Removable vehicle trunk organizer

• US 6,149,040 A
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Viola Walker
• Original Assignee: Viola Walker
• Inventors: Walker, Viola
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US09/257,411
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 224/539, 224/542, 224/404, 224/925, 224/551, 224/42.32, 224/42.33, 224/42.34, 296/37.6, 296/37.8, 296/37.1, 410/143, 410/151, 410/145, 410/149
• US Class Current: 224/539
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/02 in separate luggage compartment B60R7/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising a container with a variable number of separated compartments and a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk. The reversible locking device comprises a spiral throw-out lock with at least one extensible leg linked to an exterior actuator.

Claims

1. A removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising:

a. a container of predetermined dimensions having four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface, each upstanding wall having a bottom edge connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom wall; and

b. a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk, wherein the reversible locking device for securing the container within the vehicle trunk comprises a lock with at least one extensible leg linked to an actuator arm that is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the walls, and wherein a linkage links the at least one extensible leg to the actuator arm,

said linkage comprising a first bevel gear extending from the actuator arm operatively connected to a second bevel gear disposed on an and of a rod with a worm gear disposed concentrically with said rod,

said at least one extensible leg comprising a threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end and a pinion gear,

said pinion gear being disposed concentrically with said threaded rod and being cooperatively engaged with the worm gear, and

said actuator arm moves between a first position in which the shoe of the extensible leg is retracted and a second position in which the shoe is extended distally away from the container, whereby, the shoe may contact a side wall of the vehicle trunk to secure the container against lateral movement therein.

2. The removable vehicle trunk organizer of claim 1, wherein said threaded rod is connected to the container by an internally threaded sleeve fixedly attached to the container and disposed concentrically with the threaded rod.

3. The removable vehicle trunk organizer of claim 2, wherein the pinion gear has an internal recess defined therein with at least a portion thereof being internally threaded, and said threaded rod is connected to the container through said internally threaded pinion gear and is movable axially in response to the rotational movement of said pinion gear.

4. A removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising:

a. a container of predetermined dimensions having four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface,

each upstanding wall having a bottom edge connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom wall; and

b. a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk,

wherein the reversible locking device for securing the container within the vehicle trunk comprises a bi-lateral lock with two extensible legs linked to an actuator arm that is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the upstanding walls,

wherein the extensible legs are coaxial, and

wherein a linkage links the two extensible legs to the actuator arm,

said linkage comprising a first bevel gear extending from the actuator arm operatively connected to a second bevel gear disposed on an end of a rod with a worm gear disposed concentrically with said rod,

said two extensible legs comprise a first threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end, a second threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end, and a pinion gear cooperatively engaged with the worm gear,

said pinion gear having a first end and a second end and an internal recess defined therein with at least a portion of the internal recess proximate to the first end and at least a portion of the internal recess proximate to the second end being internally threaded, and the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the first end being in an opposite direction as the internally threaded portion proximate to the second end, the first threaded rod having an external threaded portion that is engagingly compatible with the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the first end, and the second threaded rod having an external threaded portion that is engagingly compatible with the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the second end,

whereby, the pinion gear acts as a motive turnbuckle to extend the first threaded rod and the second threaded rod outwardly to engage the side walls of the trunk when said pinion gear is rotated by the worm gear as the actuator arm is moved from the first position to the second position, to retract the first rod and the second rod inwardly to disengage from the side walls of the trunk when said pinion gear is rotated by the worm gear as the actuator arm is moved from the second position to the first position, and

said threaded rods being connected to the container through said internally threaded pinion gear.

5. The removable vehicle trunk organizer of claim 4, wherein each said extensible leg is disposed under the bottom wall of the container, when the actuator arm is in the first position.

6. A removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising:

a. a container of predetermined dimensions having four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface,

each upstanding wall having a bottom edge connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom wall,

said exterior surface of the bottom wall has a plurality of footings adapted to deter sliding of the container on a floor of the trunk,

said container further having at least one interior divider that is pivotally connected to a bottom portion of the container and said at least one interior divider being movable between an upright dividing position and a felled position adjacent to the bottom wall, and wherein the at least one interior divider is held in the upright dividing position by at least one fastener disposed proximate an upper edge of one of the upstanding walls; and

b. a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk comprising a lock with at least one extensible leg linked to an actuator arm that is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the walls,

said actuator arm being pivotally mounted and the exterior surface on which the actuator arm is mounted adjacent the wall that is proximate to the at least one extensible leg, and

wherein a linkage links the at least one extensible leg to the actuator arm,

said linkage comprising a first bevel gear extending from the actuator arm operatively connected to a second bevel gear disposed on an end of a rod with a worm gear disposed concentrically with said rod,

said at least one extensible leg comprising a threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end and a pinion gear,

said threaded rod is connected to the container by an internally threaded sleeve fixedly attached to the container and disposed concentrically with the threaded rod,

said pinion gear being disposed concentrically with said threaded rod and being cooperatively engaged with the worm gear, and

said actuator arm moves between a first position in which the shoe of the extensible leg is retracted and a second position in which the shoe is extended distally away from the container, whereby, the shoe may contact a side wall of the vehicle trunk to secure the container against lateral movement therein.

7. A removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising:

a. a container of predetermined dimensions having four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface,

said exterior surface or the bottom wall having a plurality of footings adapted to deter sliding of the container on a floor of the trunk,

each upstanding wall having a bottom edge connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom wall,

said container further comprises at least one interior divider that is pivotally connected to a bottom portion of the container and said at least one interior divider is movable between an upright dividing position and a felled position adjacent to the bottom wall, and wherein the at least one interior divider is held in the upright dividing position by at least one fastener disposed proximate an upper edge of one of the upstanding walls; and

b. a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk comprising a bi-lateral lock with two extensible legs linked to an actuator arm that is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the upstanding walls,

said two extensible legs being coaxial, and

wherein a linkage links the two extensible legs to the actuator arm,

said linkage comprising a first bevel gear extending from the actuator arm operatively connected to a second bevel gear disposed on an end of a rod with a worm gear disposed corcentrically with said rod,

said two extensible legs comprise a first threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end, a second threaded rod with a shoe disposed on a leading end, and a pinion gear cooperatively engaged with the worm gear,

said pinion gear having a first end and a second end and an internal recess defined therein with at least a portion of the internal recess proximate to the first end and at least a portion of the internal recess proximate to the second end being internally threaded, and the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the first end being in an opposite direction as the internally threaded portion proximate to the second end,

the first threaded rod having an external threaded portion that is engagingly compatible with the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the first end, and the second threaded rod having an external threaded portion that is engagingly compatible with the direction of the internally threaded portion proximate to the second end,

whereby, the pinion gear acts as a motive turnbuckle to extend the first threaded rod and the second threaded rod outwardly to engage the side walls of the trunk when said pinion gear is rotated by the worm gear as the actuator arm is moved from the first position to the second position, to retract the first rod and the second rod inwardly to disengage from the side walls of the trunk when said pinion gear is rotated by the worm gear as the actuator arm is moved from the second position to the first position, and

said threaded rods being connected to the container through said internally threaded pinion gear.