Collapsible storage apparatus for vehicle cargo compartments
First Claim
1. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor and a floor covering disposed on the floor, the apparatus comprising:
- a rear panel pivotally attached to the floor covering and comprising opposite front and rear sides and opposite first and second end portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the floor covering and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially transverse to the floor covering and defines a storage compartment for receiving items therein that is partially enclosed by the floor covering and the rear panel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for storing items within vehicle compartments that can be manipulated into an operative position and a closed position with a single hand are provided. Apparatus includes a base disposed on or within a vehicle compartment floor and having a surface that is exposed to the vehicle compartment when the apparatus is in an operative (i.e., open) position. A rear panel is pivotally attached to the base and is movable between a closed position overlying the base surface and an open position substantially normal to the base surface. End panels are movably attached to respective end portions of the rear panel. The end panels are movable between a stored position in face-to-face relation with the rear panel and an operative position disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel. The end panels move from their respective stored positions to operative positions in response to movement of the rear panel from its closed position to its open position. One or more partition panels that are movably attached to either the rear panel or to the base surface, may be provided. Each partition panel divides the compartment into multiple sections when in the operative position. Each partition panel is movable between a stored position in face-to-face relation with the rear panel (or base surface) and an operative position disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel.
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Citations
138 Claims
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1. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor and a floor covering disposed on the floor, the apparatus comprising:
a rear panel pivotally attached to the floor covering and comprising opposite front and rear sides and opposite first and second end portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the floor covering and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially transverse to the floor covering and defines a storage compartment for receiving items therein that is partially enclosed by the floor covering and the rear panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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16. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
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a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment; and
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides and opposite first and second end portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface and defines a storage compartment for receiving items therein that is partially enclosed by the base and the rear panel.
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33. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
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a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides, opposite first and second end portions, and opposite edge portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface;
a handle attached to the rear panel, wherein the handle is configured to be grasped by a user; and
first and second end panels movably attached to the respective first and second end portions of the rear panel, wherein the respective first and second end panels are movable between respective stored positions in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and respective operative positions disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel in space-apart substantially parallel relationship, wherein the first and second end panels move from the respective stored positions to the respective operative positions in response to movement of the rear panel, via the handle, from the closed position to the open position, and wherein the base, rear panel, and first and second end panels define a storage compartment for receiving items therein. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
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a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides, opposite first and second end portions, and opposite edge portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface;
a partition panel movably attached to the front side of the rear panel, wherein the partition panel is movable between a stored position in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and an operative position disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel; and
first and second end panels movably attached to the respective first and second end portions of the rear panel, wherein the respective first and second end panels are movable between respective stored positions in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and respective operative positions disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel in space-apart substantially parallel relationship;
wherein movement of the partition panel from the stored position to the operative position causes the rear panel to move from the closed position to the open position which, in turn, causes the first and second end panels to move from the respective stored positions to the respective operative positions whereby a storage compartment is defined. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
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a base disposed on the floor, comprising opposite first and second end portions, opposite first and second edge portions, and a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
first and second expandable walls extending from the base surface adjacent the respective first and second end portions; and
a panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite first and second end portions, wherein the first and second end portions of the panel are connected to the respective first and second expandable walls, and wherein the panel is movable between a closed position in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position disposed substantially transverse to the base surface, wherein the base, first and second expandable walls and panel define one or more storage compartments for receiving items therein. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of elongate panels pivotally attached to the floor in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship, wherein each panel comprises opposite front and rear sides, wherein the panels are collectively movable between closed and open positions, wherein the front side of each panel is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the floor when in the closed position, and wherein the panels are collectively disposed substantially transverse to the floor when in the open position to define a plurality of storage compartments for receiving items therein. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate panel pivotally attached to the floor and movable between a stored position in face-to-face contacting relation with the floor and an operative position in spaced-apart, face-to-face relation with the floor such that the panel can serve the function of a table and/or shelf. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 69)
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68. An apparatus for storing items within a vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle compartment includes a floor, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of walls pivotally attached to the floor, wherein the walls are configured to overlie the floor in a folded, flat configuration, and to unfold into a storage compartment for receiving items therein.
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70. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor and a floor covering disposed on the floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a rear panel pivotally attached to the floor covering and comprising opposite front and rear sides and opposite first and second end portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the floor covering and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially transverse to the floor covering and defines a storage compartment for receiving items therein that is partially enclosed by the floor covering and the rear panel. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment; and
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides and opposite first and second end portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface and defines a storage compartment for receiving items therein that is partially enclosed by the base and the rear panel. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides, opposite first and second end portions, and opposite edge portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface;
a handle attached to the rear panel, wherein the handle is configured to be grasped by a user; and
first and second end panels movably attached to the respective first and second end portions of the rear panel, wherein the respective first and second end panels are movable between respective stored positions in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and respective operative positions disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel in space-apart substantially parallel relationship, wherein the first and second end panels move from the respective stored positions to the respective operative positions in response to movement of the rear panel, via the handle, from the closed position to the open position, and wherein the base, rear panel, and first and second end panels define a storage compartment for receiving items therein. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 136, 138)
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113. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a base disposed on the floor and having a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
a rear panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite front and rear sides, opposite first and second end portions, and opposite edge portions, wherein the rear panel is movable between a closed position wherein the front side is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position wherein the rear panel is disposed substantially normal to the base surface;
a partition panel movably attached to the front side of the rear panel, wherein the partition panel is movable between a stored position in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and an operative position disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel; and
first and second end panels movably attached to the respective first and second end portions of the rear panel, wherein the respective first and second end panels are movable between respective stored positions in face-to-face relation with the rear panel front side and respective operative positions disposed substantially normal to the base surface and to the rear panel in space-apart substantially parallel relationship;
wherein movement of the partition panel from the stored position to the operative position causes the rear panel to move from the closed position to the open position which, in turn, causes the first and second end panels to move from the respective stored positions to the respective operative positions whereby a storage compartment is defined.
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123. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a base disposed on the floor, comprising opposite first and second end portions, opposite first and second edge portions, and a surface exposed to the vehicle compartment;
first and second expandable walls extending from the base surface adjacent the respective first and second end portions; and
a panel pivotally attached to the base and comprising opposite first and second end portions, wherein the first and second end portions of the panel are connected to the respective first and second expandable walls, and wherein the panel is movable between a closed position in overlying, face-to-face relation with the base surface and an open position disposed substantially transverse to the base surface, wherein the base, first and second expandable walls and panel define one or more storage compartments for receiving items therein.
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129. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
a plurality of elongate panels pivotally attached to the floor in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship, wherein each panel comprises opposite front and rear sides, wherein the panels are collectively movable between closed and open positions, wherein the front side of each panel is in overlying, face-to-face relation with the floor when in the closed position, and wherein the panels are collectively disposed substantially transverse to the floor when in the open position to define a plurality of storage compartments for receiving items therein.
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134. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising;
an elongate panel pivotally attached to the floor and movable between a stored position in face-to-face contacting relation with the floor and an operative position in spaced-apart, face-to-face relation with the floor such that the panel can serve the function of a table and/or shelf.
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137. A vehicle, comprising:
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a compartment comprising a floor; and
an apparatus for storing items within the compartment, comprising a plurality of walls pivotally attached to the floor, wherein the walls are configured to overlie the floor in a folded, flat configuration, and to unfold into a storage compartment for receiving items therein.
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Specification