GB2581151A

GB2581151A - Storage device for a vehicle the samson van vault

Info

Publication number: GB2581151A
Application number: GB1901569.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Thorne Richard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-02-07
Filing date: 2019-02-07
Publication date: 2020-08-12
Also published as: GB201901569D0

Abstract

A rectangular cupboard 2 with five sides 3B-3F and open front face 3A covered by a sliding door 4 which moves laterally across the entire front face of the cabinet. The sliding door has a lock to lock the door in the close position. The cupboard is to be secured to the body of the vehicle. The door may slide on runners 5A and 5B by operating handles 4A and 4B. The door may overlap panel 3D with the addition of 4C to prevent access with a crowbar if tampered with. The cupboard may have shelves 6A and 6B for storing tools. Securing the cabinet to the vehicle may be achieved by bolting apertures 7A-7D to the vehicle floor. The cabinet may include a motion sensor 10 mounted on an external face of the cabinet. The motion sensor may have the capability to transmit a message to alert the user to take action to prevent theft from the van. The cupboard may be made of sheet steel.

Description

I

TITLE: Storage Device for a Vehicle The present invention relates to a storage device for a vehicle.

It is common practice for a tradesman to keep his/her tools in a van or other vehicle when not working, e.g. in a van parked overnight outside a house. Unfortunately such tools can be stolen from the vehicle. It is known to provide lockable tool cupboards and chests for tools in vans, but the doors to these are usually hinged and enough free space must be kept free for the doors to swing open and closed which takes up valuably storage space e.g. on the van floor in front of a cupboard. Also such thefts often occur outside working hours when the owner is not using the vehicle, at it is only the next day that the theft is discovered when it is too late to catch a thief.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a storage device for a vehicle comprising: a) cupboard having a rectangular open face, b) a door which slides across substantially the entire front face from a first closed to a second open position, c) a lock to lock the door in the close position, and d) means to secure the cupboard to the body of the vehicle.

Preferably the cupboard further includes a motion sensor to sense when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with and to operate an alarm.

Preferably the motion sensor includes means to transmit a notification to a remote telephone upon the sensor sensing when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with.

Preferably the motion sensor transmits a text message across a mobile phone network or using WiFi.

Preferably the cupboard is formed, inter alia, of sheet steel. Preferably the cupboard is adapted to be secured to a vehicle floor.

Preferably the cupboard is of a width to span across the width of a van adjacent a side entry door closing a side door aperture.

Preferably the cupboard is of a depth such that when positioned at one end of the van floor adjacent the rear of the front seats, the door can slide out through a side entry door aperture to the second open position. Preferably the cupboard is of a depth to allow a person to pass through the side entry door aperture when the door is in the open position extending through the vehicle side entry door.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a storage device, Figure 2A shows the storage device of Figure 1 in a vehicle with the door in the first position, and Figure 2A shows the storage device of Figure 1 in a vehicle with the door in the second position with the door extending from a vehicle side door aperture.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a storage device 1 for a vehicle.

Storage device 1 has a cupboard 2 having a rectangular open front face 3A, a closed rear face panel 3B, a pair of sides face panels 3C and 3D, a top face panel 3E, and a bottom face panel 3F. Preferably the cupboard is formed, inter alia, of sheet steel.

A door 4 is provided which slides across substantially the entire front face 3A from a first closed to a second open position (as shown in Figure 1). Door 4 may typically slide in runners 5A,5B in front edges of the top and bottom face panels 3E,3F. A front handle 4A and side handle 48 are provided for sliding the door 4. Door 4 has a return 4C to overlap side face panel 3D (when the door is closed), to prevent a device like a crowbar being used between the door 4 and the panel 3D to prise the door from runners 5A,58.

Cupboard 2 may have suitable storage devices such as shelves 6A,6B to store tools and the like.

Apertures 7A,7B,7C,7D inside the cupboard receive fixings such as bolts to secure the cupboard 2 to the floor of a vehicle whereby to secure the cupboard to the body of the vehicle.

A lock, such as a 5 lever mortice lock (not shown), may be provided to lock the door in the close position.

Cupboard 2 further includes a motion sensor 10 to sense when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with and to operate an optional audible alarm. In addition to any alarm, the motion sensor 10 may include means to transmit a notification to a remote mobile telephone A upon the sensor sensing when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with. For example the motion sensor may transmit a text message across a mobile phone network (using an internal Simcard) or using WiFi. The notification may be sent to the user of the vehicle, who may well be within a house with the vehicle parked outside. The user can take early action to prevent theft from the vehicle and the cupboard.

Referring now to Figures 2A and 28, the cupboard 2 is ideally positioned in a vehicle such as a van X with a side entry door Y normally (when closed) covering a side entry door aperture Z. Preferably the cupboard 2 is of a width to span across the width of a van adjacent a side entry door aperture Z. Cupboard 2 is of a depth such that, when positioned at one end of the van floor adjacent the rear of the front seats, the door 4 can slide to the second open position out through the door aperture Z of side entry door Y (see Figure 2B).

Also the cupboard 2 may be of a depth to allow a person to pass through the side entry door aperture Z when the door 4 is in the open position extending through the door aperture Z. This means that a person can access the cupboard 2 even when the floor space adjacent the van rear doors W is full of objects, e.g. building material.

In order to give additional security to the storage device, the vehicle may be parked with its side door Y adjacent a wall or another vehicle/object. The wall or other vehicle/object would make it impossible to slide the cupboard door 4 open as it would hit the wall or other vehicle/object.

The invention also extends to a vehicle incorporating the storage device of the invention.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above, Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A storage device for a vehicle comprising: a) cupboard having a rectangular open face, b) a door which slides across substantially the entire front face from a first closed to a second open position, c) a lock to lock the door in the close position, and d) means to secure the cupboard to the body of the vehicle.
2, A storage device according to claim 1, wherein the cupboard further includes a motion sensor to sense when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with and to operate an alarm.
3. A storage device according to claim 2, wherein the motion sensor includes means to transmit a notification to a remote mobile telephone upon the sensor sensing when the cupboard is being unlawfully tampered with.
4. A storage device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the motion sensor transmit a text message across a mobile phone network or using WiFi.
5. A storage device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cupboard is formed, inter alia, of sheet steel.S
6. A storage device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cupboard is of a width to span across the width of a van adjacent a side entry door aperture.
7. A storage device according to any preceding claim, wherein the cupboard is of a depth such that when positioned at one end of the van floor adjacent the rear of the front seats, the door can slide out through the side entry door aperture to the second open position.
S. A storage device according to claim 7, wherein the cupboard is of a depth to allow a person to pass through the side entry door aperture when the door is in the open position extending through the vehicle side entry door.
9. A vehicle incorporating a storage device as defined in any preceding claim.