SE539375C2

SE539375C2 - Luggage net device and a method for a luggage net in a vehicles

Info

Publication number: SE539375C2
Application number: SE1450965A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Björnetun Mats
Original assignee: Mim Construction Ab
Priority date: 2014-08-20
Filing date: 2014-08-20
Publication date: 2017-08-22
Also published as: EP3183143A1; WO2016028210A1; EP3183143A4; SE1450965A1

Abstract

13 ABSTRACT The invention relates to a luggage net device (l) adapted to protect vehicle passengersfrom loose luggage moving from the luggage space to the passenger space during heavybreaking and/or a vehicle crash, comprising a protective net (4) arranged to delimit thespace in front of and behind a vehicle back seat (10), at least two, substantiallyvertically extending, support members (2) arranged to transfer load from the protectivenet (4) to the vehicle chassis (8) and fixation devices (3, 7) to safely position saidsupport members (2) in a correct position, Wherein said fixation devices (3, 7) arearranged to safely position said support members (2) on top of the ﬂoor (8) in saidluggage space, also to transfer load from said support members (2) to said ﬂoor (8) and that said support members (2) are arranged to transfer said load via said back seat (10).

Description

The present invention relates to method and a luggage net device adapted to protectvehicle passengers from loose luggage during heavy breaking and/or a vehicle crash, comprising a protective net behind vehicle back seat head rests.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION Motor vehicles that have a passenger compartment with a luggage compartment behinda row of passenger seats are well known. It is known to provide vertically extendingdividers such as luggage nets between the passenger compartment and the luggagecompartment to restrain items of luggage from movement in a longitudinal direction ofthe vehicle, i.e. from the luggage compartment to the passenger compartment, in case ofhard breaking or car crashes. This arrangement may be used particularly in estatevehicles to prevent luggage from entering the passenger compartment from the luggage compartment causing damage to the passengers.

It is also known for luggage nets to be retractably mounted on a roller in a cassette. Thecassette is mounted in the luggage compartment so that the net can be drawn out of thecassette and the free end attached to suitable fastenings when required. When not in use, the net is released from the fastenings and retracted into the cassette for storage.

A common disadvantage with known luggage nets is that they are complex to fit inorder to meet high demands regarding strength requirements. In general this implies thateach car model needs it own design of the net, which leads to relatively high costs, since no large scale advantages may be obtained.

In US597l433 a safety net device for preventing objects from being ﬂung from aluggage compartment into the passenger space of a motor vehicle is described. Thedevice includes a safety net which can be pulled out and used at different pull outlengths from a winding shaft rotatably supported within a housing of the apparatus. Thewinding shaft includes a blocking device adapted for blocking rotation of the windingshaft as a consequence of an object being ﬂung into the safety net for preventing furtherunwinding of the safety net from the winding shaft as a consequence of the forces acting on the net.

In JPH0823 8978 it is disclosed how to improve load putting-in/out performance andmake effective use of luggage room space by engaging a first clip and a second cliprespectively with body hooks in the case of using a luggage net, and disposing the luggage net in the standing state in the cross direction of a luggage room.

In DE 19731372, a luggage department divider comprising a net is disclosed. The frame is rigidly fixed to several attachment points in the ﬂoor of the luggage compartment.

In GB2408024, a pet separation device is disclosed. The pet separation devicecomprises two tubes and a first separation member is fixedly connected to the twotubes. Each tube has a top suction member connected a top end thereof and an inclinedtube is retractably connected to a lower end of each of the tubes. A bottom suctionmember is connected to each of the two inclined tubes. Two second separation memberseach have a part thereof overlapped to the first separation member and a plurality oflocking assemblies are used to connect the overlapped first separation member and the second separation members.

As mentioned above known luggage net arrangements generally work well, but onlyoffer a limited range of functionality, adjustment and ﬂexibility. Further, where the netsare provided in a cassette, the cassette is often perrnanently located in the vehicle taking up valuable luggage space when not in use.

