Pickup Truck Cargo Bed Slide and Step Unit for Large Cargo Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cargo bed assemblies for pickup trucks do not effectively assist in the loading and unloading of large cargo, such as motorcycles, and often increase the manufacturing cost and weight by incorporating foldable slopes that are stowed in the tailgate cavity.
Innovation Solution
A cargo bed assembly with a slide unit and step unit that are movably received in the truck bed and tailgate cavities, allowing the slide plate and step unit to extend and retract, providing support and facilitating the ingress and egress of large cargo while maintaining a compact design that does not excessively increase the tailgate thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a foldable slope is stowed in the cavity of the tailgate, then the ingress and egress of large cargo is facilitated, but the thickness of the tailgate is excessively increased
Solution Approach 1:
The cargo bed assembly is divided into multiple functional components: a slide unit with slide plate and support plate, and a step unit with step support and step member. Each component can be independently stowed in separate cavities (first cavity in truck bed, second cavity in tailgate), distributing the functionality rather than consolidating everything in the tailgate cavity. This segmentation allows the tailgate to maintain its original thickness while still providing cargo assistance features.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the foldable slope within the tailgate cavity (consuming thickness in one dimension), the invention extends the support structure into the longitudinal dimension by using the slide plate that can be extended from the truck bed's first cavity through the tailgate's second cavity. This dimensional shift allows the support function to be achieved without increasing tailgate thickness.
2Ease of operation
If a foldable slope is stowed in the cavity of the tailgate, then the ingress and egress of large cargo is facilitated, but the manufacturing cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the system into a slide unit and step unit that can be manufactured separately and assembled, the invention reduces manufacturing complexity. Each unit can be produced using standard fabrication processes and then connected through pivot pins, avoiding the need for complex integrated tailgate modifications that would increase manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide plate and support plate serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for cargo, act as a loading ramp, and can be stowed when not needed. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, reducing overall part count and manufacturing cost while maintaining the cargo assistance capability.
3Ease of operation
If a foldable slope is stowed in the cavity of the tailgate, then the ingress and egress of large cargo is facilitated, but the weight of the cargo bed assembly is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The slide plate and step member are designed as movable components that can be extended and retracted as needed. This dynamic design allows the system to provide heavy-duty support functionality only when required, while maintaining a lightweight stowed configuration during normal operation, thus reducing the effective weight impact on the cargo bed assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure uses local reinforcement only where needed - the support plate is pivotally connected to provide structural integrity at critical points, while other portions of the assembly maintain lighter construction. This localized strengthening approach provides the necessary support for large cargo without uniformly increasing the weight of the entire cargo bed assembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the ease of loading and unloading large cargo without increasing manufacturing costs or weight, improving user convenience and space utilization within the cargo compartment.
Implementation Method 1
a spring biasing the hold member outward from the support plate
Implementation Method 2
a first pivot pin, and having a second cavity; a slide unit movably received in the first cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A cargo bed assembly for a pickup truck includes: a pair of side walls opposing each other; a truck bed located between the pair of sidewalls, and having a first cavity; a tailgate pivotally connected to a rear end of the truck bed by a first pivot pin, and having a second cavity; a slide unit movably received in the first cavity; and a step unit movably received in the second cavity. In particular, the second cavity is configured to communicate with the first cavity, and the step unit is pivotally connected to the slide unit.