Future Ford Pickups Could Get Cargo Bed Ramp System

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a cargo bed ramp system that could be used in future Ford pickups, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on February 17^th, 2022, published on September 12^th, 2023, and assigned serial number 11753086.

The Ford Authority Take

As it works to stay one step ahead of rabid competition in a hotly contested market, Ford has filed a bevy of pickup-related patents over the past few years, many of them aiming to reinvent the way we load, unload, and haul cargo. In recent months, that list includes filings for crossbars with lift assists, an accessory attachment system, and a lift assembly. Now, this freshly filed patent outlines yet another, similar idea, this time for a cargo bed ramp system that could be used in future Ford pickups, too.

Aside from depicting a new kind of multi-function tailgate – one that opens like a pair of barn doors – this patent is fairly straightforward, and presents a fairly simple yet potentially useful concept. The bed floor of the pickup shown here could be configured to either act as a regular old truck bed floor, or slide in and out to help make loading and unloading items much easier, as it would double as a ramp in this case.

Using the ramp would be quite easy as well, as all one would have to do is slide the bed floor out, at which point it pivots down to create a sturdy ramp. Once extended, there are a pair of extensions located inside the bed floor that would enable it to reach the ground at a suitable angle for loading all sorts of things – in the case of these patent drawings, a four-wheeler, or perhaps a motorcycle or other sort of similar vehicle. Once the cargo is on the bed floor, the system would also be capable of staying in the extended position by using the aforementioned tailgate to better fit longer items, as we can see here.

Overall, this is a pretty simple yet potentially effective solution for those that currently drive around with ramps stored in their vehicles, such as those that haul motorcycles, UTVs, or similar types of items in the beds of their pickups. As such, it makes quite a bit of sense for those folks, and perhaps even those of us that are simply looking for an easier way to load and unload heavy items.

We’ll have more on this and all Ford patents soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford patent news, Ford business news, and continuous Ford news coverage.