Removable cargo bed liner

The cargo area liner of the invention is used in combination with a utility vehicle having a containment portion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the cargo area liner includes a foldable body. The foldable body has a bottom and sides. The bottom is connected to the sides. The sides are adapted to rotate about 90 degrees from a folded position to an open position. The sides are connected to the botom and are adjacent to the bottom member. The bottom has a first and a second portion, the upper faces of which are in contact when the liner is in fully folded position. In another embodiment of the invention, an inner bottom mmeber and inner side member are slid inwardly and outwardly in an outer bottom member to adjust the length of the liner. In an embodiment of the invention adapted for automobile trunks, the liner includes a base having an upwardly extending flange and sides. Each of the sides has an upper and lower portion extending at an obtuse angle. A side flange adapted to realeasably engage the base flange extends from the lower portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Each of the embodiments of the invention is used in combination with a 
utility vehicle having a containment portion. In some utility vehicles the 
containment portion is carpeted or is otherwise appointed for appearance 
and style, but not suitably for the rough use and abuse that the cargo 
areas were originally intended for. This invention is useful for the 
utility vehicle which is occasionally used as a cargo hauler and is 
normally used for personal transportation only. In these vehicles the 
cargo area liner of the invention is positioned within the containment 
portion over the carpeting and finished interior to protect it from damage 
during hard use. 
In FIG. 1, the liner 10 is shown completely folded to a compact flat unit. 
In FIG. 2, the liner 10 is shown with left panel 12 and right panel 14 
swung up perpendicular to rear bottom panel 16 and front panel 20 
coextensive with rear bottom panel 16. 
FIG. 3 is like FIG. 2 except front panel 20 is swing up part way to its 
fully open position shown in FIGS. 6 through 8. 
FIG. 4 shows front panel 20 swung away from front bottom panel 18 with left 
front side panel 26 and right side panel 28 remaining in their position 
coextensive with first panel 20. 
FIG. 5 shows panels 12 through 16 remaining in the same position shown in 
FIGS. 2 through 4 and with left rear panel 24 and right rear panel 22 
swung to position normal to side panels 12 and 14 respectively and front 
panel 20 swung normal to rear bottom panel 16. 
FIG. 6 shows panels 12 through 28 in the same position as in Figure 5, but 
with front bottom panel 18 swung down to a position coplanar to rear 
bottom panel 16 and front panel 20 swung to normal position relative to 
front bottom panel 18. 
FIG. 7 shows panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 in the same positions as 
shown in FIG. 6, but with front side panels 26 and 28 swung to position 
normal to front panel 20. 
FIG. 8 shows the cargo liner 10 in fully open position. The cargo area 
liner 10 may be made of a single integral piece of sheet materials with 
all of the panels connected by integral hinges. For example, the liner 10 
could be made of cardboard with the hinges 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 
48 and 60 made by scoring the cardboard along the hinge lines 34, 36, 37, 
38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 60 or the liner 10 could be made of 
thermoplastic with hinges 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 60 made of 
thin interconnecting parts known as "living hinges". 
FIGS. 9 through 12 show another embodiment of the invention being a knock 
down cargo liner 110 having the parts shown. 
FIGS. 13 through 16 show another embodiment of the cargo liner. 
In FIG. 8, the one-piece cargo area liner 10 is shown completely unfolded 
to open position. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 8, rear bottom 
panel 16 is shown connected to front bottom panel 18 by integral living 
hinge 60; left side panel 12 is shown connected to rear bottom panel 16 by 
integral hinge 34; right side panel 14 is shown connected to rear bottom 
16 by integral hinge 36; left front side panel 26 is connected to front 
panel 20 by integral hinge 40; right front panel 28 is connected to front 
panel 20 by integral hinge 38; front panel 20 is connected to front bottom 
18 by integral hinge 37; left rear panel 12 is connected to left rear side 
panel 24 by integral hinge 42; right rear panel 22 is connected to right 
side panel 14 by hinge 44; left side flap 30 is connected to left rear 
panel 12 by integral hinge 46; right side panel 32 is connected to right 
rear panel 14 by integral hinge 48. 
