Extendable tailgate ladder assembly

A tailgate ladder assembly for coupling to a tailgate of a vehicle, said tailgate ladder assembly comprising:

• a ladder having a pair of opposite side rails and a plurality of rungs extending between said side rails;
• a pair of tracks adapted for coupling to the tailgate of the vehicle, each of said side rails being slidably insertable into an associated one of said pair of tracks whereby said side rails are extendable and retractable relative to said tailgate;
• a first end of each of said side rails being pivotally coupled to an associated track connection portion whereby said ladder is pivotable such that a second end of each of said side rails is positionable to abut a support surface below the tailgate such that said rungs form a plurality of steps between the support surface and the tailgate;
• a pair of feet, each foot being coupled to an associated second end of one of said side rails;
• each of said rungs having a generally arcuate upper surface whereby an uppermost portion of said upper surface is positioned substantially horizontally throughout a range of angles between said tailgate and said ladder when said ladder is pivoted relative to said tailgate;
• said upper surface being covered by a gripping material to prevent slipping on said rungs;
• each of said side rails being telescopic for extending a length of said ladder;
• each of said side rails having a plurality of telescopic portions, each telescopic portion being slidably engaged to each adjacent telescopic portion such that each of said side rails is extendable;
• each of said rungs having a connection portion coupled to an interior face of an associated one of said side rails;
• said plurality of telescopic portions including a pair of proximal telescopic portions, each proximal telescopic portion being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said connection portions;
• said plurality of telescopic portions including a plurality of outer telescopic portions, each outer telescopic portion having a generally C-shaped cross-section whereby said outer telescopic portions are slidable relative to each other such that said connection portions of said rungs are slidable within a gap formed by opposite edges of said outer telescopic portions;
• each outer telescopic portion including a locking pin mechanism for engaging a selectable one of a plurality of holes in an adjacently positioned one of said telescopic portions whereby said telescopic portions are lockable into a static position relative to each other;
• a cover member having an outer perimeter portion adapted for abutting the tailgate such that said cover member is positionable over said ladder when said ladder is in a fully retracted position;
• a plurality of first connection members, said first connection members being coupled to said outer perimeter portion of said cover member;
• and
• a plurality of second connection members adapted for coupling to the tailgate of the vehicle such that said each of second connection members is alignable with an associated one of said first connection members when said cover member is positioned over said ladder, each of said second connection members being complimentary to said associated first connection member whereby each of said second connection member is engageable to said associated first connection member.

A tailgate ladder assembly for coupling to a tailgate of a vehicle, said tailgate ladder assembly comprising:

• a ladder having a pair of opposite side rails and a plurality of rungs extending between said side rails;
• a pair of tracks adapted for coupling to the tailgate of the vehicle, each of said side rails being slidably insertable into an associated one of said pair of tracks whereby said side rails are extendable and retractable relative to said tailgate;
• a first end of each of said side rails being pivotally coupled to an associated track connection portion whereby said ladder is pivotable such that a second end of each of said side rails is positionable to abut a support surface below the tailgate such that said rungs form a plurality of steps between the support surface and the tailgate;
• each of said side rails having a plurality of telescopic portions, each telescopic portion being slidably engaged to each adjacent telescopic portion such that each said side rail is extendable;
• each of said rungs having a connection portion coupled to an interior face of an associated one of said side rails;
• said plurality of telescopic portions including a pair of proximal telescopic portions, each proximal telescopic portion being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said connection portions;
• said plurality of telescopic portions including a plurality of outer telescopic portions, each outer telescopic portion having a generally C-shaped cross-section whereby said outer telescopic portions are slidable relative to each other such that said connection portions of said rungs are slidable within a gap formed by opposite edges of said outer telescopic portions;
• and
• a tailgate assembly being substantially hollow, said tailgate assembly being adapted for retrofitting onto an existing pickup truck as a replacement for an existing tailgate, said tailgate assembly having an interior face, said pair of tracks being coupled to said interior face such that said ladder is extendable from said tailgate assembly when said tailgate assembly is in an open position, said ladder being stored within said tailgate assembly when said tailgate assembly is in a closed position for safe transportation of said ladder and to prevent said ladder from accidentally being separated from the pickup truck when the pickup truck moves.