Patent Publication Number: US-2022227199-A1

Title: Truck Bed With Integrated Heating System

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present specification generally relates to pickup trucks and, more specifically, to pickup trucks with truck beds that include integrated heating systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicle camping including truck bed and rooftop tents are becoming increasingly popular. This is due, at least in part, to improved convenience and ease of setup and take down. One issue with tent camping is heating outside during cold conditions. It is common for a user to start the vehicle and sit inside using the vehicle&#39;s heater unit for heat. However, the user must leave their tent and start the vehicle. What is needed is a truck bed that includes an integrated heating system that can be used to provide heat outside the cabin of the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment, a pickup truck includes a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The truck bed includes a bed deck and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls. A heating system includes a heating unit located between an inner sidewall panel and an outer sidewall panel of one of the sidewalls. The heating unit is in communication with an outlet the extends through the inner sidewall panel. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, a method of forming a heating system for a pickup truck that is exterior of a passenger cabin of the pickup truck. The method includes placing a heating unit between an inner sidewall panel and an outer sidewall panel of a truck bed of the pickup truck. The heating unit is fluidly connected to an outlet through the inner sidewall panel. 
     These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which: 
         FIG. 1  diagrammatically depicts a side view of a pickup truck having a truck bed with a truck bed cover, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; 
         FIG. 2  diagrammatically depicts a truck bed of the pickup truck of  FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and 
         FIG. 3  diagrammatically depicts a section view along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  showing a heating system inside a sidewall of the truck bed, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Pickup trucks according to the present specification include a passenger cabin and a truck bed located rearward of the passenger cabin. The truck bed includes opposite sidewalls and a bed deck that extends between the sidewalls. The sidewalls are formed by an outer sidewall panel and an inner sidewall panel. At least one of the sidewalls includes a heating system that is located between the respective outer sidewall panel and inner sidewall panel. The heating system may include a heating unit and a blower that is fluidly connected to an outlet in the inner sidewall panel. The outlet may include a connector that can be used to connect to a flexible duct. The flexible duct may be used to direct heated air to a location exterior of the passenger cabin. 
     As used herein, the term “vehicle longitudinal direction” refers to the forward-rearward direction of the pickup truck (i.e., in the +/− vehicle Y direction depicted in  FIG. 1 ). The term “vehicle lateral direction” refers to the cross-pickup truck direction (i.e., in the +/− vehicle X direction depicted in  FIG. 1 ), and is transverse to the vehicle longitudinal direction. The term “vehicle vertical direction” refers to the upward-downward direction of the pickup truck (i.e., in the +/− vehicle Z-direction depicted in  FIG. 1 ). As used herein, “upper” and “above” are defined as the positive Z direction of the coordinate axis shown in the drawings. “Lower” and “below” are defined as the negative Z direction of the coordinate axis shown in the drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the terms “outboard” or “outward” as used herein refers to the relative location of a component in a direction with respect to a pickup truck centerline. The term “inboard” or “inward” as used herein refers to the relative location of a component in a direction with respect to the pickup truck centerline. Because the pickup truck structures may be generally symmetrical about the pickup truck centerline, the direction to which use of terms “inboard,” “inward,” “outboard” and “outward” refer may be mirrored about the pickup truck centerline when evaluating components positioned along opposite sides of the pickup truck  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a pickup truck is generally illustrated at  10 . The pickup truck  10  includes a passenger cabin  12  and a truck bed  14 . The truck bed  14  includes a bed deck  18 , a pair of spaced apart sidewalls  20 ,  22 , a front wall  24 , and a tailgate  26 . The bed deck  18 , the sidewalls  20 ,  22 , the front wall  24 , and the tailgate  26  define a storage area  28  of the truck bed  14 . 
     The sidewalls  20 ,  22  extend parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction. Each sidewall  20 ,  22  includes a front end  30  and an opposite rear end  32 . The front wall  24  extends between the front ends  30  of the sidewalls  20 ,  22 . The tailgate  26  extends between the rear ends  32  of the sidewalls  20 ,  22 . 
