U.S. patent application number 09/848129 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-25 for pivotable rack apparatus for a pickup truck.
Invention is credited to Morse, Charles A..
Application Number | 20020047285 09/848129 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46277575 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020047285 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morse, Charles A. |
April 25, 2002 |
PIVOTABLE RACK APPARATUS FOR A PICKUP TRUCK
Abstract
A rack apparatus for improving the cargo carrying capacity of a
pickup truck. The truck has a cab portion, a bed portion defined by
a bed surface and a pair of side walls and a forward wall adjacent
the cab The rack apparatus comprises a side rail arranged on each
of the side walls of the bed portion and each of the side rails has
a proximal end which is pivotally attached to the side wall at a
mid-portion thereof. A crossbar is arranged between the side rails
adjacent a distal end thereof. The side rails and the crossbar are
pivotable from a stowed out of the way orientation at a forward end
of the bed portion to an upright orientation at a rearward end of
the bed portion. A stationary rack is arranged at a forward end of
the bed portion of the truck to provide a cargo carrying capacity
between the stationary rack and the crossbar of the pivotable side
rails.
Inventors: |
Morse, Charles A.; (Beverly,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald N. Halgren
35 Central Street
Manchester
MA
01944
US
|
Family ID: |
46277575 |
Appl. No.: |
09/848129 |
Filed: |
May 3, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09848129 |
May 3, 2001 |
|
|
|
09695482 |
Oct 24, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/26.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 33/0273
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/26.02 |
International
Class: |
B62C 001/06 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A rack apparatus for improving the cargo carrying capacity of a
pickup truck, said truck having a cab portion, a bed portion
defined by a bed surface and a pair of side walls and a forward
wall adjacent said cab, said rack apparatus comprising: a side rail
arranged on each of said side walls of said bed portion, each of
said side rails having a proximal end which is pivotally attached
to said side wall at a mid-portion thereof; a crossbar arranged
between said side rails adjacent a distal end thereof, said side
rails and said crossbar being pivotable from a stowed out of the
way orientation at a forward end of said bed portion to an upright
orientation at a rearward end of said bed portion; and a stationary
rack arranged at a forward end of said bed portion of said truck to
provide a cargo carrying capacity between said stationary rack and
said crossbar of said pivotable side rails.
2. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a hinge
arranged between each of said side rails and said side wall of said
truck.
3. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said hinge is
attached to an upper edge of said side wall of said bed
portion.
4. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said hinge is
attached to an inner side edge of said side wall of said bed
portion.
5. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said
side rails has a leg member arranged at a distal end thereof.
6. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said legs are
each arranged generally perpendicular to their respective side
rails.
7. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said crossbar
is arranged between said legs of said side rails.
8. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said
side rails is disposed upon an upper edge of said side walls.
9. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said
side rails is disposed along an inner edge of said side walls.
10. A method of improving the cargo carrying capacity of a vehicle
comprising the steps of: arranging a generally U-shaped rail
assembly onto an upper portion of said truck, said rail assembly
comprising a pair of side rails and a crossbar joining said side
rails at a first end thereof; attaching a second end of said side
rails onto said truck by a hinge arrangement therebetween; pivoting
said U-shaped rail assembly from a first stowed out of the way
position on said truck, into a second position wherein said
crossbar is supported above said truck to permit a cargo to be
carried between a mid-portion on said crossbar and a second portion
on said truck.
11. The method as recited in claim 10, including the step of:
arranging a stationary rack at a forward portion of said truck
forward of said U-shaped rail assembly.
12. The method as recited in claim 11, including the step of:
attaching said second end of said U-shaped rail assembly at a wall
on said bed portion.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, including the step of:
positioning said hinge of said U-shaped rail assembly at a
mid-point location of said walls of said bed portion.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said stowed away
position comprises a location adjacent said bed of said truck,
between said side walls thereof.
15. The method as recited in claim 13, including the step of:
securing a portion of said first end of said rack against a storage
compartment arranged adjacent said first "stowed away" position of
said crossbar.
16. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a storage
compartment arranged at said forward end of said bed, said storage
compartment securable to said truck by a member of said rails.
17. The rack apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said forward
end of at least one of said rails is lockable to at least one of
said sidewalls by a lock arranged therebetween.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus for increasing
the load carrying capacity of pickup trucks, and particularly to an
articulable frame arrangement for increasing that load carrying
capacity of a pickup truck, and is a continuation-in-part
application of my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/695,482, filed Oct. 24, 2000, and is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] About one in four of every vehicle on the road in the United
States today is a pickup truck. Those pickup trucks are often
utilized as both a family vehicle and as a utilitarian vehicle for
home owners and service personnel. Theirs is often a dual function
vehicle.
