Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for enabling the enlargement of the cabin for a vehicle having an enclosed cabin and a cargo bed extending rearwardly from the cabin. The apparatus includes a rear wall removably coupled to the cabin. A guide element is positioned along a floor of the cargo bed and a base portion of the rear wall is slideably coupled to the guide element, which enables the rear wall to be translated rearwardly from the cabin to vary a volume thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to vehicle body configurations, and more particularly to a vehicle body capable of converting between two-passenger and four-passenger configurations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, consumers seeking a vehicle with cargo carrying capabilities, such as a truck, are limited to either selecting a two-passenger cabin or a four-passenger cabin. A consumer desiring a four passenger cabin typically must endure a reduction in cargo carrying capabilities. Specifically, the extra row of seats for a four passenger cabin requires a large part of the truck&#39;s cargo area, reducing the type of objects that can be transported, such as longer pieces of lumber. 
     On the other hand, those consumers who prefer a two passenger cabin must forgo any hope of having extra seating area. Otherwise, they must decide if they are going to potentially sacrifice cargo area for a four passenger cabin. Accordingly, a need exists for a vehicle capable of converting between either a four-passenger or a two-passenger cabin configuration.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an apparatus for enabling the enlargement of the cabin for a vehicle having an enclosed cabin and a cargo bed extending rearwardly from the cabin. The apparatus includes a rear wall removably coupled to the cabin. A guide element is positioned along a floor of the cargo bed and a base portion of the rear wall is slideably coupled to the guide element, which enables the rear wall to be translated rearwardly from the cabin to vary a volume thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a conversion vehicle in a two passenger configuration according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   a  is an enlarged view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  as indicated by circle  1   a.    
         FIG. 1   b  is an enlarged view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  as indicated by circle  1   b.    
         FIG. 1   c  is an enlarged view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  as indicated by circle  1   c.    
         FIG. 1   d  is an enlarged view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1  as indicated by circle  1   d.    
         FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the rail in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded side view of the conversion vehicle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the vehicle in a four passenger configuration having an open cabin according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the vehicle of  FIG. 5  having an enclosed cabin; 
         FIG. 6   a  is a top view of the vehicle of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 6   b  is a cross sectional view of the vehicle of  FIG. 6   a  
along line  6   b – 6   b;    
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the vehicle having an extended open air cabin according to the principles of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the vehicle of  FIG. 7  having an enclosed cabin. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
     The present invention is generally related to a vehicle capable of converting from a two passenger to four passenger configuration. The present invention will be described as applicable to a lightweight pickup. However, it is to be understood that the principles embodied herein are equally applicable to other types of vehicles, such as, for example, full-size trucks and truck-hybrids. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  is shown. The vehicle  10  has an engine compartment  12  coupled to a passenger cabin  14 . The passenger cabin  14  is further coupled to a cargo area  16 . The passenger cabin  14  includes a lift off roof panel  18 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , roof panel  18  has a first edge  17  and a second edge  19 . The roof panel  18  is coupled at the first edge  17  to an A-pillar  20  and coupled at the second edge  19  to a B-pillar  22  as best shown in  FIG. 4 . The B-pillar  22  has a first edge  23  and a second edge  25 . The first edge  23  is coupled to the second edge  19  of the roof panel  18  and the second edge  25  couples the B-pillar  22  to the cargo area  16  as best shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The cargo area  16  includes a targa bar  24 , which can generally be described as a U-shaped support beam generally following the contour of a rear end of passenger cabin  14 , forming a rear wall, as known in the art. The targa bar  24  is attached to a first tonneau cover  26 . The first tonneau cover  26  is in turn attached to a second tonneau cover  28 . The targa bar  24  has a first end  30 , as shown in  FIG. 1   a , and a second end  32 , as shown in  FIG. 1   b . The first end  30  is removably coupled to the B-pillar  22  via a plurality of latches  34  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 1   a , the first end  30  has a plurality of detents  36  which are configured to mate with a plurality of protrusions   38  on the second edge  25  of the B-pillar  22 . Referring to  FIG. 1   b , a second end  32  of the targa bar  24  is removably coupled to the first tonneau cover  26 . The first tonneau cover  26  includes a first edge  40 , as shown in  FIG. 1   b , and a second edge  42  as best shown in  FIG. 1   c . The first edge  40  has a plurality of detents  44  which engage a plurality of protrusions  46  located along a second edge  42  of the targa bar  24 , as shown in  FIG. 1   b . The second edge  42  has a plurality of protrusions  50 , as shown in  FIG. 1   c , which mate with the second tonneau cover  28 . Specifically, the second tonneau cover  28  has a first edge  52 , as shown in  FIG. 1   c , and a second edge  54 , as shown in  FIG. 1   d . The first edge  52  of the second tonneau cover  28  includes a plurality of detents  56  for engagement with the plurality of protrusions  50  located on the second edge  42  of the first tonneau cover  26  as shown in  FIG. 1   c . The second edge  54  of the second tonneau cover  28  also has a plurality of protrusions  58  which engage a plurality of detents  60  located along a rear edge  62  of the cargo area  16  as illustrated in  FIG. 1   d.    
