Abstract:
A decklid and luggage compartment system for an automotive vehicle includes a luggage compartment located at one end of a vehicle and a decklid for closing the luggage compartment. A linked hinge moves the decklid translationally from a closed position to a raised position and axially displaced open position. The decklid maintains a common attitude in both the closed and opened positions. A combination load floor and bumper assembly having a load floor for the luggage compartment is mounted upon a sliding carrier for movement between an extended position and a retracted position.

Description:
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/345,759, filed on Jan. 8, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a motor driven decklid and motor driven movable load floor for an automotive vehicle. 
     2. Disclosure Information 
     Motorists commonly agree that loading and unloading of a luggage compartment (e.g., trunk) of an automotive vehicle is facilitated by the ability to place heavy articles directly on the compartment&#39;s load floor without the necessity of stooping because of an interfering decklid and lower back panel. U,S, Pat. No. 6,186,575 discloses a telescoping cargo floor which may be extended onto an the unfolded tailgate of a pickup truck. The cargo arrangement of the &#39;575 patent does not, however, include a decklid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,792 discloses a pull-out load floor use in combination with a tailgate of a station wagon. A problem with the device of the &#39;792 patent is that the load floor&#39;s width is restricted by the need to incorporate taillights in the quarter panels of the vehicle. 
     A decklid and luggage compartment system according to the present invention provides a full, wide, movable unrestricted, and easily loaded trunk floor, coupled with the capability of maintaining a proper display of taillights integrated into the decklid of a vehicle. Thus, passengers may load and unload items while the taillights remain visible even when the decklid is in the fully open position, the closed position, or any intermediate position. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A decklid and luggage compartment system for an automotive vehicle includes a luggage compartment located at one end of an automotive vehicle and a decklid for closing the luggage compartment. A linked hinge moves the decklid translationally from a closed position to an opened position so that the decklid has a common attitude in both the closed and opened positions. A movable floor is mounted upon a sliding carrier for movement between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the present decklid further comprises at least one tail light, with the tail light beam mounted to the decklid. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a movable load floor further comprises a bumper having a laterally extended bumper beam and a fascia which extends both laterally and axially around the portion of the load floor. The bumper further comprises a latch system for selectively connecting the bumper beam with left and right quarter panel structures of the vehicle. As used herein, the term “bumper” means a protection system mounted at one end of the vehicle, and intended to interact with other vehicles and with stationary objects which the vehicle may encounter at an end portion of the vehicle. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the present decklid and luggage compartment system includes a motor drive operating the linked hinge of the decklid, and a second motor drive for operating the movable load floor. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for loading a luggage compartment of an automotive vehicle includes the steps of translationally opening a decklid such that the attitude of the decklid remains relatively constant as the decklid is moved from a closed position to an opened position, so as to preserve the visual orientation of a plurality of taillights attached to the decklid, and opening a combination bumper and luggage compartment load floor, by moving the combination load floor axially from a retracted position to an extended position. After luggage items have been placed upon the extended load floor, the combination load floor will be moved to its retracted position, and the decklid will be closed translationally such that the visual orientation of the taillights is preserved during and after closure of the decklid. 
     According to a final step of the present method, the combination bumper will be latched to adjoining body structures when the bumper is returned to its retracted position. 
     Other advantages, as well as objects and features of the present invention, will become apparent to the reader of this specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having a decklid and luggage compartment system according to the present invention, shown in an open position. 
     FIG. 1 a  is a perspective view which is similar to FIG. 1, but which shows the present decklid and luggage compartment system in a closed position. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1 showing with particularity the linked hinge system for attaching and translationally moving the vehicle&#39;s decklid. 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the vehicle having a decklid and luggage compartment system according to the present invention, showing a portion of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view of a portion of a vehicle showing details of a movable load floor support according to one aspect of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3 being a rear view of the vehicle having a decklid and luggage compartment system according to the present invention, but showing an electrically motor powered actuator for motorizing load floor  28 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 1 a  vehicle  10  has a rear luggage compartment  16  with a decklid  20 . Linked hinge  24  (FIG. 1) moves decklid  20  translationally from a closed position to an opened position. This movement is described as being “translational” because linked hinge  24  is a four-bar link, and decklid  20  does not rotate as it is moved from its closed position to its opened position, and vice versa. Because of this translational motion, the attitude of decklid  20  does not change as it is moved to and from the various positions. As used herein, the term “attitude” means, in accord with its classic definition, the orientation of a body in three dimensional space. Because the attitude of decklid  20  does not change, taillights  36 , which are incorporated in decklid  20 , remain in a constant visual orientation. In another words, the visual orientation of tail lights  36  is preserved both during and after opening and/or closing of decklid  20 , so that the taillights are easily viewed. 
     The present decklid and luggage compartment also includes movable load floor  28  for luggage compartment  16 . Load floor  28  is mounted upon a sliding carrier to permit movement between its extended position and its retracted position. FIG. 1 thus shows load floor  28  in its extended position. FIG. 1 also shows fascia  42  which extends both laterally across bumper beam  44 , which is enclosed by fascia  42 , and also axially around a portion of load floor  28 . 
     When movable load floor  28  is in its closed position, bumper beam  44  is latched to left quarter SO and right quarter  52  of vehicle  10 . This latching is accomplished by means of striker stud  84  and latches  82 , with left and right striker studs  84  being incorporated into movable load floor  28 , and left and right latches  82  being incorporated in left quarter  50  and right quarter  52 . Although latches  82  are shown as being of a trapper type design, those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure the other types of latches could be employed according to the present invention, so as to secure bumper beam  44  to the quarters  50  and  52  when load floor  28  is in its closed position. Latches  82  may be operated by cable release mechanisms or solenoids known to those skilled in the art and suggested by this disclosure, or by other types of mechanisms known to those skilled in the art and suggested by this disclosure. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates details of a linked hinge system suitable for use with a decklid according to the present invention. Decklid hinge  24  comprises drive bar  25 , and idler bar  26 , which are hinged at one end to the vehicle&#39;s structure in the vicinity of a wheelhouse, and hinged at a second end to bracket  19 , which is attached to decklid  20 . Drive bar  25  is keyed to pivot shaft  34 , as is pitman arm  30 . Pitman arm  30  is rotated by means of hydraulic cylinder  38 , which is powered by a hydraulic pump (not shown). As pitman arm  30  rotates, it rotates drive bar  25 , which then moves decklid  20  to the desired position. The precise position of decklid  20  is indicated by LVDT  40 . As used here, the term “LVDT” means linear variable differential transformer, which is a position sensing device. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that other types of sensing devices such as Hall Effect sensors or linear or rotational potentiometers, or other devices such as limit switches may be used to determine the position of a decklid according to the present invention. It is important that a four-bar link or other type of non-trivial hinge device be used to maintain the decklid in a relatively constant orientation as it is moved from its closed position to its opened position, so as to preserve the visual orientation of tail lights  36 , while at the same time providing maximum accessibility to the luggage compartment for loading and unloading. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate additional details of construction of movable load floor  28 . Movable load floor  28  is mounted upon left and right support rails  74  by means of rollers  72  (FIG.  4 ). Rollers  72  are mounted to the structures of movable load floor  28 , and support rails  74  are mounted rigidly to the body of vehicle  10 . As shown in FIG. 3, load floor  28  is moved between its retracted and extended positions by means of hydraulic motor  76 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that other types of motor drives, such as electrically or hydraulically operated ball screws, or pneumatic cylinders, other yet devices known to those skilled in the art may be employed to motorize load floor  28 . For example, FIG. 5 shows an electric motor  102  driving a screw  104  to power load floor  28 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the present decklid and luggage compartment system may optionally include lower valance panel  62 , having exhaust outlets  68  incorporated therein. If this option is chosen, fascia  42  and bumper  44  will close to a position in which they are superimposed over lower valance panel  62  and exhaust outlets  68 . 
     The present decklid and luggage compartment system may be employed according to the present method by first translationally opening decklid  20  by means of hydraulic cylinder  38 . Once decklid  20  is in its fully opened position, combination bumper and luggage compartment load floor  28  will be moved from its axially retracted position to its extended position by means of hydraulic cylinder  76 , which is attached to load floor  28  via tab  80  (FIG.  3 ). This will allow luggage items to be placed upon extended load floor  28 . Then, load floor  28  may be returned to its retracted position by hydraulic cylinder  76 , and then the decklid  20  may be translationally closed while at the same time keeping the visual orientation of taillights  36  at a constant. Finally, latches  82  may be closed, either at the precise moment strikers  84  enter latches  82 , or afterwards by means of a cable system or solenoid or other types of closing device known to those skilled in the art and suggested by this disclosure. 
     Although the present invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that various modifications, alterations, and adaptations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that the invention be limited only by the appended claims.