Abstract:
The invention relates to a combination ramp and gate that is releasably securable to a truck bed using a three point adjustable attachment system with carabineers, with two of the three carabineers being partially concealed. The combination ramp and gate is lightweight and when collapsed into a closed position, the sections of the combination ramp and gate are coplanar for easy storage and portability.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a combination truck bed ramp and gate, and more particular to an improved combination truck bed ramp and gate allowing easy loading and unloading of wheeled vehicles for pickup trucks and for extending the length of the truck bed onto the tailgate. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Loading, unloading and transporting wheeled vehicles, like motorcycles, into a truck bed can be difficult due to the weight and unbalanced aspect of the wheeled vehicle. These tasks become even more difficult when performed by a single person. Further, truck beds tend not to be long enough to accommodate the wheeled vehicle, particularly with the tailgate closed. Various devices have previously been used as ramps for trucks, and specifically trucks having tailgates; however, none have satisfactorily solved the problem of easily getting motorcycles into the truck bed. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide a combination truck bed ramp and gate having a hinge design that allows the ramp/gate to fold flat for easy transport and storage. 
     It is further desirable to provide a combination truck bed ramp and gate having an easy and versatile three point adjustable attachment system with climbing style carabineer clips, with two of the three attaching carabineer clips being concealed. 
     It is yet further desirable to provide a combination truck bed ramp and gate constructed of a resilient, lightweight, non-rusting material, such as aluminum. 
     It is still further desirable to provide a combination truck bed ramp and gate having a length that reduces loading angle. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a combination truck bed ramp and gate having a first section and a second section pivotally connected to a central section. The first section, the second section and the central section each include a plurality of support members generally aligned in parallel and a plurality of cross members generally aligned perpendicular to the support members. The first section has opposing terminal ends, with one of the terminal ends having a plurality of projection prongs and the other terminal end having an adjustable strap at least partially concealed within one of the support members. The second section has a terminal end having an adjustable strap that is also at least partially concealed within one of the support members. The central section is pivotally attached along a first pivot axis to the first section and along a second pivot axis to the second section. The central section is pivotally attached intermediate of the first section and the second section such that when the combination truck bed ramp is closed, the first section, the second section and the central section are coplanar. 
     The combination truck bed ramp and gate may also include a handle along an upper side of the central section and an eyelet on a lower side of the central section. A utility strap having opposing carabiners can be selectively securable to the eyelet of the central section and the truck. Furthermore, the prongs of the first section can be coated with a polymer. 
     In addition, the first section and the second section can each respectively have an odd number of support members and the central section has an even number of support members, such as the first section and the second section each respectively having five (5) support members and the central section having four (4) support members. Moreover, the terminal ends of the support members of the central section can be respectively pivotally joined along the first axis at an inner terminal end of the support members of the first section and the second axis at an inner terminal end of the support members of the second section in an alternating fashion. 
     A rubber padding may cover a portion of the first section and/or the second section, such as an upper support member of the first section, an upper support member of the second section, a bottom edge of a lower support member of the first section and/or a bottom edge of a lower support member of the second section. 
     In general, in a second aspect, the invention relates to a combination truck bed ramp and gate having a first section, a second section and a central section. Each of the sections include a plurality of support members generally aligned in parallel and a plurality of cross members generally aligned perpendicular to the support members. The first section includes opposing terminal ends, with one of the terminal ends having a plurality of projection prongs and the other terminal end having an adjustable strap with a series of adjustment apertures and a carabiner. The adjustable strap is at least partially concealed within one of the support members. A rubber padding covers at least a portion of at least one of the support members of the first section. The also includes a terminal end having an adjustable strap with a series of adjustment apertures and a carabiner. Similarly, the adjustable strap is at least partially concealed within one of the support members, and a rubber padding covers at least a portion of at least one of the support members of the second section. The central section is pivotally attached along a first pivot pin to the first section and along a second pivot pin to the second section. The central section is pivotally attached intermediate of the first section and the second section such that when the combination truck bed ramp is closed, the first section, the second section and the central section are coplanar. The first section and the second section each respectively have an odd number of support members and the central section has an even number of support members. 
     The combination truck bed ramp and gate can also include a handle along an upper side of the central section and an eyelet on a lower side of the central section. The terminal ends of the support members of the central section can be respectively pivotally joined along the first pivot pin at an inner terminal end of the support members of the first section and the second pivot pin at an inner terminal end of the support members of the second section in an alternating fashion. The prongs of the first section can include a polymer coating, and the rubber padding may cover an upper support member of the first section, an upper support member of the second section, a bottom edge of a lower support member of the first section and/or a bottom edge of a lower support member of the second section. 
     Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example of the device positioned as a truck bed extender and gate in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the combination truck bed ramp and gate disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the device illustrated in  FIG. 1  positioned as a truck bed ramp; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the device illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an example of the device shown in a partially opened position in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention disclosed herein; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the device illustrated in  FIG. 4  shown in a closed position; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an upper side of the device illustrated in  FIG. 4  shown in a fully extended position; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a lower side of the device illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view along line  8 - 8  of the device illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of area  9  of the device illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The devices discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope. 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the construction and the arrangement of the structural and function details disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
     The description of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. In the description, relative terms such as “front,” “rear,” “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “inward,” “outward,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the device be constructed or the method to be operated in a particular orientation. Terms, such as “connected,” “connecting,” “attached,” “attaching,” “join” and “joining” are used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surface being secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricated in one piece. 
     Referring to the figures of the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate like elements throughout the several views, a combination ramp and gate  10  that is selectively securable to a truck bed  12 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the combination ramp and gate  10  may be positioned atop the tailgate  14  and secured to the truck bed  12  to be used as a gate. In an alternate mode, the combination ramp and gate  10  can be positioned between the tailgate  14  and the ground  16  to be used as a ramp for access to the truck bed  12 . 
     The combination ramp and gate  10  includes a first section  18 , a second section  20  and a central section  22 . Each of the first section  18 , the second section  20 , and the central section  22  include a plurality of spaced, support members  24 ,  26  and  28  with a plurality of cross-members  30 ,  32  and  34 . As illustrated, each of the support members  24 ,  26  and  28  are generally aligned in parallel, with the cross-members  30 ,  32  and  34  being generally perpendicular to the support members  24 ,  26  and  28 . The first section  18  and the second section  20  have a differing number of support members  24  and  26  than the number of support members  28  of the central section  22 ; for example as illustrated, the first section  18  and the second section  20  each have five (5) support members  24  and  26  while the central section  22  has four (4) support members  28 . In addition, the support members  24  and  26  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  alternate the support members  28  of the central section  22 . Terminal ends  36  and  38  of the central section  22  are respectively pivotally joined intermediate of inner terminal ends  40  and  42  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  of the combination ramp and gate  10  in an alternating fashion along an axis. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the pivotal axis can be along a pivot pin  44  joining the inner terminal ends  40  and  42  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  to the terminal ends  36  and  38  of the central section  22 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the pivotal movement along the pivot pin  44  is limited by the cross members  30  and  32  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  in relation to the central section  22  when the combination ramp and gate  10  is oriented in the closed position. Similarly as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the cross members  30  and  32  limit the pivotal movement of the first section  18  and the second section  20  in relation to the central section  22  when the combination ramp and gate  10  is fully extended. When configured in the closed position illustrated in  FIG. 5  or in the fully extended position of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the first section  18 , the second section  20  and the central section  22  of the combination ramp and gate  10  are all coplanar. 
     The first section  18  of the combination ramp and gate  10  includes a plurality of prongs  46  projecting from an outer terminal end  48 . The prongs  46  can be coated with a polymer material to increase the resistance between the combination ramp and gate  10  and the tailgate  14 . The prongs  46  are attached to the combination ramp and gate  10  along one of the cross members  30  of the first section  18 . The central section  22  can include a handle  50  and an eyelet  52  on opposing sides of the combination ramp and gate  10 . 
     The first section  18  and the second section  20  of the combination ramp and gate  10  each include an adjustable strap  54  with a carabiner  56 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , each of the adjustable straps  54  has a plurality of adjustment apertures  58  through which a fastener  60  is secured. When the combination ramp and gate  10  is used as a gate shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the carabiner  56  is selectively secured to the truck bed  12  and the apertures  58  allow the tension of the strap  54  to be adjusted, thereby securely fastening the combination ramp and gate  10  to the truck bed  12 . Additionally, a utility strap  62  can be used to secure the combination ramp and gate  10  to the hitch of the truck thereby providing additional stability during differing modes of usage. 
     Moreover, the portion of one of the support members  24  and  26  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  can each respectively include a rubber padding. For example as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the upper support members  24  and  26  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  can each respectively include the rubber padding  66  intermediate of the outer terminal cross member and the central cross member  30  and  32  to increase resistance between the combination ramp and gate  10  and the truck bed  12 . In addition, a bottom edge of the lower support members  24  and  26  of the first section  18  and the second section  20  can each respectively include the rubber padding  68  to increase the resistance between the combination ramp and gate  10  and the tailgate  14  of the truck. 
     Whereas, the devices have been described in relation to the drawings and claims, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope of this invention.