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the targa bar  24  is shown in greater detail. In  FIG. 2 , the targa bar  24  is shown coupled to the B-pillar  22  and a load floor  64  in the cargo area  16 . Two rails  66  are fixedly attached via fasteners  68  to the load floor  64  to facilitate the movement of the targa bar  24  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The targa bar  24  has two legs  69 , each including a base  70  slidably coupled to the rails  66 . As shown in both  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each base  70  has four casters  72  retained within the base  70  by pins  74  for enabling the targa  bar  24  to move along the rails  66 . Thus, once the targa bar  24  is uncoupled from the B-pillar  22 , the targa bar  24  is free to move along the load floor  64 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the targa bar  24  has an optional seat  76 . The seat  76  is a typical bench seat as known in the art. As the targa bar  24  moves toward the rear edge  62  of the cargo area  16 , the seat  76  may be unfolded to provide additional seating surfaces. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , a partially exploded view of the vehicle  10  is shown. In particular, the roof panel  18 , first tonneau cover  26  and second tonneau cover  28  are detached from the vehicle  10 . With the first and second tonneau covers  26 ,  28  removed, the targa bar  24  can be slidably displaced rearwardly from the B-pillar  22  to engage second tonneau cover  28 , thereby defining area  16 ′ as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 6   a  with the targa bar deployed to the position shown in  FIG. 5 , the first tonneau cover  26  has been reattached to the new cargo area  16 ′ to form an enclosed cargo or expanded section  78 . Whether section  78  is considered passenger or cargo space is determined by whether or not seat  76  ( FIG. 2 ) is unfolded or kept stowed. Specifically, the first tonneau cover  26  has been attached to the targa bar  24  and B-pillar  22  via the mating of the detents  44  and protrusions  50  on the first tonneau cover  26  with the detents  36  of the targa bar  24  and the protrusions  38  of the B-pillar  22 . Once the first tonneau cover  28  has been coupled between the targa bar  24  and B-pillar  22 , optional windows  80  can be snapped between targa bar  24  and B-pillar  22 . The optional windows  80  require placement of mating points  82  distributed along the first edge  30  of the targa bar  24  and the second edge  25  of the B-pillar  22  as shown in  FIG. 6   b.    
     A second displaced position for the targa bar  24  is shown in  FIG. 7 . In this position the targa bar  24  is displaced to the rear edge  62  of the cargo area  16  such that detents  60  on the rear edge  62  mate with the protrusions  46  on the second edge  32  of the targa bar  24 . The second displaced position for the targa bar  24  creates an enlarged area  16 ″. In  FIG. 8 , the enlarged area  16 ″ is enclosed via the first tonneau cover  26  and second tonneau cover  28 . In particular, the detents  44  on the first tonneau cover  26  mate with the protrusions  38  on the B-pillar  22  and the protrusions  50  on the first tonneau cover  26  engage the detents  56  on the second tonneau cover  28 . The protrusions  50  on the second tonneau cover  28  further mate with the detents  36  on the first end  30  of the targa bar  24 . The optional windows  80  can be snapped between the targa bar  24  and the B-pillar  22  as shown in  FIG. 6   b.    
     The two-different displaced positions for the targa bar  24  provide increased passenger capabilities, or an enlarged enclosed cargo area of the vehicle  10 . Additionally, all the parts needed to convert the vehicle store on the vehicle enabling quick changeovers at any location. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.