US-20260125118-A1 - MULTIFUNCTIONAL VEHICLE STORAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR

US20260125118A1US 20260125118 A1US20260125118 A1US 20260125118A1US-20260125118-A1

Abstract

An apparatus for enclosing a storage area of a vehicle includes a first door enclosing a first portion of one side of the storage area and configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. A second door enclosing a second portion of the one side of the storage area located within an area of the first portion of the first door. The second door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. A third door, located beside the first door for enclosing a third portion of the one side of the storage area that does not include the area of the first portion of the one side of the storage area.

Inventors

David Paul Schroeder
Richard Edwin Schroeder

Assignees

David Paul Schroeder
Richard Edwin Schroeder

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus for enclosing a storage area of a vehicle, comprising: a first door enclosing a first portion of one side of the storage area and configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position; a second door enclosing a second portion of the one side of the storage area located within an area of the first portion of the first door, the second door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position; and a third door, located beside the first door for enclosing a third portion of the one side of the storage area that does not include the area of the first portion of the one side of the storage area.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: at least one first hinge associated with the first door, the at least one first hinge located on a bottom edge of the first door and enabling the first door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the first portion of the storage area; at least one second hinge associated with the second door, the at least one second hinge located on a bottom edge of the second door and enabling the second door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the second portion of the storage area; at least one third hinge associated with the third door, the at least one third hinge located on a bottom edge of the third door and enabling the third door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the third portion of the storage area.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 further including: a door seam for interfacing the first door and the third door; wherein a first one of the at least one first hinge is associated with the door seam; and wherein a first one of at least one first latch is associated with the door seam.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: at least one first latch associated with the first door for latching the first door into the closed position; at least one second latch associated with the second door for latching the second door into the closed position; at least one third latch associated with the third door for latching the third door into the closed position; a first latching lever for releasing the at least one first latch latching the first door into the closed position; a second latching lever for releasing the at least one second latch latching the second door into the closed position; and a third latching lever for releasing the at least one third latch latching the first door into the closed position.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 further including: at least one first support cable for supporting the first door in the open position; at least one second support cable for supporting the second door in the open position; and at least one third support cable for supporting the third door in the open position.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first door and the second door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first door and the third door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a bottom edge of the second door aligns with a bottom edge of the first door.
9 . An apparatus for enclosing a storage area of a vehicle, comprising: a first door enclosing a first portion of one side of the storage area and configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position along a bottom edge of the first door; a second door enclosing a second portion of the one side of the storage area located within an area of the first portion of the first door, the second door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position along a bottom edge of the second door, wherein the bottom edge of the second door aligns with the bottom edge of the first door; and a third door, located beside the first door for enclosing a third portion of the one side of the storage area that does not include the area of the first portion of the one side of the storage area.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: at least one first hinge associated with the first door, the at least one first hinge located on a bottom edge of the first door and enabling the first door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the first portion of the storage area; at least one second hinge associated with the second door, the at least one second hinge located on a bottom edge of the second door and enabling the second door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the second portion of the storage area; at least one third hinge associated with the third door, the at least one third hinge located on a bottom edge of the third door and enabling the third door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the third portion of the storage area.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 further including: a door seam for interfacing the first door and the third door; wherein a first one of the at least one first hinge is associated with the door seam; and wherein a first one of at least one first latch is associated with the door seam.
12 . The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: at least one first latch associated with the first door for latching the first door into the closed position; at least one second latch associated with the second door for latching the second door into the closed position; at least one third latch associated with the third door for latching the third door into the closed position; a first latching lever for releasing the at least one first latch latching the first door into the closed position; a second latching lever for releasing the at least one second latch latching the second door into the closed position; and a third latching lever for releasing the at least one third latch latching the first door into the closed position.
13 . The apparatus of claim 9 further including: at least one first support cable for supporting the first door in the open position; at least one second support cable for supporting the second door in the open position; and at least one third support cable for supporting the third door in the open position.
14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first door and the second door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first door and the third door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
16 . A tailgate assembly for enclosing a bed area of a pickup, comprising: a first door having a first area and enclosing a first portion of one side of the bed area of the pickup and configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position along a bottom edge of the first door; a second door having a second area located within an area of the first portion enclosing a second portion of the one side of the bed area of the pickup, the second door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position; and a third door for enclosing a third portion of the one side of the bed area of the pickup different from the area of the first portion, wherein the third door is located in an area next to the first door.
17 . The tailgate assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first door and the second door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
18 . The tailgate assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first door and the third door may open independently of each other in a first configuration and open together in a second configuration.
19 . The tailgate assembly of claim 16 further comprising: at least one first hinge associated with the first door, the at least one first hinge located on a bottom edge of the first door and enabling the first door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the first portion of the one side of the bed area of the pickup; at least one second hinge associated with the second door, the at least one second hinge located on a bottom edge of the second door and enabling the second door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the second portion of the one side of the bed area of the pickup; at least one third hinge associated with the third door, the at least one third hinge located on a bottom edge of the third door and enabling the third door to move between the open position and the closed position with respect to the third portion of the one side of the bed area of the pickup.
20 . The tailgate assembly of claim 16 further comprising: at least one first latch associated with the first door for latching the first door into the closed position; at least one second latch associated with the second door for latching the second door into the closed position; at least one third latch associated with the third door for latching the third door into the closed position; a first latching lever for releasing the at least one first latch latching the first door into the closed position; a second latching lever for releasing the at least one second latch latching the second door into the closed position; and a third latching lever for releasing the at least one third latch latching the first door into the closed position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/300,995, entitled MULTIFUNCTIONAL VEHICLE STORAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR, filed on Apr. 14, 2023 (Atty. Dkt. No. ERGO01-00005). U.S. application Ser. No. 18/300,995 claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/362,983, filed Apr. 14, 2022, entitled MULTIFUNCTIONAL VEHICLE STORAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR (Atty. Dkt. No. ERGO01-00004), the specification of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to tailgates, and more particularly, to tailgates having multiple door configurations. BACKGROUND Tailgate enclosures are utilized on a variety of vehicles such as pickups, SUVs, hatchbacks, etc. Tailgate or hatchback enclosures normally comprise a single door that pivots between open and closed positions along an edge of the tailgate or hatchback. Since a tailgate or hatchback normally only comprises a single door that may move between an open position and a closed position, the entire bed or back area enclosed by the tailgate or hatchback can thus only be used in two configurations. Thus, there is a need to increase the versatility of tailgates or hatchbacks to allow for carrying longer cargo without leaving the entire tailgate or hatchback opened. SUMMARY The present invention, as disclosed and described herein, in one aspect thereof comprises an apparatus for enclosing a storage area of a vehicle includes a first door enclosing a first portion of one side of the storage area and configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. A second door enclosing a second portion of the one side of the storage area located within an area of the first portion of the first door. The second door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. A third door, located beside the first door for enclosing a third portion of the one side of the storage area that does not include the area of the first portion of the one side of the storage area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a first embodiment of a multifunction vehicle storage compartment door; FIG. 2 illustrates the first embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with both doors in a closed position; FIG. 3 illustrates the first embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with one door in a closed position and a second door in an open position; FIG. 4 illustrates the first embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with both doors in an open position; FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a second embodiment of a multifunction vehicle storage compartment door; FIG. 6 illustrates the second embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with both doors in a closed position; FIG. 7 illustrates the second embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with both doors in an open position; FIG. 8 illustrates the second embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with one door in a closed position and a second door in an open position; FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a third embodiment of a multifunction vehicle storage compartment door; FIG. 10 illustrates the third embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door with all three doors in a closed position; and FIG. 11 illustrates the third embodiment of the multifunction vehicle storage compartment door having two doors in the open position and one door in the closed position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like elements throughout, the various views and embodiments of a multifunctional vehicle storage compartment door are illustrated and described, and other possible embodiments are described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations based on the following examples of possible embodiments. The mechanism described herein utilizes a tailgate incorporating one or more opening doors therein in a variety of possible configurations. The particular mechanism utilized with respect to a particular tailgate can be selected by a tailgate designer utilizing the various configurations described herein. The apparatus described herein below may utilize standard latching and opening mechanisms that are currently available with tailgates. The hinge assemblies utilized for opening and closing the door may also comprise standard parts. Currently available hinge assemblies for all sections of tailgate actuation could be utilized in