Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02648788 2009-01-08
TITLE: BASE STRUCTURE FOR A TRUCK BED EXTENSION
AND RAMP SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to truck bed extensions, and more particularly, this
invention pertains to a base structure for retaining a truck bed extension and
ramp system to the box of a pickup truck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art contains numerous types of truck bed extensions. The
following list provides a good sampling of the different designs available
from the prior art.
US D485,800 issued to D.P. Smith, on January 27, 2004;
US 4,596,417 issued to K.D. Bennett, on June 24, 1986;
US 5,820,188 issued to K.M. Nash, on October 13, 1998;
US 5,924,753 issued to D.R. DiBassie, on July 20, 1999;
US 6,227,593 issued to R.K. De Valcourt, on May 08, 2001;
US 6,322,125 issued to C.E. Bauer, on November 27, 2001;
US 6,340,190 issued to R. Rosebrugh et al., on Jan. 22, 2002;
US 6,378,926 issued to R. Renze et al., on April 30, 2002;
US 2003/0127873 filed by H.F. Reed; published on July 10, 2003;
CA 1,244,858 issued to J.J. Kardos, on Nov. 15, 1988;
CA 2,344,354 filed by D. Mussack et al.; published on Oct. 18, 2002;
CA 2,347,353 filed by H.W. Sanders; published on Sept. 21, 2002;
CA 2,366,149 issued to P.M. Burdon et al.; published on June 21, 2003;
CA 2,369,494 filed by T.M. Fitts; published on October 19, 2002;
CA 2,503,525 filed by R. Lantaigne; published on October 06, 2006.
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The prior art also contains numerous devices pertaining to tailgate support
structures and tailgate ramp systems. The fields of tailgates and tailgate
ramps are closely related to truck bed extensions and therefore a sampling
of the references found therein is also mentioned herein below.
US 729,840 issued to J.C. Butler et al., on June 02, 1903;
US 797,900 issued to R. Lowry, on Aug. 22, 1905;
US 1,781,208 issued to D.B. Youngblood, on Nov. 11, 1930;
US 3,148,912 issued to E.V. Curtis et al., on Sept. 15, 1964;
US 3,319,811 issued to R.D. Martin, Jr., on May 16, 1967;
US 5,156,432 issued to D.M. McCleary, on Oct. 20, 1992;
US 5,273,339 issued to D.E. Flynn, on Dec. 28, 1993;
US 5,342,105 issued to M.R. Miles, on Aug. 30, 1994;
US 5,971,465 issued to M. Ives et al., on Oct. 26, 1999;
US 5,988,725 issued to L.W. Cole, on Nov. 23, 1999;
US 6,371,719 issued to L.J. Hildebrandt, on April 16, 2002;
CA 446,929 issued to J.J. Black, on Mar. 02, 1948;
CA 2,297,621 filed by T.A. Shambeau; published on Oct. 15, 2000;
CA 2,418,606 filed by W.G. Walt; published on August 10, 2004;
Box and tailgate dimensions of pickup trucks are substantially standard
from one make of pickup trucks to another. The design of tailgate latches,
however, varies from one make of trucks to another. For this reason, it
becomes difficult to manufacture a truck bed extension that has standard
features for mounting to different makes of pickup trucks.
Although each of the prior art devices has its own merits, prior advances
in this field has not provided a standard mounting arrangement for retaining
a truck bed extension to the box of any pickup truck. Therefore, a market
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need still exists for an universal base structure for retaining a truck bed
extension to the box of a pickup truck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a base structure
having a horizontal U-shaped frame with dimensions similar to a tailgate
of a pickup truck. A pair of posts extend vertically from the ends of the U-
shaped frame. These posts are made to align with the rear vertical edges of
a truck box on which the base structure is mounted. A tailgate-latch coupler
is mounted on each post. This tailgate-latch coupler has dimensions for
fitly connecting to a tailgate latch member of the pickup truck. Each
tailgate-latch coupler comprises a chain link loosely encircling a respective
post such that each tailgate-latch coupler is movable up and down along
that post.
