Vehicle side wall storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173603-B2
Application number	US-201414487424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a storage system is provided for use with a vehicle including a side wall and a rear wheel positioned below the side wall; the storage system includes a storage container receivable within an elongated space defined between inboard and outboard panels of the side wall, the storage container including front and rearward portions respectively positioned front and rear to the rearmost point of the rear wheel. The storage system may further include a leg portion for supporting the rearward portion of the storage container. The leg portion may be adjustable in length and may be attached to the elongated space or to the storage container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage system comprising:
a pickup truck bed;
a pickup truck fender having a length, said pickup truck fender including a fixed inboard panel, a fixed outboard panel, and a wheel well for a rear wheel;
an elongated space defined between said fixed inboard and outboard panels and said wheel well, said elongated space including an arched area defined by said wheel well; and
a storage container removably receivable within said elongated space and slidable along said length of said pickup truck fender, said storage container including an underside comprising an arched portion and a straight portion, said arched portion enabling said storage container to nest within said elongated space when fitted therein, said storage container including forward and rearward portions respectively positionable forward and rearward of said wheel well, said storage container further including a plurality of sides, at least one of said sides being softer than said underside of said storage container.

2. The storage system of claim 1 , further comprising a leg portion for supporting said rearward portion of said storage container.

3. The storage system of claim 2 , wherein said leg portion is adjustable in length.

4. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein said storage container includes a closable door such that said storage container is a storage pocket when detached and separate from within said elongated space.

5. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein said storage container includes a nose portion for attachment within said elongated space.

6. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein said storage container includes a handle portion positioned relatively closer to a ceiling of said storage container than to a floor of said storage container.

7. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein said pickup truck fender includes a tailgate lamp, said tailgate lamp being reversibly movable between a closed position and an open position, said tailgate lamp restricting access to said storage container within said elongated space when in said closed position and permitting access to said storage container within said elongated space when in said open position.

8. The storage system of claim 1 , further comprising an illumination device, said illumination device fixed within said storage container for illuminating an interior thereof.

9. The storage system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking unit positioned on said inboard panel hidden from plain sight when a tail end of said pickup truck bed is in an upright position.

10. A storage system comprising:
a pickup truck bed;
a pickup truck fender having a length, said pickup truck bed including a fixed inboard panel, a fixed outboard panel, and a wheel well for a rear wheel;
an elongated space defined between said fixed inboard and outboard panels and said wheel well, said elongated space including an arched area defined by said wheel well;
a storage container removably receivable within said elongated space and slidable along said length of said pickup truck fender, said storage container including an underside comprising an arched portion and a straight portion, said arched portion enabling said storage container to nest within said elongated space when fitted therein, said storage container including forward and rearward portions respectively positionable forward and rearward of said wheel well, said storage container having an interior space;
a leg portion extending between said pickup truck fender and said storage container for supporting a rearward portion of said storage container when received within said elongated space, said leg portion being adjustable in height; and
an illumination device fixed within said storage container for illuminating said interior space of said storage container.

11. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said leg portion is fixed to said storage container.

12. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said leg portion is fixed to said pickup truck fender.

13. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said storage container includes a closable door such that said storage container is a storage pocket when detached and separate from within said elongated space.

14. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said storage container includes a nose portion for attachment within said elongated space.

15. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said storage container includes a handle portion positioned relatively closer to a ceiling of said storage container than to a floor of said storage container.

16. The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said pickup truck fender includes a tailgate lamp, said tailgate lamp being reversibly movable between a closed position and an open position, said tailgate lamp restricting access to said storage container within said elongated space when in said closed position and permitting access to said storage container within said elongated space when in said open position.

17. The storage system of claim 10 , further comprising a locking unit positioned on said inboard panel hidden from plain sight when a tail end of said pickup truck bed is in an upright position.

18. A storage system comprising:
a pickup truck bed;
a pickup truck fender having a length, said pickup truck fender including a fixed inboard panel that defines a wall of said bed, a fixed outboard panel, and a wheel well for a rear wheel;
an elongated space defined between said fixed inboard and outboard panels, said elongated space including an arched area defined by said wheel well;
a storage container removably receivable within said elongated space, said storage container including forward and rearward portions respectively positionable forward and rearward to the rearmost point of said wheel well, said storage container further including a closable door such that said storage container is a storage pocket when detached and separate from within said elongated space, said storage container further including an underside comprising an arched portion and a straight portion, said arched portion enabling said storage container to nest within said elongated space when fitted therein; and
a locking unit for controlled access to said storage container, said locking unit positioned on said inboard panel hidden from plain sight when a tail end of said pickup truck bed is in an upright position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dunham Scott Holmes
• Kurrle Ryan
• Lowe Dennis

Classifications

• B60R9/065 Primary

  Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. trunks · CPC title