There is a need, therefore, for an improved vehicle luggage system which in a safemanner secures that no luggage can enter into the passenger compartment and which ismore ﬂexible and easier to use as well as to mount and demount than the known arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages ofthe above described technique. This can be obtained by a luggage net device according to claim 1.

Thanks to the invention an easy and flexible mounting of a luggage net device isprovided, which mounting fulfils high safety regulations and that may fit into luggagecompartments of many different vehicles independent of vehicle models, due to the fact of using the back seat in combination with the floor of the luggage compartment to transfer load to the Chassis, i.e. very wide structures providing a large variety regarding safe positioning of load transferring structures of the luggage net.

According to the invention, the geometry of the luggage net device, e. g. thanks toﬂexibly anchored support members/ legs abutting the ﬂoor, will prevent pivoting of thedevice when a force is applied at the back side of said net, i.e. a force being directed towards the passenger compartment (the forward driving direction of the vehicle.

Desired safety may be achieved by means of a tongue/gripping member, providingsafety to hold the device in place in the luggage compartment in connection with acrash, thereby safely preventing that loose articles may come ﬂying into the passenger compartment causing injuries of the driver and the passengers.

According to one aspect of the invention, the support members are arranged, at leastpartly, to substantially follow the extension of said back seat by means of being inclinedat a sharp angle in relation to said vehicle ﬂoor, said angle preferably being 90° or lessand more preferred 85°-65°, whereby possibly a tongue/gripping member (se above) may be superﬂuous.

According to another aspect of the invention, said fixation devices comprise supportfeet arranged to rest on said floor, that extend parallel with the extension of the vehicleand also are arranged to extend parallel to said vehicle floor when mounted on saidﬂoor, and that an adjustment arrangement at each foot is arranged to facilitate adjustment of the angle between the support member and the foot.According to another aspect of the invention, the net device further comprises twoanchoring devices connected on one end to each of said support members and at the second end to said vehicle ﬂoor, preferably in the form of a rod.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. l shows a side view of a vehicle provided with a protective luggage netdevice according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a side view of a different embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows a view from behind of f1g 2, and Fig.4 and 5 show a view from the side and behind respectively, of a modified embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Fig. l a vehicle provided With the inventive removable protective luggage net devicel is shown. As shown, the luggage net device l is intended to be positioned in a luggagecompartment 44 behind a back side of back seats 10 in a vehicle, e. g. a private car,transport car, van, minivan, SUV etc. Said luggage net device l is adapted to protectvehicle passengers from loose luggage located in the luggage compartment 44 of thevehicle during hard breaking or a vehicle crash, by comprising a protective net 4 behind back seat 10 that also may be equipped With head rests 1 1.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the luggage net device l comprises supportmember 2, preferably in the form of at least tWo legs, support feet 3 (on each leg 2), anda protective net 4. Said net 4 has a front side 41 directed to a passenger compartment 42of the vehicle and a back side 43 directed to said luggage compartment 44 of the vehicle.

Each leg 2 is preferably made from a U- or C-forrned metallic tube (also other shapesWould fulf1l the desired function, e. g. cylindrical or square tubes) proving an openingalong one side of the legs (e. g. the rearWard facing side) enable easy access to the insideof the legs 2 for fixation of attachment devices. Each leg includes an upper portion 25and a lower portion 26 that are telescopic. Thanks to this telescopic aspect the length ofthe support legs 2 is adjustable and can be tailored so as to fit the height of the luggagecompartment 44 independent of vehicle model. The upper portion 25 of the leg 2 ispulled out of the under portion 26 till the appropriate length of the leg 2 has beenreached. Then the upper portion 25 and the under portion 26 are adjustably fixedlylocked in relation to each other by a locking arrangement 21, 24. One example of alocking arrangement is locking holes 24 in the form of through holes in both the upperand under parts 25, 26, preferably along a substantial portion of at least one of the legparts 25, 26, Whereas the other part is provided With at least one, preferably tWo or threethrough holes 24. When the upper portion 25 has been pulled out to reach its preferredlength, the upper portion 25 and the under portion 26 are fixed to each other by insertingone or tWo or three bolts 21 through the holes 24 of the upper portion 25 and under part26, respectively. The bolts 21 are then preferably provided With nuts for safe securing.

