Abstract:
A ramp for motorcycles and lawn mowers folds up into a gate to fit on top of a tailgate of a pickup truck to extend the truck bed onto the open tailgate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     My U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/073,946, filed Feb. 2, 1998, is incorporated herein by reference. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to ramps for pickup trucks. More particularly, the present invention relates to ramps for pickup trucks and pickup truck tailgates. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Transporting motorcycles in the back of pickup trucks can be a chore, both because it can be difficult to get the motorcycles in the back of the pickup truck and because the bed of the truck is often not long enough to hold a motorcycle. 
     A product called an “AMP Xtender”, commercially available from AMP Research of Laguna Hills, Calif. and shown in an ad on page 84 of the Feb. 1997 issue of Motocross Action serves to effectively extend the length of a truck bed by providing a gate which fits atop the tailgate of a pickup truck. However, it does not solve the problem of getting motorcycles into the truck. 
     The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are incorporated herein by reference: 4,596,417; 4,944,546; 4,478,540; 4,668,002; 5,287,579; 5,211,437; 5,538,308; 5,553,762; and 5,700,047. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The apparatus of the present invention solves the problems confronted in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is a truck bed extender which can also function as a folding ramp or ramps for loading wheeled vehicles into a pickup truck. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention used as a truck bed extender; 
     FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the present invention used as a single ramp; 
     FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the present invention used as two ramps; 
     FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the present invention in a folded position; 
     FIG. 5 is a detail of the second ramp of the first embodiment of the present invention in an open position; 
     FIG. 6 is a detail of the second ramp of the first embodiment of the present invention in a partially open position; 
     FIG. 7 is a detail of the second ramp of the first embodiment of the present invention taken along the lines VII—VII in FIG. 6; 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are details of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a rear view of a pickup truck on which is mounted the second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of a pickup truck on which is mounted the second embodiment of the present invention in a truck-bed extender position; 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a pickup truck on which is mounted the second embodiment of the present invention in a ramp position; 
     FIG. 13 is a detail of the ramp of the second embodiment of the present invention in an open position; 
     FIG. 14 is a detail of the ramp of the second embodiment of the present invention in a partially open position; 
     FIG. 15 is a detail of the ramp of the second embodiment of the present invention taken along the lines XV—XV in FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 16 is a detail of the second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 is a side rear perspective view of a pickup truck on which is mounted the third embodiment of the present invention in a truck-bed extender position; and 
     FIG. 18 is a side perspective view of a pickup truck on which is mounted the third embodiment of the present invention in a ramp position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is a truck bed extender/loading ramp  10 . Truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  can advantageously be used for loading a wheeled vehicle into a pickup truck  50  having a bed  51  and a tailgate  52  and for extending the bed onto the tailgate. Truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  comprises a first folding ramp  30  for loading a wheeled vehicle (such as a motorcycle  47 ) into a pickup truck  50 , the folding ramp having means (hinged connections  31 ) for allowing the ramp to be folded into a truck bed extender. Truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  further comprises a second folding ramp  20  removably attachable to the first folding ramp  30  (as with connecting studs  25 ). 
     Truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  comprises means (tongues  40 ) for holding the first folding ramp  30  onto the tailgate  52  when the apparatus  10  is functioning as a ramp. Truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  also comprises means for holding the first folding ramp  30  onto the tailgate  52  when the apparatus  10  is functioning as a truck bed extender. The first folding ramp  30  is made of three sections, a left section  32 , a central section  33 , and a right section  34 . As shown in the drawings, the central section  33  has a length approximately equal to the width of the tailgate  52  and the left  32  and right  34  sections each have a length approximately equal to the length of the tailgate  52 . 
     As can be seen in the drawings, the apparatus  10  can switch between a tailgate extender (FIG. 1) and a single ramp configuration (FIG. 2) and a double ramp configuration (FIG.  3 ). 
     Ramps  20  and  30  are preferably made strong enough (as of aluminum) to support motorcycles and lawnmowers which are of a size to be able to roll up the ramps. 
     The second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  10 ∝ 16 . This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in a number of ways. First, the pipe-type hinges  41  are replaced with screw-on-type utility hinges  61 . The connecting stud  25  was changed to make use of an RV-type locking pin  225 , as shown in FIGS. 10,  11 , and  16 . FIGS. 10 and 11 show how the ramps  220  and  230  secured to the tailgate as a bed extender using utility straps  42 . The utility straps  42  have a dual purpose that is shown. The straps  42  are used to hold the ramps  220  and  230  to prevent slipping off the end of the tailgate  52  when loading or unloading. 
     The ramp when folded can also be stored inside the cab of the pickup truck for security. 
     By changing the length of the central section of the ramp, the present invention can be sized to fit all different types and sizes of pickup truck. 
     The third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is a truck bed extender/loading ramp  100  (see FIGS.  17  and  18 ). This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it offers a single ramp design only. Truck bed extender/loading ramp  100  can advantageously be used for loading a wheeled vehicle (such as a motorcycle  47 ) into a pickup truck  50  having a bed  51  and tailgate  52  and for extending the bed onto the tailgate in the same way that truck bed extender/loading ramp  10  is used. 
     Truck bed extender/ramp  100  comprises means (tongues  40 ) for holding the first folding ramp  101  onto the tailgate  52  when the apparatus  100  is functioning as a ramp. Truck bed extender/loading ramp  100  also comprises a means for holding the first folding ramp  101  onto the tailgate  52  when the apparatus  100  is functioning as a truck bed extender. The ramp  100  is made of three sections, a left section  101 , a central section  102 , and a right section  103 . As shown in the drawings, the central section  102  has a length approximately equal to the width of the tailgate  52  and the left  101  and the right  103  sections each have a length approximately equal to the length of the tailgate  52 . 
     As can be seen in the drawings, the apparatus  100  can switch between a tailgate extender (FIG. 17) and a single ramp configuration (FIG.  18 ). 
     Ramp sections  101 ,  102  and  103  are preferably made strong enough (as of aluminum) to support motorcycles which are of a size to be able to roll up the ramp. 
     All ramps disclosed herein preferably have sections attached to one another with hinges  41 ,  61  and link assemblies  70  (see FIGS.  5 - 7 ). Each link assembly  70  includes four legs  71  and a bearing bar  72  welded or otherwise attached to the lower two legs  71  of link assembly  70 . The lower two legs  71  are bolted or otherwise rotatably attached to one section of the ramp, and the upper two legs  71  are bolted or otherwise rotatably attached to the section of the ramp which is above the section to which the lower two legs are attached. Each upper leg  71  is bolted or otherwise rotatably attached to one lower leg  71 . Link assemblies  70  serve to hingedly attach the ramp sections together and to provide support when the ramp sections are opened up into a ramp (the lower section of the ramp connected to each link assembly rests on the bearing bar  72  when the ramp is opened up and prevents further travel of the ramp sections). 
     PARTS LIST: 
     The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention: 
       10  truck bed extender/ramp of the first embodiment of the present invention (preferably made of aluminum) 
       20  second folding ramp 
       22  left section of second folding ramp  20   
       23  central section of second folding ramp  20   
       24  right section of second folding ramp  20   
       25  connecting studs on ramp  30   
       30  first folding ramp 
       31  hinged connection 
       32  left section of first folding ramp  30   
       33  central section of first folding ramp  30   
       34  right section of first folding ramp  30   
       40  tongues (preferably vinyl-coated aluminum) 
       41  pipe-type hinges 
       42  utility straps 
       47  motorcycle 
       50  pickup truck 
       51  bed 
       52  tailgate 
       61  screw-on-type utility hinges 
       70  link assemblies 
       71  legs 
       72  bearing bar 
       100  ramp 
       101  left section 
       102  central section 
       103  right section 
       220  folding ramp 
       222  left section of folding ramp  220   
       223  central section of folding ramp  220   
       224  right section of folding ramp  220   
       225  RV-type locking pin 
       230  folding ramp 
       232  left section of folding ramp  230   
       233  central section of folding ramp  230   
       234  right section of folding ramp  230   
     All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise. 
     The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.