Cargo bed support assembly for a truck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9487246-B2
Application number	US-201514747336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A cargo bed assembly for a pickup truck includes an aluminum truck bed above a pair of frame rails. A plurality of roll-formed 6000-series aluminum cross-members extend along a width of the truck bed and contact the underside of the truck bed. The cross-members include longitudinal channels. Each cross-member contacts a pair of extruded 6000-series aluminum spacers underneath the cross-member at spaced locations to align with the frame rails. The spacers contact the frame rails and at least partially surround a portion of the outer surface of the cross-members to separate the cross-members from the frame rails.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a 6000-series aluminum truck bed having a width, a top surface and a bottom surface;
a 6000-series aluminum cross-member mounted to the bottom surface of the truck bed and extending along the width of the truck bed; and
an extruded 6000-series aluminum reinforcement member attached to an underside of the cross-member and having a thickness that exceeds a thickness of the cross-member.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a frame rail, wherein the reinforcement member includes a base secured between the frame rail and the cross-member, wherein the base spaces the cross-member from the frame rail.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcement member has a pair of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein each of the sidewalls is thinner than the base.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising a second frame rail and a second reinforcement member, wherein each reinforcement member is aligned with one of the frame rails and secured between the cross-member and the one of the frame rails.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cross-member is assembled between the truck bed and the reinforcement member.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cross-member and the reinforcement member each include a base and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending from its respective base, the base of the reinforcement member is secured between the base of the cross-member and a frame rail, and the sidewalls of the reinforcement member extend along and contact the sidewalls of the cross-member.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the cross-member includes a pair of flanges each extending from one of the opposing sidewalls of the cross-member, the flanges are secured to the bottom surface of the truck bed, and the reinforcement member is secured between the flanges and the frame rail.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Courtright Mark Joseph
• Chimento Vince
• Hemphill Joshua
• Marchlewski Jack
• Firzlaff Jeffrey Alan
• Dupuis Lawrence J

Classifications

• B21B1/22 Primary

  for rolling {plates, strips,} bands or sheets of indefinite length (B21B1/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D25/2027 Primary

  the subunits being rear structures · CPC title

• B21C23/00

  Extruding metal; Impact extrusion · CPC title

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title

• B62D33/02 Primary

  Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} · CPC title