Abstract:
A vehicle cargo bed extension device useable to increase the load size capacity of a vehicle cargo bed. The vehicle cargo bed extension device includes a hinge to allow for support frame rotation. Additionally, the support frame can be adjusted horizontally and vertically in relation to a vehicle cargo bed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a cargo bed extension device for vehicles, and in particular to an extension device that is attachable at the rear of a vehicle-towing receiver and adjustable to match any type of pick-up truck. 
         [0002]    The prior art describes numerous cargo bed extension devices for vehicles such as pick-up trucks. Generally, these devices are supported at the rear of a lowered tailgate, using a support mechanism that is mounted on a hitch retainer. Normally, the extension device is comprised of a rectangular deck having a width substantially equal to the width of the vehicle cargo bed or at least a vehicle&#39;s inner fender area, and a deck support to hold the deck in the desired position, when a horizontal hitch attachment post is inserted into the hitch retainer. 
         [0003]    Prior art vehicle cargo bed extension devices are not entirely satisfactory, however, in that they are not adjustable to match different tailgate lengths and heights. Additionally, prior art vehicles are bulky when stored and will not collapse to a smaller size. Thus, there is a need for a vehicle cargo bed extension device that is adjustable to different truck sizes and collapses to a small size when stored. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Embodiments of an apparatus are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a cargo bed extender comprising an extension arm wherein a first end of the extension arm is configured to fit inside a receiver hitch and the extension is configured to fasten at multiple positions along the extension arm to the receiver hitch. A sleeve is coupled to a second end of the extension arm wherein the sleeve and the extension arm are configured to fasten at multiple positions along the extension arm and along the sleeve. A hinge is coupled to the sleeve and a support frame is coupled to the hinge. Other embodiments of the apparatus are also described. 
         [0005]    Embodiments of an apparatus are also described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a cargo bed extender comprising an extension arm comprising a first arm and a second arm wherein the first arm is perpendicular to the second arm and the first arm has a first plurality of holes and the second arm has a second plurality of holes. Further a sleeve is coupled to the second arm wherein the sleeve has a third plurality of holes A hinge is coupled to the sleeve; and a support frame is coupled to the hinge. Other embodiments of the apparatus are also described. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of an apparatus are also described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a cargo bed extender comprising an extension arm comprising a first arm and a second arm wherein the first arm is perpendicular to the second arm and the first arm has a first plurality of holes and the second arm has a second plurality of holes. Further, a first eyelet is coupled to the extension arm. A sleeve is coupled to the second arm wherein the sleeve has a third plurality of holes. A hinge is coupled to the sleeve and a support bar is coupled to the hinge. A rectangular support frame is coupled to the support bar wherein the rectangular support frame is configured with a lip around a perimeter of the rectangular support frame. A first insert and a second insert are configured to fit inside the lip of the rectangular support frame. 
         [0007]    Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  depicts a side rail extended flat for one embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  depicts a top view of the cargo bed extender support frame for one embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Throughout the description, similar reference numbers may be used to identify similar elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
         [0017]    Cargo bed extender  4  comprises extension arm  8 . Extension arm  8  has eyelet  12  and  14  and has receiver holes  16  and height adjustment holes  20 . Sleeve  24  has sleeve holes  28  and is connected to hinge  68  which allows support bar  48  to rotate. Receiver holes  16 , height adjustment holes  20 , and sleeve holes  28  are drilled completely through extension arm  8  and sleeve  24  such that a pin can slide completely through. Hinge  68  is connected to support bar  48  which is connected to support frame  32 . Eyelet  13 ,  40 , and eyelet  36  are connected to support frame  32 . Truck tailgate  44  is lowered to form a flat plane with support frame  32 . 
