FLOORBOARD STORAGE COMPARTMENT

• US 20190184903A1
• Filed: 02/23/2019
• Published: 06/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony & Kimberlee Sanchez Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Anthony & Kimberlee Sanchez Family Trust
• Inventors: Sanchez, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,457,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/048 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/087 for stowing money or valuables, e.g. using safes

Abstract

A floorboard storage compartment (100) may be placed on top of a floorboard basin (A) of an automobile to conceal contents (315) within an inner compartment (240) comprising a lower tray (105) and an upper tray (150).

The lower tray (105) comprises a lower tray bottom outer surface (110) which lies on top of the floorboard basin (A), a lower tray front side (115) which lies parallel to a lower portion of a firewall in front and above the floorboard basin (A), a lower tray front side bottom edge (120), a lower tray back edge (125) which extends to a passenger seat opposite the firewall, a lower tray left side (130) along a transmission hump, a lower tray left bottom edge (135), a lower tray right bottom edge (140), and a lower tray right side (145) which aligns with a door-jam alongside the floorboard basin (A).

The upper tray (150) comprises an upper tray front side (155) which may be affixed to the lower tray front side (115), an upper tray left side (165) which has a upper tray left edge (325), an upper tray right side (170) which has a upper tray left edge (330), upper tray outer surface (180), and an upper tray back edge.

A straight hinge line perpendicular to the upper tray left upper edge (165) and perpendicular to the upper tray right upper edge (170) allows a lifting portion (320) of the upper tray (150) to lift angularly above the lower tray (105) from along the straight hinge line (185).

Bordering the inner compartment (240) are a lower tray inner bottom surface (245), the lower tray front side (115), a lower tray left side inner surface (250), and a lower tray right side inner surface (255). An at least two separation supports (230) within the inner compartment (240) support and levelly separate the upper tray (150) above the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) between the lower tray front side bottom edge (120) and the lower tray back edge (125).

The inner compartment (240) may have one or more of a slip-mitigating surface (260), a vibration absorbing material (265), a matrix of padded squares arranged in a square grid pattern (270), and at least one affixable divider (275).

To conceal the inner compartment, the upper tray (150) may fit within the lower tray (105) such that the lower tray left upper edge (325) may extend above the upper tray left upper edge (335) and the lower tray right upper edge (330) extends above the upper tray right upper edge (340).

To protect the contents from outside elements, the upper tray (150) may have one or more of a waterproof and wear resistant material (205), a plurality of channels and grooves (215), an upper tray left side trough (220), and an upper tray right side trough (225) to direct dripping fluids into a fluid well (210) to direct dripping fluids into a fluid well (210), and an upper tray stiff support material (305).

Claims

1. A floorboard storage compartment (100) for a front passenger side floorboard of a vehicle comprising a floorboard basin (A), a floorboard left side (B), a floorboard right side (C), a firewall lower portion (D) bordering an engine compartment and a floorboard rear side (E) bordered by a passenger seat (F), wherein the floorboard storage compartment (100) comprises:

a lower tray (105) comprising

a lower tray bottom outer surface (110) configured to lie on top of the floorboard basin (A) of an automobile,

a lower tray front side (115) affixed to the lower tray bottom outer surface (110) along a lower tray front side bottom edge (120) with the lower tray front side (115) configured to lie parallel against the firewall lower portion (D) of the automobile and comprising a lower tray front side height (FSH) and comprising a lower tray front side terminal edge (160),

a lower tray back edge (125) configured to extend the floorboard storage compartment (100) adjacent to the floorboard rear side (E),

a lower tray left side (130) affixed to the lower tray bottom outer surface (110) along a lower tray left bottom edge (135), with the lower tray left side (130) configured to lie adjacent to the floorboard left side (B) and comprising a lower tray left upper edge (325) comprising a lower tray left side height (LSH) at the lower tray front side (115) with the lower tray left side height (LSH) of the lower tray decreasing towards the lower tray back edge (125) such that the lower tray left side height (LSH) is less at the lower tray back edge (125),

a lower tray inner bottom surface (245) bordered by the lower tray front side (115), the lower tray left bottom edge (135), the lower tray right bottom edge (140), and the lower tray back edge (125),

an upper tray (150) configured to rest on top of an at least one separation support (230) within the lower tray (105) and comprising

an upper tray front side (155) configured to lie within one-half inch to the lower tray front side (115),

an upper tray left upper edge (335) configured to lie within and below the lower tray left upper edge (325),

