WO2015099544A1

WO2015099544A1 - A liner for a truck bed

Info

Publication number: WO2015099544A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2014/000248
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas Smith; Philip Butler; Steven Riddle
Original assignee: PROFORM PLASTICS Ltd
Current assignee: PROFORM PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 2013-12-23
Filing date: 2014-12-19
Publication date: 2015-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-23

Abstract

A multi-part bed liner which is used for the protection of the bed of a truck or utility vehicle. It includes a base portion, with a channel around its perimeter, and a front wall as well as opposing side walls. The bottom edges of the side walls are inserted into the channel of the base portion and held in a friction fit relative to same through the use of a series of a series of lugs or protrusions extending into the channel from its outer edge. In preferred embodiments of the invention the base portion is formed from a rubber- like material while the front and side walls are manufactured from a thermoplastic or a thermoplastic compound. A wall may also be provided for the tail gate of the vehicle with which the invention is to be used.

Description

A LINER FOR A TRUCK BED

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the protection of the bed of a truck or utility vehicle. The invention has particular application for a multi-part bed liner for protecting the bed of a truck or utility vehicle.

BACKGROUND ART

Many utility and recreational vehicles are provided with a truck bed or cargo compartment at their rear. The truck bed is typically formed from front and sidewalls with a hinged rear wall that functions as a tail gate to improve access to the truck bed, While useful for transporting cargo such as building materials or tools, the truck bed can be exposed to a high amount of wear. The finished (painted) surfaces of the truck bed can become chipped and worn over time. This is particularly the case when cargo transported in the truck bed moves around while in transit due to cornering forces and the like. This may result in significant scratches across the surface of the truck bed. A worn truck bed can detract from the aesthetic appeal and presentation of the vehicle. This may be particularly true for those owners who take pride in the appearance of their vehicle.

Additionally damage, such as deep scratches, to the truck bed can allow penetration of water into the underlying metal which may eventually lead to the formation of rust. This can compromise the structural integrity of the vehicle.

There are a number of products available that protect the surfaces of the truck bed. These products are generally known in the trade as bed liners.

An example of such a bed liner is described in United States Patent No. 6,431 ,629. This describes a one-piece assembly which is dropped into the truck bed. However, this can be difficult to install and is not necessarily an effective use of the truck bed.

For manufacturing reasons, the walls of the bed liner are usually formed such that there is a small space between the wall of the truck bed and the liner. This may impact slightly on the space of the cargo compartment, lessening the overall usable area. It can also compromise access to the tie down hooks that are commonly provided on the interior walls of the truck bed to secure cargo being transported.

Furthermore, one-piece bed liners are large and bulky. This presents transportation and storage problems for retailers and distributors of such accessories. There is also the potential for stock to be damaged during the packaging process or when being shipped. Many one-piece liners are manufactured, often for sake of costs, using plastics material that has a low friction surface. This means that any cargo transported in the truck bed is prone to movement unless properly secured.

Another form of bed liner that can be used is those which are applied by spraying equipment. Effectively, a polyurethane or fibreglass coating material is sprayed onto the truck bed, and when it sets, it acts as a protective layer for the truck bed.

While this does not have the storage issues of one-piece bed liners, this type of bed liner is effectively a permanent coating which can be difficult to remove and effectively represents a permanent modification of the vehicle. It is also a time consuming process to apply; the truck bed needs to be extensively prepared by removing existing paint and the curing of the sprayed material can take days. Consequently, spray-on bed liners are not an ideal solution for some consumers.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a liner for a truck bed of a vehicle, wherein the truck bed has a deck, two opposing side walls and a front wall, the liner including: a one-piece base portion, wherein the base portion has a perimeter including a channel having an outer edge and an inner edge a plurality of walls, one each for the opposing side walls and front wall of the truck bed and wherein at least one of the walls has a bottom edge, characterised in that the inner edge of the channel is substantially complementary to the bottom edge of at least one of the walls of the liner, and wherein the outer edge of the channel includes a series of lugs or protrusions extending into the channel. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit set for a liner for a truck bed of the vehicle, the kit set including a liner substantially as described above.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing a liner for a truck bed of a vehicle, the liner substantially as described above, wherein the truck bed has a deck, two opposing side walls and a front wall, the method including the steps of: a) placing the base portion on the deck of the truck bed such that the perimeter of the base portion abut at least three of the side walls of the truck bed; and b) locating the bottom edge of one of the walls of the liner into the channel of the perimeter of the base portion.

The invention provides a bed liner for the truck bed of a vehicle, and a method of installing same. The bed liner is a multi-part assembly and includes a base portion which is laid upon the bottom of the truck bed. The edges of this base portion include a channel, which allows any collected rain water or other liquids to drain away. The side walls of the bed liner include a bottom edge with a protrusion that is complementary to the inner edge of the channel of the base portion of the bed liner. This provides a male/female join which is aesthetically pleasing and provides good sealing properties to minimise the potential for ingress of liquids. Additionally, the walls fit relatively flush with the walls of the truck bed. The bed liner, once installed, helps to protect the surfaces of the truck bed from wear and tear.

Reference shall now be made throughout the remainder of the specification to the invention being a bed liner.

It should be understood that the truck bed of the utility vehicle with which the present bed liner is to be used is formed from a front wall and opposing side walls. In preferred embodiments, the truck bed also includes a rear wall which may be hinged and functions as a tail gate to allow one end of the bed to be opened. The walls of the truck bed should be understood to have an inner side, which defines the interior of the truck bed and an outer side. The upper edges of the inner side of the walls are usually bent or rolled over such that a small, downwardly facing (i.e. facing the bottom of the truck bed) recess is created along the length of the upper edges of the walls. For most vehicles, the outer side of the opposing side walls are part of its exterior side walls. The reverse side of the front wall (facing away from the truck bed) backs onto, or is part of, the vehicle's driver's compartment.

The bottom of the truck bed should be understood to be its deck, and shall be referred to as such throughout the remainder of the specification. In most utility vehicles, the deck of the truck bed is corrugated with a series of small peaks and troughs. This is to allow any liquid, such as rain water which may collect in the truck bed, to drain away.

The bed liner has a one-piece base portion. This covers the surface of the deck of the truck bed. Preferably, the base portion is made from a rubber-like material. This is preferred as this makes for a non-skid surface, due to superior frictional resistance compared to many other types of plastics material. Furthermore, due to its flexibility, it can conform to the surfaces of the truck bed and provide some sealing functionality.

Another advantage of using a flexible rubber-like material is that it can lift slightly away from the underlying surface. When the vehicle is in motion, air can enter existing drain holes in the deck, slightly lifting the base portion. This improves air flow between the deck and bed liner allowing any moisture that may be trapped in this area to evaporate.

The rubber-like material may be a flexible thermoplastic material, and in preferred embodiments of the present invention, a synthetic rubber, known in the plastics industry as thermoplastic elastomer, is used. However, this is not meant to be limiting. For example, rubber-based material incorporating natural rubber compounds, as opposed to synthetic rubber compounds, may also be used. Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate what materials would be suitable for use in the manufacture of the base portion of the bed liner. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the base portion of the bed liner is moulded with peaks and troughs that are complementary to those of the deck of the vehicle with which the invention is to be used. This allows for a good fit with the vehicle.

However, this is not meant to be limiting and there may be variations in the shape of the base portion. For example, one side of the base portion may be provided as a substantially flat sheet of thermoplastic elastomer while the other side includes a series of protrusions which mate with the troughs of the deck. However, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that this may mean more material is used in the manufacture of the base portion and this could impact on production costs.

It will be appreciated that vehicle manufacturers may have a variety of models of vehicle. Thus the base portion of the bed liner may be provided in a number of configurations depending on the make and model of the vehicle with which the present invention is to be used.

The deck of the truck bed of some vehicles includes protrusions which correspond with the reverse of the upper side of the rear wheel arches of the vehicle. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the base portion is configured to go around the rear wheel arches rather than over them. This keeps the base portion relatively planar (aside from the small peaks and troughs that correspond with those of the deck of the truck bed).

However, it is not beyond the scope of the present invention that the base portion be moulded with wheel arches. The base portion of the bed liner should be understood to have a perimeter. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that this means this is the outer edge of the base portion. In use, the perimeter of the base portion abuts the walls of the truck bed and, where present, the reverse side of the wheel arches of the vehicle.

The perimeter of the base portion of the bed liner is provided with a channel, which has two substantially vertical sides arising from either side of a horizontal surface defining the base of the channel.

