초록 ▼

A vehicular storage system includes a frame coupled to an interior of a rear of a vehicle and a drawer, which is movably coupled to the frame. The drawer of the system is movable between a stowed position in which most or at least a substantial portion of the drawer is within the rear of the vehicle

A vehicular storage system includes a frame coupled to an interior of a rear of a vehicle and a drawer, which is movably coupled to the frame. The drawer of the system is movable between a stowed position in which most or at least a substantial portion of the drawer is within the rear of the vehicle and a deployed position in which a substantial portion of the drawer is positioned rearward of the vehicle in a manner that makes the contents of the drawer accessible to a user outside of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the drawer includes non-linear drop rails on opposing sides engageable with a pair of corresponding stationary frame rollers so that the drawer is movable along a path defined by the drop rails relative to the frame rollers of the frame.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vehicular storage system for amounting within a rear storage compartment of a vehicle, the storage compartment being covered by a roof and having a floor, an opening being formed at a rear of the storage compartment and having an upper edge located beneath the roof of the storage compartment, t

1. A vehicular storage system for amounting within a rear storage compartment of a vehicle, the storage compartment being covered by a roof and having a floor, an opening being formed at a rear of the storage compartment and having an upper edge located beneath the roof of the storage compartment, the vehicular storage system comprising: a stationary frame located within the rear storage compartment of the vehicle;a drawer having a bottom and a top edge;a drop rail and roller assembly arranged between the frame and the drawer, the drop rail and roller assembly including at least two opposed non-linear drop rails located on opposite sides of the drawer and supported on one of the drawer and the frame, and at least two opposed rollers located on opposite sides of the drawer and mounted on the other of the drawer and the frame, wherein the drop rail and roller assembly is configured to enable selective movement of the drawer relative to the frame through a non-linear path along the drop rail and roller assembly between 1) a stowed position in which the drawer is disposed at least substantially horizontally and is housed at least substantially entirely within the storage compartment of the vehicle with the top edge of the drawer being positioned above the upper edge of the opening in the storage compartment, and 2) a deployed position in which the drawer is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and is positioned at least partially outside the rear of the vehicle and in which the top edge of at least a majority of the drawer is located well-beneath the upper edge of the opening in the storage compartment. 2. The vehicular storage system of claim 1, wherein the drawer further comprises a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall opposite the first end wall. 3. The vehicular storage system of claim 1, wherein each of the frame rollers is located near a rear end of the frame and engages an undersurface of the corresponding drop rail. 4. The vehicular storage system of claim 1, wherein the drawer has a depth, from the bottom to the top edge, of between 4″ and 12″. 5. The vehicular storage system of claim 1, wherein the drop rail and roller assembly comprises at least two frame rollers coupled to the rear of the frame and two drop rails fixedly coupled to the drawer and engageable with the frame rollers, and wherein each frame roller engages an underside of the respective drop rail. 6. The vehicular storage system of claim 5, further comprising a stop mounted to the frame for engagement with at least one of the rollers to limit travel of the drawer relative to the frame. 7. The vehicular storage system of claim 1, wherein each drop rail is shaped such that, when the drawer is in the stowed position thereof, a first segment of the drop rail extends upwardly and forwardly relative to the vehicle, and a second segment of the drop rail extends horizontally forwardly from an upper end of the first segment, the second segment being substantially longer than the first segment, and wherein the associated roller rides along the first segment of each drop rail as the drawer moves from the stowed position to an intermediate position and along the second segment as the drawer moves from the intermediate position toward the deployed position. 8. The vehicular storage system of claim 7, wherein the first segment of each of the drop rails comprises a rear-most horizontal portion, an intermediate, inclined portion extending forwardly from the rear-most portion, and a front, curved portion extending upwardly and forwardly from a front end of the intermediate portion to a rear end of the second segment, and wherein each frame roller engages the rear-most horizontal section of the first segment of the associated drop rail when the drawer is in the stowed position thereof and engages the inclined portion of the first segment of the associated drop rail when the drawer is in the intermediate position thereof. 9. The vehicular storage system of claim 7, wherein, in the intermediate position thereof, the drawer extends downwardly and rearwardly to a lesser degree than when in the deployed position thereof, and wherein, in the deployed position thereof, the drawer is inclined downwardly and rearwardly at an angle of between approximately 10-45 degrees relative to the ground and is positioned at least partially outside the rear of the vehicle. 