Vehicle body structure
A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle cargo structure and a handle assembly. The vehicle cargo structure has a floor and a first side wall at least partially defining a cargo area at a rearward end of a vehicle. The handle assembly has a base and a grip handle. The base is attached to the first side wall above the floor within the cargo area. The grip handle is movable relative to the base between a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher than the upper surface of the first side wall. With the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual entering the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.
1. A vehicle body structure, comprising:
a vehicle cargo structure having a floor and a first side wall at least partially defining a cargo area at a rearward end of a vehicle; and
a handle assembly having a base and a grip handle, the base being attached to the first side wall above the floor within the cargo area, the base having a pivot shaft attached thereto, the pivot shaft being horizontally oriented, the base further having a first stop portion and a second stop portion that are located above and spaced apart from the floor of the vehicle cargo structure, the first stop portion and the second stop portion being positioned and oriented such that the grip handle is limited to pivoting movement relative to the base about the pivot shaft between the first stop portion and the second stop portion, such that with the grip handle positioned at the second stop portion the grip handle is in a stowed orientation in which the grip handle is at a location lower than an upper surface of the first side wall and with the grip handle positioned at the first stop portion the grip handle is in a gripping orientation in which at least a portion of the grip handle extends higher that the upper surface of the first side wall such that with the grip handle in the gripping orientation an individual entering the cargo area grabs the grip handle for assistance in stepping up into the cargo area.
2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the grip handle is an elongated rod that pivots about the pivot shaft.
3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the first stop portion and the second stop portion are positioned such that the grip handle is limited to approximately 90 degrees of pivoting movement about the pivot shaft.
4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the elongated rod includes a position locking mechanism that retains the grip handle in at least one of the stowed orientation and the gripping orientation.
5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4 , wherein
at least a portion of the position locking mechanism extends through a hollow interior of the elongated rod.
6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4 , wherein
the base includes an aperture positioned such that with the grip handle in the gripping orientation, a locking pin of the position locking mechanism extends into the aperture preventing movement of the grip handle.
7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4 , wherein
the locking pin of the position locking mechanism is spring biased such that the locking pin is urged to move into the aperture preventing movement of the grip handle.
8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 7 , wherein
the locking pin of the position locking mechanism is spring biased by a coil spring that is disposed within the hollow interior of the elongated rod.
9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 7 , wherein
the coil spring is configured such that coils of the coil spring encircle the locking pin of the position locking mechanism.
10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the elongated rod is configured such that the elongated rod is pivoted vertically upward to the gripping orientation.
11. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a tailgate that is movable between an open orientation exposing a rear end of the cargo area and a closed orientation blocking the rear end of the cargo area, the handle assembly being located proximate an upper end of the tailgate with the tailgate in the closed orientation.
12. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the base of the handle assembly is directly attached to the first side wall via mechanical fasteners such that the base overlays a portion of an upright surface of the first side wall.
13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a retractable step installed to the vehicle cargo area structure.
14. The vehicle body structure according to claim 13 , wherein
the retractable step is installed to the vehicle cargo area structure below the handle assembly.
15. The vehicle body structure according to claim 13 , wherein
the retractable step is moveable between a retracted orientation in which the step is partially concealed below the floor and the first side wall, and an extended orientation in which the step extends rearward and outboard away relative to the cargo area.
16. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
with the grip handle in the stowed orientation, the grip handle extends in a horizontal direction and is substantially parallel to the first side wall.
17. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first side wall includes an upper panel portion that overhangs a portion of the floor adjacent the first side wall, and
the base of the handle assembly is fixedly attached to the first side wall beneath the upper panel portion.