US 6,641,013 B2Granted

Tool storage system for pick-up truck

OwnerJoe H. Diseinventor

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Abstract

Presented is a tool storage system for pick-up trucks that includes releasably interconnected independent units that are separately manufactured and which are assembled into a composite assembly of interconnected units that fit snugly yet removably in the cargo bed of a pick-up truck. The tool storage system incorporates elongated left and right side storage boxes that straddle the rear wheel compartments that protrude into the truck bed. These elongated lidded storage boxes are attached to associated side walls of the truck bed so that the top surface of the lids lie flush with the top edges of the truck side walls. A central array of separate and independent storage boxes arranged in tandem from the front wall of the truck bed to the tailgate are mounted within the cargo compartment between the elongated left and right side storage boxes. Crossbeams are associated with these independent storage boxes that make up the center array and lockable lids associated with each of the storage boxes are pivotally mounted on the crossbeams. The lids of the storage boxes forming the center array are flush with the lids on the left and right side storage boxes so that collectively the storage boxes provide a flat surface on which cargo may be transported. Closure of the tailgate locks all of the storage boxes within the cargo compartment of the pick-up truck.

Claims17

Dependent claims

In combination with a pick-up truck having a cab and a cargo bed having a front wall adjacent the truck cab, a pair of laterally spaced parallel and vertical side walls having top surface edges spaced above bottom edges integral with a bottom wall extending rearward with said side walls from said front wall to rear edges lying in a common plane and a tailgate pivotally mounted on the rear edge of one of said side rails or said rearward edge of said bottom wall and selectively deployable between open and closed positions to define a quadrilateral cargo compartment there-between, a secure storage system detachably mounted within the confines of the quadrilateral cargo compartment of the pick-up truck cargo bed for storing tools of various kinds while providing a flat work surface flush with the top surface edges of said side walls of the pick-up truck cargo bed, said storage system comprising:

a) a pair of laterally spaced elongated storage boxes, each having a pivotal top lid thereon deployable between open and closed positions which lie flush with the top surface of the associated side wall when closed, each said elongated storage box having an outer wall, an inner wall and opposed end walls, said outer wall being detachably mounted within said cargo compartment to an associated side wall;
b) a center array of multiple independent storage boxes disposed between the inner walls of said elongated storage boxes and extending tandem-like from said front wall of said cargo compartment to the rear edges thereof defined by said side walls and said bottom wall, each of said independent storage boxes having integral spaced end walls adjacent the associated inner walls of said elongated storage boxes, a rear wall, and a front wall;
and a pivotally mounted lid operatively associated with each said independent storage box of said center array and selectively deployable between open and closed condition of the associated storage box;
and
c) means for independently locking said elongated side storage boxes, said center array of storage boxes and said tailgate in closed condition to secure the contents of said quadrilateral cargo compartment.

2 more elements

As an article of manufacture, a secure storage system for pick-up trucks adapted to be selectively mounted in the cargo compartment thereof, said storage system comprising;

a) a pair of laterally spaced elongated storage boxes, each having a pivotal top lid thereon deployable between open and closed positions, each said elongated storage box having an outer wall, an inner wall, a bottom wall and opposed front and rear end walls;
b) a center array of multiple independent storage boxes disposed between the inner walls of said elongated storage boxes and extending tandem-like from said front end wall to said rear end wall thereof, each of said independent storage boxes having integral spaced end walls adjacent the associated inner walls of said elongated storage boxes, a rear wall, and a front wall;
c) a crossbeam adjacent each said independent storage box of said center array of multiple independent storage boxes, each said crossbeam being detachably secured at opposite ends to the associated inner wall of said laterally spaced elongated storage boxes to retain them laterally spaced;
d) a lid associated with each independent storage box and pivotally mounted on one of said crossbeams associated with each independent storage box of said center array, each said lid selectively deployable between open and closed condition of the associated storage box;
e) spacer blocks interposed between the inner walls of said laterally spaced elongated storage boxes and the associated end walls of said center array of multiple independent storage boxes, said spacer blocks being mounted on the inner walls of said laterally spaced elongated storage boxes;
and
f) slide locks mounted on at least one of said front or rear walls of said multiple independent storage boxes and selectively digitally actuable to engage or disengage said spacer blocks to detachably secure said center array of independent storage boxes to said laterally spaced elongated storage boxes to form a composite assembly.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.