GB2335630A

GB2335630A - Internal vehicle partition assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2335630A
Application number: GB9805257A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Neville Allman
Original assignee: ASG
Current assignee: ASG
Priority date: 1998-03-13
Filing date: 1998-03-13
Publication date: 1999-09-29
Also published as: GB9805257D0

Abstract

An intemal partition assembly for a vehicle comprises a partition adapted for use as a dog guard 10 within a vehicle. The partition includes a substantially planar part having opposed edges 24 arranged to extend laterally of the vehicle interior. A positioning and retaining arrangement includes a first pair of components 36 for attachment to existing mounting points in the vehicle and for pivotally receiving one part 26 of the partition therein and a second pair of components 52 for mounting on the vehicle and for releasably receiving and retaining another part of the partition afterthe partition is located on the first pair of components 36 and pivotally moved to the location of the second pair of components. The existing mounting points might include those associated with the grab handles.

Description

1 2335630 Internal Vehide Partition Assembly This invention relates to

internal partitions for motor vehicles and, in particular, relates to removable partitions which function as dog guards.

According to the present invention there is provided an internal partition assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising a partition providing a substantially planar part having opposed edges arranged to extend laterally of the vehicle interior, and means for releasably positioning and retaining the partition in the vehicle, the positioning and retaining means comprising a first pair of components for attachment to existing mounting points in the vehicle and for pivotally receiving one part of the partition therein, and a second pair of components for mounting on the vehicle and for releasably receiving and retaining another part of the partition after the latter is located on the first pair of components and pivotally moved to the location of the second pair.

Preferably, each of the first pair of components provides a through aperture for alignment with a mounting aperture at the respective existing mounting point in the vehicle, and a further profiled aperture for receiving and freely pivotally locating a first pin on a respective edge of the partition.

Each of the first pair of components may comprise a member profiled to replace an end part of an existing grab handle of the vehicle at an upper location in the vehicle interior, the through aperture being provided for alignment with a mounting aperture of the grab handle as well as the associated mounting aperture in the vehicle. Alternatively, each of the first pair of components may be profiled to complement a further profiled member adapted to be secured to the mounting point in the vehicle and providing a mounting aperture to be aligned with an associated mounting aperture in the vehicle, the through aperture of each of the first pair of components being provided for alignment with the mounting aperture of the respective further member.

2 Preferably each of the second pair of components provides a substantially U-shaped member forming an open-ended channel, the open end of the latter being of reduced width relative to the channel width. At least one of the channel sides may be resiliently formed, whereby a lug on a respective edge of the partition, of greater dimension than the width of the channel open end, can be forcibly located in the channel by deflecting the resilient channel side to move therepast and thereby be retained within the channel without the requirement of additional fixings.

Each of the second pair of components is adapted to be fixedly secured to the vehicle interior by fixings associated with the other channel side.

Each of the first pair of components and each of the second pair of components may be formed of a moulded plastics material.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one side of a partition assembly for use in a motor vehicle; Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the components of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the component of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the component of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a side view of another component of the assembly in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section on A -A of Fig. S; Fig. 7 is a front view of an additional member which may be used ivith the assembly of Fig. 1; and 3 Fig. 8 is a sectional side view of the member of Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown substantially one half of a partition adapted for use as a dog guard 10 within a vehicle. The guard 10 is formed from a plurality of interconnected bars, preferably formed of aluminium so that the dog guard is relatively lightweight. The guard 10 has a continuous peripheral bar 12 profiled to substantially complement the profile of the interior of the vehicle in which the dog guard is to be used. A plurality of bars 14, only one shown in Fig. 1, extend between upper and lower runs 16, 18 respectively of the bar 12 at substantially right-angles thereto, and a pair of bars 20, 22, each formed to present a pair of spaced bars extending substantially parallel to the upper and lower runs 16,18 are equispaced between the latter and are mounted between the bars 14, whereby to define a grid arrangement. The apertures of the latter are sufficiently small to prevent a dog from passing through the guard 10.

