Support poles for cargo bed cover sheets

Abstract

This invention provides a support pole that, when supporting a cargo bed cover sheet with only one support pole, securely engages both ends of the pole to the cargo bed frame in a nearly horizontal direction, reliably preventing the sheet from lifting or falling off due to vibrations or wind during driving, and offers a simple structure and excellent versatility for different vehicle types. [Solution] A support pole (1) that can be erected at an angle in the front-rear direction of the cargo bed frame is equipped with an extendable structure consisting of an outer pipe (2) and an inner pipe (3) and a fixing means (4). A bent portion (6) is formed near the end, and an engaging portion (7) is engaged in a substantially horizontal direction. Furthermore, a pressing gripping mechanism (8) having an elastic biasing means (11) is provided on at least one of the engaging portions (7a), and the upper end frame member is pressed and gripped by a pressing contact member (10) and an engaging receiving member (9) to maintain the engaged state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support pole used to support a cargo bed cover sheet for protecting loaded goods from rain, snow, etc. in a light commercial vehicle (commonly known as a "light truck", etc.) equipped with an open cargo bed.

Background Art

[0002] In a freight vehicle having an open cargo bed such as a light truck, a cover sheet is widely used to protect the loaded goods from rain, snow, direct sunlight, etc. To prevent rainwater from accumulating on the sheet and ensure an appropriate drainage gradient, various frames and poles for supporting the central part of the sheet, etc. higher have been proposed conventionally.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cargo bed awning sheet frame device including a longitudinal frame that is located at the center in the width direction of the cargo bed and extends in the front-rear direction in a telescopic manner, and a plurality of width direction frames that are connected to the longitudinal frame and are spanned across the width direction of the cargo bed.

[0004] Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a cargo bed cover sheet framework for a small truck in which a vertical bone is locked and fixed inside the central part of the cover sheet, one end of a horizontal bone is fitted into the joint socket of this vertical bone to form a framework, and the framework is stretched between the side plates on the left and right of the cargo bed by the elasticity of the horizontal bone.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a support frame for a covering sheet in which a plurality of support shafts are detachably spanned between a rear support part (beam part and leg part) erected at the rear end of the cargo bed and a horizontal bar arranged at a predetermined height position at the front end of the cargo bed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] However, conventional support devices, such as those described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 above, all required the combination of structural members in the front-rear direction and structural members in the width direction, either by intersecting or perpendicularly aligning them, or by separately providing large rear support sections or horizontal bars to span multiple support shafts. Such complex structures with a large number of parts resulted in the problem that attaching, detaching, and assembling the frame according to the size and volume of the load required considerable effort and time. In addition, they were inconvenient because they took up a large amount of storage space in the cargo bed or inside the vehicle when not in use, making simple and quick removal and transportation difficult.

[0008] To solve these problems and simplify the structure as much as possible, one possible solution is to support the cover sheet by installing only a single straight pole diagonally from the front of the cargo bed frame (such as the so-called "gate section" on the driver's cab side) to the rear (such as the rear "tailgate section") opposite it. With just one pole, the number of parts can be minimized, storage space is not required, and installation and removal are easy.

[0009] However, if a simple straight pole is positioned at an angle from front to back at different heights (with a forward-sloping orientation), the engaging parts at both ends of the pole will come into contact with the horizontal plane of the upper frame member of the cargo bed frame at an angle. As a result, an unnatural gap or gap occurs at the contact surface, creating a unique physical problem where stable, horizontal engagement and placement are not possible.

[0010] A more critical problem is that when the seat is supported by only one pole, compared to conventional structures that combine multiple frames in a grid pattern, that single pole directly bears the brunt of the intense vibrations during driving and the force of the wind (strong upward pulling force due to the parachute effect) on the seat. Therefore, conventional fixing methods that rely solely on the weight of the seat, simple hook structures, or friction alone have the extremely serious drawback that the pole can easily lift up during driving, and in the worst case, the pole and seat can detach from the vehicle as a single unit.

[0011] In addition, because the length of the cargo bed in the front-to-back direction and the difference in vertical height (angle of inclination) between the front tailgate and the rear side panel vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and model (year) of the cargo truck, it was difficult to universally accommodate a wide variety of vehicle types with a single pole of fixed length.

[0012] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art described above and the problems specific to single-pole structures, and aims to provide a support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet that is an extremely simple single-support pole structure with a small number of parts, and that can easily and steplessly accommodate the different cargo bed lengths for each vehicle type by using an expandable structure between the outer and inner pipes and a fixing means to maintain the relative movement position at a predetermined position.

[0013] Furthermore, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet that boasts high safety, enabling easy attachment and detachment by manual operation without the use of special tools, while ensuring secure fixing (locking) that will never come off even under severe vibrations during driving or when the sheet is flapped around. This is achieved by providing a unique "bending section" near the end of the pole that allows the engaging sections at both ends to stably make surface contact and engage with the upper frame member in a substantially horizontal direction, even when a single support pole is installed at an angle (angled arrangement), and by incorporating a "pressure gripping mechanism" that uses the elastic force of a built-in elastic biasing means to strongly clamp the upper frame member between the engaging receiving member and the pressing contact member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet that can be installed at an inclination in the front-rear direction on the cargo bed frame of a light commercial vehicle equipped with an open cargo bed, comprising: an outer pipe body; an inner pipe body inserted into the outer pipe body so as to be axially movable relative to the outer pipe body; fixing means for maintaining the relative movement position of the outer pipe body and the inner pipe body; engaging portions provided at both ends of the support pole and capable of engaging with the upper end frame member of the cargo bed frame; a bent portion provided near the end of the support pole and formed so as to engage the engaging portion with the upper end frame member in a substantially horizontal direction when the support pole is installed at an inclination in the front-rear direction; and a pressing gripping mechanism provided at one end or both ends of the engaging portion, which presses and grips the upper end frame member by elastic biasing to maintain the engaged state of the engaging portion.

[0015] Furthermore, the pressing gripping mechanism is characterized by comprising: an elastic biasing means disposed within the end of the support pole; a pressing contact member that is movable in response to the biasing force of the elastic biasing means and contacts and presses against the upper end frame member of the cargo bed frame; and an engaging receiving member that is disposed opposite to the pressing contact member and engages with the upper end frame member.

[0016] Furthermore, the elastic biasing means is characterized by being one of a coil spring, a leaf spring, or a torsion spring. In addition, the pressing contact member is connected to an operating rod extending to the outside of the support pole's tubular body, and is configured to move axially back and forth within the tubular body by operating the operating rod.

[0017] Furthermore, the pressing contact member is characterized by moving back and forth in the axial direction of the support pole to press and grip the upper end frame member and maintain the engaged state. The tubular body constituting the support pole is characterized by having a cross-sectional shape that is either circular, rectangular, or a regular polygon. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The support pole for cargo bed cover sheets of the present invention provides the following excellent effects.

[0019] First, since it is provided with a telescopic structure composed of an outer tube and an inner tube, and fixing means for holding this at a predetermined position, it is not necessary to combine a plurality of frames and joints. With only one support pole with the number of parts reduced to the limit, it is possible to respond steplessly to the lengths of loading platforms that vary depending on the vehicle type. Also, when not in use, it can be shortened and contracted, enabling storage in a space-saving area such as under the seat, and it is extremely excellent in portability.

[0020] Second, by providing a bent portion near the end of the support pole, even when the pole is installed obliquely (diagonal installation) from the torii portion in front of the loading platform to the fanning portion in the rear, the engaging portions at both ends can be engaged with the upper end frame member in a substantially horizontal direction by a surface. As a result, unnatural gaps and looseness in the engaging portion peculiar to a single pole are eliminated, and an extremely stable installation state without rattling can be realized.

[0021] Third, as the greatest feature of the present application, by providing a "pressing and gripping mechanism" composed of a pressing contact member having elastic biasing means at the engaging portion at the end, the exposed operating rod can be slid with a finger by only a manual operation without using a special tool, and the upper end frame member of the loading platform frame can be strongly pressed and engaged and clamped. As a result, even when receiving intense vibrations during running or the parachute effect (strong fanning) of the cover sheet by the wind, the locking state between the support pole and the loading platform frame is physically maintained, so it is possible to surely prevent the pole from rising or falling off, and it is possible to achieve both high safety and easy and quick attachment and detachment work.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a usage state of an embodiment of a support pole for a loading platform cover sheet according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment"). [Figure 2] It is a front view showing the whole of the support pole of this embodiment, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a cutout near the middle part of the support pole. [Figure 3] It is a bottom view showing the whole of the support pole of this embodiment. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged front view of a partial cross-section showing a fixing means for holding the relative movement position between the outer pipe body and the inner pipe body. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged front view of the pressing and gripping engagement portion indicated by A in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] It is an enlarged front view of a partial cross-section showing the mounting state of the pressing and gripping engagement portion indicated by A in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged front view of the rear engagement portion indicated by B in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged front view showing the mounting state of the rear engagement portion indicated by B in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] It is a hook operation diagram showing the state of manual operation in the pressing and gripping mechanism.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, an example of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0024] (A) Overall structure and usage state of the support pole FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the usage state of the support pole 1 for the cargo bed cover sheet according to this embodiment, and FIGS. 6 and 8 are views showing the mounting states at the front and rear ends, respectively.

[0025] The support pole 1 for the cargo bed cover sheet according to this embodiment is installed between the cargo bed frames 21 that constitute the cargo bed of a light goods vehicle (light truck) 20 or the like to support the cover sheet 30. Usually, the cargo bed frame 21 includes a front upper end frame member 21f (such as the lower cross bar of the so-called "torii part") located in front of the driver's cab and a rear upper end frame member 21b (the upper end of the so-called "aori part") located at the rear. The support pole 1 is installed by inclining backward from the front upper end frame member 21f toward the rear upper end frame member 21b (diagonally installed in a spanning manner) and used.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, near the end of the support pole 1, a bent portion 6 is formed at an appropriate angle to match the inclination angle during installation, which is determined by the difference in approximate vertical height between the front upper frame member 21f and the rear upper frame member 21b for each vehicle model.

[0027] As a result, even if the main body of the support pole 1 is positioned in an upward-sloping position, the engaging portions 7 at both ends (the front pressing and gripping engaging portion 7a and the rear engaging portion 7b) are always horizontal and are formed to contact and engage precisely with the top surfaces of the front upper frame member 21f and the rear upper frame member 21b in a substantially horizontal direction. (B) Telescopic structure and fixing means of the support pole (intermediate fixing part)

[0028] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the support pole 1 according to this embodiment has a telescopic structure comprising an outer tube 2 and an inner tube 3 inserted into the outer tube 2 so as to be axially movable (S). The overlapping portion (intermediate fixing portion) of these is provided with fixing means 4 for holding the relative movement position of the pole at a predetermined position in a stepless manner over any length.

[0029] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing means 4 that constitutes the intermediate fixing section. The fixing means 4 consists of a female threaded portion disposed on the outer circumference of the end of the outer pipe body 2, and a manual operating member such as a knob bolt 5 having a screw shaft that screws into the female threaded portion and a knob for hand-turning.

[0030] When the user manually rotates the knob bolt 5 in the tightening direction, the screw shaft of the knob bolt 5 penetrates the wall thickness of the outer tube 2 and its tip surface strongly contacts (presses) the outer surface of the inner tube 3 into which it is inserted.

[0031] The thrust and frictional force from this screw firmly integrate the inner pipe 3 and the outer pipe 2, locking the entire length of the support pole 1. By loosening the knob bolt 5, the inner pipe 3 can slide freely in the axial direction, allowing for stepless adjustment and fixing to the optimal length according to the dimensions of the cargo bed for each vehicle model. (C) Basic structure and vibration-damping protection structure of the pressing and gripping mechanism

[0032] Figure 5 is an enlarged front view showing the structure of the support pole end (pressure gripping engagement portion 7a) equipped with the pressure gripping mechanism 8.

[0033] The pressing and gripping mechanism 8 provided on the pressing and gripping engagement portions 7a at both ends (at least one of the front ends in this embodiment) of the support pole 1 consists of an elastic biasing means 11 arranged inside the end of the support pole 1 (for example, inside the inner pipe body 3), a pressing contact member 10 that moves back and forth along the pipe axis and is exposed from the end opening, an L-shaped bent plate-shaped engagement receiving member 9 arranged opposite to it, and an operating rod 12 connected to the pressing contact member 10 and extending outwards from the pipe body for manual operation. Stainless steel or the like, which is rust-resistant and has high strength, is preferably used as the material for the outer pipe body 2 and inner pipe body 3 that constitute the support pole 1.

[0034] The pressing contact member 10 is constantly subjected to an elastic biasing force from an elastic biasing means 11 such as a coil spring, leaf spring, or torsion spring built inside the tube, and in a natural state where no external force is applied to the operating rod 12, it is always pushed in a direction that narrows the gap with the engaging receiving member 9 (forward).

[0035] As shown in the mounting cross-sectional view in Figure 6, the contact surfaces of the engaging receiving member 9 with the front upper end frame member 21f and the contact surfaces of the pressing contact member 10 with the front upper end frame member 21f are each provided with elastic members 14 made of rubber, elastomer, or other materials with a high coefficient of friction and cushioning properties. This protects the front upper end frame member 21f from scratches and paint damage, prevents metal-on-metal slippage, dramatically increases friction and adhesion when clamped, and completely prevents shifting or detachment due to severe vibrations during driving or the flapping of the seat. (D) Fixing operation mechanism of the pressing and gripping mechanism

[0036] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the manual operation of the pressing and gripping mechanism 8.

[0037] A long, elongated guide slit 13 extending along the axial direction of the pipe is formed on the side surface of the support pole 1 near the end of the pipe. An operating rod 12, which is connected to the pressing contact member 10 and passes through this guide slit 13, is attached in a state where it is exposed and extends outward from the side surface of the pipe.

[0038] As shown in Figures 9(A) and (B), when the user grasps the operating rod 12 with their finger or the like (t) and manually slides it (p) in the backward direction along the guide slit 13, the pressing contact member 10 retracts against the repulsive force (biasing force) of the elastic biasing means 11, and the distance between it and the engaging receiving member 9 increases.

[0039] By inserting the front upper frame member 21f of the cargo bed frame into this widened gap and releasing the hand from the operating rod 12, the pressing contact member 10 automatically moves forward due to the strong biasing force of the elastic biasing means 11. As a result, the pressing contact member 10 moves back and forth in the axial direction (x) and strongly contacts and presses against the side surface of the front upper frame member 21f, and strongly grips (presses and holds) the front upper frame member 21f between itself and the engaging receiving member 9.

[0040] In this way, the separation distance can be easily varied by simply sliding the exposed operating rod 12 with a single finger, making it possible to securely lock and quickly attach or detach the support pole despite it being a single support pole. (E) Cross-sectional shape of support pole and modified fixing means

[0041] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the outer pipe 2 and inner pipe 3 constituting the support pole 1 of the present invention is not limited to a general circular shape (round pipe). Depending on the required strength for each vehicle model, manufacturing costs, etc., the cross-sectional shape of the pipe may be rectangular (square pipe) or a regular polygon such as a hexagon.

