Sliding and Rotating Bed Divider for Truck Cargo

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Solution Overview

Problem

Truck bed dividers lack sufficient adjustability, limiting their versatility and effectiveness in accommodating various cargo items, as they are often restricted to limited longitudinal, lateral, and angular adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A bed divider system featuring guide tracks and carriers that allow for longitudinal, lateral, and angular adjustments, with multiple panels and locking mechanisms to position and orient partitions along the truck bed, enabling infinite adjustability and versatile configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed bed divider is used to partition the cargo bed, then the cargo bed can be divided into defined spaces, but the adjustability and versatility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadjustabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bed divider is segmented into multiple independent components: a first guide track system for longitudinal movement, a second guide track system for lateral movement, and a partition panel. Each component can be adjusted independently, enabling infinite positioning combinations while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bed divider transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic, multi-degree-of-freedom system. The partition can move longitudinally along the first guide track, laterally along the second guide track, and rotate at the connection point, providing continuous adjustability in multiple directions rather than fixed positions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional bed dividers are used, then they can provide basic partitioning, but they cannot accommodate various cargo items effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo accommodation capabilityVSAvoidadjustment convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bed divider system is designed as a universal solution that can accommodate various cargo items of different sizes and shapes. By combining longitudinal and lateral guide tracks with a rotatable partition, the system can create customized cargo spaces for any configuration, making it suitable for diverse applications from small packages to large items

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide tracks serve as intermediary mechanisms between the fixed truck bed structure and the movable partition. These tracks mediate the movement and positioning of the partition, enabling smooth adjustment along predefined paths while maintaining stability during operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9855979B1Sliding and rotating bed divider

Publication Date: 2018.01.02 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A bed divider is provided for a bed of a truck. The bed divider includes a first guide track extending along a first axis and a second guide track extending along a second axis. The second guide track is displaceable along the first guide track. The bed divider also includes a carrier displaceable along the second guide track and a partition depending from the carrier.