Abstract:
The present invention is an integrated storage compartment for a truck bed liner. A divider panel and an enclosure panel are formed by either molding or cutting slits on three sides of the liner bottom or rear wall, respectively. The fourth sideforms a living hinge. The living hinge allows the unattached portion of the truck bed liner bottom to move freely about the hinge. The side walls of the truck bed liner include receiving channels into which the divider and enclosure panels are locked into place. The side walls also have a closure means which comprise horizontal protrusions that form a closure channel to receive the enclosure panel. Thus, an operator can position the divider panel to a 90 position with respect to the bottom and lock it into the receiving channels found on the side walls. The enclosure panel is rotated to a 90 position with respect to a base panel and is inserted into the closure means to form, in conjunction with the divider panel, an enclosed trunk storage compartment. When the trunk storage compartment is no longer needed, the enclosure and divider panels can be removed from the Side wall channels and secured into a flat, horizontal position. An alternate embodiment includes the use of two living hinges. The principles apply to any type of vehicle storage area. An alternate embodiment applying the principles directly to a truck bed or vehicle storage area is also provided.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a Continuation-In-Part application of Parent application Ser. No. 08/870,334, filed Jun. 6, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,178, issued Jan. 18, 2000. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to truck bed liners and, more particularly, to a truck bed liner having a storage compartment within the Truck Bed. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART 
   Liners protect the interior surfaces of pickup truck beds. They prevent or minimize scratching and denting of the truck bed and, thereby, help to maintain the appearance of the truck and increase the resale value of the truck. Liners typically cover the entire bed of the truck, with a separate section affixed to the interior surface of the tail gate. Bed liners are usually made from vacuum formed plastic which is molded to fit the contours of a truck bed. Most liners also have multiple corrugations found throughout the liner surface. The corrugations serve multiple purposes including serving as channels for water drainage, increasing structural strength, and providing an additional cushion between the liner and the truck bed. Examples of truck bed liners are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,507 to Dresen et al., Japanese Patent No. 62-12478 (A) to Mitsuo, and Japanese Patent No. 2-127141(A) to Jungi. 
   While truck bed liners offer adequate protection to the truck bed itself, items stored in liners are free to slide around. During sudden stops, the items may be damaged or turned into projectiles that can cause injury. Over the years, attempts have been made to create dividers that compartmentalize truck beds. Items can then be stored in a compartmentalized section of the truck bed, thereby decreasing the risk of damage to items stored in the bed and injury to persons who might be hit by flying items. Prior art solutions have relied upon a separate divider unit inserted at a predetermined point in the bed. Examples are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,434 to Bott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,506 to Payne, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,993 and 5,044,642, both to Wayne, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,899 to Keys, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,875,730 and 5,456,514, both to Justice. 
   In addition to compartmentalizing bed liners to prevent unwanted sliding, it is also often desirable to cover items in a truck bed to protect them from the elements and to keep them from blowing away. Historically, covering has been accomplished through the use of tarps, or a separate box inserted into the truck bed. Both of these covering means require that the cover be carried separately. Also, tarps may also blow about if not properly secured and the box takes up valuable storage space. 
   There is a need, therefore, for a simple, economical means to create a covered storage compartment in a truck bed. The means should be fully integrated and not require the user to carry unnecessary pieces or use valuable storage space when the compartment is not needed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The instant invention is a truck bed liner having an integrated trunk storage compartmentalization system. According to the invention, a truck bed liner of the general type having two side walls, a front wall, a bottom, and a rear wall is used. The bottom of the truck bed liner is co-formed to the front of the truck bed liner. The liner bottom is also co-formed to the liner side walls. At a predetermined location in the liner bottom is found at least one divider panel. Divider panels are formed either by molding or cutting slots into the liner bottom creating a three-sided flap having a generally square or rectangular appearance. The fourth side is molded or cut into a living hinge. The living hinge allows the unattached portion of the truck bed liner bottom to move freely about the living hinge. The side walls of the truck bed liner include receiving channels into which the divider panels are locked into place. 
   The rear wall is generally a separate piece affixed to a tail gate or hatch, but may also be integrated to the bottom of the liner. The rear wall includes an enclosure panel. The enclosure panel includes a living hinge that enables the enclosure panel to move freely. The side walls of the truck bed liner further include horizontal protrusions that form a closure channel into which the enclosure panel is received and secured into place when the enclosure panel is used to form the trunk storage compartment. 
