Patent ID: 8561238

Claim:
A foldable hitch receiver tailgate ramp comprising: a) a hitch post having first and second ends, said first end inserted into and securing to a hitch receiver mounted under the tailgate and covered by said tailgate when said tailgate is deployed rearwardly; b) only a single articulated post pivotally attached to said second end of said hitch post, said single articulated post being substantially hollow, said articulated post having a retracted position extending upwardly from said hitch post where pivotally attached to said hitch post and substantially parallel to and spaced from said tailgate when in an up position, said articulated post having a deployed position extending rearwardly away from said tailgate substantially horizontally whereby when said tailgate is deployed rearwardly said articulated post is parallel to and spaced from said tailgate with a free edge of said articulated post extending beyond a free edge of said tailgate; c) a telescoping post with first and second ends, said first end of said telescoping post slidably residing within said single articulated post; d) a first arcuate ramp segment hingedly fastened to a second arcuate ramp segment; e) said first ramp segment having a first solid plate pivoted along a free edge of said first ramp segment, and with a pivotal connection between a mid section of said first solid plate and said second end of said telescoping post; and f) said second ramp segment having a second pivoted, solid plate along a free edge of said second ramp segment whereby when said ramp is deployed said first and second ramp segments are pivoted open to form a continuous riding surface, said second pivoted, solid plate provides a transition to said second ramp segment from a ground surface, and said first solid plate provides a transition from said first ramp segment to an upper surface of said tailgate when deployed rearwardly, said telescoping post being adjustable to allow any gap between said first solid plate and leading edge of said tail gate to be closed; g) whereby when in said retracted position of said tailgate ramp said second ramp segment extends upwardly between said first ramp segment and said upwardly extending articulated post, said articulated post being between said second ramp and said tailgate; and h) whereby when in a deployed position said first and second arcuate ramp segments form an outwardly convex riding surface.