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US 7,731,260 B2Granted
Vehicle load-carrying bed system having bed divider
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorAaron L. Heller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load-carrying bed system for a vehicle having a cargo bed includes a bed floor defining a cargo receiving area and first and second sidewalls disposed along lateral sides of the bed floor. A forward wall is disposed along a forward side of the bed floor and laterally between the first and second sidewall. A tailgate is disposed along the rearward side of the bed floor and laterally between the first and second sidewalls. A cargo bed divider is movable between a stowed state wherein the cargo bed divider is stowed in a cargo bed divider cavity defined in the tailgate and a dividing state wherein the cargo bed divider has a first end removably secured to the first sidewall and a second end removably secured to second sidewall to divide the bed floor into distinct storage areas.
Claims18
A load-carrying bed system for a vehicle having a cargo bed, said bed system comprising:
- a bed floor defining a cargo receiving area;
- first and second sidewalls disposed along lateral sides of the bed floor;
- a forward wall disposed along a forward side of the bed floor and laterally between the first and second sidewalls;
- a tailgate disposed along a rearward side of the bed floor and laterally between the first and second sidewalls;
- and
- a cargo bed divider movable between a stowed state wherein said cargo bed divider is nestably stowed in a cargo bed divider cavity defined in said tailgate for preventing movement of said divider in said cavity in said stowed state and a dividing state wherein said cargo bed divider has a first end removably secured to said first sidewall and a second end removably secured to said second sidewall to divide said bed floor into distinct storage areas;
- wherein said cargo bed divider includes a main divider section and a pair of extension divider sections flanking the main divider section, each of said extension divider sections movable between an expanded position and a compact position, said divider sections each in said expanded position when said cargo bed divider is in said dividing state and each in said compact position when said cargo bed divider is in said stowed state;
- wherein said tailgate includes a tailgate wall defining said cargo bed divider cavity, said tailgate wall includes first wall portions defining a first depth of said cargo bed divider cavity being spaced apart from an interior surface of said tailgate wall a first distance and a second wall portion defining a second depth or said cargo bed divider cavity being spaced apart from said interior surface of said tailgate wall a second distance, which is less than the first distance, wherein each extension divider section is received on a respective first wall portion and said main divider section is received on said second wall portion.
5 more elements
A tailgate assembly for a vehicle's load-carrying bed, said tailgate comprising:
- a tailgate for selectively closing one end of the load-carrying bed;
- a cargo bed divider cavity defined in said tailgate and defined by a first lateral internal surface being laterally spaced from a second lateral internal surface;
- and
- a generally rigid divider nestably received in said cavity to prevent movement of said divider within said cavity, said divider removable from said cavity and positionable within the load-carrying bed for dividing the bed into sections, said divider being adjustable in size between a stowed state in which said divider is collapsed and an in-use state wherein said divider is expanded, in said stowed state said divider has a first lateral dimension and in said in-use state said divider has a second lateral dimension, which is greater than the first lateral dimension, wherein said divider first lateral dimension closely matches a lateral distance between said first lateral internal surface and said second lateral internal surface, wherein said divider in said stowed state when nestably received within said tailgate and said divider in said in-use state when removed from said cavity and positioned within the load-carrying bed for dividing the bed into sections, wherein said divider is a folding divider having a main section and at least one extension section pivotally attached to said main section, said at least one extension section folded onto said main section into a collapsed position when said divider is in said stowed state and unfolded from said main section to an extended position when said divider is in said in-use state, wherein said cargo bed divider cavity is defined by a first wall portion at a first depth and a second wall portion at a second depth, which is less than said first depth and wherein said main section is received on said second wall portion and said at least one extension is received on said first wall portion.
1 more element
A combination load-carrying bed system and tailgate assembly, comprising:
- a load-carrying bed having a bed floor, first and second sidewalls disposed along sides of said bed floor, and a forward wall disposed along a forward side of said bed floor;
- a tailgate disposed along a rearward side of said bed floor for selectively closing one end of said load-carrying bed;
- an adjustable bed divider movable between a stowed state and an in-use state for selectively dividing' said bed into sections including a main divider section and an extension section attached to said main divider section;
- and
- a cavity defined in said tailgate and configured to nestably receive said bed divider therein for storing and hiding said divider when in said stowed state, said cavity being sized to prevent movement of said divider in said cavity, and being defined by a first wall portion at a first depth for nestably receiving said extension and a second wall portion at a second depth for nestably receiving said main divider section.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.