VEHICLE CARGO BED EXTENDER

• US 20080284190A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Moto Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Leitner, Horst, Weisel, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/26.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/40 for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements E04G21/14 takes precedence; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/037 Latching means therefor

Abstract

An improved truck bed extender 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. In one embodiment, 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 second side wall to form a 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 first interlocking member and a first mounting station on the vehicle and the second interlocking member and a second mounting station on the vehicle cooperate to secure the truck bed extender to the vehicle.

Claims

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 having a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side, a tailgate, a first mounting station on said vehicle defining a first station surface, a second mounting station on said vehicle defining a second station surface, 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 defining a generally U-shaped frame, said frame comprising a first cross beam, a second cross beam and a vertical strut connecting said first crossbeam and said second crossbeam;

a first mount on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface;

a second mount on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface; and

wherein said first station surface and said first mount surface, and said second station surface and said second mount surface cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear of said bed with said bed extender providing an opening from above, and wherein one of said first station surface and said first mount surface defines a first opening through which the other of said first station surface and said first mount surface can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle and one of said second station surface and said second mount surface defines a second opening through which the other of said second station surface and said second mount surface can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle, wherein when said first side wall and said second side wall are disengaged from said vehicle, said extender is disengaged from said vehicle.

2. The bed extender of claim 1, wherein said connecting wall comprises at least two separable portions.

3. The bed extender of claim 1, further comprising a first L-shaped section comprising said first side wall and a first portion of said connecting wall and a second L-shaped section comprising said second side wall and a second portion of said connecting wall.

4. 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 having a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side, and a tailgate, said tailgate having a hinge end, a distal end, and an inner surface, wherein one or more tailgate interlock portions comprising a tailgate interlock surface are mounted to said inner surface of said 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 defining a frame, said frame comprising a first cross beam, a second cross beam, a third crossbeam, and at least one vertical strut attached to one or more of said first crossbeam, said second crossbeam, and said third crossbeam;

one or more extender interlock portions on said frame comprising an extender interlock surface; and

wherein said tailgate interlock surface and said extender interlock surface cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear of said bed with said bed extender providing an opening from above.

5. The bed extender of claim 4, wherein the one or more extender interlock portions comprise a first end portion and a second end portion, said extender interlock surface defining an opening between said first end portion and said second end portion, and wherein said first end portion and said second end portions surround at least a portion of said tailgate interlock surface when said tailgate interlock surface and said extender interlock surface cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle.

6. The bed extender of claim 5, wherein the one or more extender interlock portions are connected to the one or more vertical struts.

7. The bed extender of claim 5, wherein the open storage bed of the vehicle further comprises:

a first mounting station on said vehicle defining a first station surface; and

a second mounting station on said vehicle defining a second station surface and wherein said bed extender further comprises;

a first mount on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface;

a second mount on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface; and

wherein said first station surface and said first mount surface, and said second station surface and said second mount surface cooperate to further secure said extender to said vehicle, and wherein one of said first station surface and said first mount surface defines a first opening through which the other of said first station surface and said first mount surface can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle and one of said second station surface and said second mount surface defines a second opening through which the other of said second station surface and said second mount surface can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle.

8. The bed extender of claim 4, wherein the connecting wall connects said first side wall and said second side wall to form a generally U-shaped frame.

9. The bed extender of claim 4, wherein said connecting wall comprises at least two separable portions.

10. The bed extender of claim 4, further comprising a first L-shaped section comprising said first side wall and a first portion of said connecting wall and a second L-shaped section comprising said second side wall and a second portion of said connecting wall.

11. 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 having a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side, a tailgate, said tailgate comprising a first lock defining a first lock surface and a second lock defining a second lock surface, 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 defining a frame, said frame comprising a first cross beam, a second cross beam, a third crossbeam,

a first latching strut attached to one or more of said first crossbeam, said second crossbeam, and said third crossbeam, said first latching strut comprising a first interlock portion;

a second latching strut attached to one or more of said first crossbeam, said second crossbeam, and said third crossbeam, said second latching strut comprising a second interlock portion

wherein said first lock surface and said first interlock portion, and said second lock surface and said second interlock portion cooperate to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear of said bed with said bed extender providing an opening from above; and

wherein one of said first lock surface and said first interlock portion defines a first opening through which the other of said first lock surface and said first interlock portion can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle and one of said second lock surface and said second interlock portion defines a second opening through which the other of said second lock surface and said second interlock portion can be withdrawn to disengage said extender from said vehicle.

12. The vehicle bed extender of claim 11, wherein said tailgate comprises a hinge end, a distal end, a first side end, and a second side end, wherein said first lock is located on the first side end and said second lock is located on the second side end.

13. 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 having a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side, a tailgate, and one or more mounting stations on said vehicle defining a station surface, 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 defining a generally U-shaped frame, said frame comprising a first cross beam, a second cross beam and a vertical strut connecting said first crossbeam and said second crossbeam;

one or more first mounts on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface;

one or more second mounts on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface; and

wherein said station surface cooperates with one or more of said first mount surface and said second mount surface to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear of said bed with said bed extender providing an opening from above.

14. The bed extender of claim 13, wherein said connecting wall comprises at least two separable portions.

15. The bed extender of claim 13, further comprising a first L-shaped section comprising said first side wall and a first portion of said connecting wall and a second L-shaped section comprising said second side wall and a second portion of said connecting wall.