US 2004/0069825 A1 · WATERTIGHT MULTI-OPENING LAND OR MARINE VEHICLE STORAGE BOX

Abstract

An elongated lockable rainproof storage container for use transversely at the forward end of a bed of a pickup truck ahead of typical wheel wells to store and protect tools or other valuable personal items. The container has a horizontal bottom to rest on the bed floor, a first vertical rear wall and two vertical end walls fixed relative to the bottom, and a vertically extending fourth wall facing the pickup tailgate. These four walls are of equal height and support in sealed relationship a top rainproof container closure. An elongated rectangular swingable panel forming a large portion of the fourth wall is connected along its lower long edge to the container bottom by an elongated continuous flexible waterproof plastic hinge permitting the panel to swing about ninety degrees inwardly from a vertical wall position to a horizontal floor position lying atop the container bottom where it provides a load supporting upper surface parallel to the bed floor. When the closure is opened or removed and the panel swung down to its horizontal position almost the entire inner area of the container becomes a usable vertically unobstructed storage area supplemental to the area between the container and the tailgate to facilitate hauling large crates, boxes, lumber or sheets of building material. In the vertical position of the swingable panel its opposite ends are held in waterproof sealing engagement with jambs extending inwardly from the container end walls. The container may be of sufficient size to allow the jamb spacing to correspond to wheel well spacing. A sill member extends across the container bottom between the jambs and supports in close relationship, via the elongated hinge, the bottom edge of the swingable panel. The ends of the elongated waterproof hinge and lower ends of seals along the jambs cooperate to assure watertight seals along the bottom and ends of the swingable panel when it is secured in its vertical position. The proximity of the edge of the swingable panel and the sill member substantially conceal the elongated hinge and protect it from damage and wear when the panel is in its horizontal position.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An elongated lockable rainproof storage container for use in a bed of a pickup truck, said container having:

a flat bottom floor,
a vertical front wall,
two vertical end walls and
a fourth wall opposite said front wall,
the four walls being generally perpendicular to the flat bottom floor,
a top rainproof container closure supported atop said walls and movable between closed and open positions to provide access to the interior of the container,
said front wall including an elongated rectangular swingable panel with hinge means along a lower elongated edge of the panel connecting said panel to the container bottom by means including an elongated continuous waterproof hinge permitting the panel to swing about ninety degrees between an erect first position perpendicular to the container bottom and a second load supporting position parallel to the container bottom floor,
sealing means at opposite ends of said panel forming a watertight seal between said panel and said end walls when said panel is swung to said first position,
said container providing a vertically unobstructed load storage access space between the container end walls and at the location of the front wall and communicating with an adjacent area outside the container when the container closure is opened and the panel is in said second position.

6 more elements

An elongated rainproof storage container for use transversely at the forward end of a bed of a pickup truck, said container having:

a flat bottom floor,
a vertical front wall,
two vertical end walls and
a fourth wall opposite said front wall,
the four walls being generally perpendicular to the flat bottom floor,
a top rainproof container closure supported atop said walls and movable between closed and open positions to provide access to the interior of the container,
said front wall including an elongated rectangular swingable panel with hinge means along a lower elongated edge of the panel connecting said panel to the container bottom by means including an elongated continuous flexible waterproof hinge permitting the panel to swing about ninety degrees between an erect first position perpendicular to the container bottom and a second load supporting position parallel to the container bottom floor,
sealing means at opposite ends of said panel forming a watertight seal between said panel and said end walls when said panel is swung to said first position,
said container providing a vertically unobstructed load storage access space between the container end walls and at the location of the front wall and communicating with an adjacent area outside the container when the container closure is opened and the panel is in said second position.

6 more elements

A sealable waterproof storage container having:

a plurality of sides enclosing a waterproof storage area,
said sides defining a peripheral edge of a top access opening providing access to said area,
a closure for said access opening,
said sides including a flat vertical rigid panel having a straight horizontally extending elongated bottom edge at the bottom of said storage area,
said container including a continuous waterproof hinge means extending the length of said bottom edge and supporting said vertical panel for swinging movement about said bottom edge between its vertical position and a horizontal position, said container providing a vertically unobstructed load storage access space between the top opening and the location of the front wall and communicating with an adjacent area outside the container when the container closure is opened and the panel is in said horizontal position,
said vertical panel having a top edge defining part of said peripheral opening edge,
said panel having two opposite side edges extending vertically between respective ends of the bottom edge and the top edge of the panel,
said container having a first rigidly supported structure extending along a first of said side edges when the panel is in its vertical position,
said container having a second rigidly supported structure extending along the second of said side edges when the panel is in its vertical position,
a first clampable sealing structure comprising compressible waterproof sealing means between said first rigidly supported structure and said first side edge and in sealing engagement with a first end of said waterproof hinge means when the panel is in its vertical position,
a second clampable sealing structure comprising compressible waterproof sealing means between said second rigidly supported structure and said second side edge and in sealing engagement the second end of said waterproof hinge means when the panel is in its vertical position, and
clamping means for simultaneously exerting clamping forces on each of said clampable sealing structures when the panel is in its vertical position to maintain a continuous waterproof seal around the sides and bottom of said panel from one end of said top panel edge to the other end of said top panel edge.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Watertight multi-opening land or marine vehicle storage box

Life of this patent

Watertight multi-opening land or marine vehicle storage box

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29