AU712135B2 - Improved sheet fastening system for cargo barriers - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 398086

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT 4

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: 4 .4 4 4 4.

Robert Frederick Upcroft 18 Carnegie Place Blacktown New South Wales

AUSTRALIA

Robert Frederick Upcroft 2148 Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [31] Application No(s) P03278 Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Improved Sheet Fastening System for Cargo Barriers APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country

AU

[32] Application Date 29 October 1996 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing It known to me/us:- 5815 IMPROVED SHEET FASTENING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE CARGO

BARRIERS

Technical Field The present invention relates to cargo barriers for motor vehicles.

Background of the Invention Cargo barriers are employed in motor vehicles having a load carrying space. The barrier is placed between the cargo space and an area to be protected should the vehicle be involved in an accident and the cargo shift. For example, the cargo barrier would be placed between the load receiving space and the driver and/or passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Australian Patent No's 664136, 673312 and 673313 disclose a cargo barrier comprising a metallic rod frame formed as a closed loop with a planar sheet of material fixed to the frame. The current cargo barrier utilises a plurality of lugs extending parallel to the sheet of material and inwardly of the loop formed by the frame. Testing has shown, S 15 however, that positioning of the lugs on the interior of the frame loop may not provide sufficient structural integrity of the barrier in the event of an accident.

e0o03 Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the above disadvantages.

000000 Summary of the Invention .*.There is disclosed herein a cargo barrier for a motor vehicle, said barrier comprising: S.i a frame of planar configuration, the frame being formed of metal rod and having the configuration of a closed loop so as to surround an area; a planar sheet member fixed to the frame and covering said area and extending laterally outwardly of said frame with respect to said closed loop; and securing means fixed to said frame for securing said planar sheet member thereto, said securing means extending other than laterally inwardly from said frame with respect to said closed loop.

Preferably said securing means comprises a plurality of fasteners spaced around said frame and extending transversely from the plane of said frame.

Preferably each of said fasteners is welded to said frame.

Alternatively said securing means comprises a plurality of lugs spaced around said frame and extending laterally outwardly from said frame with respect to said closed loop, each said lug receiving a fastener secured to said planar sheet member.

[n:\libll] 01145:GJG Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a cargo barrier of a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view at line 2-2 of the cargo barrier of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view of a cargo barrier of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments A first embodiment of a cargo barrier 10 of the present invention, as depicted in Figures 1 and 2, has a frame 11 of planar configuration formed of metal rod (such as metal tubing) configured as a closed loop which surrounds an area separating the cargo and driver and/or passenger compartments. Braces 12 may be welded to the closed loop °of the frame 11 to increase the rigidity thereof. A planar sheet member 30 is fixed to the 15 frame 11 and covers the area defined by the closed loop of the frame 11. The planar sheet member 30 extends laterally outwardly of the frame 11 with respect to the closed loop so i o that the edges are adjacent the floor, walls and ceiling of the vehicle interior. The planar sheet member 30 is typically formed of light transmissive plastics material such as polycarbonate.

The frame 11 is detachably fastened to the vehicle wall, floor and/or ceiling as per the barrier of Australian Patent No's 664136, 673312 and 673313. A plurality of metal flanges 18 are welded to the periphery of the frame 11. Each flange 18 is provided with an aperture through which a threaded fastener 19 will pass. The threaded fastener 19 secures to the frame 11 a resilient securing strap 20 which is fixed to the vehicle wall via 25 threaded fasteners.

In the first embodiment, the planar sheet member 30 is secured to the frame 11 by securing means 22 in the form of fasteners 22 spaced about the closed loop of the frame.

Each fastener 22 is fixed at one end to the frame and extends transversely to the plane of the frame 11. The fasteners 22, here in the form of threaded bolts as depicted in Figure 2, are typically welded to the frame 11. Welding the fasteners 22 to the frame, prevents the need for any weakening through-holes in the frame 11 for securing the fasteners 22. The free end of each fastener 22 is then passed through a corresponding aperture in the planar sheet member 30 and secured thereto using a threaded nut or similar. Rather than using a threaded fastener, a toggle type fastener may also be employed, the shaft of the toggle fastener extending transversely to the plane of the frame 11.

In the second embodiment depicted in Figure 3 the planar sheet member is secured to the frame by securing means in the form of lugs 23 extending laterally outwardly from the closed loop of the frame 11 but generally coplanar with respect thereto. A fastener [n:\libll]01145:GJG 3 would then pass through an aperture 24 provided in each lug 23 and a corresponding aperture in the planar sheet member 30 so as to secure the planar sheet member 30 to the frame 11.

The current inventor has found that securing the planar sheet member 30 to the frame 11 by securing means which extend either transversely to the plane of the frame (as per the first embodiment) or laterally outwardly from the closed loop of the frame (as per the second embodiment) rather than laterally inwardly from the closed loop of the frame provides improved structural integrity of the cargo barrier 10 in the event of an accident and impact of a cargo load on the barrier.

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Claims (4)

1. A cargo barrier for a motor vehicle, said barrier comprising: a frame of planar configuration, the frame being formed of metal rod and having the configuration of a closed loop so as to surround an area; a planar sheet member fixed to the frame and covering said area and extending laterally outwardly of said frame with respect to said closed loop; and securing means fixed to said frame for securing said planar sheet member thereto, said securing means extending other than laterally inwardly from the frame with respect to said closed loop.

2. The cargo barrier of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of fasteners spaced around said frame and extending transversely from the plane of said frame.

3. The cargo barrier of claim 2 wherein each of said fasteners is welded to said frame.

4. The cargo barrier of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of lugs spaced around said frame and extending laterally outwardly from said frame with respect to said closed loop, each said lug receiving a fastener secured to said planar sheet member. A cargo barrier for a motor vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described 20 with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3. Dated 27 October, 1997 Robert Frederick Upcroft Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [n:\libll]01145:GMM