Abstract:
A vehicle cargo storage system attaches to a truck bed, providing a plurality of beams that can support individual fasteners (e.g. eyebolts) to which cables can attach for securing a load. Alternatively, a load carrying module having a cargo deck and an under deck storage area is affixable to the beams. Optional devices (e.g. toolbox, grill, table, storage containers/boxes) can be supported upon the cargo deck or under deck storage area of the load carrying module.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/590,186, filed Jul. 22, 2004, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/071,786 filed Feb. 7, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,610 and hereby incorporated herein by reference. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to truck bed cargo storage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved vehicle cargo storage system that is attached to the bed of a truck such as a common pick-up truck, wherein a rail system optionally accepts tie down anchors (e.g. eyelets), a platform, modules for storing boxes of different configurations, accessories such as a grill, toolbox and/or table, and optionally providing a multi-level storage arrangement that includes a deck having an under storage area that receives elongated relatively thin boxes and an upper cargo deck that supports accessories such as a toolbox, grill or the like. 
   2. General Background of the Invention 
   Trucks such as the common pick-up truck typically provide an elongated bed area that is usually about six and one half to eight feet long (or longer) and that is surrounded by walls that include left and right bed walls, the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a forward bed wall next to it as well as a removable rear wall commonly called a tailgate. 
   The present invention provides an improved load and cargo carrying system that maximizes storage area for a pick-up truck bed. However, the system of the present invention can be also adapted to other transportation vehicles (e.g. train, truck, marine vessel, aircraft, trailer, rail car) or can optionally be used with certain stationary structures (e.g. a dock, slab, or offshore platform). 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The apparatus of the present invention comprises a truck bed load carrying system of improved configuration. 
   The present invention thus provides a vehicle cargo storage system for use with a vehicle load carrying bed that includes a frame that is attached to the vehicle at its load carrying bed, the frame including a pair of longitudinal beams and one or more transverse beams that define together an overall rectangular shape generally corresponding to the shape of the bed. Each of the beams is hollow, including a beam wall surrounding a bore. A plurality of beam openings extend through the beam wall at spaced apart positions such as for example about one foot apart. Preferably, these beam openings are on the top of the beam wall. 
   A plurality of tie down fittings are provided that each can removably attach to the beam wall at a selected opening, at least some of these tie down fittings providing eyelets. As an option, one or more accessories are provided that optionally fit the frame. These accessories can include for example a cargo module that is attachable to the frame, the module including an upper deck and a lower cargo carrying receptacle. Other accessories include for example a storage box, a platform, a toolbox, or a barbecue pit as examples. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3   a  is a sectional view taken along lines  3   a - 3   a  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 5A-5D  are other fragmentary perspective views of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the anchor portion; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the toolbox accessory; 
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the grill accessory; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing one of the cargo boxes that is housed in the under deck storage area; 
       FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing one of the cargo boxes that is housed in the under deck area; 
       FIG. 11  is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing an alternate accessory in the form of a folding table in its folded position; 
       FIG. 12  is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing an alternate accessory in the form of a folding table in an operating position; 
       FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view that shows an insert portion that is used with a fastener for attachment to one of the beams of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 14  is a sectional view of the insert shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  are elevation views of an eyebolt that can be used with the insert of  FIGS. 13-14 ; 
       FIG. 17  is an elevation view of a fastener portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
       FIG. 18  is a sectional view taken along lines  18 - 18  of  FIG. 17 ; 
       FIG. 19  is an end view taken along lines  19 - 19  of  FIG. 17 ; and 
       FIGS. 20-21  are perspective views showing the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention with optional loading ramps. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In  FIGS. 1-4 , vehicle and cargo storage system  10  shows a pick-up truck body  11  having a passenger compartment or cab  12 , bed  13 , bed walls  14 ,  15 ,  16 , a plurality of wheels  17  and a folding tailgate  18 . Such commercially available trucks (e.g. FORD, CHEVROLET, DODGE) having a body  11  as shown are well known. The body  11  can provide a pair of wheel wells  19 . Such a prior art known truck is designated generally by the numeral  20  in  FIG. 1 . 
   Vehicle cargo storage cargo system  10  provides a pair of longitudinal beams  21 ,  22  that are preferably parallel and one or more transverse beams  23 ,  24 . These beams  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  are shown in  FIG. 3 . The beams  23 ,  24  can be generally parallel and extend longitudinally, each beam  23 ,  24  being attached to bed  13  next to a bed wall  14  or  16 . Each of the beams  21 ,  22  is preferably a transverse beam that is perpendicularly oriented to the beams  23 ,  24 . In  FIGS. 3-3A , the beams  21 ,  22  can be removably attached to forward anchors  25  that can be permanently or removably connected (for example, bolted) to truck bed  13 . Forward anchor  25  (see  FIG. 3A ) can include a plate  26  having an opening  27  that is receptive of fastener  29 . Fastener  29  can be a common bolted (i.e. bolt and nut and washer(s)) connection. However, the fastener  25  can also be a specially configured device indicated as locking member  32  in  FIGS. 17-19  or the fastener shown and described in prior, application Ser. No. 10/071,786 filed Feb. 7, 2002 entitled “Toggle Bolt Device”, hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
   Each forward anchor  25  can be in the form of a square tubing section  28  connected (e.g. welded) to plate  26  and that fits an open bore  30  of a longitudinal beam  21 ,  22 . This type of a connection between anchor  25  and beam  22  is sometimes referred to as a stab fitting or stab type connection. When a fastener (e.g. bolted connection)  29  is used to secure anchor  25  to truck bed  13 , a nut  31  can be used to complete the connection. However, a nut  31  can also be attached to the locking member  32  of  FIGS. 17-19 . 
   Truck bed  13  provides truck bed openings  33  that are receptive of any suitable fastener or a bolted connection  29  or a locking member  32 . Openings at  33 ,  34  are provided so that fastener  29  or locking member  32  can extend through square tubing section  28 , as well as the truck bed  13  as shown in  FIG. 3A . 
   FIGS.  4  and  5 A- 5 D show an alternate forward anchor  52 . In  FIG. 4 , anchor  52  has a square tubing section  54  with attached stab fitting  53 . Flange  55  is welded or otherwise attached to square tubing section  54 . Slot  56  in flange  55  enables a connector  32  or a fastener/bolted connection  29  as shown in  FIG. 3  to secure flange  55  and thus anchor  52  to truck bed  13 . Openings  58  enable eyebolts  60  (or any other eyebolt) to be removably connected to beams  21 ,  22 . Several such beam openings  58  can be provided at intervals along beams  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
   A selected beam  21  or  22  can be removably affixed to anchor  52  by connecting with stab fitting  53  as indicated by arrow  59  in  FIG. 4 . 
   In  FIG. 5A , transverse beam  23  can attach to anchor  52  using fastener  29  or  32  or eyebolt  60  with insert  61 . In such a case, openings  62  and  57  are aligned with insert  61  penetrating both of the openings  57 ,  62 . In FIGS.  4  and  5 B- 5 D, multiple stab fittings  53  can be provided with anchor  52  so that vertical beams can be used to build an upwardly extending frame having transverse beams and longitudinal beams at an elevated level(s) and/or for connecting one longitudinal or transverse beam to another. 
   A platform or raised cargo box  35  can be attached to the beams  21 ,  22  and  23 - 24  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . Raised cargo deck  35  provides a deck  35 A. Box  35  can support a number of different accessories and containers such as toolbox  36 , grill  63 , table  68 , and/or storage boxes  64 ,  65 ,  66  or a ramp. The raised cargo deck  35  includes an under deck panel  48  connected at its edges to a pair of flanges  49 ,  50  that extend longitudinally and generally parallel to the longitudinal beams  21 ,  22 . An interior  67  is receptive of storage boxes  64 ,  65 ,  66  or other accessories such as folding table  68 . 
   Toolbox  36  is preferably wheeled so that it can travel between a position next to cab  12  as shown in  FIG. 1  and a position shown in  FIG. 2  near tailgate  18 . This travel path is indicated schematically by arrow  77  in  FIG. 1 . 
   In  FIG. 6 , toolbox  36  provides casters  37  attached to body  38 . The body  38  can have a hingedly mounted front panel  39  and a hingedly mounted lid or top panel  40 . The two panels  39 ,  40  conceal a compartmentalized storage area  41  that can include for example a plurality of drawers. The toolbox  36  rests upon platform  42  that has a plurality of downwardly extending fingers  43 . Fingers  43  engage the sides of raised cargo box  35 , thus ensuring that the toolbox  36  will track a straight path when moving between the forward position of  FIG. 1  and the rear position of  FIG. 2 . Latches  44  retain toolbox  36  (or grill  63 ) in the forward position of  FIG. 1 , next to cab  11 . Each latch  44  includes a locking member  46  that can be spring loaded to engage aperture  47  of socket  45  on toolbox  36  (or grill  63 ). The toolbox  36  (or grill  63 ) is released to travel to the rearward position of  FIG. 2  by pulling locking member  46  overcoming spring pressure. 
