Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-30
2001-05-29
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S897200, C029S401100, C029S469000, C296S037600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237211
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hidden storage beds for vehicles, such as pickup trucks, particularly to a hidden storage bed assembly method for such vehicles, and more particularly to an improved modular fabrication and assembly method for vehicle hidden storage beds without substantially altering the external appearance of the beds.
Pickup and small trucks have long been a means for transporting and/or storing tools, materials, etc. for various trades, such as plumbing, electrical, construction, repair, etc. While conventional tool boxes, which generally extend across the pickup bed, are a convenient tool storage approach, such take up a great deal of space and thus reduce the carrying capacity. Also, the conventional pickup beds have been removed and replaced with utility type beds of various types, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,773 issued Dec. 7, 1993 to G. Kalis, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,713 issued Apr. 12, 1966 to D. A. Ogilvie, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,695 issued Aug. 11, 1987 to R. C. LeVee. In addition, the pickup truck body and/or beds have been modified to provide storage/utility space, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,430 issued Apr. 17, 1990 to M. A. Lawrence, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,971 issued Apr. 17, 1973 to M. L. Sisler.
While these prior storage/utility arrangements have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, such are an attraction for theft as well as having an appearance of a utility bed. Thus, there has been a need for a storage system for conventional (non-utility type) pickup truck beds which does not alter the bed's external appearance or significantly reduce the interior size of the bed, thereby reducing the tool theft problem while providing space for hidden storage without significant reduction of the bed's carrying capacity.
This need has been filled by the invention described and claimed in above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000, which involves the conversion or assembly of a conventional pickup truck bed into a hidden storage bed without altering the external appearance of the bed, and may also provide a complimentary design to the external appearance, i.e., bulged side panels, and without significant reduction in the carrying capacity thereof. This is accomplished by providing storage adjacent the wheel well area, and along the length of the bed, and providing the fender/side panel of the bed with a hinge and latch arrangement whereby the fender/side panel can be opened to expose the storage area, or closed and latched to conceal the storage area. Thus, the conventional pickup can be used for pleasure or work without the revealing of its storage/utility capability, and can be parked in areas where theft would likely occur from conventional tool boxes or utility beds. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,598 issued Oct. 20, 1998 describes and claims modifications of the hidden storage arrangement of above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000.
Methods have been developed for fabrication and assembly of the hidden storage beds, as well as for conversion of a conventional pickup bed, for example, into a hidden storage bed, and such methods have been described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,769 issued Jul. 28, 1998 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,390 issued Oct. 13, 1998. The present invention provides an improved method of fabricating and/or assembling the hidden storage beds, and involves a modular approach to both the fabrication of components and assembly of the bed. It has been found that certain of the individual bed components can be fabricated together forming a module, thus eliminating the assembly of these components, and that sections of the bed can be fabricated or preassembled into modular components, whereby final assembly of the hidden storage bed can be carried out by modular assembly, thereby reducing costs of fabrication and/or assembly of the bed components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hidden storage system for a bed, such as a conventional pickup truck bed, without substantially altering the external appearance of the bed.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for fabricating components of a vehicle bed with a hidden storage system therein.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method for fabrication/assembly of a conventional type pickup truck bed with hidden storage capability and without a significant reduction in the carrying capacity thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modular method for fabricating/assembling a vehicle bed with storage capability without substantially altering the external appearance of the bed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modular fabrication and/or assembly method for a vehicle bed with a hidden storage system wherein at least portions of the side panels or fender/side panels of the bed are hinged to allow access to a storage area.
Another object of the invention is to reduce theft potential from a hidden storage bed of pickup trucks, etc. using a modular fabrication/assembly method to produce hidden storage areas in the bed without substantially altering the external appearance of the bed.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. The invention involves a hidden storage system for conventional (non-utility type) vehicle beds, such as pickup truck beds, that can be installed in any fleetside, flareside, stepside, etc. bed, as well as beds using dual wheel housings, without substantially altering the bed's appearance. This vehicle bed may be mounted on any size truck frame up to and above the one-ton or king-cab type truck, as well as on trailers having side panels. The hidden storage system is installed in the wheel well area of the bed, and uses hinges to open and close at least sections of one or both of the side panels or fender/side panels of the bed. The side panels or one or both of the hinged sections of the fender/side panels are provided with a latching/lock mechanism. Since the hidden storage system only involves the area of bed adjacent the wheel wells, it does not significantly reduce the carrying capacity of the bed. The storage boxes for the system may extend over the wheel wells and down to the bed or may only cover the areas in front of, back of, or above the wheel wells, etc. By providing a hidden storage system for a pickup truck bed, the potential of theft therefrom is substantially reduced since the unaltered appearance of the bed's external surfaces would not lead one to a realization that it contained tools, etc. While the hidden storage system can be initially fabricated in the bed, such as on an assembly line, or existing beds can be converted to include the system as described in above-referenced U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,784,769, 5,823,598 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,390, the present invention provides a method by which individual components of the bed can be fabricated and/or assembled as modules, thereby simplifying the fabrication and assembly time and thus reducing the costs associated therewith.
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Clare Scott
Long Neil G.
Blount Steve
Carnahan L. E.
Hughes S. Thomas
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