US 9371096

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 9371096:

US Patent 9371096

• Title: System and apparatus for utility vehicle accessory mounting
• Assignee: Club Car LLC (Current Assignee). The patent was originally assigned to Club Bar LLC and later reassigned to Club Car, LLC. Further security interests were assigned to Citibank, N.A., Goldman Sachs Bank USA, and Bank of America, N.A., which were subsequently released or maintained.
• Inventors: Steven P. Huston, Dean J. Long, Joseph A. Cuadra, JR., Nick L. Arndt, Samuel R. Lyons
• Filing Date: October 13, 2014
• Issue Date: June 21, 2016
• Abstract: The patent discloses a system and apparatus for mounting accessories on utility vehicle cargo beds. It includes a cargo bed side panel with first and second protrusions, and a clamping device with a first finger configured to engage the first protrusion and a second finger configured to engage the second protrusion. An actuator moves these fingers to secure the clamping device to the side panel.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes an apparatus for mounting accessories to a utility vehicle cargo bed. It specifies a cargo bed side panel with multiple protrusions that run along most of its length. A clamping device with accessory mounting features can be attached anywhere along this length. The clamping device has a body, multiple fingers, and an actuator (a handle and a pull rod) that moves the fingers. The fingers move between an advanced (unclamped) position and a retracted (clamped) position. When the fingers are retracted, they engage with the protrusions on the side panel, securing the clamping device and preventing its movement. A key feature is the specific design of the block pin, which is cylindrical, extends perpendicular to the pull rod, and has an opening through its center to receive the pull rod.
• Independent Claim 10: This claim also describes an apparatus for mounting accessories to a vehicle cargo bed, similar to Claim 1, with a side panel having multiple protrusions and a clamping device with fingers and an actuator. The unique aspect of this claim lies in the detailed description of the "clamping device engagement interface" on the side panel. This interface includes a wall surface, a first arm, a first surface, a second arm, a first lip, a third arm, and a second lip, all arranged to form a channel with defined first and second slots and first and second cavities. This structural arrangement provides the specific points for the clamping device to engage.
• Independent Claim 11: This claim focuses on the clamping device itself, for use with a cargo bed having protrusions that form an engagement interface. It comprises a handle, a body, a clamping mechanism with multiple fingers, and a pull rod connecting these parts. The clamping mechanism is designed to fit into the engagement interface. When the handle is activated, the fingers press against the engagement interface. Specifically, it details the structure of the first and second fingers: the first finger has an arm, a leg, and a lip, while the second finger has an arm and a lip, with the first leg and second lip being substantially coplanar.
• Independent Claim 15: This claim describes a utility vehicle cargo bed system. It includes a cargo bed with a floor and at least one side panel. The side panel has a first protrusion with a first engagement portion at a first angle relative to the floor, and a second protrusion with a second engagement portion at a different second angle. The clamping device in this system has a clamp body, a first finger, a second finger (both movable relative to the clamp body), and an actuator to move the fingers inward and outward. When the actuator engages the clamping device, the first engagement portion interacts with the first finger to apply force in a first direction (forcing the clamp body toward the side panel) and a second direction. The second engagement portion interacts with the second finger to apply force in the first direction and a third direction that opposes the second direction.

USPTO and CAFC 2026 Dockets:

As of April 26, 2026:

• USPTO: The patent US9371096B2 is listed as "Active," with an adjusted expiration date of October 16, 2034. It has undergone maintenance fee payments (4th year in 2019, 8th year in 2023). Ownership has been reassigned several times, most recently with security interests involving financial institutions in 2020 and 2021, and a release by Citibank, N.A. in 2021.
• CAFC 2026 Dockets: While the Google Patents page indicates "Family has litigation" and points to Unified Patents and Darts-ip for more details, a direct search for "CAFC 2026 dockets patent 9371096" or reviewing the provided search snippets from Unified Patents and Darts-ip did not yield specific dockets for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in 2026 directly referencing patent US9371096B2. The Unified Patents results for 2026 show reexamination requests and challenges for other patent numbers (e.g., 9,031,537 and 10,020,919), but not US9371096B2. The Darts-ip and Unified Patents search results generally provide access to litigation databases but do not present the specific CAFC 2026 docket information without deeper access to their platforms. The Google Patents page itself mentions a "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" but does not specify if it reached the CAFC or any activity in 2026 for this particular patent. Therefore, I do not have authoritative information to confirm any ongoing CAFC dockets specifically for US9371096B2 in 2026. I can confirm the Federal Circuit Center for Innovation & Law will have a public opening on July 3, 2026, but this does not indicate litigation activity for this specific patent.