The panels and sides are held in their open position by Velcro (TRADEMARK), 
snaps or other fasteners indicated at 50. These fasteners are located 
along the adjacent edges of the sides and panels. 
FIGS. 6 through 8 show a perspective view of folding readily removable 
cargo area liner 10 being unfolded to a open position. In FIG. 6, bottom 
members 16 and 18 are in fully open position. Also, sides 12, 14 and 20 
are in fully open position in FIG. 6. First front side panel 26 and second 
front side panel 28 have been swung into open position, shown in FIG. 7. 
In FIG. 8, side panels 30 and 32 have been swung 180 degrees into open 
position, and the liner 10 is in a fully open position. This large open 
position is useful when seats are removed or folded to allow a larger 
portion of the containment area to be used for utility purposes. 
FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a knock apart telescopic readily 
removable cargo area liner 110 in accordance with the invention. The cargo 
area liner 110 includes rear left side 112 and right rear side 114, rear 
bottom panel 116, front bottom member 118, front panel 120, right panels 
122 and 124, front side channels 126 and 128 and corner channels 130 and 
132. Front panel 120 is held to front side panels 122 and 124 by channels 
132 and 130 respectively. Front side panels 122 and 124 are held to side 
panels 114 and 112 by channels 128 and 126 respectively. Front panel 120 
and side panels 122 and 124 have flanges 134, 136 and 138 respectively. 
Rear left side 112 and right rear side 114 have flanges 140 and 142 
respectively. Rear bottom panel 116 has guide flanges 144 and 146. Front 
bottom member 118 has flanges 148, 150 and 152. 
The rear side flanges 140 and 142 releasably receive the adjacent outer 
bottom member guide flanges 144 and 146 respectively. The front panel 
flanges 134, 136 and 138 releasably receive the adjacent inner bottom 
member flanges 148, 150 and 152 respectively. 
Side channel 126 releasably engages rear side 112 and front side 124. 
Linear channel 128 releasably engages rear side panel 114 and front side 
122. 
The inner bottom member 118 is adapted to be moved between an unextended 
position, as shown in FIG. 10, to an extend position, as shown in Figure 
11. A substantial portion of the inner bottom member 118 is positioned to 
overlie outer bottom member 116 in the unextended position. A substantial 
portion of inner bottom member 118 is positioned adjacent to outer bottom 
member 116 in the extended position. 
Corner channel 130 releasably engages inner sides 120 and 124. Corner 
channel 132 releasably engages inner sides 120 and 122. Ribs 154 extend 
from the lower face of front bottom member 118. In the collapsed position, 
shown in Figure 10, the bottom face of each rib 154 is in contact wth rear 
bottom member 116. 
FIG. 12 shows a partial end view of liner 110. Rib 156 extends from outer 
side flanges 140 and contacts flange 144. Rib 158 extends from inner side 
flange 136 and contacts flange 150. 
Cargo area liner 110 is shown in FIG. 11 on carpeting 160 supported by 
floor 162 of the containment area of a utility vehicle. 
FIG. 13 shows a telescopic readily removable cargo area liner 210. FIG. 13 
is a perspective view of the telescopic extendable readily removable cargo 
area liner 210. Liner 210 includes rear sides 212 and 214, an rear bottom 
member 216, a front bottom member 218, front sides 220, 22 and 224 and 
channels 226 and 228. The front bottom member 218 is connected to first 
end 220 and front sides 22 and 224. The rear bottom member 216 is 
connected to rear sides 212 and 214. 
Channel 226 releasably engages outer side wall 212 and inner side wall 222. 
Channel 228 releasably engages outer side wall 214 and inner side wall 
224. 
Front bottom member 218 is adapted to be moved between an unextended 
position, as shown in FIG. 14, to an extended positon as shown in FIG. 15. 
