Vehicle cargo area extender having sliding lid

• US 6,557,918 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastech Engineered Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Bastuba, Robert, Iafrate, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLE, PATRICIA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/109,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20020096901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.08, 296/26.11, 296/37.1, 296/37.6, 296/50, 296/57.1, 224/402, 224/403, 224/404, 224/495, 224/496, 224/498, 224/502, 224/328
• 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: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle cargo area extender including a pair of sidewalls, a center wall extending between the pair of sidewalls and a lid removeably disposed relative to the pair of sidewalls and the center wall. The sidewalls, the center wall and the lid cooperate to define an enclosure having an open end. At least one of the side and center walls defines a mating surface extending along at least a portion of the upper margin thereof. In addition, the lid defines a corresponding mating surface that is adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on at least one of the side and center walls to removeably retain the lid relative to side and center walls.

Claims

1. A vehicle cargo area extender adapted to be employed in conjunction with a vehicle having a cargo area, said cargo area extender comprising:

a pair of sidewalls spaced from one another, a center wall extending between said pair of sidewalls and a lid removeably disposed relative to said pair of sidewalls and said center wall, said pair of sidewalls, said center wall and said lid cooperating to define an enclosure having an open end;

at least one of said side and center walls defining a mating surface including a retaining member extending along at least a portion of the upper margin thereof, said lid defining a corresponding mating surface including a channel that is adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on at least one of said side and center walls to removeably retain said lid relative to said side and center walls.

2. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 1 wherein said corresponding mating surfaces on at least one of said side and center walls as well as on said lid are selected from a group including ribs, tongues, grooves, channels, flanges, and combinations thereof such that the lid is slidably received and retained relative to said side and center walls in a rectilinear fashion.

3. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining member defines a rib extending along at least a portion of the upper margins of said side and center walls and adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on said lid.

4. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 3 wherein said channel is defined along a substantial portion of the perimeter of said lid.

5. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 1 wherein said channel is defined along at least a portion of the perimeter of said lid.

6. A vehicle cargo area extender adapted to be employed in conjunction with a vehicle having a cargo area defined by a bed and a pair of upstanding sidewalls spaced from one another on either side of the vehicle bed and a rear wall extending between the upstanding sidewalls at one end on the bed, wherein the rear wall is rotatable from an upright position to an extended position so as to be disposed substantially co-planar with the vehicle bed, said cargo area extender comprising:

a pair of sidewalls spaced from one another, a center wall extending between said pair of sidewalls and a lid removeably disposed relative to said pair of sidewalls and said center wall, said pair of sidewalls, said center wall and said lid cooperating to define an enclosure having an open end;

at least one of said side and center walls defining a mating surface including a retaining member extending along at least a portion of the upper margin thereof, said lid defining a corresponding mating surface including a channel that is adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on at least one of said side and center walls to removeably retain said lid relative to said side and center walls;

said vehicle cargo area extender moveably mounted between a stored position wherein the open end of said enclosure is adjacent to the rear wall of the vehicle cargo area when it is disposed in its upright position thereby closing the open end of said cargo area extender, and a deployed position so as to be supported by the rear wall of the vehicle cargo area when it is in its extended position such that the open end of said enclosure faces the vehicle cargo area thereby increasing the effective size of the vehicle cargo area.

7. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 6 wherein said corresponding mating surfaces on at least one of said side and center walls as well as on said lid are selected from a group including tongues, grooves, channels, flanges, and combinations thereof such that the lid is slidably received and retained relative to said side and center walls in a rectilinear fashion.

8. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 6 wherein said retaining member defines a rib extending along at least a portion of the upper margins of said side and center walls and adapted to cooperate with the mating surface defined on said lid.

9. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 8 wherein said channel is defined along a substantial portion of the perimeter of said lid.

10. A vehicle cargo area extender as set forth in claim 6 wherein said channel is defined along at least a portion of the perimeter of said lid.