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Cargo access and retention system for a passenger vehicle

Cargo access and retention system for a passenger vehicle description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to motor vehicle features which aid loading, unloading, and transporting articles in the cargo region of a sedan.

2. Background Art

Conventional sedan vehicles did not offer the functionality and versatility as they do today. Traditionally, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), minivans, station wagons, and crossovers were the ideal choice for hauling oversized or numerous pieces of luggage. Today, sedans are closing the gap and becoming more efficient for transporting larger cargo loads with competitive gas mileage.

With an increase in size and quantity of articles being loaded to and from the rear cargo region of sedans, the risk increases for users to scratch the vehicle bumper fascia or harm the rear closure latch assembly. Articles being loaded and unloaded from the cargo region can be damaged or cause damage to the bumper fascia, vehicle paint, trunk seal and latch assembly upon contact. Bumper fascias have become aesthetic features of present day vehicles, and scratches and chipped paint can be costly to correct.

While folding rear seats and vehicle packaging improvements have contributed to the ability of sedans to haul large objects, most sedans struggle in transporting elongate articles. Many drivers attempt to stow these elongated objects extending from the trunk over the front console and up into the front dash. This practice can lead to obstructed driver views, scrapes along the front dash and console, and is impracticable for loading and unloading the object. Also, when elongate articles are stowed extending from the trunk, the trunk is left open with the trunk lid blocking a rear field of view of the driver.

One embodiment of the invention involves a protective cover operably attached to an interior surface of the vehicle cargo region. The protective cover has a deployed position in which it extends across the vehicle bumper fascia and a stowed position in which the protective cover stows beneath the floor of the rear cargo region. The protective cover in the deployed position may protect the bumper fascia, and the cargo being loaded and unloaded from the rear cargo region. The protective cover may have a first cover portion pivotally connected to a rear wall of the cargo region. The first cover portion is sized to extend to the load floor in the stowed position and sized to extend to a lower peripheral region of a rear vehicle opening in an deployed position. The protective cover may have a second cover portion extending from the first cover portion at an angle such that the second cover portion extends through the rear vehicle opening over the lower peripheral region in the deployed position.

Another embodiment discloses a tie-down assembly concealed beneath the protective cover in the stowed position. Upon deploying the protective cover, the tie-down assembly is exposed and can be used for securing cargo extending across the protective cover.

Another embodiment of the improved access system discloses a rear closure for selectively enclosing a rear opening which provides access to the rear cargo region. The rear closure may have two primary members. The first member is pivotally attached to the vehicle body while the second member is pivotally attached to the first member at a substantial edge of the rear cargo region. The second member may be locked in open and closed positions, the open position of which is particularly advantageous for hauling oversized cargo.

Other aspects, features, and uses of the disclosed invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of the following description and associated drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a partial side perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating a member of a rear closure hatch in an open position and another member of the rear closure hatch in a closed position;

FIG. 3 is another partial side perspective view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating a protective cover in a deployed position;

FIG. 4 is a partial section view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating the protective cover in the deployed position and outlining its placement in a stowed position;

FIG. 5 is a partial rear perspective view of a rear cargo region of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating the protective cover concealed in the stowed position;

FIG. 6 is a partial rear perspective view of the rear cargo region of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating a retracted load floor cover exposing the protective cover in its stowed position;

FIG. 7 is a partial rear perspective view of the rear cargo region of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating the protective cover in its deployed position exposing a tie-down assembly;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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