Vehicle box apparatus

• US 7,654,599 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Inventors: Stewart, Brad, Waldner, Miguel, Archutowski, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACK, MELISSA ANN
• Application Number:
  US11/687,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.01, 296/26.11, 296/181.7, 296/182.1, 296/183.1, 296/50, 296/51, 296/57.1, 296/61, 296/60, 296/62, 410/129, 410/151
• 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: B60P 7/14 the load bracing means comprising a movable bulkhead
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence

Abstract

An extender device having a base frame with two ends. There is at least one extendable arm that extends from one of the ends of the base frame that allows the bed extender to move from a retracted to an extended position. The length of the bed extender can be set by a locking mechanism located on the base frame that can be used to lock the extendable arm in position. The bed extender can be used to divide a storage compartment or it can be used to extend the length of the pick-up truck bed by using the extendable arms and a pivot mechanism connected to the extendable arms.

Claims

1. A bed extender device comprising:

a base frame having one or more vertical extensions and one or more horizontal extensions;

a right extendable arm extendable from said one or more horizontal extensions;

a left extendable arm extendable from said one or more horizontal extensions;

an inner clip rail operably connected to the inside surface of at said base frame;

at least one locking clip on each said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm, said at least one locking clip being slidably engaged to said inner clip rail and operably configured to releasably lock said locking clip to said inner clip rail, wherein said inner clip rail has one or more apertures and said at least one locking clip has one or more tabs that engage said one or more apertures to lock said inner clip rail and said at least one locking clip together; and

a release handle operably engaged to said inner clip rail for selectively releasing said at least one locking clip when said locking clip is locked to said inner clip rail, wherein said release handle has one or more protrusions on the interior surface of said release handle, said one or more protrusions are aligned with said apertures so that when said release handle is rotated relative to said inner clip rail said one or more protrusions slide into said one or more apertures and compress said one or more tabs of said at least one locking clip so that said at least one locking clip will not lock to said inner clip rail while sliding in said inner clip rail.

2. The bed extender of claim 1 further comprising a pivot point on each of said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm for moving said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm at an angle with respect to said pivot point and said base frame.

3. The bed extender of claim 2 further comprising at least one moveable clasp on each of said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm for locking said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm at said angle.

4. The bed extender of claim 1 wherein said bed extender is stowed in a molded recess formed in a tailgate.

5. The bed extender of claim 4 further comprising:

one or more tailgate holding features and one or more bars on said molded recess;

one or more hooks formed on said base frame, wherein said one or more hooks slide past said one or more tailgate holding features and grasp said one or more bars to secure said bed extender to said tailgate.

6. The bed extender of claim 1 further comprising one or more vertical locking structures operably connected to said base frame.

7. The bed extender of claim 6 wherein one or more vertical locking structures are one selected from the group comprising:

one or more apertures formed on a surface of a bed or tailgate;

one or more hooks;

grooves on a side wall of said truck bed; and

, brackets and rails with grooves for receiving and holding a portion of said bed extender.

8. A bed extender comprising:

a base frame having a first end and a second end;

a first extendable arm extending from said first end of said base frame wherein said first extendable arm is moveable from a collapsed position within said first end of said base frame to an extended position away from said base frame;

a second extendable arm extending from said second end of said base frame wherein said second extendable arm is moveable from a collapsed position within said second end of said base frame to an extended position away from said second end of said base frame;

an inner clip rail operably connected to the inside surface of at said base frame;

at least one locking clip on each said first extendable arm and said second extendable arm, said at least one locking clip being slidably engaged to said inner clip rail and operably configured to releasably lock said locking clip to said inner clip rail, wherein said inner clip rail has one or more apertures and said at least one locking clip has one or more tabs that engage said one or more apertures to lock said inner clip rail and said at least one locking clip together; and

a release handle operably engaged to said inner clip rail for selectively releasing said at least one locking clip when said locking clip is locked to said inner clip rail, wherein said release handle has one or more protrusions on the interior surface of said release handle, said one or more protrusions are aligned with said apertures so that when said release handle is rotated relative to said inner clip rail said one or more protrusions slide into said one or more apertures and compress said one or more tabs of said at least one locking clip so that said at least one locking clip will not lock to said inner clip rail while sliding in said inner clip rail.

