Vehicle cargo storage apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025108866-A1
Application number	US-202318476472-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2023
Publication date	Apr 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus can include a panel. The panel can couple with a tailgate of a vehicle. The panel can be configured to move from a first position relative to the tailgate to a second position to form a storage space. The storage space can be at least partially outside the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a panel to couple with a tailgate of a vehicle, the panel configured to move from a first position relative to the tailgate to a second position to form a storage space at least partially outside the vehicle.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a hinge comprising:
a first end to couple with the tailgate; and
a second end to couple with the panel;
the hinge to rotate the panel from the first position parallel with a surface of the tailgate to the second position perpendicular to the surface of the tailgate.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a second panel coupled with the panel, the second panel to deploy from the panel to form the storage space at least partially outside the vehicle.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a second panel coupled with the panel, the second panel to rotate from the panel towards the vehicle, the second panel comprising an end to couple with a latch, the latch disposed within an interior of the vehicle.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a second panel; and a hinge comprising:
a first end to couple with the panel; and
a second end to couple with the second panel;
the hinge to move the second panel from the first position parallel with a surface of panel to the second position perpendicular to the panel and to the surface of the tailgate.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a second panel coupled with the panel, the second panel to deploy from the panel to form a first side of the storage space along a first outer side of the tailgate; and a third panel coupled with the panel, the third panel to deploy from the panel to form a second side of the storage space along a second outer side of the tailgate.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the panel comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the panel coupled with a first end of the tailgate opposite a second end of the tailgate coupled with the vehicle, the panel to rotate the second end of the panel away from a surface of the tailgate.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a roller apparatus comprising a sheet of fabric, the roller apparatus coupled with an interior of the vehicle, the roller apparatus to unroll the sheet of fabric, the sheet of fabric comprising an end to couple with the panel.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the tailgate comprising a support member to support the tailgate cantilevered from a rear end of the vehicle; and a plate to extend from the rear end of the vehicle to a surface of the tailgate to cover the support member, a surface of the plate flush with a surface of the tailgate.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the tailgate comprising:
an outer side;
a top side; and
a tail light disposed on the outer side and the top side to provide light in a direction orthogonal to the outer side and in a direction orthogonal to the top side.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a plate comprising:
a first end to couple with the panel; and
a second end configured to couple with a rear hatch of the vehicle that is closed.

12 . A method, comprising:
providing a panel; and coupling the panel with a tailgate of a vehicle to move between a first position relative to the tailgate and a second position to form a storage space at least partially outside the vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:
providing a hinge; coupling a first end of the hinge with the tailgate; and coupling a second end of the hinge with the panel to move the panel between the first position and the second position.

14 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:
providing a second panel; and coupling the second panel with the panel to deploy from the panel to form the storage space at least partially outside the vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:
coupling a second panel coupled with the panel to rotate from the panel towards the vehicle; disposing a latch within an interior of the vehicle that an end of the second panel couples with.

16 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:
coupling a second panel with the panel to deploy from the panel to form a first side of the storage space along a first outer side of the tailgate; and coupling a third panel with the panel to deploy from the panel to form a second side of the storage space along a second outer side of the tailgate.

17 . An apparatus, comprising:
a storage compartment to couple with a vehicle comprising a tailgate; and a component to move the storage compartment from a first position at least partially within the vehicle to a second position at least partially outside the vehicle over the tailgate.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , the storage compartment comprising:
a first panel comprising a first end and a second end; a second panel comprising a first end and a second end, a first end of the second panel coupled with the first end of the first panel to form a perpendicular angle with the first panel; a third panel comprising a first end and a second end, a first end of the third panel coupled with the first end of the first panel to form a perpendicular angle with the first panel.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , comprising:
the storage compartment comprising:
a first panel comprising a first end and a second end;
a second panel coupled with the first end of the first panel to form a perpendicular angle with the first panel; and
a third panel coupled with the second end of the first panel to form a perpendicular angle with the first panel;
a first rail coupled with the second panel to move the storage compartment from the first position to the second position; and a second rail coupled with the third panel to move the storage compartment from the first position to the second position.

20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:
at least a portion of the storage compartment is supported by the tailgate in the second position.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Castiglione Micheal Richard
• Wolf Philipp Josef
• Kwiatkowski Neil Joseph
• Salerno Jonathan David
• Baker Simon
• Wickramasinghe Shammika Ashan

Classifications

• B62D33/0273 Primary

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