Patent ID: 9452793
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: B62D

Claim Text:
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.