Vehicle cargo tailgate enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173735-B2
Application number	US-201715448952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Oct 27, 2006
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

An improved vehicle cargo tailgate enclosure particularly adapted for ease of installation and removal. The tailgate enclosure comprises two side walls and a rear wall. The rear wall is configured to slope upwardly and rearwardly to provide additional storage space to a cargo bed of a vehicle. The cargo tailgate enclosure further comprises tubular members which comprise a non-circular cross section which provide exceptional strength a structural stability to the cargo tailgate enclosure. The cargo tailgate enclosure further comprises a plurality of upright members. Some of the upright members are configured to attach the cargo tailgate enclosure to a vehicle and to cap the tubular members. Other upright members are configured to support the tailgate enclosure against the surface cargo bed or a tailgate of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle storage bed, the vehicle storage bed comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, a cargo bed, and a tailgate; and
a vehicle tailgate enclosure configured to pivot within the vehicle storage bed, the vehicle tailgate enclosure comprising:
a plurality of tubular members, each tubular member of the plurality of tubular members being vertically spaced apart from an adjacent tubular member and having at least two bend transitions, wherein the plurality of tubular members are configured to extend from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, and wherein each tubular member vertically spaced away from an adjacent tubular member;
a pair of end uprights having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the pair of end uprights comprising a plurality of partial channels extending partially through the pair of end uprights from the first side, each of the plurality of partial channels configured to accept an end of a tubular member of the plurality of tubular members, wherein the second side of each of the pair of end uprights is closed-off to form an end cap for the plurality of tubular members; and
a pair of center uprights, the pair of center uprights comprising a plurality of full channels extending fully through the pair of center uprights, each of the plurality of full channels configured to accept a portion of a tubular member of the plurality of tubular members, wherein the pair of center uprights is configured to align with the plurality of tubular members.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a first latch attached to the first sidewall and a second latch attached to the second sidewall, the first latch and the second latch comprising a retention member connected to a lever, the lever configured to open and close the retention member for retaining a pivot mount of one of the pair of end uprights.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first latch and the second latch are configured to retain the vehicle tailgate enclosure in a horizontal or a vertical position.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tubular members are rearwardly sloped over a portion of the plurality of tubular members so that the each tubular member is horizontally and vertically spaced away from an adjacent tubular member.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the pair of center uprights is configured to be rearwardly sloped to align with the plurality of tubular members.

6. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of end uprights include a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending from the first side to the second side, the first sidewall and the second sidewall spaced apart and extending from a top end to a bottom end of each of the pair of end uprights.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprise a plurality of enlarged portions around the plurality of partial channels.

8. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of recesses are configured to receive fasteners connected to the plurality of tubular members.

Assignees

• Lund Motion Products Inc

Inventors

• Smith Anthony Nicholas

Classifications

• B62D33/0273

  Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks (B62D33/037 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D33/033 Primary

  removable {(B62D33/0273 takes precedence)} · CPC title