Collapsible container system for truck beds

A collapsible container system for use on the bed of a truck including a flexible, water resistant, fabric bag assembly having a sealable opening in connection with a storage chamber for storing articles to be transported. The bottom of the bag assembly is coated or otherwise treated to be waterproof so that standing water is prevented from soaking through the water resistant fabric. The container system also includes a pair of rigid braces that are securable to the interior surface of two opposed sidewalls of the bag assembly. Each of the rigid braces extends to the corners of its respective opposed sidewall. The exterior surface of each of the opposed sidewalls is provided with a mechanism for securing the end of at least one and preferably two or more securing cords. The other end of each of the securing cords is provided with a mechanism for attachment to the body of the truck. In use, one end of each of the securing cords is attached to the exterior of one of the two thus braced opposed sidewalls and the other end of each securing cord is attached so the truck body in a manner such that the bag assembly is stretched therebetween and held in the expanded configuration.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to containers for covering and protecting 
items to be transported in an open truck bed and more particularly to a 
collapsible container system for use in the bed of a truck that includes a 
flexible, water resistant, fabric bag assembly having a sealable opening 
in connection with a storage chamber for storing articles to be 
transported in the bed of a truck. The container system also includes a 
pair of braces that are securable to the interior surface of two opposed 
sidewalls of the bag assembly to provide rigid support to the sidewalls so 
that the bag assembly can held in an expanded configuration for use by two 
or more securing cords. In use, one end of each of the securing cords is 
attached to an exterior of one of the two thus braced sidewalls and the 
other end of the securing cord is attached to the truck body with the bag 
assembly stretched therebetween and held in the expanded configuration. 
The bottom of the bag assembly is coated or otherwise treated to be 
waterproof so that standing water is prevented from soaking through the 
water resistant fabric. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Because pickup trucks have limited passenger compartment space and no trunk 
space, it is often necessary to place items to be transported by these 
vehicles in the bed section of the truck where they are exposed to the 
weather including wind, dust, rain and snow. Although many items are not 
effected by such exposure, many items such as groceries, luggage, etc. can 
be damaged or ruined if exposed to one or more of these elements. It would 
be a benefit, therefore, to have a container positioned in the bed of the 
truck for covering these items and protecting them during transportation. 
One solution to this problem is to install a hard sided container having a 
hinged cover in the truck bed to store and transport these items. Although 
such hard sided containers work well, they reduce the size of the bed and, 
thereby, limit the beds use. It would be a benefit, therefore to have a 
container for protecting items from the elements during transporting of 
the items in the bed of a pickup truck that was collapsible for storage 
within the cab of the pickup truck when not needed or when the full bed of 
the pickup was needed. It would also be desirable if the collapsible 
container was easily and rapidly installed when needed and removed when 
not needed. It would of course also be desirable to have such a 
collapsible container that was inexpensive to manufacture. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a collapsible container 
system for truck beds for protecting items from the elements during 
transporting of the items in the bed of a pickup truck that is collapsible 
for storage within the cab of the pickup truck. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible container 
system for truck beds that is easily and rapidly installed and removed. 
It is a still further object of The invention to provide a collapsible 
container system for truck beds that is inexpensive to manufacture. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a collapsible 
container system for truck beds that includes a flexible, water resistant, 
fabric bag assembly having a sealable opening in connection with a storage 
chamber for storing articles to be transported in the bed of a truck. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a collapsible 
container system for truck beds that includes a pair of braces that are 
securable to the interior surface of two opposed sidewalls of a flexible, 
water resistant, fabric bag assembly to provide rigid support to the 
sidewalls so that the bag assembly is held in an expanded configuration 
for use by two or more securing cords. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a collapsible 
container system for truck beds that accomplishes all or some of the above 
objects in combination. 
Accordingly, a collapsible container system for use in the bed of a truck 
is provided. The container system includes a flexible, water resistant, 
fabric bag assembly having a sealable opening in connection with a storage 
chamber for storing articles to be transported. The term "fabric" is used 
herein to mean woven fabrics, such as canvas, and sheeting materials, such 
as vinyl and plastic sheeting suitable for bag coilstructior.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the collapsible container system 
for truck beds of the present invention generally designated by the 
numeral 10. Exemplary container system 10 includes a flexible, water 
resistant, fabric bag assembly, generally designated 12, two identical 
rigid braces, generally designated 13 (one shown in FIG. 2), and four 
securing cords 14. 
