The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 05, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 01, 2001
John Andrew Sotiroff, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Roch Joseph Tolinski, Howell, MI (US);
Charles Berry Hopson, Lebanon, TN (US);
George Rene Chene, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Simon Blair Dobson, Folkestone, GB;
Enrico Fin, Lake Orion, MI (US);
Meritor Light Vehicle Technology, LLC, Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a reconfigurable intermediate panel (RIP) arranged between the cab and the cargo bed of a vehicle. The vehicle has a vehicle body structure that separates the cab and the cargo bed. The RIP is arranged within an opening in the vehicle body structure for providing access to the cab from the cargo bed. The RIP includes a door structure having first and second opposing portions adjacent to opposing sides of the opening when the RIP is in a closed position. A plurality of cable spans the first and second portions for strengthening the door structure and barring the entry of cargo from the cargo bed into the cab when the structure is in the closed position. In one embodiment, the cables extend from opposing portions of a door frame. In another embodiment, the cables are embedded in a plastic panel, which is secured to a door frame. Accordingly, the above invention provides an RIP that provides an improved structural barrier between the cargo bed and the cab from heavy cargo.