     The tailgate  26  is pivotally connected to the sidewalls  20 ,  22  for movement between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the tailgate  26  extends parallel to the vehicle vertical direction. In the open position, the tailgate  26  extends parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a truck bed tent  34  that is located in the truck bed  14 . The truck bed tent  34  may be wholly within the truck bed  14  as shown, or only partially within the truck bed  14 . In some embodiments a ground tent or other enclosure, such as an ice fishing shelter, blind, rooftop tent of another vehicle, etc. may be located wholly outside the truck bed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , inside the sidewall  22  is a heating system  40  that is connected to an outlet  42  that extends through an inner sidewall panel  44  of the sidewall  22 . Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the heating system  40  includes a heating unit  46  that is located between the inner sidewall panel  44  and an outer sidewall panel  48  of the sidewall  22  such that the heating unit  46  is not visible from outside the truck  10 . The heating unit  46  is fixedly mounted within the sidewall  22  at a location that is spaced from the inner sidewall panel  44  and the outer sidewall panel  48 . In some embodiments, the heating unit  46  may be at least partially enclosed by a heat shield  50 . As used herein, a “heat shield” refers to a structure that is effective in reducing one or more of convective, conductive and radiative heat transfer from the heating unit  46  to one or both of the inner sidewall panel  44  and the outer sidewall panel  48 . The heat shield  50  can be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, ceramic, foam, etc. Spacing the heating unit  46  from both the inner sidewall panel  44  and the outer sidewall panel  48  can also reduce heat transfer to the panels  44  and  48 . The heating unit  46  may be any suitable type, such as electric resistance, butane, propane or any other type of heating system. In some embodiments, the heating unit  46  may be wired directly to the truck  10  so that there is no need for separate batteries or other power source. If a fuel is used, a compartment  52  may be provided inside the sidewall  22  so as not to be visible. A panel, represented by element  54 , may be provided that can be opened to access the compartment  52  and replace the fuel. 
     The heating unit  46  may be connected to a blower  56 . The blower  56  may be part of the heating unit  46  or be a separate component that is operatively connected to the heating unit  46 . The blower  56  may include a fan that is used to push heated air from the heating unit  46  to the outlet  42  that is formed in the inner sidewall panel  44 . To this end, an interior duct  60  may connect the blower  56  to the inner sidewall panel  44  at the outlet  42 . 
     An exterior duct  62  may be removably connected to a connector  64  at the outlet  58 . The exterior duct  62  may be flexible so that an end of the flexible duct can be placed at a desired location (e.g., within the truck bed tent  34 ). The exterior duct may have any suitable length. A longer exterior duct  62  can allow the end of the exterior duct  62  to be moved outside of the truck bed  14  and into an enclosure on the ground or even on another vehicle. For example, the exterior duct  62  may be placed in or near a rooftop tent of another vehicle for heating the rooftop tent. The exterior duct  62  may be removed from the connector  64  to blow heat directly out of the outlet  58  if desired. 
     A control unit  70  may be located at the heating system  40 . For example, the control unit  70  may be mounted in the inner sidewall panel  44 . The control unit  70  may include buttons, knobs, or other controls  72  that can be used to adjust heating conditions, such as ON/OFF, temperature, fan speed, etc. The control unit  70  may have a display that displays the heating conditions. In some embodiments, the heating system  40  may be connected to a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU). In some embodiments, the heating system  40  may be controlled wirelessly, such as using a smartphone or other device. Temperature sensors, wired and/or wireless, can be used to shut off the heating system  40  automatically. 
     The above-described pickup trucks include a heating system that is located within a sidewall of the truck bed and is separate from the tuck HVAC unit. The heating system includes a flexible duct that can be used to direct heated air to a desired location, even outside of the truck bed. The heating system can be controlled using controls mounted on the sidewall of the truck bed. In some embodiments, the heating system may be controlled wirelessly using a smartphone or other computing device. 
     While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.