Patent Publication Number: US-9845056-B1

Title: Pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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     REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of locking devices, more specifically, a locking device that is adapted to secure and lock truck bed cabinets of a truck. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets is a device that is adapted to be installed onto an existing truck, and which rotates about a direction of travel of a vehicle in order to enable access to or restrict access to truck bed cabinets of said vehicle. Truck bed cabinets are typically located on opposing exterior side surfaces of the vehicle. Moreover, the truck bed cabinets are provided on opposing exterior sides of the truck bed of a truck. The pivoting bar lock may include a frame that attaches to a rear truck bed surface as well as a front truck bed surface. Moreover, the frame extends vertically over top of the truck bed. The pivoting bar lock is further defined with a locking bar that is affixed to a first locking arm as well as a second locking arm. The first and second locking arms are provided at distal ends of the locking bar. The first and the second locking arms pivot with respect to the frame in order to obstruct or provide access to the truck bed cabinets. The frame and the first locking arm each include a lock bracket that when aligned enable a lock to be attached in order to secure the locking bar adjacent to the truck bed cabinets. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a locking bar system that is adapted to be installed onto a truck in order to secure truck bed cabinets. 
     An even further object of the invention is to provide the locking bar that is able to pivot up to provide access to the truck bed cabinets, and alternatively, pivot down to prevent access to the truck bed cabinets by blocking the cabinet doors from opening outwardly from the truck bed. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets in detail, it is to be understood that the pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets. 
     It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. They are meant to be exemplary illustrations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use. 
         FIG. 3  is a close-up view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use. 
         FIG. 5  is another rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use. 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments of the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Detailed reference will now be made to a first potential embodiment of the disclosure, which is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
     The pivoting bar lock for truck bed cabinets  100  (hereinafter invention) comprises a pivoting bar lock  101  that is further defined with a locking bar  102  that is affixed to a first locking arm  103  as well as a second locking arm  104 . The locking bar  102  is further defined with a first distal end  105  as well as a second distal end  106 . The first locking arm  103  is affixed to the locking bar  102  at the first distal end  105 . The second locking arm  104  is affixed to the locking bar  102  at the second distal end  106 . 
     The invention  100  is adapted for use with a vehicle  200 . More specifically, the vehicle  200  is a truck that has a plurality of truck bed cabinets  201  provided on an exterior side surface of a truck bed  202  portion of the vehicle  200 . The invention  100  works to either impede access to the plurality of truck bed cabinets  201  by locking in place in adaptive adjacency of the truck bed cabinets  201 . Moreover, in a locking orientation (1-4), the locking bar  102  prevents a cabinet door  203  of any of the truck bed cabinets  201  from opening. 
     The first locking arm  103  and the second locking arm  104  are each able to pivot with respect to the vehicle  200  via a pivot pin  107 . The pivot pin  107  interacts with a pivot bracket  108 . The pivot bracket  108  is rigidly affixed to a frame  109 . The frame  109  may be a part of the vehicle  200  or be a part of the invention  100 . The frame  109  attaches to the vehicle  200 , and extends upwardly and over the truck bed portion  202 . The frame  109  is rigidly affixed to a rear bed surface  208  and a front bed surface  209  of the truck bed portion  202  of the vehicle  200 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the frame  109  includes a first locking bracket  110 . The first locking arm  103  includes a second locking bracket  111 . The first locking bracket  110  and the second locking bracket  111  are able to align with one another provided the locking bar  102  is rotate down to the locking position (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The first locking bracket  110  and the second locking bracket  111  collectively form a perimeter wall  112  that is able to partially surround a lock  113  that is installed therein. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the first locking bracket  110  and the second locking bracket  111  each have a lock tab  114  that touch one another when the first locking bracket  110  is aligned with the second locking bracket  111 . The lock tabs  114  of the first locking bracket  110  and the second locking bracket  111  are aligned with one another and tab holes  115  provide thereon. The lock  113  secures the lock tabs  114  together via the tab holes  115 . 
     In use, the locking bar  102 , the first locking arm  103 , and the second locking arm  104  collectively rotate about a lateral axis  300 . The lateral axis  300  is parallel with the direction of travel of the vehicle  200 . Moreover, the lateral axis  300  is defined via the pivot pins  107  and the pivot brackets  108 . 
     The locking bar  102  may be made of a tubular construction and utilize at least two pieces that are telescopically arranged with one another such that a locking bar length  133  may be adjusted. The ability of the locking bar length  133  to adjust, enables the invention  100  to accommodate truck bed portions  202  of varying sizes. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the locking bar  102  is further defined as a first bar member  144  and a second bar member  145 . The first bar member  144  has a first outer diameter  146  that is less than a second inner diameter  147  of the second bar member  145 . The first bar member  144  is able to slide into the second bar member  145 . Moreover, at least one bar hole  148  is provided on the second bar member  145  to enable a spring-loaded button  149  provided on the first bar member  144  so as to enable adjustment of the locking bar length  133 . In a scenario where the locking bar  102  is adjustable, the frame  109  shall be disclaimed, and be associated as a part of the vehicle  200 , and not the invention  100 . 
     It shall also be noted that the invention  100  is adapted to be installed on either or both sides of the vehicle  200 .  FIGS. 2 and 4  depict use of the invention  100  on both sides of the truck bed portion  202  of the vehicle  200 . However, it may be up to the end user as to whether the invention  100  is installed on one side or both sides of the vehicle  200 . 
     With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention described above and in  FIGS. 1 through 7 , include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention. 
     It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invetnion is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.