Structure for extending bed of pickup truck

• US 6,719,345 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwase, Tsutomu, Takahashi, Masataro, Ootsuka, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/325,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20030116986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.08, 296/26.09, 296/26.11, 296/26.1, 296/61
• US Class Current: 296/26.08
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a structure 10 for extending a bed of a pickup truck; the structure being rotatably supported on a rear portion 1B of the bed of the pickup truck having a tailgate 4 capable of bringing down in an approximate level with a rear end of the bed 1; and the structure being provided on a first upper side of the tailgate 7 to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck; wherein fixing means 20 is provided for fixing the structure provided on a second upper side of the floor onto the bed. Hence, if the structure is off the supporting bracket 16 when the structure is housed in the bed, the fixing means of the invention can prevent the structure from separating from the body not to have a secondary influence on surroundings by the structure 10.

Claims

1. A structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck

including a floor, a pair of side walls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to a rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate, comprising:

the structure being provided on a first upper side of the tailgate to extend the bed rearwardly when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and

the structure being provided on a second upper side of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;

wherein the sidewalls include a wheelhouse with a receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse, and

wherein fixing means is provided on the structure for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor onto the bed and is capable of being fixed to the receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing means permits fixing the structure arranged on the lowered tailgate onto the tailgate.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing means has a fixing belt with base end attached to the structure and having an adjustable length, and a hook part provided on the end of the fixing belt and capable of engaging an anchor attached to the bed.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the tailgate has a latch configured to be hooked on the rear ends of the sidewalls when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction to be raised, and

the fixing means is provided on the end of the fixing belt and is provided with an engagement part capable of engaging the latch of the lowered tailgate,

the structure being fixed to the tailgate by engaging the engagement part to the latch of the lowered tailgate.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5, wherein the structure is provided with plural stick-shaped members bent in the form of “

U”

along a periphery of the first upper side of the lowered tailgate and combining members connecting these stick-shaped members to one another at vertical parallel intervals, and

the fixing belt is movably supported in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the fixing belt is removably attached to the stick-shaped members.

8. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling a movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.

9. The structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.

10. The structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the fixing means has a fixing belt with a base end attached to the structure and having an adjustable length, and a hook part provided on the end of the fixing belt and capable of engaging an anchor attached to the bed.

11. The structure as defined in claim 10, wherein the tailgate has a latch configured to be hooked on the rear ends of the sidewalls when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction to be raised, and

the fixing means is provided on the end of the fixing belt and is provided with an engagement part capable of engaging the latch of the lowered tailgate,

the structure being fixed to the tailgate by engaging the engagement part to the latch of the lowered tailgate.

12. The structure as defined in claim 11, wherein the structure is provided with plural stick-shaped members bent in the form of “

U”

along a periphery of the first upper side of the lowered tailgate and combining members connecting these stick-shaped members to one another at vertical parallel intervals, and

the fixing belt is movably supported in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members.

13. The structure as defined in claim 12, wherein the fixing belt is removably attached to the stick-shaped members.

14. The structure as defined in claim 12, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling a movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.

15. The structure as defined in claim 13, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling a movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.

2. A structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck

including a floor, a pair of side walls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to a rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate, comprising:

the structure extending from the rear end of the sidewalls to rearward of a body along both sides of the tailgate and extending in the width direction of the truck along the rear end of the tailgate whereby the floor of the bed extends rearward to convert a first upper side of the tailgate to a part of the floor, when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and

the structure being provided on a second upper side of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;

wherein the sidewalls include a wheelhouse with a receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse, and

wherein fixing means is provided on the structure for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor onto the bed and is capable of being fixed to the receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck.

16. A structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck including a floor, a pair of sidewalls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to a rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate, comprising:

the structure being provided on a first upper side of the tailgate to extend the bed rearwardly when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and

the structure being provided on a second upper side of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;

wherein the sidewalls include a wheelhouse with a receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse, and

wherein fixing means is provided on the structure for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor onto the bed and is capable of being fixed to the receiving fitting on the rear portion of the wheelhouse when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck; and

wherein the tailgate has a latch configured to be hooked on the rear portion of the sidewalls when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction to be raised and the fixing means is provided with an engagement part capable of engaging the latch of the lowered tailgate.

17. The structure as defined in claim 16, wherein the fixing means permits fixing the structure arranged on the lowered tailgate onto the tailgate.

18. The structure as defined in claim 16, wherein the fixing means has a fixing belt with base end attached to the structure and having an adjustable length, and a hook part provided on the end of the fixing belt and capable of engaging an anchor attached to the bed.

19. The structure as defined in claim 16, wherein the structure is fixed to the tailgate by engaging the engagement part to the latch of the lowered tailgate.

20. The structure as defined in claim 16, wherein the structure is provided with plural stick-shaped members bent in the form of “

U”

along a periphery of the first upper side of the lowered tailgate and combining members connecting these stick-shaped members to one another at vertical parallel intervals, and

the fixing belt is movably supported in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members.

21. A structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck including a floor, a pair of side walls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to a rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate, comprising:

the structure being provided on a first upper side of the tailgate to extend the bed rearwardly when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and

the structure being provided on a second upper side of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;

wherein fixing means is provided for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor onto the bed;

wherein the fixing means has a fixing belt with base end attached to the structure and having an adjustable length, and a hook part provided on the end of the fixing belt and capable of engaging an anchor attached to the bed;

wherein the tailgate has a latch configured to be hooked on the rear ends of the sidewalls when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction to be raised, and

the fixing means is provided on the end of the fixing belt and is provided with an engagement part capable of engaging the latch of the lowered tailgate,

the structure being fixed to the tailgate by engaging the engagement part to the latch of the lowered tailgate.

22. The structure as defined in claim 21, wherein the structure is provided with plural stick-shaped members bent in the form of “

U”

along a periphery of the first upper side of the lowered tailgate and combining members connecting these stick-shaped members to one another at vertical parallel intervals, and

the fixing belt is movably supported in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members.

23. The structure as defined in claim 21, wherein the fixing belt is removably attached to the stick-shaped members.

24. The structure as defined in claim 21, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling a movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.

25. The structure as defined in claim 23, wherein the stick-shaped members have control means controlling movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.