A substantial portion of front bottom member 218 is positioned within rear 
bottom member 216 in the unextended position. A substantial portion of 
front bottom member 218 is positioned adjacent to rear bottom member 216 
in the extended position. 
FIG. 16 is a partial end view of a telescopic readily removable cargo area 
liner. Channel 228 includes inner ribs 230 and 232 which are in contact 
with outer side 214 and inner side 224. 
FIGS. 17 through 20 show a telescopic readily removable cargo area liner 
310. Liner 310 includes outer sides 312 and 314, an outer bottom member 
316, an inner bottom member 318 and inner sides 320, 322 and 324. Outer 
sides 312 and 314 are connected to flanges 326 and 328 respectively. Inner 
side 322 is adapted to slide between flange 326 and side 312. Inner side 
324 is adapted to slide between flange 328 and side 314. 
inner bottom member 318 is adapted to be moved between an unextended 
position, as shown in FIG. 18, to an extended position as shown in FIG. 
19. A substantial portion of inner bottom member 318 is positioned within 
outer bottom member 316 in the unextended position. A substantial portion 
of inner bottom member 318 is positioned adjacent to outer bottom member 
316 in the extended position. Inner bottom member 318 has ribs 332 which 
are in contaact with the upper face of outer bottom member 316 in the 
unextended position. Flanges 326 and 328 have a rib such as rib 330 which 
engages inner side 324 as shown in FIG. 20. an upwardly extending rear 
flange 336 fixed to the rear end of the outer bottom 316 and an upwardly 
extending front flange 338 fixed to the front end of the outer bottom part 
316 
FIG. 21 through 24 show a smaller version of the unit to be used in the 
"trunk cargo area" of standard coupe and sedan type vehicles (passenger 
cars). 
FIGS. 21 and 22 show a more compact version. Panels 422, 424, 426 and 420 
snap over bottom pan 412. Brackets 430, 432, 434 and 436 fit over the four 
corners to provide rigidity to the unit. Bottom pan 412 is a molded 
one-piece unit which would be waterproof. The unit in FIGS. 21 through 24 
would fit down into the trunk well whichs is present in most passenger 
cars. 
FIGS. 23 and 24 show the same unit with panels reversed to accomodate 
larger items needing to be carried in the same trunk area. 
This unit could be easily disassembled and stored within bottom pan 412 
which could easily be stored in a garage area, or attached to the trunk 
lid with two rubber straps. This way it would be accessible whenever 
needed. 
FIG. 21 through 24 show a readily removable cargo area liner 410. Liner 410 
includes base member 412 having four flange members 414, 416, 418 and 420 
supporting four detachable sides 422, 424, 426 and 428 respectively. Each 
of the sides has an upper and a lower portion extending from an obtuse 
angle therebetween. Corner channels 430, 432 and 436 releasably engage the 
sides as shown in FIG. 21. 
Liner 410 is adapted for use in the trunk 438 of a coupe or sedan 
automobile 440 as shown in FIG. 22. The side flanges 442, 444, 446 and 448 
releasably engage the adjacent base flange members 414, 416, 418 and 420 
respectively. With the sidesin the upright position as shown in FIGS. 21 
and 22, the liner is in an unenlarged position and is adapted to fit into 
a small trunk. By placing the sides on the opposite flange members of the 
base as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the liner is in an enlarged position and 
is adapted to fit into a large trunk. 
Ribs 450 and 452, which extend from side flanges 442 and 444 respectively, 
contact base flange members 414 and 416 respectively as shown in FIG. 22. 
In the enlarged position ribs 450 and 452 respectively contact base flange 
members 416 and 414 respectively as shown in FIG. 24. 
The cargo area liners of the invention are preferably made of polymeric 
material, wood, metal or paper board material and the like. Examples of 
preferred polymeric materials are polypropylene and polystyrene. 
While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the 
preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that there may be 
other embodiments which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention 
as defined by the following claims.