In use, each tailgate-latch coupler is moved to the proper height and is
connected to the tailgate latch member of the pickup truck to retain the base
structure to the truck box. These latch couplers are interchangeable from
one type to another. Because of the interchangeable aspect of the couplers
and because these tailgate-latch couplers are movable along their respective
posts, the base structure is mountable on different models of pickup trucks.
In another aspect of the present invention the base structure is used to
retain
a bed extension to a pickup truck. The bed extension comprises a pair of
foldable ramp members. In the bed extension mode, the ramp members
are folded and laid edge-to-edge over each other. Both ramp members are
laid edgewise over the U-shaped frame such as to form an extension of the
truck box.
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Each ramp member has hinge bushings on its extremities. Each post has
sleeves affixed to its upper and lower ends. A pin is inserted through these
sleeves and hinge bushings to retain both ramp members to the base
structure.
The cross member of the U-shaped frame has anchor bushings affixed
thereto. When the ramp members are in a deployed mode, the hinge
bushings on the near extremities of the ramp members are aligned with the
anchor bushings on the cross member and are affixed to the cross member
by inserting the aforesaid pins through the anchor bushings and the hinge
bushings.
This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention
may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the
invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description
of the preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the attached
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of a base structure for a truck bed extension and ramp
system is illustrated in the attached drawings. In these drawings the same
numerals are used to identify the same elements. In the drawings;
FIG. 1 is a perspective rear and right side view of a pickup truck having
the preferred base structure mounted therein and retaining a pair of
ramp members in a deployed mode;
FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the extremity on one of the ramp members;
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FIG. 2 is a perspective rear and right side view of the pickup truck having
both ramp members folded and laid edge-to-edge over the base
structure thereby defining a truck bed extension over the tailgate of
the pickup truck;
FIG. 3 is a rear and right side view of the preferred base structure, shown
in isolation for clarity;
FIG. 3A is an enlarged partial view of the lower end of the left side post
on the preferred base structure;
FIG. 3B is an enlarge partial view of the upper end of the right side post
on the preferred base structure;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first example of a latch coupler;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second example of a latch coupler;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third example of a latch coupler.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms,
there are shown in the drawings and will be described in details herein, one
specific embodiment of a base structure for a truck bed extension and ramp
system. It should be understood that the present disclosure is to be
considered as an example of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated and described.
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The preferred base structure 20 is illustrated with a pair of extended ramp
members in use in FIG. 1, and with the ramp members in a stowed mode
defining a truck bed extension in FIG. 2.
The base structure 20 has a horizontal U-shaped frame 22 which has a
planar configuration and dimensions as to form a margin over the tailgate
24 of a pickup truck 26. A post 28 extends vertically at each end of the U-
shaped frame 22. Each post 28 has a tailgate-latch coupler 30 movably
mounted thereon for attachment to the tailgate latch member on the truck
box. These tailgate-latch couplers 30 are better illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 .
Each ramp member 32 has end segments that are foldable from a main
segment as may be understood from the illustrations in FIGS. 1 and 2.
When these end segments are folded, the ramp member 32 has edge-wise
dimensions and configuration that are substantially the same as a layout of
the U-shaped frame 22.
Each ramp member 32 has hinge bushings 34 on its extremities as may be
understood from the illustration in FIG. 1A. The U-shape frame 22 also
has anchor bushings 36 mounted to the cross-member 38 of the U-shaped
frame for alignment with the hinge bushings 34.
In use, one end of each ramp member 32 is held to the U-shaped frame by
means of a pair of pins 40 fitly extending through the hinge bushings 34
and the anchor bushings 36 in a way that is well known to those skilled in
the art. One of the pins 40 mentioned above is better illustrated in FIG. 3.
In this illustration, the pin 40 is shown in its alternate orientation when it
is used to retain the ramp members 32 in a stowed mode over the tailgate
24 of the pickup truck.
