Mega elongator

Abstract

A replacement tailgate for the purpose of elongating the pick up truck may be installed on a truck bed wherein the replacement tailgate can be unfolded in order to elongate a length of the truck bed. The replacement tailgate may have front and rear shells that are used to support objects placed in the truck bed as well as act as the new tailgate when the truck bed length is elongated. Various panels may be unfolded in order to trap objects within the truck bed when the replacement tailgate is unfolded in order to elongate the truck bed length.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tailgate for a bed of a truck, the tailgate comprising:
 a rear shell sized and configured to fit between left and right sidewalls of the truck bed, the rear shell being pivotally attached to a lower rear edge of the truck bed;   a front shell pivotally attached to an upper edge of the rear shell, the front shell being pivotable greater than 180 when the front shell is disposed generally parallel to the rear shell;   left and right side panels pivotally attached to left and right side portions of the front shell;   left and right latches attachable to the left and right side panels and the left and right sidewalls of the truck bed to mitigate unwanted movement of the rear shell, front shell and the left and right panels during forward movement of the truck.   
     
     
         2 . The tailgate of  claim 1  wherein the rear shell comprises first and second telescoping panels for elongating a length of the bed of the truck. 
     
     
         3 . The tailgate of  claim 2  wherein the first and second telescoping panels are attached to each other as a tongue and groove connection. 
     
     
         4 . The tailgate of  claim 2  further comprising left and right elongating side panels pivotally attached to respective ones of the left and right side panels, the left and right latches attachable to the left and right elongating side panels and the left and right side walls of the truck bed for securing the left and right side panels and the left and right elongating side panels to the left and right side walls of the truck bed. 
     
     
         5 . The tailgate of  claim 1  wherein the rear shell, front shell, left and right side panels are fabricated from carbon fiber, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic or steel. 
     
     
         6 . The tailgate of  claim 1  wherein the front shell is pivotable to an angle of about 270 degrees to allow the front shell to hang down when unloading the truck bed. 
     
     
         7 . The tailgate of  claim 1  wherein the left and right latches are removably attachable to left and right standard latch receivers of the truck bed. 
     
     
         8 . The tailgate of  claim 1  further comprising a cover for a pivot joint between the front and rear shells. 
     
     
         9 . A method of elongating a bed length of a truck, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a tailgate for a bed of a truck, the tailgate comprising:   a rear shell sized and configured to fit between left and right sidewalls of the truck bed, the rear shell being pivotally attached to a lower rear edge of the truck bed;   a front shell pivotally attached to an upper edge of the rear shell, the front shell being pivotable greater than 180 when the front shell is disposed generally parallel to the rear shell;   left and right side panels pivotally attached to left and right side portions of the front shell;   left and right latches attachable to the left and right side panels and the left and right sidewalls of the truck bed to mitigate unwanted movement of the rear shell, front shell and the left and right panels during forward movement of the truck;   pivotally attaching a lower edge of the rear shell to the lower rear edge of the truck bed.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of rotating the tailgate so that the front and rear shells are generally parallel to a ground. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the steps of:
 rotating the front shell about an upper edge of the rear shell so that the front and rear shells are about 90 degrees from each other; 
 rotating the left and right side panels toward the left and right sidewalls of the truck bed; 
 securing the left and right side panels to the left and right sidewalls of the truck bed with the left and right latches. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 extending telescoping first and second panels of the front shell to elongate a length of the truck bed; 
 pivoting left and right elongating side panels from the left and right side panels; 
 securing the left and right elongating side panels to the left and right sidewalls of the truck bed with the left and right latches. 
 
     
     
         13 . A tailgate extender for a bed of a truck, the tailgate extender comprising:
 first, second and third driver-side vertical panels, the first driver side vertical panel pivotally attached to a driver side sidewall of the bed of the truck, the second driver side vertical panel pivotally attached to the first driver side vertical panel, the third driver side vertical panels pivotally attached to the second driver side vertical panel wherein the first, second and third driver side vertical panels are stackable adjacent to each other and disposable in a cavity formed at a rear inner portion of the driver side sidewall of the bed of the truck, the first driver side vertical panel being pivotable so as to be parallel to a driver side edge of the tailgate, the second and third driver side vertical panel being pivotable so as to be parallel to a back edge of the tailgate;   first, second and third passenger-side vertical panels, the first passenger side vertical panel pivotally attached to a passenger side sidewall of the bed of the truck, the second passenger side vertical panel pivotally attached to the first passenger side vertical panel, the third passenger side vertical panels pivotally attached to the second passenger side vertical panel wherein the first, second and third passenger side vertical panels are stackable adjacent to each other and disposable in a cavity formed at a rear inner portion of the passenger side sidewall of the bed of the truck, the first passenger side vertical panel being pivotable so as to be parallel to a passenger side edge of the tailgate, the second and third passenger side vertical panel being pivotable so as to be parallel to a back edge of the tailgate.   
     
     
         14 . The tailgate extender of  claim 13  further comprising a replacement tailgate defining an upper surface with a groove for receiving the second and third driver-side and passenger side vertical panels. 
     
     
         15 . The tailgate extender of  claim 14  wherein the groove is parallel with the back edge of the replacement tailgate. 
     
     
         16 . The tailgate extender of  claim 15  wherein the second and third driver side and passenger side vertical panels have flexible strips at a bottom end of the second and third driver side and passenger side vertical panels which are receivable in the groove formed in the replacement tailgate. 
     
     
         17 . A method of extending a truck bed of a truck, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing driver-side first, second and third vertical panels which are stacked upon each other and disposed in a driver-side cavity formed by a driver-side sidewall of the truck bed;   providing a passenger-side first, second and third vertical panels which are stacked upon each other and disposed in a passenger-side cavity formed by a passenger-side sidewall of the truck bed;   pivoting a tailgate to an opened position so that an upper surface of the tailgate is generally coplanar with an upper surface of the truck bed;   pivoting the driver side first, second and third vertical panels out from the driver side cavity so that the driver side first vertical panel is parallel with a driver side edge of the tailgate;   pivoting the passenger side first, second and third vertical panels out from the passenger side cavity so that the passenger side first vertical panel is parallel a passenger side edge of the tailgate;   pivoting the driver side and passenger side second and third vertical panels away from the driver side and passenger side first vertical panels so that the second and third vertical panels are parallel to a back edge of the tailgate.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of pivoting the driver side and passenger side second and third vertical panels away from the driver side and passenger side first vertical panels includes the steps of:
 pivoting the driver side third vertical panel away from the driver side second vertical panel; 
 pivoting the passenger side third vertical panel away from the passenger side third vertical panel. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of pivoting the driver side and passenger side second and third vertical panels away from the driver side and passenger side first vertical panels includes the step of:
 disposing weather stripping attached to bottom portions of the driver side and passenger side second and third vertical panels in a groove formed in the upper surface of the tailgate.