Extendable vehicle tailgate assembly
First Claim
1. An extension for a vehicle having a bed, two side walls, and a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position, comprising:
- two side panels adapted to be attached to said main tailgate in positions generally parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate,and which in said open position of the main tailgate project upwardly therefrom rearwardly beyond said side walls of the vehicle, and in said closed position of the main tailgate project forwardly adjacent said side walls of the vehicle;
an auxiliary tailgate; and
hinge means for mounting said auxiliary tailgate for swinging movement relative to said main tailgate and relative to said side panels, while said side panels remain generally parallel to one another, and from an active position of said auxiliary tailgate essentially perpendicular to said main tailgate to a retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent said main tailgate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An extension for a truck or other vehicle having a tailgate, with the extension including two side panels to be attached to the main tailgate of the vehicle in positions parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate between its open and closed positions, an auxiliary tailgate which projects upwardly from a rear edge of the main tailgate in the open position of the main tailgate, and hinge structure mounting the auxiliary tailgate for swinging movement relative to the main tailgate and relative to the side panels, while the side panels remain generally parallel to one another, and from an active position of the auxiliary tailgate essentially perpendicular to the main tailgate to a retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent the main tailgate.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An extension for a vehicle having a bed, two side walls, and a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position, comprising:
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two side panels adapted to be attached to said main tailgate in positions generally parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate,and which in said open position of the main tailgate project upwardly therefrom rearwardly beyond said side walls of the vehicle, and in said closed position of the main tailgate project forwardly adjacent said side walls of the vehicle; an auxiliary tailgate; and hinge means for mounting said auxiliary tailgate for swinging movement relative to said main tailgate and relative to said side panels, while said side panels remain generally parallel to one another, and from an active position of said auxiliary tailgate essentially perpendicular to said main tailgate to a retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent said main tailgate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An extension for a vehicle having a bed, two side walls, and a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position, comprising:
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two side panels; flanges on said side panels adapted to be attached rigidly to said main tailgate to secure said two side panels rigidly to opposite ends of said main tailgate in positions generally parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate; said side panels in said open position of the main tailgate projecting upwardly therefrom at a location rearwardly beyond said side walls of the vehicle, and in said closed position of the main tailgate projecting forwardly adjacent said side walls of the vehicle; an auxiliary tailgate; hinges at opposite ends of said auxiliary tailgate for pivotally attaching the auxiliary tailgate to said two side panels for swinging movement relative to the side panels and relative to the main tailgate, while the side panels remain rigidly attached to the main tailgate and generally parallel to one another, and through approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from a retracted position of the auxiliary tailgate essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent the main tailgate through an active position projecting essentially perpendicular to the main tailgate and to an open position of the auxiliary tailgate in which the auxiliary tailgate and main tailgate are essentially aligned with one another; and interengageable latch means on said auxiliary tailgate and said two side panels operable to releasably retain said auxiliary tailgate in said active position projecting perpendicular to the main tailgate and in said retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent the main tailgate. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A vehicle comprising:
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a bed; two side walls; a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position; two side panels attached to said main tailgate in positions generally parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate, and which in said open position of the main tailgate project upwardly therefrom rearwardly beyond said side walls, and in said closed position of the main tailgate project forwardly adjacent said side walls; an auxiliary tailgate; and hinge means mounting said auxiliary tailgate for swinging movement relative to said main tailgate and relative to said side panels, while said side panels remain generally parallel to one another, and from an active position of said auxiliary tailgate essentially perpendicular to said main tailgate to a retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent said main tailgate. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An extension for a vehicle having a bed, two side walls, and a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position, comprising:
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an auxiliary tailgate; means for mounting said auxiliary tailgate to said main tailgate with the auxiliary tailgate projecting generally perpendicular to said main tailgate, so that when the main tailgate is in its open rearwardly projecting position the auxiliary tailgate projects upwardly near the rear of the main tailgate, and when said main tailgate is in its upstanding closed position said auxiliary tailgate projects forwardly therefrom at a location spaced above said bed of the vehicle to define a compartment vertically between the auxiliary tailgate and the vehicle bed and in front of said main tailgate. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A vehicle comprising:
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a bed; two side walls; a main tailgate which swings between an upstanding closed position and a rearwardly projecting open position; an auxiliary tailgate; and means mounting said auxiliary tailgate to said main tailgate with the auxiliary tailgate projecting generally perpendicular to said main tailgate, so that when the main tailgate is in its open rearwardly projecting position the auxiliary tailgate projects upwardly near the rear of the main tailgate, and when said main tailgate is in its upstanding closed position said auxiliary tailgate projects forwardly therefrom at a location spaced above said bed of the vehicle to define a compartment vertically between the auxiliary tailgate and the vehicle bed and in front of said main tailgate. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification