Patent ID: 6983972

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 defining a generally hollow cavity and adapted to pivotally mount generally between the side walls and being operable in a generally horizontal open position and a generally vertical closed position; and a supplemental tailgate including a first and a second guide tube secured generally within the hollow cavity, and with the first guide tube including a latch device; and a movable frame assembly having a first and a second telescoping support, with the first telescoping support telescopically extendable from and retained by the first guide tube and the second telescoping support telescopically extendable from and retained by the second guide tube, a cross member connected to the first and second telescoping supports and extending therebetween, a release lever mounted on the cross member, and a latching assembly mounted within the first telescoping support and operatively connected to the release lever and to the latch device.