1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick-up style utility vehicle which can expand a cargo bed in a front direction so as to optimize an area or capacity of a cargo bed space or a passenger space according to user demands.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, utility vehicles of various styles are used. Other than a pick-up style utility vehicle with a relatively large cargo bed behind a seat, there is a straddle-type all terrain vehicle having a handle bar, or the like.
Typically, the pick-up style utility vehicle is more practical than the handle bar type utility vehicle belonging to the straddle-type all terrain vehicle. The pick-up style utility vehicle is used for hunting in fields and mountains, conveyance of lumber, movement in golf courses, golf course maintenance, and the like.
The present applicants have formerly developed inventions relating to the pick-up style utility vehicle with a cargo bed whose area or capacity can be expanded. Their applications have been filed, which resulted in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,905,159; 6,994,388; and 7,249,798.
A configuration of the pick-up style utility vehicle disclosed in the respective documents has a front seat including a driver's seat, a rear seat, and a cargo bed in this order from the front of the vehicle. The rear seat can be changed between a used state and a retracted state to switch between a 2 passengers transformation and a 4 passengers transformation. In the 2 passengers transformation, a front portion of the cargo bed can be expanded into a riding space occupied by the rear seat in the used state.
Typically, a screen shield is provided at the front end of the cargo bed of the pick-up style utility vehicle so as to prevent a load loaded on the cargo bed from moving into the riding space in front of the cargo bed. The position of the screen shield must be changed between the 2 passengers transformation expanding the cargo bed in a front direction, and the 4 passengers transformation not expanding the cargo bed.
FIG. 20 shows an example of the expandable cargo bed disclosed in the related art documents. A cargo bed 400 has a stationary bottom plate 401, right and left stationary side panels 402, a pair of right and left expandable side panels 404 provided at the front ends of the stationary side panels 402 and rotatably supported about hinge shafts 403, an expandable bottom plate 405 provided at the front end of the stationary bottom plate 401, and a front panel 406. A screen shield 407 is integrally formed with the front panel 406.
Pins 410, for positioning and fixing, protrude in a downward direction and are provided at the right and left ends of the screen shield 407. Pin insertion holes 411 and 412 into which each of the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 can be inserted are formed in the upper surface of the end of each of the expandable side panels 404 and the upper surface of the front end of each of the stationary side panels 402.
As indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 20, when the expandable side panels 404 are closed (4 passengers transformation), the screen shield 407 is located at the front ends of the stationary side panels 402 and the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 are inserted into the pin insertion holes 412 of the stationary side panels 402 from above. As indicated by the imaginary lines, when the expandable side panels 404 are opened in a front direction (2 passengers transformation), the screen shield 407 is located at the front ends of the expandable side panels 404 and the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 are inserted into the pin insertion holes 411 of the expandable side panels 404 from above.
With the above configuration, the screen shield 407 is moved between an expanded position when the cargo bed 400 is expanded and a non-expanded position when the cargo bed 400 is not expanded. It is necessary to lift the screen shield 407 together with the front panel 406 to pull out the right and left pins 410 from the pin insertion holes 411 or 412. The screen shield 407 and the front panel 406 are then integrally moved in a rear or front direction. After the movement, the pins 410 are again inserted into the pin insertion holes 412 or 411 from above.
However, a weight of the screen shield 407 and the integral front panel 406 is large, and a width of the screen shield 407 extends throughout the substantially whole width of the cargo bed 400. Therefore, it is very difficult for one person to move the screen shield 407. Accordingly, at present, the screen shield 407 is lifted by grabbing the right and left ends of the screen shield 407 and the front panel 406 by two operators to pull out the pins 410. After the movement, the pins 410 must be inserted into the pin insertion holes 411 or 412 again. Thus, it takes a substantial amount of time to move the screen shield 407.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds