Vehicle bed extender

• US 7,226,100 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boz Design, LLC
• Original Assignee: Boz Design, LLC
• Inventors: Boland, Matthew J., Willey, Kent A., Berndt, Jaime J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US11/169,400
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.01, 296/26.08, 296/26.11
• US Class Current: 296/26.11
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/03 by swinging down B62D33/0273 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a plurality of rotationally coupled panels that are capable of being configured from a vehicle bed extender to a storage container to a planar configuration to a stack that may optionally be stored behind a seat in a cab of a truck. Methods of making and using the apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first panel configured to lay horizontally over a tailgate of a vehicle when the tailgate is in an extended position, the first panel having a front margin to lie closer to a cab of the vehicle and a back margin to lie farther from the cab;

a second panel stacked over the first panel, the second panel having a front margin, a back margin, a right margin, and a left margin, the back margin of the second panel being rotatably coupled with the back margin of the first panel;

a left panel stacked relative to the second panel, the left panel having a right margin and a left margin, the right margin of the left panel being rotatably coupled with the left margin of the second panel; and

a right panel stacked relative to the second panel, the right panel having a right margin and a left margin, the left margin of the right panel being rotatably coupled with the right margin of the second panel,

wherein the right panel and the left panel are stacked under the second panel,

wherein a surface of the second panel defines a plane and an axis of rotation of the left panel about the second panel is offset from the plane and an axis of rotation of the right panel about the second panel is offset from the plane and wherein the offset of the left panel is different from the offset of the right panel.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a first panel configured to lay horizontally over a tailgate of a vehicle when the tailgate is in an extended position, the first panel having a front margin to lie closer to a cab of the vehicle and a back margin to lie farther from the cab;

a second panel stacked over the first panel, the second panel having a front margin, a back margin, a right margin, and a left margin, the back margin of the second panel being rotatable coupled with the back margin of the first panel;

a left panel stacked relative to the second panel, the left panel having a right margin and a left margin, the right margin of the left panel being rotatably coupled with the left margin of the second panel; and

a right panel stacked relative to the second panel, the right panel having a right margin and a left margin, the left margin of the right panel being rotatably coupled with the right margin of the second panel,

wherein each of the left panel and the right panel comprises a post extending from a side thereof, wherein a protrusion of a post on one of the left panel and the right panel extends into a plane defined by a body of the other of the left panel and the right panel when the left panel and the right panel are stacked relative to the second panel.