Abstract:
An integrated dump body storage compartment is provided. The integrated dump body storage compartment includes a dump body and a framed assembly. The framed assembly further includes at least one access opening and has its longitudinal axis mounted transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dump body. The framed assembly defines a storage area therewithin.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to truck bodies and specifically to a versatile truck body with integrally formed storage compartments. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Short wheel base and other wheel base trucks, in particular full-size pick-up trucks, dual wheel trucks and super duty trucks, are increasingly used for such various purposes as snow removal, towing livestock trailers, and hauling landscaping equipment and debris because the short wheel base allows easier maneuverability than a larger wheel base truck. Businesses that are seasonal in nature, such as landscaping and snow removal, are often conducted by a single entity and must use the same trucks for these different activities. 
   Currently, various storage containers, often referred to as back packs are already available for mounting on the platform of an open truck  10  to serve as tool boxes and the like. One such prior art container  103  is designed to extend across the entire width of the truck platform and has a roof-shaped top with a ridge extending longitudinally of the truck platform, along the centre of the truck, and a pair of pivotal lids or covers sloping downwardly from the ridge towards opposite sides of the truck and being hinged at or adjacent the ridge to provide access to the interior of the container over the side walls of the truck. Typically these after market storage containers are two feet wide and are located between the truck cab and the truck dump body, as shown in  FIG. 1 , item  103 ,  FIG. 1A , item  103 , and alternate prior art configuration, item  103 B shown in  FIG. 1B . 
   However, it will be appreciated that the dump body must disadvantageously be relocated such that the dump body extends at least two feet beyond the truck body platform to account for the added storage container and clearance gaps  104 , 105 . The truck body platform must also be extended several more inches for the dump body to clear the storage container when the dump body  101  is raised to its dumping position. 
   It will also be appreciated that another disadvantage is short wheel base trucks lose some maneuverability due to the relocated dump body extending beyond the truck body platform. This extra extension makes it difficult for short wheel base trucks to maneuver in tight spaces, such as when snow plowing. 
   The prior art, therefore, has failed to provide a versatile, multipurpose truck body with dumping capability for trucks with wheel bases of different lengths that includes storage capacity formed integrally with the truck body for enhanced cargo volume in conjunction with a flexible arrangement of removable and fixed side wall panels and rear doors that allow maximum rear and side visibility for flexible access to the truck body interior and permit compatibility of the truck body with a goose-neck type of trailer hitch. A need exists for such a truck body. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages are realized, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiments of these teachings. 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention an integrated dump body storage compartment is provided. The integrated dump body storage compartment includes a dump body and a framed assembly. The framed assembly further includes at least one access opening and has its longitudinal axis mounted transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dump body. The framed assembly defines a storage area therewithin. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention a dump truck having an integrated dump body storage compartment is provided. The integrated dump body storage compartment includes a dump body and at least one assembly, wherein the at least assembly has its longitudinal axis mounted transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dump body. The assembly defines at least one storage area therewithin. 
   The invention is also directed towards an integrated dump body storage compartment, the integrated dump body storage compartment including a dump body, wherein the dump body further includes a rectangular shaped integrated storage area. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial illustration of a prior art dump truck backpack; 
       FIG. 1A  is a pictorial illustration of a rear view of the backpack shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 1   b  is a pictorial illustration of an alternate dump truck backpack configuration; 
       FIG. 2A  is a driver side pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2B  is a passenger side pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  integrated with a dump truck; 
       FIG. 3A  is a pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  integrated with a dump truck and shown in a lift position; 
       FIG. 4  is a pictorial illustration of an alternate embodiment of the integrated backpack/dump body feature of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  with an integrated cab protection feature; and 
       FIG. 4A  is a rear view illustration of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  showing an optional rear storage access. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 2A , there is shown a driver side pictorial illustration of an integrated dump body/backpack features of the present invention. Although the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention might be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. 
   Reference is first made to  FIGS. 2A and 2B  for illustrating the integrated backpack/dump body feature  202  of the present invention. It will be seen that the dump body  201  is integrated with the storage compartment  2 A 1 . It will be further appreciated that the storage compartment  2 A may be dual compartments  2 A 1 ,  2 A 2 , as shown in  FIG. 2A  or a single compartment not shown. It will be appreciated that storage compartment  2 B is the passenger side view of storage compartment  2 A as shown in  FIG. 2B . Storage compartment  2 A is integrated with dump body  201  by any suitable fastening method such as bolting or welding. It will also be appreciated that storage compartment  2 A and dump body  201  may share a common wall. 
   Storage compartment  2 A may be formed from any suitable light weight material such as aluminum or lightweight steel or a suitable combination. Storage compartment  2 A 1  is generally boxed shaped with internal compartments sized to hold landscaping equipment. The internal compartments may be any suitable size and contain suitable shelving features.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate the top storage compartment  2 A 2  and  2 B 2  extending the width of the dump body  202 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2A  it can be seen that the integrated dump body  202  extends beyond the storage compartment  2 A 1  to form a cab protector. 
   Still referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the storage compartments  2 A 1 ,  2 A 2 ,  2 B 1 , and  2 B 2  include a latching mechanism  2 A 3  to secure the storage compartment doors. It will be appreciated that in alternate embodiments that the storage compartment doors may be any suitable material. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  there is shown a pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature  202  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  integrated with a dump truck  301 . It will be appreciated that the present invention allows the short wheel base dump truck to use the same size dump body (See  FIG. 1 ,  101 ) for hauling the same capacity cargo but that the integrated backpack/dump body  202  is approximately two feet shorter from the rear axle  302  to the rear of the integrated backpack/dump body  202 . It will be further appreciated that the integrated backpack/dump body feature of the present invention two foot reduction advantageously allows for greater maneuverability with a short wheel base dump truck than a standard backpack installed as shown in  FIG. 1  (prior art). 
   Referring to  FIG. 3A  there is shown a pictorial illustration of the integrated backpack/dump body feature shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  integrated with a dump truck and shown in a lift position. It will be appreciated that storage compartment  2 A integrated with dump body  201  to form the integrated backpack/dump body  202  feature of the present invention may be any suitable width such that a suitable gap  304  between cab  306  and the integrated backpack/dump body  202  is maintained when the integrated backpack/dump body  202  is raised or lowered. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4  there is shown a pictorial illustration of an alternate embodiment of the integrated backpack/dump body feature of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  with an integrated cab protection feature  401 A. 
   It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Thus, various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. For example, referring to  FIG. 4A  there is shown a rear view illustration of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  showing an optional rear storage access via hinged panel  401  with latching mechanism  401 B.