Patent ID: 11970217
Assignee: LUND MOTION PRODUCTS, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 4:
5. A vehicle tailgate enclosure for use with a vehicle, the vehicle including a cargo bed, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a tailgate, the vehicle tailgate enclosure comprising:
a first upright configured to be secured to the first sidewall of the vehicle;
a second upright configured to be secured to the second sidewall of the vehicle;
a plurality of cross-members extending between the first and second uprights and configured to extend over at least a portion of the tailgate of the vehicle when the vehicle tailgate enclosure is in use, each of the plurality of cross-members comprising:
a first beam comprising a first end connected to the first upright and a second end opposite the first end of the first beam;
a second beam comprising a first end connected to the second upright and a second end opposite the first end of the second beam; and
a central beam positioned at least partially within each of the first and second beams; and

a third upright positioned along the plurality of cross-members between the first and second uprights, the third upright comprising a plurality of channels, wherein each of the plurality of channels defines a stepped hole comprising:
a first section configured to receive a portion of the first beam and a first portion of the central beam that is positioned within the first beam;
a second section configured to receive a portion of the second beam and a second portion of the central beam that is positioned within the second beam; and
a third section arranged between said first and second sections, the third section configured to receive a third portion of the central beam;

wherein:
the vehicle tailgate enclosure is configured to be transitioned from a first configuration in which the vehicle tailgate enclosure has a first width to a second configuration in which the vehicle tailgate enclosure has a second width that is greater than the first width;
when the vehicle tailgate enclosure is in said first configuration, the second ends of each of the first and second beams of each of the plurality of cross-members abut edges of the third section of one of the plurality of channels, said edges providing a physical interference that inhibits the first and second beams from extending within the third section of said one of the plurality of channels; and
when the vehicle tailgate enclosure is in said second configuration, the second ends of each of the first and second beams of each of the plurality of cross-members are spaced from said edges of the third section.