         [0018]    Cargo bed extender  4  can be made of any suitable material with the capacity of supporting the cargo placed on the cargo bed extender  4 . In one embodiment, the extension arm  8  is made of tubular metal material sized to fit inside a receiver hitch. In one embodiment, Eyelet  12  is welded to extension arm  8 . Receiver holes  16 , adjustment holes  20 , and sleeve holes  28  are sized to fit a hitch pin. Sleeve  24  is sized to fit over extension arm  8 . Hinge  68  can be any type of hinge suitable for supporting the weight placed on the cargo extender. Support bar  48  is sized to support the weight of cargo placed on cargo extender  4 . In one embodiment support frame  32  is made from one inch angel iron welded together to form a rectangle. Eyelet  40  and eyelet  36  are welded to support frame  32 . 
         [0019]    Cargo bed extender operates by inserting extension arm  8  into a hitch receiver. One of the receiver holes  16  are aligned with the hitch receiver hole such that support frame  32  is positioned close to the truck tailgate  44 . The different hole locations allow the cargo bed extender  4  to move horizontally to fit with multiple truck tailgate lengths. 
         [0020]    Sleeve  24  fits over extension arm  8 . Adjustment holes  20  and sleeve holes  28  are aligned such that a pin can be inserted through both holes. The different hole locations in extension arm  8  and sleeve  24  allow the cargo bed extender  4  to move vertically with relation to truck tailgate  44 . This allows the support frame  32  to match the elevation of the truck tailgate  44  for multiple hitch receiver and truck tailgate elevation differences. 
         [0021]    Sleeve  24  can be completely separated from extension arm  8  when not in use. Hinge  68  allows sleeve  24  to rotate so that it is parallel with support frame  32 . This allows cargo bed extender  4  to stored with minim space requirements. For example, the cargo bed extender  4  can be laid flat in the back of a pickup truck. 
         [0022]    Eyelets  40 ,  36 ,  13 ,  14  and  12  can be used to further secure the cargo bed extender to a vehicle or to strap down the additional cargo carried by the cargo bed extender. Eyelets  12  and  14  can be connected to eyelet  13  by a strap to prevent support frame  32  from rotating on hinge  68 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. Insert  52  and insert  56  may be inserted in support frame  32  to provide a platform to hold cargo. A lip around support frame  32  prevents insert  52  and insert  56  from horizontal movement. In one embodiment insert  52  and insert  56  can be permanently attached to support frame  32 . 
         [0025]    Support plate  60  and support plate  64  are attached to support frame  32 . Support plate  60  and support plate  64  prevent hinge  68  from rotating support frame  32  below truck tailgate  44 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender  4  for one embodiment.  FIG. 4  shows extension arm  8  removed from sleeve  24 . Extension arm  8  is placed on its side to reduce storage requiems for the cargo bed extender  4 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  depicts a side view of the cargo bed extender for one embodiment. Side rails  84  and  88 , can be attached to support frame  32  to eyelets  38  and  40 . Side rails  84  and  88  have hinges  92  and  96  that allow side rails  84  and  88  to extend flat when they are removed from support frame  32 . When Side rails  84  and  88  are extended flat they can be used as a ramp to wheel a vehicle onto support frame  32 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  Shows a side rail extended flat. Support angles  100  and  104  hook onto on support frame  32  to create a ramp for the vehicle. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  depicts a top view of the cargo bed extender support frame for one embodiment. Support mesh  108  can be permanently attached to support frame  32 . Hand holes  112  and  116  are used for lifting support frame  32 . 
         [0030]    The cargo bed extender  4  can be adjusted horizontally to match multiple tailgate lengths and adjusted vertically to match multiple distances from the hitch receiver to the tailgate. The cargo bed extender  4  is superior to existing cargo racks because one rack can be adapted to fit a variety of vehicles and does not require a different rack for each type of vehicle. 
         [0031]    Additionally, the cargo bed extender  4  can be disassembled for minimal storage space. Existing cargo racks remain in their bulky and awkward position when they are stored and do not lie flat. The cargo bed extender  4  can lie flat in the back of a vehicle cargo bed. 
         [0032]    Although the operations of the method(s) herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be altered so that certain operations may be performed in an inverse order or so that certain operations may be performed, at least in part, concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of distinct operations may be implemented in an intermittent and/or alternating manner. 
         [0033]    Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.