Cargo bed extension system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJack Marchlewski, Vincent Anthony Chimento, Shawn Michael Morgans, Dragan B. Stojkovic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo bed extension system includes a tub of a cargo bed. The tub is configured to transition back-and-forth between a standard position and an extended position. The tub is closer to a cab of a vehicle when the tub is in the standard position than when the tub is in the extended position. A panel is oriented vertically when the tub is in the standard position and is oriented horizontally when the tub is in the extended position. The panel provides a floor section between the cab and the tub when the tub is in the extended position.
Claims14
A cargo bed extension system, comprising:
- a tub of a cargo bed, the tub configured to transition back-and-forth between a standard position and an extended position, the tub closer to a cab of a vehicle when the tub is in the standard position than when the tub is in the extended position;
- a panel that is oriented vertically when the tub is in the standard position and is oriented horizontally when the tub is in the extended position, the panel providing a floor section between the cab and the tub when the tub is in the extended position,
- wherein the tub includes a tub floor, a first tub sidewall, and a second tub sidewall, the first and second tub sidewalls extending vertically upward from opposite sides of the tub floor;
- and
- a driver side upper rail assembly and a passenger side upper rail assembly, the first tub sidewall including a lip coupled to the driver side upper rail assembly, the second tub sidewall including a lip coupled to the passenger side upper rail assembly,
- wherein the tub is an inner tub, and further comprising an outer tub having an outer tub floor, an outer tub passenger sidewall, and an outer tub driver sidewall, wherein the inner tub is nested within the outer tub,
- wherein the driver side upper rail assembly slidably couples the lip of the first tub sidewall to the outer tub driver sidewall, wherein the passenger side upper rail assembly slidably couples the lip of the second tub sidewall to the outer tub passenger sidewall,
- wherein the driver side upper rail assembly is disposed vertically between the lip of the first tub sidewall and a ledge of the outer tub driver sidewall, wherein the passenger side upper rail assembly is disposed vertically between the lip of the second tub sidewall and a ledge of the outer tub passenger sidewall.
A cargo bed extension method, comprising:
- extending an inner tub relative to an outer tub to extend a cargo bed of a vehicle, the inner tub nested within the outer tub, the inner tub including inner tub sidewalls that are slidably coupled directly to respective outer tub sidewalls of the outer tub through an upper rail assembly,
- wherein each upper rail assembly slidably couples a lip of a first tub sidewall to a respective one of the outer tub driver sidewalls,
- wherein each upper rail assembly is disposed vertically between the respective lip of the first tub sidewall and a ledge of the outer tub driver sidewall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.