Rack for body of pickup truck

• US 5,005,892 A
• Filed: 05/14/1990
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VIX Design Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VIX Design Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Murphy, David T., Haugen, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/522,654
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 296/3, 296/6, 296/10, 224/42.42, 403/298, 403/349, 403/292, 403/348
• US Class Current: 296/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/42 convertible from one use to a different one vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media, rail-and-road vehicles B60F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/065 using screwthread connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/559 Fluted or splined section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7007 Bayonet joint

Abstract

A rack assembly having a plurality of tubular members adapted to be mounted on a pickup truck box. The sides of the rack assembly taper upwardly and outwardly to increase accessibility to items contained in the truck box. A plurality of tubular joiners located within adjacent end sections of the tubular members releasably couple the members in end-to-end relationship. The outer surface of each joiner has a circumferential annular groove intersecting at least one longitudinal groove adapted to cooperate with an inwardly extended tab provided on one of the end sections to lock the tubular members together.

Claims

1. A rack assembly adapted to be mounted on the box of a pickup truck, said box having inside generally upright side walls, comprising:

a first corner unit having first means adapted to be supported on a section of the box, a second corner unit having second means adapted to be supported on another section of the box, transverse tubular means extended between and connected to said first and second corner units, a pair of first tubular side members secured to the first corner unit located generally above and outwardly of one inside wall of the box, a pair of second tubular side members secured to the second corner unit located generally above and outwardly of the other inside wall of the box, a first tubular end member secured to one of the first side members opposite the first corner unit, a second tubular end member secured to one of the second side members opposite the second corner unit, first arm means secured to the other of the first side members opposite the first corner unit and the first tubular end member, second arm means secured to the other of the second side members opposite the second corner unit and the second tubular end member, first leg means supporting the first tubular end member on a first top section of the box second leg means supporting the second tubular end member on a second top section of the members to secure the members in end-to-end relationship and secure the transverse tubular means and first and second side members to the first and second corner units.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the joiner means comprises a plurality of generally cylindrical members adapted to be received within the adjacent end sections of the members.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outer diameter length substantially the same as an inner diameter length of the members whereby the insert is located within the adjacent end sections in a tight fitting relationship.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outer surface having an annular groove, one of the adjacent end sections having tab means adapted to be located in the annular groove to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein:

the outer surface of the cylindrical member has at least one longitudinal groove extending from an end of the insert in communication with the annular groove, the tab means adapted to be moved through the longitudinal groove to be positioned in the annular groove whereby when the tab means is located in the annular groove and the one of the adjacent end sections is rotated relative to the cylindrical member, the tab means moves in the annular groove out of alignment with the longitudinal groove to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein:

the annular groove has an inwardly inclined bottom surface and an outwardly directed shoulder, the tab means comprising an inwardly directed tab projection of a wall of the one of the adjacent end sections engageable with the bottom surface and the shoulder to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

7. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outwardly projecting annular collar engageable with the adjacent end sections.

8. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

each cylindrical member has beveled outer ends.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

each leg means comprises upwardly and outwardly inclined legs that support each end member outwardly from an inside side wall of the box.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein:

each arm means comprises an upwardly and forwardly inclined arm.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the transverse tubular means comprises first and second members, said first member being vertically spaced from the second member so as to not obstruct viewing through a rear window of the truck.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cylindrical member is a tubular member having a passage, and a sleeve located within the passage to reinforce the cylindrical member.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outer surface having an annular groove and a plurality of longitudinal grooves open to the annular groove and an end of the cylindrical member, and one of said end sections of the members having tab means adapted to be moved through said longitudinal grooves into the annular groove whereby when the cylindrical member and the one of said end sections are rotated relative to each other the tab means move out of alignment with the longitudinal grooves to hold the cylindrical member on the one of said end sections.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein:

the annular groove has an inwardly inclined bottom surface and an outwardly directed shoulder, the tab means comprising inwardly directed tab projections of a wall of the one of the adjacent end sections engageable with the bottom surface and the shoulder to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

15. A rack assembly adapted to be mounted on the box of a pickup truck, said box having inside generally upright side walls comprising:

a first corner unit having first means adapted to be supported on a section of the box, a second corner unit having second means adapted to be supported on another section of the box, transverse tubular means extended between and connected to said first and second corner units, first side member means secured to the first corner unit located generally above and outwardly of one inside wall of the box, second side member means secured to the second corner unit located generally above and outwardly of the inside wall of the box, a first end member secured to the first side member means opposite the first corner unit, a second end member secured to the second side member means opposite the second corner unit, first arm means secured to the first side member means opposite the first corner unit and the first tubular end member, second arm means secured to the second side member means opposite the second corner unit and the second tubular end member, first leg means supporting the first tubular end member on a first top section of the box, second leg means supporting the second tubular end member on a second top section of the box, and joiner means cooperating with adjacent end sections of the members to secure the members in end-to-end relationship and secure the transverse tubular means and first and second side members to the first and second corner units.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein:

the joiner means comprises a plurality of generally cylindrical members adapted to be received within the adjacent end sections of the members.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outer diameter length substantially the same as an inner diameter length of the members whereby the insert is located within the adjacent end sections in a tight fitting relationship.

18. The assembly of claim 16 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outer surface having an annular groove, one of the adjacent end sections having tab means adapted to be located in the annular groove to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein:

the outer surface of the cylindrical member has at least one longitudinal groove extending from an end of the insert in communication with the annular groove, the tab means adapted to be moved through the longitudinal groove to be positioned in the annular groove whereby when the tab means is located in the annular groove and the end of the adjacent end sections is rotated relative to the cylindrical member, the tab means moves in the annular groove out of alignment with the longitudinal groove to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

20. The assembly of claim 18 wherein:

the annular groove has an inwardly inclined bottom surface and an outwardly directed shoulder, the tab means comprising an inwardly directed tab projection of a wall of the one of the adjacent end sections engageable with the bottom surface and the shoulder to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.

21. The assembly of claim 16 wherein:

each cylindrical member has an outwardly projecting annular collar engageable with the adjacent end sections.

22. The assembly of claim 16 wherein:

each cylindrical member has beveled outer ends.

23. The assembly of claim 15 wherein:

each leg means comprises upwardly and outwardly inclined legs that support each end member outwardly from an inside side wall of the box.

24. The assembly of claim 15 wherein:

the transverse tubular means comprises first and second members, said first member being vertically spaced from the second member so as to not obstruct viewing through a rear window of the truck.

25. The assembly of claim 15 wherein;

the cylindrical member is a tubular member having a passage, and a sleeve located within the passage to reinforce the cylindrical member.

26. The assembly of claim 15 wherein;

each cylindrical member has an outer surface having an annular groove and a plurality of longitudinal grooves open to the annular groove and an end of the cylindrical member, and one of said end sections of the members having tab means adapted to be moved through said longitudinal grooves into the annular groove whereby when the cylindrical member and the one of said end sections are rotated relative to each other the tab means move out of alignment with the longitudinal grooves to hold the cylindrical member on the one of said end sections.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein;

the annular groove has an inwardly inclined bottom surface and an outwardly directed shoulder, the tab means comprising inwardly directed tab projections of a wall of the one of the adjacent end sections engageable with the bottom surface and the shoulder to hold the cylindrical member on the one of the adjacent end sections.