Storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area

Details Storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area Storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area

1999-12-06

2001-06-12

Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Variable capacity of body

C296S026080, C296S026090, C414S522000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06244646

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to storage assemblies and, more particularly, to storage and retrieval assemblies for vehicle cargo areas.
2. Description of the Invention Background
Many types of vehicles include a hauling space or a cargo area. Examples of such vehicles include pickup trucks, vans and an assortment of delivery vehicles, such as, for example, the United States Postal Service's fleet of long-life postal delivery vehicles (“LLV”). When utilizing the hauling capabilities of such vehicles, it is often desirable that a person be able to load and/or unload the cargo from the cargo area while the person remains outside of the vehicle. Typically, there is not room in a loaded cargo area, as is the case with the described LLV, for a person to safely enter the cargo area. In addition, loading and/or unloading from outside the vehicle reduces the possibility of physical injury to the person performing the work.
To assist in the loading and/or unloading of cargo being hauled in the cargo area of such vehicles, such as pickup trucks, it is known to install a storage tray or a cargo box in the cargo area that can be maneuvered into and out of the cargo area, as needed. An example of such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,158. This patent discloses a combination cargo box and bed liner for vehicles wherein the cargo box is mounted for longitudinal movement between a forward position, where the cargo box is positioned inside of the vehicle cargo area, and a rearward access position, where the cargo box extends outwardly from the vehicle cargo area. Such an arrangement does not, however, make effective use of the entire cargo area to maximize the hauling capabilities of a particular vehicle cargo area.
Thus, there is a need for an improved storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area.
There is a further need for a storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area that makes effective and efficient use of the space available in the vehicle cargo area.
There is still another need for a storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area that provides increased storage, hauling capacity and organizational capabilities.
There is yet another need for a storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area that can be economically manufactured and easily installed in vehicle cargo areas of an assortment of vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the above-identified needs, as well as others, by providing an improved storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area. The storage and retrieval assembly includes a base support structure mounted in the vehicle cargo area adjacent a floor surface of the vehicle cargo area. The storage and retrieval assembly also includes a first tray movably connected to the base support structure and a second tray attached to the first tray. Advantageously, the second tray allows for increased hauling capacity and more efficiently utilizes the space available in the vehicle cargo area.
In another embodiment, a storage and retrieval system is provided for a vehicle cargo area which includes the described storage and retrieval assembly comprising the base support structure, the first tray movably connected to the base support structure and the second tray attached to the first tray, in combination with a shelf assembly mounted to the side wall of the vehicle cargo area. Advantageously, the storage and retrieval system by combining the storage and retrieval assembly and the shelf assembly provides increased hauling capacity and more efficient use of the space available in the vehicle cargo area.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved storage and retrieval assembly for a vehicle cargo area. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, however, that these and other details of the invention will become further apparent from the drawings and descriptions of the invention set forth herein. The drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.


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USA, Department of Commerce, Submission No. 376943; Subject: 39—Long-Life Vehicles (LLV) Mail Retrieval System (Sep. 7, 1999).

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