CN105711657B

CN105711657B - Multipurpose carrier loader

Info

Publication number: CN105711657B
Application number: CN201510733663.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·J·A·道尔; I.塞尔思博里
Original assignee: NORMAN TRUST
Current assignee: Global Vehicle Trust
Priority date: 2014-09-03
Filing date: 2015-09-03
Publication date: 2020-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-03
Also published as: ZA201506430B; BR102015021390A2; GB2529837B; GB2529837A; GB201415556D0; BR102015021390A8; CN105711657A

Abstract

The invention discloses a way in which access to the loading space of a utility vehicle can be improved and other parallel benefits obtained. In most cases, the tailgate is wider than it is tall, so its shorter edge forms a useful ramp by removing it and reinstalling it to the load space edge. This avoids having to lift some loads to the height of the loading space before they are loaded, since they can then be driven, wheeled or pulled to the incline. The invention thus provides a vehicle comprising a loading space and a tailgate, the tailgate having a relatively long edge and a relatively short edge and being provided with hinge structures along both said edges, the vehicle being provided with hinge structures extending along a floor edge of the loading space and along at least one rear edge of a side of the loading space, each hinge structure extending along a floor edge of the loading space and along at least one rear edge of a side of the loading space being susceptible of engagement.

Description

Multipurpose carrier loader

Technical Field

The invention relates to a multipurpose carrier loader.

Background

Utility vehicles typically have a loading space at the rear of the cab, with side walls defining the side edges of the loading space and a tailgate at the rear. The tailgate will often be hinged at its lower edge to the rear edge of the loading space, allowing it to be lowered to a horizontal position or a lowered vertical position. In this open position, the load can be placed in or on the loading space before lifting the tailgate back to the upright vertical position.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention seeks to provide a way in which access to the load space can be improved, and other parallelism benefits obtained. In most cases, the tailgate is wider than it is tall, so its shorter edge forms a useful ramp by removing it and reinstalling it to the load space edge. This avoids having to lift some loads to the height of the loading space before they are loaded, since they can then be driven, wheeled or pulled to the incline.

The invention thus provides a vehicle comprising a loading space and a tailgate, the vehicle having a hinge construction extending along a floor edge of the loading space and along at least one rear edge of a side of the loading space, the tailgate having a relatively long edge and a relatively short edge, and having a hinge construction along both said edges, susceptible of engaging with either the hinge construction extending along the floor edge of the loading space or along at least one rear edge of a side of the loading space.

The long edge hinge structure is preferably identical to the short edge hinge structure so that only a single set of hinge structures is required on the vehicle which can then be engaged with either edge of the tailgate. The hinge structure may comprise (on one side) a generally cylindrical spindle held spaced from the associated rim and (on the other side) a barrel into which the spindle may extend. The mandrel may be held spaced from the associated edge by an L-shaped bracket, one limb of which is connected to the associated edge and from the other limb of which the mandrel extends transversely, substantially parallel to and spaced from the associated edge. Two sets of hinge structures may be provided on each of the load space edges, the long edge and the short edge, each two sets being spaced apart by a respective distance so that the structures of the long edge and the short edge may engage the same structures on the load space edges.

A utility vehicle typically includes a light unit at the rear of the vehicle adjacent to the loading space. The tailgate may thus be provided with a cut-out positioned so as to expose the light unit when the tailgate is connected to the vehicle by its long edge.

As an additional benefit, the tailgate may be provided with a set of folding tuck-in legs to support the tailgate like a table or a workbench when detached from the loading space.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective rear three-quarter view of a utility vehicle according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a similar view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 with the tailgate open;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the vehicle of FIGS. 1-3 with the tailgate reconfigured;

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a tailgate; and

figure 6 shows the second embodiment erected as a table/work top.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the rear of a vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 having a cab 4 and a loading space 6 generally defined by a rear 8 of the cab 4, a floor 10,

side walls

12, 14, and a tailgate 16 (shown in a closed position). The vehicle is shown with four wheels 18 (only 3 visible in fig. 1); it also has two tail light units 20, one on each side of the rear of the vehicle 2 (as shown, the left hand unit has two lights and the right hand unit has three lights, which are used to indicate intent to turn, brake, reverse and/or night light as needed).

Fig. 2 shows the same vehicle 2, but with the tailgate 16 in an open position to provide access to the loading space 6; the tailgate 16 has been folded down along the rear edge 22 of the floor 10 of the loading space 6, the tailgate 16 being hinged about this edge 22, as will be described below with reference to fig. 3. It will be noted that the tailgate is provided with a cut-out 24; these correspond to the shape of the light unit 20 such that the light unit 20 is visible when the tailgate 16 is in a raised or closed position, as in fig. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the vehicle 2 as shown in FIG. 2; it can be seen that the tailgate 16 includes a generally rectangular frame 26 to which a flat plate 28 (in which the cutout 24 is formed) is secured. Two hinge structures 30 are provided along the sides of the frame 26; similar hinge structures, not visible in fig. 3, are provided along the edge of the frame 26 which is parallel to the rear edge 22 of the floor 10 of the loading space 6 and these are adapted to cooperate with mating hinge structures (not shown) provided along the rear edge 22 to allow the tailgate 16 to swing through an arc between the closed and open positions. These hinge structures are also adapted to allow the tailgate 16 to be removed from the edge 22 and repositioned on the vehicle as shown in FIG. 4 or used independently as shown in FIG. 5. A suitable hinge is a flag hinge which is an easily releasable butt hinge which can be selectively disengaged, including a fixed pin or spindle on one leaf of the hinge and a matching barrel on the other leaf of the hinge-such fixed spindle being shown in figure 3, and attaching/detaching this hinge structure is a simple way of moving the tailgate 16 relative to the rear edge 22 of the loading space 10 aligned with the axis of the spindle, so that the spindle structure 30 engages/disengages the matching barrel provided along the edge 22.