[0005] An attempt at dual function use of a pickup truck is shown
by a truck rack adapter called the Rail 'N Rack System.TM. which
permits a conversion of pickup truck bed rails into a rack. It
becomes an overhead rack from a pair of bed rails. The bed rails,
however, appear to require a supplemental crossbar attachment
inasmuch as they are hinged at the rearwardmost point of the truck
bed to provide the rear rack assembly. This is somewhat
complicated. If the cross bar on the rack were constantly
maintained on the side rails, they would take up valuable cargo
space when the rack was not in its full upright orientation.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to overcome the
disadvantages of the prior art.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
pickup truck with a simple, efficient, stowable rack arrangement
which is not in the way of the cargo bed when the rack is not in
its extended orientation but in its "stowed" orientation.
[0008] It is a yet further object of the present invention to
provide a pickup truck rack arrangement that is simple to set up
and which rack arrangement takes up minimum space and is
unobtrusive within the cargo bed or on the side rails of the pickup
truck.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention comprises an articulable rack
arrangement for use about the bed of a pickup truck. A pickup truck
is typically a truck having a wheelbase of an automobile and has a
"cab" compartment where a driver and a passenger sits. A cargo
carrying bed is disposed behind the cab. The bed may be defined by
a lowermost bed support surface surrounded by a pair of parallel
elongated side walls, and a forward wall immediately adjacent to
and parallel to the back wall of the cab. A tailgate is typically
hingedly supported from the rearwardmost end of the bed support
surface and is pivotable to and from a position adjacent the back
end of the sidewalls.
[0010] In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a
stationary side rail may be fixedly supported on an upper edge of
each side wall, and extending from a rearward point of the side
wall to a mid point thereof on each side wall of the bed of the
pickup truck. A generally U-shaped side rail in this embodiment is
hingedly attached to the midpoint of each respective side wall,
which would coincide with the forward end of each respective
stationary side rail.
[0011] A forward rack comprised of a generally inverted U-shaped
member is arranged fixedly attached to the bed of the pickup truck
adjacent the forward wall of the bed. The forward rack has a
stationary crossbar which may be preferably just above the roofline
of the cab.
[0012] The pivotable pair of forward side rails in this first
embodiment, are disposed on the upper edge of the respective side
walls, each forward side rail being hingedly attached to the
midpoint of each sidewall. The U-shaped member resides adjacent the
forward end wall of the bed of the truck in an out of the way
orientation when the rack assembly is not in its "cargo-carrying"
configuration. The forward end of each of the pivotable side rails
comprises a first leg which is generally perpendicular to the
respective side rails. Each leg is joined to the other leg by a
crossbar which resides within the bed of the truck in its folded
down configuration.
[0013] When it is desired to fully establish the rack arrangement
on the bed of the pickup truck, the pivotable side rails sitting on
the top edge of each side wall of the bed of the pickup truck, as
well as the connecting crossbar are pivoted about their
corresponding rear hinge points at the proximal end of each side
rail, so that the pivotable side rail is in generally parallel
juxtaposition with the stationary side rail on the rear half
portion of the side wall of the pickup truck. The first leg
portions at the distal end of each pivotable side rail are then in
a vertical orientation and the crossbar therebetween, originally
residing at an inner forward location just above the support bed
now extends supportedly over the tailgate portion of the pickup
truck at the rear end of its bed. The crossbar portion of the
pivotable side rail arrangement is thus spaced apart and to the
rear of the bed of the pickup truck and the crossbar of the forward
stationary rack is already supported at and parallel to the forward
wall of the bed. Thus those crossbars established the articulable
rack system for a pickup truck bed.
[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention the
stowable articulable rack arrangement may be supported within the
side portions of each respective sidewall so as to not be visable
from the outside of the truck. The proximal end of each respective
pivotable side rail is hingedly attached to a midpoint of each
respective side wall along an inner lip thereof. Each pivotable
side rail has as in the first preferred embodiment, at its distal
end thereof, a first leg disposed generally perpendicular thereto.
Each first leg of each respective side of the pivotable side rail
assembly is connected by a crossbar which sits within the forward
end of the bed of the pickup truck when it is in its stowed away
orientation.
[0015] Each pivotable side rail, as in the aforementioned
embodiment, may be pivoted about a hinge point on the inner side of
each respected side wall, to permit each respective pivotable side
rail to be swung 180 degrees rearwardly into a fully articulated
rack orientation with the rearward crossbar rack then being
parallel to the forward stationary rack and crossbar in its "to be
utilized" configuration.
[0016] The invention thus comprises a rack apparatus for improving
the cargo carrying capacity of a pickup truck. The truck has a cab
portion, a bed portion defined by a bed surface and a pair of side
walls and a forward wall adjacent the cab. The rack apparatus
comprises a side rail arranged on each of the side walls of the bed
portion, each of the side rails having a proximal end which is
pivotally attached to the side wall at a mid-portion thereof, a
crossbar arranged between the side rails adjacent a distal end
thereof, the side rails and the crossbar being pivotable from a
stowed out of the way orientation at a forward end of the bed
portion to an upright orientation at a rearward end of the bed
portion. The stationary rack is arranged at a forward end of the
bed portion of the truck to provide a cargo carrying capacity
between the stationary rack and the crossbar of the pivotable side
rails. A hinge is arranged between each of the side rails and the
side wall of the truck. The hinge is attached to an upper edge of
the side wall of the bed portion. The hinge may also be attached to
an inner side edge of the side wall of the bed portion. Each of the
side rails has a leg member arranged at a distal end thereof. The
legs are each arranged generally perpendicular to their respective
side rails. The crossbar is arranged between the legs of the side
rails. Each of the side rails may be disposed upon an upper edge of
the side walls. Each of the side rails is disposed along an inner
edge of the side walls.
[0017] The invention also includes a method of improving the cargo
carrying capacity of a vehicle comprising the steps of: arranging a
generally U-shaped rail assembly onto an upper portion of the
truck, the rail assembly comprising a pair of side rails and a
crossbar joining the side rails at a first end thereof; attaching a
second end of the side rails onto the truck by a hinge arrangement
therebetween; pivoting the U-shaped rail assembly from a first
stowed out of the way position on the truck, into a second position
wherein the crossbar is supported above the truck to permit a cargo
to be carried between a mid-portion on the crossbar and a second
portion on the truck. The method includes the steps of: arranging a
stationary rack at a forward portion of the truck forward of the
U-shaped rail assembly, and attaching the second end of the
U-shaped rail assembly at a wall on the bed portion, positioning
the hinge of the U-shaped rail assembly at a mid-point location of
the walls of the bed portion, wherein the stowed away position
comprises a location adjacent the bed of the truck, between their
side walls thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent, when viewed in conjunction with the following
drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a truck with a stowable
side rail assembly constructed according to the principles of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing the
stowable side rail assembly in a partially pivoted
configuration;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the stowable rack
assembly in its rack rearward cargo-carrying configuration;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 with a
further embodiment of the stowable rack assembly in a non-visible
stowed configuration;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the stowable rack
pivoted in a rearwardly tilting direction;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the hidden
stowable rack assembly in its rearward orientation; and
[0025] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing a further
embodiment of the rack assembly utilized with a tool box arranged
at the forward end of the bed of the pickup truck.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to
FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention as an articulable rack
arrangement 10 for use about the bed of a pickup truck 12. A pickup
truck 12 is typically a truck having a wheelbase of an automobile
and has a "cab" compartment 14 where a driver and a passenger sit.
A cargo carrying bed 16 is disposed behind the cab 14. The bed 16
may be defined by a lowermost bed support surface 18 surrounded by
a pair of parallel elongated side walls 20 and 22, and a forward
wall 24 immediately adjacent to and parallel to the back wall 26 of
the cab 14. A tailgate 28 is typically swingingly supported by a
hinge 30 from the rearwardmost end of the bed support surface 18
and is pivotable to and from a position adjacent the back end of
the sidewalls 20 and 22, as may be seen in FIG. 1.
[0027] A first preferred embodiment of the present invention
comprises a stationary side rail 32 may be fixedly supported on an
upper edge 34 of each side wall 20 and 22, (only one side rail 20
actually being shown) and extending from a rearward point "R" of
each of the side walls 20 and 22 to a mid point "M" thereof on each
side wall 20 and 22 of the bed 18 of the pickup truck 12. A
generally U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 in this
embodiment has a proximal end which is pivotally attached by a
hinge 38 to the midpoint "M" of each respective side wall 20 and
22, which would generally coincide with the forward end of each
respective stationary side rail 32.
[0028] A forward rack 38 comprised of a generally inverted U-shaped
member is arranged fixedly attached to the bed 18 of the pickup
truck 12 adjacent the forward wall 24 of the bed 18. The forward
rack 38 has a stationary crossbar 40 which may be preferably just
above the roofline of the cab 14, as may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and
3.
