Patent ID: 7547054
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle bed extender mounting station configured to be fixed with respect to a vehicle, said mounting station comprising: a stationary portion configured to be attached to said vehicle so as to fix said mounting station with respect to said vehicle; and a moveable portion attached to said stationary portion and moveable with respect to said stationary portion, said moveable portion comprising a handle and a stop and biased toward a first position in which said stop and said stationary portion cooperate to engage a mount of said vehicle bed extender so as to secure said vehicle bed extender against detachment from said mounting station while allowing said vehicle bed extender to move from a first position over said tailgate rearward of said bed to a second position over said bed forward of said tailgate, said moveable portion further configured to assume, upon a manual application of pressure to said handle, a second position in which said mount can be disengaged from said mounting station so as to allow said vehicle bed extender to be detached from said mounting station, said moveable portion returning to said first position upon release of said application of manual pressure, said moveable portion configured to experience a force tending to maintain said moveable portion in said first position when said mount comes into contact with said stop such that said moveable portion and said stationary portion cooperate to resist detachment of said vehicle bed extender as a result of a movement of said mount without a concurrent application of manual pressure to said handle.