Vehicle cargo area extender work surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926018-B2
Application number	US-201615210534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A work surface apparatus for a vehicle cargo area includes a tailgate including at least two panel-supporting posts adapted for translating between a stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position to hold a work surface and a cargo area extender configurable for supporting in a substantially planar configuration by the deployed at least two panel-supporting posts. The cargo area extender may be defined by a folding panel. The folding panel may be defined by hingedly connected sections and may be stowed within a portion of the tailgate.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A work surface apparatus for a vehicle cargo area, comprising:
a tailgate including at least two panel-supporting posts adapted for translating between a stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position to hold a work surface; and
a cargo area extender configurable for supporting in a substantially planar configuration by the deployed at least two panel-supporting posts.

2. The work surface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cargo area extender is defined by a folding panel.

3. The work surface apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the folding panel is stowed within a portion of the tailgate.

4. The work surface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least two panel-supporting posts are hingedly connected to the tailgate.

5. The work surface apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least two panel-supporting posts are extendable outwardly from the tailgate when placed in a lowered configuration to provide the substantially horizontal deployed orientation.

6. The work surface apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the folding panel comprises a plurality of hingedly connected sections.

7. The work surface apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the hinges are lockable to hold the plurality of hingedly connected sections in a folded or an unfolded configuration.

8. The work surface apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the folding panel comprises a plurality of pins or tongues for inserting into cooperating apertures or slots defined in the at least two panel-supporting posts.

9. A vehicle including the work surface apparatus of claim 1 .

10. A work surface apparatus for a vehicle cargo area, comprising:
a tailgate including at least two support posts adapted for translating between a stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position; and
a folding cargo area extender configurable to define a substantially planar work surface for holding in a substantially horizontal orientation by the deployed at least two support posts.

11. The work surface apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least two support posts are hingedly connected to the tailgate or deploy by extending outwardly from the tailgate when placed in a lowered configuration.

12. The work surface apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cargo area extender comprises a plurality of pins or tongues for inserting into cooperating apertures or slots defined in the at least two support posts.

13. The work surface apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the folding cargo area extender comprises a plurality of hingedly connected sections secured one to another by lockable 180 degree hinges.

14. A vehicle including the work surface apparatus of claim 10 .

15. A vehicle including a cargo area work surface apparatus, comprising:
a tailgate or liftgate comprising:
at least two support posts adapted for translating between a stowed position and a substantially horizontal deployed position; and
a folding cargo area extender held in a recessed stowed position within a portion of the tailgate and adapted to be unfolded into a substantially planar configuration supported by the deployed at least two support posts.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the at least two support posts are hingedly connected to the tailgate or deploy by extending outwardly from the tailgate when placed in a lowered configuration to provide the substantially horizontal deployed orientation.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the folding cargo area extender comprises a plurality of hingedly connected sections.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the hinges are lockable to hold the plurality of hingedly connected sections in a folded or an unfolded configuration.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the folding cargo area extender comprises a plurality of pins or tongues for inserting into cooperating apertures or grooves defined in the at least two support posts.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Spahn Brian Robert
• Loew Pattrick

Classifications

• B62D33/0273 Primary

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

• B60R5/041

  extensible externally of the vehicle body, e.g. to create an open luggage compartment of increased capacity (devices for anchoring the boot lid while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042) · CPC title