Low profile compartment for vehicle door
OwnerRonald E. Rileyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low profile toolbox or other compartment for installation in the tailgate of a pickup truck or in any other vehicle door. The toolbox has a body portion that is installed inside the tailgate through an opening in the inner or outer panel. A flat lid is pivotally attached by means of a frame over the opening. Because the lid is flat and the body is inside the cavity, the top surface of the toolbox is substantially flush with the inner panel of the tailgate. In this way, when the tailgate is open, the toolbox creates no obstacle to use of the tailgate to slide objects in and out of the truck bed. Yet, the toolbox is more easily accessible than if it were attached to one of the sidewalls of the truck, at the front of the bed, or even inside the truck.
Claims36
A compartment assembly for installation in a door in a vehicle, wherein the door has a cavity defined by an inner panel and an outer panel, wherein a selected one of the inner or outer panel has an opening therein to receive the compartment assembly, the assembly comprising:
- a body forming a compartment sized to be received in the cavity of the vehicle door through the opening and supportable inside the cavity;
- and
- a lid mountable over the opening, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the lid is substantially flush with the selected one of the inner and outer panels.
A vehicle comprising:
- a carriage;
- a drive system;
- a door having a cavity defined by an inner panel and an outer panel and wherein a selected one of the inner and outer panels has an opening therein into the cavity;
- and
- a compartment comprising:
- a body forming a compartment sized to be received in the cavity of the door through the opening and supported inside the cavity;
- and
- a lid movable between an open position and a closed position, the lid being substantially flush with the selected one of the inner and outer panels when in the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.