Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier attached to window or window frame
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-23
2004-04-27
Young, Lee (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier attached to window or window frame
C224S485000, C224S545000, C224S547000, C224S555000, C224S558000, C224S565000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726074
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in the area of supplemental storage and securing systems for items in a vehicle, and has particular use in off-road applications where quick and easy access to gear and equipment is required.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Outdoor activities such as bird-watching, fishing, hunting, and the like often require many supplies, equipment and accessories in order for the enthusiast to be adequately supplied and prepared for the activity, particularly true for those activities requiring extended time and travel. Many different pairs of binoculars, cameras and guidebooks and other supplies, for example, are typically required for several people traveling to a remote bird-watching area, or a group of hunters and fishermen may often need to carry several different firearms and sets of fishing equipment in the vehicle in which their traveling. When carrying firearms in the vehicle it is desirable to be able to safely store and secure the firearms and supplies in such a way that the contents of the storage system are protected from severe impact, shock, vibration, and jarring often encountered when driving off-road, especially in undeveloped terrain. The ability to safely secure and store firearms and ammunition and protect the contents from such effects is particularly important for the obvious safety reasons, and is also necessary for avoiding the occurrence of movement and bumping of the firearm within the storage compartment, possibly causing sighting adjustments to the firearm or a mounted scope, or other settings to go out of adjustment.
It is also desirable in utility storage systems such as described to have an ability to quickly and easily access the contents or features of the system. For example, if a situation warrants it, hunters may wish to quickly retrieve a firearm, ammunition or other related gear or switch from one firearm to another, even while the vehicle in which they are traveling is in motion. Other users, such as wildlife photographers and bird watchers may need to quickly switch from one camera or one pair of binoculars to another, or have access to guide materials and such while the vehicle is following moving subjects.
A variety of vehicle item storage systems have been developed for providing secure, efficient storage of firearms and valuable equipment. A system well-known in industry comprises sliding drawer units adapted to fit and attach to the bed of a pickup truck, or in the area of the rear storage compartment of a sport utility vehicle, for example. In such a system some of the drawers may be designed for storage of firearms, having separate compartments within a modular drawer unit, each compartment having a shape and size that accommodates the storage of one or more firearms which may or may not have a scope mounted, and may or may not be contained in a protective firearm carrier or sheath. Various other shapes and sizes of compartments are contained within each drawer of such a system for storing or securing a variety of odd-shaped articles, gear, supplies and other equipment.
Conventional utility storage systems such as the sliding drawer system of current art described above are typically designed and marketed for installation and use in a specific type of vehicle, one type for a sport utility vehicle and another for a pickup truck for example. In many of these cases the systems are designed to be for use only with a particular model of vehicle, having dimensions enabling it to securely fit into the area in which it is being installed in a vehicle, leaving little tolerance in dimensions. A problem presented in such a conventional storage system, however, is that a user is prevented from transferring the storage system from one model of vehicle to another, such as when the use of another vehicle is required to reach the destination and the replacement vehicle is not properly equipped with adequate protective and secure storage for the firearms or other equipment and gear to be transported. The user will also typically be prevented from transferring the storage system from a vehicle of a particular model and year of manufacture, to a second vehicle of the same model but manufactured in a different year.
Permanent or semi-permanent installation at the rear of the vehicle, or under a seat or bench within the vehicle, is typically the method utilized for conventional storage systems of current art, presenting a further problem that limits the ability of the user to utilize the system in another vehicle, even a vehicle of the same model and year, and further limits the ability to safely secure and transport a wide variety of gear and equipment used specifically for a given activity. For example, firearms, ammunition and other related gear and equipment require a storage system with features, storage compartment shapes and dimensions and other specific capabilities for safely securing, storing or utilizing such items. Conversely, bird-watching or wildlife photography requiring other specific equipment such as binoculars and cameras and related gear and supplies, require a completely different storage compartment configuration and level of lockable security, for example, while at the same time providing sensitive equipment with protection from jarring impacts, shock and vibration. An obvious storage problem is presented for a user wishing to utilize a storage system in a vehicle to properly transport specific gear and equipment related to fishing or hunting, for example, and then utilize the same vehicle and storage system for only transporting equipment related to wildlife photography or bird-watching, for example.
What is clearly needed is a vehicle utility storage system that safely, securely and efficiently stores and secures a wide variety of gear and equipment of varying shapes and sizes, while allowing a user to quickly and easily change the configuration, size, or other aspects of the storage compartments or functions of the storage system, and achieve a condition best suited for the specific gear and equipment related to the activity. Such a system should be simple, lightweight and compact, and capable of being utilized in vehicles of various models and years of manufacture by being easily transferable from one vehicle to another. Such an improved utility storage system should make the most efficient use of the storage space where it is installed, while providing the contents or apparatus within ample protection from shock, vibration, and impact to gear and equipment. An improved utility storage systems such as described is preferably low-cost and economical and easy to manufacture, and when installed in the host vehicle, should provide the driver or passengers of the vehicle with a greatly improved level of access to gear, supplies, equipment or apparatus stored or provided by the system, eliminating the need to stop and exit the vehicle, or to awkwardly reach under seats, benches or into other remote areas of the vehicle in order to gain access to the contents. Greatly improved access provided by such a system would give the user an ability to quickly and easily retrieve equipment, making quick switches possible between different cameras, firearms, or binoculars, for example, all stored and secured in the same area by the same system. Such improved access should be provided by such a system regardless of whether or not the host vehicle is in motion, or of the extent of external forces imposed upon the vehicle while it is in motion, even during travel over rough terrain.
An improved utility storage system having all of the attributes described above, and more, is provided by the inventor, and embodiments of the invention are described below in enabling detail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a modular utility carrier to mount to a folded-down windshield assembly of a vehicle is provided, comprising a body tray having a length, width and height, the body tray formed by side walls and a bottom wall forming an upward-facing cavity, and a plurality of attachment assembli
Boys Donald R.
Brevard Maerena W.
Central Coast Patent Agency Inc.
SoundStarts, Inc.
Young Lee
LandOfFree
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