GB2078180A - Accessory for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

For vehicles which have, in addition to their normal two or four side doors, a rear door allowing access to a luggage space an accessory 10 is provided comprising four or more spaced-apart tubular members 11, 12, 13 and 14 extending transversely of securely connected to two or more other spaced-apart tubular members 15, 16 to form a rigid structure, the members 15, 16 being attached by one respective end to the top edge of a back seat 22 by hinges. In one use configuration the accessory can be moved from a position (shown in dot-dash outline) against a rear face 21 of the seat 22 to a position where it extends vertically from the top edge of the seat 22 to the vehicle's ceiling so that it partitions the luggage space from the seating area. Further U-shaped, tubular members 25 are slidable by respective limbs in respective one's of adjacent pairs of tubular members 11 and 12, 13 and 14 to vary the width of the accessory 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Accessory for a vehicle This invention concerns an accessory for a vehicle, in particular a vehicle such as a Land Rover (Registered Trade Mark), Hatchback or Estate (which vehicle will hereinafter be referred to as "of the kind described"), having, in addition to its normal two or four side doors, a door at its rear end allowing access to a large luggage space, said accessory being adapted for connection to a back seat of the vehicle so as to serve various purposes such as a partition between seats and luggage space providing a guard for luggage such as suitcases or animals placed in the luggage space, a parcel shelf, a false floor for the luggage space, a seat guard etc. Furthermore, the accessory is adjustable to enable it to be attached to the back seat of any size of vehicle.

Known accessories, for vehicles of the kind described, which serve purposes similar to those discussed in relation to the accessory of the invention have several disadvantages. Usually such accessories are in the form of a grill made of steel mesh which is secured to back seat, interior side walls and ceiling of the vehicle by means of screws. The grill acts as a guard to ensure that luggage is retained in the luggage space so that it does not accidentally cause injury to drive or passengers by moving about while the vehicle is in motion or when the vehicle stops suddenly.

However, not only is this type of grill/guard difficult and time consuming to install but, for safety reasons, its dimensions must be such that it fits snugly into the vehicle. Therefore it cannot be removed and fitted into a vehicle having an interior which is of a different size. As the grill/guard when fixed is a rigid structure it cannot be adjusted into different positions to serve a purpose other than a grill/guard. Furthermore, the size of the mesh may be such that the drivers vision to the rear of the vehicle is considerably restricted.

An object of the invention is to provide an accessory which is adapted for connection to the back seat of a vehicle so as to serve various purposes and which is adjustable so that it can be attached to the back seat of any size of vehicle.

With this object in view the present invention provides an accessory for a vehicle of the kind described, which accessory comprises a plurality of spaced-apart tubular members extending transversely of and connected to one or more other tubular members to form a rigid structure, one end of the or each other tubular member being adapted for connection to a seat of the vehicle such that the structure is adjustable relative to the seat to enable it to serve various purposes such as those hereinbefore described, each transversely extending member carrying a further tubular member which is slideable telescopically therein so that the structure's width is adjustable to that of any vehicle whose interior width is greater than that of the structures.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that the accessory of the invention can be employed in vehicles of several different sizes and can easily be removed from one vehicle and fitted into another.

Advantageously, in vehicles such as Land Rovers, Hatchbacks and Estates the accessory is connected to the vehicle's back seat so that it serves as a partition or guard between the seats and luggage space.

One end of the or each said other tubular member may be flattened and provided with a hinge for securement of the accessory to the seat.

The hinge allows adjustment of the accessory into any desired position relative to the seat.

Preferably, each said further tubular member is substantially U-shaped of which one limb of the U is slideable telescopically in one end of one transversely extending tubular member and its other limb is slideable telescopically in one end of an adjacent transversely extending tubular member. There may be at least four transversely extending tubular members, and, therefore, the tubular members of each adjacent pair are connected together at their respective ends by a respective U-shaped tubular member.

The or each said other tubular member may slideabiy carry therein another tubular member, which in turn may slideably carry yet another tubular member, so that the length of the or each said other tubular member, can be effectively lengthened for the securement thereto of further pairs transversely extending tubular members as desired. This is particularly useful where the accessory is secured to the back seat of a vehicle and the back seat is folded down flush with the floor so that the accessory has to extend between floor and ceiling.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the accessory of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in one of its use configurations; Fig. 3 is a view comparable to Fig. 1 but showing a modification of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a part-sectional view of part of the modified embodiment of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view of the modified embodiment of Fig. 4 in one of its use configurations.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the accessory 10 of the invention comprises four spaced-apart hollow tubular member 11, 12, 13 and 14 extending transversely of and securely connected, for example by welding, to two other hollow tubular members 15, 1 6 to form a rigid structure.

One end 17 or 18 of each tubular member 15, 16 is flattened and provided with hinges 19, 20 for securement of the accessory to a rear face 21 of a back seat 22 of a vehicle 43 (Fig. 2). The hinges 19, 20 allow adjustment of the accessory into any desired position relative to the back seat 22. This allows the accessory to be used for various purposes so that, for instance, in the position shown in Fig. 1 it can be used as a parcel shelf or as a cover for valuable luggage left in the vehicle's luggage space 24.

