Adjustable truck box extender flip gate

[0001] Current application is related with a pick-up truck box extender, especially related with an adjustable flip gate type extender that has racks for securing legs of long ladder and wheels of bicycles and motorcycles.

[0002] Most conventional pick-up truck box extenders are installed inside of a truck box and it occupies certain inside volume thereof. Therefore, most of pick-up truck owners stretch the extender unnecessarily though the inside volume of the truck box is large enough. To lead a bulky cargo, the extender must be detached from the truck box first. Load the cargo into the box and then attach the extender again. The extender becomes another load. However, it is still unstable to load a tall cargo due to the fixed length of the extender. Using the conventional extender as a divider is limited because size of each cargo is different. In addition to this, if a toolbox is already mounted in the truck box, it is very hard to carry additional cargo such as a long size ladder or leisure items like bicycles, motorcycles, etc. It is a purpose of the current application to provide a pick-up truck box extender that occupies minimum space of the truck box and enables to carry additional cargos such as long ladder, bicycles and motorcycles without detaching the extender from the truck cargo box. Another purpose of the current application is to provide an adjustable truck box extender that has racks for legs of a long ladder and wheels of bicycles and motorcycles to load them on the truck more securely and safely

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,215, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,173, U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,047 and U.S. Pat. D418,106 to Leitner, at al. illustrate a truck bed extender that includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a connecting wall, a first amount and a second mount. The connecting wall extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and cooperates with the first sidewall and second sidewall to form a generally U-shaped frame.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,724 to Jarman illustrates an apparatus for extending a vehicle cargo which includes a main panel having a first end adapted for pivotally attaching to a tailgate, the main panel including non-planar sections formed therein; and a pair of side panels pivotally attached to opposite sides of the main panel.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,188 to Nash illustrates a truck bed extender having a pair of generally parallel, spaced apart sidewalls, which are joined to a back wall, and having an open top and an open bottom.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,907 to Martinus, et al. illustrates a quick release fold-up tailgate assembly. Hinges having a socket portion connected to the tailgate and a pin portion loosely insertable into the socket portion and quickly removable from the socket portion to release quickly the tailgate attachment from the vehicle.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,759 to Cummins illustrates an extender. The extender includes a rear section pivotally attached to the bottom section and opposed side sections pivotally attached to the rear section.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,892 to Covington illustrates an extension apparatus comprises a rear panel, which has opposing first and second ends, pivotally couplable to the tailgate to pivot the rear panel between a side-board configuration and a cargo-bed extension configuration.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,480 to Bryan illustrates a truck bed extension characterized by a pair of quick release cleats and brackets to facilitate rapidly loading and unloading the truck bed extension on the truck tailgate at the rear end of the bed of a pickup truck.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,800 to Brincks, et al. illustrates a pick-up truck ramp/bed extender comprised of collapsible sections which, when fully extended and supported by supplementary rigid structures, provide a quick, convenient, and sturdy loading surface whereupon small machinery such as motorcycles, lawn mowers and snow mobile may be loaded into the truck bed with little effort.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,033 to Delaune illustrates an apparatus for extending a pickup truck bed includes a removable frame that can be connected to the pickup truck bumper of its hitch receiver.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,038 to Sauri illustrates a vehicle tailgate extender includes an extension member retractably mounted between inner and outer tailgate walls. In the stowed position, the extension members are substantially entirely enclosed by the tailgate walls. In the operative position the extension member extends from an opening in a top surface of the tailgate located intermediate the tailgate walls.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,417 to Bennett illustrates a combination-loading ramp and tailgate closure device that is releasable mounted on the rearward portion of the truck having the tailgate in an extended position.

[0014] U.S. Pat. D365,323 to Napierkowski, et al. illustrates a folding tailgate cargo stop and U.S. Pat. D291,789 to Noga illustrates a truck bed extension.

[0015] None of the prior art illustrates an adjustable pick-up truck box extender that is easily adjusted for loading various kinds of cargos as shown in the current application.

[0016] Most conventional pick-up truck box extenders are installed inside of a truck box and it occupies certain inside volume thereof. To load a bulky cargo, the extender must be detached from the truck box first. Load the cargo into the box and then attach the extender again. The extender becomes another load. However, it is still unstable to load a tall cargo due to the fixed length of the extender. Using the conventional extender as a divider is limited because size of each cargo is different. In addition to this, if a toolbox is already mounted in the truck box, it is very hard to carry additional cargo such as a long size ladder or leisure items like bicycles, motorcycles, etc. It is a purpose of the current application to provide a pick-up truck box extender that occupies minimum space of the truck box and enables to carry additional cargos such as long ladder, bicycles and motorcycles without detaching the extender from the truck cargo box. Another purpose of the current application is to provide an adjustable truck box extender that has racks for legs of a long ladder and wheels of bicycles and motorcycles to load them on the truck more securely and safely. The truck box extender flip gate of the current application is comprised of a tail gate attaching frame, 2) two side faces, each of which is comprised of one guide and one metal frame, 3) a first front face that is rotatably connected to the two guides, and 4) a second front face that is rotatably connected to the first front face via hinges. When the pick-up truck box extender flip gate is in retracted position, the two guides are embedded in two rectangular metal frames which are welded to both ends of the tail gate frame. The first front face and the second front face are overlapped with the tailgate-attaching frame when the flip gate is retracted. In extended position, the first front face and second front faces come out of the attaching frame to extend the pick-up truck cargo box space.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of an adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application retracted and installed in pick-up truck box (2). The adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application is comprised of ½ inch by ½ inch square pipes (3) of carbon steel, stainless steel rods (4), and carbon steel mesh (5). The flip gate has a first front face (6), two side faces (7), and a second front face (9). The two side faces (7) are perpendicular to the first front face (6). The two side faces (7) are comprised of two metal frames (19) and two guides (13). The first front face (6) is reinforced by vertical square pipes (8) and stainless steel rods (4), and metal meshes (5). Numbers of stain less rods (4) and vertical square pipes (3) are adjusted according to need of the user. The carbon steel mesh (5) is eliminated from the space (10) between the stainless rods (4) to allow a part of cargo to pass through. Due to the size of the square metal pipes (3), the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application does not occupy large space in the pick-up truck box (2). Therefore, the gate (1) can be installed in a truck box (2) without removing tool boxes (11) which are already installed thereof.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application. The flip gate (1) is comprised of; 1) a tail gate attaching frame (12), 2) two side faces (7), each of which is comprised of one guide (13) and one metal frame (19), 3) a first front face (6) rotatably connected to two guides (13), and 4) a second front face (9) that is rotatably connected to the first front face (6) via hinges (9-1).

