Tailgate truck bed extension
OwnerErnest S. Whiteinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An add-on extender for a pickup truck having a bed and a tailgate with a pair of sides and a top. The extender selectively extends both the bed and the tailgate of the pickup truck, and permanently mounts onto the tailgate of the pickup truck so as not to have to be removed when not in use. The extender includes a pair of side panels and a rear panel. The pair of side panels pivotally attach to the pair of sides of the tailgate of the pickup truck, respectively, so as to have a non-operational folded position and an operational unfolded position that extends the bed of the pickup truck. The rear panel pivotally attaches to the top of the tailgate of the pickup truck so as to have a non-operational folded position and an operational unfolded position that extends the bed and the tailgate of the pickup truck.
Claims78
An add-on extender for a pickup truck having a bed, a trailer lighting plug, and a tailgate with a pair of sides, a top, and a normal pivoting operation, for permanently mounting on the tailgate of the pickup truck so as not to have to be removed when not in use, for not interfering with the normal pivoting operation of the tailgate of the pickup truck, for selectively extending the bed of the pickup truck, and for selectively extending the tailgate of the pickup truck, said add-on extender comprising:
- a) a pair of side panels;
- and
- b) a rear panel;
- wherein said pair of side panels are for pivotally attaching to the pair of sides of the tailgate, respectively, so as to have a non-operational folded position and an operational unfolded position for extending the bed of the pickup truck;
- and
- wherein said rear panel is for pivotally attaching to the top of the tailgate of the pickup truck so as to have a non-operational folded position and an operational unfolded position for extending the bed of the pickup truck and for extending the tailgate of the pickup truck;
- further comprising a pair of side hinges;
- further comprising a top hinge;
- further comprising a pair of side hinge locks;
- wherein said pair of side hinge locks have locked positions, respectively;
- and
- wherein said pair of side hinge locks have unlocked positions, respectively.
A method of locking and unlocking a pair of side hinge locks of an add-on bed and tailgate extender of a pickup truck and a top hinge lock of the add-on bed and tailgate extender of the pickup truck;
- wherein the add-on bed and tailgate extender further has:
- a) a bar handle;
- and
- b) a bolt having:
- i) a free proximal end;
- and
- ii) a free distal end;
- wherein each of the pair of side hinge locks and the top hinge lock has:
- a) a pair of concentric tubes;
- and
- b) a lock having:
- i) a key;
- ii) a handle;
- and
- iii) a circular-shaped periphery having a cam surface with:
- 1) a ramp portion;
- and
- 2) a recess surface;
- wherein each concentric tube of each of the pair of side hinge locks and the top hinge lock has a trio of slots;
- and
- wherein said method comprising the steps of:
- a) pressing down on the bar handle;
- b) causing the bolt to move vertically downwardly;
- c) causing the free distal end of the bolt to engage into one of the trio of slots;
- d) turning the key;
- e) causing the lock to unlock;
- f) turning the handle of the lock until the ramp surface of the cam portion of the circular-shaped periphery of the lock contacts the free proximal end of the bolt;
- g) turning the key;
- h) causing the lock to lock, thereby preventing the bolt from being vertically lifted and unlocked;
- i) turning the key;
- j) causing the lock to unlock;
- k) turning the handle of the lock until the recess portion of the cam surface of the circular-shaped periphery of the lock aligns with the free proximal end of the bolt;
- l) lifting up the bar handle;
- m) causing the free proximal end of the bolt to enter into the recess portion of the cam surface of the circular-shaped periphery of the lock;
- n) causing the bolt to move vertically upwardly;
- and
- o) causing the free distal end of the bolt to disengage from the one of the trio of slots, thereby allowing the bolt to be unlocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.