[0029] The U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 in this
first embodiment includes a pair of arms 37 (only one side shown
for convenience) which are disposed on the upper edge 42 of the
respective side walls 20 and 22, each arm 37 of the forward side
rail and crossbar arrangement 36 is hingedly attached to the
midpoint "M" of each sidewall 20 and 22, as may be seen for example
in FIGS. 1 and 2. The U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement
36 resides adjacent the forward end wall of the bed 18 of the truck
12 in an out of the way orientation, as may be seen in FIG. 1, when
the rack assembly 10 is not in its "cargo-carrying" configuration.
The forward end of each arm 37 of the pivotable side rail
arrangement 36 comprises a first leg 44 which is generally
perpendicular to the respective arm 37 of the side rail and
crossbar arrangement 36. Each leg 44 side rail and crossbar
arrangement 36 is joined to the other leg of the U-shaped side rail
and crossbar arrangement by a crossbar 46 which resides within the
bed 18 of the pickup truck 12 in its folded down configuration, as
shown in FIG. 1.
[0030] When it is desired to fully establish the rack arrangement
10 on the bed 18 of the pickup truck 12, the pivotable U-shaped
side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 sitting on the top edge 42 of
each side wall 20 and 22 of the bed 18 of the pickup truck 12, as
well as the connecting crossbar 46 are pivoted about their
corresponding rear hinges 38 at the proximal end of each arm 37 of
the U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 as indicated by
the arrow "P" in FIG. 2, so that the pivotable arm(s) 37 of the
U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 are/is in generally
parallel juxtaposition with the stationary side rails 32 on the
rear half portion of the side walls 20 and 22 of the pickup truck
12. The first leg portions 44 at the distal end of each pivotable
U-shaped side rail and crossbar arrangement 36 are then in a
vertical orientation, as may be seen in FIG. 3 and the crossbar 46
therebetween, originally residing at an inner forward location just
above the support bed 18 now extends supportedly over the tailgate
portion 28 of the pickup truck 12 at the rear end of its bed 18.
The crossbar portion 44 of the pivotable U-shaped side rail and
crossbar arrangement 36 is thus spaced apart and to the rear of the
bed 18 of the pickup truck 12 and the crossbar 40 of the forward
stationary rack 38 is already supported at and parallel to the
forward wall 24 of the bed 18 to carry cargo "C" thereon, as
indicated in phantom in FIG. 3. In a further embodiment of the
present invention a stowable articulable rack arrangement 60 may be
supported within the side portions of each respective sidewall 20
and 22, so as to not be visable from the outside of the truck 12,
as depicted in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The proximal end of each
respective pivotable side rail 62 (only one side shown) is hingedly
attached to a midpoint "M" of each respective side wall 20 and 22
along an inner lip 64 thereof. Each pivotable side rail 62 has as
in the first preferred embodiment, at its distal end thereof, a
first leg 66 disposed generally perpendicular thereto. Each first
leg 66 of each respective side rail 62 of the pivotable side rail
assembly 60 is connected by a crossbar 68 which sits within the
forward end of the bed 18 of the pickup truck 12 when the side rail
assembly 60 is in its stowed away orientation, as depicted in FIG.
4. Each pivotable side rail 62, (only one side being shown) as in
the aforementioned embodiment, may be pivoted about a hinge 70 at
the mid point "M" on the inner side of each respective side wall 20
and 22, to permit each respective pivotable side rail 62 to be
swung 180 degrees rearwardly, through an arc as indicated by arrow
"T" in FIG. 5, and into a fully articulated rack orientation with
the rearward crossbar rack 60 then being parallel to the forward
stationary rack 72 and crossbar 74 in its "to be utilized"
configuration, as depicted in FIG. 6. The stationary U-shaped rack
76 with its crossbar 78 and the pivotable side rail assembly 60
with its cross bar 68 are thus available for securement of cargo to
be attached thereto, over the bed 18. In a further embodiment as
shown in FIG. 7, the crossbar 74 of the rack 76 may, in its "stowed
forward" orientation be securably locked against a tool or storage
box 80 arranged at the forward end of the bed 18, by an latching
lip flange 82 extending from the rack 76 or the crossbar 74. The
hinge point "H" in this embodiment may then be displaced rearwardly
about half the depth "D" of the storage box from the mid-point "M"
location on the sidewall 20 and 22 to permit/accommodate its
rearward swing to line up with the tailgate 28. Thus the rack 76
may have a multiple function of securing a box 80 from a locked
"stowed forward" position by a lock 84 in each of the sidewalls 20
and 22, and also functioning as a rearward rack when it is pivoted
with the crossbar 74 over the tailgate 28.
* * * * *