10. A vehicle comprising: a rear storage compartment, the rear storage compartment being covered by a roof, an opening being formed at a rear of the storage compartment and having an upper edge located beneath the roof of the storage compartment; anda vehicular storage system including a stationary frame coupled within the rear storage compartment,first and second laterally opposed stationary frame rollers mounted on the frame;a drawer having a floor and a top edge located above the floor; and first and second opposed non-linear drop rails fixedly mounted on opposite sides of the drawer, each of the drop rails being supported on an associated one of the frame rollers so as to permit the drawer to move rearwardly along a non-linear path between 1) a stowed position in which the drawer is disposed at least substantially horizontally and is housed at least substantially entirely within the rear storage compartment of the vehicle with the top edge of the drawer being located above the upper edge of the opening, and 2) a deployed position in which the drawer is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and is positioned at least partially outside the rear of the vehicle and in which the top edge of at least a majority of the drawer is located well-beneath the top edge of the opening. 11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein each of the frame rollers is located near a rear end of the frame and engages an undersurface of the corresponding drop rail. 12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is one of a pickup-track and a van. 13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the drawer has a depth, from the bottom to the top edge, of between 4″ and 12″. 14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein each drop rail is shaped such that, when the drawer is in the stowed position thereof, a first segment of the drop rail extends upwardly and forwardly relative to the vehicle, and a second segment of the drop rail extends horizontally forwardly from an upper end of the first segment, the second segment being substantially longer than the first segment, and wherein the associated roller rides along the first segment of each drop rail as the drawer moves from the stowed position to an intermediate position and along the second segment as the drawer moves from the intermediate position toward the deployed position. 15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first segment of each of the drop rails comprises a rear-most horizontal portion, an intermediate, inclined portion extending forwardly from the rear-most portion, and a front, curved portion extending upwardly and forwardly from a front end of the intermediate portion to a rear end of the second segment, and wherein each frame roller engages the rear-most horizontal section of the first segment of the associated drop rail when the drawer is in the stowed position thereof and engages the inclined portion of the first segment of the associated drop rail when the draper is in the intermediate position thereof. 16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein, in the intermediate position thereof, the drawer extends downwardly and rearwardly to a lesser degree than when in the third, deployed position, and wherein, in the deployed position thereof, the drawer is inclined downwardly and rearwardly at an angle of between approximately 10-45 degrees relative to the ground and is positioned at least partially outside the rear of the vehicle. 17. A method of operating a vehicular storage system that is mounted in a storage compartment of a vehicle, the storage compartment having a floor, a roof, and a rear opening having a top edge located beneath the roof, the method comprising: sliding a drawer with respect to a positionally-fixed frame to which the drawer is mounted non-linearlyfrom a stowed position in which the drawer extends at least substantially horizontally, is positioned at least substantially entirely within the area of a rear of a vehicle beneath the roof of the vehicle, and in which a top edge of the drawer is located above the top edge of the rear opening in the storage compartment,to a deployed position in which a rear end of the drawer is tilted downwardly and extends from the rear opening of the drawer that is positioned outside of the rear opening is located beneath the top edge of the storage compartment, wherein, during the sliding movement, a roller fixedly mounted on one of the drawer and the frame rolls along a non-linear drop rail fixedly mounted on the other of the drawer and the frame to direct the rear end of the drawer downwardly and outwardly. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein, as the drawer moves rearwardly from the stowed position, a rear end of the drawer drops down at a relatively shallow angle relative to the horizontal plane so that the upper edge of the rear end of the drawer clears the upper edge of the storage compartment opening, and the drawer thereafter moves rearwardly at a relatively steep angle relative to the horizontal plane for at least a majority of the remaining travel distance of the drawer to the deployed position. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of pushing the drawer upwardly and forwardly from the deployed position to an intermediate position in which the drawer extends at a shallower angle relative to the horizontal than the drawer is in when the drawer is in the deployed position and in which an upper edge of the rear end of the drawer is located beneath the roof. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of lifting the drawer from the intermediate position to the stowed position.