IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,459,038
Granted Patent B2
US 11,459,038 · App. 17/014,299 · Granted Oct 4, 2022

Adaptable truck bed storage systems

Inventor: Eric Schuling (Bondurant, IA)
Assignee: DEE ZEE, INC.
B62D33/0207B60P7/0815B60P7/15B60R9/06B62D43/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,459,038
App. No.
17/014,299
Granted
Oct 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle that includes an adaptable truck bed storage system includes a truck bed with a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The adaptable truck bed storage system is configured to receive accessories and includes an anchoring assembly that includes a first fixed end coupled to the first sidewall and a second fixed end coupled to the second sidewall. The anchoring assembly includes at least one pin. The adaptable truck bed storage system further includes an indexable center bar that extends between the first fixed end and the second fixed end. The indexable center bar includes a plurality of accessory channels on a plurality of sides of the indexable center bar. The accessory channels extend at least a portion of a length of the indexable center bar. The indexable center bar is indexable between a plurality of discrete positions and the pin locks the indexable center bar in one of the discrete positions to adapt the adaptable truck bed storage system.

Claims (32)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a cargo area comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall; and

an adaptable storage system configured to receive accessories comprising:

an anchoring assembly comprising a first anchor coupled to the first sidewall and a second anchor coupled to the second sidewall; and

a center bar comprising:

a first portion mounted to the first anchor;

a second portion mounted to the second anchor;

an indexable portion mounted to each of the first portion and the second portion and rotatable to a plurality of fixed positions about an axis spanning across the cargo area from the first anchor to the second anchor and relative to the first portion and the second portion while connected thereto; and

a plurality of accessory channels on a plurality of sides of the center bar, wherein the plurality of accessory channels extend along the first portion, the second portion, and the indexable portion, wherein the indexable portion is indexable to align the accessory channels formed within the indexable portion with the accessory channels formed within the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the center bar extends concentrically along the axis from the first portion to the second portion.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a pin configured to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the pin is biased to a locked position to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of accessory channels comprises an increased width at an interface between the first portion and the indexable portion.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is positioned within the first anchor and the second portion is positioned within the second anchor.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first anchor is adjustably coupled to the first sidewall and the second anchor is adjustably coupled to the second sidewall.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first anchor comprises a sidewall clamp for fixing a position of the first anchor along the first sidewall, the sidewall clamp comprising an adjustment knob having an axis of rotation offset from a rotation axis of the indexable portion of the center bar.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the adaptable storage system comprises a pin configured to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion, the pin extending inward in a vehicle lateral direction from the first portion of the center bar so as to extend parallel to a rotation axis of the center bar.

9. An adaptable storage system configured to receive accessories, the adaptable storage system comprising:

an anchoring assembly comprising a first anchor configured to be coupled to a first sidewall of a vehicle cargo area and a second anchor configured to be coupled to a second sidewall of the vehicle cargo area; and

a center bar comprising:

a first portion configured to be mounted to the first anchor;

a second portion configured to be mounted to the second anchor;

an indexable portion configured to be mounted to each of the first portion and the second portion and rotatable to a plurality of fixed positions about an axis spanning across the cargo area from the first anchor to the second anchor and relative to the first portion and the second portion while connected thereto; and

a plurality of accessory channels on a plurality of sides of the center bar, wherein the plurality of accessory channels extend along the first portion, the second portion, and the indexable portion, wherein the indexable portion is indexable to align the accessory channels formed within the indexable portion with the accessory channels formed within the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the center bar extends concentrically along the axis from the first portion and the second portion.

10. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , further comprising a pin configured to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion.

11. The adaptable storage system of claim 10 , wherein the pin is biased to a locked position to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion.

12. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of accessory channels comprises an increased width at an interface between the first portion and the indexable portion.

13. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , wherein the first portion is positioned within the first anchor and the second portion is positioned within the second anchor.

14. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , wherein the first anchor is configured to be adjustably coupled to the first sidewall and the second anchor is configured to be adjustably coupled to the second sidewall.

15. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , wherein the first anchor comprises a sidewall clamp configured to fix a position of the first anchor along the first sidewall, the sidewall clamp comprising an adjustment knob having an axis of rotation offset from a rotation axis of the indexable portion of the center bar.

16. The adaptable storage system of claim 9 , further comprising a pin configured to lock the indexable portion relative to the first portion and the second portion, the pin extending parallel to a rotation axis of the center bar.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2022
From: DEE ZEE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 061672/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2020
From: SCHULING, ERIC
To: DEE ZEE, INC.
Reel/Frame 053729/0744 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16280523 · Feb 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62632705 · Feb 20, 2018
Related Publication 20200398905A1 · Dec 24, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,221,070 US 12,221,073 US 12,291,171