Cargo restraint device for pick up truck

Described is a device that can be used in conjunction with a pick-up truck to keep items from shifting during transit. The device is designed to hook under the bottom edge of the truck tail gate when the tailgate is in the closed position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to methods to keep cargo from shifting during transport in a vehicle, and more specifically to a device to used in conjunction with a pick-up truck and tail gate to restrain items from shifting when the vehicle stops, accelerates, or turns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pick-up trucks are very common vehicles used throughout the world for transporting items from one location to another. These vehicles are manufactured by several US and Asian companies, but primarily by Ford, Chevrolet (GM), Dodge, and Toyota.

Pick-up trucks typically have a cargo area behind the cab of the truck. The cargo area is a flat bed that rests on the truck frame, and has sides running the length of the truck bed, and also a side running the width of the truck cab, adjacent to the cab. The back side of the truck bed has a pivoting tail gate that can be lowered to a horizontal position for loading and unloading cargo. When the tailgate is in the upright vertical position, it joins the other 3 sides and truck bed to form an open top box that can be used to carry cargo.

The problem with this system is that the cargo box is quite large on most pick-up trucks, so small items can slide around when the vehicle starts, stops, or turns. Also, the bed of the pick-up truck is typically slanted towards the cab of the truck when there is a small or light load, which makes objects even more prone to shifting forward when the truck stops. Larger items can be tied or strapped down to keep them from shifting, but small items can be difficult to secure. Also, many pick-up trucks do not have any features such as hooks within the truck bed that be used to tie a rope or strap.

Whenever a truck accelerates, slows, or turns, the contents of the truck box will tend to move around. The most common situation that occurs is when a truck is forced to stop quickly, and all the contents of the truck box will shift forward. If the stop is exceptionally quick, the contents can shift forward violently causing them to crash into the front of the truck box causing damage to the box or cargo.

One way to reduce this shifting of cargo would be to have a containment system that is unable to move when acted upon by directional or acceleration forces.

The present invention utilizes the end of the truck bed to keep the device from sliding forward when the vehicle stops, and the bottom of the tailgate to keep the load from moving side to side. The portion that engages the tailgate also prevents the entire device from rolling over during a very sharp turn.

Additional features may also be added to the front base portion such as a containment vessel that is either shaped like a box, or shaped like the specific item meant to be held in place, such as a chainsaw. Also, the base portion can contain a grid pattern of holes meant to accept removable pins. These removable pins can be placed to make a custom arrangement to follow the contour of a specific item.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that will securely hold cargo in the back of a pick-up truck, and keep it from shifting during starting, stopping, and turning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that is easy to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint

device that is simple to operate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that is inexpensive to manufacture

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that can be easily removed when not in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that is very versatile and can be used on a wide range of cargo types.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that can be installed without tools.

Another object of the present, invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that can be installed Without fastening hardware.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cargo restraint device that can be installed without modification of the truck bed (e.g. drilling holes).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1is particularly illustrated inFIGS. 1-5. In the preferred embodiment, the cargo restraint for pick-up truck1will be used in conjunction with a containment vessel13or system to restrain articles to the horizontal base portion4.

The Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1has a front base portion4where the cargo is meant to be stored. When installed in a pick-up truck, the middle vertical portion7fits between the truck cargo bed2and the closed tailgate3. The thickness of the middle vertical portion7is equal to, or just slightly less than the gap between the truck cargo bed2and the closed tailgate3. During a turn or rapid deceleration, the middle vertical portion7will contact the cargo bed2and the closed tailgate3as the Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1is acted on by linear momentum. This contact will keep the Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1from shift from side to side, or from shifting forward.

The Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1also has a rear horizontal portion10that fits under the bottom of the closed tailgate3. During a turn, the rear horizontal portion10contacts the bottom edge of the closed tail gate as it is acted upon by linear momentum and also centrifugal forces. This contact will keep the Cargo Restraint Device for Pick-up Truck1from rolling during a turn.

The containment system13can be a vessel that is either shaped like a box, or can be shaped for a specific item that is meant to be constrained. A typical example would be a vessel shaped to hold a chainsaw.

In a variation of the preferred embodiment, the front base portion4can be provided with an array or grid pattern of pre-drilled holes that are sized to accept removable mating pins. The pins can be positioned such that they contact the edges of the cargo. Each time that the cargo is changed, the pins can be repositioned to the new cargo shape.

In another variation of the preferred embodiment, the middle vertical portion7includes a pivotal attachment means15to the front base portion4, allowing the middle vertical portion7to rotate up 90 degrees to 180 degrees so that the Cargo Restraint Device for Pick Up Truck1can be removed from the truck cargo bed2to be placed on the ground or other flat surface. In this variation, the middle vertical portion7can rotate to allow the Cargo Restraint Device for Pick Up Truck1to sit level on a flat surface other than the truck cargo bed2. A spring assist means18may also be incorporated into this variation to automatically raise the middle vertical portion7when if is not constrained by the truck tailgate3.

Having thus described in detail several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the specification of the invention, could be made without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It is also to be appreciated that numerous embodiments incorporating only part of the preferred embodiments are possible which do not alter, with respect to those pads, the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiment and optional configurations are therefore to be considered in all respects as exemplary and/or illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all alternate embodiments and changes to this embodiment which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of said claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

PARTS LIST

1. Cargo restraint device for pick-up truck2. Pick-up truck cargo bed3. Pick-up truck tail gate4. Horizontal front base portion5. Front end of front base portion8. Back end of front base portion7. Middle vertical portion8. Top end of middle vertical portion9. Bottom end of middle vertical portion10. Rear horizontal portion11. Front end of rear horizontal portion12. Back end of rear horizontal portion13. Containment vessel14. Tail gate pivot point15. Pivotal attachment means of base portion to middle portion16. Spring assist means for middle portion