Vehicle having a folding mid-gate with an integrated seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999274-B2
Application number	US-202217713445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2022
Priority date	Apr 5, 2022
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle including a passenger compartment and a cargo area extending from the passenger compartment. The cargo area includes a cargo bed having a support surface. A mid-gate includes a first surface exposed to the passenger compartment and a second surface exposed to the cargo area. The mid-gate is pivotally connected relative to the cargo bed between a first position wherein the mid-gate separates the cargo area from the passenger compartment and a second position wherein the second surface forms part of the support surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a passenger compartment including a ceiling supporting a latch;
a cargo area extending from the passenger compartment, the cargo area including a cargo bed having a support surface;
a mid-gate including a first surface exposed to the passenger compartment and a second surface exposed to the cargo area, the mid-gate being pivotally connected relative to the cargo bed between a first position wherein the mid-gate separates the cargo area from the passenger compartment and a second position wherein the second surface forms part of the support surface, wherein when in the second position the support surface and the second surface of the mid-gate form a substantially continuous co-planar surface; and
a window arranged adjacent the mid-gate separating the passenger compartment and the cargo area, the window having a first end section and a second end section having a mid-point that is opposite the first end section, the second end section being arranged adjacent the mid-gate, wherein the first end section of the window is pivotally mounted relative to the passenger compartment, the window being shiftable between a closed configuration and an open configuration in the open position, the latch engages the mid-point of the second end section to secure the window in the open configuration.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the mid-gate includes a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, the second end being pivotally connected relative to the support surface through a hinge.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the support surface includes a first end portion arranged at the passenger compartment and a second end portion, the second end of the mid-gate being pivotally connected to the first end portion of the support surface.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the hinge comprises a piano hinge connecting the second end of the mid-gate with the first end portion of the support surface.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first end of the mid-gate overlaps the second end section of the window.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a mid-gate motor operatively connected to the mid-gate, the mid-gate motor selectively pivoting the mid-gate about the second end.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6 , further comprising a window motor operatively connected to the window, the window motor selectively rotating the window about the first end section.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to the mid-gate motor and the window motor, the controller sequentially shifting the mid-gate about the first end and the window about the first end section.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8 , further comprising an actuator operatively connected to the controller, the actuator being activated to signal the controller to shift the mid-gate and the window.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the actuator is mounted to the mid-gate.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a seatback mounted to the first surface of the mid-gate.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the mid-gate includes a first section supporting a first portion of the seatback and a second section supporting a second portion of the seatback.

13. A method of configuring a passenger compartment of a vehicle including a cargo bed having a support surface comprising:
folding a rear window upwardly;
folding a mid-gate downwardly such that a rear surface of the mid-gate and the support surface of the cargo bed form a substantially continuous co-planar surface; and
securing a mid-point of the window with a latch mounted to a ceiling of the passenger compartment.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising folding a seat base forward.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: activating a mid-gate motor and a window motor to fold the rear window and the mid-gate.

16. A vehicle comprising:
a passenger compartment including a ceiling supporting a latch;
a cargo area extending from the passenger compartment, the cargo area including a cargo bed having a support surface;
a mid-gate arranged between the cargo area from the passenger compartment; and
a window arranged adjacent the mid-gate separating the passenger compartment and the cargo area, the window having a first end section and a second end section having a mid-point that is opposite the first end section, the second end section being arranged adjacent the mid-gate, wherein the first end section of the window is pivotally mounted relative to the passenger compartment, the window being shiftable between a closed configuration and an open configuration in the open position, the latch engages the mid-point of the second end section to secure the window in the open configuration.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16 , wherein the mid-gate includes a first surface exposed to the passenger compartment and a second surface exposed to the cargo area, the mid-gate being pivotally connected relative to the cargo bed between a first position wherein the mid-gate separates the cargo area from the passenger compartment and a second position wherein the second surface forms part of the support surface.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the mid-gate includes a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, the second end being pivotally connected relative to the support surface through a hinge.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein the support surface includes a first end portion arranged at the passenger compartment and a second end portion, the second end of the mid-gate being pivotally connected to the first end portion of the support surface.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the hinge comprises a piano hinge connecting the second end of the mid-gate with the first end portion of the support surface.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Grant Douglas Anthony

Classifications

• B60N2/36 Primary

  into a loading platform {(B60N2/065 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/3072

  on a lower level of a multi-level vehicle floor · CPC title

• B60N2/3002

  back-rest movements · CPC title

• B60N2/30 Primary

  Non-dismountable {or dismountable} seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats · CPC title

• B60J1/1884

  about a horizontal axis · CPC title