RU2455186C2 - Range rover with cargo body - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates range rovers. Proposed range rover comprises frame, four wheels, seat steering assembly and cargo body articulated to the frame. Cargo body includes body carcass with front wall, two sidewalls, first bottom jointed with bottom end of front and two sidewalls, partially open rear side, second bottom and rear swivel side. In compliance with first version, second bottom is selectively retained in cargo body above first bottom. Second bottom, when retained above first bottom, separates cargo body carcass rear side between first open section extending from first bottom to second bottom and second open section extending from second bottom to sidewall top end. Rear swivel side closed selectively one of first and second open sections. In compliance with second version, second bottom is retained in cargo body above first bottom. Rear swivel side selectively closes open rear side. First cargo space is formed partially between front wall, pair of sidewalls, first bottom, second bottom and one rear swivel side. Second cargo space is formed partially between front wall, pair of sidewalls, first bottom, second bottom and one rear swivel side.

EFFECT: cargo body with double bottom.

20 cl, 13 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to off-road vehicles, in particular to off-road vehicles having a cargo body.

State of the art

Some off-road vehicles, such as specialized vehicles and all-terrain vehicles, are equipped with a cargo body at the rear. US patent No. 6659566 illustrates and describes one such off-road vehicle. Adding a cargo box to an off-road vehicle adds useful cargo space. However, when the cargo body is filled, for example, with soil or wood, it becomes inconvenient to place the tools used to extract the soil or wood (i.e. a shovel, ax or chain saw, as the case may be) in the cargo body. This is because there may be no free space in the cargo box and / or because parts of the tools, which preferably should remain clean (i.e. handles, engine, etc.), may get dirty. In such cases, when the cargo body is full, tools usually need to be attached to the cargo shelf on an off-road vehicle, which is less convenient than using the cargo body.

Thus, there is a need for an off-road vehicle having a truck body that eliminates at least some of these inconveniences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to eliminate at least part of the existing inconveniences of the prior art.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an off-road vehicle having a double-bottom cargo body.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an off-road vehicle having a cargo body with two cargo spaces.

According to one aspect of the invention, an off-road vehicle is provided having a frame of at least four wheels suspended on a frame, each of at least four wheels comprising a tire, a seat mounted on the frame, a steering assembly located in front of the seat and in in working condition connected to at least two of at least four wheels, an engine mounted on a frame and in working condition connected to at least two of at least four wheels, and a cargo body, articulated set on the frame behind the seat. A cargo body includes a cargo body housing having a front wall, a pair of side walls extending from the front wall, a first bottom connected to the lower end of the front and a pair of side walls, and at least partially open the rear side. The second bottom is selectively held in the body of the truck over the first bottom. The second bottom, when it is held above the first bottom, divides the open rear side of the truck body between the first open part extending from the first bottom to the second bottom and the second open part extending from the second bottom to the upper end of the side walls. At least one tailgate selectively closes at least one of the first and second open parts.

According to another object, each side wall forms a ledge extending to another side wall.

According to another object, the second bottom is selectively held above the first bottom at least partially by the ledges.

According to another object, the second bottom is selectively held adjacent to the front wall and a pair of side walls.

According to another object, the second bottom can rotate relative to the body of the cargo body.

According to another object, the second bottom may be removed from the body of the cargo body.

According to another aspect, the at least one tailgate is the only tailgate that selectively covers at least partially both the first and second open parts.

According to another object, a single rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the first bottom.

According to another aspect, the at least one tailgate includes a first tailgate and a second tailgate. The first tailgate selectively closes the first open portion. The second tailgate selectively closes at least partially the second open portion.

According to another object, the first rear hinge is pivotally connected to the first bottom.

According to another object, the second rear hinge is pivotally connected to the upper end of the first rear hinge.

According to another object, each side wall forms a ledge extending to another side wall, and the second rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the ledges.

According to another object, the second rear hinge is selectively connected to the side walls.

According to another aspect, the seat includes a seat base and a back, and the steering assembly includes a steering wheel.

According to another object, the seat is a first seat, and the second seat is connected to the frame in a transverse position next to the first seat. The second seat has a seat base and backrest.

According to another aspect, the seat is a saddle seat, and the steering assembly includes a steering wheel.

According to another aspect of the invention, an off-road vehicle is provided having a frame of at least four wheels suspended on a frame, each of at least four wheels comprising a tire, a seat mounted on the frame, a steering unit located in front of the seat and in in working condition connected to at least two of at least four wheels, an engine mounted on a frame and in working condition connected to at least two of at least four wheels, and a cargo body, articulated established th on the frame behind the seat. A cargo body includes a cargo body housing having a front wall, a pair of side walls extending from the front wall, a first bottom connected to the lower end of the front and a pair of side walls, and at least partially open the rear side. The second bottom is held in the body of the truck over the first bottom. At least one tailgate selectively closes the at least partially open tailgate. The first cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, the pair of side walls, the first bottom, the second bottom and the at least one rear hinge when at least one rear hinge closes at least partially open back side. The second cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, the pair of side walls, the second bottom and the at least one rear tailgate when at least one tailgate closes the at least partially open tailgate side.

According to another object, the second bottom can be removed from the body of the cargo body, so that when the second bottom is removed, the first cargo space communicates with the second cargo space.

According to another object, at least one rear hinge side is pivotally connected to the first bottom.

According to another aspect, the at least partially open rear side includes a first open part and a second open part. At least one tailgate includes a first tailgate selectively covering the first open portion, and a second tailgate selectively covering at least partially the second open portion. The first cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, the pair of side walls, the first bottom, the second bottom and the first rear tailgate when the first rear tailgate covers the first open part. The second cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, the pair of side walls, the second bottom and the second rear tailgate when the second rear tailgate covers the second open part.

As used herein, the term “off-road vehicle” refers to a vehicle that is typically used outside of paved surfaces, such as a utility vehicle or all-terrain vehicle. It should be understood that off-road vehicles can be used on paved surfaces, but they are specifically designed for driving on unpaved surfaces. The term “all-terrain vehicle” refers to a wheeled vehicle designed for off-road use that runs on low pressure tires and has a saddle seat. The term "specialized vehicle" refers to an "open" wheeled vehicle (as opposed to a pickup truck, which is a "closed" vehicle with an enclosed passenger cabin) intended for off-road use, which usually has seats adjacent to each other . In addition, terms related to spatial orientation, such as forward, backward, left and right, should be understood as they are usually understood by the driver of the vehicle, sitting in it in a normal position for driving.

Each embodiment of the present invention has at least one of the above objects, but does not necessarily have everything. It should be understood that some of the objects of the present invention, which follow from an attempt to achieve the above objectives, may not meet these goals and / or may satisfy other goals not specifically specified here.

Additional and / or alternative features, objects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, as well as other objects and its other features, reference is made to the following description, which is used in combination with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left side view of an all-terrain vehicle in accordance with objects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left view of a specialized vehicle in accordance with the objects of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear left perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear left perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the top bottom of the cargo body in a turned position;

FIG. 6 is a rear left perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the cargo body in the turned position;

FIG. 7 is a left rear perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the upper rear tailgate in the open position;

FIG. 8 is a rear left perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the lower rear tailgate in the open position;

FIG. 9 is a rear left perspective view of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the cargo body in the turned position, the removed upper bottom, the removed upper rear tailgate, and the lower rear tailgate in the open position;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged left view of the rear of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the cargo body in the turned position and the upper and lower rear hinged sides in their open positions;

FIG. 11 is a rear left perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a rear left perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the specialized vehicle shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a cargo body with upper and lower rear hinged sides in their open positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described with respect to an all-terrain vehicle and a specialized vehicle. However, it should be understood that the present invention can be used for other types of off-road vehicles, such as, for example, turf vehicles.

In FIG. 1 shows the all-terrain vehicle 10. The all-terrain vehicle 10 has a frame 12 on which the vehicle body 14 is mounted. Four wheels 16 are suspended on the frame 12 through the suspension elements 18. Each of the four wheels 16 has a tire 20. It is assumed that the all-terrain vehicle 10 can have six or more wheels 16. The seat type 22 is mounted on the frame 12 to accommodate at least the driver all-terrain vehicle 10. The steering unit, including the steering wheel 24, is located in front of the seat 22 of the saddle type. The steering assembly is operatively connected to two front wheels 16 to provide control of the all-terrain vehicle 10. The engine 26, shown schematically in FIG. 1, is mounted on the frame 12 under the seat 22 of the saddle type. The engine 26 in the working position is connected to four wheels 16 for driving the all-terrain vehicle 10. It is assumed that the engine 26 can be connected to only two of the wheels 16 in the working position. The cargo body 28 is pivotally mounted on the frame 12 rear of the seat type 22. The all-terrain vehicle 10 has other features and components that are common to most all-terrain vehicles, such as running boards and cargo shelves. Since it is assumed that these features and components are obvious to a person skilled in the art, a description of these components is omitted here. A cargo body 28 will not be described in detail since its features are similar or similar to those of a cargo body 50 of a specialized vehicle 30, described in more detail below. Thus, it should be understood that the description of the cargo body 50 below also applies to the cargo body 28.

In FIG. 2-10, a specialized vehicle 30 is shown. A specialized vehicle 30 has a frame 32 on which a vehicle body 34 is mounted. Four wheels 36 are suspended on the frame 32 through suspension elements (not shown). Each of the four wheels 36 has a tire 38. It is contemplated that the specialized vehicle 30 may have six or more wheels 36. As best seen in FIG. 3, a pair of seats 40, each of which has a base 41 and a back 42, is mounted laterally next to each other on the frame 32 to accommodate the driver and passenger of the specialized vehicle 30. The safety cage 44 is connected to the frame 32 and is located around the area where the seats are located 40. The steering unit, including the steering wheel 46, is located in front of the driver's seat 40. The steering assembly in operative position is connected to two front wheels 36 to provide control for the specialized vehicle 30. Engine 48, shown schematically in FIG. 3, is mounted on the frame 32 between the seats 40. The engine 48 in the working position is connected to the four wheels 36 for driving a specialized vehicle 30. It is assumed that the engine 48 can be connected in the working position to only two of the wheels 36. The cargo body 50 pivotally mounted on the frame 32 to the rear of the seats 40. The specialized vehicle 30 has other features and components, such as headlights and handles. Since it is assumed that these features and components are obvious to a person skilled in the art, a description of these components is omitted here.

Cargo body 50 will now be described in more detail. The cargo body 50 has a body 52 of a cargo body. As best seen in FIG. 9, the truck body 52 has a front wall 54, a pair of side walls 56 extending back from the front wall 54, a lower bottom 58 connected to the lower end of the front and a pair of side walls 54, 56, and an open rear side. As seen in FIG. 2 and 10, the bracket 60 is connected to the lower bottom 58. The bracket 60 pivotally connects the cargo body 50 to the frame 32 so that the cargo body 50 can rotate from a generally horizontal position (shown in FIGS. 2-5, 7 and 8) to rotated position (shown in Fig. 6, 9 and 10). Due to the rotation of the cargo body 50, the contents of the cargo body 50 can be easily dumped to the ground. A locking assembly (not shown) is used to lock the cargo body 50 in a horizontal position. The user of the specialized vehicle 30 can unlock the locking assembly in order to be able to rotate the cargo body 50. It should be understood that many different types of locks can be used. One such locking assembly is shown and described in US Pat. No. 6,659,566, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. A pneumatic shock absorber 62 (see FIG. 10) connects the body 52 of the cargo body to the frame 32 to prevent the cargo body 50 from turning too quickly between horizontal and rotated positions.

Each side wall 56 of the truck body 52 forms a step 64 that extends generally horizontally to the other side wall 56. This reduces the width of the lower part of the truck body 52 so that it is between the two rear wheels 36, thereby allowing for more deep body 52 of the truck body. Each ledge 64 has a curved portion 66, while when the rear wheels 36 move upward relative to the bodywork body 32 (due to the suspension), the rear wheels 36 do not come in contact with the ledges 64. The front wall 54, the side walls 56 (including the ledges 64) and the bottom bottom 58 is preferably formed as a unit and is preferably made of structural foam. Alternatively, they can be made of plastic using a rotational molding process. It is contemplated that other manufacturing processes, such as injection molding, may be used. It is also contemplated that other materials may be used, such as sheet metal, which may be bent and welded to form the body 52 of the cargo body. It is also envisaged that each part of the body 52 of the cargo body can be made separately and then attached to its other parts.

The lower rear hinge side 68 is pivotally connected around a generally horizontal axis with the lower bottom 58 of the body 52 of the cargo body in its rear part. The lower rear hinge side 68 selectively covers a portion of the open rear side of the truck body 52, as described in more detail below. The lower rear hinge board 68 can rotate between the closed position, as can be seen in FIG. 2-7, and the open position, as can be seen in FIG. 8-10. It is contemplated that the lower rear hinge side 68 may be removed from the body 52 of the cargo body. A locking mechanism (not shown), such as a latch, is used to lock the lower rear flap 68 in the closed position. The lower rear tailgate 68 is preferably made of structural foam. Alternatively, it may be made of plastic using a rotational molding process. It should be understood that, as with the truck body 52, other materials and manufacturing processes can be used.

The upper rear hinge board 70 is pivotally connected around a generally horizontal axis with ledges 64 of the side wall 56 of the body 52 of the cargo body in its rear part. The upper tailgate 70 selectively covers a portion of the open rear side of the truck body 52, as described in more detail below. The upper tailgate 70 can pivot between the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2-6 and 8, and the open position, as shown in FIG. 7 and 10. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper tailgate 70 can also be removed from the body 52 of the cargo body. A locking mechanism (not shown), such as a latch, is used to lock the upper rear flap 70 in the closed position. The upper tailgate 70 is preferably made of structural foam. Alternatively, it may be made of plastic using a rotational molding process. It should be understood that, as with the truck body 52, other materials and manufacturing processes can be used.