When the luggage net device 1 is in its mounted position in the vehicle, the support feet3 preferably are parallel to the vehicle ﬂoor 8 of the luggage compartment 44 and thesupport legs 2 are preferably inclined backWardly (With regard to a forward driving direction of the vehicle) in relation to said vehicle ﬂoor 8 and said feet 3. Preferably, said support legs 2 are inclined an angle ot less than 90° and most preferred 85-65°. Saidangle ot may preferably be l00°-60° adjustable due to each foot 3 having its front part 3 l , (which part is adj acent to the lower leg 2 end) pivotable, preferably providingadjustment of ot between l00°-55°. In the shown embodiment this is achieved by meansof a vertically extending slit 33 in a lower region of the support leg 2, a pivot pin 23 thatprotrudes from the front of each foot 3 into the groove 22 and having it adjustablyfixable by means of a plate with screw elements 32 that is movable along the vertical slit 33 on the inside of the support leg 2, whereby the angle ot may be adjusted.

Two anchoring devices 5, preferably in the forrn of rods 51, are used for attachment ofthe device l to anchoring rings 6 (standard equipment in most vehicles) on the ﬂoor 8behind the back seats l0 in the vehicle, i.e. the ﬂoor 8 of the luggage compartment 44.Each of said anchoring devices 5 is connected by one of its ends to each of said legs 2,preferably to the longitudinal center of each leg 2, and at its second end to said vehicleﬂoor 8. A lower part of the anchoring device 5 forms a hook 53 and on an upper part 54of the anchoring device 5 there is a male device 55 which can be inserted into a row ofmatching female holes 24 provided in both the lower portion 26 and the upper portion25 of each leg 2. By means of a screw knob 52 the rod 51 can be shortened/tightened, tosecure the device against the ﬂoor 8. Here it is shown that the same holes 24, are usedfor two purposes. However, the skilled person realizes that separate holes may be usedfor that and that the holes for locking the length of the legs may be arranged in a surfacefacing transversely (i.e. the forward directed face) in relation to the holes 24 shown inf1g l.

A separate tongue device 7 is arranged at the lower region of each leg 2, to protrudedownwardly and grip around the front edge 80 of the ﬂoor 8 in the vehicle to furtherimprove safety by holding the device l in place.

The protective net 4 is preferably mounted having an angle ß in relation to the legs 2, toenable a substantial vertical extension of the net 4. As seen in Fig. l the protective net 4preferably has a substantially vertical position. A vertical or substantially vertical position may often be preferred so as to keep the volume of luggage compartment 44 as large as possible.

The protective net 4 comprises two vertically extending net arms 46. Each net arm 46 isfixedly attached to (preferably releasable by means of a screw/bolt attachment) theupper region of each leg 2 forrning an angle ß between the net 4 and the support legs 2.

The net 4 may have different designs. In the embodiment shown in figure 2 and 3 thenet 4 comprises four horizontal tubes/rods 45. Said tubes/rods 45 may be connected toeach other at their respective ends e.g. by means of U-members 47, but it is alsounderstood that in some cases the rods 45 may not be connected to each other. It isunderstood that the horizontal 45 tubes/rods could be telescopic thereby making itpossible to adjust the horizontal length/width, so as to fit the width of the vehicle intowhich the device l is to be inserted independent of vehicle model. In a preferredembodiment the tubes/rods 45 are rigidly attached to the net arms 46, and their endstelescopically connected to adjustable end members 47 e.g.U-shapes members connected to two rods/tubes 45.

The number of tubes/rods 45 may vary depending on the height of the luggagecompartment. In some embodiments the device l may have four rods, while in otherembodiments five or six or even as many as seven, or more, may be more appropriate. It is also conceivable with only three rods for use in low luggage compartments.

