US 6,742,979 B1 · Retractable cargo box

Abstract

The present invention is for a slide-out cargo container for the baggage compartments of passenger buses. The retractable cargo box would enable luggage to be easily loaded and unloaded, eliminating undue back and shoulder strain from lifting heavy baggage at uncomfortable angles. Made of a strong, lightweight material such as aluminum, the retractable cargo box would be dimensioned to fit inside the existing luggage compartment at the lower side of the bus. Wheels along the lower left and right sides of the box would glide along special guide tracks to allow the container to be easily extended from and retracted into the baggage compartment. Two doors would be located at the front of the cargo box to eliminate the need to lift heavy luggage over the sides of the box. Door stops would ensure proper closure of the doors, and a safety hook would keep the doors from popping open. To secure the cargo box against movement during transit, a large vertical bolt attached to the front of the cargo box would be engaged in a hole in the cargo compartment. The dimensions of the cargo box could be altered for use in recreational vehicles, aircraft, trains, trucks, and other types of vehicles.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A retractable cargo box comprising:

a plurality of flat, elongated, rectangular panels each having a front and a back and integrally coupled to one another to form a rectangular box having a bottom, front, rear, right side, and left side and connected on said right side and said left side to said wheels;
a rectangular frame having a box shape and connected to said rectangular box formed by said elongated panels such that frame supports the outer edges of each said panel;
a plurality of wheels connected to said frame where it supports said right side and said left side of said box formed by said panels;
and,
a plurality of guide rails connected to said wheels.

2 more elements

A cargo box comprising:

a rectangular frame having a front, a back, a right side, and a left side;
a plurality of elongated, rectangular panels connected to said frame such that said panels form a bottom, a back wall, a right wall, and a left wall for said cargo box;
a right front side panel having a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side and connected to said frame such that said right side of said right front side panel connects to said panel forming said right wall of said cargo box;
a left front side panel having a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side and connected to said frame such that said left side of said left front side panel connects to said panel forming said left wall of said cargo box;
a plurality of hinges connected to said left side of said right front side panel and said right side of said left front side panel;
a right door having a top and a bottom and connected to said hinges of said right front side panel;
a left door having a top and a bottom and connected to said hinges of said left front side panel;
and,
a pair of door stops connected to said right and said left door such that said first door stop is connected to said bottom of said right door and said second door stop is connected to said bottom of said left door for the purpose of holding the doors in a closed position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Retractable cargo box

Life of this patent

Retractable cargo box

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20