Pickup Truck Bed Shelter System

Abstract

A pickup truck bed shelter system includes a pickup truck having a bed including a pair of lateral walls. Each of the lateral walls has an upper edge has a well extending therein. A frame releasably engages the lateral walls such that the frame extends upwardly from the bed. The frame includes a transverse beam vertically spaced from and extending across an opening of the bed. A pair of arms each is attached to the transverse beams. A housing is mounted on the transverse beam and a canopy is positioned in the housing. The canopy is extendable from the housing and has an outer end releasably couplable to the arms adjacent to free ends of the arms. The canopy is retracted into the housing when the canopy is released from the arms.

1 . A vehicle awning system comprising:
 a pickup truck having a bed including a pair of lateral walls, each of said lateral walls having an upper edge having a well extending therein;   a frame releasably engaging said lateral walls such that said frame extends upwardly from the bed, said frame including a transverse beam vertically spaced from and extending across an opening of the bed, wherein said frame includes
 a pair of posts, each of said posts being positionable in one of said wells such that said transverse beam is positioned above and vertically spaced from said bed, 
 a pair of legs each having a bottom end and a top end, said transverse beam being attached to and extending between said top ends, 
 a pair of plates, each of said bottom ends being attached to one of said plates, each of said plates being oriented perpendicular to said legs, each of said plates being elongated and extending forward of an associated one of said legs, each of said plates having a distal end with respect to said legs, and 
 each of said plates having one of said posts attached thereto, said posts being positioned adjacent to an associated one of said distal ends and extending downwardly from said plates, each of said posts being positionable in one of said wells such that said legs are vertically oriented and horizontally offset from said wells; 
   a pair of arms each being attached to said transverse beam;   a housing being mounted on said transverse beam; and   a canopy being positioned in said housing, said canopy being extendable from said housing, said canopy having an outer end releasably couplable to said arms adjacent to free ends of said arms, said canopy being retracted into said housing when said canopy is released from said arms.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle awning system according to  claim 1 , wherein said arms are spaced from each other such that each of said arms is positioned adjacent to one of a pair of opposed ends of said transverse beam, each of said arms being positionable in a stored position folded against said transverse beam or in a deployed position extending rearward of said pickup truck. 
     
     
         5 . A vehicle awning system comprising:
 a pickup truck having a bed including a pair of lateral walls, each of said lateral walls having an upper edge having a well extending therein;   a frame releasably engaging said lateral walls such that said frame extends upwardly from the bed, said frame including a transverse beam vertically spaced from and extending across an opening of the bed, said frame including:
 a pair of legs each having a bottom end and a top end, said transverse beam being attached to and extending between said top ends; 
 a pair of plates, each of said bottom ends being attached to one of said plates, each of said plates being oriented perpendicular to said legs, each of said plates being elongated and extending forward of an associated one of said legs, each of said plates having a distal end with respect to said legs; 
 a pair of posts, each of said plates having one of said posts attached thereto, said posts being positioned adjacent to an associated one of said distal ends and extending downwardly from said plates, each of said posts being positionable in one of said wells such that said legs are vertically oriented and positioned horizontally offset from said wells; 
   a pair of arms, each of said arms being attached to said transverse beam, said arms being spaced from each other such that each of said arms is positioned adjacent to one of a pair of opposed ends of said transverse beam, each of said arms being positionable in a stored position folded against said transverse beam or in a deployed position extending rearward of said pickup truck, each of said arms having a free end;   a housing being mounted on said transverse beam; and   a canopy being positioned in said housing, said canopy being extendable from said housing, said canopy having an outer end releasably couplable to said arms adjacent to said free ends, said canopy being retracted into said housing when said canopy is released from said arms.