[0042] For example, if the cross-section of the pipe is rectangular or a regular polygon, the bending rigidity and torsional rigidity of the pipe (outer pipe 2, inner pipe 3) are dramatically improved compared to a circular shape, which has the advantage of more effectively suppressing the deflection and deformation of the support pole 1 due to severe vibrations during operation and wind loads on the cover sheet 30.

[0043] Furthermore, if the tube is shaped like a rectangle, the pressing contact member 10 of the pressing gripping mechanism 8 housed inside the tube will naturally be prevented from rotating along the inner circumferential surface of the tube, making it easy to move it stably forward and backward in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) without rotational wobble.

[0044] Furthermore, the fixing means 4 for fixing the outer tube 2 and the inner tube 3 is not limited to the push-screw type using the knob bolt 5 described above, but other known means can be used as long as they are capable of holding the relative movement position of both tubes at a predetermined position over a desired length. For example, a lever-type clamp mechanism (cam lock mechanism) that uses frictional force to fix the tubes by tilting a lever, a twist-lock mechanism (collet type) that tightens by rotating a lock nut, or a pin-hole engagement mechanism that engages spring-loaded pins with a plurality of pin holes provided at regular intervals in the inner tube 3 may be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1. Support pole 2 Outer tube body 3. Inner tube 4 Fixing means 5 Knob bolts 6. Flexed section 7 Engagement part 7a Pressing and gripping engagement part 7b Rear engaging part 8. Press and grip mechanism 9 Engagement receiving member 10 Pressing contact member 11 Elastic biasing means 12 Operating rods 13 Guide slits 14 Elastic members 20. Light commercial vehicle (light truck) 21 Cargo bed frame 21f Front upper frame member 21b Rear upper end frame member 30 Cover Sheets

Claims

1. A support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet that can be installed at an angle in the front-to-rear direction on the cargo bed frame of a light commercial vehicle equipped with an open cargo bed, The aforementioned support pole is The outer tube and, An inner tube is inserted into the outer tube so as to be movable relative to it in the axial direction, A fixing means for maintaining the relative movement position of the outer tube and the inner tube, The support pole has an engaging portion provided at both ends that can engage with the upper end frame member of the cargo bed frame, A bent portion is provided near the end of the support pole, and when the support pole is installed with an inclination in the front-rear direction, the engaging portion is formed to contact and engage with the top surface of the upper end frame member in a substantially horizontal position, The engagement portion is provided on one or both ends of the engagement portion and includes a pressing gripping mechanism that presses and grips the upper end frame member by elastic biasing to maintain the engaged state of the engagement portion, The aforementioned pressing and gripping mechanism is An elastic biasing means disposed within the end of the support pole, A pressing contact member is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support pole by receiving the biasing force of the elastic biasing means, and which contacts and presses against the upper end frame member, It has an engaging receiving member that is positioned opposite the pressing contact member and engages with the upper end frame member, A support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet, characterized in that the pressing contact member presses the upper end frame member toward the engaging receiving member by the biasing force of the elastic biasing means, thereby pressing and gripping the upper end frame member between the pressing contact member and the engaging receiving member.

2. The pressing and gripping mechanism is It has an operating rod connected to the pressing contact member and extending outward from the tubular body of the support pole, The support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing contact member is configured to move forward and backward in the axial direction of the support pole by operating the operating rod.

3. A long, elongated guide slit extending in the direction of the pipe axis is formed on the pipe side surface of the support pole. The support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet according to claim 2, characterized in that the operating rod extends outward from the pipe body through the guide slit.

4. The support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet according to Claim 1, characterized in that the elastic biasing means is a coil spring, a leaf spring, or a torsion spring.

5. The support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that the tubular body constituting the support pole has a cross-sectional shape that is either circular, rectangular, or a regular polygon.

6. The support pole for a cargo bed cover sheet according to Claim 1, characterized in that an elastic member is provided on at least one of the contact surfaces of the engaging receiving member with the upper end frame member and the contact surfaces of the pressing contact member with the upper end frame member.

Images