Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Variable capacity of body
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2002-01-22
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Variable capacity of body
C296S050000, C296S057100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06340190
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a tailgate attachment for a vehicle, and more particularly to a tailgate attachment that extends the cargo space of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Bianchi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,639, teaches a retractable extender structure for the tailgate of a pick-up truck or other vehicle which enables quick and convenient enlargement of the cargo space of the vehicle when necessary. A back panel and side panels are compactly carried against the inside surface of the closed tailgate when not in use while being pivotable into perpendicular relationship to the opened tailgate to increase cargo space.
Wold, U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,000, teaches a vehicle bed extender for attaching to a tailgate. The vehicle bed extender has a rear panel, the inner edge of which is hinged to the outer border of the tailgate. Side panels are provided, the bottom edges of which are hinged to the side border of the tailgate. The outer edges of the side panels are releasably hinged to the outer edge of the rear panel by a single hinge. The side panels have a diagonal hinge which folds inwardly when the rear panel is pushed toward the tailgate.
Covington, U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,892, teaches an extension apparatus for use with a vehicle having a cargo-bed area with opposing first and second side walls, and a tailgate movable between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. The extension apparatus comprises a rear panel, which has opposing first and second ends, pivotally couplable to the tailgate to pivot the rear panel between a side-board configuration and a cargo-bed extension configuration. A first side panel is pivotally coupled to the rear panel adjacent the first end, and a second side panel is pivotally coupled to the rear panel adjacent the second end. The extension apparatus further includes a side panel receiver securable to a selected one of the first or second side walls of the cargo-bed area to receive a portion of the selected one of the first or second side panels therein. The unique configuration of the extension apparatus allows the extension apparatus to expand the cargo-bed area in a vertical direction when the rear panel is pivoted to the side-board configuration, or alternatively, to expand the cargo-bed area in a horizontal direction when the rear panel is pivoted to the cargo-bed extension configuration.
Pool, III, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,638 teaches an attachment for elongating a pickup truck bed storage area which can also serve as a replacement tailgate for the truck's factory tailgate or a tailgate for the extended area and further a ramp, or stairway for loading the pickup truck. The device is easily attached to the pickup truck bed with the truck's existing tailgate lowered and encloses an area of the bed over the tailgate. The rear end of the device serves as a tailgate and a ramp or a stairway, which can be unlatched and unfolded extending for easy loading of the truck storage area.
Nash, U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,188, teaches a truck bed extender having a pair of generally parallel, spaced apart side walls which are joined to a back wall, and having an open top and an open bottom. A pair of forward pointing plates or tabs are coupled to the side walls, with the forward pointing plates generally structured and configured to slidably engage slots defined by the strike plates and truck bed walls of a pickup truck. A pair of downward pointing plates or tabs, each including an opening for a latch bolt, are also coupled to the side walls, with the downward pointing plates structured and configured to slidably engage the slots defined by the latch plates and sides of the tailgate of a pickup truck.
Kulesza, U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,596, teaches a truck tailgate fence mechanism which is attached to both the truck and the tailgate utilizing the existing latch and striker system of the truck tailgate. The mechanism utilizes a wall portion which is positioned on the extended tailgate in an upright orientation. A first fastener removably holds the wall portion to the tailgate and includes a first member which is fastened to the striker of the latch and striker system of the tailgate. A second fastener connects to the wall portion and removably fastens to the latch of the latch and striker system of the tailgate and truck bed partition.
DiBassie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,753 teaches a pickup truck bed extender consisting of two extendable side braces and an extender tailgate. The side braces are fabricated from two separate telescoping pieces adjustable for length so as to universally fit a variety of pickup trucks whether compact or full size. Each side brace bolts to the inner side of the pickup bed at a corner post. Each corner post features a square peg on the top and bottom that mates to square slots on the braces, and a latch pin secures side braces together by thrusting the pin downward through the holes in the adjoined braces and posts. The extender tailgate connects the two braces and may be adjustable in width in the same manner as the side units. A pair of side mounted support cables with quick release pins are used to prevent the extender tailgate from going past the horizontal position when opening. An extender flap could pivot from the extender tailgate, but would pivot in the forward direction to provide a floor surface when the existing tailgate is not long enough. The extender flap would have a rubber backing to prevent scratching to the existing surface of the existing tailgate.
Hitchcock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,449, teaches an auxiliary tailboard assembly for attachment to a drop-down tailgate that allows a user to bring the tailboard into vertical position, confining a load to the tailgate, after the goods have been loaded on the tailgate. The tailboard assembly includes a case for attachment to an inside face of the tailgate and a panel which can be extended and retracted in the case. A slot is provided into which the panel is seated when the panel is extended and rotated into vertical position and a stop for preventing removal of the panel from either the case or slot.
Jarman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,724, teaches an apparatus for extending a vehicle cargo area. The apparatus includes a main panel having a first end adapted for pivotally attaching to a tailgate, the main panel including non-planar sections formed therein; and a pair of side panels pivotally attached to opposite sides of the main panel, the side panels including non-planar sections formed therein, wherein the apparatus is positionable in a stowed position having the side panels folded into abutment with the main panel such that the non-planar sections of the side panels nest with the non-planar sections of the main panel. Also provided is an apparatus for extending the vehicle cargo area of a vehicle is provided for a vehicle having a side-swing style tailgate having a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally mounted to a vehicle body, the apparatus including a main panel having a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally mountable to the second end of the side-swing tailgate, the main panel having an operative position at about a right angle with the side-swing tailgate and a closed position abutting the side-swing tailgate; a side panel having a first end pivotally mounted to the second end of the main panel, the side panel having an operative position at about a right angle from the main panel, and a closed position abutting the main panel; the side panel having a second end attachable to the vehicle; and a floor panel disposed within the area defined by the side-swing tailgate, the side panel, the main panel and the vehicle when the apparatus is in the operative position.
Tibbals, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,311, teaches an apparatus adapted to be attached to an existing tailgate of a vehicle or to a custom tailgate recessed to accept the device comprises a housing assembly adapted to b
Olson Ward
Rosebrugh Robert
Coletta Lori L.
Dayoan D. Glenn
Karich Eric
LandOfFree
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