Abstract:
Added openings are provided for sport utility vehicles (SUV), pick-up trucks, two and four door vehicles, vans, minivans, station wagons, or other vehicles. The opening(s) may utilize doors, gates, windows, sunroofs, or lids that provide more physical and/or visual access to the interior space, cargo, and/or seating within the vehicles that currently are not easily accessible, viewed, seen-by, or displayed-on conventional opening means. These openings may also provide the ability to place cargo within the space of the vehicle that current vehicles prohibit from being carried therein, or they may provide decorative, descriptive, or electronic displays for such vehicles, for example, advertising on taxi cabs. Among the embodiments, this invention results in a new 2 door or a 4 door SUV vehicle having added rear side doors, and a new 2 door or 4 door automobile that in effect functions likes a pick-up.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/549,294, filed Mar. 2, 2004 under 35 U.S.C. § 111(b), which application is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to added vehicle openings and more particularly to added doors, gates, windows, and lids in doors, sides, truck gates, and trunk lids of vehicles. Most particularly, the present invention relates to added doors, gates, windows, and lids in doors, sides, truck gates, windows, a sunroof, and trunk lids for more access to space and seats, visual view-through or display-on, and portability of cargo in vehicles.  
         [0003]     Typically in the past, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), pick-up trucks, two door and four door automobiles, vans, minivans, station wagons, or other vehicles, have had one or two doors, toward the front of the vehicle, on each side and possibly a rear access means to enter, see through, and/or port cargo within the vehicle. However, there are, for example, space, third row seats, viewing areas, and/or cargo, that are currently difficult to get to, see, see through, or port by current physical and visual access, and portability means in such vehicles.  
         [0004]     In an attempt to overcome some of these difficulties, various means are utilized, for example, a single trunk lid, conventional four doors, a truck gate, a backlite (with or without a slider), a rear hatch, a fold down or slide-away second row seat, and an internal vehicle pathway. Still, there remains a need to better physically and visually gain access to and through the space and seating, and to port cargo in the above-mentioned vehicles.  
         [0005]     Thus, those skilled in the art continue to seek solutions to the problems of how to provide better access or visually seeing-through or displaying-on, to/of areas, cargo, and seating, and to port cargo in vehicles.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides an added/new opening(s) for sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, two and four door vehicles, vans, minivans, station wagons, or other vehicles. The opening(s) may utilize doors, gates, windows, a sunroof, or lids that provide more access or visual seeing-through or displaying-on areas, to/over the interior space, cargo, and/or seating within the vehicle that are in the space that is currently less accessible by conventional opening means. These openings, with or without doors, gates, windows, a sunroof, or lids, may also provide visual seeing-through or displaying-on, or an ability to place cargo within the space of the vehicle that current vehicles constrict or prohibit from being carried therein.  
         [0007]     The openings of the present invention may utilize types of door(s), gate(s), window(s), a sunroof, or lid(s) that are, for example, conventionally hinged that pivot from back to front, from front to back, from one side to the other, or vertically up or down. The openings may also utilize doors, gates, windows, or lids that are conventional sliding doors, gates, windows, or lids that move up, down, or protrude out of the doorframe and then slide either forward or backward along the side of the vehicle. These doors, gates, or lids may be on only one side or on a lid or a gate of the vehicle, or there could be doors, gates, windows, or lids on both sides, or on body panels, lids, a sunroof, or gates of the vehicle. The doors or lids may be the same on both sides or different on each side, gate, or lid. Any combination of the number of added door(s), gate(s), window(s) or lid(s) or the types of doors, gates, windows, or lids may be practiced in the instant invention without departing from its spirit or scope.  
         [0008]     The doors, gates, windows, or lids may also be expandable, rollable, retractable, and/or removable that can be manually or automatically opened or closed. The doors, gates, windows, sunroof, or lids may comprise metal, plastic, glass, wood, or other suitable material.  
         [0009]     Also provided is a trunk for vehicles in the form of a “trunk bed,” which is a discovery of the instant invention. In such vehicles the trunk functions much like a bed of a pick-up truck, for example, having embossed metal with channel ridges to give the trunk bed more durability and strength. The trunk may have a lid that looks and functions similar to a conventional lid, or the lid or a trunk back panel may be provided with a gate similar to a pick-up truck gate, but when the lid is removed, collapsed, rolled out of the way of the trunk opening, the trunk gate may be lifted or dropped, or by other means to expose the trunk or possibly the trunk bed. The trunk can then function in a manner similar to a pick-up truck bed.  
