Automotive vehicle through body storage with combination door and step

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745665-B2
Application number	US-202217830891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2022
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

An automotive vehicle with a storage compartment has a cabin, a set of rear wheels located behind the cabin, a cargo space, and a closable integrated storage compartment located adjacent to the cabin, rearward of a rear-most seat of the automotive vehicle, and forward of the set of rear wheels. At least a portion of the storage compartment is positioned forward of a forward wall of the cargo space. The storage compartment has at least one sidewall enclosing an interior portion of the storage compartment and extending from a first side panel at a first side of the automotive vehicle toward a second side of the automotive vehicle, a first opening to the storage compartment at the first side of the automotive vehicle, and a first door at the first opening. The first door has a first step member with a horizontal step surface when open.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A storage compartment assembly for an automotive vehicle, the storage compartment assembly comprising:
at least one sidewall extending from a side of a body of the automotive vehicle to another side of the body of the automotive vehicle, the at least one sidewall fully enclosing a polygon-shaped storage space, the side of the body of the automotive vehicle and the another side of the body of the automotive vehicle located between a front of the automotive vehicle and a rear of the automotive vehicle, wherein a portion of the storage space is positioned forward of a forward wall of a cargo space of the automotive vehicle and a portion of the storage space is positioned rearward of the forward wall of the cargo space, and
a door configured to provide access to the storage space at the side of the body of the automotive vehicle.

2. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising another door configured to provide access to the storage space at the another side of the body of the automotive vehicle.

3. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the storage space is located rearward of or under a rear-most seat in a cabin of the automotive vehicle.

4. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sidewall defines an entry door from a cargo space of the automotive vehicle to the storage space.

5. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cargo space of the automotive vehicle is a bed of a pickup truck.

6. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body of the automotive vehicle by a hinge disposed at a side portion of the door.

7. The storage compartment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body of the automotive vehicle by a hinge disposed at a bottom portion or a top portion of the door.

8. The storage compartment assembly of claim 7 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body of the automotive vehicle by a hinge disposed at the bottom portion of the door and the door is configured to act as a seat or a step for a user.

9. An automotive vehicle, comprising:
a pickup body; and
a storage compartment assembly, comprising:
at least one sidewall extending from a side of the body to another side of the body, the at least one sidewall fully enclosing a polygon-shaped storage space, the side of the body and the another side of the body located between a front of the automotive vehicle and a rear of the automotive vehicle, wherein a portion of the storage space is positioned forward of a forward wall of a cargo space of the automotive vehicle and a portion of the storage space is positioned rearward of the forward wall of the cargo space, and
a door configured to provide access to the storage space at the side of the body.

10. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the storage compartment assembly further comprises another door configured to provide access to the storage space at the another side of the body.

11. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the storage space is located rearward of or under a rear-most seat in a cabin of the automotive vehicle.

12. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sidewall defines an entry door from a cargo space of the automotive vehicle to the storage space.

13. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the cargo space of the automotive vehicle is a bed of a pickup truck.

14. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body by a hinge disposed at a side portion of the door.

15. The automotive vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body by a hinge disposed at a bottom portion or a top portion of the door.

16. The automotive vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the door is coupled to the side of the body by a hinge disposed at the bottom portion of the door and the door is configured to act as a seat or a step for a user.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Scaringe Robert J
• Verbridge Mason
• Odle Jared
• Gase Brian
• Robinson William Kirk

Classifications

• B60R5/00 Primary

  Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like (primarily intended for stowing loads in load-transporting vehicles B60P; arrangements for stowing spare wheels B62D43/00) · CPC title

• B60J5/0491 Primary

  lid, e.g. for luggage compartment accessible at vehicle side (B60J5/0498 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J10/80

  specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors (for non-fixed roofs B60J10/90) · CPC title

• B60R3/00

  Arrangements of steps {or ladders facilitating access to or on the vehicle}, e.g. running-boards ({construction of steps for railway vehicles B61D23/00} ; ladders E06C) · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title