Abstract:
A mounting rack for mounting a ladder to a pickup truck. The pickup truck has a pickup truck bed defining a passenger side wall, a driver side wall, a front end side, and a tailgate side. The mounting rack includes a first mounting structure configured to support a first end of the ladder and a second mounting structure moveable between a storage position and an operating position. The second mounting structure is configured to support a second end of the ladder when in the operating position and abut the first mounting structure when in the storage position. The mounting rack also includes a first docking assembly configured to affix the second mounting structure to the passenger side wall and the driver side wall on the tailgate side of the pick-up truck bed when the second mounting structure is in the operating position, and a second docking assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/234,696 filed on Aug. 18, 2009, entitled, “PICKUP LADDER RACK”, the contents and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
         [0002]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/292,993 filed on Jan. 7, 2010, entitled, “PICKUP LADDER RACK”, the contents and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Pickup trucks are often used as a utility vehicle for moving tools that a contractor might use. Contractors often need to move ladders to a worksite. However, pickup truck beds are typically too short to carry a ladder in the bed without one end sticking out the back. It would be beneficial to provide a rack that secures a ladder horizontally over the cab and bed. 
         [0004]    One type of pick-up truck rack is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,890 to Christensen that issued on May 7, 1996 (hereinafter Christensen). Christensen describes a system that has horizon base rails on each bed wall, stanchion units, and support beams hanging from the stanchion units to enable it to pick up overhanging loads. 
         [0005]    Another type of pick-up truck rack is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,972 to Levi that issued on Jul. 25, 2000 (hereinafter Levi). Levi employs a four bar linkage to raise a ladder over the cab of a truck. 
         [0006]    Yet another type of pick-up truck rack is described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009/0096236 A1 to Hawley that was published on Apr. 16, 2009 (hereinafter Hawley). Hawley discloses a vertical rack suitable for securing ladders and ramps. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Unfortunately there are deficiencies to the above-described conventional heat exchangers. For example, The Christensen rack is a rigid structure that extremely expensive to manufacture, since fabrication of its components are typically milled and extruding. This rigid structure cannot be collapsed to take up less space in the truck bed when not in use. Additionally, the rack Levi has a number of joints that are susceptible to rattling and wear over time. Also, the rack in Hawley cannot be stowed toward the front of the bed when not in use. The ladder, in Hawley, is supported by thin vertical supports that may have a tendency to rattle. 
         [0008]    Therefore, what is needed is a ladder rack for securing a ladder horizontally over a pickup cab and bed that is strong, inexpensive to manufacture, does not rattle, and can be collapsed to reduce space when not in use. 
         [0009]    In contrast to the above-identified conventional pick-up truck racks, an improved pick-up truck rack includes front and rear trapezoidal mounting structures made of square tubing that span the length of the truck bed while in use and collapses to the front of the truck when being stored. A tension clamp mechanism prevents rattling of the truck rack while in its storage position. 
         [0010]    One embodiment is directed to a mounting rack for mounting a ladder to a pick-up truck. The pick-up truck has a pick-up truck bed defining a passenger side wall, a driver side wall, a front end side, and a tailgate side. The mounting rack includes a first mounting structure constructed and arranged to support a first end of the ladder and a second mounting structure moveable between a storage position and an operating position. The second mounting structure is constructed and arranged to support a second end of the ladder when in the operating position and abut the first mounting structure when in the storage position. The mounting rack also includes a first docking assembly constructed and arranged to affix the second mounting structure to the passenger side wall and the driver side wall on the tailgate side of the pick-up truck bed when the second mounting structure is in the operating position, and a second docking assembly. The second docking assembly is constructed and arranged to: (i) simultaneously affix both the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure to both the passenger side wall and the driver side wall on a front end side of the pick-up truck bed when the second mounting structure is in the storage position, (ii) affix the first mounting structure to the passenger side wall and the driver side wall on the front end side of the pick-up truck bed when the second mounting structure is in the operating position, and (iii) release the second mounting structure from the passenger side wall and the driver side wall on the front end side of the pick-up truck bed when the second mounting structure is in the operating position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation of a front rack according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation of a rear rack according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation of the racks on a pickup truck. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a pickup truck bed showing the position of square channels used to support the front and rear racks. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of a square channel assembly sized to receive the front and rear racks. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation of a square channel assembly sized to receive the rear rack. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a pickup truck bed showing the position of a second embodiment of square channels used to support the front and rear racks. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is an orthogonal view showing details of second embodiment front channels. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is an orthogonal view showing details of second embodiment rear channels. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    An improved pick-up truck rack includes front and rear trapezoidal mounting structures made of square tubing that span the length of the truck bed while in use and collapses to the front of the truck when being stored. A tension clamp mechanism prevents rattling of the truck rack while in its storage position. 
