Selectively sealable vehicle bed partition and vehicle incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097649-B2
Application number	US-201916377357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2019
Priority date	Apr 8, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition comprises a partition body comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, a first end edge extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, an opposed second end edge extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, a first face bounded by the top edge, bottom edge, first end edge, and second end edge, and an opposed second face bounded by the top edge, bottom edge, first end edge, and second end edge; and a selectively inflatable seal comprising an inflation chamber disposed on the partition body, the selectively inflatable seal disposed on and extending along the first end edge, bottom edge, and second end edge, the selectively inflatable seal comprising a selectively openable and closable valve that is configured to receive and retain a gas for inflation of the inflation chamber and release the gas to deflate the inflation chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A selectively sealable vehicle bed partition, comprising:
a partition body made of a rigid material and comprising:
a top edge, a bottom edge, a first end edge extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, an opposed second end edge extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, a first face bounded by the top edge, the bottom edge, the first end edge, and the opposed second end edge, and an opposed second face bounded by the top edge, the bottom edge, the first end edge, and the opposed second end edge; and
a dovetail slot formed in the first end edge, the bottom edge, and the opposed second end edge; and

a selectively inflatable seal comprising:
a dovetail configured to slide into the dovetail slot so that the selectively inflatable seal is disposed on the partition body;
an inflation chamber, the selectively inflatable seal disposed on the partition body and extending along the first end edge, the bottom edge, and the opposed second end edge; and
a selectively openable and closable valve that is configured to receive and retain a gas for inflation of the inflation chamber and release the gas to deflate the inflation chamber.

2. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , wherein the first face and the opposed second face are substantially planar.

3. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , wherein the first face and the opposed second face are flat, curved, or a combination thereof.

4. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , wherein the partition body comprises an engineering polymer, a metal, a fiber-reinforced composite, or a combination thereof.

5. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , wherein the selectively inflatable seal comprises an elastomer.

6. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , wherein the inflation chamber comprises a substantially circular cross-section.

7. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle that comprises a vehicle bed comprising a floor, a longitudinally-extending first side extending upwardly from the floor, and an opposed longitudinally extending second side, the partition body configured for lateral disposition between the longitudinally-extending first side and the opposed longitudinally-extending second side, the selectively inflatable seal configured for a sealing engagement with the longitudinally-extending first side, the opposed longitudinally-extending second side, and the floor in an inflated condition.

8. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 7 , further comprising an air compressor disposed within one of the floor, the longitudinally-extending first side, or the opposed longitudinally-extending second side, the air compressor configured for fluid communication with the selectively openable and closable valve to inflate the inflation chamber, the air compressor comprising a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor configured to prevent over pressurization and to maintain a predetermined pressure in the inflation chamber.

9. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 7 , wherein the selectively sealable vehicle bed partition comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart selectively sealable vehicle bed partitions laterally disposed between the longitudinally-extending first side and the opposed longitudinally-extending second side, the plurality of longitudinally spaced apart selectively sealable vehicle bed partitions having a plurality of selectively inflatable seals configured for a sealing engagement with the longitudinally-extending first side, the opposed longitudinally-extending second side, and the floor in an inflated condition, the plurality of longitudinally spaced apart selectively sealable vehicle bed partitions in the sealing engagement defining a storage compartment.

10. The selectively sealable vehicle bed partition of claim 9 , further comprising a cover that is configured to cover the vehicle bed and enclose the storage compartment.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Williams Paxton S
• Badia Randy

Classifications

• B65D90/0066

  Partition walls · CPC title

• B60P7/14 Primary

  the load bracing means comprising a movable bulkhead · CPC title