CN111016800A

CN111016800A - Motor vehicle comprising an extendable cabin

Info

Publication number: CN111016800A
Application number: CN201910950786.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 乔纳森·格雷戈里; 布鲁斯·捎塞; 詹姆斯·尼古拉斯·默里; 詹姆斯·诺伊格鲍尔; 本·莫法特; 安迪·约翰·莫里
Original assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2018-10-10
Filing date: 2019-10-08
Publication date: 2020-04-17
Also published as: GB201816518D0; GB2577913B; DE102019124934A1; GB2577913A

Abstract

A motor vehicle comprising: an enclosed cargo compartment defined in part by a front wall disposed above a windshield of the motor vehicle; an extendable compartment movable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein when in the extended position the extendable compartment extends beyond a top edge of the windshield, wherein the extendable compartment is configured to receive elongate cargo extending through the cargo compartment and extending between a roof line of the motor vehicle and a roof line of the passenger compartment.

Description

Motor vehicle comprising an extendable cabin

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to a motor vehicle incorporating an extendable cabin and in particular, but not exclusively, to an extendable cabin extending from an enclosed cargo compartment in the front of a motor vehicle.

Background

For commercial motor vehicles, it is often necessary to carry long lengths of material, such as wood, pipes, etc. Sometimes this material exceeds the length of the vehicle cargo compartment. In this case, the material may be carried on the roof of the vehicle. However, this exposes the material to the elements and requires time to safely secure the material. Alternatively, larger vehicles may be hired or purchased for use carrying larger lengths of material.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a motor vehicle including:

an enclosed cargo compartment defined in part by a front wall disposed above a windshield of the motor vehicle; and

an extendable cabin movable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein when in the extended position, the extendable cabin extends beyond the front wall (e.g., beyond a top edge of the windshield),

wherein the extendable tank is configured to receive elongate cargo extending through the cargo compartment.

Cargo may extend between a roof line (roof line) of the motor vehicle and a roof line (head line) of the passenger compartment.

The extendable tank may comprise a front surface which is substantially flush with an outwardly facing surface of the front wall of the cargo tank when the extendable tank is in the retracted position. The front surface may be coupled to one or more rails that may extend from the cargo compartment. The guide rail may extend from a top edge or a bottom edge of the front surface. The front face may comprise an openable hatch located at the front of the vehicle. The hatch may be lockable.

The extendable compartment may comprise at least one rigid side wall. At least one of the side walls may be connected to one or more rails extendable from the cargo compartment. Each side wall of the extendable compartment may be rigid.

The extendable compartment may comprise a flexible membrane defining one or more side walls of the extendable compartment at least when the extendable compartment is in its extended position. Each side wall of the extendable compartment may be defined by a flexible membrane. Alternatively, the extendable compartment may comprise a combination of rigid side walls and side walls defined by the flexible membrane.

The extendable cabin may extend over a lateral portion of the motor vehicle. For example, the extendable cabin may have a width that is a fraction of the width of the motor vehicle.

The extendable compartment may be manually extendable. Alternatively, the extendable compartment may be extended by means of an actuator (e.g. a linear or rotary actuator).

To avoid unnecessary repetition of labor and text in the specification, certain features are described only in connection with one or more aspects or embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that features described in relation to any aspect or embodiment of the invention may also be used with any other aspect or embodiment of the invention where technically feasible.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1a and 1b (collectively fig. 1) are schematic partial perspective views depicting a motor vehicle in accordance with the arrangement of the present disclosure, wherein fig. 1a shows the extendable cabin in a retracted position and fig. 1b shows the extendable cabin in an extended position;

fig. 2a and 2b (collectively fig. 2) are schematic partial side sectional views depicting a motor vehicle in accordance with the arrangement of the present disclosure, wherein fig. 2a shows the extendable cabin in a retracted position and fig. 2b shows the extendable cabin in an extended position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial perspective view of a motor vehicle depicting an arrangement in accordance with the present disclosure; and

fig. 4 is a schematic partial side sectional view of a motor vehicle depicting an arrangement in accordance with the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the present disclosure is directed to a motor vehicle 10 including an enclosed cargo compartment 20. The motor vehicle 10 may be a commercial vehicle, such as a van or truck. The enclosed cargo compartment 20 is defined in part by a front wall 30, the front wall 30 being disposed above a windshield 40 of the motor vehicle 10. Other walls, such as the roof 50, also enclose the cargo compartment 20. The cargo compartment 20 may also extend into the space 22 between the roof 50 and the roof 60 of the passenger compartment 62. The cargo space 20 may be open to the environment and may be accessed through one or more doors (not shown) of the vehicle.

The motor vehicle 10 comprises an extendable compartment 70, which extendable compartment 70 is movable from a retracted position (shown in fig. 1a and 2 a) to an extended position (shown in fig. 1b and 2 b). When in the extended position, the extendable compartment 70 extends beyond the top edge 42 of the windshield 40. The extendable compartment 70 may be elongate (at least when extended) and may extend in a generally longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10. The extendable tank 70 may form part of the enclosed cargo hold 20. In this way, the extendable compartment 70 may also be non-environmentally open.

As shown in fig. 2b, the extendable compartment 70 is configured to receive elongate cargo 80. Cargo 80 may extend through the cargo compartment 20. In particular, cargo 80 may extend through the space 22 between the roof 50 (e.g., roof line) of the motor vehicle and the roof 60 (e.g., roof line) of the passenger compartment 62. Cargo 80 may be secured at its opposite ends away from the extendable tanks by means of securing devices (not shown).

