Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to storage boxes for use with vehicles, and, more particularly, to a truck box having a keyless entry system which may be mounted in the bed of a pickup truck. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the most popular accessories for trucks and recreational vehicles is a truck box used to store and secure a variety of tools and other items. There are a number of different types of storage or truck boxes, including cross-over boxes, side mount boxes, chest boxes, top mount boxes, RV boxes and others. Truck boxes of this type are typically formed of aluminum tread plate, and comprise a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which are interconnected to form a hollow interior. The truck box interior is closed by a top wall or lid pivotal between open and closed positions on a hinge mounted to the back wall, usually with the assistance of gas springs. 
     In order to secure the lid in the closed position, most truck boxes include a pair of latch elements each mounted to the front wall in position to releasably engage one of a corresponding pair of striker bars carried by the lid. Each latch element has a capture plate which is pivotal between a latched position in which it engages one of the striker bars on the lid, and an unlatched position wherein the striker bar is released to permit the lid to be opened. The capture plates of the latch elements must be moved to the latched and unlatched positions simultaneously, and this is achieved in most truck box designs by one or more operating rods connected between the latch elements. Movement of the operating rod(s) in one direction causes the capture plates to move to the unlatched position, and the operating rod(s) may also function to return the capture plates to a latched position upon movement in the opposite direction. In alternative designs, the capture plates may be returned to a latched position by the operation of one or more return springs or by engagement of the striker plates with the capture plates. 
     Truck boxes of the type described above typically include one or more locking mechanisms to secure the lid in a closed position on the box. In some designs, a locking mechanism is incorporated in one or both of the latch elements to restrict movement of the capture plate between the latched and unlatched position. Other designs employ one or more locking mechanisms which are separate from the latch elements and act directly on the operating rod(s) to move the latch elements between a latched and unlatched position. 
     Most locking mechanisms used in truck boxes are locked and unlocked using a key. This is often inconvenient when such boxes are mounted to a pickup truck or other vehicle at a job site, for example, where a number of individuals need access to the contents of the box. Keys may be lost or misplaced, and if only one person has a key to a given box then he or she must be present in order for another to gain access. It is undesirable to leave a truck box unlocked and unattended at a job site with tools or other valuable items inside. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a truck box having latch elements, one or more locking mechanisms and a keyless entry system which is operative independently of the locking mechanisms to move the latch elements to an unlatched position in order to permit opening of the lid of the truck box. 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, first and second paddle latches are mounted to the front wall of a truck box each having a pivot arm with an upper end and a lower end. A first push button lock is mounted to one end wall of the truck box in position to engage a first operating rod which is coupled to the lower end of the pivot arm of each of the paddle latches. A second push button lock is mounted to the opposite end wall of the truck box in position to engage a second operating rod which is coupled to the upper end of the pivot arm of the second paddle latch. Both the first and second push button locks are placed in a locked or unlocked position by operation of a key. When unlocked, each of the push button locks may be operated to move both paddle latches to an unlatched position thus allowing the lid of the truck box to be opened. 
     The truck box further includes a keyless entry system that is operative independently of the push button locks. The keyless entry system includes a processor unit having a keypad, an actuator coupled to the processor unit, a linkage connected between the actuator and the upper end of the pivot arm of the first paddle latch, and, a power source. When the correct code is entered on the keypad, the processor is operative to cause the actuator to move the pivot arm of the first paddle latch from a latched position to an unlatched position. Since the pivot arms of the first and second paddle latches are connected to one another by the first operating rod, movement of the pivot arm of the first paddle latch in response to operation of the actuator causes the pivot arm of the second paddle latch to also move to an unlatched position. The lid of the truck box may therefore be opened by the keyless entry system of this invention regardless of whether or not the first and/or second push button locks are in a locked or unlocked position. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a truck box incorporating the keyless entry system of this invention with the lid in an open position; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view of the truck box with a portion of the front wall removed and the paddles latches in a latched position; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  except with the paddle latches shown in an unlatched position; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one of the push button locks depicted in the locked position; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  except showing an alternative embodiment of a linkage according to this invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a partial side view of the truck box in which the keypad of the keyless entry system is illustrated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, the truck box  10  of this invention comprises a front wall  12 , a bottom wall  14 , opposed end walls  16 ,  18 , a top wall or lid  20  and a back wall  22 . Each of the walls  12 - 22  is preferably formed of aluminum tread plate and are interconnected by welding to form a hollow interior  24 . For purposes of illustration and the present discussion, a single lid, cross-over box is depicted in the Figs. but it is contemplated that other types of truck boxes may be employed with the keyless entry system of this invention, discussed below, including side-mount boxes, chest boxes, top mount boxes, trailer boxes, RV boxes and the like. 