         [0022]    A first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 . Turning to  FIG. 1 , a first mounting structure  100  (i.e., front rack  100 ) is made primarily of square tubing, nominal 1 inch to 1.5 inch, welded or bolted together. It is preferably aluminum, but other materials could be used. The front rack  100  has an isosceles trapezoid having a bottom base  108  having a length substantially the same as the width of a pickup truck bed, two non-parallel sides  110   a ,  110   b , and a top base  102 . Optionally, a set of horns  104  (i.e., one or more horns; two horns  104   a ,  104   b  are shown by way of example only) can be provided at each end of the top base  102  that help secure a ladder onto the top base  102 . Optionally, downward pointing hooks  106   a ,  106   b  can be provided secured to the non-parallel sides  110   a ,  110   b  respectively to assist using a rope or shock cord to secure a ladder to the top base  102 . 
         [0023]    Two supports  112   a ,  112   b  also made of square tubing are secured perpendicular to the trapezoid bottom base  108  in a spaced relationship to fit inside the bed of a pickup truck. The two supports  112   a ,  112   b  have a height that is substantially the same as the height of a pickup truck bed. 
         [0024]    A second mounting structure  200  (i.e., the rear rack  200 ) is shown in  FIG. 2 . The rear rack  200  also has an isosceles trapezoid having substantially the same dimensions as the front rack  100  except that the rear rack  200  does not have a full bottom base. The rear rack is made of square tubing, nominal 1 inch to 1.5 inch, welded or bolted together. The rear rack has two non-parallel sizes  210   a ,  210   b , and a top base  202 . Optionally, a set of horns  204  (i.e., one or more horns  204 ; two horns  204   a ,  204   b  are shown by way of example only) can be provided at each end of the top base  202  that help secure a ladder onto the top base  202 . 
         [0025]    The rear rack  200  also has two supports  212   a ,  212   b  secured perpendicular to the trapezoid non-parallel sizes in a spaced relationship to fit inside the bed of a pickup. 
         [0026]    The rear rack  200  also has at least one threaded hole  214   a ,  214   b  that forms part of a tension clamp mechanism. The tension clamp mechanism separates the racks and prevents rattling between the front rack  100  and the rear rack  200  when stored together in a storage position, as shown more fully in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation of a pickup truck  302  having the front rack  100  and rear rack  200  shown in the stored and deployed positions within the pickup truck bed  306 . A tension clamp mechanism  304  is shown. In one embodiment, the tension clamp mechanism  304  is a threaded bolt or screw that is threaded through the rear rack  200  and presses on the front rack  100 , thereby separating them and preventing rattling. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a pickup truck bed  306 . A second docking assembly  402  (i.e., the pair of two square channels  402   a ,  402   b ) is provided towards the front of the bed  306  and sized to receive the front supports  112   a ,  112   b  and rear supports  212   a ,  212   b , meaning the inside size of the square channels of  402   a  and  402   b  are larger than the outside size of the front supports  112   a ,  112   b  and rear supports  212   a ,  212   b.    