With particular reference to fig. 1, the extendable compartment 70 may extend over a lateral portion of the motor vehicle 10. For example, the extendable compartment 70 may have a width in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle that is less than the width of the motor vehicle, e.g. the width of the extendable compartment 70 is a fraction of the width of the motor vehicle. In particular, the extendable compartment 70 may have a width that is less than one-quarter of the width of the vehicle 10. (however, it is also contemplated that the extendable compartment 70 may have a width greater than one-quarter of the width of the vehicle 10, and in one example, the extendable compartment 70 may have a width generally corresponding to the width of the vehicle.) in the case where the width of the extendable compartment 70 is less than the width of the motor vehicle, the extendable compartment 70 may be centrally disposed with respect to the lateral direction of the vehicle, or as shown, the extendable compartment 70 may be disposed on one lateral side of the vehicle 10.

As shown in fig. 1a and 2a, the extendable compartment 70 may comprise a front surface 72, the front surface 72 being substantially flush with the outwardly facing surface 32 of the front wall 30 of the cargo compartment.

Referring to fig. 3, the front surface 72 may include an openable hatch 74 located at the front of the vehicle. The hatch 74 may be lockable and the lock may be released by a key and/or by means of a controller within the vehicle 10.

Returning to fig. 1b and 2, the extendable compartment 70 may comprise at least one rigid side wall 76 a. The extendable compartment 70 may also contain a flexible membrane 78, the flexible membrane 78 defining one or more flexible side walls 76b, at least when the extendable compartment is in its extended position. Thus, the extendable compartment 70 may comprise a combination of a rigid side wall 76a and a flexible side wall 76b defined by a flexible membrane 78. In the arrangement shown, the bottom wall of the extendable cabin is rigid and the top wall and lateral side walls may be flexible. However, in alternative arrangements, different combinations of rigid and flexible sidewalls may be employed. For example, the top wall may be rigid and the bottom wall and lateral side walls may be flexible. This arrangement advantageously reduces the effect on the cargo compartment 20 when the extendable compartment 70 is retracted.

As shown in fig. 2a, the flexible side wall 76b may fold, for example in a concertina fashion, when the extendable compartment 70 is retracted. Alternatively, the flexible side wall 76b may retain its shape when the extendable compartment 70 is retracted.

In other alternative arrangements, each side wall (top, bottom and lateral) may be rigid (e.g., as shown in fig. 4), or each side wall may be flexible. In the latter case, the support rails or cargo 80 may provide the extendable compartment 70 with the required rigidity to prevent it from collapsing when extended.

Referring to fig. 4, the extendable compartment 70 may be connected to the vehicle 10 and extended by means of one or more rails 90. At least one of the side walls may be connected to one or more rails 90 that may extend from the cargo compartment 20. The guide rails 90 may be guided by corresponding guides 92 disposed within the cargo compartment 20. A guide rail 90 and corresponding guide 92 may be provided on each lateral side of the extendable compartment 70. The rail 90 may be integral with the extendable compartment 70 (e.g., the rail 90 may be an edge of the extendable compartment), or the rail 90 may be a separate component that is connected to the extendable compartment 70.

In an alternative arrangement, the front surface 72 may be connected to one or more rails 90 that may extend from the cargo compartment. The guide rails 90 may extend from the top edge or the bottom edge of the front surface 72 (or any point therebetween), and the guide rails may be guided by corresponding guides. This arrangement may be employed where all of the side walls are formed of flexible film.

Still referring to fig. 4, the extendable compartment 70 may be extended by means of an actuator 100 (e.g., a linear or rotary actuator). A controller 110 may be operably connected to the actuator 100, and the controller 110 may control the operation of the actuator 100 and thus the position of the extendable compartment 70. In the example shown, the actuator 100 rotates a gear or wheel 120, which in turn causes the linear movement of the guide rail 90. In another arrangement, the extendable compartment may be manually extendable and retractable.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that although the invention has been described by way of example with reference to one or more examples, the invention is not limited to the examples disclosed and alternative examples may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

an extendable cabin movable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the extendable cabin extends beyond the front wall when in the extended position,

wherein the extendable tank is configured to receive elongate cargo extending through the cargo hold.

2. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the extendable compartment may comprise a front surface that is substantially flush with an outwardly facing surface of the front wall of the cargo compartment when the extendable compartment is in the retracted position.

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front surface is connected to one or more rails extendable from the cargo compartment.

4. A motorized vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein the rail extends from a top edge or a bottom edge of the front surface.

5. A motor vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the front surface comprises an openable hatch located at the front of the vehicle.

6. A motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extendable cabin comprises at least one rigid side wall.

7. A motorized vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one sidewall is connected to one or more rails extendable from the cargo compartment.

8. A motor vehicle according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each side wall of the extendable compartment is rigid.

9. A motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the extendable compartment comprises a flexible membrane defining one or more side walls of the extendable compartment at least when the extendable compartment is in its extended position.

10. A motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein each side wall of the extendable compartment is defined by the flexible membrane.

11. A motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extendable cabin extends over a lateral portion of the motor vehicle.

12. A motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extendable cabin is manually extendable.

13. A motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extendable cabin is extendable by means of an actuator.