The guard 10 thereby provides opposed edges extending laterally of the vehicle interior, only one edge 24 being shown in Fig. 1. Towards an upper end of the guard 10, the bar 12 on each opposed edge mounts a pivot pin 26 having an enlarged head 28 for a purpose hereinafter described. On the lower run 18 of the bar 12 there is provided, adjacent each of the opposed edges, a mounting lug 30 which extends downwardly from the run 18 and is turned to extend towards the respective edge of the guard 10.

The interior of the vehicle body is conventionally formed towards the roof thereof at each side of the vehicle with fittings adapted to receive a grab handle. The conventional grab handle is mounted at each end on the vehicle body, one end 32 of a grab handle assembly being shown in Fig. 1. The respective mounting location on the vehicle body comprises a first aperture, for receiving a positioning peg (not shown) of the grab handle end 32, spaced from a threaded aperture with which is aligned a mounting aperture 34 of the grab handle end 32 to receive a screw fixing. The grab handle at each end is conventionally provided with a cover (not shown) for locating over a recess in 4 which is formed the fixing aperture 34, once the screw fixing is in position.

For positioning of the dog guard 10, a respective end cover of the grab handle is replaced by a first dog guard mounting component 36, preferably formed of a moulded plastics material. The component 36 (Figs. 2 to 4) has a profile similar to the conventional end cover for the grab handle end 32 whereby to complement the latter. The component 36 has a sloping outer end wall 38 merging into a first top wall section 40, the latter merging into a second top wall section 42 extending upwardly at a different angle, with the wall 38 and the wall sections 40, 42 also merging into respective side walls 44. A through opening 46 having a keyhole profile is formed in the wall section 40 to receive the locating pin 26 as hereinafter described. From the wall section 42, the component has an inwardly extending boss 48 providing a through aperture 50 which aligns with the aperture 34 in the grab handle end 32 as well as the threaded mounting aperture in the vehicle body. The aperture 50 has different diameters whereby the head of the fixing screw can locate within the boss 48 and a cover (not shown) can locate on the outer end of the boss 48 to merge with the outer surface of the wall section 42.

With the components 36 fixed in position, the dog guard 10 can locate thereon by passing the pivot pins 26 with their heads 28 through the large diameter section of the keyhole 46 which is uppermost in use, and then dropping the pins 26 into the smaller diameter sections of the openings 46 whereby the heads 28 retain the pins 26 and thereby the guard 10 on the components 3 6. The guard 10 is retained in a freely pivotal manner.

At lower locations on respective sides of the vehicle interior are mounted components 52 (Figs. 5 and 6). Each of the components 52 is formed as a substantially U-shaped member, preferably from a moulded plastics material. The component effectively provides an open-ended channel where an open end 54 faces reanvardly of the vehicle. Extending inwardly at the open end 54 from each of respective channel sides 56, 58 is a projection 60 to thereby reduce the width of the open end 54 relative to the defined channel interior 62. The component 52 is mounted on the vehicle body by way of the channel side 58, the base 64 of the channel having a section of reduced thickness whereby to form a hinge by way of which the channel side 56 is made resilient for a purpose hereinafter described.

The channel side 58 has a recess 66 extending inwardly from each lateral edge thereof below the internal wall defining the channel interior 62. In a direction along the length of the channel side, the recess 66 has an upper part 68 of greater dimension than a lower part 70 which opens onto the outer face of the channel side 58. A securing bolt (not shown) can locate into each recess 66 with its head in the part 68 and the shank extending through the part 70, the bolts then extending through respective apertures in the vehicle body to be secured from below by respective locking nuts. Thereby the components 52 can be mounted on the vehicle body without the securing bolts being visible.

