IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,160,373
Granted Patent B2
US 10,160,373 · App. 15/173,755 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Utility truck bed

Inventor: Edward J. Tovornik (Frederick, MD)
B60P3/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,160,373
App. No.
15/173,755
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a utility truck bed comprising one or more of the following elements: (i) two worker stations located behind the cabin of the truck, each of which comprises a passenger well with a floor that is horizontally positioned below the bottom plane of the rest of the bed; (ii) a safety gate on the outside of the bed that slides horizontally to provide access to the well; (iii) a safety harness for connecting the worker to a fixed portion of the assembly; (iv) a sliding safety gate adjacent the passenger well on the inside of the bed; and (v) storage compartments positioned on the back of the truck bed, each extending longitudinally away from each worker station and positioned to provide sufficient space between each compartment to place working materials that do not fit in the storage compartments. Each storage compartment may include a closed box portion, an open box portion with guide rails to accommodate materials but allow the worker to have full view of the road behind the truck, and a safety guard to keep materials secured within the open box.

Claims (47)

1. A utility truck bed comprising:

a horizontal truck bed platform having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;

a well extending downward from said horizontal truck bed platform, said well having a front side wall, a rear side wall, an interior side wall extending between said front side wall and said rear side wall, and a well floor attached to a bottom edge of said front, rear, and interior side walls, wherein said front side wall and said rear side wall of said well extend parallel to said front edge and said rear edge, respectively, of said truck bed platform;

a first storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned inward from said first side of said truck bed platform;

a second storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned between said first storage compartment and said first side edge of said truck bed platform, and between said well and said rear edge of said truck bed platform, said second storage compartment having a height dimension that is shorter than a height dimension of said first storage compartment; and

a side bar slidable from said second storage compartment across an exterior side of said well and to said front edge of said truck bed platform, wherein said side bar is storable and extensible from a hollow outer wall of said second storage compartment.

2. The utility truck bed of claim 1 , further comprising:

a vertical headboard extending upward from said front edge of said truck bed platform.

3. The utility truck bed of claim 2 , further comprising a passenger restraint affixed to said headboard and positioned to restrain a person standing in said well.

4. The utility truck bed of claim 3 , said first storage compartment having an exterior facing wall adjacent said second storage compartment and an interior facing wall opposite said exterior facing wall, and an interior restraint bar slidably attached to said interior facing wall toward said headboard.

5. The utility truck bed of claim 4 , said headboard further comprising a latch configured to removably hold an end of said interior restraint bar.

6. The utility truck bed of claim 1 , wherein said first storage compartment further comprises a locker, said locker having a pivotably mounted door facing said rear edge of said truck bed platform.

7. The utility truck bed of claim 6 , further comprising a flasher light positioned above said door.

8. The utility truck bed of claim 6 , said second storage compartment having a first side wall aligned with said first side edge of said truck bed platform, a second side wall adjacent an exterior facing wall of said locker, a front wall adjacent said well, a rear wall, and a plurality of interior vertical walls forming a plurality of open-top storage slots within said second storage compartment.

9. The utility truck bed of claim 8 , further comprising a retaining bar pivotably mounted to said front wall and said rear wall of said second storage compartment and movable toward a position in which said retaining bar extends over a top edge of said second storage compartment.

10. The utility truck bed of claim 1 , further comprising a pivotably mounted door extending between said front side wall and said rear side wall of said well and opposite said interior side wall of said well.

11. The utility truck bed of claim 1 , further comprising a pivotably mounted hatch cover extending over said well.

12. The utility truck bed of claim 1 , wherein said first and second storage compartments are removably mounted on said top surface of said truck bed.

13. The utility truck bed of claim 12 , wherein said top surface of said truck bed platform is further comprises a plurality of stake-bed rail sections.