With reference to FIG. 2, bag assembly 12 is manufactured conventionally by 
stitching and sewing water resistant canvas fabric panels together to form 
a substantially rectangular bag having a pair of opposed sidewalls 15a,15b 
(FIG. 7), and a sealable opening 16 (shown more clearly in FIG. 7) in 
connection with a storage chamber 18 (shown more clearly in FIG. 7) for 
storing articles to be transported. In this embodiment sealable opening 16 
is sealable with a zipper closure 22 that is provided along three sides 
(see FIG. 7) of bag assembly 12. A bottom portion 24 of bag assembly 12 is 
coated with a rubber coating 26 to make bottom portion 24 sufficiently 
waterproof to prevent water from penetrating into storage chamber 18 when 
bottom portion 24 is standing in water accumulated within the bed of the 
truck. Rubber coating 26 is for waterproofing purposes and is sufficiently 
thin to allow bottom portion 24 to remain flexible so as not to interfere 
with folding or rolling bag assembly 12 for storage. 
Each opposed sidewall 15a,15b has an interior sidewall surface that 
partially defines storage compartment 18 and has two brace securing loops 
34 attached thereto at the bottom thereof and two brace securing pockets 
35 attached thereto at the top thereof for securing a rigid brace 13 to a 
sidewall 15a,15b. Each securing loop 34 or securing pocket 35 is 
positioned at a corner of interior sidewall surface 30 so that the corners 
of sidewall 15a,15b are provided with support from a rigid brace 13. 
Although fabric brace securing loops and brace securing pockets are used 
in this exemplary embodiment, the terms "brace securing Loop" and the term 
brace securing pocket" are are intended to encompass any securing 
mechanism or combination of mechanisms for attaching the rigid brace in 
place such as for example only metal D-rings, O-rings, metal fasteners, 
hook and pile strips, etc. 
In this embodiment rigid braces 13 are constructed in an X-shaped 
configuration from two lengths 38 of stainless steel bar stock that have 
been pivotally connected at the centers thereof by a tightly attached 
rivet. The pivotal connection allows rigid braces 13 to be closed as shown 
in FIG. 3 and 4 or convenient storage under or behind the seat of the 
truck when container system 10 is not needed. In addition, bag assembly 12 
can be flattened along with closing rigid braces 13 and the bag assembly 
rolled or folded for storage beneath or behind the seat. 
With reference to FIG. 6, an exterior surface 42 of each of opposed 
sidewalls 15a,15b is provided with two canvas fabric securing cord 
securing loops 44 at the upper corners thereof. Although fabric securing 
cord securing loops are used in this exemplary embodiment, the term 
"securing cord securing Loops" is intended to encompass any attachment 
mechanism for securing the securing an end of a securing cord to the bag 
assembly including D-shaped metal rings, O-rings, manageable fasteners, 
hook and pile fasteners, etc. With reference to FIG. 5, securing cord 
securing loops 44 provide a point for attaching one of the two securing 
hooks 46 provided at the ends of each elastic securing cord 14. In this 
embodiment, securing cords 4 are conventional elastic cords. 
With reference to FIG. 8, in use, one hook 46 (FIG. 5) of each elastic 
securing cord 14 is attached to a securing loop 44 (FIG. 6) and the other 
hook 46 is attached to the truck body 50 of the truck 54 in a manner such 
that elastic forces pull opposed sidewalls 15a,15b (FIG. 7) apart as far 
as possible. The elastic forces from elastic securing cords 14 in 
combination with support from rigid braces 13 maintain bag assembly 12 in 
an expanded configuration for use. 
It can be seen from the preceding description that a collapsible container 
system for truck beds has been provided that is collapsible for storage 
within the cab of the pickup truck; that is easily and rapidly installed 
and removed; that is inexpensive to manufacture; that includes a flexible, 
water resistant, fabric bag assembly having a sealable opening in 
connection with a storage chamber for storing articles; and that includes 
a pair of braces that are securable to the interior surface of two opposed 
sidewalls of a flexible, water resistant, fabric bag assembly. 
It is noted that the embodiment of the collapsible container system for 
truck beds described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course 
subject to many different variations in structure, design, application and 
methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made 
within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because 
many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in 
accordance with the descriptive requirements of the Law, it is to be 
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative 
and not in a limiting sense.