If a ramp is required to move the load into the loading space 6, the tailgate 16 may simply be removed and reconfigured as shown in fig. 4, such that the hinge structure 30 along the short side of the tailgate 16 engages the mating hinge structure along the edge 22 instead of the hinge structure on the long side of the tailgate 16 (as shown in fig. 1-3); the tailgate then swings downwards to extend from the edge 22 towards the ground, thus forming a slope into the loading space 6. It will be appreciated that the distance between the hinge structures 30 on the short side of the tailgate 16 and along the long side of the tailgate will have to match the distance between the cylinders provided along the edge 22 so that the tailgate can be used as both a tailgate and a ramp. If more hinge structures are provided on the long side of the tailgate 16 than along the short side, and the same number of matching cylinders are provided along the edge 22 as are provided along the long side of the tailgate 16, the tailgate 16 may be coupled to different sets of brackets, with the short side of the tailgate hinged to the edge 22, so as to be positioned centrally with respect to the axis of movement of the vehicle 2 (as shown in fig. 4), or it may be offset to one side or the other of the shaft, when the tailgate is reconfigured as shown in fig. 4; in this way, the heavy load can be moved up the ramp and positioned on one side of the loading space, whereupon the ramp is disengaged and re-engaged towards the other side, so that the second load can be moved up and positioned on the other side of the vehicle.

Matching cylinders should be provided along one or both of the

rear edges

12a, 14a of the

sides

12, 14 of the loading space 6 so that the tailgate 16 can be lifted into position or form a fixed tailgate, or one side hinged along one or both of the

sides

12a, 14 a. Additionally or alternatively, fasteners may be provided along the

edges

12a, 14a to releasably engage the hinge structure 30 when the tailgate 16 is hinged along its long edges to the edge 22 and, in the closed position of fig. 1, to hold the tailgate 16 in the closed position.

Fig. 5 shows the tailgate 16 detached from the vehicle and having legs 32 folded or bent over hinges (not shown) at the connection points between the legs 32 and the panel 28 (or frame 26) or above each. The legs 32 are designed to fold and fit securely against the panel 28 while remaining engaged thereto when the tailgate is used as a tailgate or ramp (as in the left-hand view), but fold downward when the tailgate 16 is used as a table (as in the right-hand view). The cutout 24 is located at a corner of the plate 28 and thus does not overly divert from the tailgate 16 when it is used as a table.

Of course, it will be appreciated that many variations may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, there may be any number of hinges on each side of the tailgate, and the hinge structure may be reversed (with the spindle provided on the vehicle and the canister on the tailgate 16). The hinge may be of any suitable design which enables the tailgate to be easily attached to or detached from the rear edge 22 of the floor 10 of the loading space 6; conversely, it is preferred that the hinges along the long and short sides of the tailgate are identical, which may be preferred in some applications to have different arrangements-for example, fasteners along the hinges of one short and one long side but along the other side(s). The hinges may also function as releasable fasteners and they may be made of plastic, metal or synthetic material. Furthermore, various modifications or alternative arrangements are described above, and it is to be understood that embodiments of the invention may be combined in any suitable combination with the modifications and/or alterations.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a loading space and a tailgate,

the vehicle having a hinge structure along at least one of a floor edge of the loading space and a rear edge along a side of the loading space,

the tailgate has relatively long edges and relatively short edges and along both of said edges has a hinge structure susceptible to engaging with either of said hinge structures along at least one of the floor edge or the rear edge along a side of the loading space, wherein the hinge structure along the floor edge of the loading space is identical to the hinge structure along at least one of the rear edge along a side of the loading space.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure of the vehicle or the hinge structures of the long and short edges comprise a generally cylindrical mandrel that is held apart from the associated edge.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the mandrel is held apart from the associated edge by an L-shaped bracket, one limb of which is attached to the associated edge and from the other limb of which the mandrel extends transversely, substantially parallel to and apart from the associated edge.

4. A vehicle according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the long and short edges or the hinge structure of the vehicle comprise respectively a barrel into which the spindle may extend.

5. A vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein two sets of hinge formations are provided on each of a load space edge, the long edge and the short edge, each of the two sets being separated by a respective distance such that the formations of the long and short edges are engageable with the same formations on the load space edge.

6. A vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 3, comprising a light unit adjacent the loading space, wherein the tailgate is provided with a cut-out positioned so as to expose the light unit when the tailgate is connected to the vehicle by a long edge thereof.

7. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tailgate is provided with a set of folding legs to support the tailgate like a table or a workbench when detached from the loading space.

8. A vehicle according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the hinge structure along the floor of the loading space is arranged so as to allow the hinge structure along the short edge of the tailgate to be joined thereto such that the tailgate may be positioned centrally or to one side or the other relative to the axis of motion of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle according to any of claims 1-3, wherein a hinge structure is provided along the rear edges of both sides of the loading space.