Free standing SUV folding trunk

The current invention is a free-standing clip-in trunk that can be placed in a vehicle such as a jeep or SUV. The trunk can be efficiently folded and stored. It can be placed in the back of the SUV. It will be comprised of two sides, a Base Plate, two top panels, a back panel, three hinges and a securing means. The two sides will be attached to the vehicle as will the Base Plate. The two sides and the Base Plate will attach to the bed of the SUV. The length of the Base Plate and the size of the sides will depend on the size of the bed of the vehicle. The trunk has three panels consisting of two top panels and one back panel connected by hinges.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technology discussed below relates a folding trunk assembly and more particularly one that flows flat and works with SUV and jeeps.

BACKGROUND

People need with SUV and jeeps sometimes need a trunk to store and transport goods while driving their SUV (“Sports Utility Vehicle”) such as a Bronco®. The current art does not allow a foldable easy to install installable trunks.

There exists a great need for a trunk for SUVs that is foldable when there is no longer need for a trunk. This will allow the user to fold the trunk when a larger space in the bed is needed.

There currently no installable folding trunks for SUVs that work well and fold down easily and efficiently.

There is still room for improvement in the art.

SUMMARY

The current invention is a free-standing clip-in folding trunk for SUV and similar vehicles that can be efficiently folded and stored. It can be placed in the back of the SUV. It will be comprised of two sides, a Base Plate, two top panels, a back panel three hinges and a securing means. The two sides will be attached to vehicle as will the Base Plate. The two sides and the Base Plate will attach to the bed of the SUV. The length of the Base Plate and the size of the sides will depend on the size of the bed of the vehicle. The trunk has a plurality of panels connected by hinges. The trunk can have molle boards or holding tables or shelves.

These are improvements over the current art.

MAIN COMPONENTS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrations presented herein are, in some instances, not actual views of any particular framing devices or components thereof but may be idealized representations which are employed to describe the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.

The current invention is an improved installable vehicle trunk1as shown inFIGS.1through30.

FIGS.1through15show an installable trunk land its components that can be placed in a vehicle such as a jeep or a Bronco® as shown inFIG.16.FIGS.17through30shows different embodiments that can be used with the adjustable trunk1. It can be placed in the hatchback/bed150area of the vehicle100. In the preferred embodiment, the trunk1has two sides, a left side10and a right side20and a Base Plate13. The size and dimensions of these components depend on the size of the bed/hatchback area150. In the preferred embodiment, the current invention has three panels, a first top panel30, a second top panel40and a back panel60. The panels (30,4070) are connected by hinges (50,60,80) to each other and to the Base Plate13. It is designed to be free-standing. It is also designed to be clipped into the bed space150of the vehicle100.

FIG.1shows the frame of the adjustable trunk1consisting of the two sides (10,20), the Base Plate13with the top panels (30,40) being closed forming the trunk1for the vehicle100.

The right side20and the left side10will be mirror images of each other. At the top of the right side20there will be a right-side support shelf29that extends away from right side20at 90-degree angle or a similar angle. At the top of the left side10there will be a left side support shelf19that extends away from right side20at 90-degree angle or a similar angle. The support shelf (19,29) helps the adjustable trunk1to be secured in place it the vehicle while making sure that there are no openings to the trunk space except for the opened top panels (30,40). The support shelf (19,29) curves approximately 90-degrees in the back which in the preferred embodiment would be flush with the back of the seats in the vehicle. The shape of the outer edge of the support shelf (19,29) would match the space of the vehicle's bed. The support shelf (19,29), in the preferred embodiment, will bend down slightly in the front of the support shelf.

FIG.1shows the first top panel30and the second top panel in a closed position. The first top panel30is connected to the second top panel40by a top panel hinge50. The first top panel30and the second top panel40are flat and rectangular in shape. Their size depends on the width and length of the bed150.

FIGS.1through15show the Base Plate13which runs between the two sides (10.20) and is positioned at the back end of the sides. The Base Plate13is “L” shape with a bottom part and a back part which extends up from the bottom at a 90-degree angle.

FIG.2shows the first top panel30being lifted to an open position. The first top panel50turns on the top panel hinge50.FIG.3shows the first top panel30folded on top of the second top panel40showing the top panel hinge50. The back panel70is connected to the Base Plate13by the Base Plate hinge80and to the second top panel40by back panel hinge60.

FIG.4shows the first top panel30folded flat onto the second top panel40with the two panels being folded towards the back panel70using the back panel hinge60.

FIG.5shows the first top panel30folded flat onto the second top panel40with the two panels folded into the back panel70.FIGS.6and7displays the panels (30,40,70) folded flat onto the bed150where the back panel70turns on the Base Plate hinge80.

FIG.8shows a side view whileFIG.9shows a front perspective view of the panels (30,40,70) folded flat onto the bed150of the vehicle100and connected to the bed by the Base Plate13using a connection means like a bolt11. The Base Plate13is flat with the bed150then extends upward at a 90-degree angle where it connects to the Base Plate hinge80. The Base Plate hinge80connects the Base Plate13to the back panel70. The back panel hinge80connects the back panel70to the second top panel40. In the preferred embodiment, the second top panel40will have a 90-degree bend after its connection to the back panel hinge80. This will allow the first top panel30to be folded under the second top panel40as shown inFIG.8. The second top panel40is connected to the first top panel30by the top panel hinge60. In the preferred embodiment, the first top panel30will have an approximately 45-degree bend when connecting to the top panel hinge60.

The panels (30,40,70) will be rectangular in shape, flat and made of a strong durable substance such as plastic or metallic.

FIG.10shows a crosscut view of the panels (30,40,70), the Base Plate13and the associated hinges (50,60,80).

FIG.11shows a crosscut side view of the trunk1with the first top panel30pivoting on the top panel hinge50opening the trunk1compartment.FIG.12shows the first top panel30being folded into the second top panel30and second top panel40being folded into the back panel70.FIG.13shows the rear panel70being folded into the bed and the folded first top panel30being folded into the rear panel70.

The inside of each of the sides (10,20) have a panel support bracket25which extends out from the inside of each side. The panel support bracket25holds up the top panels (30,40) which rests on the panel support bracket25. The panel support bracket25runs from the front of the side (10,20) towards the back of the side (10,20) in a straight line parallel with the bed150and then curves upward at the 45-degree angle which matches the 45-degree angle of the second top panel40and then curves another 45-degree angle so that the panel support bracket25is parallel with the bed again. The panel support bracket25ends after the second 45-degree angle which allows the top support panels (30,40) to be folded without hitting the panel support bracket25as shown inFIG.4.

A plurality of top panel latches35will be on the bottom of the first top panel30which a corresponding plurality of panel latch receivers27which are positioned to secure the first top panel30to the panel support bracket25.

The sides (10,20) will have a back panel support21that extends perpendicular out from the back of the sides (10,20) towards the middle of the trunk1. The back panel support21provides support to the back panel70when the back panel70is in its non-folded up right position. The back panel70is held in position by the two back panel supports21with the back of the back panel70touching the back panel support21.

The adjustable trunk1will be secured to the bed150of the vehicle through the use of a securing means such as bolts11. In the preferred embodiment, the sides will have securing tabs12the attach to the sides with bolts14or welds extend out from the bottom of the sides at a 90-degree angle. The extended part of the securing tabs12will be connected to the bed of the vehicle using the securing bolts11. The Base Plate13will have a plurality of securing bolts11that run through the Base Plate13securing it to the bed. The Base Plate13will have holes positioned for were the bolts11are to go.

The adjustable trunk1can have a single top panel30as shown inFIG.15. This embodiment works with vehicles with smaller beds150. The adjustable trunk1can also have more than two panels for larger vehicles100. In this configuration, the panel support bracket25would extend further into the bed140.

FIG.17shows the trunk with additional elements such as a molle panel210, gun rack270and folding table275opening in the back panel70. The molle panel210will be connected to the side10using a molle hinge225which will allow the molle panel210to fold out. The molle panel210will be removable in the preferred embodiment. The molle panels210are connected to each side (10,20) and allow for the hanging or connecting of things to the sides of the adjustable trunk1such as a plurality of shelves99as shown inFIG.18. The sides (10,20) could also have positioning holes which the shelves99can be attached to as shown inFIG.19.FIG.24shows a side view of multiple shelves99.

FIG.20shows the adjustable trunk1with the molle panel210with the top and back panels folded with a shelf99in place on top of the folded panels.FIG.21shows the molle panel210on a molle hinge225. The molle panel210can be folded in one embodiment as such inFIGS.22and23.

FIG.25shows the side view as viewed from the inside of the left side with the right side being a mirror image of showing the embodiment with the hinged molle board210.FIG.26shows a smaller molle panel whileFIG.27shows a side view from the inside with a folded molle panel.

FIG.28shows a side view of the side10.FIG.29shows a side view of the adjustable trunk1with shelves99whileFIG.30shows a different side view with shelves99.

FIG.31shows the trunk with a front table that is a shelf99that extends and folds out from the front on the trunk1with folding support brackets that can secure it to the sides (10,20).

The folding trunk1can be attached directly to the bed140without the sides (10,20).FIG.32shows folding trunk1where the sides are the sides of the bed150of the vehicle100with a bed base plate113attached to the bottom of the bed150and to the sides of the bed150with bed attachment tabs112. Figure shows the connection of the folding trunk1to the side of the bed150. In this configuration, the panel support brackets125attached to the sides of the bed150.

In an alternative embodiment,FIG.34shows the invention with top sides (310and320) that extend up from the sides (10,20).FIG.34shows the folding trunk1with a bin98on the top of top sides (310,320) as well as a bin98hanging from the sides within the folding trunk1.FIG.35displays the folding trunk1with a top bin98.

FIG.36shows another alternative embodiment where the folding trunk1does not have any sides but is fixed to the sides of the bed150. This embodiment has wings400that are connected to the bottom of a panel by a turning bolt405. The wings400can be turned out from the bottom of the panel so that they extend out from the panel. When the wings400extend out they can fit into support slots450located on the sides of the bed150as shown inFIG.37. The support slots450are slots with a width that are slightly wider than the thickness of the wings400. The wings400fitting into the support slots450supporting the panel.FIG.38shows a side view of this embodiment andFIG.39shows a side view of this embodiment being folded.FIG.40shows a top view of the trunk connecting to the bed with wings400extended into the support slots450holding and supporting the first top panel30.

The panels can be folded flat with many different folding patterns.FIGS.41A and41Bshows the preferred method for the panels can be folded.FIGS.42A and42Bdisplay another folding pattern.FIGS.43A and43Bshows a folding pattern with a single top panel.

The various features associate with the examples described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings can be implemented in different examples and implementations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, although certain specific constructions and arrangements have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the disclosure, since various other additions and modifications to, and deletions from, the described embodiments will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.