CARGO AREA OF A VEHICLE

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the management of cargo in motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cargo area using a foldable covering. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The subject matter addressed in the technological background section cannot be considered prior art simply because it is mentioned therein. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the technological background section, or associated with the subject matter of the technological background section, cannot be considered as having been previously identified in the prior art. The subject matter in the technological background section represents, at most, different approaches which, in themselves, may correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.

[0003] A vehicle's trunk, also known as the cargo area, is used for storing luggage. The size of the cargo area varies depending on the type and size of the vehicle. For example, the cargo area is small in hatchbacks and large in sedans or SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles). Further details can be found in the [reference to relevant documentation / section]. figures 1A et 1B These diagrams illustrate a typical cargo area layout in vehicles. The underside of a cargo area is called the load floor 102, which is essentially a flat panel on which luggage is placed. Generally, items such as spare tires and jacks are stored in a designated area beneath the load floor 102. The load floor 102 covers these items and provides a flat surface for placing other items to be transported in the vehicle.

[0004] As illustrated by the figure 1B It is necessary to lift the load floor 102 to access an object such as a spare tire 104 stored beneath it. Accessing objects stored beneath the load floor 102 becomes problematic when other objects are placed on top of it. In such situations, to access the object beneath the load floor 102, a user is forced to remove all the objects stored on it and then replace them. This method of storing and accessing objects on the load floor 102 is cumbersome and impractical for the user. Furthermore, the predefined area beneath the load floor 102 cannot be used to store objects other than those for which it was designed, specifically the spare tire 104.

[0005] In view of the disadvantages mentioned above, there is a need to structure a vehicle's cargo area in such a way as to allow a user to easily access the storage space to store various items properly.

[0006] US document 6644709 B2 discloses an example of a vehicle's cargo area.

[0007] One aim of the present invention is to provide a vehicle loading area that allows unobstructed access to lower compartments located under a load floor.

[0008] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a covering for a vehicle's loading area that eliminates the need to lift the entire covering when accessing lower compartments.

[0009] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a coating for a vehicle loading area that allows for the safe and secure placement of large objects in the loading area. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This summary aims to present aspects related to managing a load in a vehicle, and these aspects are described in greater detail later in the full description. This summary does not purport to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor does it serve to define or limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0011] The present invention relates to a vehicle loading area according to claim 1.

[0012] According to the invention, each of the at least two longitudinal elements comprises at least two sections along the width of the vehicle, the at least two sections being movably joined together at their junction ends. In one aspect, the at least two sections of each longitudinal element are wrapped in a fabric to maintain contact with each other and allow movement at the junction ends.

[0013] According to one aspect, at least two sections of each longitudinal element are foldable onto each other, starting from a rear end of the vehicle.

[0014] According to one aspect, at least two sections of each longitudinal element are folded to stack against a rear seat of the vehicle so that said folded sections are stable during the movement of the vehicle.

[0015] According to one aspect, the rear ends of each longitudinal element extend beyond a top edge of the loading area to allow individual maneuvering of each longitudinal element.

[0016] According to the invention, the coating comprises reinforcement elements integrated into one or more sections of at least two longitudinal elements, the reinforcement elements being integrated at one edge of the longitudinal elements opposite another, and the lower arms of the reinforcement elements resting on an upper edge of the loading area to support the load of objects placed on the coating.

[0017] According to one aspect, the reinforcing element is a 'J' shaped added piece.

[0018] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and better understood from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED DRAWINGS

[0019] The accompanying drawings form part of the description and provide further insight into the present invention. These drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention, which serve to describe the principles of the present invention. The embodiments are illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where the reference numerals designate similar features. It should be noted that references to "a" embodiment in this invention do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are understood to mean at least one. In the drawings: [ Fig.1A] et [Fig.1B ] illustrate a classic structure of loading areas in vehicles, according to the prior art; [ Fig. 2 ] illustrates a top perspective view of a vehicle loading area, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [ Fig. 3 ] illustrates a cross-sectional front view of a loading zone lining, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [ Fig. 4 ] illustrates a side view of the loading area, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [ Fig. 5 ] illustrates a mechanism for lifting longitudinal elements of the coating, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and [ Fig. 6A] et [Fig. 6B ] illustrate different arrangements made in the vehicle's loading area for storing different types of objects, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The detailed description given below, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended to describe various embodiments of the present invention and is not purported to represent the only embodiments in which the present invention can be implemented. Each embodiment described herein is given only by way of example or illustration of the present invention and should not necessarily be considered preferable to, or more advantageous than, other embodiments. The detailed description contains clarifications intended to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented without these clarifications.

[0021] In this document, the terms "or" and "and / or" are understood to be inclusive or to mean any one or any combination thereof. It follows that "A, B or C" or "A, B and / or C" means "either: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C." This definition admits no exception except where, in one way or another, elements, functions, steps or actions used in combination are intrinsically mutually exclusive.

[0022] Certain embodiments of the present invention, which illustrate all its features, will be described in detail. The terms "comprising", "possessing", "containing" and "comprising", as well as other forms of these terms, are understood to be equivalent and non-limiting in meaning, insofar as any element(s) following any of these terms do not purport to constitute an exhaustive list or be limited to them.

[0023] There figure 2 illustrates a top perspective view of a cargo area 202 of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cargo area 202 includes a lining used as a load floor. The lining divides the cargo area 202 into an upper compartment and a lower compartment (visible in the figure 4 A distal end 204 of the covering may be hinged to a vehicle floor, behind the rear seats. A proximal end 206 of the covering is free and rests on a rear edge of the vehicle floor, so that the proximal end 206 is accessible to a user standing behind the vehicle. The covering comprises at least two independently operable longitudinal elements 208, 210 to allow access to the lower compartment of the cargo area 202. A clearance 212, approximately 4 mm wide and a few centimeters long, may be present between the first longitudinal element 208 and the second longitudinal element 210. The clearance 212 may extend along the entire length of the at least two longitudinal elements 208, 210.The clearance 212 would allow the first longitudinal element 208 and the second longitudinal element 210 to move smoothly and independently, preventing hard contact between their opposite edges. Each of the first and second longitudinal elements 208, 210 may have at least two sections along the length of the vehicle. For example, the first longitudinal element 208 may have a first section 208-1 and a second section 208-2, and the second longitudinal element 210 may have a third section 210-1 and a fourth section 210-2. The sections are divided along the width of the vehicle. The sections may be made of a hard, lightweight material, such as high-density fiberboard or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The sections may be movably joined at their connecting ends.For example, the first section 208-1 and the second section 208-2 may be joined at their junction ends, and the third section 210-1 and the fourth section 210-2 may be joined at their junction ends. In one embodiment, the sections may be joined to each other by means of hinges of a particular type, including a simple hinge, a ball-bearing hinge, a cylindrical hinge, a concealed hinge, a pivot hinge, and a pintle hinge. Furthermore, corresponding sections of each longitudinal element 208, 210 may be wrapped in a fabric 308 (illustrated in Figure 308). figure 3 ), which may, in addition or alternatively, serve to hold the corresponding sections together and to give each longitudinal element 208, 210 the appearance of a single flat element in a normal / unfolded state. The first section 208-1 and the second section 208-2 of the first longitudinal element 208 could be folded independently of the third section 210-1 and the fourth section 210-2 of the second longitudinal element 210.

[0024] There figure 3 Figure 302 illustrates a cross-sectional front view of the loading area 202 cladding according to an embodiment of the present invention. A reinforcing element 302 may be integrated into one or more sections of the first longitudinal element 208 and the second longitudinal element 210. In one implementation, the reinforcing element 302 may be positioned at the edges of the opposing sections. For example, the reinforcing element 302 may be integrated into the first section 208-1 and the third section 210-1. The reinforcing element 302 may be a metal insert of a particular shape, for example, a 'J' shape. The reinforcing element 302 may be made of other suitable materials, in particular reinforced plastics such as polycarbonate, and may have other suitable shapes, in particular a 'U' shape.The reinforcement element 302 can be integrated into the first section 208-1 and the third section 210-1 by means of tight-fitting fasteners, adhesives, or nut and bolt mounting, etc. Once integrated, an upper arm 304 of the reinforcement element 302 abuts against a top surface and a lower arm 306 of the reinforcement element 302 abuts against a bottom surface of each of the first section 208-1 and third section 210-1. The lower arm 306 of the reinforcement element 302 rests on a top edge of the loading area 202 to support the load of objects placed on the coating. The length of the upper arm 304 is greater than the length of the lower arm 306. A minimum distance between the upper arm 304 and the lower arm 306 can be between 2.5 mm and 5 mm, depending on the thickness of the coating.

[0025] There figure 4 Figure 202 illustrates a side view of the loading area according to an embodiment of the present invention. The lining divides the loading area 202 into an upper compartment 402 and a lower compartment 404. The lower compartment 404 may have multiple sub-compartments for separately holding different items, such as a spare tire, a jack, a cable reel, and other accessories. For example, a first sub-compartment may be located under the first section 208-1 and a second sub-compartment may be located under the second section 208-2. Similarly, different sub-compartments may be located under the third section 210-1 and the fourth section 210-2. To access a sub-compartment, it may be necessary to remove a section covering the sub-compartment, that is, to fold it back onto another section of a longitudinal element adjacent to the section.For example, to access the first sub-compartment located under the first section 208-1, it may be necessary to fold the first section 208-1 onto the second section 208-2, along their junction end 406. Similarly, to access the second sub-compartment located under the second section 208-2, it may be necessary to fold once again, onto a subsequent section 208-3, a folded arrangement of the first section 208-1 onto the second section 208-2, along their junction end 408.

