IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,850,676
Granted Patent B1
US 10,850,676 · App. 16/155,175 · Granted Dec 1, 2020

Auxiliary truck bed rack

Inventor: Michael Worker (Pawnee, IL)
B60R9/06B60P7/15B62D33/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,850,676
App. No.
16/155,175
Granted
Dec 1, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

The auxiliary truck bed rack is an elevated rack system. The auxiliary truck bed rack mounts on the pickup truck such that the auxiliary truck bed rack is elevated above the port sidewall and the starboard sidewall of the pickup truck. The load path provided by the auxiliary truck bed rack adjusts such that the internal strains on the load can be minimized while stored on the auxiliary truck bed rack. The auxiliary truck bed rack comprises a forward crossbeam, one or more middle crossbeams, an aft crossbeam, a port beam, and a starboard beam. The port beam mounts on the port sidewall of the pickup truck. The starboard beam mounts on the starboard sidewall of the pickup truck. The forward crossbeam, the one or more middle crossbeams, and the aft crossbeam are transverse structures that attach to both the port sidewall and the starboard sidewall.

Claims (88)

1. A vehicle superstructure comprising:

a forward crossbeam, one or more middle crossbeams, an aft crossbeam, a port beam, and a starboard beam;

wherein the forward crossbeam, the one or more middle crossbeams, and the aft crossbeam are structures that attach to both a port sidewall and a starboard sidewall;

wherein the vehicle superstructure is an elevated rack system;

wherein the vehicle superstructure is configured for use with a pickup truck;

wherein the pickup truck is further defined with a bed;

wherein the pickup truck is further defined with a primary sense of direction;

wherein the bed is further defined with an end wall, a port sidewall, a starboard sidewall, a tailgate;

wherein the vehicle superstructure mounts on the pickup truck such that the vehicle superstructure is elevated above the port sidewall and the starboard sidewall of the pickup truck;

wherein the vehicle superstructure is adjustable;

wherein the port beam mounts on the port sidewall of the pickup truck;

wherein the starboard beam mounts on the starboard sidewall of the pickup truck;

wherein the port beam further comprises a port channel;

wherein the port channel is a negative space formed in a superior surface of the port beam;

wherein the starboard beam further comprises a starboard channel;

wherein the starboard channel is a negative space formed in a superior surface of the starboard beam.

2. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 1

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams further comprises a port T track fastener and a starboard T track fastener;

wherein each port T track fastener attaches the associated middle crossbeam to the port beam;

wherein each starboard T track fastener attaches the associated middle crossbeam to the starboard beam.

3. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 2

wherein the forward crossbeam is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the aft crossbeam is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the forward crossbeam is a load-bearing structure;

wherein the aft crossbeam is a load-bearing structure;

wherein the forward crossbeam has the shape of a rectangular block;

wherein the aft crossbeam has the shape of a rectangular block.

4. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 3

wherein the forward crossbeam is a transverse beam that attaches the port beam to the starboard beam;

wherein the aft crossbeam is a transverse beam that attaches the port beam to the starboard beam;

wherein the forward crossbeam mounts to the pickup truck at the end wall;

wherein the aft crossbeam mounts to the pickup truck at the tailgate.

5. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 4

wherein a major axis of the forward crossbeam is perpendicular to the primary sense of direction of the pickup truck;

wherein a major axis of the aft crossbeam is perpendicular to the primary sense of direction of the pickup truck;

wherein the forward crossbeam does not move relative to the end wall;

wherein the aft crossbeams does not move relative to the tailgate.

6. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 5

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the one or more middle crossbeams is a load-bearing structure;

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams has the shape of a rectangular block.

7. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 6 wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams is identical.

8. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 7

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams is a transverse beam that attaches the port beam to the starboard beam;

wherein a major axis of each of the one or more middle crossbeams is perpendicular to the primary sense of direction of the pickup truck.

9. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 8

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams attaches to the port beam such that the position of the each of the one or more middle crossbeams adjusts relative to the port beam;

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams attaches to the starboard beam such that the position of the each of the one or more middle crossbeams adjusts relative to the starboard beam.

10. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 9

wherein the port beam is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the port beam is a load-bearing structure;

wherein the port beam has the shape of a rectangular block;

wherein the port beam is a beam that attaches to a superior edge of the port sidewall of the pickup truck;

wherein the starboard beam is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the starboard beam is a load-bearing structure;

wherein the starboard beam has the shape of a rectangular block;

wherein the starboard beam is a beam that attaches to a superior edge of the starboard sidewall of the pickup truck.

11. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 10

wherein a major axis of the port beam is parallel to the primary sense of direction of the pickup truck;

wherein a major axis of the starboard beam is parallel to the primary sense of direction of the pickup truck.

12. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 11

wherein the port channel is a tee shaped structure;

wherein the starboard channel is a tee shaped structure.

13. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 12

wherein the port channel runs in a direction parallel to a major axis of the port beam;

wherein the starboard channel runs in a direction parallel to a major axis of the starboard beam.

14. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 13

wherein the port channel forms a slot in a superior face of the port beam;

wherein the starboard channel forms a slot in a superior face of the starboard beam.

15. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 14

wherein the forward crossbeam further comprises a bumper plate;

wherein the bumper plate is an aluminum plate structure;

wherein the bumper plate has a vertical orientation;

wherein the bumper plate forms a barrier between the vehicle superstructure and the pickup truck.

16. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 15

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams further comprises a port rail and a starboard rail;

wherein each of the one or more middle crossbeams is further defined with a superior face and an inferior face;

wherein the port rail is a rolling structure;

wherein the starboard rail is a rolling structure.

17. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 16 wherein for each of the one or more middle crossbeams the port rail is identical to the starboard rail.

18. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 17

wherein the port rail mounts on the inferior face of the associated middle crossbeam;

wherein the starboard rail mounts on the inferior face of the associated middle crossbeam;

wherein the port rail inserts into the port channel of the port beam;

wherein the starboard rail inserts into the starboard channel of the starboard beam.

19. The vehicle superstructure according to claim 18

wherein the port T track fastener associated with each of the one or more middle crossbeams comprises the port rail and the port channel;

wherein the starboard T track fastener associated with each of the one or more middle crossbeams comprises the starboard rail and the starboard channel.

Cited By (2)
US 12,221,073 US 12,291,171