Combination access box and bed liner for vehicles

• US 4,824,158 A
• Filed: 07/23/1987
• Issued: 04/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Engineered Solutions LP (Enerpac Tool Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Larry J. Parlette, Richard E. Peters
• Inventors: Peters, Richard E., Parlette, Larry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gruber, John M.
• Application Number:
  US07/076,943
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 312/348, 312/341, 384/18, 384/19, 384/20, 384/21, 296/37.6, 296/37.1, 296/26, 414/522, 292/341.18, 292/341.19, 292/341.17, 126/339, 126/333, 108/44
• US Class Current: 296/37.6
• 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

Abstract

A pair of support members are arranged for mounting on the floor of a vehicle cargo area and support a cargo box by rollers for movement between forward and rearward positions to provide easy access for loading and unloading the box at the rear of the cargo area. The support members and box have engaging latch portions providing latching notches for the box in forward, rearward and intermediate positions. Front and rear vertical axis rollers are provided on the box and support members, respectively, and have engagement with the other of the box and support members to provide a non-binding lateral stability. Also, longitudinally adjustable abutment means are provided to hold the box in a non-rattling forward latched position.

Claims

1. An access box for vehicles of the type having a covered cargo area with forward and rearward ends defined by a floor and side walls, said access box comprising

an open top container including a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall, and a rear reinforcing corner web projecting laterally beyond at least one of said side walls,

a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinal support members arranged for securement to the floor of a vehicle cargo area,

an outwardly turned flange at the rearward end of at least one of said support members,

longitudinal reinforcing rail means on each side of said container,

horizontal axis guide rollers on said support members supporting said box above the floor of the cargo area for longitudinal movement between a forward loaded position and a rearward access position,

said rail means and rollers providing self support of said box in said movable positions as well as in said rearward access position at a point such that articles in the front thereof can be reached from the rear of the vehicle cargo area,

said longitudinal rail means and rollers providing cantilevered and straight line, self support of said box in said rearward access position and in alignment with its line of travel,

latch means on said support members and container arranged to locate said container in said forward loaded position and said rearward access position as well as intermediate positions,

vertical axis guide rollers engageable between said support members and said container providing lateral stability of said container on said support members in said longitudinal positions of said container between said forward loaded and rearward access positions,

said stop means on said outwardly turned flange of said support member engageable with said lateral projecting corner web of said container for stopping forward travel of said container with said latch means in said forward loaded position to prevent forward and rearward play of said container while the vehicle is in motion,

said stop means being adjustable in the direction of movement of said container for positioning it selectively to stop said container at precisely the engaged position of said latch in its forward loaded position.

2. The access box of claim 1 wherein said vertical axis guide rollers are at least four in number, a first pair of said rollers being mounted on opposite sides of said container adjacent the front thereof and engageable laterally with said support members to provide said lateral stability and a second pair of said rollers being mounted one on each of said support members adjacent the rear thereof and engageable laterally with said container to also provide said lateral stability.

3. The access box of claim 2 wherein said rail means comprise a reinforcing, longitudinally extending member on each longitudinal extending side wall of said container, said first pair of rollers being mounted on said reinforcing longitudinally extending member and said second pair of rollers being mounted on said outwardly turned flange and being laterally engageable with said reinforcing longitudinal extending members.

4. The access box of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal support members have an upper offset extension on which said latch means is disposed, said offset extension being disposed vertically above said rail means.