Truck bed utility bar
AssigneeFca US LLC
InventorsFrederick F Bender, Bryan J Macek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A utility bar configured to be secured to a pair of stake pockets formed in opposing sidewalls of a bed of a vehicle. Each of the stake pockets includes an opening formed in an upper wall of the sidewall, a first aperture that is not accessible from the bed, and a second aperture that is accessible from the bed. The utility bar includes a tubular member, a pair of end fittings attached to the tubular member, and a pair of lock assemblies positioned in the stake pockets that mate with the end fittings, wherein the lock assemblies each include a locking mechanism configured to secure the lock assembly and the end fitting to the first aperture that is not accessible from the bed.
Claims18
A utility bar configured to be secured to a pair of stake pockets formed in opposing sidewalls of a bed of a vehicle, each of the stake pockets including an opening formed in an upper wall of the sidewall, a first aperture that is not accessible from the bed, and a second aperture that is accessible from the bed, the utility bar comprising:
- a tubular member;
- a pair of end fittings attached to opposing ends of the tubular member, each of the end fittings including a tube receiving end configured for receipt of one of the opposing ends of the tubular member and a lock receiving end configured for insertion into the second aperture that is accessible from the bed;
- and
- a pair of lock assemblies, each of the lock assemblies being configured for receipt within a respective opening of one of the stake pockets, and each of the lock assemblies configured to mate with the lock receiving end of a respective end fitting within the stake pockets at a location positioned inboard from the second aperture that is accessible from the bed,
- wherein each of the lock assemblies includes a locking mechanism configured to secure the lock assembly and the end fitting to the first aperture that is not accessible from the bed.
A utility bar configured to be secured to a pair of stake pockets formed in opposing sidewalls of a bed of a vehicle, each of the stake pockets including an opening formed in an upper wall of the sidewall, a first aperture that is not accessible from the bed, and a second aperture that is accessible from the bed, the utility bar comprising:
- a tubular member;
- a pair of end fittings attached to opposing ends of the tubular member, each of the end fittings including a first end configured for receipt of one of the opposing ends of the tubular member and an opposite second end configured for insertion into the second aperture that is accessible from the bed;
- and
- a pair of retainers configured to be received within the openings of the stake pockets, each of the retainers including a movable locking lever that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and in the locked position the movable locking lever is configured to engage the first aperture that is not accessible from the bed,
- wherein each of the retainers is configured to mate with a respective second end of a respective end fitting within the stake pockets at a location positioned inboard from the second aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.