     The interior configuration of the truck box  10  may be varied, as desired, and the components shown in  FIG. 1  are for purposes of illustration only. These include one or more trays  26  extending between the front and back walls  12 ,  22 , spaced level mounts  28 ,  30  connected to the back wall  22  and a pair of plates  32 ,  34  located near respective end walls  16 ,  18 . Each of the plates  32 ,  34  supports one end of a gas spring  36  mounted at its opposite end to the lid  20 . The lid  20  also mounts a pair of spaced striker bars  38 ,  40  which are received within paddle latches  42 ,  44 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6 , the two paddle latches  42  and  44  are mounted on a latch rail  46  which extends along the front wall  12  between the end walls  16 ,  18  of the truck box  10 . The paddle latches  42 ,  44  are commercially available and the details of same form no part of this invention. For purposes of the present discussion, and as best seen in  FIG. 5 , each paddle latch  42 ,  44  includes a latch body  48  which pivotally mounts a pivot arm  50  having an upper end  52  and a lower end  54 . The pivot arm  50  is coupled to a capture plate  56  which is moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position relative to a slot  58  formed in the latch body  48  having tapered leading edges. When the lid  20  is closing, the tapered leading edges function to direct the striker bars  38 ,  40  into the slot  58  of respective paddle latches  42 ,  44  where they may be engaged by the capture plate  56  to secure the lid  20  in a closed position. 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, the end wall  16  of the truck box  10  mounts a push button lock  66  and the opposite end wall  18  mounts a second push button lock  68 . The push button locks  66 ,  68  each include a push plate  70  which is moveable between a locked position shown in  FIG. 4  and an unlocked position illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  wherein the push plate  70  is rotated 90° by operation of a key (not shown). An elongated first operating rod  72  extends along a substantial portion of the front wall  12  of the truck box  10 . It includes an upturned end  74  located in alignment with the push plate  70  of the push button lock  66 , when in the unlocked position, and an opposite end coupled to the lower end  54  of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44 . The first operating rod  72  is also coupled to the lower end  54  of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42 . A second operating rod  76  is coupled at one end to the upper end  52  of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44 , and its opposite end  78  aligns with the push plate  70  of the push button lock  68  when in the unlocked position. 
     The push button locks  66 ,  68 , operating rods  72 ,  76  and paddle latches  42 ,  44  work in concert to capture or release the striker bars  38 ,  40  secured to the lid  20 . As noted above, when in the unlocked position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  the push plate  70  of push button lock  66  is in alignment with the upturned end  74  of the first operating rod  72 . In response to depressing the push button lock  66 , the push plate  70  forces the first operating rod  72  to the right as view in  FIG. 3  causing the pivot arm  50  of the paddle latch  42  and the pivot arm  50  of the paddle latch  44  to pivot in a counterclockwise direction. The capture plate  56 , in turn, is rotated to an unlatched position so that the striker bars  38 ,  40  may be received within the slot  58  in the latch body  48 , or released, as the case may be. The same counterclockwise motion of the pivot arms  50  is achieved by depressing the push button lock  68 . In that case, the push plate  70  of push button lock  68  forces the second operating rod  76  to the left as viewed in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which, in turn, pivots the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44  in the counterclockwise direction. Since the pivot arms  50  of both paddle latches  42  and  44  are connected to one another by the first operating rod  72 , counterclockwise pivotal motion of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44  creates the same motion in the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42 . The paddle latches  42 ,  44  may be returned to the latched position by closing the lid  20  wherein the striker bars  38 ,  40  engage the capture plate  56  of respective paddle latches  42 ,  44  causing the pivot arms  50  to rotate in a clockwise direction. 