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As may be understood from FIG. 2, a stowed mode is when both ramp
members 32 are laid edge-to-edge over each other, and are mounted edge-
wise over the U-shaped frame 22.
The preferred base structure 20 is illustrated in greater details in FIGS. 3,
3A and 3B. The base structure 20 is preferably made of structural steel and
has stiffness to resist the stresses associated with its application. Each
post
28 has a first sleeve 42 affixed to its upper end and a second sleeve 44
affixed to its lower end. As mentioned before, a pair of pins 40, are used
the retain the ramp members 32 to the posts 28. Each pin 40 is long enough
to engage in both the first and second sleeves 42, 44.
When the ramp members 32 are folded and in a stowed position as shown
in FIG. 2, the hinge bushings 34 on their extremities are placed in
alignment with each other and in alignment with the first and second
sleeves 42, 44 on a same post 28 such as shown in FIG. 2. The ramp
members 32 are secured to that post 28 by inserting one of the pins 40
through the first sleeve 42, through the hinge bushings 34 of the ramp
members 32 and into the second sleeve 44.
The preferred base structure 20 is held to the pickup truck 26 by means of
a pair of latch couplers 30 having connectors with dimensions to fitly
engaged the tailgate latch members on the truck box. Three models of latch
couplers are illustrated in FIGS. 4 - 6 respectively.
Each tailgate-latch coupler 30 comprises a chain link 50 which has
dimensions to slide freely along a respective post 28. For the purpose of
mounting each tailgate-latch coupler 30 to one of the posts 28, the first
sleeve 42 on each post 28 is preferably mounted to this post in a detachable
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manner, such as with a screw 52 for example.
Each tailgate-latch coupler 30 has a latch connector mounted to the chain
link 50. When the pickup truck has a pin type tailgate latch member 54 on
its tailgate latch member, the latch connector is a cylindrical socket 56 as
illustrated in FIG. 4. When the tailgate latch member comprises a holed
bracket 60 on the truck box, then the latch connector is a pin 62 as
illustrated in FIG. 5. Similarly, when the tailgate latch member comprises
a square pin with a bevelled head 70, the latch connector is a square socket
72 as illustrated in FIG. 6. Although only three latch connectors 56, 62
and 72, have been illustrated herein, other latch connectors are possible and
would become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the present
disclosure and the examples provided.
Each latch connector is preferably held to its respective latch member by
a hitch clip 74 or hitch pin clip 74' extending through a hole 76 in the pin-
type connector 62, or extending into slots 78 in the socket 56 or 72, for
engagement with the shoulder on the pin-type latch 54 or 70.
Referring back to FIG. 3, the functions and advantages of the preferred
base structure 20 will be explained. When both ramp members 32 are in
a folded and stowed position over the base member 20, in a truck bed
extension mode, the weight of the ramp members 32 prevents the truck bed
extension from moving in vertical directions 80. Also, because both posts
28 are held between the side walls of the truck box, the truck bed extension
cannot move in lateral directions 82 relative to the truck box. Because the
tailgate-latch couplers 30 are retaining each posts 28 to the truck box, the
truck bed extension cannot move in longitudinal directions 84 relative to
the truck box.
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When the ramp members 32 are in a deployed mode and are attached to the
anchor bushings 36, the latch couplers 30 hold the base structure 20 in
place and prevent the base structure 20 from tilting in a direction
represented by arrow 86 in FIG. 3, when a load is applied on the ramp
members. Because of the functions of the posts 28 and the couplers 30, the
base structure 20 prevents the tailgate from tilting upward in a direction
represented by arrow 88, when the pickup truck drives on rough roads for
example.
Because of the posts 28 and the design versatility of the tailgate-latch
couplers 30, a same base structure 20 is easily fitted to different makes of
pickup trucks. Moreover, because of the base structure 20, a truck bed
extension and a tailgate ramp system can be fitted to a pickup truck without
making any modification to the truck itself.
The above description, illustrations and examples provided should not be
construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the
appended claims.
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