Patent Publication Number: US-2018050738-A1

Title: Pickup truck having a folding rail structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to pickup trucks and more particularly to a pickup truck having a folding rail structure. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventionally, a pickup truck has a bed for carrying loads. Further, some pickup trucks have an anti-roll cage. However, it is fixed and has a single function. Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a pickup truck comprising a cab; a tailgate; a bed; two side walls; two sets of a plurality of locking assemblies disposed on the side walls respectively; and a folding ladder including two side rails, a plurality of rungs, a first section at a first end, a second section at a second end, a third section between the first section and the second section, and a plurality of one-way hinges each disposed at one of two joining portions of the first section and the third section or one of two joining portions of the second section and the third section; wherein each locking assembly includes a tubular member for allowing either side rail of the folding ladder to pass through, a concave keeper surface disposed on the tubular member, and a cam type actuator arm configured to pivotably engage the concave keeper surface to fasten the side rail of the folding ladder and the tubular member together. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pickup truck according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the pickup truck of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the pickup truck showing a first configuration of the folding ladder; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation of the pickup truck of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the pickup truck showing a second configuration of the folding ladder; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation of the pickup truck of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the locking assembly; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of the hinge and surrounding components; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the pickup truck showing a third configuration of the folding ladder; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the pickup truck showing a fourth configuration of the folding ladder; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the pickup truck showing a fifth configuration of the folding ladder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 11 , a pickup truck  40  in accordance with the invention comprises a cab  41 , a tailgate  421 , a bed  42 , two side walls  43 , two sets of a plurality of locking assemblies  30  on the side walls  43  respectively, a plurality of one-way hinges  20 , and a folding ladder  10  as discussed in detail below. 
     The folding ladder  10  includes a first section  11  at a first end, a second section  13  at a second end, a third section  12  between the first section  11  and the second section  13 , and a plurality of rungs  14  between two side rails  15  of each of the first, second and third sections  11 ,  13  and  12 . 
     Each hinge  20  is disposed at one of two joining portions of the first section  11  and the third section  12  or one of two joining portions of the second section  13  and the third section  12 . 
     The locking assembly  30  includes a tubular member  31  for allowing the side rail  15  of the folding ladder  10  to pass through, a concave keeper surface  33  formed on the tubular member  31 , and a cam type actuator arm  32  configured to pivotably engage the concave keeper surface  33  to fasten the side rail  15  of the folding ladder  10  and the tubular member  31  together. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a first configuration of the folding ladder  10  is shown in which one side wall  43  is removed. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second configuration of the folding ladder  10  is shown in which the folding ladder  10  is used as a ladder having one end secured to the tailgate  421  and the other end rested on the ground. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , a third configuration of the folding ladder  10  is shown in which the third section  12  has two pivotal end portions due to the provision of hinges  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , a fourth configuration of the folding ladder  10  is shown in which three third sections  12  of the third configuration are provided parallel. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , a fifth configuration of the folding ladder  10  is shown in which the first section  11  is an acute angle with respect to the third section  12 , and the third section  13  is an acute angle with respect to the third section  12 . 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.