Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Lining
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-07-03
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Lining
C296S037500, C296S037600, C224S539000, C224S497000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254162
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates, in general, to assemblies and methods for restraining cargo movement in transport vehicles, and more particularly, relates to barrier, wall or partition assemblies which form enclosures inside cargo storage spaces of transport vehicles, and to the methods by which such enclosure assemblies are mounted to and used in such transport vehicles.
BACKGROUND ART
On the order of one-half of the motor vehicles sold in the United States today are trucks or sport utility vehicles (SUVs). In addition, many of these vehicles, as well as many passenger cars, mini-vans and the like, are equipped to tow trailers. Thus, today's consumers generally regard the ability to transport cargo of various descriptions as a highly desired feature.
Trucks, SUVs and trailers all typically include a generally horizontally oriented cargo supporting surface or bed that is surrounded by generally vertically oriented side walls, which together define the cargo space of the transport vehicle. Usually one or more of the side walls is movable to provide better access to the cargo space, and most typically the aft wall or tailgate of the transport vehicle can be lowered to provide such access. Additionally, the cab area of transport vehicles is often used to transport cargo, and particularly smaller sized items.
Cargo box bed liners also are in widespread use as a result of the proliferation of pickup trucks, mini-vans and sport utility vehicles. Such bed liners originally were intended to protect the cargo box of the transport vehicle from being damaged during loading and unloading of cargo. More recently, however, such bed liners have also included structures which enable cargo restraint.
The least complex of such cargo restraining bed liners merely provide non-skid surfaces, such as found in the bed liners of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,921 and 5,803,531. Bed liners also may include tailgate padding panels which are supported by the original equipment tailgate, such as may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,710.
Restraint or limitation of the lateral movement of cargo within the four walls of a cargo space using cargo restraining bed liners also has been undertaken. Thus, bed liners which are grooved or pocketed and are used with cooperatively formed, plug-in type, cargo restraining members are well known. Typical of such systems are the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,131,709, 5,549,428, 5,599,055, 5,655,863, 5,673,956, 5,788,309 and 5,788,310. This type of plug-in cargo restraint approach also has even been used on floor mats for automobiles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,695.
A common problem encountered with plug-in cargo restraining systems is the problem of what to do with the plug-in members when they are not in use. The existence of a multiplicity of unconnected components or parts creates tedious storage and handling problems. The volume required for storage of such plug-in components also can be an issue since they preferably are carried by the transport vehicle when not in use. Moreover, since bed liners were originally developed to protect the cargo area of a vehicle from damage, the grooved or pocketed bed liners themselves can become damaged, with a resultant impairment of areas in the bed liner to which plug-in restraining components can be secured.
Finally, various cargo enclosures or compartments have been designed for use in the cargo areas of transport vehicles. Typically, these structures simply have been placed in the cargo area, and as a result, they often permanently significantly reduce the volume of the cargo space available for cargo which cannot be placed in the compartments. Such prior art storage compartments are illustrated, for example, by the systems of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,615,922 and 5,685,593.
As used herein, the expression “transport vehicle” shall include motor vehicles, such as pickups, SUVs, vans, automobiles, buses, commercial trucks, watercraft, aircraft, trains, even golf carts, and equivalent motored vehicles used to transport cargo, as well as towed or unpowered cargo carriers, such as trailers and barges and equivalent unpowered vehicles used to transport cargo.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cargo restraining enclosure assembly and method for use in a transport vehicle, and a transport vehicle employing the same, in which movable cargo restraining sidewalls are provided that can be easily stowed in the cargo space in a compact configuration and easily deployed to form a walled enclosure interiorly of the cargo space defining sidewalls.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly and method for a transport vehicle which can be readily installed in the vehicle as an after-market product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly which has fewer components and is easier to store and use than conventional transport vehicle cargo enclosures.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraining enclosure assembly and method which will not impede cargo loading or unloading, is durable and is relatively inexpensive to construct.
The stowable transport vehicle enclosure assembly, vehicle and method of the present invention have other objects and features which will become apparent from, or are described in more detail in, the following description of the Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention and the accompanying drawing.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a stowable cargo restraining enclosure assembly, a transport vehicle having such enclosure assembly, and a method for its use.
The stowable enclosure assembly most preferably is incorporated into a bed liner structure for a cargo space or cargo box of a transport vehicle. The enclosure includes a securement structure, such as the bed liner, and a cargo restraining enclosure assembly mounted thereto. Preferably, the enclosure assembly includes at least one, and most preferably a plurality, of sidewalls which are movable into and out of an enclosure assembly storage cavity in the bed liner. The sidewalls pivot up and out of the bed liner storage cavity and into the cargo space to form a walled perimeter or enclosure which can be used to limit movement of cargo in the cargo space.
In one embodiment, the enclosure assembly is open topped, while in another a lid, cover or top is provided. If desired, the bed liner structure may be eliminated, and the enclosure assembly mounted directly to the cargo bed of the transport vehicle.
The method of the present invention comprises, briefly, the steps of mounting an enclosure assembly to the transport vehicle proximate the cargo space, selectively moving the enclosure assembly between a stowed position and a deployed position, and securing the enclosure in the deployed position limiting movement of cargo. Most preferably, the mounting step is accomplished by mounting a bed liner structure in the cargo space of the vehicle, with the bed liner carrying an enclosure assembly stowed in a storage cavity in a collapsed condition. The moving step is accomplished by pivoting a plurality of sidewalls up and out the storage cavity to a deployed position in which they cooperate and/or are coupled together to provide a walled enclosure in which cargo can be positioned.
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Faber Michael W.
Podkomorka Michael P.
Albritton & Herbert LLP
Blankenship Greg
Dayoan D. Glenn
Flehr Hohbach Test
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