14. A utility truck bed comprising:

a horizontal truck bed platform configured for retrofit attachment to a vehicle frame;

a first well extending downward from said horizontal truck bed platform and opening to a first side edge of said truck bed platform, said first well having a first well floor positioned at a height below said horizontal truck bed platform;

a second well extending downward from said horizontal truck bed platform and opening to a second side edge of said truck bed platform, said second well having a second well floor positioned at a height below said horizontal truck bed platform;

a first storage compartment on said truck bed platform positioned inward from said first side edge of said truck bed platform;

a second storage compartment on said truck bed platform positioned between said first storage compartment and said first side edge of said truck bed platform, said second storage compartment having a height dimension that is shorter than a height dimension of said first storage compartment, and further comprising a side bar slidable from said second storage compartment across an exterior said of said first well and to a front edge of said truck bed platform, wherein said side bar is storable and extensible from a hollow outer wall of said second storage compartment;

a third storage compartment on said truck bed platform positioned inward from said second side edge of said truck bed platform; and

a fourth storage compartment on said truck bed platform positioned between said third storage compartment and said second side edge of said truck bed platform, said fourth storage compartment having a height dimension that is shorter than a height dimension of said third storage compartment.

15. The utility truck bed of claim 14 , further comprising:

a headboard affixed to a front edge of said truck bed platform;

a first restraint fixedly attached to said headboard and positioned to restrain a person standing in said first well; and

a second restraint fixedly attached to said headboard and positioned to restrain a person standing in said second well.

16. The utility truck bed of claim 15 , wherein said first storage compartment and said third storage compartment are positioned on said truck bed so as to define an open storage space between them that is accessible to a person restrained in said first well or said second well.

17. The utility truck bed of claim 14 , wherein each of said second storage compartment and said fourth storage compartment comprises a plurality of interior vertical walls forming a plurality of open-top storage slots within said second storage compartment and within said fourth storage compartment.

18. The utility truck bed of claim 17 , further comprising a first retaining bar pivotably mounted to said second storage compartment and spring biased toward a position in which said first retaining bar extends over a top edge of said second storage compartment, and a second retaining bar pivotably mounted to said fourth storage compartment and movable toward a position in which said second retaining bar extends over a top edge of said fourth storage compartment.

19. A utility truck bed comprising:

a horizontal truck bed platform having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;

a well extending downward from said horizontal truck bed platform, said well having a front side wall, a rear side wall, an interior side wall extending between said front side wall and said rear side wall, and a well floor attached to a bottom edge of said front, rear, and interior side walls, wherein said front side wall and said rear side wall of said well extend parallel to said front edge and said rear edge, respectively, of said truck bed platform;

a first storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned inward from said first side of said truck bed platform;

a second storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned between said first storage compartment and said first side edge of said truck bed platform, and between said well and said rear edge of said truck bed platform, said second storage compartment having a height dimension that is shorter than a height dimension of said first storage compartment;

a vertical headboard extending upward from said front edge of said truck bed platform;

wherein said first storage compartment has an exterior facing wall adjacent said second storage compartment and an interior facing wall opposite said exterior facing wall, and an interior restraint bar slidably attached to said interior facing wall toward said headboard.

20. The utility truck bed of claim 19 , said headboard further comprising a latch configured to removably hold an end of said interior restraint bar.

21. A utility truck bed comprising:

a horizontal truck bed platform having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;

a well extending downward from said horizontal truck bed platform, said well having a front side wall, a rear side wall, an interior side wall extending between said front side wall and said rear side wall, and a well floor attached to a bottom edge of said front, rear, and interior side walls, wherein said front side wall and said rear side wall of said well extend parallel to said front edge and said rear edge, respectively, of said truck bed platform;

a first storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned inward from said first side of said truck bed platform; and

a second storage compartment on said top surface of said truck bed platform positioned between said first storage compartment and said first side edge of said truck bed platform, and between said well and said rear edge of said truck bed platform, said second storage compartment having a height dimension that is shorter than a height dimension of said first storage compartment, said second storage compartment further comprising a first side wall aligned with said first side edge of said truck bed platform, a second side wall adjacent an exterior facing wall of said first storage compartment, a front wall adjacent said well, a real wall, and a plurality of interior vertical walls forming a plurality of open-top storage slots within said second storage compartment, and a retaining bar pivotably mounted to said front wall and said rear wall of said second storage compartment and movable toward a position in which said retaining bar extends over a top edge of said second storage compartment.

Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62242348 · Oct 16, 2015
Related Publication 20170106780A1 · Apr 20, 2017
Cited By (2)
US 12,221,183 US 12,246,786