Patent ID: 8146786

Claim:
An apparatus for use with a vehicle having a cargo bed, the cargo bed having a tailgate with a rear surface that faces away from a front of the vehicle when the tailgate is in an upright, closed position and an opposite, front surface, the apparatus comprising: (a) a frame hingedly mounted to the tailgate with at least about 270° of rotation relative to the tailgate between a first position outside of the cargo bed and immediately adjacent and parallel to the rear surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is in the closed position and a second position immediately adjacent and transverse to the front surface of the tailgate; (b) first and second arms pivotably mounted on opposite sides of the frame with at least about 90° of rotation relative to the frame from a resting position in which the arms are substantially parallel to the frame, to an extended position; and (c) a first panel removably mounted to an underside of each of the arms in the extended position, the first panel for supporting an object when the frame is in the first position.