Patent ID: 6799792
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: B21D,B60R,B62D,Y10T

Abstract:
A vehicle bed member comprising a monolithic one-piece bed member constructed of thin sheetlike metal, the bed member having a plurality of downwardly-opening channel-like ribs formed therein in sidewardly spaced relation and extending longitudinally of the bed member in generally parallel relationship and terminating adjacent transversely extending front and rear end edges, the ribs being generally uniform along the length thereof and adjacent one end of the bed member being joined to downwardly sloped rib portions which taper down from the top of the full height ribs for merger with a flat edge flange which extends transversely across the width of the bed member with said flat edge flange defining thereon one said end edge of said bed member, wherein the tapered rib portion has a sloped top wall which at an upper end joins to the top wall of the full height rib and which slopes downwardly therefrom and at its lower end joins to one edge of a raised flat platform which is formed in and spaced upwardly a small distance above the flat edge flange with said raised flat platform extending longitudinally away from the lower end of said sloped top wall to a rear edge which is disposed more closely adjacent but spaced inwardly from said one and edge of said flat edge flange, said raised flat platform having a transversely extending width which approximately corresponds to and is generally aligned with the width of the respective rib, and said flat edge flange extending between transversely adjacent raised platforms for substantially coplanar joinder with the floor of the valleys defined between adjacent ribs.