Vehicle cargo area extender having sliding lid

Details Vehicle cargo area extender having sliding lid Vehicle cargo area extender having sliding lid

2002-03-28

2003-05-06

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Variable capacity of body

C296S037600, C224S403000, C224S496000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06557918

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to a vehicle cargo area extender, and more specifically, to a vehicle cargo area extender having a selectively removable and sliding lid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pickup trucks and like vehicles have cargo areas that are employed for utilitarian purposes. A representative example of this type of vehicle is generally indicated at
20
in FIG.
1
. As is well known in the art, such vehicles typically include a cab
22
in which the vehicle operator sits and a cargo area, generally indicated at
24
. The cargo area
24
is typically disposed adjacent and to the rear of the cab
22
. The cargo area
24
is typically defined by a bed
26
(
FIG. 2
) and pair of upstanding sidewalls
28
spaced from one another on either side of the bed
26
. In addition, the vehicle
20
typically includes a rear wall or “tailgate”
30
that extends between the pair of sidewalls
28
at one end of the bed
26
and a front wall
32
located at the other end of the bed
26
opposite to the tailgate
30
. The rear wall or tailgate
30
is usually hingedly mounted to the bed
26
so as to be rotatable between an upright position (
FIG. 1
) and an extended position as shown in FIG.
2
. When it is in its extended position, the tailgate
30
is said to be “down” or “open” and is usually disposed substantially co-planar with the bed
26
of the vehicle cargo area
24
. When it is disposed in its upright position, the tailgate
30
extends substantially perpendicularly between the pair of sidewalls
28
. In this disposition, together the sidewalls
28
, the tailgate
30
and front wall
32
define a perimeter of the vehicle cargo area
24
.
Numerous accessories have been developed for the purpose of augmenting the utilitarian functions of the cargo area
24
in such vehicles. For example, toolboxes and other, similar storage devices have been employed to provide a secure enclosure for storing tools and other valuable implements in the otherwise open cargo area
24
of vehicles, such as pickup trucks
20
. Such toolboxes and the like are typically mounted between the sidewalls
28
and the front wall
32
proximate to the cab
22
of the vehicle
20
. While such toolboxes adequately function for their intended purposes, they also act to reduce the remaining available cargo area
24
of the vehicle
20
.
Another common accessory employed in connection with the cargo area of a vehicle such as a pickup truck is known as a “Tonneau Cover”. Tonneau covers known in the related art are often constructed of canvas, wood, or metal panels that extend between the upper margins of the sidewalls
28
from the front wall
32
to the tailgate
30
. Tonneau covers serve to enclose the cargo area
24
thereby providing a modicum of protection for tools and other cargo. Tonneau covers also act to reduce the aerodynamic drag caused by uncovered cargo areas. However, tonneau covers suffer from the disadvantage that they inhibit free access to the entire cargo area
24
of the vehicle
20
.
Another vehicle accessory that has gained popularity in recent years is generally known as a “Truck Bed Extender”. Truck bed extenders known in the related art are usually employed with the tailgate
30
“down” or in the extended position as shown in FIG.
2
. The bed extender is mounted to the sidewalls
28
and is supported by the tailgate
30
. In this way, truck bed extenders known in the related art serve to increase the effective length of the bed
26
of the pickup truck
20
.
Numerous variations on the truck bed extender theme have been proposed in the related art. For example, such devices may be manufactured of steel, can be relatively heavy and adapted for use only when the tailgate
30
is down. Alternatively, other bed extenders known in the related art include a series of light-weight panels that are designed to be foldable when not in use or when the tailgate
30
is disposed in its upright position. In addition, bed extenders consisting of flexible netting or perforated steel grating have been proposed as a substitute for the tailgate
30
itself. These devices are designed to extend the useful length of the truck bed
26
while reducing the aerodynamic drag caused by the tailgate
30
when it is in its upright position.
While such bed extenders known in the related art have generally worked for their intended purposes, disadvantages still remain. For example, generally speaking, the bed extenders known in the related art provide no means for securely storing or protecting cargo from the elements or from theft. In addition, some bed extenders that have been proposed in the related art tend to be mechanically complex, involve cumbersome mounting requirements and related hardware.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a device that serves to extend the effective cargo area defined by the vehicle bed
26
, sidewalls
28
and tailgate
30
while providing a means for securely storing tools and other valuable cargo, and at the same time protecting such valuable cargo from the elements and from theft. In addition, there is a need in the art for such a device that reduces the aerodynamic drag nominally caused by the vehicle cargo area, especially when the tailgate
30
is disposed in its upright position. Furthermore, there is a need in the related art for such a device that encompasses all of these features while still allowing quick, easy, selective, and open access to a portion of the cargo area
24
of the vehicle
20
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in a vehicle cargo area extender that is adapted to be employed in conjunction with a vehicle having a cargo area. Accordingly, the vehicle cargo area extender of the present invention includes a pair of sidewalls spaced from one another, a center wall that extends between the pair of sidewalls and a lid that is removeably disposed relative to the pair of sidewalls and the center wall. The pair of sidewalls, the center wall and the lid cooperate to define an enclosure having an open end. At least one of the side and center walls define a mating surface extending along at least a portion of the upper margin thereof. Similarly, the lid defines a corresponding mating surface that is adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on at least one of the side and center walls to removeably retain the lid relative to the side and center walls.
The cargo area of vehicles, such as pick-up trucks, is usually defined by a bed and a pair of upstanding sidewalls. While the vehicle itself forms no part of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that, in its operative mode, the vehicle cargo area extender of the present invention may be moveably mounted in a stored position wherein the open end of the enclosure defined thereby is adjacent to the rear wall of the vehicle area when it is disposed in its upright position. In this disposition, the rear wall closes the open end of the cargo area extender. Furthermore, the vehicle cargo area extender of the present invention may be moved between its stored position and a deployed position so that it is supported by the rear wall of the vehicle cargo area when the rear wall is in its extended position such that the open end of the enclosure defined by the cargo area extender faces the vehicle cargo area thereby increasing the effective size of the vehicle cargo area.
Accordingly, one advantage of the vehicle cargo area extender of the present invention is that it serves to increase the effective cargo area defined by the vehicle bed
26
, sidewalls
28
and tailgate
30
while, at the same time, providing a means for securely storing tools and other valuable cargo, and protecting such cargo from the elements and theft.
Another advantage of the vehicle cargo area extender of the present invention is that it permits selective access to the interior area of the cargo bed extender.
Another advantage of the vehicle

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