VEHICLE CARGO BED EXTENDER

• US 20110101720A1
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 89908 Incorporated
• Inventors: Weisel, Jonathan, Leitner, Horst
• Granted Patent: US 8,297,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/26.08
• 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

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having a storage bed and a tailgate, said extender comprising:

a first side wall;

a second side wall; and

a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall comprising a resilient clamp that is configured to connect to and disconnect from an interlock portion mounted to at least one of the tailgate and the bed of the truck.

17. The vehicle bed extender of claim 16, wherein the connecting wall further comprises a strut and the clamp is affixed to the strut.

18. The vehicle bed extender of claim 16, wherein the interlock portion comprises a bar.

19. The vehicle bed extender of claim 18, wherein the clamp has an opening to accommodate the bar.

20. The vehicle bed extender of claim 19, wherein the opening in the clamp includes a first portion forming a narrow opening and a second portion defining a slot of sufficient size to accommodate the bar.

21. The vehicle bed extender of claim 18, wherein the bar comprises two flat mounting portions and a raised portion for connection to the clamp.

22. The vehicle bed extender of claim 21, wherein the bar has two holes which allow the bar to be screwed or bolted to a surface.

23. An assembly, comprising:

an open storage bed having a floor, 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 side wall rotatably attached to the first upstanding side panel;

a second side wall rotatably attached to the second upstanding side panel; and

a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall said first side wall;

wherein rotation of the first and second side walls relative to the first and second upstanding side panels moves the bed extender between a first position in which the connecting wall is positioned over the tailgate rearward of the floor of the bed and a second position in which the connecting wall is positioned over the bed and forward of the rear end of the bed with the connecting wall contacting the floor of the bed.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the connecting wall is oriented substantially vertically when the bed extender is in the second position.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the connecting wall comprises a resilient clamp that is configured to connect to and disconnect from an interlock portion mounted to at least one of the tailgate and the bed of the truck.