   In operation, an operator can position the divider panel to a 90 degree position with respect to the bottom and lock it into the receiving channels found on the side walls. The enclosure panel is then rotated 90 degrees with respect to the tail gate when in a closed position such that the enclosure panel may be inserted into the closure channel to form, in conjunction with the divider panel, a trunk storage compartmentalization. When the enclosed trunk storage compartmentalization is no longer needed, the enclosure and divider panels can be detached from the side wall channels and returned and locked into the original, flat horizontal position. 
   In an alternate embodiment, the divider is located in the bottom of the bed liner near the front and the enclosure panel is located in the front wall of the bed liner. 
   In another embodiment, the divider is located in the bottom of the bed liner perpendicular to the front wall and the enclosure panel is located in the side wall of the bed liner. 
   In another embodiment, a single section of the liner bottom having two living hinges is used, thereby, enabling the formation of a trunk storage compartment by creating a vertical wall with one of the living hinges and a horizontal cover with the second living hinge. 
   In another embodiment, a single section of the liner bottom having two living hinges is used, thereby, enabling the formation of a trunk storage compartment with the side wall by creating a vertical wall with one of the living hinges and a horizontal cover with the second living hinge. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, the storage compartment is molded directly into the composite materials that make up the truck bed. In this embodiment, all of the aforementioned variations can be utilized. Additionally, in this composite truck bed embodiment, a divider can be molded into the truck bed, the divider creating a compartment within the truck bed. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a primary object of the present invention to create a truck bed liner that has an integrated trunk storage compartmentalization feature. The truck bed liner has generally a front wall, two side walls, a bottom, and a back wall. A divider panel and an enclosure panel are each molded or cut into the truck bed liner such that the divider panel and enclosure panel can be secured to the side walls and, thereby, in combination, form a trunk storage compartment. It is another object of the present invention to create a truck bed liner that has a locking means to hold the divider panel in place when positioned at 90 degrees from the horizontal. It is still another object of the present invention to create a truck bed liner that has a side wall with a closure channel to releasably retain the enclosure panel to secure and enclose the storage of items within a trunk storage compartment. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a truck bed liner in which the trunk storage compartment is easy to assemble and disassemble. A related object of the present invention is to provide a trunk storage compartment that is formed from an integrated unit within the truck bed liner. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a storage compartment and a divider that are formed directly into the truck bed itself, without the need for a liner. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a truck bed liner with an integrated trunk storage compartmentalization feature which is economical to manufacture and produce. 
   Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description taken-in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The Description of the Preferred Embodiment will be better understood with reference to the following figures: 
       FIG. 1  depicts the inventive device illustrating the divider panel and enclosure panel in a flat position along the horizontal. 
       FIG. 2  depicts the divider panel locked into position at 90° from horizontal and the enclosure panel rotated to 90° from horizontal prior to forming the trunk storage compartmentalization within the truck bed liner. 
       FIG. 3  shows a fractionalized view of a divider panel in a 90° raised position illustrating the locking mechanism. 
       FIG. 4  is a fractionalized view illustrating an exaggerated view of a divider panel pushed past the lower latch means. 
       FIG. 5  depicts the inventive device wherein the divider panel is created from the liner side wall. 
       FIG. 6  depicts a top view of the divider panel in its assembled configuration as integrated from the liner side wall. 
       FIG. 7  depicts the inventive device wherein the divider panel is in a 90 locked position from the horizontal illustrating the placement of the storage of items within the trunk storage compartment prior to enclosure by the enclosure panel. 
       FIG. 8  depicts the inventive device in its assembled configuration. 
       FIG. 9  depicts an alternate embodiment of the inventive device in its assembled configuration illustrated as located in the forward section of the truck bed liner. 
       FIG. 10  depicts a side sectional view of the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 9  in its assembled configuration illustrating the front wall enclosure panel and the divider panel forming the trunk storage compartment. 
       FIG. 11  depicts a top view of the alternate embodiment in which the liner bottom is used in conjunction with multiple living hinges to form the trunk storage compartment in the forward section of the truck bed liner. 
       FIG. 12  depicts a side sectional view of the alternate embodiment in which the enclosure and divider panels are raised from the horizontal position prior to forming the trunk storage compartment with the liner front wall. 
       FIG. 13  depicts a side sectional view of the alternate embodiment in its assembled configuration as formed by the liner bottom. 
       FIG. 14  depicts a top view of the divider panel with a living hinge within liner bottom and the liner side wall to create the sides of the trunk storage compartment with the enclosure panel being formed from the liner front wall. 
       FIG. 15  depicts a rear view of the divider panel raised from the horizontal position from the liner bottom and the enclosure panel in the liner side wall being raised to form the trunk storage compartment. 