In use, the guard 10 is located on the components 36 by way of the mounting pins 28 as hereinbefore described. The guard 10 can then be pivoted to move the lower end, and thereby the lugs 3 0, towards the components 5 2. Each lug 30 has a diameter greater than the width of the open end 54 of the respective component 52. The lug 30 is forced through the open end 54 by resiliently deflecting the upper projection 60 so as to locate in the channel 62 and be retained therein when the lug 60 resiliently returns to reduce the width of the channel open end.

There is therefore provided a dog guard which can be easily installed by one person without the requirement of any fixing of screws, bolts, etc. The guard is located on the first component 36 by locating the pins 26 in the respective apertures 46, and then the guards 10 can be pivoted to move the lugs 30 into retaining positions in the other components 52 merely by pushing the lugs 30 to resiliently deform the channel sides of the components 52. The guard 10 can therefore be easily used by anyone but the easy mounting does not prejudice the stability and safe retention of the guard in position. After use, the guard 10 may easily be removed by forcing the lugs 30 outwardly of 6 the channels 62 by resiliently deforming the channel sides, and then lifting the pins 26 out of the apertures 46 in the other components 36. - While fixing positions are conventionally provided in vehicles for grab handles, in some vehicles grab handles may not be actually provided. In that event, the dog guard assembly provides further components 72 (rigs. 7 and 8) each having a profile similar in many respects to the profile of the grab handle end 32 as shown in Fig. 1. The component 72 provides a sloping end wall 74 merging into respective side walls 76 and a top wall portion 78, whereby to complement the profile of the component 36 to be mounted thereon. The component 72 on an internal lower wall provides a locating peg 80 for locating in the respective aperture formed in the vehicle body and a through aperture 82 to align with the threaded mounting aperture in the vehicle body and the through aperture 50 of the component 36.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the materials and configuration of the dog guard 10 may differ from those described and shown, as may the shape and configuration of others of the components.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

7

Claims

Claims:-

1 An internal partition assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising a partition providing a substantially planar part having opposed edges arranged to extend laterally of the vehicle interior, and means for releasably positioning and retaining the partition in the vehicle, the positioning and retaining means comprising a first pair of components for attachment to e-3dsting mounting points in the vehicle and for pivotally receiving one part of the partition therein, and a second pair of components for mounting on the vehicle and for releasably receiving and retaining another part of the partition after the latter is located on the first pair of components and pivotally moved to the location of the second pair.

2. An internal partition assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of the first pair of components provides a through aperture for alignment with a mounting aperture at the respective e-7dsting mounting point in the vehicle, and a further profiled aperture for receiving and freely pivotally locating a first pin on a respective edge of the partition.

3. An internal partition assembly according to claim 2 wherein each of the first pair of components comprises a member profiled to replace an end part of an existing grab handle of the vehicle at an upper location in the vehicle interior, the through aperture being provided for alignment with a mounting aperture of the grab handle as well as the associated mounting aperture in the vehicle.

4. An internal partition assembly according to claim 2 wherein each of the first pair of components is profiled to complement a further profiled member adapted to be secured to the mounting point in the vehicle and providing a mounting aperture to be aligned with an associated mounting aperture in the vehicle, the through aperture of each of the first pair of components being provided for alignment with the mounting aperture of the respective further 8 member.

5. An internal partition assembly according to any preceding claim wherein each of the second pair of components provides a substantially U- shaped member forming an open-ended channel, the open end of the latter being of reduced width relative to the channel width.

6. An internal partition assembly according to claim 5 wherein at least one of the channel sides is resiliently formed, whereby a lug on a respective edge of the partition, of greater dimension than the width of the channel open end, can be forcibly located in the channel by deflecting the resWent channel side to move therepast and there-by be retained within the channel without the requirement of additional fixings.

7. An internal partition assembly according to claim 6 wherein each of the second pair of components is adapted to be fixedly secured to the vehicle interior by fixings associated with the other channel side.

8. An internal partition assembly according to any preceding claim wherein each of the first pair of components and each of the second pair of components may be formed of a moulded plastics materiaL

9. An internal partition assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

10. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed he-rein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.