Truck bed extender

[0001] Not Applicable

[0002] Not Applicable

[0003] Not Applicable

[0004] A. Field of the Invention

[0005] Every pickup truck has a bed, which is normally used to haul different items. Although some of the beds are closed, most are open. This device allows the length of the bed to be extended. This would increase the storage capacity of the bed and also be useful in situations where extremely long items i.e. timbers or pieces of drywall need to be hauled.

[0006] B. Prior Art

[0007] In the prior art there are other examples of extensions to bed liners and a few examples of these are Leitner, D417,859, Devalcourt U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,593, Tibbals, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,311, and Trostle U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,410.

[0008] All of these devices extend the length of the truck bed in a variety of different fashions. In this case this device will allow one edge of the truck bed extender to fold down to load an item and then fold back up to again contain the contents of the pickup truck bed.

[0009] Every pickup truck has a bed with a folding gate or tailgate. The purpose of the folding gate on the pickup truck is to insure that the contents in the bed of the truck remain in the bed when the items are hauled. This device extends that gate.

[0010] The device lies flat against the pickup bed surface and is comprised of a hard surface material, and a folding gate on one end. A hinge on the gate of this device allows the gate to rotate approximately one hundred eighty degrees from a vertical position relative to the pickup truck tailgate in an “up” position to a “down” position. When it is installed, the pickup truck bed is open and this device lies against the surface of the pickup truck bed and the tailgate.

[0011] The device is secured to the truck bed by two holding straps, which attach to the top surface of the folding gate device and a holding strap across the underside of the tailgate of the pickup. Hooks are provided to secure the holding strap. Steel bands or thick rope material may also be used for the holding straps.

[0012] The folding gate portion of this device will be solid in construction similar to the tailgate of the pickup truck. This solid structure will prevent debris from leaving the pickup truck bed and onto traffic in the road. Because of the exposure to the elements and the general nature of the material to be hauled, it should be constructed from durable material.

[0013] When the device is used it will be able to be strapped and unstrapped from the top surface of the truck bed liner as needed in the event that an extension is not necessary.

[0014] It is an object of the device to extend the useful length of a pickup truck bed without making any permanent modifications to the pickup truck and yet at the same time maintain the safety of the item for other traffic. It is a further object to make the device such that it can be easily removed, folded up and stored when not needed.

[0015] Every pickup truck has a bed with a folding gate or tailgate. The purpose of the folding gate on the pickup truck is to insure that the contents in the bed of the truck remain in the bed when the items are hauled. This device extends that gate.

[0016] The device lies flat against the pickup bed surface and is comprised of a hard surface material, and a folding gate on one end. A hinge on the gate of this device allows the gate to rotate approximately one hundred eighty degrees from a vertical position relative to the pickup truck tailgate in an “up” position to a “down” position. When it is installed, the pickup truck bed is open and this device lies against the surface of the pickup truck bed and the tailgate.

[0017] The device is secured to the truck bed by two holding straps, which attach to the top surface of the folding gate device and a holding strap across the underside of the tailgate of the pickup. Hooks or other means are provided to secure the holding strap to the top surface of the device tailgate to the walls of the pickup truck. Steel bands or thick rope material may also be used for the holding straps.

[0018] The folding gate portion of this device will be solid in construction similar to the tailgate of the pickup truck. This solid structure will prevent debris from leaving the pickup truck bed and onto traffic in the road. Because of the exposure to the elements and the general nature of the material to be hauled, it should be constructed from durable material.

[0019] When the device is used it will be able to be strapped and unstrapped from the top surface of the truck bed liner as needed in the event that an extension is not necessary.

[0020] It is an object of the device to extend the useful length of a pickup truck bed without making any permanent modifications to the pickup truck and yet at the same time maintain road safety when using this device. It is a further object to make the device such that it can be easily removed, folded up and stored when not needed.

[0027] This is a tailgate bed extension 5 and is used when the truck tailgate 14 is opened and is in a roughly horizontal position such as shown in FIG. 1. It is comprised of a flat surface 30, which rests on a portion of the bed of the pickup truck 16 and extends over the entire surface of the truck tailgate 14. A portion of the device will remain in the area of the original bed 16 of the truck. FIG. 1

[0028] On one end of the device 5 is the device tailgate 25. When the device 5 is installed, the device tailgate 25 will be roughly perpendicular to one end of the device 5 and will be connected to the flat surface 30 at that end by a hinge 20. FIG. 5 Holding straps 10 will secure the top edge of the device tailgate 25 to the sides of the pickup truck. FIG. 2 A separate tailgate strap 15 will secure the device to the truck tailgate. FIGS. 1,4

[0029] The hinge 20 will enable the device tailgate 25 to rotate approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from a configuration of pointing straight up to a configuration where it is pointing straight down. The hinge 20 will allow the device tailgate 25 to rotate downward in order to load large items and then easily secure the device 5 when the items have been placed in the bed 16 of the pickup truck. FIGS. 4,5 The device tailgate 25 of this device will be constructed as a solid piece so that the items in the bed 16 of the pickup truck remain in the bed 16 of the truck.

[0030] Two holding straps 10 secure the device in place. The holding straps connect to one end of the device tailgate 25 and the other end to the sides of the pickup truck. Most trucks have holes in the sides of the truck and it is anticipated that the means of connection would include a pin or hook, which would fit within these predrilled holes. FIGS. 1,2,4 The holding straps 10 may be constructed of plastic, rope, nylon, or any other suitable material.

[0031] The bottom surface 30 of this device will rest on the original tailgate 14 of the pickup truck. FIG. 1 It is imperative that the bottom surface not be allowed to shift especially if one or both of the holding straps 10 became damaged. As an added precaution the bottom surface 30 of this device is secured to the truck tailgate 14 by a separate tailgate strap 15. FIGS. 1,4 On the edges of the bottom surface 30 are the means to connect 35 the respective ends of the tailgate strap 15. FIGS. 1,3,4 It is anticipated that an elastic cord would be used for the tailgate strap 15 although other means such as ropes or steel bands may also be used. The means to connect 35 is depicted as hooks, which will accommodate hooks on the separate tailgate strap 15; other means may also be used.

[0032] On the sides of this device is a hook 35 which secures the tailgate strap 15. The purpose of this means to connect and separate tailgate strap 15 is to ensure that the device remains affixed as much as possible to the truck tailgate 14 during normal operations.

[0033] The device tailgate 25 can be hollow or solid although it is depicted as a solid piece. It is preferable that it be a solid piece for the safety of other vehicles on the road.

[0034] At times the bottom surface 30 may shift and the placement of a preformed or molded ridge 45, which is inserted into the gap, which is formed between the truck bed and device tailgate 25, would provide added stability to this device 5. FIG. 6 A gap when the truck tailgate is folded down is unavoidable and the ridge 45 would provide additional security and stability for the device to prevent shifting in a horizontal fashion during normal operation.

[0035] Regardless of the embodiment and because of the wear and tear in a typical pick up truck all parts of the device should be constructed from durable yet weather resistant and environmentally resistant material.