       FIG. 16  is a fractionalized view illustrating the offset molding features of the device in a rounded corrugated pattern. 
       FIG. 17  depicts an alternate embodiment illustrating the offset molding feature wherein a squared molding pattern is utilized. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The description of the preferred embodiment is directed to pickup truck bed liners. It should be understood, however, that the principles of the inventive device can just as easily be adapted to liners for use in sport utility vehicles, station wagons, passenger motor vehicle trunks, and the like. It also should be understood that the principles of the inventive device can just as easily be adapted for use directly in truck beds made of composite materials, thereby eliminating the need for a liner. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a truck bed liner  20  having a liner front wall  34 , liner side walls  36 ,  38 , a liner bottom  40 , and a tail gate liner section  46  is depicted. Liner  20  is preferably made of a lightweight, flexible semi-ridged material such as Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (“ABS”) plastic; however, any of the commonly used industry materials may be utilized. Truck bed liners are typically molded through a thermal form process. This process works for the present invention as well. However, the molding process or materials used is not critical to the invention. 
   The truck bed liner is molded to generally fit the contour of a truck bed, including wheel well shrouds  42 . Liner bottom  40  is co-formed to liner front wall  34  at  48 . Liner bottom  40  is coformed to liner side walls  36 ,  38  at  50  beginning at a point adjacent liner front wall  34  to a first predetermined point on side walls  36 ,  38 . At the first predetermined point is found living hinge  52 . Living hinge  52  extends from liner side wall  36  to opposite liner side wall  38 . Liner bottom  40  extends to the rear of a living hinge  52  to a second predetermined point  53 . Between living hinge  52  and second predetermined point  53 , liner bottom  40  is not attached to liner side walls  36 ,  38 . At second predetermined point S3 is found free edge  54 . Free edge  54  extends from liner side wall  36  to liner side wall  38 . Along free edge  54  is optionally found horizontal protrusion  55  along its edge. Horizontal protrusion  55  provides strength to the divider. The perimeter formed by the unattached portion of liner bottom  40  and living hinge  52  comprises divider panel  56 . 
   Tail gate liner section  46  is attached to tail gate  30 . Tail gate liner section  46  may be separate from or molded directly to liner  20 . Tail gate liner section  46  approximates the size and shape of tail gate  30 . Tail gate liner section  46  has four sides. On one side, tail gate liner section  46  has a slider edge  80  adjacent to and parallel free edge  54  of bottom  40 . Opposite slider edge  80 , tail gate liner section  46  has a living hinge  74 . 
   Liner side walls  36 ,  38  have closure means  75 . Closure means  75  is located between first predetermined point with living hinge  52  and second predetermined point  53 . Closure means  75  comprises horizontal protrusions  76 . Horizontal protrusions  76  are spaced equidistant apart to form a uniform closure channel  78  which is positioned adjacent to divider vertical lock means  58 . Closure channel  78  is approximately the same length as horizontal protrusions  76 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that divider panel  56  can be raised to 90 off horizontal along living hinge  52  where it is then locked into place using divider vertical lock means  58 . Tailgate liner section  46  a shown with an enclosure panel  70  and a base panel  72  that are hingedly connected by a living hinge  74 . Living hinge  74  permits enclosure panel  70  to freely rotate with respect to base panel  72 . Preferably, enclosure panel  70  is releasably affixed a base panel  72  VELCRO®— 73 —, namely a hook and loop type of fasteners and components manufactured by Velcro, Inc. having, upon information and belief, place of business in Manchester, N.H. Alternatively, enclosure  70  may be releasably affixed to base panel  72  by any other means that would permit panels to releasably secure together. Typically, base panel  72  is attached to tailgate  30 . Alternatively, base panel  72  may be integrally molded to liner bottom  40  of truck bed liner  20 . Enclosure panel  70  is rotated, along living hinge  74 , and approximately 90 position with respect to base panel  72 . In this position, enclosure panel  70  is set for insertion into closure means  75  to form the enclosed trunk storage compartmentalization. Obviously, divider panel  56  and enclosure panel  70  must be of a size and at and a location that they create an enclosed area when in a raised position. 