         [0010]     Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of a specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts of several views. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a sport utility/minivan/van type vehicle in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a two door automobile in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a four door automobile in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective side-rear view of a pick-up truck having two doors on at least one side of the truck in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective side-rear view of a pick-up truck having one door and an extended panel behind the door on at least one side of the truck in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of a vehicle in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective side-rear view of a vehicle having a trunk bed and a lid in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective side-rear view of the vehicle of  FIG. 6A  but having the trunk bed, gates, and lids in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a collapsible/expandable lid/sunroof in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a top view of a trunk lid of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     It is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions, directions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a particularly preferred embodiment of a side view of a sport utility vehicle (SUV)/minivan/van/station wagon type vehicle in accordance with the present invention, generally indicated by the numeral  20 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  20  has front side door  21  and another (second) side door  22  that is just behind the front door  21 , on both sides thereof, but this vehicle  20  embodiment could also comprise a single front door  21  on both sides thereof, for example, a “sport” version of an SUV, like the Ford Escape Sport model. Also shown in  FIG. 1  is an added rear door  23  that is a discovery of the present invention.  
         [0023]     Although not wishing to be limited to only the following example manufacturers and models of sport utility (SUV)/minivan/van/station wagon type vehicles, the sport utility (SUV)/minivan/van/station wagon type vehicles  20  of the present invention possess the dimensional, design, and functional characteristics of the current (2005) models (which would be modified to have at least one of the embodiments of present invention): the SUVs—Ford Escape, Ford Expedition, Ford Excursion, Chevrolet Blazer, Chevrolet Trail Blazer, and the Dodge Durango; the minivans—Ford Freestar, Chevrolet Astro, and Chevrolet Venture; the vans—Ford E-Series and Chevrolet Express; and the station wagon—Ford Freestyle.  
         [0024]     It is to be appreciated that all of vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ of the present invention are not limousines or “stretch” versions of the vehicles depicted or described. The vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ of the present invention are those currently produced as the examples herein are designed. The vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ are not those associated with vehicles of the past, which had short, stubby, or substantially sloping trunks, trunk seats, and other features that are not possessed by the examples given for the specific type vehicles.  
         [0025]     Examples of body styles and physical features of the vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ are the comparable shapes and dimensions of height, length, and/or width of the trunk, the comparable shapes and dimensions of height, width, and/or length of the vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′, and the function of the vehicles  20 ,  30 ,  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ (like transporting people and/or cargo, and to advertise products).  
         [0026]     Depending on the configuration of the side of the vehicle, the added door  23  may or may not span a rear wheel  91   a  of the vehicle and may be provided on one of the sides of the vehicle  20  or on both sides. Also, a step, running board, and/or body panel (not shown) that may cover a portion of the rear wheel  91   a  may be included for gaining access or for leaving the vehicle  20  by means of the rear door  23 . Although shown and possible, it is, however, not necessary that the doors  21 - 23  abut one another, as many vehicles do.  
         [0027]     Also shown in  FIG. 1  is an electrical or mechanical interlock mechanism  26  in accordance with the present invention that may be utilized to assure that the second side door  22  and the rear door  23  do not interfere with one another. For example, the rear door  23  may be a hinged door that would pivot away from the vehicle  20 , while the second door  22  may be a sliding door that first moves out (protrudes) from the vehicle  20  and then slides on a track (not shown) toward the rear of the vehicle  20 . If the rear door  23  was to swing open, with the second door  22  at least partially open, the two doors  22 ,  23  may hit one another and cause damage to one or both doors  22 ,  23 . With the interlock  26  in place, if one of the doors  22 ,  23  is in at least a partially open position, then the other door  23 ,  22  would be prevented from opening, thus preventing damage and possible injury to occupants or potential occupants. The interlock  26  may be any suitable mechanism known in the art and may be applied to any combination of the opening, door, lid, gate, sunroof, and window of the present invention.  
         [0028]     The rear door  23 , which may also be embodied as a lid, a door-window (which opens and allow people, animals, or cargo to enter and leave), or gate in the present invention (as well as any added opening in the present invention) can be realized as pivoting on hinges, sliding, expanding and folding and retracting (like the 1959 Ford automobile top that collapsed into its trunk or a currently available Chevrolet SSR pick-up truck top that collapses into its trunk), rolling (possibly similar to a roll-top desk top), swing upwardly like a Delorean, coiling, or be spring loaded, or moved up or down and away from the vehicle  20 , or from back to front, from front to back, from one side to the other, or come off of the vehicle, still remains within the spirit and scope of the invention. The doors, gates, windows, or lids  23  may also be, for example, lockable, latchable (see, for example, latches and locks  88 ′- 88 ′″″, displayed-on, spring loaded and/or to roll as conventional sliding doors, gates, windows, sliders, or lids that move out of the doorframe and then slide either backward or forward (which is a discovery of the present invention) along the side of the vehicle.  
