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US 6,474,521 B1Granted
Multiple-compartment storage chest for vehicles
OwnerJames O. Younginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage chest for vehicles comprises a box defining an opening and being sized for mounting to a motor vehicle; a door openably closing off the opening; a plurality of containers sized and shaped to receive and hold one or more items; a motorized drive assembly mounted to the box and connected to the plurality of containers to move the containers in a circuitous path for selective presentation thereof proximal to the opening; and, a subjacent secondary support assembly for supporting the containers.
Claims19
A storage chest for vehicles, comprising:
- a box defining an opening and being sized and configured for mounting to a motor vehicle;
- a door openably closing off the opening;
- a plurality of containers sized and shaped to receive and hold one or more items and having opposing left and right sides and opposing front and back sides;
- a motorized drive assembly connected with said plurality of containers to move said containers in a circuitous path for selective presentation thereof proximal to said opening, wherein said drive assembly includes first and second sprockets mounted to said box for rotation about respective first and second generally horizontal axes and includes third and fourth sprockets mounted to said box for rotation about respective third and fourth generally horizontal axes and includes a first chain encircling the first and second sprockets and includes a second chain encircling the third and fourth sprockets;
- wherein each of said containers has opposing first and second connection sites to the first and second chains, the first and second connection sites being located at the left and right sides respectively and being longitudinally offset from each other, one toward the front side and one toward the rear side, by an offset distance;
- and,
- subjacent secondary support means for supporting said containers.
4 more elements
A storage chest for vehicles, comprising:
- a box defining an opening and being sized and configured for mounting to a motor vehicle;
- a door openably closing off the opening;
- a plurality of containers sized and shaped to receive and hold one or more items and having opposing left and right sides and opposing front and back sides;
- a motorized drive assembly connected with said plurality of containers to move said containers in a circuitous path for selective presentation thereof proximal to said opening, wherein said drive assembly includes first and second sprockets mounted to said box for rotation about respective first and second generally horizontal axes and includes third and fourth sprockets mounted to said box for rotation about respective third and fourth generally horizontal axes and includes a first chain encircling the first and second sprockets and includes a second chain encircling the third and fourth sprockets;
- wherein each of said containers has opposing first and second connection sites to the first and second chains, the first and second connection sites being located at the left and right sides respectively;
- subjacent secondary support means for supporting said containers;
- and,
- connection means for connecting said plurality of containers to said drive assembly, said connection means including, for each connection site, a container sleeve mounted to one of the front and rear sides of a container and having a first axis, a mating chain sleeve mounted to one of the first and second chains and having a second axis, and linkage means for detachably linking the container sleeve with the chain sleeve for coaxial rotation about the second axis.
5 more elements
A storage chest for vehicles, comprising:
- a box defining an opening and being sized and configured for mounting to a motor vehicle;
- a door openably closing off the opening;
- a plurality of containers sized and shaped to receive and hold one or more items;
- a motorized drive assembly connected with said plurality of containers to move said containers in a circuitous path for selective presentation thereof proximal to said opening, and wherein said drive assembly includes first and second sprockets mounted to said box for rotation about respective first and second generally vertical axes and includes a first chain encircling the first and second sprockets, and wherein said containers move in a generally horizontal path;
- and,
- subjacent secondary support means for supporting said containers.
3 more elements
A method for storing and accessing tools, hardware and other items on a vehicle having a bed, comprising the steps of:
- providing a storage chest including a box defining an opening and sized for mounting to a motor vehicle, a door openably closing off the opening, a plurality of containers sized and shaped to receive and hold one or more items, a motorized drive assembly mounted to the box and connected to said plurality of containers to move said containers in a circuitous path for selective presentation thereof proximal to said opening, and subjacent secondary support means for supporting said containers;
- positioning the chest in the bed of the vehicle;
- opening the door;
- operating the drive assembly to move the containers in the path until the desired one of the containers is positioned for access through the opening;
- and,
- storing in the desired container or accessing from the desired container one or more tools, hardware or other items.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.