IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,800,341
Granted Patent B2
US 10,800,341 · App. 16/258,922 · Granted Oct 13, 2020

Apparatus, system, and method for providing a vehicle accessory

Inventor: Donald Ray Merryman (La Quinta, CA)
B60R9/065B60R9/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,800,341
App. No.
16/258,922
Granted
Oct 13, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a body assembly including at least one storage area, an adjustable assembly that is movably attached to the body assembly, the adjustable assembly including a plurality of members, and a jacking device disposed at least partially in the body assembly. The plurality of members are movably attached to each other. At least one of the plurality of members includes a vehicle-attachable portion.

Claims (31)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a body assembly comprising a first body subassembly, a second body subassembly and a third body subassembly, the first, second and third body subassemblies each including at least one storage area, wherein the second and third body subassemblies are each rotatably coupled to opposite ends of the first body subassembly and rotate in opposite directions through a rotational angle of 180 degrees along a first horizontal plane, wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a height measurement that is substantially equal to a height measurement of the first body subassembly, and wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a width measurement that is substantially one-half a width measurement of the first body subassembly;

an adjustable assembly that is movably attached to the body assembly, the adjustable assembly including a plurality of members; and

a jacking device disposed at least partially in the body assembly;

wherein the plurality of members comprise a first member, a second member and a third member that are movably attached to each other, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the first body subassembly such that the first member rotates relative the first body subassembly through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the second member such that the first member rotates relative the second member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the second member is rotatably coupled to the third member such that the second member rotates relative the third member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, and wherein the first, second and third members are selectively locked and unlocked at respective rotational angles relative one another; and

wherein the third member includes a vehicle-attachable portion disposed at an end opposite that of the second member coupling.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body assembly includes a plurality of members that are selectively extendable from a bottom portion of the body assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of members includes a wheel or a caster.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the jacking device is disposed at least partially in the bottom portion of the body assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the jacking device is selected from the group consisting of a scissor jack, a floor jack, a bottle jack, and a ratchet jack.

6. A method, comprising:

providing an assembly including a body assembly comprising a first body subassembly, a second body subassembly and a third body subassembly, the first, second and third body subassemblies each including at least one storage area, wherein the second and third body subassemblies are each rotatably coupled to opposite ends of the first body subassembly and rotate in opposite directions through a rotational angle of 180 degrees along a first horizontal plane, wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a height measurement that is substantially equal to a height measurement of the first body subassembly, and wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a width measurement that is substantially one-half a width measurement of the first body subassembly, and the assembly further including an adjustable assembly having a plurality of members and an adjustable attachment portion, wherein the plurality of members comprise a first member, a second member and a third member that are movably attached to each other, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the first body subassembly such that the first member rotates relative the first body subassembly through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the second member such that the first member rotates relative the second member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the second member is rotatably coupled to the third member such that the second member rotates relative the third member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, and wherein the first, second and third members are selectively locked and unlocked at respective rotational angles relative one another;

storing material in the body assembly;

selectively jacking the assembly configured in a first state up and down relative to a ground surface;

selectively moving the assembly configured in a second state across the ground surface; and

attaching the adjustable attachment portion to a vehicle attachment portion of a vehicle;

wherein a height of the adjustable attachment portion above the ground surface is based on selectively jacking the assembly; and

wherein the height of the adjustable attachment portion above the ground surface is substantially equal to a height of the vehicle attachment portion above the ground surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein selectively jacking the assembly configured in the first state includes contacting the ground surface with a jacking device that extends from a bottom portion of the body assembly.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein selectively moving the assembly configured in the second state includes contacting the ground surface with a plurality of members that extend from a bottom portion of the body assembly.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of members includes a wheel or a caster.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle is a truck and the vehicle attachment portion is a trailer hitch of the truck.

11. A vehicle accessory, comprising:

a body assembly comprising a first body subassembly, a second body subassembly and a third body subassembly, the first, second and third body subassemblies each including at least one storage area, wherein the second and third body subassemblies are each rotatably coupled to opposite ends of the first body subassembly and rotate in opposite directions through a rotational angle of 180 degrees along a first horizontal plane, wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a height measurement that is substantially equal to a height measurement of the first body subassembly, and wherein the second and third body subassemblies comprise a width measurement that is substantially one-half a width measurement of the first body subassembly;

an adjustable assembly that is movably attached to the body assembly, the adjustable assembly including a plurality of members;

a jacking device disposed at least partially in the body assembly; and

a vehicle-attachable attachment device;

wherein the plurality of members comprise a first member, a second member and a third member that are movably attached to each other, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the first body subassembly such that the first member rotates relative the first body subassembly through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the first member is rotatably coupled to the second member such that the first member rotates relative the second member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, wherein the second member is rotatably coupled to the third member such that the second member rotates relative the third member through a rotational angle of at least 360 degrees parallel to the first horizontal plane, and wherein the first, second and third members are selectively locked and unlocked at respective rotational angles relative one another; and

wherein the third member includes an attachment portion that is disposed at an end opposite that of the second member coupling and removably attachable to the vehicle-attachable attachment device.

12. The vehicle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the attachment portion includes an aperture that is aligned with an aperture of the vehicle-attachable attachment device when the attachment portion is removably attached to the vehicle-attachable attachment device.

13. The vehicle accessory of claim 12 , further comprising a member that is removably insertable through the aperture of the attachment portion and the aperture of the vehicle-attachable attachment device when the attachment portion is removably attached to the vehicle-attachable attachment device.

Continuity (1)
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