Patent Abstract:
A retainer for a vehicle cargo area that is bounded in part by a floor and a door moveable between open and closed positions includes a retaining member spanning at least a portion of the cargo area, a pivot feature operably associated with the retaining member, and a retaining feature that yieldably retains the retaining member in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area. The retaining member pivots about the pivot feature relative to the cargo area between a first position and a second position wherein the retaining member is inclined relative to the floor of the cargo area. When the door is open the retainer is normally in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/237351, filed Sep. 28, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to a cargo area for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a device for retaining cargo.  
         [0003]     Many vehicles include cargo areas having a relatively flat floor leading to a door, such a liftgate, tailgate or hatchback. The door typically pivots away from the flat floor to facilitate access to the cargo area. As a result of the relatively flat cargo area floor, some objects stored in the cargo area may shift during vehicle travel or otherwise come to rest against the door. Upon movement of the door away from the floor, these objects may roll, slide or otherwise fall out of the cargo area. Particularly with a hatchback or liftgate that pivots vertically away from the cargo floor, it can be difficult to prevent cargo from falling out of the vehicle upon opening the liftgate.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     A retainer for a vehicle cargo area is provided that is bounded in part by a floor and a door moveable between open and closed positions includes a retaining member spanning at least a portion of the cargo area, a pivot feature operably associated with the retaining member, and a retaining feature that yieldably retains the retaining member in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area. The retaining member pivots about the pivot feature relative to the cargo area between a first position and a second position wherein the retaining member is inclined relative to the floor of the cargo area. When the door is open the retainer is normally in its second position to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area.  
         [0005]     In one exemplary embodiment, the retaining member is displaced from its second position at least partially toward its first position when the door is closed. Under the force of the biasing member, the retaining member automatically moves towards its second position as the door is moved at least partially toward its open position. This automatically raises the retaining member to its second position upon opening of the door to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area. In another exemplary embodiment, the retaining member remains in its second position when the door is closed, but can be moved away from that position to facilitate loading and unloading cargo from the cargo area.  
         [0006]     In one exemplary embodiment, the door is a liftgate that pivots upwardly and downwardly relative to the cargo area and the retaining member spans the gap between sidewalls of the cargo area and is disposed adjacent to an end of the cargo area adjacent to the door. Accordingly, upon movement of the door upwardly away from the cargo area from its closed position towards its open position, the retaining member moves to its second position wherein it is raised upwardly from the cargo area floor providing a lip or partial wall to prevent the contents of the cargo area from rolling, sliding or otherwise falling out of the cargo area before the operator of the upwardly swinging door is able to reach them. Although not necessary, the retaining member preferably pivots both inwardly toward the cargo area and outwardly away from the cargo area to facilitate loading and unloading cargo. The retaining device may also include a locking feature, which permits the retaining member to be releasably locked in a desired position, such as generally flush with the cargo floor. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and best mode, appended claims and accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle cargo area including one presently preferred embodiment of a retaining device;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary side view of the vehicle cargo area with a door enclosing a portion of the cargo area shown in its open position;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the encircled portion  3  of  FIG. 2  with the vehicle door shown in its closed position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary view like  FIG. 3  showing some round cargo items being retained by the retaining device;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary view illustrating a large cargo item being slidably removed from the cargo area; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of a vehicle cargo area with a vehicle door shown in its closed position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     Referring in more detail to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a vehicle  10  having a cargo area  12  including a floor  14 , opposed sidewalls  16  (only one of which is shown) extending from the floor, usually a roof  18  and a door  20  providing access to the cargo area  12  from the exterior of the vehicle  10 . In the embodiment shown the door  20  is a liftgate which pivots about a hinge  22  adjacent to the roof from a lowered, closed position to a raised, opened position, as is known in the art.  
         [0015]     A retaining device  24  is provided in or adjacent to the cargo area  12  along an outward edge  26  of the cargo area  12  in the area of the door  20  when the door is closed. In one presently preferred embodiment, the retaining member  24  includes a generally flat panel that extends between the sidewalls  16  and is carried by the vehicle  10  generally adjacent to the floor  14 . The retaining device  24  includes a pivot feature  28  which may be one or more shafts  30  that are preferably carried by the retaining member, co-axially aligned and disposed in pockets  31  in the sidewalls  16 ,  18  or other structure of the vehicle to permit pivoted motion or rotation of the retaining member  24  about an axis  32 . The retaining member  24  is moveable from a first position ‘a’ that facilitates loading and unloading cargo from the cargo area, and a second position ‘b’ wherein the retaining member  24  is inclined at an acute included angle relative to the floor  14  to facilitate retaining cargo within the cargo area  12 . In the embodiment shown, the retaining member  24  is preferably generally perpendicular to the floor  14  when in its second position ‘b’ to provide a raised or upstanding lip or wall that prevents objects from rolling, sliding or otherwise falling out of the vehicle from the outward edge  26  of the cargo area  
         [0016]     As best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , to facilitate loading and unloading cargo from the cargo area  12 , the retaining member  24  may pivot from its second position ‘b’ both inwardly relative to the cargo area to its first position ‘a’ and outwardly of the cargo area to a third position ‘c’. As best shown in  FIG. 5 , then in its third position ‘c’ the retaining member  24  is preferably generally flat to permit cargo  35  to be slidably removed from the cargo area  12 . The retaining member  24  is shown in solid lines in its second position, and in its first and third positions is shown in phantom lines. A retaining feature preferably is provided to releasably or yieldably retain the retaining member in its second position ‘b’. The retaining feature may be a biasing member  34  that yieldably biases the retaining member  24  toward its second position ‘b’ and away from its first position ‘a’. In an embodiment wherein the retaining member  24  can also be moved to a third position ‘c’ (such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), the biasing member  34  may also yieldably bias the retaining member  24  away from its third position ‘c’ and toward its second position ‘b’. Accordingly the normal position of the retaining member  24  is its second position ‘b’ so that unless acted on by another force or object, the retaining member  24  will preferably assume its second position ‘b’. In one embodiment, the biasing member  34  includes a torsion spring  36  which biases the retaining member  24  away from its first position ‘a’, and a second torsion spring  38  which biases the retaining member away from its third position ‘c’ (see  FIG. 1 ). The first and second torsion springs  36 ,  38  may be disposed on opposite ends of the retaining member  24  such as being disposed generally about oppositely extending and coaxially aligned shafts  30  about which the retaining member pivots. The retaining feature may include structures or apparatus other than springs, such as detent mechanism, or releasable latch that resists at least some force tending to move the retaining member out of its second position ‘b’ but may ultimately be overcome to permit the retaining member to move from its second position.  