   Turning to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that vertical divider lock means  58  consists of front lock portion  60  and rear lock portion  62 . Front lock portion  60  and rear lock portion  62  protrude from liner side walls  36 ,  38  to a point sufficient to maintain divider panel  56  securely in place. Front lock portion  60  and rear lock portion  62  are spaced apart from one another a sufficient distance to accept divider panel  56  and hold divider panel  56  in position. Divider panel  56  is placed into divider vertical lock means  58  by “snapping” it into place. To remove divider panel  56  from divider vertical lock means  58 , pressure is applied to a point along divider panel  56  at horizontal protrusion  55  such that divider panel  56  begins to bow and, thereby, allow divider panel  56  to be removed from divider vertical lock means  58 . When placed into its horizontal storage position, divider panel  56  is secured into place by lower latch means  59 . As seen in 
     FIG. 9 , latch means  59  protrudes from each liner side wall  36 ,  39  near the lower aspect of each side wall. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates that divider panel  56  may also be molded or cut into the liner side walls  36 ,  38  of truck bed liner  20 . In this embodiment, divider panel  56  is formed into one wall, either liner side wall  36  or liner side  38 , which permits divider panel  56  to pivot about living hinge  52  on the horizontal axis and then be secured into place by a divider lock means  58  found on the opposite liner side wall as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The disadvantage of this embodiment is that the side wall surface available to mold or cut a divider may nor be sufficient to completely bridge liner bottom  40  between liner side wall  36  and liner side wall  38  of truck bed liner  20 . To address this problem, two divider panels, each of which is of a length equal to one-half the length of the liner may be used. In this manner, the two divider panels can join in the center of the bed to form a single divider panel. 
     FIG. 7  depicts a representative example of items stored in the compartment created when divider panel  56  is in a raised position and locked into position and by divider lock means  58  and prior to enclosure panel  70  being received into closure means  75  to complete the trunk storage compartment. 
   In operation, to create the trunk storage compartmentalization, divider panel  56  is rotated from the horizontal position to an essentially vertical position and locked into vertical divider lock means  58 , as discussed above in  FIG. 3 . Enclosure panel  70  is removed from base panel  72  by applying sufficient pressure on enclosure panel  70  in direction away from base panel  72  to release closure panel  70  from base panel  72 . Upon release, enclosure panel  70  rotates away from base panel  72  along living hinge  74 . Base panel  72  is then rotated from the vertical position to an essentially horizontal position through lifting and closing of tailgate  30 . During the lifting and closing of tailgate  30  to a closed vertical position, enclosure panel  70  is received into closure means  75  by sliding edge  80  of enclosure panel  72  being inserted between horizontal protrusions  76  and a closure channel  78 . Upon tailgate  30  reaching the closed vertical position, enclosure panel  72  is completely inserted into closure channel  78  such that sliding and  80  is essentially flush with divider panel  56  and enclosure panel  70  is approximately perpendicular to divider panel  56 . 
   The resulting trunk storage compartment is illustrated in  FIG. 8  in which the items within the compartment are prevented from unrestricted movement by divider panel  56  and base panel  72  co-acting as the sides of the compartment and enclosure panel  70  acting as the top of the compartment to protect the items from inclement weather, such as rain. The same inventive concept may be used to form the trunk storage compartment in the forward section of liner  20  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 10 , it is contemplated that liner front wall  34  and the liner bottom  40  may be used to create a trunk storage compartmentalization within the truck bed liner  20 . Liner bottom  40  is provided with divider panel  56  at a predetermined location from liner front wall  34  at living hinge  52 . Divider panel  56  extends from liner front wall  34  to living hinge  52 . Liner side walls  36 ,  38  are correspondingly provided with divider vertical lock means  58 . Liner front wall  34  is provided with a front wall enclosure panel  84 . Liner front wall  34  is molded or cut so as to not co-form on its three sides to liner bottom  40  or liner side walls  36 ,  38 ; but instead, is provided, on its fourth side, with a living hinge  82  attached to the liner  20 . Divider panel  56  may be rotated, along living hinge  52 , in a direction through rotation A to a 90 with respect to the horizontal and liner bottom  40  and locked in a vertical position to liner side walls  36 ,  38  by divider vertical lock means  58 . Front wall enclosure panel  84  may be rotated in a direction through rotation B, along the living hinge  82 , from a vertical position to a horizontal position and secured to a front wall latch means  85  protruding from liner side walls  36 ,  38  adjacent to divider vertical lock means  58 . Alternatively, front wall enclosure panel  84  and divider panel  56  may be secured using a single latch means. In this manner, liner front wall  34  acts as the enclosure panel and divider panel  56  and liner  20  coact as the sides to form the trunk storage compartment. Preferably, front wall enclosure panel  84  is approximately equal in length to divider panel  56 . Alternatively, the length of front wall enclosure panel  84  and position of living hinge  82  may be greater or smaller, if desired, as long as the length of divider panel  56  and position of living hinge  52  are correspondingly made greater or smaller. 
