Truck bed extension apparatus

摘要

A truck bed extension apparatus is useful in extending the bed of a truck having a primary tailgate pivotally movable between open and closed configurations. The apparatus includes a hinge assembly having a hinge plate coupled to the primary tailgate. An auxiliary tailgate includes a lower edge pivotally coupled to a front edge of the hinge plate, the auxiliary tailgate being pivotally movable between a stowed configuration co-planar with and adjacent to the hinge plate and a deployed configuration extending upwardly from the hinge plate. A pair of side panels is pivotally coupled to opposed side edges of the auxiliary tailgate and selectively movable between retracted and extended configurations. The truck bed is extended and enclosed when the primary tailgate is at an open configuration, the auxiliary tailgate is at the deployed configuration, and the pair of side panels is at the extended configuration.

主权项

1. A truck bed extension apparatus for use in extending a usable area of a truck having a pickup box that defines an open end and that includes a primary tailgate pivotally movable about a pivot attaching the primary tailgate to the truck bed, between a closed configuration impeding the open end and an open configuration not impeding the open end, said bed extension apparatus comprising:
a hinge assembly comprising first, second, and third hinge plates and first and second hinges, said first hinge connecting said first and second hinge plates and said second hinge connecting said second and third hinge plates, wherein said first hinge plate is coupled to the primary tailgate, said first hinge plate having a front edge adjacent to and spaced inwardly from a free edge of the primary tailgate, said inward direction extending from the free edge toward the pivot; an auxiliary tailgate having a lower edge coupled to said third hinge plate, said auxiliary tailgate being pivotally movable between a stowed configuration generally co-planar with and adjacent to the first hinge plate in which an entirety of said hinge assembly is spaced inwardly from said free edge of said primary tailgate, and a deployed configuration extending upwardly from and perpendicular to the first hinge plate in which said second hinge is spaced outwardly from said free edge of said primary tailgate; a pair of side panels pivotally coupled to side edges of said auxiliary tailgate, respectively, each side panel being selectively movable between a retracted configuration generally co-planar with and bearing against an inside surface of said auxiliary tailgate and an extended configuration generally perpendicular to said inside surface of said auxiliary tailgate; wherein the pickup box is extended and enclosed when the primary tailgate is at the open configuration, said auxiliary tailgate is at said deployed configuration, and said pair of side panels is at said extended configuration.