Vehicle with storage/utility system

• US 7,104,583 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Clare
• Original Assignee: Scott Clare
• Inventors: Clare, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US10/330,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.6, 296/183, 296/183.1, 224/404
• 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: B62D 33/02 Platforms; Open load compartments flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08

Abstract

A truck with one or more storage compartments in the bed adjacent the side panels and in which a hinged panel in the side panel or fender allows access to a storage compartment. The side panels maintain the appearance of a conventional pickup truck without storage compartments.

Claims

1. A pickup truck comprising a forward area with contoured sides and a bed;

the bed comprising;

an open cargo area;

rear wheel wells,

two opposed side panels which are contoured and generally in line with the contoured sides of the forward area of the pickup truck,

a floor;

a first and a second inner wall, which are visually integrated into the bed to define the lateral sides of the open cargo area of the bed, at least the first inner wall being spaced laterally inwardly of its associated side panel;

a storage compartment built into the bed between the first inner wall and its associated side panel, the storage compartment being located at least partially above the floor; and

a hinged panel providing access to the storage compartment,

the bed being constructed such that the pickup has substantially the external appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

2. The pickup truck of claim 1 further comprising a top rail between the first inner wall and the side panel.

3. The pickup truck of claim 2 in which the hinged panel includes at least a portion of the top rail.

4. The pickup truck of claim 2 wherein the hinged panel comprises a hinge located along a portion of the top rail.

5. The pickup truck of claim 1, wherein the first and second inner walls are spaced apart by a distance of at least four feet.

6. The pickup truck of claim 1, wherein the side panels are contoured to substantially match the contoured sides of the forward area.

7. The pickup truck of claim 1, wherein the hinged panel comprises a hinge that is not exposed to an external view of the pickup.

8. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6, or 7, wherein the storage compartment is at least partially above the wheel well.

9. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6, or 7, wherein the storage compartment is at least partially behind the wheel well.

10. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the storage compartment is at least partially above and at least partially behind the wheel well.

11. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the storage compartment is entirely above the floor of the bed.

12. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the wheel well has an inner edge portion, and the inner wall is approximately aligned with the inner edge portion of the wheel well.

13. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the wheel well has an inner edge and the inner wall is positioned near an inner edge of the wheel well.

14. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the bed comprises a forward wall and the storage compartment extends to the forward wall.

15. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the width of the storage compartment at the top of the side panel is less than the width of the wheel well at the level of the floor.

16. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, comprising a second storage compartment which is a mirror image of the first and is disposed between the second inner wall and its associated side panel.

17. The pickup truck of claim 16, wherein the first and second inner walls are spaced apart by a distance of at least four feet.

18. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the bed is constructed such that the pickup has substantially the appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

19. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the storage compartment contains a storage bin.

20. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the storage compartment is lockable.

21. The pickup truck of claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the contour of the side panels proximate the cab substantially conforms to the contour of the cab up to substantially the height of the bed.

22. A pickup truck comprising a forward area with contoured sides and a bed;

the bed comprising;

an open cargo area;

rear wheel wells,

two opposed side panels which are contoured and generally in line with the contoured sides of the forward area of the pickup truck,

a floor;

a first and a second inner wall, which are visually integrated into the bed to define the lateral sides of the open cargo area of the bed, the inner walls being spaced laterally inwardly of their associated side panels;

storage compartments built into the bed between the inner walls and their associated side panels, the storage compartments located at least partially above the floor; and

hinged panels providing access to the storage compartments;

the bed being constructed such that the pickup has substantially the external appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

23. The pickup truck of claim 22, wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges that are not exposed to an external view of the pickup truck.

24. The pickup truck of claim 22, wherein the bed is constructed such that the pickup truck has substantially the appearance of a pickup truck without the built in storage.

25. The pickup truck of claim 22, 23, or 24 wherein the contour of the side panels proximate the forward area substantially conforms to the contour of the forward area up to substantially the height of the bed.

26. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially above the wheel wells.

27. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially behind the wheel wells.

28. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially above and at least partially behind the wheel wells.

29. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the storage compartments are entirely above the floor of the bed.

30. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially above the wheel wells.

31. The pickup truck of claim 29, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially behind the wheel wells.

32. The pickup truck of claim 29, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially above and at least partially behind the wheel wells.

33. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the first and second inner walls are spaced apart by a distance of at least four feet.

34. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the wheel wells have inner edge portions, and the inner walls are approximately aligned with the inner edge portions of the wheel wells.

35. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the wheel wells have inner edges and the inner walls are each positioned near an inner edge of the wheel wells.

36. The pickup truck of claim 25, further comprising top rails between the inner walls and the side panels.

37. The pickup truck of claim 36, in which the hinged panels include at least a portion of the top rails.

38. The pickup truck of claim 36, wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges located along a portion of the top rails.

39. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the side panels are contoured to substantially match the contour of the contoured sides of the forward area.

40. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the bed comprises a forward wall and the storage compartments extend to the forward wall.

41. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the width of the storage compartments at the top of the side panels is less than the width of the wheel wells at the level of the floor.

42. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein the bed is constructed such that the pickup has substantially the appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

43. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein at least one of the storage compartments contains a storage bin.

44. The pickup truck of claim 25, wherein at least one of the storage compartments is lockable.

45. A pickup truck comprising a forward area with contoured sides and a bed;

the bed comprising;

an open cargo area;

rear wheel wells,

two opposed side panels which are contoured and generally in line with the contoured sides of the forward area of the pickup truck,

top rails;

a floor;

first and second inner walls, which are visually integrated into the bed to define the lateral sides of the open cargo area of the bed, the inner walls being spaced laterally inwardly of their associated side panels;

storage compartments built into the bed between the inner walls and their associated side panels, the storage compartments being located at least partially above the floor, at least partially above the wheel wells and at least partially behind the wheel wells; and

hinged panels providing access to the storage compartments;

the bed being constructed such that the pickup has substantially the appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

46. The pickup truck of claim 45, wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges that are not exposed to an external view of the pickup.

47. The pickup truck of claim 45, wherein the storage compartments are at least partially in front of the wheel wells.

48. The pickup truck of claim 45 wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges located along a portion of the top rails.

49. The pickup truck of claim 45, 46, 47, or 48, wherein the storage compartments are entirely above the floor of the bed.

50. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the first and second inner walls are spaced apart by a distance of at least four feet.

51. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the wheel wells have inner edge portions, and the inner walls are approximately aligned with the inner edge portions of the wheel wells.

52. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the wheel wells have inner edges and the inner walls are each positioned near an inner edge of the wheel wells.

53. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the side panels are contoured to substantially match the contoured sides of the forward area.

54. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the bed comprises a forward wall and the storage compartments extend to the forward wall.

55. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the width of the storage compartments at the top of the side panels is less than the width of the wheel wells at the level of the floor.

56. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein at least one of the storage compartments contains a storage bin.

57. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein at least one of the storage compartments is lockable.

58. The pickup truck of claim 49, wherein the contour of the side panels proximate the forward area substantially conforms to the contour of the forward area up to substantially the height of the bed.

59. A pickup truck comprising a forward area with contoured sides and a bed;

the bed comprising;

an open cargo area;

rear wheel wells,

two opposed side panels which are contoured to substantially match the contoured sides of the forward area and generally in line with the contoured sides of the forward area of the pickup truck,

top rails;

a floor;

first and second inner walls, which are visually integrated into the bed to define the lateral sides of the open cargo area of the bed, the inner walls being spaced laterally inwardly of their associated side panels;

storage compartments built into the bed between the inner walls and their associated side panels, the storage compartments each containing a storage bin located at least partially above the floor, at least partially above the wheel wells and at least partially behind the wheel wells, wherein the width of the storage compartments at the top of the side panels is less than the width of the wheel wells at the level of the floor; and

hinged panels providing access to the storage bins;

the bed being constructed such that the pickup has substantially the external appearance of a pickup truck without the built-in storage.

60. The pickup truck of claim 59 wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges located along a portion of the top rails.

61. A pickup truck comprising a forward area with contoured sides and a bed;

the bed comprising;

an open cargo area;

rear wheel wells,

two opposed side panels which are contoured to substantially match the contoured sides of the forward area and generally in line with the contoured sides of the forward area of the pickup truck,

top rails;

a floor;

first and second inner walls, which are visually integrated into the bed to define the lateral sides of the open cargo area of the bed, the inner walls being spaced laterally inwardly of their associated side panels;

storage compartments built into the bed between the inner walls and their associated side panels, the storage compartments each containing a storage bin located above the floor, at least partially above the wheel wells and at least partially behind the wheel wells, wherein the width of the storage compartments at the top of the side panels is less than the width of the wheel wells; and

hinged panels providing access to the storage bins;

the bed being constructed such that the pickup has substantially the external appearance of a pickup without the built-in storage.

62. The pickup truck of claim 61, wherein the hinged panels comprise hinges located along a portion of the top rails.