     The push button locks  66 ,  68  are locked and unlocked by operation of a key. As discussed above, this arrangement may not be convenient for truck boxes  10  used at job sites or in other applications wherein multiple users must have access to the materials or tools housed in the box  10 . This issue is addressed in the subject invention by providing a keyless entry system which is operable independently of the push button locks  66 ,  68 , and regardless of whether such locks  66 ,  68  are in a locked or unlocked position. 
     The keyless entry system comprises a keypad  82  which includes a processor (not shown), a power source preferably in the form of a battery pack  84 , an actuator  86  and a linkage such as a wire lead  88 . See  FIGS. 5-7 . All of these components are commercially available from TriMark Corporation of New Hampton, Iowa. The battery pack  84 , keypad  82  and actuator  86  are preferably hard wired to one another. The actuator  86  includes an adapter  90  formed with an opening in which the wire lead  88  may be inserted and then connected to itself by a cable swage  92  to form a loop  94 . The opposite end of the wire lead  88  is coupled to the upper end  52  of the pivot arm  50  of latch body  42 . In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the wire lead  88  may be replaced by a rod  96  formed with an elongated slot  98 . The upper end  52  of pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42  is connected by a pin  100  to the rod  96  such that the pin  100  is located at one end of the slot  98  and slides therein upon movement of the pivot arm  50  in the counterclockwise direction. The adaptor  90  of the actuator  86  is connected within an opening  102  formed in the opposite end of rod  96 . 
     In response to the entry of the correct code on the keypad  82 , the processor signals the actuator  86  to retract its adapter  90  in a direction toward the left as viewed in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 . Because the adapter  90  is connected to the upper end  52  of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42  by the wire lead  88 , the pivot arm  50  is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction. Alternatively, if the rod  96  is employed, it pulls the pivot arm  50  in a counterclockwise direction upon operation of the actuator  86  since the pin  100  connecting the rod  96  to the upper end  52  of the pivot arm  50  is located at the end of the elongated slot  98  in the rod  96 . The first operating rod  72  is moved to the right with the counterclockwise motion of pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42 . This causes the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44  to pivot in the counterclockwise direction since the first operating rod  72  is coupled to the lower end  54  of such pivot arm  50 . As discussed above, counterclockwise motion of the pivot arms  50  of paddle latches  42  and  44  causes the capture plates  56  to move to the unlatched position for the receipt or release of the striker bars  38 ,  40 . 
     It is important to note that operation of the actuator  86  takes place independently of the push button locks  66 ,  68  and regardless of whether they are in an locked or unlocked condition. Upon operation of the actuator  86  as noted above, the first operating rod  72  is moved to the right as viewed in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , away from the push button lock  66 , whereas the second operating rod  74  is pulled to the left and away from the push button lock  68  as the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  44  rotates in a counterclockwise direction. On the other hand, when the push button locks  66 ,  68  are employed to move the paddle latches  42 ,  44  to an unlatched position, the wire lead  88  which connects the actuator  86  to the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42  does not impede counterclockwise movement of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42  because it is flexible and slackens in response to such movement. The rod  96  also does not impede such counterclockwise movement of the pivot arm  50  of paddle latch  42  because the pin  100  connecting the rod  96  to the upper end  52  of pivot arm  50  slides within the elongated slot  98  in a direction to the left as viewed in  FIG. 6  when the push button locks  66 ,  68  are operated. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 4