[0026] There figure 5 This illustrates a lifting mechanism for the longitudinal elements 208, 210 of the liner, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first section 208-1 of the longitudinal element 208 and the third section 210-1 of the longitudinal element 210 can extend beyond a top edge of the loading area 202, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, to provide a gripping portion 502. A user standing beside the vehicle's loading area 202 can lift the first section 208-1 and / or the third section 210-1 by the gripping portion 502 and fold back the required number of sections. The gripping portion 502 would eliminate the need for a separate lifting mechanism, such as a hook or a fabric handle, which would increase the overall cost and be susceptible to wear and deterioration.

[0027] If we refer again to the figure 4 A folded assembly 410 of sections 208-1, 208-1, and 208-3 stacked one on top of the other can be positioned along a rear seat 412 of the vehicle, so that sections 208-1, 208-1, and 208-3 remain stable during vehicle movement. Furthermore, hooks or clips can be provided on the back of the rear seat 412 to prevent the folded assembly 410 from unfolding unexpectedly during vehicle movement. It should be understood that sections 210-1 and 210-1 of the second longitudinal element 210 can be folded and stacked together and held against the rear seat 412 in a manner similar to that described above. In the manner described above, folding and stacking the sections would allow the upper compartment 402 and the lower compartment 404 to be merged, thus allowing large or bulky luggage to be accommodated in the vehicle's loading area 202.

[0028] THE figures 6A et 6B illustrate different arrangements made in the vehicle's cargo area 202 for storing various types of objects, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure 6A The first section 208-1 and the second section 208-2 of the first longitudinal element 208 are folded down to accommodate a golf equipment set 602 in the cargo area 202. The golf equipment set 602 is positioned on a lower right-hand compartment and extends into an upper left-hand compartment within the cargo area 202. In this way, it is possible to position long items that require vertical placement, such as the golf equipment set 602, by selectively folding certain sections. Furthermore, in the arrangement described above, it is also possible to store items in a lower left-hand compartment and to store an item such as a suitcase 604 on the next section 208-3 of the first longitudinal element 208.

[0029] As shown by figure 6BThe second longitudinal element 210 can be kept unfolded, and a left rear seat can be folded down to accommodate a long object that needs to be positioned horizontally, such as a bicycle 606. More specifically, the bicycle 606 could be positioned on the second longitudinal element 210. In addition, low-profile objects, such as shoes 608, could be stored in the left-hand compartment located beneath the second longitudinal element 210. In this type of arrangement, the objects stored in the left-hand compartment could be accessed from the right side, that is, by folding down the first section 208-1 and the second section 208-2 of the first longitudinal element 208. In this way, it is possible to utilize the cargo area 202 on multiple levels for storing objects of varying lengths and heights.

[0030] The present invention is particularly suitable for a vehicle trunk when the user wishes to access the lower compartment without disturbing luggage placed on one or more sections of the longitudinal elements. The lining acts as a loading floor for the vehicle trunk and provides unobstructed access to the lower compartment located beneath the lining. The lining eliminates the need to lift or fold the entire lining when accessing the lower compartments and allows for the secure placement of large or bulky loads in the cargo area without having to lift or fold the entire lining.

[0031] In the detailed description above, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the description and illustrate the best possible implementation of the invention currently envisaged. However, this description shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way. The structure contemplated in this description is subject to numerous modifications and variations; moreover, all details may be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials and dimensions may be any, as required, without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. The embodiments indicated herein are given by way of example only, and other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Loading area (202) of a vehicle, comprising a covering having at least two longitudinal elements (208, 210) for covering the loading area (202), the at least two longitudinal elements (208, 210) being manoeuvrable independently to allow access to at least part of the loading area (202), wherein each of the at least two longitudinal elements (208, 210) comprises at least two sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) in the direction of a width of the vehicle, the at least two sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) being joined to one another movably at joining ends, characterized in that it further comprises reinforcing elements (302) integrated into one or more sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) of the at least two longitudinal elements (208, 210), the reinforcing elements (302) being integrated at one edge of the longitudinal elements (208, 210) facing one another, and bottom arms (306) of the reinforcing elements (302) resting on a top edge of the loading area (202) to support the load of objects placed on the covering.

2. Loading area (202) according to Claim 1, wherein the at least two sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) of each longitudinal element (208, 210) are enveloped in a fabric (308) to remain in contact with one another and allow a movement at the joining ends.

3. Loading area (202) according to Claim 2, wherein the at least two sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) of each longitudinal element (208, 210) are foldable on one another starting from a rear end of the vehicle.

4. Loading area (202) according to Claim 3, wherein the at least two sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) of each longitudinal element (208, 210) are folded to stack against a rear seat of the vehicle such that said folded sections (208-1, 208-2, 210-1, 210-2) are stable during the movement of the vehicle.

5. Loading area (202) according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein rear ends of each longitudinal element (208, 210) extend beyond a top edge of the loading area (202) to allow individual manoeuvring of each longitudinal element (208, 210).

6. Loading area (202) according to Claim 1, wherein said reinforcing element (302) is a J-shaped add-on part.