         [0017]     As best shown in  FIG. 3 , when the liftgate  20  is in its closed position, a portion of the tailgate preferably engages the retaining member  24  and moves the retaining member  24  out of its second position ‘b’ and toward its first position ‘a’ against the force provided on the retaining member by the biasing member  36 . Accordingly, the biasing member  36  provides a force urging the retaining member  24  against the liftgate  20  when the liftgate is closed. As the liftgate  20  is opened, the biasing member  36  maintains the retaining member  24  in contact with the liftgate until the liftgate is sufficiently open that the retaining member  24  assumes its second position ‘b’ under force of the biasing member. Accordingly, the retaining member  24  automatically moves to its second position ‘b’ as the liftgate  20  is opened to provide a barrier against objects  35  (see e.g.  FIG. 4 ) falling out of the vehicle as the liftgate is initially opened. The retaining member  24  may be moved fully to its first position ‘a’ by the liftgate  20  when the liftgate is closed, and an outer edge  40  of the retaining member  24  may be generally flush with an inside surface  42  of the liftgate  20  so that objects in the cargo area  12  are not resting on or engaged with an outer surface  41  of the retaining member  24  when the liftgate  20  is closed. Of course, other constructions and arrangements are possible and contemplated herein. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when the liftgate  20  is closed, it may not displace the retaining member  24  from its second position ‘b’ at all so that the retaining member  24  remains generally upright and adjacent the cargo area  12  even when the liftgate is closed. Or, the liftgate  20  may engage and move the retaining member  24  any desired angular amount from its second position ‘b’, including all the way to its first position ‘a’, as previously noted.  
         [0018]     To limit intrusion of the retaining member  24  and prevent raising the threshold to the cargo area  12 , the floor  14  may include a recess  44  in which the retaining member  24  is received when moved to its first position ‘a’, and/or its third position ‘c’, as desired. The recess  44  may be the same depth as the retaining member  24  is thick so that when in its first position ‘a’ the retaining member  24  is generally flush with the adjacent portion of the floor  14 . Likewise, when folded into its third position ‘c’ the retaining member  24  may also be generally flush with the cargo area floor  14 . If desired, a lock  50  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) can be provided to releasably maintain the retaining member  24  in, for example, its first position ‘a’ wherein it may be generally flush with the cargo floor  14 . The lock  50  may be a resilient finger with a catch that overlies a portion of the retaining member  24 , or a spring-loaded lock which may be set by depressing the retaining member  24  against the spring and released by likewise pressing the retaining member  24  against the spring. The retaining member  24  may be releasably locked in its first position, for example, to facilitate loading cargo into the cargo area  12 . Upon closing or opening the liftgate, the liftgate  20  may release the lock  50  so that when the liftgate  20  is subsequently opened, the retaining member  24  automatically is moved to its second position under force of the biasing member  36 . Of course, the retaining member  24  could remain locked until the lock  50  is manually removed, if desired. The retaining member  24  may also be releasably connected to the vehicle  10  so that it may be removed from the vehicle if desired.  
         [0019]     Accordingly, cargo which is loose and/or shifts during use of the vehicle, and which moves toward or leans against the liftgate  20  prior to opening the liftgate  20  can be effectively retained within the cargo area  12  upon opening the liftgate. The retaining member  24  preferably remains in its second position when the liftgate is closed or is automatically disposed in its second position ‘b’ upon opening of the liftgate. The retaining member preferably can be readily folded to the generally flat first or third positions, or any angle in between, to reduce interference to loading and unloading cargo from the cargo area  12 . The retaining member  24  may also be releasably retained in any position, as desired. In one presently preferred embodiment, the actuation of the retaining member  24  to its second position to retain cargo, is accomplished independent of user interaction and preferably occurs automatically as the vehicle liftgate is opened.  
         [0020]     While certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, persons of ordinary skill in this art will readily recognize that the preceding description has been set forth in terms of description rather than limitation, and that various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1