VEHICLE BED EXTENDER

• US 20180237079A1
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Published: 08/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,457,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 33/023 Sideboard or tailgate structures vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02
• 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 33/033 removable B62D33/0273 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A vehicle bed extender adapted for simultaneous adjustment of both length and width. The extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a connecting wall. The first and second side walls can attach to the vehicle storage bed, while the connecting wall attaches to the side walls in a sliding configuration along a direction nonparallel to the length and width of the bed extender. The connecting wall can also be composed of multiple cross members with middle portions of varying length such that the middle portions of the cross members are not vertically oriented. The vehicle bed extender can also be supported by a mount at the front end of the vehicle bed that supports the connecting wall.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having a storage bed having a front end, a rear end, a first side panel defining one side of said bed, a second side panel defining an opposite side of said bed, a bottom surface, and a tailgate at a rear end, said vehicle bed extender comprising:

a plurality of tubes located in different vertical planes, each of the plurality of tubes comprising;

a first side wall tube configured to be positioned adjacent the first side panel of the storage bed;

a first angled wall tube, the first angled wall tube connected to the first side wall tube at a first bend;

a connecting wall tube, the connecting wall tube connected to the first angled wall tube at a second bend;

a second angled wall tube, the second angled wall tube connected to the connecting wall tube at a third bend; and

a second side wall tube configured to be positioned adjacent the second side panel of the storage bed, the second side wall tube connected to the second angled wall tube at a fourth bend;

a first strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the first strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the first angled wall tubes; and

a second strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the second strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the second angled wall tubes.

3. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein the vehicle bed extender is configured to rotate at the first side wall and the second side wall.

4. The vehicle bed extender of claim 3, wherein the vehicle bed extender is configured to rotate greater than 180°

.

5. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tubes can be adjusted to change both a width and a length of the vehicle bed extender.

6. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tubes comprises three tubes.

7. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, further comprising a third strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the third strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the first side wall tubes, and a fourth strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the fourth strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the second side wall tubes.

8. The vehicle bed extender of claim 7, wherein the first strut, the second strut, the third strut, and the fourth strut are the only struts on the vehicle bed extender.

9. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein an angle of the first bend and an angle of the fourth bend are the same, and an angle of the second bend and an angle of the third bend are the same.

10. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein the second bend forms an angle between the first angled wall tube and the connecting wall tube of between 45 and 135°

.

11. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein the first side wall tube and the second side wall tube are generally parallel.

12. The vehicle bed extender of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of tubes is generally U-shaped.

13. A vehicle having a storage bed having a front end, a rear end, a first side panel defining one side of said bed, a second side panel defining an opposite side of said bed, a bottom surface, and a tailgate at a rear end, the vehicle comprising:

a vehicle bed extender comprising;

a plurality of tubes located in different vertical planes, each of the plurality of tubes comprising;

a first side wall tube configured to be positioned adjacent the first side panel of the storage bed;

a first angled wall tube, the first angled wall tube connected to the first side wall tube at a first bend;

a connecting wall tube, the connecting wall tube connected to the first angled wall tube at a second bend;

a second angled wall tube, the second angled wall tube connected to the connecting wall tube at a third bend; and

a second side wall tube configured to be positioned adjacent the second side panel of the storage bed, the second side wall tube connected to the second angled wall tube at a fourth bend;

a first strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the first strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the first angled wall tubes; and

a second strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the second strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the second angled wall tubes.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle bed extender is configured to rotate at the first side wall and the second side wall.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the plurality of tubes can be adjusted to change both a width and a length of the vehicle bed extender.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a third strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the third strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the first side wall tubes, and a fourth strut configured to hold the plurality of tubes, the fourth strut attached to the plurality of tubes at each of the second side wall tubes.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first strut, the second strut, the third strut, and the fourth strut are the only struts on the vehicle bed extender.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein an angle of the first bend and an angle of the fourth bend are the same, and an angle of the second bend and an angle of the third bend are the same.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the second bend forms an angle between the first angled wall tube and the connecting wall tube of between 45 and 135°

.

20. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first side wall tube and the second side wall tube are generally parallel.

21. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of tubes is generally U-shaped.