Vehicle bed storage rack and bed divider

• US 7,464,976 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 89908 Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US11/588,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 296/3, 296/37.6, 296/39.2, 296/105, 296/37.1, 296/100.17, 280/79.3, 280/79.11, 224/401, 224/402, 224/403, 224/42.21, 224/404, 414/462
• US Class Current: 296/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like

Abstract

A vehicle bed storage device may include a rotatable beam. The beam is comprised of a pair of aligned tubular members. The beam is rotatable between a first position in which the storage device defines a vehicle bed divider and a second position in which the storage device defines an overhead storage rack. Rotatable joints connect the beam to the vehicle bed and allow the beam to be rotated between stops at the first position and the second position. At least one clamp maintains the aligned orientation of the tubular members of the beam. A sleeve based mounting interface may be applied to the tubular members of the beam to facilitate mounting various objects to the beam. Alternatively, a clamp-based mounting interface may be applied to the beam to facilitate mounting various objects to the beam.

Claims

1. A mount apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising;

a first housing portion 404 comprising;

more than one recess 410, 410, each recess 410 configured to receive a portion of one of more than one aligned tubular members 112, and

a first interlock structure 412 defining at least one first interlock surface;

a second housing portion 406 comprising;

more than one recess 420, 420, each recess 420 configured to receive a portion of one of more than one aligned tubular members 112, and

a second interlock structure 422 defining at least one second interlock surface, the at least one second interlock surface configured to mate with the at least one first interlock surface on the first housing portion 404 such that contact between the at least one first interlock surface and the at least one second interlock surface couples the first housing portion 404 and the second housing portion 406 in a mating engagement; and

a mounting bracket 802 extending from the housing 404, 406 and configured to retain cargo, wherein the mounting bracket is removably connected to the housing.

2. The mount apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fastener.

3. The mount apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fastener comprises an adjustable tensioner configured to securably advance the first housing portion towards the second housing portion.

4. The mount apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adjustable tensioner removably connects the mounting bracket to the housing.

5. The mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises:

a body 806 extending upward from the housing; and

a hole 808 through the body 806 configured to retain the cargo.

6. The mount apparatus of claim 5, wherein the body 806 defines a face transverse to an axis of the housing.