Vehicle cargo bed extender
First Claim
1. A vehicle 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 said bed having an inner side, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side and a tailgate, said extender comprising:
- a first side wall;
a second side wall;
a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and said connecting wall cooperating to form a generally U-shaped frame having a first open side and a second open side;
a first mount comprising a first interlocking portion;
a first mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to one of said first upstanding side panel and said second upstanding side panel and to engage said first interlocking portion, said first mounting station comprising a first stationary portion and a first moveable portion, wherein said first moveable portion comprises a first stop configured to prevent said first interlocking portion from disengaging from said first mounting station when said first moveable portion is in a first position;
a second mount comprising a second interlocking portion; and
a second mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to one of said first upstanding side panel and said second upstanding side panel and to engage said second interlocking portion, said second mounting station comprising a second stationary portion and a second moveable portion, wherein said second moveable portion comprises a second stop configured to prevent said second interlocking portion from disengaging from said second mounting station when said first moveable portion is in a first position;
wherein said first mount, said first mounting station, said second mount, and said second mounting station cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed with said first open side facing away from said tailgate and said second open side facing toward said tailgate, and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle bed extender particularly adapted for ease of installation and removal. The extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount, a second mount, a first mounting station, and a second mounting station. The connecting wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall cooperate to form a generally U-shaped frame. The first mounting station and the second mounting station each comprise a stationary portion and a moveable portion configured such that the moveable portion, in a first position, cooperates with the stationary portion to engage the first mount or the second mount and to prevent disengagement. The moveable portion of the first mounting station and the second mounting station can be moved by a manual application of pressure to a second position which allows such disengagement.
63 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vehicle 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 said bed having an inner side, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side and a tailgate, said extender comprising:
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a first side wall;
a second side wall;
a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and said connecting wall cooperating to form a generally U-shaped frame having a first open side and a second open side;
a first mount comprising a first interlocking portion;
a first mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to one of said first upstanding side panel and said second upstanding side panel and to engage said first interlocking portion, said first mounting station comprising a first stationary portion and a first moveable portion, wherein said first moveable portion comprises a first stop configured to prevent said first interlocking portion from disengaging from said first mounting station when said first moveable portion is in a first position;
a second mount comprising a second interlocking portion; and
a second mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to one of said first upstanding side panel and said second upstanding side panel and to engage said second interlocking portion, said second mounting station comprising a second stationary portion and a second moveable portion, wherein said second moveable portion comprises a second stop configured to prevent said second interlocking portion from disengaging from said second mounting station when said first moveable portion is in a first position;
wherein said first mount, said first mounting station, said second mount, and said second mounting station cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed with said first open side facing away from said tailgate and said second open side facing toward said tailgate, and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle bed extender mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to a first upstanding side panel or a second upstanding side panel on a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, said first upstanding side panel, said second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed and a tailgate, said mounting station comprising:
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a stationary portion configured to be attached to said first upstanding side panel or said second upstanding side panel so as to fix said mounting station with respect to said first upstanding side panel or said second upstanding side panel; and
a moveable portion attached to said stationary portion and moveable with respect to said stationary portion said moveable portion comprising a handle and a stop and biased toward a first position in which said stop and said stationary portion cooperate to engage an interlocking portion of a mount of said vehicle bed extender so as to secure said vehicle bed extender against detachment from said mounting station, said moveable portion further configured to assume, upon a manual application of pressure to said handle, a second position in which said interlocking portion can be disengaged from said mounting station so as to allow said vehicle bed extender to be detached from said mounting station, said moveable portion returning to said first position upon release of said application of manual pressure, said moveable portion configured to move toward said first position when said interlocking portion comes into contact with said stop such that said moveable portion and said stationary portion cooperate to resist detachment of said vehicle bed extender as a result of a movement of said interlocking member without a concurrent application of manual pressure to said handle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for an individual to mount a vehicle bed extender on a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of said bed, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed and a tailgate, a first mounting station fixed with respect to said first upstanding panel, and a second mounting station fixed with respect to said second upstanding panel, the method comprising:
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providing a generally U-shaped vehicle bed extender, said vehicle bed extender having a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, a first mount with a first interlocking portion secured to said first side wall, and a second mount with a second interlocking portion secured to said second side wall;
moving a moveable portion of said first mounting station and a moveable portion of said second mounting station such that said moveable portions are in a first position that allows said first mounting station to engage one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion and allows said second mounting station to engage the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion;
positioning said first side wall and said second side wall between said first side panel and said second side panel, such that said first interlocking portion is positioned above but not engaged by one of said first mounting station and said second mounting station and said second interlocking portion is positioned above but not engaged by the other of said first mounting station and said second mounting station, so that said connecting wall is in substantially vertically aligned over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall;
moving said bed extender substantially downward without substantially changing said substantial vertical alignment of said connecting wall, such moving causing said first mounting station of said first side panel to engage one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion, and causing said second mounting station of said second side panel to engage the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion, so that said bed extender is in a first mounting position with said connecting wall in a substantially vertical position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall; and
moving said moveable portion of said first mounting station and said moveable portion of said second mounting station such that said moveable portions are in a second position that prevents disengagement of said first mounting station to one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion and prevents disengagement of said second mounting station from the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A vehicle bed extender for use on a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of said bed, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed and a tailgate, a first mounting station fixed with respect to said first upstanding panel, and a second mounting station fixed with respect to said second upstanding panel, said vehicle bed extender comprising:
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a first side wall;
a second side wall;
a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall;
a first mount with a first interlocking portion secured to said first side wall; and
a second mount with a second interlocking portion secured to said second side wall, said vehicle bed extender being configured to be installed by an individual in accordance with a process comprising;
moving a moveable portion of said first mounting station and a moveable portion of said second mounting station such that said moveable portions are in a first position that allows said first mounting station to engage one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion and allows said second mounting station to engage the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion;
positioning said first side wall and said second side wall between said first side panel and said second side panel, such that said first interlocking portion is positioned above but not engaged by one of said first mounting station and said second mounting station and said second interlocking portion is positioned above but not engaged by the other of said first mounting station and said second mounting station, so that said connecting wall is in substantially vertically aligned over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall;
moving said bed extender substantially downward without substantially changing said substantial vertical alignment of said connecting wall, such moving causing said first mounting station of said first side panel to engage one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion, and causing said second mounting station of said second side panel to engage the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion, so that said bed extender is in a first mounting position with said connecting wall in a substantially vertical position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed and said extender provides access from above to a space between said first side wall and said second side wall; and
moving said moveable portion of said first mounting station and said moveable portion of said second mounting station such that said moveable portions are in a second position that prevents disengagement of said first mounting station to one of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion and prevents disengagement of said second mounting station from the other of said first interlocking portion and said second interlocking portion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification