Patent Publication Number: US-6708856-B1

Title: Automotive tool tray and support assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to the field of automotive tool trays, and specifically relates to an automotive tool tray that straddles the engine compartment of automobiles having rear-raising hoods. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In most modem automobiles, the hood covering the engine compartment opens from the front of the automobile—called a front-raising hood. In this configuration, the hood is kept closed by a latch located in the front-portion of the engine compartment. When this latch is released, the front of the hood is raised on hinges located at the rear portion of the engine compartment. However, certain automobiles, such as most models of the Chevrolet Corvette, are or have been manufactured with rear-raising engine hoods that raise on a hinge or hinges located at the front-portion of the engine compartment. For some automobiles having rear-raising hoods, the hood and left and right fenders are formed as a single piece, such that both the hood and fenders are raised to access the engine compartment. This is commonly known as a unitary hood and fender. For simplicity purposes, the term “rear-raising hoods” shall also include rear-raising unitary hood and fenders. Automobiles having rear-raising hoods conventionally have two hood latches, one on either side of the engine compartment, located in the rear portion of the engine compartment. When the rear-raising hood is lowered, the hood latches retain the hood in the closed position. 
     In all automobiles—whether manufactured with rear-raising or front-raising engine hoods—it is generally inevitable that maintenance, repair or some other service will be required to be performed in the engine compartment. Whether such servicing is done by a professional or amateur automobile mechanic, most types of servicing require the use of tools and spare automotive parts. While performing automotive servicing, it is usually ideal to have tools and parts within close reach of the mechanic. Placing tools and parts within the engine compartment itself is problematic because there are usually no convenient surfaces upon which to place tools and parts. Furthermore, placing tools and parts directly within the engine compartment may cause the loss of parts within the engine compartment. This is especially dangerous if a tool or a part becomes lost or left (unbeknownst to the mechanic) near or on a moving engine part, thus causing damage to the engine, and possibly injuring the driver or others. Placing tools and parts on other parts of the automobile may result in damage, such as scratches or dents, to the automobile, and is similarly undesirable. While placing tools and parts on a table or tray away from the automobile is probably the safest alternative, it requires the mechanic to temporarily stop whatever task he or she may be doing in the engine compartment, turn about to retrieve the tool or part, then return to the task. This is highly inefficient, undesirable and unrealistic, especially if the mechanic must simultaneously hold a tool or part in place while requiring a new tool or part. A professional mechanic&#39;s inefficiency results in increased costs for the consumer. 
     Therefore, to increase the efficiency and safety of working on an automobile, various types of automotive tool trays have been developed to assist the mechanic by providing a place to hold tools and parts within easy reach of the mechanic. Unfortunately, most, if not all, of these automotive tool trays have been designed for an automobile with a front-raising hood. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,019 to Sheldrick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,766 to Denny, U.S. Pat. No. 6.026,954 to Marsh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,904 to DiSimone, et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,311 to Schlattl, would not be suitable for automobiles having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender because these types of tool trays rest on the edge of the engine compartment formed by the fender. For an automobile having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender, the fender is raised together with the hood, and therefore there is no edge upon which to rest the tool tray. Furthermore, unlike automobiles having front-raising hoods, automobiles having rear-raising hoods require the mechanic to service the engine compartment exclusively from the sides of the automobile. The above inventions are designed to straddle the engine compartment to accommodate a mechanic that can service the engine compartment from the front as well as the sides. Use of these types of tool trays would obstruct access to most of the engine compartment for automobiles with rear-raising hoods, thus making it difficult for a mechanic to service such automobiles. Furthermore, the above-mentioned automotive tool trays are not firmly affixed in place, and are susceptible to jostling or overturning, which could spill tools and parts into the engine compartment. In addition, tool trays that must be rolled to a position over the engine compartment, such as the types described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,497 to Bevans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,065 to Coote, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,645 to Coote, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,856 B1 to Paskey, et al, are unsuitable for an automobile having a rear-raising hood because the hood and wheel of such automobiles would prevent the tray from being rolled into a proper position over the engine compartment. It is of course desirable that any tool tray be easily manufactured from inexpensive materials and easily assembled and used by a single person. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     This invention comprises an automotive tool tray having a support assembly that can be removably engaged with and affixed to the hood-latch mechanisms of automobiles having rear-raising engine hoods. The support assembly preferably comprises two support members, one for engagement with each hood latch mechanism, and an automotive tool tray. Each support member has a foot end, a top end, and a leg having a latch end portion adapted to be engagable with and retained by a corresponding hood latch mechanism in the rear of the engine compartment. The foot ends of the support members rest on the hood latch mechanism housing. 
