Tailgate and ramp for pickup truck

a tailgate and pickup truck technology, applied in the field of tailgates for pickup trucks, can solve the problems of tailgates bouncing around during transportation, items are just a little too long to fit in the cargo bay and close the tailgate, and are not generally desired

US20080284194A1Inactive Publication Date: 2008-11-20TRAILGATE TAILGATE SYST
29 Cites 12 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2008-11-20
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

Smart Images

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1
  • Figure 2
    Figure 2
  • Figure 3
    Figure 3
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This invention is a tailgate for a pickup truck having a unibody frame that is pivotally secured at its lower end proximal the rear end of the truck bed. The frame includes a pair of linear risers that fit into the rear vertical recesses of the sidewalls of the truck when the tailgate is in a closed position. The risers support a plurality of bowed lateral beams that extend outwardly from the rear of the truck to extend the length of its cargo bay when the tailgate is in its closed. The bowed beams support a set of flat angled ramps that are aligned with the truck bed. The tailgate is swung to an open position so that the ramps extend down from the truck bed and are joined by a detachable ramp to form one or more low incline ramps for loading and unloading items into the cargo bay.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a tailgate for a pickup truck with a bowed construction to extend the cargo bay when closed and form a less steep incline ramp when opened.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The cargo bay of a pickup truck is generally formed by its truck bed, sidewalls and tailgate. The truck bed generally supports the weight of the items, and the sidewalls and tailgate protect these items and keep them from falling out of the bay during transport. While the sidewalls are rigidly fixed, the tailgate moves between open and closed positions to gain access to the cargo bay and its truck bed. Tailgates are typically latched or locked shut during transport, and unlatched and swung open to load and unload items in the cargo bay. When closed, the tailgate defines the length of the truck bed and its cargo bay. Many mid size or short bed pickups have a bed length of about 76 inches. Full size pickups typically have a bed length of about 97 inches...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0027]While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, the drawings show and the specification describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention. It should be understood that the drawings and specification are to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention. They are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

[0028]Pickup trucks 5 have a cargo bay 6 defined by the rear wall of the cab, the truck bed 7, and the sidewalls 8 of the truck bed as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The rear end 9 of the truck 5 has a generally rectangular tailgate opening 10 for loading items into and out of the cargo bay 6. The width of the opening 10 is defined by the sidewalls 8 of the truck 5, and is generally about 60 inches wide. The height of the opening 10 is defined by the planar surface of the truck bed 7 and the top of the sidewalls 8, and is generally about 20 inches tall. When originally manufactured, a pick...