Abstract:
A table assembly to be mounted on the rear of a vehicle may include a stake mounting frame member to connect to a stake hole of the vehicle, a horizontal frame extending member to slidably connected to the stake mounting frame member, a leg frame member to pivotably connect to the horizontal frame extending member, a base frame member to connect to the horizontal frame extending member and a table cover member to connect to the base frame member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Background 
       [0001]    Light truck models including pick-up trucks are an important part of vehicle sales in most states, and it is evident that many households are using them as their primary vehicles. They have become mainstream at all sporting events, national parks, and job sites all over the world. The availability of extra surface area to use as a table or other support purpose is always desirable in these situations, whether it is used as a work bench to support equipment needed on a job or as a table on which to place food and other refreshments. The rise in popularity of “Tailgate Parties” as well as the desire for off road activities, such as kayaking and canoeing, makes a product such as the simple, convenient, and self-supporting tailgate table/extension, a viable offshoot to enhance the practicality of pickup trucks, sport/utility vehicles, and other vehicles having a tailgate suitable for its attachment. Thus, there presently exists a need for a device that is unobtrusive when stowed, easy to move between its usable and stored positions, as well as practical and efficient when used in both work and recreational applications. 
         [0000]    There have been many approaches by inventors to the design of tailgate improvements and accessories. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,731 to Tognetti (July, 1997), discloses a device that is usable as a table rather than an extension feature. The Tognetti workbench is on vehicle mounted tracks secured to the floor of the cargo compartment. Its mechanism has two rails extending along the length of the truck bed and a rigid plate member forming a work bench positioned above the first and second rails. There are also a plurality of rollers secured to the rigid plate member whereby the rigid plate member and the attached rollers can be rolled in and out of the cargo compartment. 
         [0002]    Another approach to tailgate adaptation, and which combines the features of a tailgate extension and a work surface, is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,294 to Disner (February 2001). The Disner device mounts on the tailgate of a pickup with a hinging means that is enabled as a work surface only through the engagement of removable legs. This means of attachment also creates a permanent mounting disfigurement to the truck in which it is installed. The device has a central panel and two end panels each having means for attachment on opposed sides of the central panel, which together function to provide enlargement of the cargo area of a truck bed by enclosing the truck&#39;s tailgate in the down position. The side panels of the Disner invention can be rotated into a stowed position on top of the central panel. 
         [0003]    Truck bed side walls often include one or more holes, which provide access to enclosed areas within the truck bed side wall, known as stake holes or stake pockets. Such stake holes allow the truck user to attach various items, such as tie-downs, rails, canopies, bed liners, antennas, and flags, to their truck bed side walls. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A table assembly to be mounted on the rear of a vehicle may include a stake mounting frame member to connect to a stake hole of the vehicle, a horizontal frame extending member to slidably connected to the stake mounting frame member, a leg frame member to pivotably connect to the horizontal frame extending member, a base frame member to connect to the horizontal frame extending member and a table cover member to connect to the base frame member. 
         [0005]    The leg frame member may include a telescoping leg to extend or retract to accommodate uneven terrain, and the base frame member may include a first frame member and a mirrored second frame member. 
         [0006]    The first frame member and the second frame member may include interlocking fingers, and the first frame member and the second frame member may be pivotably connected. 
