Patent ID: 6918734
Filing Date: 2005-07-19
Classification: B60P,B60R

Abstract:
1. A vehicle comprising a vehicle body having side walls, a rear structure, seats for occupants and a planar loading area behind the rearmost seats extending between the vehicle sidewalls to the rear structure, the rear structure of the vehicle including a rear hatch that can swing open to expose and render accessible the loading area, and a loading edge having a predetermined vertical height extending across the loading area and interconnected to the vehicle sidewalls, a first horizontal guide channel formed in each vehicle side wall at a vertical height above the loading area that is greater than the predetermined vertical height of the loading edge, the first horizontal guide channel extending from the vehicle rear structure forward toward the rearmost seats and terminating at its forward end spaced from the rearmost seats, a second vertically depending downwardly guide channel formed in each vehicle side well extending forwardly at an acute angle from and as a continuation of the forward end of the first horizontal guide channel in that vehicle sidewall and terminating at its lower end at the plane of the loading area adjacent but spaced from the rearmost seats of the vehicle, a third vertically depending downwardly guide channel formed in each vehicle side wall extending forwardly at an acute angle from a point intermediate the ends of the first horizontal guide channel in that vehicle sidewall as a branch of the first horizontal guide channel and terminating at its lower end at the plane of the loading area, an elongated loading floor lying adjacent the plane of the loading area and extending laterally of the vehicle from one vehicle side to the other vehicle side and longitudinally of the vehicle from adjacent the rearmost seats to adjacent the rear structure to substantially cover the entire loading area, a first pair of guide members mounted on the loading floor and positioned respectively in the second vertically depending downwardly guide channels at their lower terminal ends for cooperation therewith, a second pair of guide members mounted on the loading floor and positioned respectively in the third vertically depending downwardly guide channels at their lower terminal ends for cooperation therewith, whereupon when the rear hatch or the vehicle is open, and a force is exerted upon the loading floor in a rearward direction, the loading floor will rise up vertically to the level of the first guide channels and then move rearwardly over the loading edge and out the open rear of the vehicle.