Adjacent transversely extending tubular member, 11, 12 and 13, 14 respectively, each carry at their respective ends part of a further tubular member 25 or 26 which is substantially U-shaped. One limb of the U is slideable in one end of one transversely extending tubular member 11 or 1 3 and its other limb is slideable telescopically in an adjacent end of the adjacent transversely extending tubular member 12 or 14. This further tubular member 25 or 26 in effect allows the length of the transversely extending tubular members 11, 12 and 13, 14 to be increased, so that the accessory 10 can be used in vehicles where the interior width is greater than the width of the accessory 10.

When the accessory 10 for the purpose shown in Fig. 1, i.e. as a parcel shelf, where it extends at a right angle from the back of the seat 22, the tubular members 25, 26 are supported in their extended position by means of brackets 27 (of which only one is shown in Fig. 1) secured to the vehicle's interior side panel.

The tubular members 1 5, 16 each carry slideably therein another tubular member 28 which tubular member 28 in turn carries a tubular member 29. As with tubular members 11 to 14, tubular members 28 and 29 allow the length of each tubular member 15 and 1 6 to be increased so as to enable the accessory 10 to be used in vehicles where the distance between that part of the seat 22 to which the accessory 10 is attached and the vehicle's ceiling is greater than the length of tubular members 1 5, 16. One end of each tubular member 29 carries a sucker 30 which provides suction to enable the accessory to be firmly held in the position against the vehicle's ceiling, as shown in Fig. 2, when it extends vertically between the seat 22 and the ceiling.In aforesaid position as shown in Fig. 2 the accessory can be used as a partition or guard between the seats and the luggage space 24, for example, to prevent luggage from moving forward upon sudden breaking of vehicle 43 and so injuring driver or passengers or to ensure that animals can be safely carried and restrained in the luggage space 24.

Fig. 2 also illustrates in dot-dash outline a further use of the accessory 10 of the invention. It is shown in a position flat against the rear face 21 of the seat 22 so that it can be used as a protective guard for the rear face 21 of the seat 22 to prevent the seat 22 from being damaged by objects not properly secured in the luggage space 24.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the embodiment of the accessory 10 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In the modified embodiment, the tubular members 28, 29, of each tubular member 1 5, 1 6 are extended and tubular member 28 has secured thereto two additional transversely extending tubular members 30, 31. The tubular members 30,31 are connected at respective ends by U-shaped tubular members 32, 33.

As is shown in Fig. 4 the additional transversely extending members 30,31 are connected to the tubular member 28 by means of U-shaped clips 34 whose limbs extend parallel to the tubular member 28. To ensure that there is a sufficient gap between the pair of tubular members 30, 31 and 13, 14, and also that tubular members 30, 31 do not slide down the tubular 28 when the accessory 10 is in a vertical position, a spacer piece 35 is attached by one end to tubular member 30 and has a recess at its other end into which tubular member 14 fits.

Fig. 5 illustrates a typical use of the modified embodiment of the accessory 10. Shown therein is the situation where the back seat is folded down flush with the floor 23 of the vehicle 43 to increase the luggage space. In this instance, where the accessory is to be used as a guard must extend between the floor 23 and the ceiling of the vehicle 43 and, of course, the tubular members 28, 29 adequately provide for this. In Fig. 5 it will be seen that there are a further pair of tubular members 36, 37 secured to tubular members 28 and 29 in the same manner as tubular members 30, 31 are secured to tubular member 28.

However, spacer pieces 35 are not shown although in practice they would be employed.

In Figs. 2 and 5 the vehicle 43 is shown without its rear door(s) for the sake of clarity of the figures.

Where, for instance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the accessory is in a position where it can be used as a parcel shelf, then a parcel shelf can be provided which fits onto the accessory, for example, by means of press studs.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the accessory of the invention is simple and easy to install in a vehicle of any size, can be transferred from one vehicle to another without difficulty and may be used for various purposes within the vehicle.

The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing and variations may be made thereto within the scope of the invention.

For example, the tubular members instead of being secured to the back of the seat by means of hinges could each be located in a respective channel member secured to and running from the top to the bottom of the back of the seat. One end of each tubular member could be located at the top end of the channel by means of a spring bolt which would allow the tubular members to pivot thereabout and therefore allow adjustment of the accessory into any desired position relative to the seat.

Claims (6)

1. An accessory for a vehicle, in particular a vehicle having, in addition to its normal two or four side doors, a door at its rear end, which accessory comprises a plurality of spaced-apart tubular members extending transversely of and connected to one or more other tubular members to form a rigid structure, one end of the or each other tubular members being adapted for connection to a seat of the vehicle such that the structure is adjustable relative to the seat to enable it to serve various purposes such as those hereinbefore described, each transversely extending member carrying a further tubular member which is slidable telescopically therein so that the structure's width is adjustable to that of any vehicle whose interior width is greater than that of the structures.

2. An accessory as claimed in Claim 1 wherein one end of the or each said other tubular member is flattened and provided with a hinge for securement of the accessory to the seat.

3. An accessory as claimed in Claim 1, or in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said further tubular member is substantially U-shaped of which one limb of the member is slidable telescopically in one end of one transversely extending tubular member.

4. An accessory as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there are at least four transversely extending tubular members and, therefore, the tubular members of each adjacent pair are connected together at their respective ends by a respective U-shaped tubular member.

5. An accessory as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each said other tubular member may slidably carry therein another tubular member, so that the length of the or each said other tubular member can be effectively lengthened for the securement thereto of further pairs of transversely extending tubular members as desired.

6. An accessory for a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, or in Figs. 3 to 5.