         [0007]    The first frame member and the second frame member may be connected with a piano hinge. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the stake mounting frame member of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the horizontal frame extending member of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates an end view of the horizontal frame extending member of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the leg frame member of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exploded view of the base frame member and the table cover member of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exploded view of the base frame member and the leg frame member of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates an exploded view of the stake mounting frame member connected to a vehicle and the horizontal frame extending member; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  illustrates the horizontal frame extending member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a stake mounting frame member  101  of the table assembly  100 , and the stake mounting frame member  101  may include an U-shaped portion  105 , a L-shaped portion  107  and a longitudinal portion  103 . The stake mounting frame member  101  may be formed from rigid material such as wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material. The longitudinal portion  103  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105  which may be sized sufficiently to extend between the back of the pickup truck and the stake hole which may be formed within the body of the pickup truck. The L-shaped portion  107  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105 , and the base of the L-shaped portion may be sized to allow the U-shaped portion  105  to extend substantially vertically within the stake hole. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates a horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  additionally illustrates that the horizontal frame extending member  109  may include an aperture  115  to cooperate with a fastening device  117  which may be formed in an end of the leg frame member  117 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , which may include a base portion  121 . The base portion  121  may include a channel  123  which may extend in the longitudinal direction of the base portion  121  in order to cooperate with a telescoping leg portion  125  which may be extended or retracted (by telescoping) within the base portion  121 . The telescoping leg portion  125  facilitates a substantially flat and horizontal table member  127  in uneven terrain. The table assembly  100  may include a mirrored stake mounting frame member  101 , a mirrored horizontal frame extending member  109  and a mirrored leg frame member  117  which may be positioned on an opposed back side of the pickup truck. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates an end view of the horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a first and second base frame member  501  which may be mirrored members and formed from rigid and rectangular or other shaped members and the first and second base frame member  501  may include a front frame member  503  which may include forward extending front finger members  505  which may connect to a piano hinge  511  by the shaft  513  to connect to the mirrored front finger members  505  to allow the first and second base frame member  501  to rotate by pivoting to form a pivotable connection on the piano hinge. The front frame member  503  may be connected to opposing side frame members  507  which may be connected to the back frame member  509 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  additionally illustrates a table cover member  519  which may extend over the base frame member  501  in order to provide a continuous surface for the table. The table cover member  519  may be formed from rigid material such as wood, plastic, metal or other appropriate material. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exploded view of a first and second base frame member  501  which may be mirrored members and formed from rigid and rectangular or other shaped members and the first and second base frame member  501  may include a first front frame member  503  which may include forward extending front finger members  505  which may connect to a piano hinge  511  by the shaft  513  to connect to the mirrored second front finger members  505  to allow the first and second base frame member  501  to rotate by pivoting on the piano hinge. The front frame member  503  may be connected to opposing side frame members  507  which may be connected to the back frame member  509 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates the leg frame member  117  which may cooperate with an fastening device  117  which may be formed in an end of the leg frame member  117  which may include a base portion  121 . The base portion  121  may include a channel  123  which may extend in the longitudinal direction of the base portion  121  in order to cooperate with a telescoping leg portion  125  which may be extended or retracted within the base portion  121 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  illustrates a stake mounting frame member  101  of the table assembly  100 , and the stake mounting frame member  101  may include an U-shaped portion  105 , a L-shaped portion  107  and a longitudinal portion  103 . The stake mounting frame member  101  may be formed from rigid material such as wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material. The longitudinal portion  103  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105  which may be sized sufficiently to extend between the back of the pickup truck  701  and the stake hole  703  which may be formed within the body of the pickup truck. The L-shaped portion  107  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105 , and the base of the L-shaped portion may be sized to allow the U-shaped portion  105  to extend substantially vertically within the stake hole. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates a horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates the horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  additionally illustrates a table cover member  519  which may extend over the base frame member  501 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates a stake mounting frame member  101  of the table assembly  100 , and the stake mounting frame member  101  may include an U-shaped portion  105 , a L-shaped portion  107  and a longitudinal portion  103 . The stake mounting frame member  101  may be formed from rigid material such as wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material. The longitudinal portion  103  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105  which may be sized sufficiently to extend between the back of the pickup truck  701  and the stake hole  703  which may be formed within the body of the pickup truck. The L-shaped portion  107  may be connected to the U-shaped portion  105 , and the base of the L-shaped portion may be sized to allow the U-shaped portion  105  to extend substantially vertically within the stake hole. 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  illustrates a horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  illustrates the horizontal frame extending member  109  which may include a support frame member  113  and a bracket member  111  which may be substantially U-shaped and form to cooperate with the longitudinal portion  103  of the stake mounting frame member  101 . The bracket member  111  may be positioned on each end of the support frame member  113  to support the longitudinal portion  103  in a substantially parallel relationship with respect to the support frame member  113 . The longitudinal portion  103  may be removably or detachably connected to the brackets  111  in order to store the table assembly  100 . 
         [0032]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.