Vehicle cargo bed extender and divider

• US 6,120,076 A
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wheeling Jesuit University, NTTC
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Adsit, Daniel Mark, Wong, Milton D
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLE, PATRICIA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/143,783
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 296/39.1, 296/39.2, 296/37.6, 296/57.1, 296/26.11, 296/26.08, 296/26.09, 296/26.1, 410/129, 410/121, 410/130, 410/142, 410/141
• 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: B60P 7/14 the load bracing means comprising a movable bulkhead
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence

Abstract

The cargo space of a vehicle bed bounded by a flatbed, a tailgate, and opposed rear quarter panels is increased by extending two side enclosure members, each encased within a quarter panel, to connect with a rear enclosure member which swings into an upright position from a flat position on the tailgate. The cargo space is divided by a divider located between the vehicle cab and the tailgate.

Claims

1. A vehicle bed comprising, in combination:

a generally horizontal, longitudinally extending flatbed bounded by a pair of opposed side walls on transversely opposite sides of the flatbed, defining lateral boundaries of said vehicle bed;

a tailgate rotatably disposed to allow access to an interior of said vehicle bed by moving from a generally vertical latched position to a rearwardly projecting, generally horizontal unlatched position;

a rear enclosure member disposed on said tailgate and movable to an upright position generally perpendicular to said tailgate when said tailgate is in the unlatched position;

two side enclosure members movable between a stowed position housed within said side walls and a deployed position rearwardly extending from the side walls when the tailgate is in the unlatched position for connection to the rear enclosure member so as to create an extended enclosed area for said vehicle bed, wherein said tailgate has a corrugated inner liner and said rear enclosure member is intertwined therewith when in the flat position; and

connection means for connecting said rear enclosure member to said two side enclosure members.

2. A vehicle bed as recited in claim 1 wherein said rear enclosure member swings between the upright position and a flat position lying generally parallel to said tailgate on an axis defined near an upper edge thereof.

3. A vehicle bed as recited in claim 2 wherein said rear enclosure member is releasably secured when in the upright position and when in the flat position.

4. A vehicle bed as recited in claim 1 wherein said side enclosure members are releasably secured when in the deployed position and when in the stowed position.

5. A vehicle bed as recited in claim 1 wherein said rear enclosure member and said two side enclosure members have spaced bars.

6. An extension assembly for a vehicle bed defined by a generally horizontal longitudinally extending flatbed bounded by a pair of opposed side walls on transversely opposite sides of the flatbed, and a tailgate rotatably disposed to allow access to an interior of said vehicle bed by moving from a generally vertical latched position to a rearwardly projecting generally horizontal unlatched position, the side walls and tailgate defining boundaries of said vehicle bed when said tailgate is in the latched position, the extension assembly comprising in combination:

a rear enclosure member disposed on said tailgate for movement between a tailgate plane position mated with and generally parallel to an inner side of the tailgate, an upright position generally perpendicular to and upwardly extending from said tailgate when said tailgate is in the unlatched position, and a load position generally perpendicular to and downwardly extending from said tailgate when said tailgate is in the unlatched position;

a pair of side enclosure members movable between a stowed position housed within said side walls and a deployed position rearwardly extending from the side walls when the tailgate is in the unlatched position for connection to the rear enclosure member so as to create an extended enclosed area for said vehicle bed

wherein each of said pair of side walls has track means disposed therein for slidably receiving said pair of side enclosure members when in the stowed position, and said tailgate has a pair of tailgate tracks which extend longitudinally when the tailgate is in the unlatched position for slidably receiving the side enclosure members when in the deployed position.

7. A vehicle bed as recited in claim 6, wherein said rear enclosure member is releasably secured when in the upright position and when in the flat position.

8. An extension assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said rear enclosure member and said side enclosure members are comprised of spaced bars.

9. A vehicle bed comprising, in combination:

a generally horizontal, longitudinally extending flatbed bounded by a pair of opposed side walls on transversely opposed sides of the flatbed, defining lateral boundaries of said vehicle bed;

a tailgate rotatably disposed to allow access to an interior of said vehicle bed by moving from a generally vertical latched position to a rearwardly projecting, generally horizontal unlatched position;

a rear enclosure member disposed on said tailgate and movable to an upright position generally perpendicular to said tailgate when in the unlatched position;

two side enclosure members movable between a stowed position, wherein each of the two side enclosure members is encased separately within one of the pair of opposed side walls, and a deployed position rearwardly extending out of the side walls when the tailgate is in the unlatched position for connection to the rear enclosure member so as to create an extended enclosed area for said vehicle bed; and

at least one connection mechanism for connecting the rear enclosure member to the two side enclosure members.