Vehicle cargo bed extender

Details Vehicle cargo bed extender Vehicle cargo bed extender

2000-03-13

2002-06-11

Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Variable capacity of body

C296S037600, C296S057100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06402215

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Background of the Invention
Pick-up trucks are extremely popular. One of their primary advantages is the ability to haul loads in the storage bed located behind the cab of the vehicle. Unfortunately, often the storage bed is of an undesirable configuration for the load being transported. In particular, it is not unusual for the load to be larger than the truck bed, so that the tailgate of the truck needs to be lowered to enable the load to adequately transferred. Unfortunately, this raises the risk that the load will fall out of the back of the truck, or that the load will need to be tied down, taking additional time.
For this reason, various truck bed extenders have been developed. These extenders are typically mounted to the truck bed by brackets or hinges. Truck bed extenders often comprise a series of light weight panels designed to be foldable to minimize their impact on storage space when not in use, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,639 to Bianchi. Alternatively, the truck bed extenders may comprise strong, but relatively heavy and nonfoldable units, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,213 to Palmer. Palmer discloses extended side supports secured to the tailgate by brackets or welding and a supplemental tailgate. When the main tailgate is closed, the supplemental tailgate extends over the top of the vehicle's storage bed. It is disclosed that a flexible netting may be secured to the right and left supports so that the netting extends in a vertical plane to form a storage box.
There remains, however, a need for an improved truck bed extender.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an improved truck bed extender which is particularly adapted for ease of installation and removal. When not being used to extend the truck bed, the extender is advantageously adapted to quickly and easily create a secondary storage area. Another aspect of the invention is a method for utilizing a truck bed extender.
One aspect of the invention is a truck bed extender for use with a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of the bed, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of the bed, and a tailgate, wherein the first upstanding panel defines a first mounting station and the second upstanding panel defines a second mounting station. The extender has a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount and a second mounting mount. The connecting wall extends between the first side wall and the second side wall, and cooperates with the first side wall and second side wall to form a generally U-shaped frame. The first mount is secured to the first side wall and includes a first interlocking member. The second mount is secured to the second side wall and comprising a second interlocking member. The first interlocking member and the first mounting station and the second interlocking member and the second mounting station cooperate to secure the truck bed extender to the vehicle so that the extender is rotatable about an axis between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the connecting wall is in an upright position over the tailgate rearward of the rear end of the bed. In the second position, the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced forward from the rear end of the bed and the tailgate.
Advantageously, the first mounting station comprises a first aperture and the second mounting station comprises a second aperture and the first interlocking member is a retractable male member sized and shaped to be received and retained within the first aperture and the second interlocking member is a retractable male member sized and shaped to be received and retained within the second aperture. An important aspect of the invention is that the connecting wall desirably comprises at least two interconnecting sections which are slidable relative one another permitting the horizontal span of the connecting wall to be adjusted to correspond to the particular width of the truck bed. Effective truck bed widths can vary between manufacturers and vary depending on whether a truck bed protector has been installed. Advantageously, the extender's adjustability desirably permits the identical extender to be used with most truck beds, at least in a given size classification.
The extender may also comprise a first L-shaped section defining the first side wall and a first portion of the connecting wall and a second L-shaped section defining the second side wall and a second portion of the connecting wall. Advantageously, these L-shaped portions significantly increase the strength and rigidity of the extender, enhancing its ability to withstand bumping by heavy cargo, such as motorcycles, as well as external impact.
Yet another important aspect of the invention is at least one buckle secured to one of the walls sized and shaped to be releasably locked to the latch of the vehicle tailgate. Significantly, the buckle provides a supplemental attachment point which minimizes movement and vibration of the extender while driving and is quickly releasable by using the vehicle tailgate's own opening mechanism.
Another aspect of the invention is a truck bed extender for use with a vehicle having a storage bed. The extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount and a second mount. The connecting wall extends between the first wall and the second wall and cooperates with the first wall and second wall to form a general U-shaped frame. The first mount is secured to the first side wall and includes a first interlocking member. The second mount is secured to the second wall and includes a second interlocking member. The extender is securable to the vehicle through cooperation of the first interlocking member and the first mounting station and the second interlocking member and the second mounting station in a first position wherein the connecting wall is in an upright position over the tailgate rearward of the rear end of the storage bed and a second position wherein the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced forward from the rear end of the bed and the tailgate.
Yet another important aspect of the invention is a truck bed extender for use with a vehicle having a first side panel defining a first forward mounting station and a first rearward mounting station, and a second panel defining a second forward mounting station and a second rearward mounting station, wherein the extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount and a second mount. The connecting wall extends between the first side wall and the second side wall, and cooperates with the first side wall and the second side wall to form a generally U-shaped frame. The first mount is secured to the first side wall and includes a first interlocking member. The second mount is secured to the second side wall and comprises a second interlocking member. The extender is securable to the vehicle through cooperation of: (1) the first interlocking member and the first forward station and the second interlocking member and the second forward station in a first position wherein the first side wall and the second side wall extend forward of the connecting wall and the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced rearward from the front panel, and (2) the first interlocking member and the first rearward station, and the second interlocking member and the second rearward station in a second position wherein the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced rearward from the rear end of the bed over the tailgate.
Desirably, the extender is also securable to the vehicle through cooperation of the first interlocking member and the first rearward station and the second interlocking member and the second rearward station in a third position, wherein the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced forward from the rear end of the bed and the tailgate.
As will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art, another aspect of the inv

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