초록 ▼

A tailgate stowage system is disclosed for use with a motor vehicle having a door-like element. The stowage system involves the use of a bin having a bin lid and a bin body hingedly connected to the bin lid. The bin lid may be opened to permit access to an interior area of the bin body, and may be c

A tailgate stowage system is disclosed for use with a motor vehicle having a door-like element. The stowage system involves the use of a bin having a bin lid and a bin body hingedly connected to the bin lid. The bin lid may be opened to permit access to an interior area of the bin body, and may be closed to contain at least one component within the stowage bin. The bin lid and bin body form a compartment when the bin lid is in a closed orientation to enable the component to be stowed therein. At least one mounting latch may be used for securing the bin within the recess of the tailgate, and which permits removal of the bin from the recess without the use of external tools.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A stowage system for use with a moveable element of a motor vehicle, wherein the moveable element is moveable between first and second positions, and wherein the moveable element includes a recess formed therein, the system comprising: a stowage bin having a bin lid and a bin body hingedly connec

1. A stowage system for use with a moveable element of a motor vehicle, wherein the moveable element is moveable between first and second positions, and wherein the moveable element includes a recess formed therein, the system comprising: a stowage bin having a bin lid and a bin body hingedly connected to the bin lid to permit the bin lid to be opened, to permit access to an interior area of the bin body, and to permit the stowage bin to be closed to contain at least one component within the stowage bin;the bin lid and bin body forming a compartment when the bin lid is in a closed orientation to enable the component to be stowed therein;at least one mounting latch for securing the stowage bin within the recess of the door-like element, and which permits removal of the stowage bin from the recess only after the bin lid is opened, and without the use of external tools. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bin lid and said bin body are formed from plastic. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism to lock the bin lid and bin body closed when the bin lid is placed in the closed orientation. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one compartment is shaped to accommodate a load restraining bar. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a pair of the mounting latches, with each said one of the pair of mounting latches being disposed at opposite sides of the bin body, each of the mounting latches being operably associated with a release element, each said release element being engageable by a finger of a hand of a user to permit a user to cause the release element to move its associated said mounting latch into a fully retracted position, wherein when both of the mounting latches are in their said retracted positions the stowage bin is removable from the door-like element. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein: the stowage bin includes a double U-shaped track having a first track portion within which the mounting latch may be moved slidably;the stowage bin includes a second track portion within which the release element may be moved slidably; anda plurality of openings in the second track portion to enable engagement of a portion of each one of the release elements in the openings, when the release elements move their respective said mounting latches into said retracted positions. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an insert shaped to rest within the bin body, the insert including at least one recess formed therein in accordance with a specific shape of the component to thus hold the component nestably, securely against movement when the bin lid is placed in a closed orientation. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the insert is removable from the bin body. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the recess in the insert is shaped to accommodate a load restraining bar. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the stowage bin forms an inner wall for the moveable element. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the stowage bin includes at least one handle which is collapsible into a stored position when the stowage bin is to be placed in the recess of the moveable element. 12. A load restraining and stowage system for use with a tailgate of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a bed and the tailgate is able to be moved into a lowered position to gain access to the bed, the system comprising: a load restraining bar having a length sufficient to span a width of the bed, and releasably securable to vertical sidewall portions of the bed to extend between the vertical sidewall portions and act as a load restraining component to help prevent movement of articles placed within the bed while the vehicle is moving;a recess formed in the tailgate, the recess having a forward wall area with a first structure;a stowage bin placed in the recess in the tailgate, the stowage bin having a forward wall and a rearward wall edge;the stowage bin including a bin lid hingedly secured to a bin body such that the stowage bin forms a compartment within which the load restraining bar can be stowed when not in use in the bed;the stowage bin further including a second structure at the forward wall which is adapted to engage with the first structure at the forward wall area of the recess in the tailgate, to hold the forward wall of the stowage bin within the recess when the stowage bin is inserted into recess;a locking mechanism which secures the bin lid in a closed orientation relative to the bin body; anda pair of mounting latches located at the rearward wall edge of the stowage bin which enable the stowage bin to be releasably secured within the recess in the tailgate, and to be accessed to permit removal of the stowage big from the recess, and removed completely from the recess, only after the bin lid is opened, and without the need for external tools. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mounting latches are movable slidably relative to the bin body and spring biased into positions to project outwardly from the bin body. 14. The system of 12, further comprising a release element operably associated with each said mounting latch, for enabling a user to move each said mounting latch slidably using one or more fingers of a hand of the user. 15. The system 12, further comprising a double U-shaped track for mounting each of the mounting latch and the release element for sliding movement. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the double U-shaped track has a first track portion along which the mounting latches may be moved slidably, and a second track portion along which the release elements may be moved slidably. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second track portion includes a pair of openings within which portions of the release elements may engage to hold the mounting latches in retracted positions, to thus enable the stowage bin to be removed from the recess. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein bin body includes openings aligned with the openings in the second track portion, the openings in the bin body having flexible button-like elements mounted thereat which enable a user to press thereon to urge the portions of the release elements out from the openings in the second track portion, and thus allow the mounting latches to be biased outwardly to engage with structure of the tailgate to latch a rear portion of the bin body within the recess of the tailgate. 19. A load restraining and stowage system for use with a tailgate of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a bed and a tailgate that is able to be moved into a lowered position to gain access to the bed, the system comprising; a pair of support rails secured to vertical sidewalls of the bed;a pair of load restraining bars each having a length sufficient to span a width of the bed and having a telescopic construction to enable each said load restraining bar to assume a first length when secured in the bed to the pair of support rails, to thus help restrain an article being transported in the bed against movement, and a second length which is shorter than the first length when the load restraining bar is configured to be stowed in the tailgate;a recess formed in the tailgate;a stowage bin placed in the recess in the tailgate;the stowage bin including a bin lid and a bin body hingedly secured together along edges thereof such that the bin lid forms a cover and an inside wall surface of the tailgate, and the stowage bin forms a compartment within which the load restraining bars can be stowed when not in use in the bed;a pair of spring biased mounting latches arranged along a rear wall portion of the bin body, the spring biased mounting latches engaging with structure associated with the tailgate to secure the rear wall of the stowage bin within the recess;a pair of release latches operably associated with the spring biased mounting latches, the release latches each being engageable with one or more fingers of a user hand to permit the user to use the release latches to slidably move the mounting latches into retracted positions;a double U-shaped track having a first track portion within which the mounting latches are mounted, a second track portion within which the release elements are mounted, and a pair of openings in which portions of the release elements may engage to hold the mounting latches in their said retracted positions when the user releases the release latches;wherein the bin body includes structure enabling a forward wall portion of the bin body to be held by additional structure associated with the tailgate, such that the stowage bin is fully suspended within the tailgate and restrained against movement; andwherein the pair of release latches are only accessible by a user when the bin lid is in an open position. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the stowage bin further includes at least one handle which is collapsible into a stored position when the stowage bin is to be placed in the recess of the tailgate. 21. A stowage system for use with a moveable element of a motor vehicle, wherein the moveable element is moveable between first and second positions, and wherein the moveable element includes a recess formed therein, the system comprising: a stowage bin having a bin lid and a bin body hingedly connected to the bin lid to permit the bin lid to be opened, to permit access to an interior area of the bin body, and to permit the stowage bin to be closed to contain at least one component within the stowage bin;the bin lid and bin body forming a compartment when the bin lid is in a closed orientation to enable the component to be stowed therein;at least one mounting latch for securing the stowage bin within the recess of the moveable element, and which permits removal of the stowage bin from the recess without the use of external tools; andwherein the system includes a pair of the mounting latches, with each said one of the pair of mounting latches being disposed at opposite sides of the bin body, each of the mounting latches being operably associated with a release element, each said release element being engageable by a finger of a hand of a user to permit a user to cause the release element to move its associated said mounting latch into a fully retracted position, wherein when both of the mounting latches are in their said retracted positions the stowage bin is removable from the moveable element. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the stowage bin includes a double U-shaped track having a first track portion within which the mounting latch may be moved slidably; the stowage bin includes a second track portion within which the release element may be moved slidably; anda plurality of openings in the second track portion to enable engagement of a portion of each one of the release elements in the openings, when the release elements move their respective said mounting latches into said retracted positions.