         [0029]     The added door, gate, or lid  23  is not limited to having a window therein, or by its shape or its size as it serves the need to physically or visually access or display-on cargo, space, and/or seating  25  in the vehicle. However, with the rear door  23 , passengers do not have to get into or out of a third row of seats in the vehicle  20  by way of the second door  22  or a rear hatch or door (not shown), which typically causes those passengers to contort and/or squeeze in and out of the vehicle  20  with much difficulty. A step or running board (neither which are shown but are common in the art) may be utilized to assist an occupant in entering or leaving the vehicle  20  through door  23 . It is also a discovery of the present invention that the door  23  may slide forward on the vehicle and exposed both the rear and the middle portion of the vehicle  20 , while not having a middle door  22  at all, thus allowing access to both middle and rear areas of the vehicle  20 , that no other vehicle does.  
         [0030]     The preferred embodiments of  FIG. 2  are directed to a two door automobile  30  having a single door  31  on both sides thereof. The doors  31  being in the front portion of the two door automobile  30 , which is not a coupe type of vehicle like the Chevrolet SSR pick-up truck. In accordance with the present invention, there is added to the vehicle  30  a side door, gate, window, or lid  32  to a trunk area  35  of the vehicle  30  and/or possibly a side door, gate, window, or lid  36  to the body panel behind the door  31 . These embodiments are discoveries of the present invention.  
         [0031]     Also in accordance with the present invention, there is illustrated in  FIG. 2 a  door, gate, window, or lid  34  in at least a partially open position that may be in a conventional trunk lid  33  or possibly the only lid  34  to access the trunk of the vehicle  30 , wherein the lid  34  is in or covers over a body frame  33 . The doors, gates, window, or lids  32 ,  34 ,  36  provide access to either side, or vertical access from above, to the trunk  35  or back seat  37  that currently is not available. The door, gate, window, or lid  34  also provides a means for the vehicle  30  to carry and/or see cargo that currently cannot be viewed and/or transported in the vehicle  30  because the trunk lid  33  physically gets in the way.  
         [0032]     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , there is shown a top view of the trunk lid, door, gate, window, or lid  34  in a partially open position in trunk lid  34 ′ or possible body frame  33  of vehicle  30 , wherein the trunk  35  is exposed.  
         [0033]     Note that the term “any openings of the present invention” is defined herein as including at least the doors, gates, windows, sunroof, or lids  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  34 ′,  36 ,  41   a ,  41   b ,  42 ,  44 ′,  51   a ,  51   b ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  55 ,  55 ′,  56 ,  56   a ,  58 ,  58 ′,  59 ,  59 ′,  59 ′ a ,  61 ,  62 ,  63 ,  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  73 ′,  73 ″,  73 ′″,  74 ,  74 ′,  74 ″,  74 ′″,  75 ,  75 ′,  76 ,  76 ′,  78 ,  78 ′, and/or  80 .  
         [0034]     Thus, any openings of the present invention may be realized as expandable/collapsible. That is, these doors, gates, window, sunroof, or lids may be as disclosed by Kimmet and incorporated by reference herein, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,378,592 and 6,648,047, and U.S. Application Publications 2002-0084042 and 2004-0055713. Further, any openings of the present invention may have decorative or descriptive permanent or removable panels as disclosed in Kimmet, which may incorporate electronic computer controlled displays or televisions.  
         [0035]     Examples of such displays or televisions, but not limited to, are organic light emitting diode (OLED) or plasma displays, and flat screen displays of all kinds. Incorporated herein is a history (that began in 1936) of electron luminescence (available from Limate, Incorporated of Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. that can be found on the World Wide Web at www.limate.com).  
         [0036]     These doors, gates, windows, or lids could be used to display-on on the vehicles  20 ,  30 , and  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′ for computer and/or television purposes, or they could be used for decorative or advertisement purposes, for example, on taxi cabs, limos, and virtually all vehicles. Electrical connection to such displays would be conventional in the art and may be controlled by LINBUS and CANBUS protocol standards from the vehicle electronic control unit (ECU), which may be per SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standards.  
         [0037]     Any openings of the present invention may be realized as vehicle slider doors or windows, may or may not abut, may not have any windows in them at all, may be “doors-within-doors”, “windows-within-windows”, “windows-within-doors”, or “doors-within-windows”, may be realized as window doors (herein defined as a door comprising substantially a window, and/or any combination thereof. Further, it may be required that the door interlock  26  may be utilized to avoid conflict or damage between any openings of the present invention.  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is directed to preferred embodiments of a four door automobile  40  having two doors  41   a ,  41   b  on each side. In accordance with the present invention, there is added to the vehicle  40   a  side door, gate, window, or lid  42  to a trunk area  45  of the vehicle  40 . The doors, gates, windows, or lids  42  provide side physical or visual access to the trunk  45  that currently is not available, much like the doors, gates, windows, or lids  32  of vehicle  30 . Also, it is possible that an opening like the door  36  of  FIG. 2  could be realized in doors  31 ,  41   a , and/or  41   b . These embodiments are discoveries of the present invention.  
         [0039]     Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is realized when the trunk  35  or  45  of the conventional two door  30  or four door  40  vehicles are exposed by having trunk lids  34 ′ or  44 ′ removed or possibly by retracting the lids  34 ′ or  44 ′. This discovery of the present invention could then provide a robust “trunk bed” similar to  57  and  57 ′ of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , thus, functionally providing hybrid two door or four door automobiles  70 ,  70 ′, as shown in  FIG. 6A -B, of two door or four door automobiles, like vehicles  30 ,  40 . These trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′ could provide hauling for tall or wide cargo, or for stone, debris, and Christmas trees, and the like kind of cargo, which would not be constrained by hauling or filling, as in the case of the conventional trunk lid  33 .  
         [0040]     Although not wishing to be limited to only the following example manufacturers and models of two door or four door automobiles, the two door or four door automobiles  30 ,  40 ,  70 ,  70 ′ of the present invention possess the dimensional, design, and functional characteristics of the current (2005) models (which would be modified to have at least one of the embodiments of present invention): the Ford 500, Ford Taurus, Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cavalier, Chevrolet Impala, and Chevrolet Monte Carlo.  
         [0041]     The trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′, of these hybrid two and four door automobiles  70 ,  70 ′, could be conventional or they could be more robust, as mentioned above, where the trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′ would be more like pick-up truck beds  57 ,  57 ′, which are embossed, strengthen with high gage steel or plastic, or possible having ridges to make the trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′ more strong.  
         [0042]     A further discovery of the present invention is to provide a pivotable (at pivot points  79   a ,  79   b ) drop-down gate  73 ′, as shown in  FIG. 6B  and indicated by the arcing double arrowhead line, in place of a conventional automobile fixed back panel  73  as shown in  FIG. 6A , so that in effect the vehicles  30 ,  40  would function much like a current model pick-up truck or an SUV with a drop-down gate. The gate  73 ′ could, conceivably, be removable, as indicated by the arrow pointing away from the vehicle  70 ′. The gate  73 ′ could also, conceivably, be utilized with a conventional or robust trunk bed  77 ′ (such as, metal ridges like those in a pick-up truck), with the removable/retractable lid  74 ′, and/or with door, gate, window, or lid  78 ′ that allows entry of material or passage of cargo into the rear of the vehicle  70 ′ compartment  71 ′.  
         [0043]     Note that the conventional automobile fixed back panel  73 , as shown in  FIG. 6A , may actually be a portion  73 ″ of a lid  74 ″, wherein if the lid  74 ″ is removed, retracted, rolled up, etc., then the trunk  75 ′ is exposed and able to handle cargo of larger size, for example, without being constricted by the lid  74 ″.  
         [0044]     In addition, referring to  FIG. 6B  there is also illustrated a trunk lid  74 ′″ (that may or may not be removable as indicated by the arrow pointing away from the vehicle  70 ′), which is similar to the lid  74 ″, except that the back panel  73 ′″ is pivotably hinged at  79   c  and  79   d . This embodiment would allow for the back panel  73 ′″ to pivot up and allow various cargo to be carried in the trunk bed  77 ′, which could have robust ridges  77   a  that could be embossed like those ridges  57   a  of a pick-up truck  50 , and yet hang out beyond the rear of the vehicle  70 ′, in a substantially horizontal orientation.  
         [0045]     Shown in  FIG. 4A  is the pick-up truck  50  having two doors on at least one side. In accordance with the present invention, there are added side doors, gates, windows, or lids  51   a ,  51   b  in either side doors  55 ,  56 , also added is a side door, gate, window, or lid  52  in the side panel  59  of the truck bed  57 , which has the robust channel ridges  57   a . Added further are rear doors, gates, or lids  53 ,  54  to the rear gate  58 . Note that the present invention is not limited by the number, shape, and/or size of the door(s), gate(s), window(s), sunroof(s), or lid(s), that have been added to the conventional sides, doors, gates, windows, or lids of the vehicles  20 ,  30 , and  40 ,  50 ,  50 ′,  60 ,  70 , and  70 ′.  
         [0046]      FIG. 4B  illustrates pick-up  50 ′ having one door  55 ′ on at least one side of the vehicle  50 ′. Also shown is a panel  56   a  that has an added door, gate, window, or lid  51  that is a discovery that is in accordance with the present invention. In addition, the added door, gate, window, or lid  59 ′ that is disposed in a rear vehicle body panel  59 ′ a , which would allow access between the back portion of the pick-up truck and the bed of the truck  57 ′.  
         [0047]     Although not wishing to be limited to only the following example manufacturers and models of pick-up trucks, the pick-up trucks  50 ,  50 ′ of the present invention possess the dimensional, design, and functional characteristics of the current (2005) models (which would be modified to have at least one of the embodiments of present invention): the Ford Ranger, Ford 150 Series, Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Colorado, and Chevrolet Silverado.  
         [0048]     Advantages of the openings  53 ,  54 ,  59 ′ (as shown in FIGS.  4 A-B) could be to carry lumber without “dropping” the gate  58 ,  58 ′. A use for the opening  52  might be to haul wide cargo or to gain access to material, a tool box, or tools that could be hauled in the bed  57  but may, for example, be locked up in the bed and/or covered by a cargo top (not shown).  
         [0049]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of a vehicle  60  having a hatch, cargo top, door, or window  61  and a gate  63  that includes an added opening  62  in accordance with the present invention. An advantage to the opening  62  could be to carry wide cargo, for example, four foot wide sheets of paneling or drywall that are long in length. By having the opening  62 , the gate  63  does not have to be left open during transportation of the cargo. This same added opening  62  could be applied to the gates  58 ,  58 ′, and  73 ′- 73 ″′ of, respectively, the pick-ups  50 ,  50 ′, or the hybrid automobiles  70 ′ that are shown in  FIGS. 4A, 4   a , or  6 B. The added opening  62  could also be applied to the fixed back panels  73 ,  73 ″ of the hybrid automobile  70  that are shown in  FIGS. 6A .  
         [0050]     FIGS.  6 A-B, respectively, illustrate the vehicles  70 ,  70 ′ having the trunk lids,  74 ,  74 ′ that have been removed. It should be appreciated that the lids  74 ,  74 ′ may collapse and expand as disclosed in the Kimmet references or roll or fold into the vehicle body panel at  75 ,  75 ′, or  75 ″ and still remain within the scope and spirit of the present invention. As a result, the vehicles  70 ,  70 ′ provide easy access and cargo hauling capability that conventional two and four door automobiles of this type do not provide. The lids  74 ,  74 ′ may be fixedly or removably attached over the trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′.  
         [0051]      FIG. 7  shows a collapsible/expandable trunk lid or sunroof  80  that could be attached fixedly or removably to vehicles  70 ,  70 ′ of FIGS.  6 A-B. As a trunk lid  80 , the trunk lid  80  could be utilized in place of the trunk lids  74 ,  74 ′ of FIGS.  6 A-B. As a sunroof  80 , the item  80  could be utilized in position of items  76 ,  76 ′ of FIGS.  6 A-B. The trunk lid  80  includes a trunk lid frame  82  that may have a track  83  for sliding the expandable/collapsible panels  81 , which allows closing/opening of a trunk lid opening  87 . The trunk lid opening  87  would allow access to the trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′ when the panels  81  are collapsed and, therefore, deny access to the trunk beds  77 ,  77 ′ when the panels  81  are expanded.  
         [0052]     Any openings of the present invention may be realized with locks, hinges, spring-loaded hinges, latches, drop-down chains like those used on pick-up truck gates, slide mechanism, and other commonly used hardware (like screws, bolts, hasps, hasp rings, nuts, keys for locking, slides, and rivets) for such items.  
         [0053]      FIG. 8  illustrates the trunk lid  34  of vehicle  30  shown in  FIG. 2 . The lid  34  may be the only trunk lid or it may be a lid-in-a-lid  33  or a lid-on-the-frame  33 . The lid  34  may be fixedly or removably attached to the lid/frame  33  as abovementioned.  
         [0054]     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles and modes of operation of this invention have been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.