vehicle formed by a vehicle glass G and an internally foldable mid-gate
20
, so called a rear-panel.
In such a vehicle, parts are generally provided for blocking or expanding the inner space and the cargo space, as shown in
FIG. 2
, such as a piece of glass G fixed onto a roof panel, holding means
50
provided between the upper edge of the glass G and the roof panel
10
for fixing the glass G, a mid-gate
20
having a hollow space into which sponge or urethane cushioning member
80
are stuffed for inducing the glass G, and rotating means
40
hinged at the bottom part of the mid-gate
20
for fixing and supporting through the body panel T and for getting the mid-gate
20
folded into the inner space of a vehicle.
At this time, the holding means
50
includes a latch assembly
60
having a vertically movable hook accommodated at a hole
61
a
of a fixing bracket
61
fixed by a fixing member at the glass G and a striker
70
having a hitching bracket
71
coupled with the roof panel
10
by a fixing member
72
for being locked or unlocked with the latch assembly
60
.
Furthermore, the latch assembly
60
, as shown in
FIG. 3
, includes a hook
62
in which a hitching chuck
62
a
having a plurality of vertical slots
62
a
′ is fixed by a spring
63
in the hole
61
a
of the fixing bracket
61
and a vertically movable knob
62
b
is added for being vertically moved through a movement slot
61
b
formed at the lateral side of the fixing bracket
61
.
Also, rotating means
40
positioned at the lower part of the mid-gate
20
is constructed with a fixing bracket
41
installed at the body panel T just like in the prior art, and a connection bracket
42
fixed at the inner side of the mid-gate
20
and a hinge pin
43
coupled between brackets
41
,
42
for hinging the mid-gate
20
to be folded to the inner side of the vehicle.
Accordingly, after the knob
62
b
formed at the hook
62
of the latch assembly
60
of the holding means
50
is pulled down to release the hitching chuck
62
a
of the latch assembly
60
out of the hitching bracket
71
of the striker
70
and insert the glass G into the mid-gate
20
, a bulky matter M like an auto-bike is loaded at the trunk and the inner space of a back seat with the mid-gate
20
being pulled and folded into the inner side of the vehicle by the hinge pin
43
of the rotating means
40
as shown in FIG.
5
.
However, the holding means
50
assembled at the upper part of the glass G which will be inserted into the inwardly foldable mid-gate
20
is exposed outside as shown in FIG.
4
. In other words, the holding means
50
is assembled out of the length L′ of the glass G, longer than the length L of the mid-gate
20
, to be exposed out of the folded mid-gate
20
as shown in FIG.
5
. Therefore, the prior art has a disadvantage that a damage may be made by a contact with the matter M when or while it is loaded at the cargo space of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve the aforementioned problem and provide a cargo space expanding device of a vehicle which can prevent any damage from being made by a loaded matter by getting the upper part of glass to be completely inserted into a mid-gate.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned object of the present invention, there is provided a cargo space expanding device of a vehicle, the device comprising:
a piece of glass fixed by holding means onto a roof panel; and
a mid-gate hinged by rotating means mounted at a body panel with a hollow part filled with a cushioning member like sponge or urethane foam for getting the glass drawn inside, wherein the holding means comprises pressing means fixed at the glass and manipulating means hinged with the pressing means and coupled with a fixing edge of a grip member mounted at the roof panel to support the upper end of the glass.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2747921 (1956-05-01), Hooverson et al.
patent: 3214213 (1965-10-01), Hezler, Jr. et al.
patent: 3770312 (1973-11-01), Shadburn
patent: 4119341 (1978-10-01), Cook
patent: 4793099 (1988-12-01), Friese et al.
patent: 5169205 (1992-12-01), James
patent: 5702146 (1997-12-01), Asami
patent: 5934727 (1999-08-01), Storc et al.
patent: 6260916 (2001-07-01), Hunt

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