Land vehicle storage compartment and method

• US 5,895,086 A
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David F. Carico
• Original Assignee: David F. Carico
• Inventors: Carico, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US08/888,634
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.6, 296/37.15
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 5/00 Compartments within vehicle body primarily intended or sufficiently spacious for trunks, suit-cases, or the like primarily intended for stowing loads in load-transporting vehicles B60P; arrangements for stowing spare wheels B62D43/00

Abstract

A motor vehicle having a passenger compartment has an exterior door giving access to a storage compartment disposed under the backseat. The storage compartment extends substantially the width of the vehicle. Within the storage compartment, a drawer is mounted. The drawer extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle substantially the length of the storage compartment.

Claims

1. In a land vehicle having a passenger compartment with an exterior body wall, and containing an operator seat and a second seat, said second seat located behind said operator seat, wherein said second seat defines a storage compartment therebeneath, wherein the improvement comprises:

a storage compartment door, said storage compartment door located in the exterior body wall below said second seat and sized to approximate the height and width of said storage compartment, whereby said storage compartment can be accessed therethrough.

2. The land vehicle of claim 1, wherein said storage compartment has a depth substantially equal to the length of said second seat.

3. The land vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a lock, said lock mounted on said door.

4. The land vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a hinge, said hinge mounted on said door connecting said door to said exterior wall.

5. The land vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a drawer, said drawer slidably mounted in said storage compartment.

6. The land vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a partitioning member, said partitioning member mounted under said second seat and separating said storage compartment from said passenger compartment.

7. The land vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a drawer, said drawer slidably mounted in said storage compartment.

8. The land vehicle of claim 7, further comprising means for guiding said drawer, said drawer guiding means mounted on said partitioning member.

9. A storage device comprising:

a storage compartment, a drawer, said drawer slidably positioned in said storage compartment, a vehicle seat, said storage compartment beneath said vehicle seat, an exterior vehicle body wall, said exterior body wall defining an opening, said opening coincidental to said storage compartment, a door, said door positioned within said opening whereby said drawer can be slid from beneath said vehicle seat through said opening.

10. The storage device of claim 9 wherein said door is pivotally affixed to said exterior body wall.

11. The storage device of claim 9 wherein said door forms a front sidewall of said drawer.

12. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising a lock, said lock mounted on said door.

13. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising a handle, said handle mounted on said door.

14. The storage device of claim 9, wherein said storage compartment has a depth substantially equal to the length of said vehicle seat.

15. A method of storing items in a storage compartment of a land vehicle having a passenger compartment, said passenger compartment having an exterior body wall and containing an operator seat and a second seat behind the operator seat, the method comprising:

a) providing a storage compartment disposed beneath said second seat;

b) providing a storage compartment door located in the exterior body wall below said second seat and sized to approximate the height and width of said storage compartment;

c) opening said storage compartment door; and

d) placing an item in said storage compartment.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing a slidable drawer in said storage compartment.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of sliding the drawer from the storage compartment and thereafter placing an item in said drawer.