IP Verse

Inflatable Vehicle Accessories

Patent No. US12077977 (titled "Inflatable Vehicle Accessories") was filed by Flated Llc on Mar 14, 2024.

What is this patent about?

’977 is related to the field of vehicle accessories, specifically addressing the challenges of storage and mounting associated with traditional rigid cargo carriers and truck shells. The background highlights the issues of bulky storage for rigid accessories and the difficulties of securely attaching carriers to vehicles without existing roof racks. The invention aims to provide a solution that is both easily storable and readily mountable.

The underlying idea behind ’977 is to utilize inflatable drop-stitch material to create vehicle accessories like cargo carriers and truck shells. This material, when inflated, provides a rigid structure capable of supporting loads, but can be deflated and folded for compact storage when not in use. The use of drop-stitch construction allows for high-pressure inflation, resulting in a sturdy and durable accessory.

The claims of ’977 focus on an inflatable truck shell device designed for mounting on a truck bed. The device comprises a front wall, sidewalls, and a shell top, all constructed from drop-stitch material. The structure features an open rear and an open bottom, exposing the interior space to the truck bed. Fasteners are included on the sidewalls to secure the shell to the truck.

In practice, the inflatable truck shell is positioned on the truck bed behind the cab, with the front wall and sidewalls resting directly on the bed. The drop-stitch construction allows the shell to be inflated to a rigid form, creating a weatherproof enclosure. The open rear provides access, while optional windows in the sidewalls offer ventilation and light. When not in use, the shell can be deflated, folded, and stored compactly.

This design differentiates itself from traditional rigid truck shells by offering a collapsible and easily storable alternative. Unlike conventional shells that require significant storage space, the inflatable design can be packed away when not needed. The use of drop-stitch material also simplifies the mounting process, as the inflated structure provides inherent rigidity and stability, reducing the need for complex mounting hardware. The open bottom design further simplifies integration with the truck bed.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2020s when ’977 was filed, vehicle accessories were at a time when cargo carriers and truck bed attachments were typically implemented using rigid materials like plastic or fiberglass. At this time, storage of such accessories when not in use was a known problem, when hardware or software constraints made compact storage solutions non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The application was subject to a first office action that rejected claims 1-10, 12-14, 16 and 19-21 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph, for failing to comply with the written description requirement. Claims 5, 7, 8 and 11-18 were also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite. The drawings and disclosure were also objected to. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.

Claims

This patent contains 19 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 10, and 17. The independent claims generally focus on an inflatable truck shell device constructed with drop-stitch material and designed to mount to a truck bed. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features, materials, and configurations of the inflatable truck shell device described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Drop-stitch material
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 17)		“Instead of having rigid plastic, fiberglass or metal walls, which can be heavy and cumbersome, applicant's vehicle attachments use drop-stitch, inflatable walls. Drop-stitch material allows applicant's devices to inflate at high pressure and hold their forms. Tape such as PVC tape on the edges of the drop-stitch material cause the walls to be airtight at high pressures. This can form rigid structures.”A material used to form the front wall and sidewalls of the inflatable truck shell, allowing it to inflate at high pressure and hold its form.
First space
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 17)		“Applicant's inflatable truck bed insert provides an easy-to-store, easy-to-ship, and easy-to-move inflatable rigid sleeping and storage platform that can be used in trucks, vans, SUVs and automobiles. Drop-stitch material, rigid when inflated, can make the platform stiff enough to support persons or cargo. Spaced-apart, elongated legs supports extending from the bottom of the platform raise the platform above the truck bed so the user can store items underneath the platform.”The space formed by the front wall, sidewalls, and shell top of the inflatable truck shell.
Inflatable truck shell device
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 17)		“Instead of having rigid plastic, fiberglass or metal walls, which can be heavy and cumbersome, applicant's vehicle attachments use drop-stitch, inflatable walls. After use, a person can deflate the vehicle attachment through a high-pressure valve and roll or fold it so it can fit into a bag or other container that can be stored in small spaces and carried when needed.”A device designed to be mounted on a truck bed, comprising a front wall, sidewalls, and a shell top, where the front wall and sidewalls are made of drop-stitch material.
Open rear
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 17)		“Truck shells, which are also called truck caps and truck toppers, are another vehicle attachment. They commonly are rigid and rest on a truck bed. The portion above the bed may include flaps of canvas or similar materials to cover openings acting as windows to allow air into the truck shell. At least one opening may be large enough for a user to enter and exit the housing.”The space between the rear ends of the sidewalls of the inflatable truck shell.
Shell top
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 17)		“Applicant's cargo carrier also is formed of inflatable drop-stitch material in a shape like hard carriers. The material is formed with a flat base for attaching to a vehicle. The top portion is spaced from the base. A rear wall connects the rear of top and base, and an angled, aerodynamic front wall connects the front of the top and base.”A component of the inflatable truck shell that extends over the first space to the rear ends of the sidewalls.

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US12077977

FLATED LLC
Application Number
US18605668
Filing Date
Mar 14, 2024
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Sep 22, 2041
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents