Vehicle mounted storage unit

• US 5,743,584 A
• Filed: 05/21/1997
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Geneva Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Geneva Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Lance, Sandra L., Lance, Marshall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/861,183
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.6, 296/37.8, 296/37.16, 312/310, 312/311, 224/402, 224/403, 224/404, 224/488
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted storage unit for use with a vehicle having a rear door, comprising a cabinet having front and back portions, a door in the front portion of the cabinet, a locking device for the door, a mounting device attached to the floor of a vehicle, and mounting means for attaching the cabinet to the mounting device such that the mounting means is located inside the cabinet such that the mounting means may be accessed only if the door is open, wherein the storage unit is located adjacent to a door of the vehicle, and the door in the front portion of the cabinet opens toward the door of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounted storage unit mounted to a rear bed of a pickup truck having a sidewall, a wheel well having a portion which extends outwardly from said sidewall by a first distance, and a tailgate that is movable between a closed position and an open position, said tailgate being spaced from a rear portion of said wheel well by a second distance, said sidewall of said pickup truck extending above said bed of said pickup truck by a height corresponding to a third distance, said vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a mounting bracket fixed to said bed of said pickup truck, said mounting bracket having a width that is less than said first distance and a length that is less than said second distance, said mounting bracket being fixed to said bed of said pickup truck at a mounting point adjacent said sidewall of said pickup truck and between said wheel well and said tailgate;

means for fixing said mounting bracket to said bed of said pickup truck at said mounting point;

a cabinet attached to said mounting bracket, said cabinet being removable from said mounting bracket and having a width not greater than said first distance, a length not greater than said second distance, and a height not greater than said third distance, said cabinet being disposed adjacent said sidewall of said pickup truck and between said wheel well and said tailgate of said pickup truck, with no portion of said cabinet extending outside of a hexahedral-shaped space defined by a first horizontal plane coinciding with said bed of said pickup truck, a second horizontal plane disposed at an elevation coinciding with a top portion of said sidewall, a first vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said sidewall of said pickup truck, a second vertical plane coinciding with said outwardly extending portion of said wheel well, a third vertical plane coinciding with said rear portion of said wheel well, and a fourth vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said tailgate;

a plurality of drawers disposed in said cabinet;

a plurality of drawer support members for supporting said drawers, at least one of said drawer support members supporting at least one of said drawers so that said one drawer is movable in a direction parallel to said first and second vertical planes between an open position and a closed position, a portion of said one drawer extending beyond said fourth vertical plane and outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its open position and when said tailgate is in its open position, said one drawer being disposed between said first and second vertical planes when said one drawer is in its open position, said portion of said one drawer not extending outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its closed position; and

a door connected to said cabinet, said door being movable between an open position in which said drawers are exposed and a closed position in which said door covers said drawers, said door being oriented in a direction parallel to said third and fourth vertical planes when said door is in its closed position.

2. A vehicle mounted storage unit as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a lock for locking said door connected to said cabinet.

3. A vehicle mounted storage unit mounted to a rear bed of a pickup truck having a sidewall, a wheel well having a portion which extends outwardly from said sidewall by a first distance, and a tailgate that is movable between a closed position and an open position, said tailgate being spaced from a rear portion of said wheel well by a second distance, said sidewall of said pickup truck extending above said bed of said pickup truck by a height corresponding to a third distance, said vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a cabinet fixed to said bed of said pickup truck, said cabinet having a width not greater than said first distance, a length not greater than said second distance, and a height not greater than said third distance, said cabinet being disposed adjacent said sidewall of said pickup truck and between said wheel well and said tailgate of said pickup truck, with no portion of said cabinet extending outside of a hexahedral-shaped space defined by a first horizontal plane coinciding with said bed of said pickup truck, a second horizontal plane disposed at an elevation coinciding with a top portion of said sidewall, a first vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said sidewall of said pickup truck, a second vertical plane coinciding with said outwardly extending portion of said wheel well, a third vertical plane coinciding with said rear portion of said wheel well, and a fourth vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said tailgate;

a plurality of drawers disposed in said cabinet;

a plurality of drawer support members for supporting said drawers, at least one of said drawer support members supporting at least one of said drawers so that said one drawer is movable in a direction parallel to said first and second vertical planes between an open position and a closed position, a portion of said one drawer extending beyond said fourth vertical plane and outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its open position and when said tailgate is in its open position, said one drawer being disposed between said first and second vertical planes when said one drawer is in its open position, said portion of said one drawer not extending outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its closed position; and

a door connected to said cabinet, said door being movable between an open position in which said drawers are exposed and a closed position in which said door covers said drawers, said door being oriented in a direction parallel to said third and fourth vertical planes when said door is in its closed position.

4. A vehicle mounted storage unit as defined in claim 3 additionally comprising a lock for locking said door connected to said cabinet.

5. A vehicle mounted storage unit adapted to be mounted to a rear bed of a pickup truck having a sidewall, a wheel well having a portion which extends outwardly from said sidewall by a first distance, and a tailgate that is spaced from a rear portion of said wheel well by a second distance, said sidewall of said pickup truck extending above said bed of said pickup truck by a height corresponding to a third distance, said vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a cabinet having a width not greater than said first distance, a length not greater than said second distance, and a height not greater than said third distance, said cabinet being adapted to be disposed adjacent said sidewall of said pickup truck and between said wheel well and said tailgate of said pickup truck, with no portion of said cabinet extending outside of a hexahedral-shaped space defined by a first horizontal plane coinciding with said bed of said pickup truck, a second horizontal plane disposed at an elevation coinciding with a top portion of said sidewall, a first vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said sidewall of said pickup truck, a second vertical plane coinciding with said outwardly extending portion of said wheel well, a third vertical plane coinciding with said rear portion of said wheel well, and a fourth vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said tailgate;

a plurality of drawers disposed in said cabinet; and

a plurality of drawer support members for supporting said drawers, at least one of said drawer support members supporting at least one of said drawers so that said one drawer is movable in a direction parallel to said first and second vertical planes between an open position and a closed position, a portion of said one drawer extending beyond said fourth vertical plane and outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its open position, said one drawer being disposed between said first and second vertical planes when said one drawer is in its open position, said portion of said one drawer not extending outside of said hexahedral-shaped space when said one drawer is in its closed position.

6. A vehicle mounted storage unit adapted to be mounted to a rear bed of a pickup truck having a sidewall, a wheel well having a portion which extends outwardly from said sidewall by a first distance, and a tailgate that is spaced from a rear portion of said wheel well by a second distance, said vehicle mounted storage unit comprising:

a cabinet having a width not greater than said first distance and a length not greater than said second distance, said cabinet being adapted to be disposed adjacent said sidewall of said pickup truck and between said wheel well and said tailgate of said pickup truck, with no portion of said cabinet extending outside of a space bounded by a first vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said sidewall of said pickup truck, a second vertical plane coinciding with said outwardly extending portion of said wheel well, a third vertical plane coinciding with said rear portion of said wheel well, and a fourth vertical plane coinciding with an interior portion of said tailgate;

at least one drawer disposed in said cabinet; and

a plurality of drawer support members for supporting said drawer, said drawer support members supporting said drawer so that said drawer is movable in a direction parallel to said first and second vertical planes between an open position and a closed position, a portion of said drawer extending beyond said fourth vertical plane and outside of said bounded space when said drawer is in its open position, said drawer being disposed between said first and second vertical planes when said drawer is in its open position, said portion of said drawer not extending outside of said bounded space when said drawer is in its closed position.