The present invention is directed to accessories for vehicles; more particularly, to accessories for application to upper support surfaces of vehicles; and most particularly to service platforms for application to the upper surfaces of tub sides of utility vehicles such as certain Jeep® brand vehicles (e.g., CJ, Willys, VJ, FJ, YJ and TJ series models), all-terrain and utility vehicles such as pickup trucks and service ATVs, and boats.
In the prior art, the upper surfaces of tub sides are generally referred to as “tub rails”. Typically, tub rails are provided by a vehicle manufacturer finished in the paint color of the vehicle and thus are vulnerable to damage. Because a utility vehicle may undergo relatively severe usage during the working lifetime of the vehicle, it is known to provide protective tub rail “body armor”, e.g., Rugged Ridge Black Tub Rail Body Armor for Jeep-type vehicles, available through Amazon.com. The tub rail body armor is narrower than the width of the supportive tub rail, is formed of relatively thin molded plastic, and is attached to the vehicle only by double-sided tape; hence, the tub rail body armor is intended only to protect the tub rail surface from damage and is not suited to heavy duty use as a utility vehicle service platform for sitting, standing, climbing, supporting of cargo, or providing or securing mounting of attachment means for ropes, straps, and other fasteners in accordance with the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a service platform for a utility vehicle tub rail comprises a planar element having a preferred length substantially equal to the length of a tub rail and having a preferred width substantially wider than the width of the tub rail and having a preferred thickness of about one inch. Preferably, a service platform is attachable to a tub rail through the use of holes provided in the tub rail by the manufacturer, thus obviating the need to drill new holes. A service platform preferably comprises threaded or spring-loaded fasteners for engaging the tub rail holes. Preferably, such fasteners are either hidden from or flush with the upper surface of the service platform. Further, a service platform may be provided with openings, cutouts, cleats, hooks, screw eyes, and the like for the securing of fastening means (e.g., ropes, wires, cables, straps, etc.), to assist in securing and carrying cargo safely in a tub rail vehicle.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings and detailed description of preferred embodiments below.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Service platforms in accordance with the present invention are provided typically as enantiomorphic pairs for left and right tub rails of a vehicle, although non-matching pairs are within the scope of the present invention where required either to conform to non-matching sides of a vehicle or to provide some particular feature on one side but not the other side.
At least one service platform 12 or 14 is preferably cantilevered a substantial distance into vehicle tub 10 from tub rail 24, allowing various accessories and alterations as described below, and further allowing comfortable seating or standing thereon.
Service platforms in accordance with the present invention may be formed of any convenient, rigid and sturdy material, such as but not limited to wood lumber, laminated wood, metal such as steel or aluminum, polymer, glass-filled polymer, fiberglass, and combinations thereof. Such platforms may be formed by any conventional forming process, such as but not limited to, sawing, milling, drilling, molding, injection molding, three-dimensional printing, and combinations thereof.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, platforms 12 and 14 may be made from the milling of wood, the final thickness of which depends on the type of wood selected and the anticipated use of the platforms and may vary as a result thereof. Currently preferred width of service platform 12a is between about 3 inches and about 8 inches, preferably about 6 inches. When disposed on a Jeep-style tub rail, service platform 12 is constrained in outboard width as shown in
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Various changes may be made to the structure embodying the principles of the invention. The foregoing embodiments are set forth in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.