Vehicle bed extender

• US 8,727,415 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lund Motion Products Inc (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H
• Application Number:
  US13/285,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.08, 296/26.11
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/023 Sideboard or tailgate structures vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/033 removable B62D33/0273 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A vehicle bed extender adapted for simultaneous adjustment of both length and width. The extender includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a connecting wall. The first and second side walls can attach to the vehicle storage bed, while the connecting wall attaches to the side walls in a sliding configuration along a direction nonparallel to the length and width of the bed extender. The connecting wall can also be composed of multiple cross members with middle portions of varying length such that the middle portions of the cross members are not vertically oriented. The vehicle bed extender can also be supported by a mount at the front end of the vehicle bed that supports the connecting wall.

Claims

1. A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having a storage bed having a front end, a rear end, a first upstanding side panel defining one side of said bed, a second upstanding side panel defining an opposite side of said bed, a bottom surface, and a tailgate at a rear end, said vehicle bed extender comprising:

a first side wall configured to be positioned adjacent the first side panel of the storage bed, the first side wall comprising at least a first tube, a second tube, and a connecting portion joining said first tube and said second tube, each of said first tube and said second tube of the first side wall comprising a first portion configured to be positioned parallel to said first upstanding side panel and a second portion forming an angle with respect to said first portion, said first portion and said second portion forming a single integral tube;

a second side wall configured to be positioned adjacent the second side panel of the storage bed, the second side wall comprising at least a first tube, a second tube, and a connecting portion joining said first tube and said second tube, each of said first tube and said second tube of the second side wall comprising a first portion configured to be positioned parallel to said second upstanding side panel and a second portion forming an angle with respect to said first portion, said first portion and said second portion forming a single integral tube;

a connecting wall which connects said first side wall and said second side wall, said connecting wall comprising at least a first tube and a second tube, each of said first tube and said second tube of the connecting wall having a first end portion, a second end portion and a middle portion between said first end portion and said second end portion, said first end portion forming an angle with respect to said middle portion and said second end portion forming an angle with respect to said middle portion;

wherein at least one of the second portion of the first tube of the first side wall and the first end portion of the first tube of the connecting wall is slidingly receivable in the other of the second portion of the first tube of the first side wall and the first end portion of the first tube of the connecting wall; and

wherein at least one of the second portion of the first tube of the second side wall and the second end portion of the first tube of the connecting wall is slidingly receivable in the other of the second portion of the first tube of the second side wall and the second end portion of the first tube of the connecting wall.

2. The vehicle bed extender of claim 1, wherein the first side wall is attached to the first side panel and the second side wall is attached to the second side panel.

3. The vehicle bed extender of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of intermediate struts, each intermediate strut defining at least two openings, each opening sized and shaped to receive one of said first tube and said second tube of the connecting wall, the plurality of intermediate struts being positioned along the first and second end portions of the first tube and second tube of the connecting wall and being generally vertically oriented when the portions of the connecting wall formed by the first and second end portions of the first tube and the second tube of the connecting wall are generally vertically oriented.