In figure 2 and 3 there is shown a preferred embodiment of an actual design of theinvention. (in contrast figure l shows a sketch) In this embodiment the supportmembers 2 are in the form of C-shaped shaped metal beams, having a central wallportion 26A, 25A, having the main plane extending in the main direction of the vehicle.Perpendicularly thereto wall portions 26B,C, 25 B,C protrude from the central wallportion 26A, 25A. To increase the strength the C- shaped beams 25,26 are preferablyarranged with inwardly protruding edges at the outer ends of the sidewalls 26 A,B, 25A,B. In the rear wall portions 26C, 25C, there are arranged holes 29 adapted to have theupper portion 55 of the anchor device 5 fixed there in. In a preferred embodiment theholes 29 have a T-forrn that will safely withhold the upper end 55 once introduced andslid into the safe position within the hole 29. Further it is shown that the adjustmentknob 52 preferably is arranged in connection with an upper anchoring device 56 havingthe fixing end 55 attached/integrated thereto. The plate shape part 56A may act as a force transferring member between the rod 51 and the adjustment nob 52.

Moreover is shown that the adjustment holes 24 for telescopically adjusting the upper25 and lower 26 parts of the support member 2 preferably are arranged in the centralwall portions 26A, 25A thereof. In a preferred embodiment the distance between suchtwo holes 24 is the same as the distance between two holes 29 for the anchoring device, whereby automatically holes will be “synchronized” when adjusting height.

Further it is shown that the vertical rods 45 are fixedly attached within the net device 4to the vertical net arms 46, which in turn at their lower ends are attached to the top ofeach support member 2. Within (or at if reversed) the ends of each vertical tube/rod 45there are arranged ends of U-shaped tubes, whereby telescopically the horizontal widthmaybe adjusted by pulling/pushing each U-shaped member 47 in or out of the verticaltube 45.

In figures 4 and 5 there is shown a further slightly modified embodiment according tothe invention, wherein six horizontal tubes/rods 45 are used instead of four, as in figures1, 2 and 3. It also shows that the different U- members 47 may be differently positioned to adjust the width to match speciﬁc desires/need within the vehicle of use.

Furthermore figures 4 and 5 shows that the height adjustment of the net advice 1 is veryﬂexible, by showing that the upper support member 25 has been positioned in an uppermost position along the lower support member 26. Further, as can be seen there is madeuse of the same anchoring device 5, etc as in figs. 2 and 3. Accordingly the same lowerstructure 2, 3 may be used independent of how the net device 4 is designed, since thenet device 4 may be independently connected to the support members 2. Moreover it isshown that the width W between the support members 2 is deterrnined by the distance Lbetween the net arms 46, which in tum is deterrnined by their positions on thehorizontal rods 45. (here shown as fixed, but may also be adjustable) As a consequence,this provides the advantage that the width W may be easily adapted to different netdevices 4, which in tum may be adapted to different vehicle deceives. As is evident thewith W may norrnally be chosen very ﬂexibly, since seats used in today°s vehicles donorrnally have high strength along a substantial portion of the backside thereof, i.e.itmay norrnally not be important to exactly position the support members in relation tothe backseats. Preferably the width W is between 600-800 mm.

However thanks to the ﬂexibility of the concept according to the invention it is feasibleto exactly position (norrnally no need, as mentioned above) the support members 2 inrelation to any specific need, e. g. by means of having a specific net device 4 for aspecific vehicle, e.g. if it is important that the support members 2 are positioned more orless exactly. Still the same main parts 2, 3, 5, 7 of the device can be used as for other vehicles.

If luggage comprising very small articles are to be kept in the luggage compartment 44 it may be preferred to choose a net comprising both vertical and horizontal rods.

In some embodiments said angle ß between the net 4 and the support legs 2 may beadjusted by means of an adjustment device (not shown) arranged on the upper region 30of the support legs 2, e. g. in the form of a screw element. By adjusting the angle ß, it ispossible to keep the protective net 4 in a vertical position even if the angle ot of the inclined legs 2 is adjusted.

It is appreciated that the device l also functions as a pet separation device when one orseveral pet/ s is/ are kept in the luggage compartment 44, keeping the pet/ s safely in place.

The inventive luggage net device is preferably made of metal, e.g. stainless steel, but is evident for the skilled person that also other materials, e.g. composite polymeres.

