IP Library Granted Patent US 11,878,742
Granted Patent B2
US 11,878,742 · App. 17/225,379 · Granted Jan 23, 2024

Utility vehicle

Inventors: Tetsuya Iwata (Kakogawa, JP); Yusuke Nakashima (Kobe, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
B62D33/0273B62D21/183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,878,742
App. No.
17/225,379
Granted
Jan 23, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A utility vehicle includes a vehicle body frame and a cargo bed supported by the vehicle body frame, the cargo bed including a side wall unit. The side wall unit includes a side wall, a tail lamp mounted on a rear end portion of the side wall, and a bolt including a shaft portion and a head portion. The tail lamp is secured to the side wall by the bolt oriented in a vehicle width direction. The head portion of the bolt is hidden by a part of the side wall unit when viewed from behind.

Claims (36)

1. A utility vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body frame; and

a cargo bed supported by the vehicle body frame, the cargo bed including a side wall unit,

wherein the side wall unit includes a side wall, a tail lamp mounted on a rear end portion of the side wall, and a bolt including a shaft portion and a head portion,

wherein the tail lamp is secured to the side wall by the bolt oriented in a vehicle width direction,

wherein the head portion of the bolt is hidden by a part of the side wall unit in a rear view of the vehicle,

wherein the side wall unit includes a recessed portion recessed in the vehicle width direction to define a recessed space opening in the vehicle width direction, and

wherein the head portion of the bolt is enclosed in the recessed space.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cargo bed includes a rear wall,

wherein the rear wall of the cargo bed is configured to be movable between a normal position and an open position, and

wherein the head portion of the bolt is hidden by a side edge surface of the rear wall from inside in the vehicle width direction when the rear wall is in the normal position.

3. The utility vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the side wall includes a side wall main body made of resin and a side wall frame made of metal, the side wall frame reinforcing the side wall main body,

wherein a set of the tail lamp and the side wall main body includes a groove portion opening inward in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the side wall frame includes a rear post portion covering the groove portion from the front, and

wherein the groove portion and the rear post portion constitute the recessed portion and define the recessed space.

4. The utility vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the side wall main body is formed by blow molding.

5. The utility vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the side wall frame includes a bracket projecting rearward from the rear post portion, the bracket being outward of a surface of the rear post portion in the vehicle width direction, the surface of the rear post portion facing inward in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the tail lamp includes a rear portion including a light source and an inner portion projecting forward from an inner region of the rear portion, the inner region being inward of a center of the rear portion in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the inner portion of the tail lamp includes the groove portion placed on the bracket from inside in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the bolt is inserted from inside in the vehicle width direction to secure the groove portion to the bracket, and

wherein the head portion of the bolt is hidden by the tail lamp when viewed from behind.

6. The utility vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the side wall main body includes:

an accommodation portion recessed from a rear edge surface of the side wall main body to an outer side surface of the side wall main body,

a bolt hole extending from an inner side surface of the side wall main body toward the accommodation portion, and

a rib portion located behind the bolt hole and projecting inward from the inner side surface in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the tail lamp includes a nut facing inward in the vehicle width direction,

wherein the shaft portion of the bolt is inserted into the bolt hole from inside in the vehicle width direction and threaded into the nut of the tail lamp accommodated in the accommodation portion, and

wherein the head portion of the bolt is hidden by the rib portion when viewed from behind.

7. The utility vehicle according to claim 6 ,

wherein the rib portion extends in a vertical direction, and

wherein the rib portion includes a groove portion in which the bolt hole is located.

8. The utility vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the groove portion opens forward and inward in the vehicle width direction and is substantially C-shaped when viewed from inside in the vehicle width direction.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2022
From: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 059630/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2021
From: IWATA, TETSUYA; NAKASHIMA, YUSUKE
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 055864/0443 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63013936 · Apr 22, 2020
Related Publication 20210331750A1 · Oct 28, 2021