Truck bed assist handle

A vehicle comprising:

• a body including a sidewall;
• an assist handle assembly attached to the body, the assist handle assembly including:
• a bracket attached to the sidewall of the body, wherein the bracket includes a tubular portion concentric with and extending along a vertical axis;
• a handle having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion of the handle has a lower end and an upper end and extends along the vertical axis and is partially disposed within and supported by the tubular portion of the bracket, and wherein the horizontal portion extends from the upper end of the vertical portion in a direction that is transverse to the vertical axis;
• wherein the handle is rotatable relative to the bracket about the vertical axis between a stowed position and an intermediate position;
• wherein the handle is slideable within the tubular portion of the bracket between the intermediate position and a deployed position;
• and
• a latching mechanism interconnecting the bracket and the handle, and operable to secure the handle relative to the bracket when the handle is disposed in the deployed position.

A bed for a pick-up truck, the bed comprising:

• a body defining a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a floor, and an opening disposed at a longitudinal rearward end of the floor, between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
• a tailgate rotatably attached to the body, adjacent the longitudinal rearward end of the floor, and rotatable between a closed position for closing the opening in the body, and an open position allowing access through the opening in the body;
• and
• an assist handle assembly attached to the body, the assist handle assembly including:
• a bracket attached to the first sidewall adjacent the opening in the body, and including a tubular portion concentric with and extending along a vertical axis;
• a handle having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion of the handle has a lower end and an upper end and extends along the vertical axis and is partially disposed within and supported by the tubular portion of the bracket, and wherein the horizontal portion extends from the upper end of the vertical portion in a direction that is transverse to the vertical axis, to present a grip at a distal end of the horizontal portion that is laterally spaced from the vertical axis;
• wherein the handle is rotatable about the vertical axis, between a stowed position and an intermediate position, to rotate the horizontal portion of the handle on a horizontal plane relative to the body, to present the grip over the tailgate when the tailgate is disposed in the open position;
• wherein the handle is axially slideable along a vertical axis within the tubular portion of the bracket, between the intermediate position and a deployed position, to change an elevation of the grip relative to the body to position the grip as a hand hold to assist in ingress and egress into and out of the bed;
• a cam slot defined by the tubular portion of the bracket;
• a post attached to the vertical portion of the handle adjacent the lower end of the vertical portion, and extending away from the vertical portion in a direction that is transverse to the vertical axis;
• wherein the post engages the cam slot in interlocking engagement when the handle is disposed in the deployed position;
• wherein the cam slot defines a profile that secures the handle against rotation about the vertical axis relative to the bracket, and supports the handle against axial movement along the vertical axis relative to the bracket, when the post is engaged with the cam slot;
• and
• a coil spring disposed about the tubular portion of the bracket, and including a first end secured relative to the tubular portion to bias against the bracket, and a second end to bias axially along the vertical axis against the post.