Patent ID: 6554340
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
In combination with an automotive vehicle having a forward cab for vehicle occupants and a rearward flattened bed for vehicle cargo, a pair of laterally-spaced side walls extending rearwardly from said cab on opposite sides of the bed and further having a generally rectangular rear tailgate having upper and lower edges pivotally mounted with respect to said side walls for selective movement between substantially horizontal and vertical fixed positions relative to said side walls and said bed for respectively horizontally extending and vertically gating the bed, a vehicle bed cover and extender unit for protectively covering said bed and for extending said bed rearwardly beyond the extent of said tailgate when said tailgate is in said substantially horizontal position, said unit having a pair of laterally spaced and elongated sides with forward and trailing ends extending along the side walls of said bed, a transversely extending and pivotally mounted gating wall connecting said sides to one another adjacent to the forward ends thereof, a generally rectangular overhead cover for the unit having forward and trailing edges covering at least one portion of the bed, said trailing edge of said cover being generally aligned with the upper edge of said tailgate for operatively closing said bed, forward pivot construction adjacent to the forward edge of said overhead cover defining a first transverse axis for pivotally mounting said cover to said sides at points adjacent to the forward ends thereof so that said trailing end of said cover can be manually gripped and said cover turned from the rear of said vehicle in a swinging movement on the first transverse axis between a closed position overlying said sides of the unit to cover said bed and an open position away from said sides of said unit whereby the area between the sides and said bed is accessible, rearward pivot construction defining a second transverse axis for pivotally mounting the sides of the unit to the side walls of said bed of the vehicle so that said unit can be turned on the second transverse axis to a bed extending position in which the cover overlaps and is directly supported by a portion of said bed and by said tailgate when said tailgate is in said horizontal and bed extending position to thereby further extend said bed of the vehicle and in which said pivotally mounted gating wall serves as an operable tailgate for the extended bed.