Truck bed rear cargo tie down engagement structure
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsPaxton S. Williams, Scott L. Frederick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load securement apparatus for a vehicle incorporating a cargo bed and a tailgate movable between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration to open and close the cargo bed. The load securement apparatus includes at least one tie-down engagement structure connected to another portion of the vehicle in a position located such that a tie-down member is engaged with the tie-down engagement structure by extending a portion of the tie-down member into a gap formed between an end of the cargo bed and the tailgate when the tailgate is in the lowered configuration.
Claims18
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The load securement apparatus of claim 12 wherein the at least one tie-down engagement structure is structured and positioned so as to be engaged by the tie-down member in a location residing below the gap.
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The load securement apparatus of claim 12 including a plurality of tie-down engagement structures, each tie-down engagement structure of the plurality of tie-down engagement structures being connected to the vehicle in a respective position so as to be engageable with the tie-down member by inserting a portion of the tie-down member into the gap formed between the end of the cargo bed and the tailgate after the tailgate has been lowered to the lowered configuration.
A load securement apparatus for a vehicle incorporating a cargo bed and a tailgate movable between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration to close and open the cargo bed, the load securement apparatus comprising at least one tie-down engagement structure connected to the vehicle and positioned so as to be engageable with a tie-down member by inserting a portion of the tie-down member into a gap formed between an end of the cargo bed and the tailgate after the tailgate has been lowered to the lowered configuration, the load securement apparatus further comprising a rail structure attached to the vehicle, and wherein the at least one tie-down engagement structure is movably connected to the rail structure so as to be movable to, and securable in, a position of a plurality of positions along the rail structure prior to the tie down member being engaged with the at least one tie-down engagement structure.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.