   Alternatively, turning to  FIG. 11 , liner bottom  40  is co-formed to liner front wall  34  at  48 . Liner bottom  40  is co-formed to liner side walls  36 ,  38  at  50  beginning at a point adjacent liner front wall  34  to a first predetermined point on side walls  36 ,  38 . At the first predetermined point is found living hinge  86 . Living hinge  86  extends from liner Side wall  36  to opposite liner Side wall  38 . Liner bottom  40  extends from living hinge  86  to second predetermined point in which a second living hinge  88  is located to form divider panel  56 . Liner bottom  40  continues to extend from second predetermined point  88  to free edge  90  to form enclosure panel  92 . The length of divider panel  56  and enclosure panel  92  may be greater or smaller, if desired, so long as the combined length of divider panel  56  and enclosure panel  92  do not exceed the height of front wall  34 . Preferably, free edge  90  is located in the forward section of liner  20  along with liner front wall  34  and adjacent shroud  42 . Between living hinge  86  and free edge  90 , liner bottom  40  is not attached to liner side walls  36 ,  38 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 12 , to form the trunk storage compartment, enclosure panel  92  of liner bottom  40  is raised to a 90 position with respect to the horizontal. Enclosure panel  92  is situated at an angle  94  with respect to divider panel  56 . Angle  94  is approximately 45 degree with respect to divider panel  56 . The rotation of enclosure panel  92  about divider panel  56  is accomplished by second living hinge  88 . Divider panel  56  is correspondingly raised to a 45 degree position with respect to the horizontal which is accomplished by first living hinge  86 . Front wall  34  is affixed with a latch means  96 . The formation of the trunk storage compartment is completed, as illustrated in  FIG. 13 , by rotating divider panel  56 , along living hinge  86 , to a 90 position with respect to the horizontal and liner bottom  40 . 
   An alternate embodiment may be accomplished using the same inventive concept as illustrated in  FIG. 14  by providing liner bottom  40  with a divider panel  56  and a living hinge  52  and liner side wall  36  or liner side wall  38  with a side panel  98  to form the sides of the trunk storage compartment with enclosure panel  92  being located within liner front wall  34 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , yet another embodiment may also be accomplished without liner side wall  36 ,  38  providing a side panel  98  (of  FIG. 14 ). Instead, the side walls provide an enclosure panel  92  that has a living hinge  52  located on liner side walls  36  or  38  to rotate from a vertical position to a horizontal position for attachment to latch means  96  located along front liner wall  34  with divider panel  56  being rotated to a vertical position from its horizontal position within liner bottom  40 . 
     FIGS. 16 and 17  are alternate examples of molding techniques used in manufacturing truck bed liner  20 .  FIG. 16  depicts a rounded molding process while  FIG. 17  depicts squared molding process. It should be noted that both in both  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 17 , the corrugations  64  of the divider are offset to the corrugations  66  of the remainder of the truck bed liner bottom  40 . This facilitate smooth operation of the device inasmuch when a divider panel  56  is raised from its vertical position to its horizontal position the corrugations of the divider fit between the corrugations of the remainder of the liner bottom. If the corrugations of the divider and remainder of the liner bottom are not offset, they may crush into one another making it difficult to raise the divider into position without damaging the divider. While the preferred embodiment of the inventive device contemplates an offset molding process cutouts enabling the divider to be raised up and over the corrugations of the remainder of the liner bottom are also contemplated. Of course, liner is not using raised corrugations, have no need for offsetting the divider corrugations and the remainder of the bottom. 
   The principles of the inventive device and the alternate embodiments disclosed above are directed to application with a truck bed liner having a front, back, side walls, and bottom. The principles and alternate embodiments may also be applied to liners possessing only partial bed liner characteristics. For example, a liner comprising only a bed mat to protect the bottom of a bed may be fitted with an integrated divider panel and a separate or co-joined member that enables formation of a cover member in the formation of an enclosure panel. 
   Further, the same principles and alternate embodiments may be employed directly into the truck bed or vehicle storage area itself, thus, eliminating the need for a liner to form the trunk storage compartment. In this embodiment, the truck bed or vehicle storage area itself may be made of materials which can be adapted to provide the integrated divider and enclosure panels, in all the disclosed embodiments, to form the trunk storage compartments. Additionally, a divider or multiple dividers may be incorporated into the truck bed itself. In this embodiment, the principles discussed in parent application Ser. No. 08/870,334 are applied to the divider in the truck bed. 
   Thus, there has been provided a truck bed liner with integrated panels to create a trunk storage compartment within a truck bed liner. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.