Patent ID: 7914060

Claim:
A vehicle cargo area extender comprising: a) a deck having a bottom surface and a top surface, the deck being movable with respect to the vehicle, the deck is comprised of a plurality of planks coupled together; and b) an arm assembly comprising a horizontal member, a first vertical member and a second vertical member, the horizontal member having an end, the first and second vertical members being coupled to said horizontal member, and the second vertical member having an insertion end such that the insertion end is capable of being inserted into a trailer hitch receiver, wherein the arm assembly may be placed in a stowed position or a deployed position such that when in said stowed position, said second vertical member is structured and arranged to be coupled with the vehicle, such that said horizontal member is disposed along a horizontal plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said vehicle and when in said deployed position said horizontal member is structured and arranged such that said horizontal member end may be coupled to the vehicle and such that the first vertical member extends upwardly; c) a crosspiece having a stem for removably coupling to either the first vertical member when in the deployed position or a receiving opening adjacent to said second vertical member when in the stowed position, the receiving opening being opposite of the second vertical member insertion end; d) the deck further comprises angle brackets coupled to the deck planks and removably coupled to the crosspiece.