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A drawer system and method for carrying and transporting tools and equipment on a vehicle. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a drawer system mounted into the rear section of a utility truck and that includes a drawer that is accessible from either side of the truck.

A drawer system and method for carrying and transporting tools and equipment on a vehicle. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a drawer system mounted into the rear section of a utility truck and that includes a drawer that is accessible from either side of the truck. Further, the drawer system of the present invention includes multiple catch points that permit the drawer to be securely arranged in a plurality of preferred extension positions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A drawer system for use on a vehicle, the drawer system comprising: a track assembly, including— one or more brackets attached to a frame of the vehicle,a plurality of track rollers attached to the brackets, andone or more fixed stops attached to the frame of the vehicle; anda drawer assembly, in

1. A drawer system for use on a vehicle, the drawer system comprising: a track assembly, including— one or more brackets attached to a frame of the vehicle,a plurality of track rollers attached to the brackets, andone or more fixed stops attached to the frame of the vehicle; anda drawer assembly, including— a drawer extending transversely across generally an entire width of the vehicle, wherein the drawer is configured to extend out both a driver's side and a passenger's side of the vehicle,one or more track rails attached to the drawer and positioned adjacent the track rollers of the track assembly, wherein the track rollers and the track rails facilitate the transverse extension and retraction of the drawer with respect to the vehicle, andone or more latch bars attached to the drawer, wherein the one or more latch bars include a plurality of catch points,wherein the catch points of the one or more latch bars are operable to engage the one or more fixed stops to secure the drawer in one or more preferred positions,wherein a driver's side of the one or more latch bars includes at least two of said plurality of catch points,wherein a passenger's side of the one or more latch bars includes at least one of said plurality of catch points,wherein a location of each of the plurality of catch points relative to a passenger's side and a driver's side of the one or more latch bars enables the drawer to be extended from the passenger's side of the vehicle farther than the drawer is enabled to be extended from the driver's side of the vehicle, such that said at least two of said catch points on the driver's side are positioned between approximately one-tenth to approximately one-half of a length of the drawer from an end of the drawer closest to the driver's side to prevent less than fifty percent extension of the drawer on the driver's side. 2. The drawer system of claim 1, with the drawer assembly further comprising: a driver's side latch handle attached to the one or more latch bars at the driver's side of the vehicle and operable to disengage the one or more catch points from the one or more fixed stops; anda passenger's side latch handle attached to the one or more latch bars at the passenger's side of the vehicle and operable to disengage the one or more catch points from the one or more fixed stops. 3. The drawer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more latch bars includes two parallel latch bars, with a first latch bar attached to a side of the drawer facing a rear of the vehicle, and a second latch bar attached to a side of the drawer facing a front of the vehicle. 4. The drawer system of claim 3, wherein the first latch bar and the second latch bar each include five catch points, with each catch point from the first latch bar aligning with a catch point from the second latch bar. 5. The drawer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more fixed stops includes four fixed stops, including— a first fixed stop positioned on the passenger's side of the vehicle, towards the rear of the vehicle;a second fixed stop positioned on the passenger's side of the vehicle, towards the front of the vehicle;a third fixed stop positioned on the driver's side of the vehicle, towards the rear of the vehicle; anda fourth fixed stop positioned on the driver's side of the vehicle, towards the front of the vehicle. 6. A drawer system for use on a vehicle, the drawer system comprising: a track assembly, including— one or more brackets attached to a frame of the vehicle,a plurality of track rollers attached to the brackets, andone or more fixed stops attached to the frame of the vehicle; anda drawer assembly, including— a drawer extending transversely across generally an entire width of the vehicle, wherein the drawer is configured to extend out both a driver's side and a passenger's side of the vehicle,at least two track rails attached lengthwise to sides of the drawer and positioned adjacent to the track rollers of the track assembly, wherein the track rollers and the track rails facilitate the transverse extension and retraction of the drawer with respect to the vehicle, andone or more latch bars attached lengthwise to the sides of the drawer, wherein the one or more latch bars include a plurality of catch points,wherein the catch points of the one or more latch bars are operable to engage the one or more fixed stops to secure the drawer in one or more preferred positions,wherein a location of each of the plurality of catch points relative to a passenger's side and a driver's side of the one or more latch bars enables the drawer to be extended from the passenger's side of the vehicle farther than the drawer is enabled to be extended from the driver's side of the vehicle,wherein the plurality of catch points facilitate the drawer to be extended further away from the vehicle on the passenger's side of the vehicle than on the driver's side of the vehicle, such that the plurality of catch points on the driver's side are positioned between approximately one-tenth to approximately one-half of a length of the drawer from an end of the drawer closest to the driver's side to prevent less than fifty percent extension of the drawer on the driver's side. 7. The drawer system of claim 6, with the drawer assembly further comprising: a driver's side latch handle attached to the one or more latch bars at the driver's side of the vehicle and operable to disengage the one or more catch points from the one or more fixed stops; anda passenger's side latch handle attached to the one or more latch bars at the passenger's side of the vehicle and operable to disengage the one or more catch points from the one or more fixed stops. 8. The drawer system of claim 6, wherein the one or more latch bars includes two parallel latch bars, with a first latch bar attached to a side of the drawer facing a rear of the vehicle, and a second latch bar attached to a side of the drawer facing a front of the vehicle. 9. The drawer system of claim 8, wherein the first latch bar and the second latch bar each include five catch points, with each catch point from the first latch bar aligning with a catch point from the second latch bar. 10. The drawer system of claim 6, wherein the one or more fixed stops includes four fixed stops, including— a first fixed stop positioned on the passenger's side of the vehicle, towards the rear of the vehicle;a second fixed stop positioned on the passenger's side of the vehicle, towards the front of the vehicle;a third fixed stop positioned on the driver's side of the vehicle, towards the rear of the vehicle; anda fourth fixed stop positioned on the driver's side of the vehicle, towards the front of the vehicle. 11. A method of using a vehicle drawer system that includes a drawer assembly with a drawer that is extendable out of both a driver's side and a passenger's side of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: disengaging the drawer assembly from a track assembly of the drawer system;pulling a passenger's side end of the drawer to extend the drawer from a fully retracted position out the passenger's side of the vehicle to a first passenger-side preferred position;upon reaching the first passenger-side preferred position, engaging the drawer assembly with the track assembly to secure the drawer in the first passenger-side preferred position;disengaging the drawer assembly from the track assembly of the drawer system;pushing the passenger's side end of the drawer to retract the drawer from the first passenger-side preferred position to the fully retracted position;upon reaching the fully retracted position, engaging the drawer assembly with the track assembly to secure the drawer in the fully retracted position;disengaging the drawer assembly from the track assembly of the drawer system;pulling the driver's side end of the drawer to extend the drawer from the fully retracted position out the driver's side of the vehicle to a first driver-side preferred position; andupon reaching the first driver-side preferred position, engaging the drawer assembly with the track assembly to secure the drawer in the first driver-side preferred position,wherein the first passenger-side preferred position is configured to extend farther from the vehicle than the first driver-side preferred position to prevent less than fifty percent extension of the drawer on the driver's side. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of: disengaging the drawer assembly from the track assembly of the drawer system;pushing the driver's side end of the drawer to retract the drawer from the first driver-side preferred position to the fully retracted position;upon reaching the fully retracted position, engaging the drawer assembly with the track assembly to secure the drawer in the fully retracted position;disengaging the drawer assembly from the track assembly of the drawer system;pulling a passenger's side end of the drawer to extend the drawer from a fully retracted position out the passenger's side of the vehicle to a second passenger-side preferred position; andupon reaching the second passenger-side preferred position, engaging the drawer assembly with the track assembly to secure the drawer in the second passenger-side preferred position,wherein an extension of the drawer is lesser in the second passenger-side preferred position than in the first passenger-side preferred positions.