Truck bed storage apparatus and tonneau cover
AssigneeThomas M. Sharples
InventorThomas M. Sharples
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article storage receptacle is mountable in a truck bed. A storage compartment is supported by a pivotal frame coupled to a moving unit for moving the frame and the storage compartment between a first position overlaying the truck bed to a variably selected second position elevated from the first position opening the interior of the storage compartment to access. A tonneau cover is pivotally mounted on the frame. An article carrier is carried by the tonneau cover.
Claims33
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- a storage compartment mountable over a truck bed, the storage compartment having a first side edge disposed adjacent one sidewall of the truck bed and an opposed second side edge disposed laterally inward of the first side edge;
- means, coupled to the storage compartment and the truck bed, for moving the storage compartment between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a second position elevated from the first position, wherein, in the second position, the second side edge of the storage compartment is disposed above a plane extending between the tops of the sidewalls of the truck bed to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment;
- and
- a cover coupled to and movable with the storage compartment, the cover movably closing an open portion of the storage compartment.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means;
- the storage compartment means including:
- a frame;
- at least one storage compartment;
- and
- movement assist means, coupled to the frame, for assisting movement of the frame between the first and second position.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means;
- the moving means including:
- a rack stationarily positioned with respect to the storage compartment means, the rack including an extensible member coupled to the storage compartment means;
- a driven gear coupled to the rack;
- and
- an electric motor coupled to the driven gear for bi-directionally moving the extensible member of the rack.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means, the moving means including:
- a rack coupled to the storage compartment means, the rack having an extensible member;
- and
- a manually operated crank for bi-directionally moving the rack.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed, the storage compartment means including a collapsible storage compartment;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means, the storage compartment means including:
- a frame having at least one open section;
- and
- a removable storage container mountable in the at least one open section.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- and
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position wherein in the second position the second side edge of the storage compartment is disposed above a plane extending between the tops of the sidewalls of the truck bed to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means, the storage compartment means further including:
- a storage compartment having at least a bottom wall, at least one side wall, and an open top end formed by the at least one side wall;
- and
- divider means, positionable within the storage compartment, for dividing the interior of the storage compartment into at least two separate sections, the divider means being pivotally carried by at least one of the bottom wall and the at least one side wall of the storage compartment.
An article storage apparatus for a truck having side walls extending from a truck bed, the apparatus comprising:
- storage compartment means, mountable over a truck bed;
- means, coupled to the storage compartment means, for moving the storage compartment means between a first storage position with respect to the truck bed and a selectable second position elevated from the first position to allow easy access to an interior of the storage compartment means;
- a tonneau pivotally connected to the storage compartment and moveable from a first position overlaying the storage compartment and a second position spaced from and opening the interior of the storage compartment means to access;
- and
- article carrier means carried on the tonneau, the article carrier means including an open-ended channel integrated with the tonneau.
A tonneau cover for a truck having side walls extending from a bed, the tonneau cover comprising:
- at least one panel pivotally disposed with respect to a truck bed and side wall of a truck for movement between a first position covering at least a portion of the truck bed and a second position angularly disposed from the truck bed to open at least a portion of the truck bed;
- and
- article carrier means carried exteriorly on the tonneau cover.
A tonneau cover for a truck having side walls extending from a bed, the tonneau cover comprising:
- at least one panel pivotally disposed with respect to a truck bed and side wall of a truck for movement between a first position covering at least a portion of the truck bed and a second position angularly disposed from the truck bed to open at least a portion of the truck bed;
- and
- article carrier means carried on the tonneau cover, the article carrier means including a channel extending out of a plane of the panel.
A tonneau cover for a truck having side walls extending from a bed, the tonneau cover comprising:
- at least one panel pivotally disposed with respect to a truck bed and side wall of a truck for movement between a first position covering at least a portion of the truck bed and a second position angularly disposed from the truck bed to open at least a portion of the truck bed;
- and
- article carrier means carried on the tonneau cover, the article carrier means, including a channel extending below a plane of the panel.
A tonneau cover for a truck having side walls extending from a bed, the tonneau cover comprising:
- at least one panel pivotally disposed with respect to a truck bed and side wall of a truck for movement between a first position covering at least a portion of the truck bed and a second position angularly disposed from the truck bed to open at least a portion of the truck bed;
- article carrier means carried on the tonneau cover;
- and
- tie-down means, carried on the panel, for releasably securing an article in an article carrier means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.