Dropgate cargo support system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cargo support system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a cargo bed having a bed floor, a back wall, and first and second sidewalls;
a dropgate rotatably coupled to said cargo bed and being rotatable from a closed position to an open position, said dropgate having a support surface formed therein; and
a `U`-shaped bar having a pair of end members, a pair of side members extending from said pair of end members and a cross member interconnecting said pair of side members, said pair of end members being operably coupled to said dropgate for relative pivotal and lateral movement;
said `U`-shaped bar being releasably securable in a stowed position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally co-planar with said dropgate and in an operable positionwherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally perpendicular to said dropgate and laterally displaced from said stowed position such that at least one of said pair of side members engages said support surface formed in said dropgate.
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Abstract
A cargo support system for a motor vehicle includes a `U`-shaped bar rotatable from a stowed position to an operable position. The `U`-shaped bar preferably has a pair of end members rotatably coupled to the dropgate of the motor vehicle and a cross member interconnecting the pair of end members. A locking hinge mechanism is operable to secure the U-shaped bar in either the stowed or operable position.
62 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cargo support system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
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a cargo bed having a bed floor, a back wall, and first and second sidewalls; a dropgate rotatably coupled to said cargo bed and being rotatable from a closed position to an open position, said dropgate having a support surface formed therein; and a `U`-shaped bar having a pair of end members, a pair of side members extending from said pair of end members and a cross member interconnecting said pair of side members, said pair of end members being operably coupled to said dropgate for relative pivotal and lateral movement; said `U`-shaped bar being releasably securable in a stowed position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally co-planar with said dropgate and in an operable position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally perpendicular to said dropgate and laterally displaced from said stowed position such that at least one of said pair of side members engages said support surface formed in said dropgate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A cargo support system for a vehicle of the type having first and second sidewalls and a bed, the dropgate cargo support system comprising:
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a dropgate articulable from an open position to a closed position and having a support surface formed therein; and a `U`-shaped bar having a pair of end members, a pair of side members extending from said pair of end members and a cross member interconnecting said pair of side members, said pair of end members being operably coupled to said dropgate for relative pivotal and lateral movement; said `U`-shaped bar being releasably securable in a stowed position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally co-planar with said dropgate and in an operable position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally perpendicular to said dropgate and laterally displaced from said stowed position such that at least one of said pair of side members engages said support surface formed in said dropgate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A pickup truck comprising:
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a body including a bed, first and second laterally spaced apart sidewalls and a dropgate; a cargo support system including a `U`-shaped bar having a pair of end members, a pair of side members extending from said pair of end members and a cross member interconnecting said pair of side members, said pair of end members being operably coupled to said dropgate for pivotal and lateral movement such that said `U`-shaped bar is releasably securable in a stowed position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally co-planar with said dropgate and in an operable position wherein said `U`-shaped bar is generally perpendicular to said dropgate and laterally displaced from said stowed position and at least one of said pair of side members engages said support surface formed in said dropgate; at least one roller operably supported on said cross member of said `U`-shaped bar; a first locking mechanism operably disposed between said dropgate and said `U`-shaped bar to lock said `U`-shaped bar in said stowed position; and a second locking mechanism operably disposed between said dropgate and said `U`-shaped bar to lock said `U`-shaped bar in said operable position. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification