Abstract:
A cargo management system is provided for a motor vehicle. That cargo management system includes a grate that is displaceable between a first use position mounted inside the motor vehicle and a second use position mounted outside the motor vehicle. The grate is a versatile performer suited for a wide range of storage applications.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to a cargo management system incorporating a grate that is displaceable between a first use position inside the motor vehicle and a second use position outside the motor vehicle. Such a cargo management system provides enhanced versatility for meeting the storage and hauling needs of motor vehicle operators. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many motor vehicle operators live active and adventurous lifestyles. This seems to be particularly true of those driving sport utility vehicles (SUVs). As a consequence, those operators are looking for “tools” to help them quickly and easily adapt the motor vehicle to better accommodate them in their activities. 
         [0003]    This document relates to a new and improved cargo management system that incorporates a grate that is displaceable between a first use position inside the motor vehicle and a second use position outside of the motor vehicle. The ability to effectively utilize the cargo management system within the passenger cabin and outside the vehicle provides enhanced versatility allowing the cargo management system to be effectively utilized to meet a wide range of application and storage needs in a manner not previously available in the art. 
         [0004]    Those applications include, but are not limited to, interior storage space for wet/dirty clothes/gear, infinite cargo area tie-down locations both inside and outside of the vehicle, exterior cargo carrier capability and exterior bike hauling function. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a cargo management system is provided for a motor vehicle. That cargo management system comprises a grate that is displaceable between a first use position mounted in a passenger cabin/inside the motor vehicle and a second use position mounted outside the motor vehicle. That grate may include a hitch bar. That hitch bar is displaceable between a stored position where it is telescopingly received within a support tube for the grate and a deployed position where the hitch bar extends from the support tube. 
         [0006]    The cargo management system may further include a receiver in the motor vehicle for receiving and holding the grate in the first use position. That receiver may comprise opposed slide channels. The grate is held in the opposed slide channels when in the first use position. Further, the hitch bar is held in the storage position when the grate is in the first hitch position. 
         [0007]    The cargo management system may also further include a storage pan that nests in a cavity in the floor of the motor vehicle under the grate when the grate is in the first use position. In addition, the cargo management system may further include a latch mechanism for securing the grate in the first use position over the storage pan. 
         [0008]    Still further, the cargo management system may further include a perimeter flange that extends around the grate. In such an embodiment, the perimeter flange projects from the grate around a first face of the grate. 
         [0009]    When the cargo management system is used outside or exterior to the motor vehicle, the hitch bar is displaced into the deployed position and is received in a hitch receiver of the motor vehicle to secure the grate in the second use position. The grate may be oriented with the first face and the perimeter flange upward. Further, the perimeter flange may include an integrated bicycle mount. That integrated bicycle mount may include a circular bead formed in the perimeter flange at a first end of the grate and a notch formed in a second, opposite end of the grate. In addition, the cargo management system may include a skewer and a strap. The skewer may be utilized to secure the front fork of the bicycle to the circular bead while the strap may be utilized to secure the rear wheel of the bicycle in the notch. 
         [0010]    In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the cargo management system. As it should be realized, the cargo management system is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the cargo management system as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       [0011]    The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the cargo management system and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures: 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the cargo management system including a grate, opposed side channels for securing the grate in a first use position inside the motor vehicle and a storage pan that nests in a cavity in the floor of the cargo vehicle under the grate. 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a detailed perspective view illustrating the positioning of the opposed side channels and storage pan in the rear of the SUV. 
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the ends of the grate received in the opposed channels and the floor pan below the grate sitting in a cavity in the SUV&#39;s floor. Wet clothes are resting on the grate and dripping into the underlying pan. 
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing the grate flipped over so that the face of the grate is down and the perimeter frames or flange of the grate is projecting upward above the grate face. 
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view illustrating the center support tube of the grate which holds a telescoping hitch bar. The telescoping hitch bar is illustrated in the stowed position in phantom line and in the deployed position in full line. 
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the grate mounted on the exterior of the SUV with the hitch bar received in a hitch receiver of the SUV. 
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  but showing the storage pan nested in the sidewall of the grate and held in place by two bungee cords. 
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating how a bicycle may be secured to the grate at the exterior rear of the SUV. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 8 a  and 8 b    are detailed views illustrating, respectively, the skewer that attaches the front fork of the bicycle to the bead formed in one end of the perimeter flange of the grate and the strap utilized to secure the rear wheel of the bicycle to the notch formed in the opposite end of the perimeter flange of the grate. 
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment wherein the hitch bar is pivotally attached through the grate. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    illustrate the alternative embodiment of the grate attached to a hitch receiver in two different positions. 
         [0023]      FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment wherein the grate is secured by bolts to a roof rack of the motor vehicle. 
     
    
       [0024]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the cargo management system, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , illustrating a first embodiment of the cargo management system  10 . As illustrated, that cargo management system  10  includes a grate  12  including a perforated face  14 , a perimeter flange  16  extending around the face  14  and a central support tube  18 . 
         [0026]    As further illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cargo management system  10  also includes a receiver  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver  20  comprises opposed slide channels that may be provided as an integral part of the floor  22  of the cargo area A of the sport utility vehicle  24 . As should be appreciated from viewing  FIG. 1 , the ends of the opposed channels  20  are open toward the tailgate opening  26  (tailgate not shown). 
         [0027]    As should be appreciated, the grate  12  and the perimeter flange  16  are sized and shaped to allow one to slide the grate  12  into the opposed channels  20  through the tailgate opening  26  into a first use position within the interior of the SUV  24 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the grate  12  may be positioned in the opposed channels  20  with the perforated face  14  up. 
         [0028]    As further illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the cargo management system  10  may also include a storage pan  28 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , that storage pan  28  may be received in and nest in a cavity  30  provided in the floor  22  of the SUV  24 . Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , wet gear G may be positioned on the face  14  of the grate  12  overlying the storage pan  28  which is in position to receive and hold any droplets of water W dripping from the gear. Of course, the pan  28  may be easily removed from the cavity  30  for cleaning as desired. 
         [0029]    In an alternative configuration illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the grate  12  may be positioned in the opposed channels  20  with the perforated face  14  down and the perimeter flange  16  extending upwardly. In this configuration, the perimeter flange  16  forms a sidewall for holding anything placed on the grate  12  in position. 
         [0030]    As best illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the grate  12  may also include a hitch bar  34  that is slidingly or telescopingly received within the support tube  18  so as to be displaceable between a stowed or retracted position illustrated in phantom line and a deployed or extended position illustrated in full line. The hitch bar  34  may be secured in either the stowed or deployed position by means of the pin  36  and cooperating clip  38 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the hitch bar  34  is maintained in the stowed position when the grate  12  is in the first use position in the interior of the SUV  24 . In contrast, the hitch bar  34  is in the deployed position and inserted into a hitch receiver  40  of the SUV  24  when the grate  12  is in the second or exterior use position (See  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). A hitch pin  42  secures the hitch bar  34  in the hitch receiver  40 . 
         [0031]    As should be appreciated from reviewing  FIG. 6 , the grate  12  may be secured in the second use position in the hitch receiver  40  with the perforated face  14  oriented upward. Alternatively, the grate  12  may be secured in the second use position with the perforated face  14  oriented downward and the perimeter flange  16  extending upward. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 a   , if desired, the storage pan  28  may be removed from the cavity  30  in the floor  32  of the SUV  24  and positioned on the perforated face  14  nested within the perimeter flange  16  of the grate  12  if one wishes to close the openings in the perforated face  14  for storing or carrying any particular material. In such an embodiment, the pan  28  includes a hump to accommodate the support tube  18 . A strap or other fastener such as a bungee cord  44  may be utilized to secure the storage pan  28  in this nested position. 
         [0032]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 8  illustrating how the grate  12 , when in the second or exterior position, may be utilized to carry a bicycle B. As shown, the perimeter flange  16  includes an integrated bicycle mount comprising a circular or tubular bead  46  formed at a first end or side and a notch  48  formed at a second end or side of the grate  12 . 
         [0033]    As best illustrated in  FIG. 8 a   , the front fork F of the bicycle B is positioned in the slots  50  at each end of the tubular bead  46  and a skewer  52  is inserted through the axle mount openings  0  and the tubular bead  46 . The end caps  54  function to lock the front fork F to the tubular bead  46  of the perimeter flange  16 . 
         [0034]    As best illustrated in  FIG. 8 b   , the rear wheel RW of the bicycle B is positioned in the notch  48  in the perimeter flange  16  and a strap  56  or other appropriate attachment device such as a bungee cord is used as a tie-down to secure the rear wheel in the notch. 
         [0035]    The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, a latch mechanism  60 , schematically illustrated in  FIG. 3 , may be provided to lock the grate  12  in the first use position overlying the storage pan  28  if desired. When locked in position, the perforated facel 4  of the grate  12  effectively provides a nearly infinite number of anchor points or locations to tie down an object in the back of the SUV  24 . 
         [0036]    Further, as illustrated in  FIGS. 9, 9   a  and  9   b  the hitch bar  34  may be pivotally connected to the grate  12  by means of a clevis  62  and pivot pin  64  if desired. Thus, the hitch bar  34  may be pivoted between the stowed position illustrated in  FIG. 9  and the two use positions illustrated in  FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b   . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 a   , the grate  12  is held in a horizontal position to carry cargo behind the lift gate  66 . In contrast, in  FIG. 9 b   , the grate  12  has been pivoted into a vertical orientation adjacent the lift gate  66  so as to allow better access to the tailgate and the rear of the SUV  24 . 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the grate  12  may be attached to the roof rails  68  of the motor vehicle  24  by means of the bolts  70 . Thus, the grate  12  may also function as a “roof basket” to hold gear on the roof of the motor vehicle  24  when desired. 
         [0038]    All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.