Easily removable pickup truck bed rack

• US 6,347,731 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hillerich & Bradsby Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hillerich & Bradsby Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Burger, George W
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brevard, Maerena W.
• Application Number:
  US09/630,726
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 224/405, 224/402, 224/403, 224/495, 224/497, 296/3
• US Class Current: 224/405
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like

Abstract

A collapsible truck bed rack for pickup trucks that is formed from four separate frame assemblies that can be installed on a truck or removed in five minutes or less without using tools. A unique means of arranging and fastening the top four corners of an installed rack is employed to create considerable stiffness in the rack corner structure, while permitting flexibility in rack length and width without compromising structural stiffness or strength. For storage, the separate assemblies are collapsible into two or more parts using quick disconnect means and may be packed compactly in a sack for placing in a pickup truck. The rack has a simple configuration, uses no complex parts requiring special machining or molds, and uses standard fastening components. It is therefore economical to manufacture and could be made available to small pickup truck owners at a relatively low cost.

Claims

1. A collapsible overhead rack for mounting over an open bed pickup truck, said open bed having two opposed longitudinal sides, said rack comprising:

(a) means for anchoring said rack demountably to said longitudinal sides, said means for anchoring being located at two separated places on each side top corresponding to the expected position of the assembled rack leg members that support the rack;

(b) a pair of collapsible end frame assemblies for supporting the rack top, each end frame assembly comprising a pair of leg members and a cross frame assembly, said cross frame assembly comprising two tubular members adapted to be engaged telescopically, and incorporating means for quick disconnection of said tubular members and adjustment of the overall length of said cross frame assembly;

said leg members and said cross frame assembly, each incorporating at its ends, means for quick disconnection of said cross frame assembly from said leg members, said leg members each being outwardly connected at their top ends at an angle of about 105 degrees to the axis of said cross frame assembly, said cross frame assembly including paralleled stiffening gussets at each end, said gussets being shaped to connect with the top portions of said leg members at an angle and location so as to produce open corners for seating an end of a side frame assembly, said leg members each including means for bracing a leg member to a side frame assembly;

one said end frame assembly being located at the front end of said open bed, and the other end frame assembly located near the back end of said open bed;

(c) a pair of adjustable length, tubular side frame assemblies, each side frame assembly having looped ends for use in retaining and securing carried rack loads, each said side frame assembly comprising two tubular members adapted to be engaged telescopically, and incorporating means for quick disconnection of said tubular members and adjustment of the overall length of said side frame assembly;

each side frame assembly being seated in and removably fastened to a top open corner on one side of each end frame assembly;

(d) four fastening screws for fastening said side frame assemblies to the top open corners of said end frame assemblies, said screws each incorporating a levered handle to facilitate tightening and opening, said screws when tightened in place, creating rigid, stiff corner structures at the top of said rack and resulting overall rack stiffness; and

(e) four screw bolts for fastening said leg members to said means for anchoring said rack, said screw bolts including projecting ring ends to facilitate ease of fastening.

2. The rack according to claim 1, wherein the rack component parts are made of steel.

3. The rack according to claim 1, wherein the rack component parts are made of aluminum, excepting screws and bolts which are made of steel.

4. The rack according to claim 1, wherein each of said leg members comprise:

a tubular stanchion having a top end and a bottom end;

an end plug that is welded into the top end of said stanchion, said plug including a threaded hole for receiving a levered handle fastening screw; and

a base member made of rigid flat plate material that is joined to said bottom end of said stanchion, adapted so that said stanchion projects upwards at an angle of about 75 degrees to the horizontal plane of said base member, resulting in an included angle of about 105 degrees between the axis of said stanchion and the axis of said cross frame assembly to which said top end of said stanchion is fastened, greatly stiffening said end frame assembly;

said base member including two separated vertical holes for a screw bolt fastening said leg member to said means for anchoring said rack.

5. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said means for bracing a leg member to a side frame assembly includes a strut formed from metal channel having a “

U”

shaped cross section;

said strut being pivotably fastened to a leg member at one strut end and positioned on said leg member to be able to rotate upwards towards the plane of a fastened in place side frame assembly;

said strut including a hole in both sides near its distal end to connect with spring-loaded push pins that are located on said side frame assembly, said strut cooperating with said push pins to brace said leg member to said side frame assembly.

6. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said means for quick disconnection of said cross frame assembly from said leg members includes a multiplicity of spring-loaded push pins on said leg members cooperating with matching apertures on said cross frame assembly.

7. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said means for quick disconnection of said tubular members of said side frame assembly includes two spring-loaded push pins located near an insertion end of one said tubular member cooperating with matching apertures located near the receiving end of a mating tubular member.

8. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said means for anchoring said rack demountably includes a stake pocket anchor device, said anchor device being permanently attached to the longitudinal side wall of a truck bed at a location below the top edge of the wall, the device having a threaded bolt hole that is accessible through a hole in the top edge of the side wall for receiving a leg base fastening screw bolt.

9. A collapsible overhead rack for mounting over an open bed pickup truck, said open bed having two opposed longitudinal sides, said rack comprising:

(a) means for anchoring said rack demountably to said longitudinal sides, said means for anchoring being located at two separated places on each side top corresponding to the expected position of the assembled rack leg members that support the rack;

(b) a pair of collapsible end frame assemblies for supporting the rack top, each end frame assembly comprising a pair of leg members and a cross frame assembly, said cross frame assembly comprising two members adapted to be engaged and incorporating means for quick disconnection of said members and adjustment of the overall length of said cross frame assembly;

said leg members and said cross frame assembly each incorporating at its ends means for quick disconnection of said cross frame assembly from said leg members, said leg members each including means for bracing a leg member to a side frame assembly;

one said end frame assembly being located at the front end of said open bed and the other end frame assembly located near the back end of said open bed;

(c) a pair of adjustable length side frame assemblies, each side frame assembly comprising two members adapted to be engaged and incorporating means for quick disconnection of said members and adjustment of the overall length of said side frame assembly;

each said side frame assembly being seated in and removably fastened to a top open corner on one side of each end frame assembly;

(d) means for fastening down said side frame assemblies to the top open corners of said end frame assemblies, incorporating a levered handle to facilitate tightening and opening;

said means for fastening down producing rigid, stiff corner structures at the top of said rack, resulting in overall rack stiffness; and

(e) means for fastening said leg members to said means for anchoring said rack.