Vehicle mounted storage unit

• US 6,889,881 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sausage Express A
• Original Assignee: Sausage Express A
• Inventors: Wilkens, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US10/346,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20040079778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 224/42.12, 224/509, 224/42.13, 224/42.24, 224/511, 224/533, 224/537, 224/547, 224/553, 224/558, 224/567, 224/571, 296/37.1, 296/37.2, 296/37.7, 296/218
• US Class Current: 224/509
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/065 Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. trunks

Abstract

The vehicle mounted storage unit includes a support bracket that is clamped to a vehicle'"'"'s spare tire and wheel rack on the outside of a vehicle by the fasteners that clamp the wheel to the rack. A storage unit frame is attached to the support bracket by a mechanical fastener. A pair of spaced apart left upper door panel post receiving tubes are mounted on the unit frame. A pair of spaced apart right upper door panel post receiving tubes are also mounted on the storage unit frame. The posts are positioned to minimize the space required for the door panel panels. Side curtain hangers are also secured to the storage unit frame. An inner pan is attached to the unit frame. An outer pan is pivotally connected to the unit frame. The two pans cooperate to encase the unit frame and vehicle components supported by the unit frame.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a support bracket assembly including a mounting plate with at least two apertures that match a vehicle wheel bolt pattern on a vehicle spare wheel, a bar with one end fixed to the mounting plate and another end having a threaded bore with a threaded bore axis extending through the mounting plate and in alignment with a wheel passage through the vehicle spare wheel, and wherein the mounting plate is adapted to be clamped to a spare wheel carrier assembly and positioned between the vehicle spare wheel and the spare wheel carrier assembly;

a storage unit frame having a mounting aperture, and a single mounting bolt that passes through the mounting aperture, screws into the threaded bore in the support bracket assembly, and wherein the single mounting bolt forces the storage unit frame toward the mounting plate;

a first left upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a first upper left door panel post and a second left door upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a second upper left door panel post; and

a first right upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a first upper right door panel post and a second right upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a second upper right door panel post.

2. A vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a support bracket assembly including a mounting plate with at least two apertures that match a vehicle wheel bolt pattern on a vehicle spare wheel, a bar with one end fixed to the mounting plate and another end having a threaded bore with a threaded bore axis extending through the mounting plate and in alignment with a wheel passage through the vehicle spare wheel, and wherein the mounting plate is adapted to be clamped to a spare wheel carrier assembly and positioned between the vehicle spare wheel and the spare wheel carrier assembly;

a storage unit frame having a mounting aperture, and a single mounting bolt that passes through the mounting aperture, screws into the threaded bore in the support bracket assembly, and wherein the single mounting bolt forces the storage unit frame toward the mounting plate;

a first left upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a first upper left door panel post and a second left upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a second upper left door panel post; and

a first right upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a first upper right door panel post and a second right upper door panel post receiving passage in the storage unit frame adapted to receive a second upper right door panel post.

3. A vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a support bracket assembly including a mounting plate having at least three apertures that are positioned to receive a plurality of wheel support studs of a spare wheel and tire rack mounted on a vehicle, a support bar having one end fixed to the mounting plate generally between the at least three apertures, a second end having a threaded bore, and wherein the support bar extends outward from an outer side of the mounting plate;

a storage unit frame including an upper horizontal frame member, a lower horizontal frame member, a vertical frame member with an upper member end secured to the upper horizontal frame member and a lower member end secured to the lower horizontal frame member, at least one frame mounting aperture through the vertical frame member, and a mounting bolt passing through the frame mounting aperture and received in the threaded bore in the support bracket assembly for connecting the storage unit frame to the support bracket assembly and removable from the threaded bore for releasing the storage unit frame from the support bracket assembly;

a first door pin bracket attached to an outer side of the lower horizontal frame member and including a first left upper door panel post receiving passage, and a first right upper door panel post receiving passage spaced from the first left upper door panel post receiving passage in a direction parallel to a lower horizontal frame member long axis;

a second door pin bracket attached to an outer side of the lower horizontal frame member and including a second left upper door panel post receiving passage, and a second right upper door panel post receiving passage spaced from the second left upper door panel post receiving passage in a direction parallel to the lower horizontal frame member long axis.

4. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first left upper door panel post receiving passage is formed by a first left tube of the first door pin bracket;

the first right upper door panel post receiving passage is formed by a first right tube of the first door pin bracket;

the second left upper door panel post receiving passage is formed by a second left tube of the second door pin bracket; and

the second right upper door panel post receiving passage is formed by a second right tube of the second door pin bracket.

5. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first left tube and the first right tube extend upwardly and toward each other;

and wherein the second left tube and the second right tube extend upwardly and toward each other.

6. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the distance between the first door pin bracket and the second door pin bracket is adjustable.

7. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 3, including a first side curtain hanger attached to the upper horizontal frame member, and a second side curtain hanger attached to the upper horizontal frame and spaced from the first side curtain hanger.

8. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 3, including at least one extension bracket attached to the upper horizontal frame member and extending rearward from the upper horizontal frame member.

9. A vehicle mounted storage unit, as set forth in claim 8, including an inner pan attached to an inner side of the storage unit frame;

at least one hinge secured to the at least one extension bracket;

an outer pan connected to the at least one hinge and pivotable between an open position and a closed position in which the entire storage unit frame is encased in a storage container formed by the inner pan and the outer pan.