[0027] The tail gate attaching frame (12) is comprised of two long metal plates (12-1) of ¼ inch thickness, which are horizontally fixed to inside surface of a tail gate (14) of a pick-up truck (15) by screwing bolts though the bolting holes (12-2). Two, 1 inch by ½ inch, rectangular metal pipes (16) are welded to both ends of the two long metal plates (12-1) of the attaching frame (12).

[0028] Pluralities of pin holes (16-1) are developed on both sides of the metal frames (19) to allow hitching pin (17) and anti-theft locking pin (18) penetrate the rectangular metal pipe (16). Two metal frames (19) made of ¼ inch metal plates, having a rectangular empty space (20) in each frame, are welded to the rectangular pipes (16), positioning vertical to the long metal plates (12-1) of the attaching frame (12). Each of the two guide (13) is comprised of four ½ inch square pipes of same length welded each other at the ends (21). On the guides (13), a number of inner pin holes (13-2), which is the same size and the same number of the pin holes (16-1) on the metal frames (19), are developed. Each of the rear pipes (13-3) has one hole (13-4) to receive the first front face (6) rotatably and welded to rear upper end of the guide (13).

[0029] The first front face (6) of the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application is comprised of ½ inch by ½ inch square metal pipes connected by welding in a large rectangular shape. Two or more vertical pipes (8), stainless steel rods (4), and carbon steel mesh (5) reinforce the front face (6). A male screw (22) is developed on one end of each stainless steel rod (4). One pin (23) hole for a stopper pin (24) is formed on the other end of the stainless steel rod (4).

[0030] The second front face (9) is made of one metal sheet, such as aluminum, stainless steel or carbon steel of ¼ inch thickness. The second front face (9) is rotatably connected to the first front face (6) via plurality of hinges (9-1). A plurality of racks (9-2) are developed on the second front face (9) to receive wheel of bicycle or leg of ladders.

[0031] The guides (13) are inserted into the metal frame (19) when the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application is in a retracted position. Then the anti-theft locking pin (18) and lock (18-1) are engaged through pin holes (16-1) and (13-2) that are located at the bottom. When a user wants to extend the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application, he/she disengages the anti-theft locking pin (18) and lock (18-1) and pulls out the first front face (6) from the rectangular pipes while gripping the tip of the front face. After the first front face (6) lifted up to a desired position, engage hitching pins (17) through pin holes (16-1) and (13-2) which are located on a proper position.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application in a position of expanded and retracted when the tail gate (14) of a pick-up truck (15) is open. The tail gate (14) is supported by strut braces (23) on opposite side of the tail gate (14). When the flip fate (1) is retracted, the only contribution of the flip gate (1) is forming a guard rail provided by the metal frames (19).

[0033] However, when the flip gate (1) is expanded, a space for loading additional cargos of a big cargo whose length is longer than the length of the floor of a pick-up truck plus the stretched tail gate (14). FIG. 4 is a side view of a long ladder (24) loaded on a pick-up truck (15) equipped with an adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application. Tip (25) of the ladder protrudes below the first front face (6). But, the tip is held by the stainless steel pipes (4). FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing of a ladder (24)'s leg engages to a rack (26) developed on the first front face (6) when the adjustable gate is expanded in a horizontal position. For the loading of such cargos, metal mesh (9) behind the stainless steel pipes (4) is eliminated from the first front face (6). If the ladder (24) is tied to the two points (27), the long ladder (24) is loaded on the pick-up truck more stably than any other loading position.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a side view of a bicycle (28) loaded on a pick-up truck (15) equipped with an adjustable truck box extender flip fate (1) of the current application. For bicycle (28), bottom of a real wheel (18-1) is inserted in a rack (26) formed between two neighboring stainless steel rods (4). A cross bar (29) between the spokes (28-2) and the rim (28-3) easily stabilize the bicycle (28) on the first face (6) of the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application.

[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application in an expanded position when the tail gate (14) of a pick-up truck (15) is closed. By pulling out the first front face (6) upward, the height of the pick-up truck box (2) is extended and a higher cargo (29) can be loaded therein.

[0036] For a cargo (30) having a volume larger than the volume of the truck box (2), the adjustable truck box extender flip gate (1) of the current application is expanded and the first front face (6) is lifted up in a position vertical to the tail gate (14) of the pick-up truck (15) as shown in the FIG. 8 while the tail gate (14) is open. Even in that case, only strut brace (23) is enough to hold the tail gate (14) because the metal frame (19) and metal guides (13) support the first front face (6).

[0037] The novel structure of the adjustable truck box extender flip fate of the current application enables not only loading more cargos to a pick-up truck but also load the cargos more stably on the expanded space.