Truck having an extendable and retractable truck bed to receive truck boxes of different lengths and method of operation thereof

• US 7,037,062 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: On-Trux Limited
• Original Assignee: On-Trux Limited
• Inventors: Oliver, Craig Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US10/654,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20040042883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 414477-480, 414/494, 414498-500, 280/DIG.8, 280/482, 280/656, 296/168, 296/170, 296/171, 296/181, 296/182
• US Class Current: 414/478
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/16 actuated by fluid-operated mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6454 the load transporting element being shifted by means of an inclined ramp connected to the vehicle

Abstract

A truck has an extendable and retractable truck bed for receiving removable and replacing truck boxes of different lengths. The truck bed can be extended or retracted to fit the size of the truck box. The truck bed has movable supports that can be extended or retracted from inside or outside a cab to support the appropriate length of the truck box. The movable supports also act as guide means to guide the truck box onto or off of the truck bed. In a method of extending or retracting the truck bed, a single truck can be used to mount or remove truck boxes of different sizes.

Claims

1. A system for transporting a variety of boxes, the system comprising:

(i) a truck having a cab and a truck bed to a rear of the cab, the truck bed comprising an extendible frame pivotally mounted on the truck bed, the extendible frame capable of being tilted rearward for loading or unloading the boxes, the frame having two hollow longitudinal side members within which movable supports are extendably and retractably fitted, each movable support having a rearmost end located wholly within its respective longitudinal side member, the movable supports both for guiding the boxes onto and off of the frame and for supporting boxes that exceed a minimum length of the frame; and

,

(ii) a variety of boxes designed for different uses, each box having guide means thereon corresponding to guide means on the frame, and each box being removably mountable on the frame.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the guide means on each box is a centrally located channel extending longitudinally beneath each box and the guide means on the frame are the longitudinal side members of the frame, whereby the channel straddles the side members when each box is mounted on the frame.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the truck bed comprises a winch having an extendable and retractable cable mounted thereon for pulling each box on to the frame.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each box has an attachment for receiving the cable.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a bracket corresponding to a bracket on box, the brackets interlocking with one another when each box is completely mounted on the frame.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the boxes is a camper, a welding station or a waste material bin.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the boxes is an open box, an extended open box, a cube or an extended cube.

8. A system for transporting a variety of boxes, the system comprising a truck and a variety of boxes designed for different uses,

wherein the truck comprises a cab and a truck bed located to a rear of the cab, the truck bed comprising:

a raised central portion extending longitudinally;

an extendible frame pivotally supported on the raised central portion and connected to a rear of the raised central portion at a pivot point, the frame having two hollow longitudinal side members within which movable supports are extendably and retractably fitted to extend or retract longitudinally a length of the truck bed both for guiding the boxes onto and off of the frame and for supporting boxes that exceed a minimum length of the frame;

at least one hydraulic cylinder extending between the raised central portion and the frame for tilting the extendible frame rearward relative to the raised central portion for loading or unloading the boxes; and

,

a winch on the truck bed having an extendable and retractable cable mounted thereon,

and wherein each box comprises an attachment means thereon to receive the cable from the winch, each box comprising a centrally located channel extending longitudinally beneath each box and straddling the side members of the frame, each box being removably mountable on the frame.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the frame has a bracket corresponding to a bracket on each box, the brackets interlocking with one another when each box is completely mounted on the frame.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the boxes is a camper, a welding station or a waste material bin.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the boxes is an open box, an extended open box, a cube or an extended cube.