Thanks to the invention an easy attachment of the device l, i.e. merely to the anchoringrings 6 on the ﬂoor 8, is achieved, since no other part/-s of the vehicle, need to beattached thereto, making it extremely easy to demount and remove the luggage net device l from the luggage compartment 44 if desired.

Thanks to the invention safety may be combined with high flexibility, e.g. the samekind of safety net structure may be used for many different vehicles. The main reason tothese important advantages is the fact that the invention takes use of load transferringstructures that exist in almost all vehicles, and in a manner that provides a largeﬂexibility of the positioning of load transferring structure of the arrangement. Incontrast, traditionally specific part of the vehicle, e. g. the C-post of the chassis, fortransfer of load from the luggage net to the chassis in connection with a crash or suddenbreak when luggage need to be hindered from moving into the passenger compartment42.

The combination of forrning support members 2 that may cooperate with the backsideof the backseats l0 and also fixation devices 3, 7 that jointly cooperate regarding loadtransfer to the chassis of the vehicle, and that can meet high demands regarding safety.The geometry regarding the interaction between the backside of the backseat l0 and thesupport members to and the fixation devices 3, 7 are essential aspects in this regard,since when a horizontal force is applied to the luggage net 4 this will create amomentum, trying to rotate the support members 2 around a pivot point somewherealong the backside of the backseat l0. Thanks to the sharp angle ot of the support member 2 in relation to the floor 8 and/or the use of a tongue/gripping member, any rotation will be hindered, since such a momentum will try to push the lower ends of thesupport members 2 into the ﬂoor, which is not possible. The design of the backseat 10and also the floor 8 in almost all cars are such that very high strength requirements can be met in relation to moving luggage that may bump into the luggage net 4.

In many applications the use of the mere ends of the support members 2 would besufficient to balance the forces needed in connection with a crash. However, In apreferred embodiment a larger area of load transfer in relation to the ﬂoor 8 is preferredand therefore is it preferred to use feet 3, preferably extending in the length direction ofthe vehicle to thereby also from stable supports to enable it to more or less stably standon its own, which in many cases may make easier for a user to handle the luggage net device 1.

By making the angle ot adjustable the feet can easily be fitted to match different designof different vehicles. In order to further strength the structure and also to improve uponeasy attachment into a safe position, the end of the support members 2, 7 (on at the endsof the feet 3) may preferably be arranged with protruding gripping devices 7 that protrude down below the ﬂoor 8 and in contact with the front most edge of the ﬂoor 8.

Further, in some applications it may be desired to increase strength (e. g. if week seatback are used), e.g. by means of using an extra support member, extending horizontallybetween the vertical support members and/or the net arms 46 may extend also outside ofthe vertical members if desired.

As will be understood by those skilled in the present field of art, numerous changes andmodifications may be made to the above described and other embodiments of thepresent invention, without departing from its scope as defined in the appending claims.For example, in vehicles such as transport cars, having no back seat but instead a largerluggage compartment, the luggage net device is mounted behind the front seats of thevehicle and in the same way as described above. Furthermore, the net arms 46 may beused for attachments to safely attach an extension (e. g. a plate) to cover any possiblegap between the net 4 and the inner roof of a vehicle. Moreover, it is for seen that theydevice 1 may be extra stabilized by using an extra anchoring device between the supportmembers 2 and/or net arms 46 and/or vertical tubes/rods 45, e.g. screw fixing deviceincluding a hook adapted to hold around head restraint posts and/or adjustable securingstrap/ string. Thereby further devices, e.g. saddles, may more safely be supported by thenet device 1.

It is further understood that the means for locking the telescopic parts, i.e. the upper partand the under part of the legs, could be any kind of suitable known looking meansWithout departing from the scope of the invention. Also, the under part could bearranged Within the upper part instead of the upper part being arranged Within the under part as described above.

Claims

1. A 1uggage net device (1) adapted to protect vehic1e passengers from loose 1uggagemoving from the 1uggage space (44) to the passenger space (42) during heavy breakingand/or a vehic1e crash, comprising a protective net (4) arranged on top of supportmembers (2) at a 1eve1 extending above a seat (10) to de1imit the upper space in front ofand behind a vehic1e back seat (10), at 1east two of said support members (2),substantia11y vertica11y extending, arranged to transfer 1oad from the protective net (4) tothe vehic1e chassis (8) and fixation devices (3, 7) to safe1y position said supportmembers (2) in a correct position, characterized in that said fixation devices (3, 7) arearranged to safe1y position said support members (2) on top of the ﬂoor (8) in said1uggage space, a1so to transfer 1oad from said support members (2) to said ﬂoor (8) andthat said support members (2) are arranged to transfer said 1oad from the protective net(4) via said back seat (10), wherein said support members (2) are arranged, at 1eastpart1y, to substantia11y fo11ow the extension of said back seat (19) by means of beinginc1ined at a sharp ang1e (ot) in re1ation to said vehic1e ﬂoor (8), and wherein saidprotective net (4) comprises two vertica11y extending net arms (46), f1xed1y attached tothe upper region of each support member (2) forrning an ang1e (ß) between the protective net (4) and the support members (2).

2. A 1uggage net device according to c1aim 1, characterized in that said sharp ang1e (ot) in re1ation to said vehic1e ﬂoor (8) is 85°-65°.

3. A 1uggage net device according to c1aim 1 or 2, characterized in that said fixation devices (3, 7) comprise support feet (3) arranged to rest on said ﬂoor.

4. A 1uggage net device according to c1aim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that at the 1owerend of said support members (2) and/or said support feet (3) there are arranged grippingdevices (7) adapted to grip a front edge (80) of said vehic1e ﬂoor (8).

5. A 1uggage net device according to any preceding c1aim, characterized in that said netdevice (1) further comprises two anchoring devices (5), connected on one end to each of said support members (2), and at the second end to said vehic1e ﬂoor (8),

6. A 1uggage net device according to c1aim 5, characterized in that said anchoringdevice (5) is in the form ofa rod (51). 12

7. A luggage net device according to claim 3, characterized in that said support feet (3)extend parallel with the extension of the vehicle and are arranged to extend parallel tosaid vehicle ﬂoor (8) when mounted on said ﬂoor (8), and that an adjustmentarrangement (23, 32) at each foot is arranged to facilitate adjustment of the angle (ot) between the support member (2) and the foot (3).

8. A luggage net device according to claim 7, characterized in that said adjustmentarrangement includes a pivotal device (23) in combination with an adjustableattachment device (32).

9. A luggage net device according to any proceeding claim, characterized in that each ofsaid support member (2) includes an upper portion (25) and a lower portion (26) that aretelescopic, and locking devices arranged to fixate said support members (2) to adjustable lengths.

10. A luggage net device according to claim 5 and 8, characterized in that saidanchoring device (5) is connected to a first side of a leg (2) and that the locking device is connected to a second side of said leg (2).

11. Method for providing a vehicle with a device adapted to protect vehicle passengersfrom loose luggage during heavy breaking and/or a vehicle crash, comprising steps ofarranging a protective net (4) on top of support members (2) at a level extending abovea seat (10) to delimit the upper space in front of and behind a vehicle back seat (10),proving at least two of said support members (2), substantially vertically extending, totransfer load from the protective net (4) to the vehicle chassis (8) and providing fixationdevices (3, 7) to safely position said support members (2) in a correct position,characterized in that said fixation devices (3, 7) are arranged to safely position saidsupport members (2) on top of the floor (8) in said luggage space, also to transfer loadfrom said support members (2) to said floor (8) and that said support members (2) arearranged to transfer said load from the protective net (4) via said back seat (10), bymeans of arranging said support members (2) inclined at a sharp angle (ot) in relation tosaid vehicle ﬂoor (8), at least partly, to substantially follow the extension of said backseat (19), and by providing said protective net (4) with two vertically extending netarms (46), fixedly attached to the upper region of each support member (2) to form anangle (ß) between the protective net (4) and the support members (2).