# US 2025/0083753 A1 · Vehicles including truck bed storage systems with rotating rack assemblies

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2025/0083753 A1
- Document ID: US20250083753A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/367,806
- Filed: 2023-09-13
- Published: 2025-03-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-09-13
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Josh D. Fraley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250083753A1

## CPC

- B62D 33/0207: {Connections of movable or detachable racks or stanchions to platforms}
- B60R 9/065: {Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. trunks}
- B60R 11/06: for tools or spare parts (for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D)
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A vehicle includes a truck bed that includes a bed deck and a storage system that includes a rack assembly including a housing having a fixed size that occupies at least 10 percent of a total area of the bed deck in a stowed position. The rack assembly includes a pivot mechanism that is mounted to a rear pillar of the vehicle and provides a fixed pivot location. The rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from the stowed position entirely within the truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging a tailgate of the truck bed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle comprising:
a truck bed comprising a bed deck; and
a storage system comprising a rack assembly comprising a housing, the rack assembly comprising a pivot mechanism that is mounted to a rear pillar of the vehicle and provides a fixed pivot location, wherein the rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from a stowed position entirely within the truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging a tailgate of the truck bed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a top wall that extends parallel to the bed deck, a first sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and in a vehicle lateral direction with the rack assembly in the stowed position, a second sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and outward from the first sidewall at least partially in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises one or more bins accessible along the first sidewall.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the housing comprises one or more other bins accessible along the second sidewall.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a third sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and between the first and second sidewalls.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the truck bed comprises a wheel well, the third sidewall having a wheel well recess that is sized to receive the wheel well with the rack assembly in the stowed position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle of claim 6, wherein a first height of the housing is equal to or less than a second height of the wheel well.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rack assembly is a first rack assembly, the storage system further comprising a second rack assembly comprising a second housing having a fixed size that occupies at least 10 percent of a total area of the bed deck, the second rack assembly comprising a second pivot mechanism that is mounted to another rear pillar of the vehicle and provides another fixed pivot location, wherein the second rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from a stowed position entirely within the truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging the tailgate of the truck bed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a motor operatively connected to the housing that pivots the housing about the pivot location.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a track system configured to support the housing in the extended position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the storage system comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the housing at an angular location relative to the pivot location.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing occupies at least about 30 percent of the total area of the bed deck in the stowed position.

### Claim 13

A storage system comprising:
a rack assembly comprising a housing, the rack assembly comprising a pivot mechanism that is configured to mount to a rear pillar of the vehicle and provide a fixed pivot location, wherein the rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from a stowed position entirely within a truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging a tailgate of the truck bed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The storage system of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a top wall configured to extend parallel to the bed deck, a first sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and in a vehicle lateral direction with the rack assembly in the stowed position, a second sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and outward from the first sidewall at least partially in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The storage system of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises one or more bins accessible along the first sidewall.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The storage system of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises one or more other bins accessible along the second sidewall.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The storage system of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a third sidewall that extends downward from the top wall and between the first and second sidewalls.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The storage system of claim 17, wherein the third sidewall has a wheel well recess that is sized to receive a wheel well of the truck bed with the rack assembly in the stowed position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The storage system of claim 18, wherein a first height of the housing is equal to or less than a second height of the wheel well.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The storage system of claim 13, wherein the rack assembly is a first rack assembly, the storage system further comprising a second rack assembly comprising a second housing having a fixed size that occupies at least 10 percent of a total area of the bed deck, the second rack assembly comprising a second pivot mechanism that is mounted to another rear pillar of the vehicle and provides another fixed pivot location, wherein the second rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from a stowed position entirely within the truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging the tailgate of the truck bed.