Tool compartment assembly for mounting on a pickup truck or like vehicle

• US 5,121,306 A
• Filed: 03/06/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Doug Palmisano
• Original Assignee: Doug Palmisano
• Inventors: Palmisano, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/665,462
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/74, 362/83.3, 362/154, 362/156, 362/253, 296/37.6, 296/180.1, 296/102, 296/99.1, 292/35, 292/36, 292/140, 292/DIG. 25, 312/DIG. 33
• US Class Current: 362/485
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0083 Pick-up trucks; Light trucks; Sport utility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like

Abstract

A tool compartment adapted to be mounted to the bed of a truck between vertical side panels thereof, and including a lower base portion having an interior storage compartment and a cover hingedly attached thereto being movable between an open and a closed position relative to an open top of the base portion. A light mounting apparatus is attached to and extends upwardly from the cover, wherein auxiliary or other type lights may be mounted. A locking mechanism allows the cover to be locked in the closed position from within an interior of the truck.

Claims

1. A tool compartment assembly adapted to be mounted to a bed of a pickup truck or like vehicle for the storage of tools and other articles therein, said assembly comprising:

a base having a bottom and a surrounding wall structure including a front wall, a rear wall, and two opposite side walls, and an open top disposed in surrounding relation to a compartment interior, said base structured to be mounted transversely across a width of the bed adjacent a cabin of the pickup truck between oppositely disposed vertical side panels thereof,

a cover hingedly connected to said base and structured to be moved between an open position and a closed position, said closed position defined by said cover disposed in substantially overlying, covering relation to said open top,

a super structure connected to and extending upwardly from side ends of a top surface of said cover and further extending substantially horizontally across the length of said cover in spaced relation above said top surface thereof,

light mounting means on said super structure for mounting lights thereto,

said light mounting means including a light platform portion normally disposed in substantially adjacent, coplanar relation to a roof of the cabin of the truck when said cover is in said closed position, and

attachment means for attaching said base to the pickup truck.

2. An assembly as in claim 1 further comprising locking means structured and disposed for locking said cover in said closed position.

3. An assembly as in claim 2 wherein said locking means is operable between a locked position and an unlocked position by manipulating a lock operation means located within a cabin interior of the truck.

4. An assembly as in claim 3 wherein said base includes a flanged upper peripheral edge disposed about said open top and including two side flange portions extending outwardly from a top edge of said opposite side walls, said side flange portions structured and disposed to supportably engage a top edge of said vertical side panels.

5. An assembly as in claim 4 wherein said side flange portions include a resilient seal attached to and extending substantially along a length thereof on upper and lower surfaces thereof.

6. An assembly as in claim 5 wherein said cover includes an upper resilient seal attached to an undersurface thereof and adapted to engage said flanged upper peripheral edge in sealed relation therewith when said cover is in said closed position.

7. An assembly as in claim 6 further including at least one shock absorbing telescopic extension ram attached at opposite ends to said base and said cover respectively and structured to regulate a rate of movement of said cover between said open and closed positions.

8. An assembly as in claim 7 wherein said locking means includes a pair of transverse extension rods each movably mounted to an interior surface of said front wall and adapted to move laterally between said locked and said unlocked positions.

9. An assembly as in claim 8 wherein said lock operation means includes a cam member mounted to said interior surface of said front wall with said transverse extension rods connected to said cam member, wherein rotation of said cam member causes lateral movement of said transverse extension rods.

10. An assembly as in claim 9 wherein said lock operation means further includes a shaft extending between the cabin interior of the truck and said compartment interior of said base, said shaft connected at one end to said cam member, and an opposite end of said shaft disposed within said cabin interior and including a handle attached thereto, wherein movement of said handle causes rotation of said cam member.

11. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein said super structure comprises a one-piece, integrally formed structure defining an air foil dimensioned and configured so as to substantially conform with an exterior configuration of the cabin of the truck.

12. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein said super structure comprises a pair of bars each attached at opposite ends to opposite sides of said cover and extending upwardly therefrom, said bars further extending in substantially parallel relation to one another above said cover and substantially along a length thereof in spaced relation above said top surface of said cover.