Vehicle body panel and window system

Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C296S183100, C296S026110, C296S146160, C296S201000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06260916

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to vehicles, such as pickup trucks, in which a rear wall of the vehicle passenger compartment is adaptable to provide various configurations for optionally increasing cargo space by extension into the rear passenger area or, alternatively, closing off the cargo area from the passenger compartment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art to provide a pickup truck having a cab portion for carrying passengers in a rear seat section behind the driver and a cargo box behind the cab portion for carrying cargo. It is also known to provide aligned openings in the cab portion and the cargo box for carrying longer loads which extend into the passenger compartment with the rear seat folded down. However, a need exists for providing a pickup truck or similar vehicle with a flexible panel and window system that is adapted to accommodate a variety of optional configurations for alternatively carrying a maximum passenger load or an extended cargo load under both covered and uncovered conditions where the cargo load is protected from or exposed to ambient external conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a vehicle body panel and window system for use in an extended cab pickup truck or other similar vehicle in which the rear wall of the vehicle is adaptable for use in various optional configurations.
In a passenger carrying mode, a rear seat is positioned in a passenger carrying position ahead of a rear wall in which an upper window opening is optionally closed by a movable rear window. A power mechanism is preferably provided for lowering the window down into a portion of the rear wall below the window opening to allow additional cab ventilation or communication with the rear cargo compartment.
Conventionally, the rear seat of the passenger compartment may be folded down to allow carrying of cargo within the passenger compartment on the back of the folded down seat. The vehicle rear wall preferably includes a closure panel that closes an opening below the window. The panel is pivotable inward about a lower pivot axis to fold down over the back of the rear seat and open communication through a lower panel opening in the rear wall between the cargo compartment and the rear portion of the passenger compartment for carrying cargo extending between the two compartments.
A crossbar preferably extends transversely across the rear wall between the upper window opening and the lower panel opening. At least partially within the crossbar is a window drive mechanism that is preferably power-operated by a motor within the crossbar, or external thereto. The window drive mechanism operates to hold the window up whether the closure panel below the crossbar is in the open or closed position. Alternatively, the window may be lowered partially into the panel and partially in the crossbar and the crossbar can be arranged to pivot with the panel to the open position. In this configuration, the upper window opening, the lower panel opening and the space between where the crossbar normally extends are all connected to form one large opening that communicates with the rear cargo compartment.
In another alternative, the window drive mechanism includes drive means mounted on or adjacent to the panel as well as on the crossbar and the window may be lowered thereby through the crossbar completely into the panel, after which the panel may be tilted forward to communicate the rear passenger compartment with the cargo compartment through both the lower panel opening and the upper window opening with the crossbar remaining in place between them.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides power operation of the window between closed, partially open and fully open positions. In the latter, the window resides completely within the panel and is folded down therewith, communicating the rear passenger compartment with the cargo compartment through both the lower and upper openings. Alternatively, the window may be raised and the panel opened to connect the compartments through the lower opening only. In this option, the cargo compartment may be covered by a removable cover which engages the rear wall at the crossbar or at the window itself to limit the potential of entry of ambient substances, such as water or dust, into the passenger compartment area when cargo is being carried which extends into both of the compartments.
In all the optional embodiments, power operation of the window between open and closed positions is provided, so that only repositioning of the passenger rear seat and the panel and/or panel and crossbar require manual operation, thus simplifying the manual steps required to change the body structure from one optional configuration to another.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more filly understood from the following description of certain specific embodiments of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2602691 (1952-07-01), Doty
patent: 3240527 (1966-03-01), Weiss et al.
patent: 4119341 (1978-10-01), Cook
patent: 4480868 (1984-11-01), Koto
patent: 4793099 (1988-12-01), Friese et al.
patent: 4848832 (1989-07-01), Starnes
patent: 4941702 (1990-07-01), Southward
patent: 5934727 (1999-08-01), Storc et al.
patent: 358030877 (1983-02-01), None
patent: 358026681 (1983-02-01), None
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/237,337 Adaptive Pick-Up Truck Configuration, filed Jan. 26, 1999.
Chevrolet sees SUV Pickup as Core Product; Automotive News, Jan., 2000 p. 6 Pickup and Go; Automotive News, p. 28, Jan. 3, 2000.

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