Load floor with gear rack
AssigneeMagna International Inc.
InventorsSteven D. McClintock, Daniel V. Beckley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable cargo floor assembly for a vehicle providing at least a portion of the cargo floor moving closer to an entrance of the vehicle or extending beyond or outside the vehicle when it is in a deployed position, and the cargo floor being in a stowed position when not in the deployed position. In addition, the cargo floor has at least one ramp surface integrated into the base of the cargo floor, and a track that is integrated into the ramp surface so that a gear assembly contacts the track and moves the cargo floor to and from a deployed position and a stowed position. Thus, as a gear rotates it contacts the teeth of the track and causes the cargo floor to move between positions.
Claims20
A moveable cargo floor of a vehicle, said vehicle including a stowage area in a floor portion comprising:
- a cargo floor moveably positioned in said stowage area when in a stowage position and being capable of being deployed outside of said stowage area when in a deployed position, and said cargo floor including a base portion;
- at least one ramp surface integrated into said base portion of said cargo floor;
- and
- at least one track integrated into said base portion, wherein a gear assembly operably engages said at least one track in order to move said cargo floor between said deployed position and said stowed position.
A moveable cargo floor of a vehicle, said vehicle including a stowage area in a floor portion comprising:
- a cargo floor moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein at least a portion of said cargo floor extends beyond said vehicle when in a deployed position, and said cargo floor is inside vehicle when in a stowed position, and said cargo floor including a base portion;
- at least one ramp surface, wherein said at least one ramp surface is integrated into said base portion, and said at least one ramp surface includes a track integrated with said at least one ramp surface;
- at least one horizontal surface connected to said ramp surface, wherein said at least one horizontal surface is integrated into said base portion, and wherein said track is also integrated with said at least one horizontal surface;
- and
- at least one gear assembly that is fixed with respect to said vehicle, wherein at least one gear contacts said track of said ramp surface for moving said cargo floor to and from said deployed position and said stowed position, such that said cargo floor is at a greater height with respect to said floor portion when in said deployed position than when said cargo floor is in said stowed position.
A moveable cargo floor of a vehicle, said vehicle including a stowage area in a floor portion comprising:
- a cargo floor moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein at least a portion of said cargo floor extends beyond said vehicle when in a deployed position, wherein said cargo floor is located inside said vehicle when the cargo floor is in a stowed position, wherein said cargo floor includes a base portion;
- a pair of ramp surfaces including a first ramp surface and a second ramp surface integrated into said base portion of said cargo floor;
- a pair of horizontal surfaces connected to said pair of ramp surfaces, wherein said pair of horizontal surfaces are integrated into said base portion;
- a pair of gears including a first gear and a second gear that are connected to said vehicle, wherein said pair of gears contact said pair of ramp surfaces;
- a drive mechanism that controls said pair of gears, wherein said drive mechanism comprises a motor that is operably connected to said pair of gears and a controller that receives signals which command said controller to activate and deactivate said motor and command said motor to rotate in a particular direction;
- a pair of support channels, wherein a first support channel extends along a first side of said cargo floor and a second support channel extends along a second side of said cargo floor and said first support channel and said second support channel are connected to said vehicle, wherein said cargo floor has a pair of connectors which contact said pair of support channels so that a first connector contacts said first support channel and a second connector contacts said second support channel;
- and
- a pair of tracks, wherein said tracks are integrated into said pair of ramp surfaces, and the first gear engages a first track on the first ramp surface and the second gear engages a second track on the second ramp surface in order to move said cargo floor to and from said deployed position and said stowed position, such that the height of said cargo floor with respect to said floor portion is increased and decreased as said floor is moved by said first gear and said second gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.