Collapsible cargo rack
First Claim
1. A collapsible cargo rack with a storage configuration and a use configuration for a pickup truck with a truck bed with a left sidewall and a right sidewall, each sidewall with an upper edge and an inner surface, the collapsible cargo rack comprising:
- a collapsible cargo rack assembly comprising a left rack subassembly for being secured to the left sidewall of the truck bed, a right rack subassembly for being secured to the right sidewall of the truck bed, and a lateral support subassembly for being selectively retained by the left and right rack subassemblies when the collapsible cargo rack is in a use configuration;
wherein each of the left and right rack subassemblies comprises a pivot mount and a support arm pivotally retained by the pivot mount at a pivot axis of the support arm, each support arm with an elongate proximal segment and a distal segment, wherein the pivot axis of the support arm is substantially longitudinally aligned with the truck bed when the left and right rack subassemblies are secured to the sidewalls of the truck bed, and wherein each support arm can be pivoted from an upright position to a retracted position;
wherein the lateral support subassembly comprises a lateral support member with a first end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly and a second end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly;
wherein the first end of the lateral support member is adapted to selectively engage the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly by a first sleeve fixed to the first end of the lateral support member to selectively receive the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly in a slidable and mating relationship and wherein the second end of the lateral support member is adapted to selectively engage the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly by a second sleeve fixed to the second end of the lateral support member to selectively receive the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly in a slidable and mating relationship;
wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be disposed in the use configuration with the support arm of each of the left and right rack subassemblies pivoted to the upright position, the first end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly by the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly slid into the first sleeve fixed to the first end of the lateral support member, and the second end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly by the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly slid into the second sleeve fixed to the second end of the lateral support member and wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be reconfigured to the storage configuration by a sliding disengagement of the first and second sleeves fixed to the first and second ends of the lateral support member from the distal ends of the support arms and a pivoting of the support arms to the retracted position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible cargo rack with storage and use configurations. Right and left rack subassemblies are secured to sidewalls of a truck bed. A lateral support member has ends selectively retained by the rack subassemblies, each with a support arm retained by a pivot mount at a longitudinal pivot axis to pivot from an upright position for supporting cargo to a retracted, visually and practically unobtrusive position. The pivot axes are disposed below the upper edges and inwardly of the sidewalls. The support arms can be selectively fixed in the upright position by set pins at an inward angle α. Distal segments of the arms can be outwardly angled by the angle α thereby to be substantially vertical and parallel. Sleeves fixed to the ends of the lateral support member matingly receive the distal segments of the support arms, which can have lengths greater than the heights of the sleeves.
41 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A collapsible cargo rack with a storage configuration and a use configuration for a pickup truck with a truck bed with a left sidewall and a right sidewall, each sidewall with an upper edge and an inner surface, the collapsible cargo rack comprising:
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a collapsible cargo rack assembly comprising a left rack subassembly for being secured to the left sidewall of the truck bed, a right rack subassembly for being secured to the right sidewall of the truck bed, and a lateral support subassembly for being selectively retained by the left and right rack subassemblies when the collapsible cargo rack is in a use configuration; wherein each of the left and right rack subassemblies comprises a pivot mount and a support arm pivotally retained by the pivot mount at a pivot axis of the support arm, each support arm with an elongate proximal segment and a distal segment, wherein the pivot axis of the support arm is substantially longitudinally aligned with the truck bed when the left and right rack subassemblies are secured to the sidewalls of the truck bed, and wherein each support arm can be pivoted from an upright position to a retracted position; wherein the lateral support subassembly comprises a lateral support member with a first end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly and a second end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly; wherein the first end of the lateral support member is adapted to selectively engage the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly by a first sleeve fixed to the first end of the lateral support member to selectively receive the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly in a slidable and mating relationship and wherein the second end of the lateral support member is adapted to selectively engage the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly by a second sleeve fixed to the second end of the lateral support member to selectively receive the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly in a slidable and mating relationship; wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be disposed in the use configuration with the support arm of each of the left and right rack subassemblies pivoted to the upright position, the first end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly by the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly slid into the first sleeve fixed to the first end of the lateral support member, and the second end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly by the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly slid into the second sleeve fixed to the second end of the lateral support member and wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be reconfigured to the storage configuration by a sliding disengagement of the first and second sleeves fixed to the first and second ends of the lateral support member from the distal ends of the support arms and a pivoting of the support arms to the retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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17. A collapsible cargo rack with a storage configuration and a use configuration for a pickup truck with a truck bed with a left sidewall and a right sidewall, each sidewall with an upper edge and an inner surface, the collapsible cargo rack comprising:
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a collapsible cargo rack assembly comprising a left rack subassembly for being secured to the left sidewall of the truck bed, a right rack subassembly for being secured to the right sidewall of the truck bed, and a lateral support subassembly for being selectively retained by the left and right rack subassemblies when the collapsible cargo rack is in a use configuration; wherein each of the left and right rack subassemblies comprises a pivot mount and a support arm pivotally retained by the pivot mount at a pivot axis of the support arm, each support arm with an elongate proximal segment and a distal segment, wherein the pivot axis of the support arm is substantially longitudinally aligned with the truck bed, and wherein each support arm can be pivoted from an upright position to a retracted position; wherein the lateral support subassembly comprises a lateral support member with a first end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly and a second end adapted selectively to engage the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly; wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be disposed in the use configuration with the support arm of each of the left and right rack subassemblies pivoted to the upright position, the first end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the left rack subassembly, and the second end of the lateral support member engaged with the distal segment of the support arm of the right rack subassembly and wherein the collapsible cargo rack assembly can be reconfigured to the storage configuration by a disengagement of the first and second ends of the lateral support member from the distal ends of the support arms and a pivoting of the support arms to the retracted position; wherein the proximal segment of each support arm has a longitudinal centerline extending from the pivot axis wherein the proximal segment has a first side that faces generally outwardly from the truck bed when the support arm is in the upright position and a second side that faces generally inwardly from the truck bed when the support arm is in the upright position and further comprising a selective fixation mechanism for selectively fixing each support arm in the upright position, wherein the selective fixation mechanism comprises a fixation point fixed to the proximal segment of each support arm spaced distally from the pivot axis, a fixation point on the pivot mount spaced in correspondence to the fixation point fixed to the proximal segment of each support arm in distance from the pivot axis, and a fastening mechanism for selectively fixing the fixation points in relation to one another, and wherein the fixation point fixed to the proximal segment of each support arm comprises a lobe fixed to extend from the first side of the proximal segment of each support arm. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification