Collapsible security storage apparatus for truck beds

• US 4,828,312 A
• Filed: 11/23/1987
• Issued: 05/09/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Superior Industries International Incorporated Van NUYS CA A Corporation of
• Original Assignee: Superior Industries International Incorporated
• Inventors: Kinkel, Peter J. III, Kinkel, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/124,078
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 296/15, 296/37.5, 296/37.6, 296/37.16, 296/24 R, 296/27, 296/50, 296/55, 296/180.2, 296/180.3, 296/24.1, 224/42.03 A, 224/42.34, 224/42.42, 224/42.44, 224/314, 224/321, 16/90, 16/94 R, 16/96 R
• US Class Current: 296/37.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/06 for tools or spare parts for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D

Abstract

The storage apparatus is adapted for use with a truck bed, and includes a front panel and a top panel hinged together, with the bottom of the front panel hinged to the floor of the truck bed. The rear of the top panel latches with the rear tailgate of the truck, and rests upon tracks on the sidewalls of the truck bed. The top panel is dimensioned to fit snuggly within the tracks and preferably has adjustable brackets on the sides of the top plate panel to allow for fine adjustment of the fitting of the top panel with the tracks. Retaining brackets are also provided on the adjustable brackets of the top panel to fit around bolts securing the track to the sidewalls of the truck bed, to prevent the top panel from being lifted upwardly in either a closed or an intermediate open position. The front panel also has bent leg portions providing a recess into which the top panel may be folded, so that the top and front panels may be collapsed to lie flat upon the floor of the truck bed.

Claims

1. A collapsible security storage apparatus for use in combination with a truck bed having right and left inner side walls, a front side wall, a rear tailgate having raised and lowered positions, and a floor, said security storage apparatus comprising:

(a) first and second rectangular rigid panel members positioned within said truck bed and extending between said right and left inner side walls, each said panel member having first and second longitudinal edges and right and left edges interjacent said longitudinal edges;

(b) means for hingedly mounting said first longitudinal edge of said first panel to said truck bed floor;

(c) means for hingedly securing said second longitudinal edge of said first panel to said first longitudinal edge of said second panel;

(d) track means adapted to receive said second panel member, said track means being mounted on said right and left inner side walls, said track means comprising right and left brackets mounted on said right and left inner sidewalls, respectively, each of said brackets including first and second legs meeting at approximately a right angle, said first leg being secured to either of said right or left inner side walls, and said second leg receive either of said right or left edges of said second panel member whereby said second panel member is extendable to be received by said track means, with said first and second panel members forming front and top sides, respectively, of a security storage compartment, said truck bed floor forming a floor, and said right and left inner side walls forming right and left sides, respectively, of said security storage compartment;

(e) said second panel member being dimensioned such that said right and left sides of said second panel member are sufficiently close to said track means when said second panel member is received by said track means to prevent purchase between said track means and each of said right and left sides of said second panel member;

(f) said second panel member including means for releasably latching said second panel member to said rear tailgate when said rear tailgate is in said raised position;

(g) retaining means for preventing substantially any movement of said second panel member in a direction normal to a plane formed by said second panel member comprising at least one first means secured to said first leg of said track bracket for interfitting with a cooperating second means for interfitting mounting on said second panel member wherein said first means for interfitting comprises at least one bolt secured to said first leg of said track bracket, and said second means for interfitting comprises at least one interfitting bracket having at least one recess receiving said bolt.

2. The security storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second panel member further includes right and left adjustable brackets mounted on the right and left edges of said second panel member, respectively, and adjustable brackets being adjustable in the longitudinal direction of said second panel member, whereby when said second panel member is received by said track means said right and left sides of said second panel member is adjustable to be sufficiently close to said track means to prevent purchase between said second panel member and said track means, and said at least one interfitting bracket being secured to at least one of said adjustable brackets, whereby when said second panel member is received by said track means and said interfitting bracket receives said bolt movement of said second panel member in a direction normal to the planar direction of receipt of said second panel member is substantially prevented.

3. The security storage apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said interfitting brackets has a pair of recesses on opposite sides of said interfitting bracket, and each of said track brackets has at least two bolts secured thereto, whereby said second panel member may be retained in a position received on said track means substantially prevented from movement normal to the surface of said second panel member when said interfitting bracket receives one of said at least two bolts.

4. A collapsible security storage apparatus for use in combination with a truck bed having right and left inner side walls, a front side wall, a rear tailgate having raised and lowered positions, and a floor, said security storage apparatus comprising:

(a) first and second rectangular rigid panel members positioned within said truck bed and extending between said right and left inner side walls, each said panel member having first and second longitudinal edges and right and left edges interjacent said longitudinal edges;

(b) means for hingedly mounting said first longitudinal edge of said first panel to said truck bed floor;

(c) means for hingedly securing said second longitudinal edge of said first panel to said first longitudinal edge of said second panel;

(d) track means adapted to receive said second panel member, said track means being mounted on said right and left inner side walls, said track means comprising right and left brackets mounted on said right and left inner sidewalls, respectively, each of said brackets including first and second legs meeting at approximately a right angle, said first leg being secured to either of said right or left inner side walls, and said second leg receive either of said right or left edges of said second panel member whereby said second panel member is extendable to be received by said track means, with said first and second panel members forming front and top sides, respectively, of a second storage compartment, said truck bed floor forming a floor, and said right and left inner side walls forming right and left sides, respectively, of said security storage compartment;

(e) said second panel member being dimensioned such that said right and left sides of said second panel member are sufficiently close to said track means when said second panel member is received by said track means to prevent purchase between said track means and each of said right and left sides of said second panel member;

(f) said second panel member including means for releasably latching said second panel member to said rear tailgate when said rear tailgate is in said raised position; and

(g) adjusting means for lengthening or shortening the longitudinal dimension of second panel mounted on the right and left edges of said second panel member, respectively, wherein said adjusting means comprises a generally "T"-shaped adjusting bracket having generally coplanar first and second legs and a third leg generally perpendicular to said first two legs, and said track bracket second leg includes a flange extending at approximately a right angle from said second leg to form a channel with said track bracket first leg receiving said adjusting bracket third leg whereby said right and left sides of said second panel member may be adjusted to be sufficiently close to said track means to prevent purchase between said second panel member and said track means.