Patent ID: 12257879

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure details exemplary venting systems and methods utilized to vent air from a passenger compartment of a truck. At least one air extractor provides a path for the venting. The truck can be a unibody truck.

A truck10according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is shown inFIG.1. The truck10has a cab14and a box18that are supported on wheels22. The truck10has a unibody construction. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, the cab14and the box18are not supported on a vehicle frame that is separate and distinct from the cab14and the box18.

With reference now toFIGS.2-7and continued reference toFIG.1, the box18provides a cargo area30. The box18includes a floor34that extends in a cross-vehicle direction between a driver side sidewall38and a passenger side sidewall42. The floor34defines a bottom of the cargo area30in a Z or vertical direction. The driver side sidewall38and the passenger side sidewall42establish the respective outboard sides of the cargo area30.

A front wall46establishes a forward boundary of the cargo area30. The front wall46of the cargo area30is generally aligned with a C-pillar of the truck10.

A pivotable tailgate (not shown) can establish a rear boundary of the cargo area30when the tailgate is in a closed position. The rear of the cargo area30is generally aligned with a D-pillar of the truck10.

In this example, the front wall46is provided by an exposed section50of a cab back panel54, which also provides a rear side or boundary of the cab14. Thus, the same panel that provides a rear side of the cab14provides the front wall46of the cargo area30.

In addition to the exposed section50, the cab back panel54includes a hidden section58. The hidden section58does not provide the forward boundary of the cargo area30as the hidden section58is below the cargo area30, outboard the cargo area30, or both.

In this example, as shown inFIGS.6and7, some of the hidden section58extends vertically downward from the exposed section50. This area of the hidden section58is vertically beneath the floor34. In contrast, the exposed section50is vertically above the floor34to provide the front wall46of the cargo area30.

For purposes of this disclosure, vertical is with reference to ground and the general orientation of the truck10during ordinary operation. Similarly, forward and rear are with reference to the orientation of the truck10.

As the cab back panel54provides the front wall46of the cargo area30, there is no gap between the cab back panel54and a front wall of the cargo area30. In contrast to the truck10having a unibody construction, a truck having a body-on-frame construction would include a first panel providing the cab back panel, and a second panel providing a front panel of the bed. The first panel is spaced along a longitudinal axis of the body-on-frame truck from the second panel to provide a gap between the first panel and the second panel.

Referring again to the truck10, an air extractor62is held within the hidden section58of the cab back panel54. The air extractor62within the cab back panel54provides part of an air venting system for the truck10.

The cab14includes a passenger compartment66. The cab back panel54establishes a rearmost panel of the passenger compartment66. The air extractor62can vent air A from within the passenger compartment66to an area that is outside the cargo area30as shown schematically inFIG.4.

As the air extractor62is held within the hidden section58, the air extractor62opens to an area that is outside the cargo area30. In particular, in this example, the air extractor62is configured to vent air A between the passenger compartment68of the truck10and an area that is vertically beneath the floor34of the box18. This is because the air extractor62of the exemplary embodiment is held within a portion of the hidden section58of the cab back panel54that is beneath the floor34of the box18,

The air extractor62can include a plurality of individual flaps that open in response to a pressure differential between the passenger compartment66and the area beneath the floor34of the box18. A user closing a door of the cab14, for example, may cause a pressure within the passenger compartment66to increase. The increase can force open flaps of the air extractor62, which enables the venting of air A from the passenger compartment66through the air extractor62to the area beneath the floor34of the box18.

The air extractor62is configured such that the flaps close when the pressure differential is not above a threshold level. When closed, the flaps can block debris and fluid outside the passenger compartment66from entering the passenger compartment66through the air extractor62.

With particular reference toFIGS.3and7, the floor34of the box18is elevated vertically with respect to a floor70of the cab14providing the passenger compartment66. This facilitates venting as the hidden section58is able to extend vertically beneath the floor34enough to hold the air extractor62.

With reference now toFIGS.8-10, an air extractor62A according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is held within a hidden section58A of the cab back panel54. The hidden section58A is at a position that is outboard of the cargo area30such that the air extractor62A is configured to vent air A from the passenger compartment66provided by the cab14to an area that is outboard the cargo area30.

In particular, the area that is outboard of the cargo area30is between an inner panel80of the driver side sidewall38and an outer panel84of the driver side sidewall38. The air extractor62A opens to the area between the inner panel80and the outer panel84of the driver side sidewall38.

After the air A moves from the passenger compartment66through the air extractor62A to the area between the inner panel80and the outer panel84, the air A can pass through a rear wheel opening88to an area outside the truck10.

The air extractor62A can be considered a side air extractor. The air extractor62ofFIGS.3-7can be considered a lower air extractor. In some examples, the side air extractor62A is used together with the lower air extractor62such that air A can be vented through air extractors62and62A to areas beneath the floor34of the cargo area30and areas outboard the cargo area30.

The air extractor62A is shown on a driver side of the truck10and as opening to the driver side sidewall38. The truck10could include another side air extractor on the passenger side of the truck10that opens to an area between an inner panel and an outer panel of the passenger side sidewall42.

FIGS.11and12show an air venting system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The air venting system includes an air extractor62B and an air extractor62C.

The air extractor62B opens to an interior92of a cross-member96that extends in a cross-vehicle direction. The cross-member96has a box section. A forward side of the cross-member96is provided by the cab back panel54. A support panel100can be attached to the cab back panel54to complete the box section of the cross-member96. The support panel100extends longitudinally in a cross-vehicle direction.

Air can vent through the air extractor62B from the passenger compartment66into the interior92of the cross-member96. The portion of the cab back panel54that provides some of the cross-member96is within the hidden section58of the cab back panel54as this area of the cab back panel54is vertically beneath the floor34of the box18.

The air extractor62B can be considered a lower air extractor and used within the air venting system along with the air extractor62C. The air extractor62C can then be considered an upper air extractor relative to the lower air extractor62B.

The upper air extractor62C can vent air from the passenger compartment66into an interior104of a cross-member108. The exposed section50of the cab back panel54provides generally one side of the cross-member108. A support panel112can be secured to the exposed section50of the cab back panel54to complete a box section for the cross-member108. The support panel112can extend longitudinally in a cross-vehicle direction. The cross-member108can be considered an upper cross-member, while the cross-member96is a lower cross-member.

In the above embodiments, the exemplary air extractors62-62C do not open to the cargo area30. Thus, the likelihood of damage to the air extractors62-62C due to, for example, cargo loaded within the cargo area30is reduced. Further, since the air extractors62-62C are concealed and substantially hidden from view, no bed liner is required to cover the air extractors for aesthetic reasons. In the exemplary embodiments, the air extractors62-62C are uncovered by any bed liner within the cargo area30. Also, since the exemplary air extractors62-62C do not open to the cargo area, the venting of air A through the air extractors62-62C is not blocked by cargo within the cargo area.

Generally, a venting method utilizing any of the air extractors62-62C includes using a back panel of a cab as a front wall of a cargo area within a bed of a unibody truck. The method then includes venting air from a passenger compartment of the unibody truck through an air extractor that is held by the back panel. The air vented through the air extractor is vented to an area that is outside the cargo area of the bed. The air can be vented through the air extractor through an area that is vertically beneath a floor of the bed, or outboard the cargo bed area.

The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.