Vehicle cargo bed extender

• US 6,402,215 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Moto Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Leitner, Horst, Weisel, Jonathan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US09/524,332
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.11, 296/37.6, 296/50, 296/56, 296/57.1, 224/402-404, 224/496-497, 224/493, 224/314, 224/505-506, 224/572
• 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: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/037 Latching means therefor

Abstract

An improved truck bed extender particularly adapted for ease of installation and removal. When not being used to extend the truck bed, the extender is advantageously adapted to quickly and easily create a secondary storage area. In one embodiment, the extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first mount and a second mount. The connecting wall extends between the first side wall and the second side wall, and cooperates with the first side wall and second side wall to form a generally U-shape frame. The first mount is secured to the first side wall and includes a first interlocking member. The second mount is secured to the second side wall and comprises a second interlocking member. The first interlocking member and the first mounting station on the vehicle and the second interlocking member and the second mounting station on the vehicle cooperate to secure the truck bed extender to the vehicle so that the extender is rotatable about an axis between a first and a second position. In the first position, the connecting wall is in an upright position over the tailgate beyond the rear end of the bed. In the second position, the connecting wall is in an upright position spaced forward from the rear end of the bed and the tailgate.

Claims

1. A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of said bed having an inner side, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side and a tailgate, a first mounting station fixed with respect to said first upstanding panel defining a first station surface, a second mounting station fixed with respect to said second upstanding panel defining a second station surface, said extender comprising:

a first side wall;

a second side wall;

a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and said connecting wall cooperating to form a rigid generally U-shaped frame having a first open end and a second open end;

a first mount on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface; and

a second mount on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface, said first station surface and said first mount surface, and said second station surface and said second mount surface cooperating to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed with said first open end extending horizontally and facing away from said tailgate and said second open end extending horizontally and facing toward said tailgate, and wherein one of said first station surface and said first mount surface defines a first opening through which the other of said first station surface and said first mount surface can be manually withdrawn from said inner side of said first panel to disengage said extender from said first panel and one of said second station surface and said second mount surface defines a second opening through which the other of said second station surface and said second mount surface can be manually withdrawn from said inner side of said second panel to disengage said extender from said second panel, wherein when said first side wall and said second side wall are disengaged from said vehicle, said extender is disengaged from said vehicle;

wherein said extender is rotatable about an axis between a first position wherein said connecting wall is in a substantially vertical posiiton over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed and said first mount cooperates with said first station and said second mount cooperates with said second station to secure said extender against movement radial to said axis, and a second position wherein said connecting wall is in a nonvertical position and said first mount cooperates with said first station and said second mount cooperates with said second station to permit said extender to be movable radially with respect to said axis.

2. The extender of claim 1, wherein said extender includes an interlock portion which is releasably securable to said vehicel.

3. A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of said bed having an inner sidehaving a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side and a tailgate, a first mounting station fixed with respect to said first upstanding panel defining a first station surface, a second mounting station fixed with respect to said second upstanding panel defining a second station surface, said extender comprising:

a fist side wall;

a second side wall;

a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and said connecting wall cooperating to form a rigid generally U-shaped frame having a first open end and a second open end;

a first mount on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface; and

a second mount on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface, said first station surface and said first mount surface, and said second station surface and said second mount surface cooperating to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of aid rear of said bed with said first open end extending horizontally and facing away from said tailgate and said second open end extending horizontally and facing toward said tailgate, and at least a portion of said side wall extends at least the majority of the distance between said upper end of said first panel and said lower end of said first panel, and wherein one of said first station surface and said first mount surface defines a first opening through which the other of said first station surface and said first mount surface can be withdrawn from said inner side of said first panel to disengage said extender from said first panel and one of said second station surface and said second mount surface defines a second opening through which the other of said second station surface and said second mount surface can be withdrawn from said inner side of said second panel to disengage said extender from said second panel, wherein when said first side wall and said second side wall are disengaged from said vehicle, said extender is disengaged from said vehicle;

wherein said first mount forms a single piece with said portion of said side wall.

4. The truck bed extender of claim 3, wherein said extender includes a first crossbeam and said first mount includes a body defining a throughbore through which said first crossbeam extends.

5. The truck bed extender of claim 4, further comprising a second crossbeam and a vertical strut connecting said first crossbeam and said second crossbeam.