     Both support members are substantially rigidly and removably affixed to their respective hood latch mechanisms by inserting the latch end portion of each leg into its respective hood latch mechanism. The hood latch mechanisms engage with and retain the latch end portions of the legs, and the foot ends of the support members rest on the hood latch mechanism housings. The automotive tool tray is positioned over the exposed engine compartment by affixing the tray to the top ends of the support members. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention in relation to an automobile having a rear-raising hood. 
     FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the invention in relation to an automobile having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender. 
     FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of an assembled automotive tool tray and support assembly according to the present invention, showing the extension of the top end portions of the inserts through the automotive tool tray to be affixed to the tool tray via tightening fasteners, in this case wingnuts, to be tightened on the threaded top end portion of the inserts. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the assembled automotive tool tray and support assembly of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational cutaway view of a support member, showing the movably disposed insert within the member and the latch end portion of the insert extending from the foot end of the member. 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the bottom of the support member of FIG. 5 along the line  6 — 6 , showing the latch end portion of the insert extending from the foot end of the member. 
     FIG. 7 is a view of the top of the support member of FIG. 5 along the line  7 — 7 , showing the top end portion of the insert extending from the top end of the member. 
     FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the support member of FIG. 5 in a horizontal orientation. 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational cutaway view of the foot end of the support member of FIG. 5, showing the latch end portion of an insert inserted in a hood latch mechanism and the foot end of the member resting on the hood latch mechanism housing. 
     FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of the assembled automotive tool tray and support assembly of FIG. 3 showing the automotive tool tray and support assembly in use on an automobile having a rear-raising hood. 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the support member, showing the bend intermediate between the foot end and top end of the support member. 
     FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the support member in a horizontal orientation, showing legs or mini-legs rigidly affixed to the foot end and top end of the support member. 
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION 
     The presently preferred best mode for carrying out the present invention is illustrated by FIGS. 1 through 10. Automobiles having rear-raising hoods conventionally comprise two types—having a rear-raising hood or having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender—as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Referring to FIG. 1, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention  10  is shown in relation to an automobile A having a rear-raising hood B 1 . Referring to FIG. 2, the invention  10  is shown in relation to an automobile A having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender B 2 . As shown in FIG. 2, automobiles A having a rear-raising unitary hood and fender B 2  conventionally lack the fender lip G that forms the edge of the engine compartment of automobiles having a rear-raising hood (as illustrated in FIG. 1) or an automobile having a front-raising hood (not shown). The absence of this fender lip G prevents the use of many types of automotive tool trays, as discussed above. 
     The invention  10  is designed for use with automobiles A having either a rear-raising hood B 1  or rear-raising unitary hood and fender B 2 . Aside from the type of hood, automobiles A having rear-raising hoods conventionally have common design features. Automobiles A of this type conventionally have hood latches comprising a hood latch mechanism and housing. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an automobile A is shown with a left hood latch mechanism C contained within a housing E, and a right hood latch mechanism D contained within a housing F. For clarity and simplicity, the left/right convention used herein shall be taken from the perspective of a driver. Therefore, the driver&#39;s left denotes the left side of the automobile, and the driver&#39;s right denotes the right side of the automobile. The left hood latch C and right hood latch D secure the hood B 1 , B 2  to the frame of the automobile A when the hood B 1 , B 2  is closed. A hood latch is conventionally a latch mechanism contained in a housing. The latch mechanism conventionally lockingly receives and releasably retains hooks (not shown) in the hood. The left hood latch mechanism C and housing E is conventionally located at the left rear of the engine compartment H of an automobile A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The right hood latch mechanism D housing F is conventionally located at the right rear of the engine compartment H of an automobile A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     The invention  10  utilizes the hood latch mechanisms C, D and housings E, F to remain in place over the engine compartment H. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an assembled automotive tool tray and support assembly according to the present invention generally comprises three components: two support members  12  and a tool tray  30 . The two support members  12  are preferably substantially identical. 
     FIGS. 5 through 8 show the presently preferred embodiment of a support member  12  of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the support member  12  is preferably substantially hollow and comprises a foot end  14  and an open top end  16 . The foot end  14  and the top end  16  of the support member  12  define the support member length. The foot end  14  has a bottom surface  15  with an aperture  19  substantially centrally located on the bottom surface  15  as shown in FIG.  6 . The top end  16  has a top surface opening  17  as shown in FIG.  7 . Referring again to FIG. 7, although the top surface opening  17  is shown as a circular aperture, it is not limited to this shape. The top surface opening  17  must be at least large enough to allow the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  to movably extend from the top end  16  of the support member  12  (described below). Therefore, the top surface opening  17  may be an aperture slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the insert  18 , or may be an opening co-extensive with the hollow interior of the support member  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, an insert  18  having a latch end portion  20  and a top end portion  22 , is preferably movably disposed within the support member  12 . The latch end portion  20  and the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  define the length of the insert  18 . Referring to FIGS. 6 to  8 , the latch end portion  20  of the insert  18  preferably movably extends from the aperture  19  in the foot end  14  of the support member  12  and the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  preferably movably extends from the top surface opening  17  in the top end  16  of the support member  12 . The remainder of the insert  18  is preferably movably disposed within the support member  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, the area of the aperture  19  in the bottom surface  15  of the foot end  14  of the support member  12  is preferably slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of the insert  18 , which allows the latch end portion  20  of the insert  18  to extend through the bottom surface  15  of the foot end  14  of the support member  12 . The latch end portion  20  of the insert  18  is preferably adapted to be inserted into a hood latch mechanism C, D. Referring to the drawings, for simplicity purposes, the insert  18  has been illustrated as having a cylindrical shape. However, the insert  18  is not limited to a cylindrical shape or to a circular cross-section. The insert  18  can be any one of a number of shapes, and its cross-section may even vary throughout the length of the insert  18 . However, regardless of the shape or cross section of the insert  18 , the latch end portion  20  is preferably adapted to be inserted into a hood latch mechanism C, D, as shown in FIG.  9 . Therefore, the latch end portion  20  as well as the remainder of the insert  18  may be any one of a number of similar or dissimilar equivalent structures that are well within the skill of an ordinary artisan. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  extends through top surface opening  17  of the support member  12 . As shown in FIG. 6, the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  is preferably adapted to be received by and affixed to a tool tray  30 . The top end portion  22  of the insert  18  may be any one of a number of different configurations. Although for simplicity only one configuration is described in detail below, it is understood that the scope of this invention is not limited by this description. In the presently preferred embodiment of the current invention, the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  has a cylindrical shape and is threaded, as shown in FIGS. 3,  5 , and  8 . Referring to FIG. 3, in use, the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  is preferably received by a corresponding aperture  36  in the tool tray  30 . The area of the aperture  36  is preferably slightly greater than the area of the cross-section of the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  to allow the top end portion  22  of the insert  18  to project through the aperture  36 . The tool tray  30  then rests on the top ends  16  (see FIG. 6) of the support members  12 , and the tool tray  30  is secured to each support member  12  by tightening fasteners, preferably wingnuts  40 , to the threaded top end portion  22  of the insert  18 , as shown in FIG.  3 . Although FIG. 3 illustrates the use of wingnuts  40  to secure the tool tray  30  to the top ends  16  of the support members  12 , any type of tightening fasteners may be used. By tightening fastener is meant any structure or structures that both tightens (to tighten the foot end  14  against the housings E, F and the tool tray  30  against the top end  16 ) and fastens (to secure the insert  18  in the tightened position). It is furthermore understood that this configuration is not the only way to secure the tool tray  30  to the support members  12 . Although the use of wingnuts  40  to secure the threaded top end portion  22  of the insert  18  is currently the preferred embodiment, the tool tray  30  may be secured to the support members  12  by any one of a number of similar or dissimilar equivalent structures that are well within the skill of an ordinary artisan. 
     The tool tray  30  is preferably rectangular in shape and has a bottom plate  32  and four side walls  34 . However, the tool tray  30  is not limited to being rectangular in shape, but can be square, circular or any other shape. The shape and size of the tool tray  30  is substantially constrained by two design considerations: (1) the tool tray  30  must adapted to engage and rest on the top ends  16  of the support members  12  when the support members  12  engage the hood latch mechanisms C, D as shown in FIG. 10; and (2) the tool tray  30  should have a relatively unobtrusive presence in the engine compartment H (i.e., it should not block access to the engine compartment H when in use). The tool tray  30  is also adapted to be preferably removably affixed to the support members  12 . It is understood that the tool tray  30  may be affixed to the support members  12  in any one of a number of ways. Although, as described above, the tool tray  30  is described as having apertures  36  configured and positioned to receive the threaded top end portions  22  of the inserts  18  to be secured by wingnuts  40 , it is understood that this description is no limitation. On the contrary, the tool tray  30  can have any one of a number of similar or dissimilar equivalent configurations that are well within the skill of an ordinary artisan. 
     Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in use. Referring to FIG. 10, the invention in use comprises two support members  12  engaged in and retained by the left and right hood latch mechanisms C, D, with the tool tray  30  affixed to the top ends  16  (not shown) of the support members  12 . Referring to FIG. 9, a support member  12  is preferably first positioned over the left and right hood latch mechanisms C, D. The latch end portion  20  of each insert  18  is inserted into the respective hood latch mechanism C, D. The hood latch mechanism C, D then engages and retains the latch end portion  20  of the insert  18 . Once the hood latch mechanism C, D engages the latch end portion  20  of the insert  18 , the support member  12  can then be urged downward along the insert  18  until the foot end  14  of the support member  12  rests on the hood latch mechanism housing E, F. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 9, after the support members  12  are affixed to the left and right hood latch mechanisms C, D, the tool tray  30  may then be affixed to the support members  12  in the manner as described above. 
     In certain automobiles, the hood latch housing mechanisms E, F may have a top surface offset from the horizontal. To compensate for this angle offset, referring to FIG. 11, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the support member  12  may be formed with at least one curve or bend  13  equal to the offset angle intermediately located between the foot end  14  and the top end  16  of the support member  12 . In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the support member  12  preferably has one bend  13 . The angle of the bend  13  should correspond to the offset angle of the hood latch mechanism housing E, F. Support members  12  having the angle of the bend  13  range between zero degrees (0°) and ten degrees (10°) should accommodate the offset angle of the hood latch mechanism housing E, F of all automobiles having rear-raising hoods. However, the support member  12  may have more than one bend  13  (not shown in FIG.  11 ), so long as the sum effect of all bends  13  compensates for the offset angle of the hood latch mechanism housing E, F. 
     Because the hood latch mechanisms C, D engage and retain the latch end portions  20  of the inserts  18 , and because the tool tray  30  is secured against the support members  12  using the top end portions  22  of the inserts  18 , the invention is substantially rigidly affixed in place over the engine compartment H of the automobile A. This reduces the likelihood of jostling or overturning the tool tray  30 , and therefore reduces the chances of losing tools or parts placed in the tool tray  30 . When the invention must be removed from the engine compartment H of the automobile A, the hood latch mechanisms C, D are released, which in turn releases the latch end portions  20  of the inserts  18 . The tool tray  30  and support members  12  may then be removed from the engine compartment H. 
     The tool tray  30  and support members  12  are preferably constructed of inexpensive and lightweight material such as aluminum. Furthermore, the inserts  18  may be adapted from readily available existing parts, such as carriage bolts. 
     Referring to FIG. 12, an alternative embodiment of the support member  12  contemplates the use of mini-legs or legs (collectively referred to as “legs”)  42 ,  44  rigidly affixed to the foot end  14  and top end  16  of the support member  12  instead of an insert  18 . The foot leg  42  is rigidly affixed to the foot end  14  of the support member  12 , and each foot leg  42  is preferably adapted to be inserted into the hood latch mechanisms C, D. Similarly, the top leg  44  is rigidly affixed to the top end  16  of the support member  12  and is preferably adapted to be received by and affixed to a tool tray  30 . The tool tray  30  can then be secured to the support member  12  by the top leg  44  via the use of tightening fasteners as discussed above, or by any one of a number of similar or dissimilar equivalent structures that are well within the skill of an ordinary artisan. 
     While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the particular preferred embodiments disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many alterations and modifications in the details of the invention can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, no limitations are to be implied or inferred in the invention, except as specifically and explicitly set forth in the attached claims. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     This invention can be used whenever it is desired to have an unobtrusive yet conveniently positioned automotive tool tray that will not be upset or overturned when performing maintenance or repairs on an automobile having a rear-raising hood.