Vehicle storage box

Abstract

A foldable sheet for making a storage box for a vehicle. The foldable sheet has multiple portions foldably connected together along at least one fold line. The portions are foldable to at least a partially define a storage box. One of the portions includes a hinge configured to allow the storage box to pivot with respect to the vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A foldable sheet for making a storage box for a vehicle, the foldable sheet comprising: 
 multiple portions foldably connected together along at least one fold line, wherein the portions are foldable along the at least one fold line to at least partially define a storage box body, and wherein one of the portions includes a hinge that is configured to allow the storage box body to pivot with respect to the vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . The foldable sheet of  claim 1  wherein the portion that includes the hinge includes first and second sections that are foldably connected together along an additional fold line, and wherein the first and second sections are foldable along the additional fold line such that the first section defines a bottom panel of the storage box body and the second section defines a hinge member attached to the bottom panel, the hinge member including the hinge.  
     
     
         3 . The foldable sheet of  claim 2  wherein the second section includes a first subsection and a second subsection foldably connected together along a hinge member fold line, each subsection including a hinge portion, and wherein the subsections are foldable along the hinge member fold line such that the hinge portions cooperate to define the hinge.  
     
     
         4 . The foldable sheet of  claim 1  wherein the at least one fold line includes first, second, and third fold lines, and the multiple portions include a first portion, a second portion foldably connected to the first portion along the first fold line, a third portion foldably connected to the second portion along the second fold line, and a fourth portion foldably connected to the third portion along the third fold line, and wherein the first, second, and fourth portions are configured to define a back panel, a bottom panel, and a front panel, respectively, of the storage box body, and the third panel is configured to define a hinge member connected to the storage box body and including the hinge.  
     
     
         5 . The foldable sheet of  claim 4  wherein the fourth portion includes a substrate and a cover layer disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.  
     
     
         6 . The foldable sheet of  claim 4  wherein the fourth portion has at least one hollow chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The foldable sheet of  claim 4  further comprising a fifth portion connected to the first portion, the second portion, or the fourth portion along a fourth fold line, wherein the fifth portion is foldable along the fourth fold line to define a first side panel of the storage box.  
     
     
         8 . The foldable sheet of  claim 7  further comprising a sixth portion connected to the first portion, the second portion, or the fourth portion along a fifth fold line, wherein the sixth portion is foldable along the fifth fold line to define a second side panel of the storage box.  
     
     
         9 . A storage box for mounting in a vehicle, the storage box comprising: 
 multiple portions that are connected together along at least one fold line, the portions being folded along the at least one fold line such that the portions at least partially define a storage box body, the storage box body being configured to be mounted in the vehicle.    
     
     
         10 . The storage box of  claim 9  wherein one of the portions defines a hinge member that includes a hinge for allowing the storage box body to pivot.  
     
     
         11 . The storage box of  claim 10  wherein the hinge member includes first and second sections that are connected together along a hinge member fold line, each section including a hinge portion, and wherein the sections are folded along the hinge member fold line such that the hinge portions cooperate to define the hinge.  
     
     
         12 . The storage box of  claim 9  wherein the at least one fold line includes first and second fold lines, and the multiple portions include a back panel, a bottom panel arrangement connected to the back panel along the first fold line, and a front panel connected to the bottom panel arrangement along the second fold line.  
     
     
         13 . The storage box of  claim 12  wherein the bottom panel arrangement includes a bottom panel and a hinge member connected to the bottom panel along a third fold line, and wherein the hinge member is folded along the third fold line such that the hinge member extends below the bottom panel, the hinge member including a hinge for allowing a portion of the storage box to pivot.  
     
     
         14 . The storage box of  claim 12  wherein the front panel includes a substrate and a cover layer is disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The storage box of  claim 12  wherein the front panel has at least one hollow chamber.  
     
     
         16 . A method for making a storage box for mounting in a vehicle, the method comprising: 
 forming a foldable member having multiple portions connected together along at least one fold line; and    folding the portions along the at least one fold line such that the portions at least partially define a storage box body, that is configured to be mounted in the vehicle.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein one of the portions of the foldable member defines a hinge member, the hinge member including a hinge that is configured to allow the storage box body to pivot.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the hinge member includes first and second sections that are foldably connected together along a hinge member fold line, each section including a hinge portion, and wherein the method further includes folding the first and second sections along the hinge member fold line such that the hinge portions cooperate to define the hinge.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the foldable member includes a first portion, a second portion foldably connected to the first portion along a first fold line, and a third portion foldably connected to the second portion along a second fold line, and wherein the step of folding the portions is performed such that the first, second, and third portions define a back panel, a bottom panel arrangement, and a front panel, respectively, of the storage box body.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of forming a foldable member includes blow molding a parison into a preconfigured shape.