Patent ID: 7267387

Claim:
A tailgate assembly for use with a motor vehicle having a pair of spaced, generally vertical side walls and a generally horizontal bed extending therebetween, the tailgate assembly comprising: a tailgate frame, including a rear panel and a front panel, and adapted to pivotally mount generally between the side walls and being operable in a generally horizontal open position; a supplemental tailgate positioned between the rear panel and the front panel of said tailgate frame and including a movable frame assembly extendable from said tailgate frame between a retracted position and an extended position, said movable frame assembly being pivotable relative to said tailgate frame to permit said movable frame to be oriented generally perpendicularly to said tailgate frame so that said movable frame assembly can be positioned in a generally vertical orientation when said tailgate frame is in said open position; and a lock rod assembly pivotally connected to said movable frame and being positionable to interconnect said movable frame assembly and at least one of said side walls when said movable frame is in said generally vertical orientation.