Patent ID: 7063366

Claim:
A vehicle bed extender for use with a vehicle having an open storage bed having a rear end, a first upstanding side panel to one side of said bed having an inner side having a lower end and an upper end, a second upstanding side panel to an opposite side of said bed having an inner side and a tailgate, a first mounting station fixed with respect to said first upstanding panel defining a first station surface, a second mounting station fixed with respect to said second upstanding panel defining a second station surface, said extender comprising: a first side wall; a second side wall; a connecting wall extending between said first side wall and said second side wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and said connecting wall cooperating to form a generally U-shaped frame having a first open side and a second open side; a first mount on said first side wall comprising a first interlocking member defining a first mount surface; and a second mount on said second side wall comprising a second interlocking member defining a second mount surface, said first station surface and said first mount surface, and said second station surface and said second mount surface cooperating to secure said extender to said vehicle so that said extender is in an upright position over said tailgate rearward of said rear end of said bed with said first open side facing away from said tailgate and said second open side facing toward said tailgate, and at least a portion of said side wall extends at least the majority of the distance between said upper end and said lower end of said first panel, and wherein one of said first station surface and said first mount surface defines a first opening through which the other of said first station surface and said first mount surface can be withdrawn from said inner side of said first panel to disengage said extender from said first panel and one of said second station surface and said second mount surface defines a second opening through which the other of said second station surface and said second mount surface can be withdrawn from said inner side of said second panel to disengage said extender from said second panel, wherein said first mount forms a single piece with said portion of said side wall.