The most unique thing about the pickup is its unique cargo box. Foreigners really have a lot of fun on the pickup cargo box. Previously, we reported on a new patent filed by Ford for a way to make the chassis longer without increasing the size of the vehicle or reducing the size of the cab by modifying the cargo box and tailgate of a pickup truck. Now GM also has a new patent for cargo boxes!
GM has filed a patent application for a new collapsible ramp design for the cargo box of a pickup truck. The new GM patent application has been granted patent application number US 2024 0017657 A1 before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent was submitted to Thailand in July 2022 and finally passed and published in Thailand on January 18, 2024. Brian V. Castillo from Birmingham, Michigan is listed as an inventor.
The patent application describes a collapsible ramp system designed to make it easier to load items into the cargo compartment of a pickup truck. The slope section is broken down into specific areas that are connected together by hinges. This hinge contains a tension element as well as foldable support sections that can be folded into a V-shaped structure. The patent** also describes a foldable ramp that can be mounted on the cargo head of a pickup truck for easy storage when not in use.
As the patent application indicates, leather ** is commonly used to load heavy items such as ATVs, motorcycles, lawn mowers, and similar items. Therefore, ramps are preferred to help load these items into the crate without the need for human flesh to lift the items.
While shorter ramps make it easier to store items, longer ramps have less angles to load items. With this in mind, a collapsible ramp solution is preferred. However, collapsible ramps present a different challenge, namely limited load-bearing capacity. In order to produce foldable ramps with sufficient load-bearing capacity, heavier materials are often used, as well as thicker, stronger structural profiles. However, thicker ramps made of heavier materials can make the ramps bulky and difficult to place when not in use.
With all these factors in mind, this foldable ramp design is designed to create a low approach angle that is easy to store while still providing a high level of weight capacity, balancing the tension between easy storage and easy use.