Patent ID: 8882435

Claim:
A tailgate shoveling apparatus comprising: (a) an upper panel ( 30 ) having first and second sides and being adapted to be mounted in association with a bottom wall of a vehicle containment bed for pivotation with respect to such bottom wall from a generally upright position wherein said upper panel closes an end of such vehicle containment bed, to a downwardly-extending open position, said upper panel having a first left side and a first right side, a first length extending from a first proximate end proximate such containment bed to a first remote end remote from such containment bed; (b) a lower panel ( 40 ) having first and second ends, the first end being attached to said upper panel such that said lower panel can extend rearwardly of said upper panel when said upper panel is in such downwardly-extending open position, said lower panel ( 40 ) extending at a first angle intersecting the first side of said upper panel and being disposed on a first side of an imaginary plane which defines an extension of said upper panel, said lower panel having a second right side and a second left side, a second length extending from a second proximate end proximate said upper panel to a second remote end remote from said upper panel; (c) an upstanding lip ( 55 ) attached to the second end of said lower panel and extending from the second end of said lower panel at a second angle, greater than the first angle and extending away from the same imaginary plane on the same first side of said upper panel, an extension of such second angle intersecting the same imaginary plane on the same first side of said upper panel, said upstanding lip having a third right side and a third left side, a third length extending from a third proximate end proximate said lower panel to a third remote end remote from said lower panel; (d) a first side panel ( 45 ) directly attached to the third left side of said upstanding lip and to the second left side of said lower panel, and extending transverse to both of said lower panel and said upstanding lip, and along the full second and third lengths of said lower panel and said upstanding lip; and (e) a second side panel ( 50 ) directly attached to the third right side of said upstanding lip and to the second right side of said lower panel, and extending transverse to both of said lower panel and said upstanding lip, and along the full second and third lengths of said lower panel and said upstanding lip.