As shown in FIG. 7, 8 and 10, the lower and upper rear hinged sides 68, 70 can be opened independently of each other (Figs. 7 and 8) or simultaneously (Fig. 10). In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11, the specialized vehicle 30 'has a cargo body 50 that has an upper rear hinged side 70' pivotally connected to the upper end of the lower rear hinged side 68 'around a generally horizontal axis. In this embodiment, the upper rear tailgate 70 'may be opened independently of the lower rear tailgate 68', however, the lower rear tailgate 68 'can only be opened together with the upper rear tailgate 70'. In another alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12, the specialized vehicle 30 ″ has a cargo body 50 ″ that has a single rear hinged side 68 ″ pivotally connected to the lower bottom 58. In another alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 13, the cargo body 50 ″ ″ has a lower rear hinged side 68 ″ ″ and an upper rear hinged side 70 ″ ″ that are pivotally connected to the body 52 of the cargo body around their upper ends. It is contemplated that the lower rear hinge 68 ″ and the upper rear hinge 70 ″ ″ may selectively pivotally couple to the body 52 of the truck or around their upper ends or around their lower ends to suit the user's preference. For simplicity, the components of the specialized vehicles 30 'and 30' ', which are similar to the components of the specialized vehicle 30 described above, and the components of the cargo bodies 50', 50 '' and 50 '' ', which are similar to the components of the cargo body 50, described above , the same reference numbers are assigned, and they will not be described here in detail.

In FIG. 3-8 show that the upper bottom 72 is selectively held in the body 52 of the truck above the lower bottom 58 adjacent to the front wall 54 and the pair of side walls 56. It is assumed that the upper bottom may not extend to the front wall 54 and the pair of side walls 56. When the upper bottom 72 is installed in the body 52 of the cargo body, its sides are held by the ledges 64 of the side walls 56 so that the upper bottom 72 is relatively aligned with the ledges 64. As is best seen in FIG. 8 (and also in FIGS. 11 and 12 for alternative embodiments of the invention), the upper bottom 72 divides the open rear side of the cargo body body 52 between the lower open part and the upper open part. The lower open portion extends from the lower bottom 58 to the upper bottom 72 and is selectively closed by the lower rear tailgate 68, thereby limiting the lower cargo space. The upper open portion extends from the upper bottom 72 to the upper end of the side walls 56 and is selectively closed by the upper rear tailgate 70, thereby limiting the upper cargo space. It is contemplated that the upper rear tailgate 70 may not extend all the way to the upper end of the side walls 56 when it is closed. In the truck body 50 'shown in FIG. 11, the lower and upper rear hinged sides 68 ′ and 70 ′ selectively cover the lower and upper open parts, respectively, as in the cargo body 50. As with the upper rear hinged side 70, it is assumed that the upper rear hinged side 70 ′ may not extend all the way to the upper end of the side walls 56 when it is closed. In the truck body 50 ″ shown in FIG. 12, a single 68 '' tailgate selectively covers both the lower and upper open portions simultaneously. The single rear hinged side 68 '' is provided with a door 74 in its lower part, which can be opened to gain access to the lower cargo area without the need to open the single rear hinged side 68 ''. It is contemplated that door 74 can rotate or slide relative to a single rear tailgate 68 ''. As with the upper tailgate 70, it is assumed that a single tailgate 68 ″ may not extend all the way to the upper end of the side walls 56 when it is closed. In the truck body 50 ″ ″ shown in FIG. 13, the lower and upper rear hinged sides 68 ″ ″ and 70 ″ ″ selectively cover the lower and upper open portions, respectively, as in the cargo body 50.

If there is an upper bottom 72 located in the body 52 of the cargo body above the lower bottom 58, as shown, the cargo may be in the lower and upper cargo spaces separately. For example, sand may be loaded onto the upper bottom 72 in the upper cargo space, while a shovel used to load the sand may be located on the lower bottom 58 in the lower cargo space. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the upper bottom 72 can pivot upward relative to the body 52 of the cargo body. This allows easy access to the lower cargo space when there is no (or very little) cargo in the upper cargo space, without having to open the lower rear hinged side 68. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the upper bottom 72 can also be removed from the body 52 of the cargo body, thereby creating a message of the lower and upper cargo spaces, allowing the full volume of the body 52 of the cargo body to be used to load cargo. In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 13, the upper bottom 72 ″ ″ is made with two sections 76 and 78 pivotally connected to each other. The front end of section 76 is pivotally coupled to the front of body 52 of the truck body. The rear end of section 78 is slidably coupled to guides 80 located on either side of it. Sections 76, 78 may be arranged horizontally to separate the lower cargo space from the upper cargo space. From their horizontal position, the rear end of section 78 can be pushed toward the front wall 54, causing the section 78 to slide and rotate up and section 76 to turn up, as shown in FIG. 13, thus creating a message of the lower and upper cargo spaces.

Modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art. The preceding description should be considered as an example, and not limiting. Thus, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the scope of the attached claims.

Claims (20)

1. An off-road vehicle comprising a frame of at least four wheels suspended on a frame, each of at least four wheels comprising a tire, a seat mounted on the frame, a steering assembly located in front of the seat and operably connected to, at least two of the at least four wheels, an engine mounted on the frame and functionally connected to at least two of the at least four wheels, and a cargo body pivotally mounted on the frame rear of the seat, with a cargo body incl The housing of the cargo body having a front wall, a pair of side walls extending from the front wall, a first bottom connected to the lower end of the front and a pair of side walls, and at least a partially open rear side, a second bottom selectively held in the cargo body body above the first bottom, the second bottom, when it is held above the first bottom, divides the open rear side of the cargo body between the first open part, passing from the first bottom to the second bottom, and the second open part, passing from the W th floor to the upper end of the side wall, and at least one tailgate for selectively closing at least one of the first and second exposed portions. 2. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, in which each side wall forms a ledge extending to the other side wall. 3. The off-road vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the second bottom is selectively held above the first bottom at least partially by the steps. 4. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, in which the second bottom is selectively held adjacent to the front wall and a pair of side walls. 5. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second bottom is rotatable relative to the body of the cargo body. 6. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, in which the second bottom is made with the possibility of removal from the body of the cargo body. 7. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tailgate is the only tailgate selectively covering at least partially the first and second open parts. 8. The off-road vehicle according to claim 7, in which a single rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the first bottom. 9. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tailgate includes a first tailgate and a second tailgate, the first tailgate selectively covers the first open portion and the second tailgate selectively covers at least partially the second open part. 10. The off-road vehicle according to claim 9, in which the first rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the first bottom. 11. The off-road vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the upper end of the first rear hinged side. 12. The off-road vehicle of claim 10, in which each side wall forms a ledge extending to the other side wall, the second rear hinged side pivotally connected to the ledges. 13. The off-road vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second rear hinged side is selectively connected to the side walls. 14. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, in which the seat includes a seat base and a back, and the steering unit includes a steering wheel. 15. The off-road vehicle according to 14, in which the seat is a first seat, and further there is a second seat connected to the frame in the transverse position next to the first seat, while the second seat has a seat base and a backrest. 16. The off-road vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the seat is a saddle seat and the steering assembly includes a steering wheel. 17. An off-road vehicle comprising a frame of at least four wheels suspended on a frame, each of at least four wheels comprising a tire, a seat mounted on the frame, a steering assembly located in front of the seat and operably connected to, at least two of the at least four wheels, an engine mounted on the frame and functionally connected to at least two of the at least four wheels, and a cargo body pivotally mounted on the frame rear of the seat, moreover, the VK body The body of the cargo body having a front wall, a pair of side walls extending from the front wall, a first bottom connected to the lower end of the front and a pair of side walls, and at least a partially open rear side, a second bottom located in the body of the cargo body above the first bottom, at least one rear hinge for selectively closing at least partially open rear side, the first cargo space formed at least partially between the front wall, a pair of side walls, the first m bottom, second bottom and at least one rear tailgate when at least one rear tailgate covers at least partially open rear side and a second cargo space formed at least partially between a front wall, a pair of side walls, a second bottom and at least one rear tailgate when at least one rear tailgate closes the at least partially open rear side. 18. The off-road vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the second bottom is removably removed from the body of the cargo body so that when the second bottom is removed, the first cargo space communicates with the second cargo space. 19. An off-road vehicle according to claim 17, in which at least one rear hinged side is pivotally connected to the first bottom. 20. The off-road vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the at least partially open rear side includes a first open part and a second open part, wherein at least one rear hinge includes a first rear hinge that selectively closes the first open a part and a second tailgate, selectively covering at least partially the second open part, the first cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, a pair of side walls, the first bottom, second bottom and first the tailgate when the first tailgate covers the first open part and the second cargo space is formed at least partially between the front wall, a pair of side walls, the second bottom and the second tailgate when the second tailgate closes the second open part .

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