Patent ID: 9162602
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
1. A pickup truck bed extender for a pickup truck, the pickup truck having a bed, a tailgate, and two opposing walls, the tailgate having first connectors, the opposing walls having second connectors that engage the first connectors to engage the tailgate to the opposing walls, the pickup truck bed extender comprising: a) a first barrier comprising at least three first units, said at least three first units comprising proximal, intermediate and distal units, said intermediate first unit being pivotally engaged to each of the proximal and distal units, each of the first units being disposed in a plane, each of the first units comprising a length, a width, a height, a top, a bottom, a first face, a second face, a first end, and a second end, the height of the first unit being defined by a distance from said top to said bottom, the width of the first unit being defined by a distance from said first face to said second face, a length of the first unit being defined as a distance from said first end to said second end, the first barrier comprising a C-shape at a first time and a ramp shape at a second time; b) a second barrier comprising at least three second units, said at least three second units comprising proximal, intermediate and distal units, said intermediate second unit being pivotally engaged to each of the proximal and distal units, each of the second units being disposed in a plane, each of the second units comprising a length, a width, a height, a top, a bottom, a first face, a second face, a first end, and a second end, the height of the second unit being defined by a distance from said top to said bottom, the width of the second unit being defined by a distance from said first face to said second face, a length of the second unit being defined as a distance from said first end to said second end, the second barrier comprising a C-shape at a first time and a ramp shape at a second time; c) the first and second barriers being engagable to each other such that said proximal units are disposable in a common plane, such that said intermediate units are disposable in a common plane, such that said distal units are disposable in a common plane, such that the bottom of one proximal unit is engaged to the top of the other proximal unit, such that the bottom of one intermediate unit is engaged to the top of the other intermediate unit, and such that the bottom of one distal unit is engaged to the top of the other distal unit; d) at least one of the first and second barriers when engaged to each other being further engaged to at least one of the first and second connectors to engage the first and second barriers to the pickup truck; e) the first and second barriers when engaged to each other and when in said C-shape being disposable at least partially on said tailgate such that the bed of the pickup truck is extended, the proximal and distal units of the first and second barriers being adjacent to the opposing walls of the pickup truck and being disposed forwardly of the intermediate units of the first and second barriers, the intermediate units crossing between the proximal and distal units to replace the tailgate that lays flat; and f) wherein each of the units of each of the first and second barriers includes a pair of first and second longitudinally extending support members and a set of cross members extending between said longitudinally extending support members, and further comprising a first pair of first and second junctions between said proximal unit and said intermediate unit, and a second pair of first and second junctions between said intermediate unit and said distal unit, with each of said junctions comprising a pair of external stops, the proximal and intermediate units being disposed at a first angle relative to each other when the external stops make contact with each other and prevent further pivoting of the proximal and intermediate units in the ramp configuration, and the intermediate and distal units being disposed at a second angle relative to each other when the external stops make contact with each other and prevent further pivoting of the intermediate units in the ramp configuration, and the external stops being visible to the naked eye when the pickup bed extender is in the ramp configuration.