9. The bed extender of claim 8 further comprising a pivot point on each said first extendable arm and said second extendable arm, wherein said pivot point allows said first extendable arm and said second extendable arm to move at an angle with respect to said base frame.

10. The bed extender of claim 9 further comprising at least one moveable clasp on said first and second extendable arms for locking said first and second extendable arms at said angle.

11. The bed extender of claim 8 wherein said first extendable arm and said second extendable arm are each made of two or more segments that will slide into each other when moved from said fully extended position to said collapsed position.

12. The bed extender of claim 8 further comprising one or more vertical locking structures operably connected to said base frame.

13. The bed extender of claim 12 wherein said one or more vertical locking structures are one selected from the group comprising:

one or more apertures formed on a surface of a bed or tailgate;

locking mounts;

brackets; and

, rails with grooves for receiving and holding a portion of said bed extender.

14. The bed extender of claim 8 wherein said bed extender is stowed in a molded recess formed in a tailgate.

15. The bed extender of claim 14 further comprising:

one or more tailgate holding features and one or more bars on said molded recess;

one or more hooks formed on said base frame, wherein said one or more hooks slide past said one or more tailgate holding features and grasp said one or more bars to secure said bed extender to said tailgate.

16. A bed extender comprising:

a base frame having a first end and a second end;

a right extendable arm extending from said first end of said base frame wherein said right extendable arm is moveable from a collapsed position within said first end of said base frame to an extended position away from said base frame;

a left extendable arm extending from said second end of said base frame wherein said left extendable arm is moveable from a collapsed position within said second end of said base frame to an extended position away from said second end of said base frame;

an inner clip rail operably connected to the inside surface of at said base frame;

at least one locking clip on each said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm, said at least one locking clip being slidably engaged to said inner clip rail and operably configured to releasably lock said locking clip to said inner clip rail, wherein said inner clip rail has one or more apertures and said at least one locking clip has one or more tabs that engage said one or more apertures to lock said inner clip rail and said at least one locking clip together; and

a release handle operably engaged to said inner clip rail for selectively releasing said at least one locking clip when said locking clip is locked to said inner clip rail, wherein said release handle has one or more protrusions on the interior surface of said release handle, said one or more protrusions are aligned with said apertures so that when said release handle is rotated relative to said inner clip rail said one or more protrusions slide into said one or more apertures and compress said one or more tabs of said at least one locking clip so that said at least one locking clip will not lock to said inner clip rail while sliding in said inner clip rail.

17. The bed extender of claim 16 further comprising a pivot point on each said at least one locking clip wherein said pivot point allows said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm to move at an angle with respect to said base frame.

18. The bed extender of claim 17 further comprising at least one moveable clasp on each said right extendable arm and said left extendable arm for locking said right and left extendable arms at said angle.

19. The bed extender of claim 18 wherein said at least one moveable clasp has a spring clip and said spring clip is configured to clasp onto one or more strikers connected to a truck bed.

20. The bed extender of claim 16 further comprising one or more vertical locking structures operably connected to said base frame.

21. The bed extender of claim 20 wherein said one or more vertical locking structures are one selected from the group comprising:

one or more apertures formed on a surface of a bed or tailgate, locking mounts, brackets, and rails with grooves for receiving and holding a portion of said bed extender.

22. The bed extender of claim 16 wherein said bed extender is stowed in a molded recess formed in a tailgate.

23. The bed extender of claim 22 further comprising:

one or more tailgate holding features and one or more bars on said molded recess;

one or more hooks formed on said base frame, wherein said one or more hooks slide past said one or more tailgate holding features and grasp said one or more bars to secure said bed extender to said tailgate.