   Another accessory that can be mounted upon platform  42  is the grill  63  shown in  FIG. 8 . In addition to the storage boxes  64 ,  65 ,  66  that can be stored with an interior  67  of raised cargo box  35 , a table  68  can also be stored in that area. Table  68  is shown in  FIG. 11  in a stored position. In  FIG. 12 , the table  68  has been pulled to an expanded, operating position wherein leg frame  69  has been unfolded to an operating position, released from its retainer  70 . In  FIG. 12 , a part of the table is supported by leg frame  69 . The opposing end portion of the table  68  remains housed with an interior  67  of raised cargo deck  35  thus being supported by the cargo deck  35  and the truck  20 . In  FIG. 12 , the tailgate  18  assumes a lowered, open position. 
   It is possible to carry loads inside of the beams  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  when the raised cargo deck  35  is not in place. In such a situation, a plurality of eyebolts  60  can be attached to a selected one of the beams  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  by attaching insert  61  to a selected opening  58 . Alternatively, common threaded eyebolts can be attached using a nut and washer(s). 
   In  FIGS. 13 and 14 , insert  61  can be seen as including a cylindrical portion  71  that supports a plurality of lower diagonally extending angled tabs  72  in a plurality of upper angled tabs  73  that extend at about right angles to the cylindrical portion  71  and thus generally parallel with the upper surface of the beam  22  to which it is attached as shown in  FIG. 14 . A gap  74  is seen above each tab  72  in  FIG. 14 . Opening  58  includes a larger diameter section  75  and a smaller diameter section  76 . 
   Upon insertion, the tabs  72  engage the larger diameter section  75  and expand to fit into it as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16  when eyebolt  60  is connected to the combination of insert  61  and beam  22  at opening  58 . The distance between tabs  72 ,  73  can be selected to suit the thickness of the material (e.g. square tubing) to be drilled with opening  58 , or when two beams such as  22 ,  23  are to be fitted with an insert  61  (see  FIGS. 4-5 ) and a fastener or eyebolt  29 ,  32 ,  60 . Eyebolt  60  can be provided with lower projecting members  78  that automatically extend when eyelet  79  is rotated. 
   The mechanism that extends the projecting members  78  can be the same as the mechanism of prior application Ser. No. 10/071,786 that extends projecting members  80  of fastener  32  and is illustrated in  FIGS. 17-19 . Fastener  32  has a cylindrically shaped body  81  having external threads  82  at its upper end portion  83  and can be unthreaded at its lower end portion  84 . Central bore  85  receives shaft  86  which is threaded at  87 ,  88  and unthreaded at  89 ,  90 . Bore  85  is correspondingly shaped to receive shaft  86 . Projecting members  80  move to an extended position when shaft  86  is rotated using wrench  91 . 
   Shaft  86  provides head  92  with tool receptive socket (e.g. hexagonal)  93 . Nut  94  engages the threads  82  so that it can be tightened against projecting members  80  once they are extended (see for example prior application Ser. No. 10/071,786 for operation of projecting members  80  when shaft  86  is rotated). Disk  95  threadably engages shaft  86  at threads  88 . Lock nut  96  retains disk  95  in position upon shaft  86  at threads  88 . Set screws  97 ,  98  can be used to affix the position of each nut  94 ,  96 . 
     FIGS. 20-21  illustrate that a ramp or ramps can connect to cargo box  35 . Ramp sections  99 , 100  define a hinged ramp with the sections  99 ,  100  connected at hinge  101 . Part of ramp section  99  is received into interior  67  of cargo box  35  as shown in  FIG. 20  and can be locked in place with a locking pin or pins (not shown). In  FIG. 21 , two ramps  102 ,  103  are connected to the left and right sides of cargo box  35  using stab fittings  104 ,  105  provided at the top of each ramp  102 ,  103 . The stab fitting  104  is inserted into interior  67  of cargo box  67  while the stab fitting  105  is inserted into bore  30  of longitudinal beam  22 , held in place with locking pin  106 . Similarly, a stab fitting  105  of ramp  102  inserts into bore  30  of longitudinal beam  21 . Either ramp arrangement of  FIG. 20  or  30  could be used to load a smaller vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle, lawnmower, small tractor or golf cart to the upper surface of cargo box  35 . 
   The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention. Fastener  32  of  FIGS. 17-19  can also be used with an insert  61 . 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               PARTS LIST 
             
           
        
         
             
               Part Number 
               Description 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               10 
               vehicle cargo storage system 
             
             
               11 
               body 
             
             
               12 
               cab 
             
             
               13 
               bed 
             
             
               14 
               bed wall 
             
             
               15 
               bed wall 
             
             
               16 
               bed wall 
             
             
               17 
               wheel 
             
             
               18 
               tailgate 
             
             
               19 
               wheel well 
             
             
               20 
               truck 
             
             
               21 
               longitudinal beam 
             
             
               22 
               longitudinal beam 
             
             
               23 
               transverse beam 
             
             
               24 
               transverse beam 
             
             
               25 
               forward anchor 
             
             
               26 
               plate 
             
             
               27 
               opening 
             
             
               28 
               square tubing section 
             
             
               29 
               fastener/bolted connection 
             
             
               30 
               open bore 
             
             
               31 
               nut 
             
             
               32 
               fastener 
             
             
               33 
               truck bed opening 
             
             
               34 
               opening 
             
             
               35 
               raised cargo box 
             
             
               36 
               toolbox 
             
             
               37 
               caster 
             
             
               38 
               body 
             
             
               39 
               front panel 
             
             
               40 
               top panel 
             
             
               41 
               storage area 
             
             
               42 
               platform 
             
             
               43 
               finger 
             
             
               44 
               latch 
             
             
               45 
               socket 
             
             
               46 
               locking member 
             
             
               47 
               aperture 
             
             
               48 
               under deck 
             
             
               49 
               flange 
             
             
               50 
               flange 
             
             
               51 
               fastener 
             
             
               52 
               forward anchor 
             
             
               53 
               stab fitting 
             
             
               54 
               square tubing section 
             
             
               55 
               flange 
             
             
               56 
               slot 
             
             
               57 
               opening 
             
             
               58 
               opening 
             
             
               59 
               arrow 
             
             
               60 
               eyebolt 
             
             
               61 
               insert 
             
             
               62 
               opening 
             
             
               63 
               grill 
             
             
               64 
               storage box 
             
             
               65 
               storage box 
             
             
               66 
               storage box 
             
             
               67 
               interior 
             
             
               68 
               folding table 
             
             
               69 
               folding leg frame 
             
             
               70 
               retainer 
             
             
               71 
               cylindrical portion 
             
             
               72 
               lower angled tab 
             
             
               73 
               upper angled tab 
             
             
               74 
               gap 
             
             
               75 
               larger diameter section 
             
             
               76 
               smaller diameter section 
             
             
               77 
               arrow 
             
             
               78 
               projecting member 
             
             
               79 
               eyelet 
             
             
               80 
               projecting member 
             
             
               81 
               body 
             
             
               82 
               threads 
             
             
               83 
               upper end portion 
             
             
               84 
               lower end portion 
             
             
               85 
               bore 
             
             
               86 
               shaft 
             
             
               87 
               threaded section 
             
             
               88 
               threaded section 
             
             
               89 
               unthreaded section 
             
             
               90 
               unthreaded section 
             
             
               91 
               wrench 
             
             
               92 
               head 
             
             
               93 
               socket 
             
             
               94 
               nut 
             
             
               95 
               disk 
             
             
               96 
               nut 
             
             
               97 
               set screw 
             
             
               98 
               set screw 
             
             
               99 
               first ramp section 
             
             
               100 
               second ramp section 
             
             
               101 
               hinge 
             
             
               102 
               left ramp 
             
             
               103 
               right ramp 
             
             
               104 
               stab fitting 
             
             
               105 
               stab fitting 
             
             
               106 
               locking pin 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.