LOFT Storage and Equipment Compartment

• US 20180079366A1
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Industries, Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lund Industries, Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lundberg, Mark J., Hill, Patrick W., Lundberg, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/006 stowing or holding means for elongated articles, e.g. skis inside vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/04 arranged at rear of vehicle B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/14 for supporting weapons

Abstract

A compact safe storage compartment for weapons and electronic equipment, also sometime referred to as LOFT, for police sports utility vehicles (SUVs) is provided which is easy to use and access by police and is not readily viewable from outside the SUV by pedestrians, criminals and others. The LOFT can occupy otherwise unused space in the SUV. The LOFT can comprise: a special frame, a unique door for carrying weapons, and/or an optional tray secured to the door for carrying electronic law enforcement equipment.

Claims

1. A storage and equipment compartment for a police sports utility vehicle (SUV), comprising:

a frame securely mounted in proximity to a headliner near a ceiling in a rear cargo section of the police SUV;

a door comprising a lid pivotally connected to the frame, said door having a weapon-supporting surface for carrying and supporting weapons;

said door movable between a closed generally horizontal position against said frame and an open downwardly inclined position; and

when said door is in a closed position the weapons are hidden from view through windows of the SUV and in the closed position said door does not block a line of sight through a rearview minor of the SUV.

2. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including locks for securing the weapons and door.

3. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including dampers for dampening the movement of said door.

4. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including two straps extending between and connecting said frame and door for limiting the downward movement of said door.

5. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including mounting brackets connected to said frame.

6. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including at least one light emitting diode (LED) mounting bracket connected to said frame.

7. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 wherein said door defines holes for mounting firearms.

8. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance in accordance with claim 1 wherein said police SUV is operable by law enforcement personnel of a city, town, village, county, state, or federal government.

9. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance in accordance with claim 8 wherein said law enforcement personnel is selected from the group consisting of a policeman, sheriff, or law enforcement officer.

10. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 1 including at least two locks for locking and securing said door.

11. A storage and equipment compartment for a police sports utility vehicle (SUV), comprising:

a frame assembly having a frame and mounting brackets connected to said frame for securing said frame assembly adjacent a headliner in proximity to a ceiling or roof in a rear cargo section of the police SUV above a primary line of view of a rearview mirror of the SUV at a location between side and rear windows of the SUV;

an elongated door comprising a generally planar lid pivotally connected to the frame, said door being movable between a closed generally horizontal position abutting said frame and an open downwardly inclined position; and

a tray secured to said door, said tray comprising an equipment tray for carrying law enforcement electronic equipment;

said electronic equipment being selected from the group consisting of video equipment, programmable lights, siren, radio, computer, radar equipment, an electronic device, and combinations thereof; and

when said door and tray are in a closed position the electronic equipment is hidden from view through the side and rear windows of the SUV and in the closed position said door and tray do not block a line of sight through a rearview minor of the SUV.

12. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 11 including:

at least two hydraulic dampers extending between and connecting said frame and door for dampening the movement of said door and tray; and

at least two straps extending between and connecting said frame and door for limiting the downward movement of said door.

13. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 11 wherein mounting brackets include light emitting diode (LED) mounting brackets.

14. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 11 including manually operable locks comprising quarter turn latches for locking said door and tray.

15. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 11 including at least two electronic locks for electronically locking and securing said door and electronic equipment.

16. A storage and equipment compartment for a police sports utility vehicle (SUV), comprising:

a frame assembly comprising a metal frame with a periphery and an inwardly facing peripheral lip and metal mounting brackets connected to said periphery of said frame for securing said frame assembly to or adjacent a headliner in proximity to a ceiling in a rear cargo section of the police SUV above a primary line of sight_of a rearview mirror of the SUV occupying otherwise unused space in the SUV at a location between side and rear windows of the SUV;

an elongated substantially rigid metal door comprising a generally planar lid having a shape generally complementary to said periphery of said frame, said door comprising a weapon-supporting surface for carrying and supporting weapons and defining holes for mounting the weapons, said door pivotally connected to the frame, and said door being movable between a closed generally horizontal position abutting against said inwardly facing peripheral lip of said frame and an open downwardly inclined position positioned at an angle of inclination to said frame; and

said weapons being selected from the group consisting of at least one rifle, shotgun, and handgun, and combinations thereof;

said frame assembly and said door cooperating with each other to provide a gun vault; and

when said door is in a closed position the weapons are hidden from view through the side and rear windows of the SUV and in the closed position said door does not block a line of sight from a rearview mirror of the SUV.

17. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 16 including:

damper-supporting brackets connected to said door;

hydraulic dampers extending between and connecting said frame and said damper-support brackets of said door for dampening the movement of said door; and

flexible limiting straps extending between and connecting said frame and door for limiting the downward movement of said door to an acute angle of inclination relative to said frame.

18. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 16 wherein said mounting brackets include side-facing light emitting diode (LED) mounting brackets facing sides of the SUV and rear-facing LED mounting brackets facing the rear window of the SUV.

19. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 16 including at least two manually operable locks comprising quarter turn latches for locking said door.

20. A storage and equipment compartment in accordance with claim 19 including at least two electronic locks operably connected to an electronic switch for remotely electronically locking and unlocking said door.