U.S. patent application number 10/081586 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-28 for running board storage box with gusset attachment.
Invention is credited to Farkash, Daniel G..
Application Number | 20030160418 10/081586 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27752970 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030160418 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Farkash, Daniel G. |
August 28, 2003 |
Running board storage box with gusset attachment
Abstract
A running board storage box that is designed to be mounted in
conjunction with a land vehicle where the running board storage box
can be used as a step to facilitate entry and exit through an
access door of the vehicle. A door assembly is pivotally mounted on
the front edge of the storage box. The back of the storage box
includes a gusset accommodation structure in the form of an
attachment which is removably mounted within a slot formed within
the back.
Inventors: |
Farkash, Daniel G.; (Agoura
Hills, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jack C. Munro
Agent of Record
Suite 225
28720 Roadside Drive
Agoura Hills
CA
91301
US
|
Family ID: |
27752970 |
Appl. No.: |
10/081586 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/164.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 3/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/164.1 |
International
Class: |
B60R 003/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A running board storage box designed to be mounted on a vehicle
comprising: said storage box having a housing which has an internal
chamber designed to receive articles to be stored, said housing
having a front edge and a back where said back is spaced opposite
said front edge; a door assembly mounted on said housing at said
front edge, said door assembly to provide access into said internal
chamber; and said back having means designed to accommodate a
gusset mounted on said vehicle.
2. The running board storage box as defined in claim 1 wherein:
said means comprising a first slot formed within said back, said
gusset to lie within said first slot.
3. The running board storage box as defined in claim 2 wherein: an
L-shaped attachment is to be mounted within said first slot, said
L-shaped attachment having a second slot, said gusset to lie within
said second slot.
4. The running board storage box as defined in claim 3 wherein:
said second slot having a closed bottom which is angularly disposed
relative to said back.
5. The running board storage box as defined in claim 3 wherein:
said attachment having a flange which surrounds said second slot,
said flange to abut against said housing.
6. The running board storage box as defined in claim 5 wherein: a
resilient seal located between said flange and said housing,
whereby said resilient seal functions to create a watertight seal
between said attachment and said housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The field of this invention relates to storage boxes and
more particularly to a storage box that is designed to be mounted
as a running board on a land vehicle.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Personal land vehicles can be characterized as automobiles,
pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and recreational vehicles.
Automobiles, at the present time, do not normally include a running
board. A running board, however, is commonly included in
conjunction with pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and
recreational vehicles. A running board generally constitutes no
more than a step that is located just below the access door(s) on
each side of the land vehicle which can be utilized by a human when
entering and exiting the land vehicle. The running board is to
provide for an immediate location for a user's feet prior to
entering the land vehicle after stepping off the ground and when
exiting the vehicle prior to stepping on the ground.
[0005] Most pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and recreational
vehicles are raised some distance off the ground. Therefore, for a
human to enter or exit such a land vehicle requires an initial step
of a distance of approximately eighteen inches. This is a
significant large step for most people, and it is for this reason
that most people prefer to use running boards to break up that
eighteen inch distance to be no greater than about twelve
inches.
[0006] In connection with pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and
recreational vehicles, it is desirable to include as much storage
space as possible. Storage space is always desirable for the
storing of tools in connection with one's job, or elongated members
such is commonly used in conjunction with certain sports, such as
skis for skiing. Normally, a running board is designed to be
constructed of metal, fiberglass or plastic and function as only a
step. However, in the past, it has been known to incorporate some
type of a storage container in conjunction with a running board
thereby obtaining of additional storage space in conjunction with
the land vehicle that heretofore was not possible.
[0007] Some vehicles are constructed to make it difficult to mount
a storage box type of running board in conjunction with the
vehicle. The reason that it is difficult is that there are metallic
brace members known as gussets that are mounted between the frame
and the chasis of the land vehicle underneath the passenger
compartment. In order to utilize a storage box and maximize the
storage facility within the storage box, the storage box has to be
designed to accommodate these gussets. A gusset comprises no more
than a thin plate which is welded between the chassis and the
frame. Typically, the thickness of the gusset will be no more than
a quarter to one-half inch. It is the protrusion of that gusset in
an outward direction that makes it difficult for the mounting of a
storage box in conjunction with a land vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a
running board storage box designed to be mounted on a vehicle where
the storage box has a housing which has an internal chamber which
is designed to receive articles to be stowed. The housing has a
front edge and a back where the back is spaced opposite the front
edge. A door assembly is mounted on the front edge with the purpose
of the door assembly to provide access into the internal chamber
and also to close off the internal chamber when access is not
required. The back is to include gusset accommodation structure
that is designed to accommodate a gusset mounted on the
vehicle.
[0009] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the
first basic embodiment is modified by defining the gusset
accommodation structure as a first slot formed within the
housing.
[0010] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the
just previous embodiment is modified by the first slot to include
an L-shaped attachment to be mounted within the slot. The
attachment has a second slot with the gusset to lie within the
second slot.
[0011] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the
just previous embodiment is modified by the second slot having a
closed bottom which is angularly disposed relative to the back of
the housing.
[0012] A further embodiment of the present invention is where a
previous embodiment is modified by the attachment having a flange
which surrounds the second slot with the flange to abut against the
housing.
[0013] A further embodiment of the present invention is where the
just previous embodiment is modified by the flange incorporating a
resilient seal located between the flange and the housing in order
to provide a water tight connection between the attachment and the
housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] For a better understanding of the present invention,
reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be
understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise
arrangement shown in the drawings.
[0015] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pair of running board
storage boxes of the present invention being mounted in conjunction
with a typical land vehicle being shown in phantom;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a front view of a single running board storage box
of this invention showing the running board storage box in the
closed position where the running board storage box can be used as
a step when entering and exiting the land vehicle;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the running
board storage box of the present invention taken along line 3-3 of
FIG. 2; and
[0018] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the gusset attachment for the
running board storage box of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in
phantom lines a typical land vehicle 10. The land vehicle 10 has an
enclosing body or chassis 12. Normally, the chasis 12 will be
constructed of sheet material, generally metal. Included within the
chasis 12 are a plurality of access doors 14. The chasis 12 is
mounted on a supporting frame 16. It is common that there is
included between the chassis 12 and the frame 16 a plurality of
strengthening brackets, known as gussets 18. Typically, there are a
pair of gussets located in a spaced apart manner with a typical
pair arrangement being shown in FIG. 4.
[0020] Mounted on the chassis 12 are a plurality of front mounting
brackets 20. The front mounting brackets 20 are fixedly mounted by
bolt fasteners 22 to the chassis 12. The location of the brackets
20 is near the access doors 14. Also mounted on the chassis 12 are
a plurality of rear mounting brackets 24. Again, there will be a
plurality of the rear mounting brackets 24 with these brackets 24
also being fixedly mounted on the chassis 12 by means of bolt
fasteners 26.
[0021] An L-shaped bracket 28 is fixedly mounted to the top 30 of a
housing 32 of a storage box 34. A single L-shaped bracket 28 is
fixedly mounted to a single front mounting bracket 20 by means of a
bolt fastener 36. In referring specifically to FIG. 2, it can be
seen that there are five in number of the bolt fasteners 36 for the
single storage box 34. The storage box 34 shown in FIG. 2 is the
storage box that is located on the left side of the land vehicle
10. It is to-be understood that there is a similar storage box 36
located on the right side of the land vehicle 10 with the storage
box 36 being reversely positioned relative to storage box 34.
[0022] The rear mounting brackets 24 are to be each fixedly mounted
by a bolt fastener 40 to the back 42 of the housing 32. The housing
32 includes an internal chamber 44. It is within internal chamber
44 that articles (not shown) are to be stored. The front edge 46 of
the housing 32 is to have mounted thereon a door assembly 48. The
door assembly 48 is to be pivotally movable between and open
position and a closed position with the closed position being shown
in FIG. 3. The door assembly 48 is for the purpose of providing
access into the internal chamber 44 and also for enclosing the
internal chamber 44 when such is desired. The door assembly forms
no specific part of this invention other than it being a part of
the storage box 38 and for that reason the door assembly 48 is not
discussed in detail.
[0023] The back 42 includes a pair of first slots 50 with the first
slots 50 being located in a spacing equal to the spacing between a
pair of gussets 18. Normally, in conjunction with certain types of
land vehicles 10, there is only a single pair of gussets 18 on each
side of the vehicle 10. An L-shaped attachment 52 is to be mounted
in conjunction with each first slot 50. The L-shaped attachments 52
are identical and each include a second slot 54 which has an angled
bottom 56. The angled bottom 56 will normally assume a forty-five
degree angle relative to the top 30 and also to the back 42. The
L-shaped attachment 52 is completely enclosed and is formed as a
single piece. Completely surrounding the second slot 54 is a flange
58. The flange 58 is mounted on both legs of the L-shaped
attachment 52. Located against the under side of the flange 58 is a
resilient seal 60. The L-shaped attachment 52 is to be mounted
within a first slot 50 and will function to close off first slot 50
not to permit the entry of any foreign material or water into the
internal chamber 44 through the first slot 50. At the same time,
the forward edge 62 of a gusset 18 is to be located within a second
slot 54 and abut against the angled bottom 56. The forward edge 62
may be slightly spaced from the angled bottom 56. The resilient
seal 60 forms a snug contactual relationship with both the top 30
and the back 42 forming a water tight and dust tight seal
preventing water and dust from entering into the internal chamber
44.
[0024] It may be that no separate securing arrangement is necessary
for the L-shaped attachments 52 relative to the housing 32 with the
attachments 52 being held in position merely by abutting against
its respective gusset 18. However, it is also to be within the
scope of this invention that some form of securement, such as
welding or some other type of fastener arrangement, may be required
to secure each of the attachments 52 onto the housing 32.
[0025] The housing 32 is basically rectangular in configuration and
generally will be several feet in length. The interior chamber 44
will normally be between six to ten inches in height and about
eighteen inches deep. The length of the storage box 34 may be as
great as six or eight feet.
[0026] It is to be understood that the purpose of the attachments
52 is to prevent seepage of any rain water or any other type of
water into the internal chamber 44. Internal chamber 44 can be used
to store articles such as fishing equipment, first aid kits, jumper
cables, motor fluids, snow chains, emergency tools, water
containers or numerous other types of articles. For hunters and
military personnel, guns and ammunition could be stored within the
internal chamber 44. The potential use of the internal chamber 44
is to keep the articles safe and dry but also to keep valuables out
of view.
[0027] For some installations the gusset 18 may be squared and not
triangularly shaped. In such an instance, the bottom 56 will not be
angled but would comprise an L-shaped slot 54. Also, it is
considered to be within the scope of this invention to use an
attachment 52 for a wider gusset such as a four to six inch wide
protrusion. In such an instance, the slot 54 would have to be four
to six inches wide.
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