an upper tray right upper edge (340) configured to lie within and below a lower tray right upper edge (330),

an upper tray back edge (175) configured to extend beyond the lower tray back edge (125),

an upper tray outer surface (180) comprising a waterproof and wear resistant material (205),

a fluid well (210) on top of the an upper tray outer surface (180) configured to retain fluid drips adjacent to the upper tray back edge (175),

a plurality of channels and grooves (215) on top of the an upper tray outer surface (180) configured to direct fluid drips into the fluid well (210),

an upper tray left side trough (220) extending below and parallel to the upper tray left upper edge (335) from the upper tray front side (155) to the upper tray back edge (175),

an upper tray right side trough (225) extending below and parallel to the upper tray right upper edge (340) from the upper tray front side (155) to the upper tray back edge (175),

an upper tray lifting portion (320) configured to lift angularly above the lower tray (105), and

an inner compartment (240) bordered within the lower tray front side (115), a lower tray left side inner surface (250), a lower tray right side inner surface (255), a lower tray inner bottom surface (245), and configured for an at least one separation support (230) to support and separate the upper tray (150) above the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) between the lower tray front side bottom edge (120) and the lower tray back edge (125).

2. The floorboard storage compartment of claim 1 further comprising a one or more tray affixments (310) to affix the upper tray (150) to the lower tray (105).

3. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 2 wherein the one or more tray affixments (310) comprises a plug rivet.

4. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) comprises a slip-mitigating surface (260).

5. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) comprises a vibration absorbing material (265).

6. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 5 wherein the vibration absorbing material (265) comprises a compressible material formed into a matrix of padded squares arranged in a square grid pattern (270) on the lower tray inner bottom surface (245).

7. The floorboard storage compartment of (100) claim 1 wherein the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) comprises a scratch minimizing surface.

8. The floorboard storage compartment of (100) claim 1 further comprising an at least one affixable divider (275) for dividing the inner compartment (240) into a plurality of inner compartments.

9. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray (150) further comprises a hinge line (185) between the upper tray left edge (165) and the upper tray right upper edge (170).

10. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray front side (115) further comprises an upper tray front side terminal edge (195) configured to terminate parallel with the lower tray front side terminal edge (160).

11. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray outer surface (180) comprises a vinyl polymer.

12. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray (150) further comprises an upper tray stiff support material (305).

13. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 12 wherein the upper tray stiff support material (305) provides stiffness to the upper tray (150) and is capable of supporting at least 15 pounds.

14. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray (150) comprises an upper tray inner surface (235) comprising a plurality of side-by-side ridges (280) and positioned between one-half inch and four inches from the upper tray back edge (175).

15. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 further comprising an at least two magnets (290) affixed to an upper tray inner surface (235) at the upper tray back edge (175) configured to magnetically couple to an at least two magnets (290) affixed to the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) at the lower tray back edge (125) to secure closure of the upper tray (150) to the lower tray (105).

16. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray back edge (175) extends to within one inch of the floorboard rear side (E) bordered by a passenger seat.

17. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 further comprising an at least one floorboard affixment port (295) to affix the floorboard storage compartment (100) to the floorboard basin (A).

18. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the lower tray bottom outer surface (110) comprises a waterproof and wear resistant material (205).

19. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the upper tray outer surface (180) comprises a waterproof and wear resistant material (205).

20. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 further comprising a lower tray left side (130), a lower tray right side (145), an upper tray left side (165), and an upper tray right side (170) comprise a curved lateral profile.

21. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the lower tray front side height (FSH) comprises at least two inches but less than six inches.

22. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the lower tray left side height (LSH) at the lower tray front side (115) comprises at least one inch but less than five inches.

23. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 wherein the an at least one separation support (230) supports and separates the upper tray (150) at a distance of at least one-half inch but not more than five inches above the lower tray inner bottom surface (245).

24. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 1 further comprising a lower tray left side (130) configured to align along the floorboard left side (B) and comprising a lateral profile to lie parallel to a transmission hump adjacent to the floorboard left side (B).

25. The floorboard storage compartment (100) of claim 6 wherein the vibration absorbing material (265) comprises a compressible material formed into a matrix of padded squares arranged in a square grid pattern (270) on the lower tray inner bottom surface (245) are configured for use with an at least one separation support (230) having a portion cut-out along the bottom edges of the at least one separation support (230) for fitting over the matrix of padded squares arranged in a square grid pattern (270) within an inner compartment (240).