         [0029]    A first docking assembly  404  (i.e., the pair of single square channels  404   a ,  404   b ) is provided near the rear of the bed  306  and sized to receive the rear supports  212   a ,  212 . In this view one can see the structure attached to the channels for mounting these channels in factory-provided mounting holes in the bed  306 . For example, bolting the channels to the factory provided holes could be plates secured to the channels having bolt holes and bolts. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of a two square channel assembly  402 . This assembly has a channel  502   b  for receiving a front rack support and another channel  502   a  for receiving a rear channel support when the rear channel support is in a collapsed position for storage. The channels are substantially the same size, parallel to each other, and may be secured to each other, for example, by welding or bolting. Bolting the channels to the factory provided holes in the front of the bed is shown as a plate  506  having two holes  504   a ,  504   b  corresponding to the holes in the front of the bed  306 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , except that a single channel  502   c  is provided. Bolting the channels to the factory provided holes in the rear of the bed is shown as a plate  508  having two holes  504   c ,  504   d  corresponding to the holes in the rear of the bed  306 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  show details of a second embodiment of front and rear channels.  FIG. 7  is a plan view of the pickup truck bed  306 . A second docking assembly  702  (i.e., the pair of two square channels  702   a ,  702   b ) is provided towards the front of the bed  306  and sized to receive the front supports  112   a ,  112   b  and rear supports  212   a ,  212   b , meaning the inside size of the square channels of  402   a  and  402   b  are larger than the outside size of the front supports  112   a ,  112   b  and rear supports  212   a ,  212   b.    
         [0033]    A first docking assembly  704  (i.e., the pair of single square channels  704   a ,  704   b ) is provided near the rear of the bed  306  and sized to receive the rear supports  212   a ,  212 . In this view one can see the structure attached to the channels for mounting these channels in factory-provided mounting holes in the bed  306 . For example, bolting the channels to the factory provided holes could be plates secured to the channels having bolt holes and bolts. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 8 , the right front set of channels  702   b  is shown, and the left front set  702   a  is a minor image. The right front set  702   b  comprises two channels  706 ,  708  secured parallel to each other, but offset as shown. The two channels are preferably about ten inches long. 
         [0035]    A top latch or hook  710  is secured at the top of the channels and extending away and down for hooking the set  702   b  over the front lip of a pickup truck bed  306  over the bed rail under the rear window. An offset plate  712  is secured perpendicular to the bottom of the channels  706 ,  708 . The offset plate  712  is sized to stand off the bottom of the channels from the walls of the bed  306  to orient the channels vertically when installed. 
         [0036]    Bolting the channels  702  to the factory provided holes in the front of the bed is shown as a front plate  714  having two holes  716   a ,  716   b  corresponding to preexisting holes in the front of the bed  306 . The front plate  716  is oriented on the side of the channels closes to the side of the bed  306 . The front plate  716  is parallel with the channels and perpendicular to the offset plate  712 , and is about five inches long. Therefore, the total height of the front channel assembly  702  is about 15 inches. 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  is an orthogonal view of the left rear channel  704   a  of the second embodiment. The right rear channel  704   b  is a minor image. The left rear channel  704   a  comprises a channel  718 , a rear plate  720 , and a rear latch or hook  724 . The rear channel  718  is preferably about 8.5 inches long. The rear channel  718  and rear plate  720  are secured parallel to each other but offset. The overall length of the rear channel assembly  704  is about 15.5 inches. 
         [0038]    A rear hook  724  is secured to the rear channel  718  on the same surface as the rear plate  720 . The rear hook  724  is position so that it hooks the rear of a pickup truck bed  306  for strength and to prevent rattling when installed. The rear plate has two holes  722   a ,  722   b  that correspond to the preexisting holes in the inside rear wall of the bed  306 . 
         [0039]    In each embodiment, the channels are preferably made of hollow structural square tubing having an inside height and width of at least about 1.5 inches. 
         [0040]    Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Further modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the front and rear docking assemblies could be switched if a user wished the rack to be stored towards the tailgate side of the cap instead of the front end side of the cab.