Thus, the channel should be understood to have an outer side (the outer most vertical side), which abuts three of the walls of the truck bed when in use, and an inner side (the other vertical side of the channel). In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the channel is provided along three sides of the base portion of the bed liner. It will be understood that the fourth side of the base portion corresponds with the tailgate of the vehicle. This side of the base portion may lack an outer edge and the horizontal surface of the channel runs right to the edge of the base portion. This allows any rainwater or other liquids which collects on the base portion to easily drain away to the exterior of the vehicle.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outer side of the channel is higher than the inner side. This is to provide some sealing functionality between the base portion of the bed liner and the side walls of the vehicle with which the invention is to be used. However, this is not meant to be limiting, and in some embodiments of the invention, the outer side may be reduced in height relative to the inner side (or the same height). However, having an outer side that has some vertical height is important as it can help contain and direct any water or liquids that get into this area towards the fourth side of the base portion where it may exit. It may also help prevent water getting under the base portion. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outer side of the channel includes a series of lugs or protrusions at regular intervals extending inwards, into the channel. The depth to which they extend inwards may vary but could be as much as 5 or 10 mm in some embodiments. Preferably, the lugs are spaced at 100 or 200 mm intervals. A continuous protrusion is also a possibility but this may, as will be apparent from the discussion of the installation process later in this specification, may not work as well. It will be appreciated that the lugs or protrusions slightly restrict the width of the channel at these points.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the inner side of the channel is configured as a peak. It should be understood that this portion of the bed liner effectively acts as part of a seam between it and the walls of the bed liner.

The bed liner includes separate walls, one each for the opposing side walls of the truck bed as well as the front wall. In preferred embodiments, the bed liner also includes a wall for the inside face of the tailgate of the vehicle. It is preferable that the side walls are manufactured from a different material to the base portion. A rubber-like material, as is used in the base portion, may not be ideal for the side walls due to its possible density and flexibility which can be prohibitive to the side walls easily staying upright during the installation of the bed liner.

The desired properties of the material for the walls are that it be relatively rigid with minimal flexibility.

Therefore, the walls of the bed liner may be formed from suitable plastics material such as a thermoplastic or a thermoplastic compound. However, this choice of material is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate other materials suitable for the purpose. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the walls are formed from a high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), ABS or a similar hardwearing and relatively rigid plastics material.

Preferably, the walls are configured to closely match the contours of the walls of the truck bed. However, this is not meant to be limiting and some portions of the walls may be moulded with additional protrusions or features for improved functionality. For example, the side walls may be moulded with open compartments to form storage pockets. However, in the embodiments in which it is present, the wall intended for the tail gate of the vehicle is unlikely to include any such protrusions or the like which may inhibit the movement of cargo across the tail gate when it is open. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the deck of the truck bed includes protrusions corresponding to the upper side of the rear wheel arches of the vehicle. In preferred embodiments, the side walls (and the front wall if appropriate) of the bed liner include complementary protrusions to cover these.

The walls of the bed liner may be provided with apertures which correspond to tie down or similar fittings that may be present on the inside faces of the walls of the cargo compartment. During installation, the fittings will be removed in order to fit the walls of the bed liner and then replaced. Once this has been done, the fittings can effectively act as an additional means to secure the walls in place.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape and placement of these fittings vary depending on the make and model of vehicle. Thus the side walls of the bed liner may be manufacturer or model specific. However, it is also possible that these fittings may simply be protrusions moulded into the side walls.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, adjacent walls of the bed liner may include interlocking tabs or the like to allow each wall to be secured relative to one another.

Additionally, the mating surfaces of respective adjacent walls may also be configured to mutually overlap or otherwise interlock to better exclude any rainwater that may penetrate at the corners of the bed liner.

In some embodiments, the walls of the bed liner may be moulded with preformed apertures or, alternatively, these may be formed such that the installer of the bed liner has to use a portable power drill or the like to form an aperture. In this latter embodiment, the side walls may be moulded with markings or the like to clearly indicate where apertures should be made.

The walls of the bed liner should be understood to have an upper edge and at least one of the walls has a bottom edge that engages with the channel of the base portion. In preferred embodiments of the invention, all of the walls have a bottom edge that engages with the channel of the base portion.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the upper edge of the bed liner walls (intended for use with the side walls of the truck) corresponds with the upper edge of the walls of the truck bed. Thus the configuration of the upper edge may vary according to the make and model of vehicle with which the present invention is to be used.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the upper edges of the walls may be provided with a plurality of lugs or the like. This effectively makes the upper edges thicker at periodic distances along the length of the wall and creates a wedging effect when they are inserted into the downwardly facing recess that is provided along the upper edges of the walls of the truck bed.

The bottom edge of the walls of the bed liner is configured with a protrusion which is substantially perpendicular (i.e. extending laterally or horizontally in use) to the main portion of the side wall. It will be appreciated that the protrusion has an upper side and a lower side. In preferred embodiments, the lower side of the protrusion includes a skirt which is in a substantially vertical orientation. The extent to which the protrusion extends horizontally is substantially complementary to the distance between the inner and outer sides of the channel of the base portion of the bed liner.

In use, the underside of the protrusion of the bottom edges of the walls seal against the inner side of the channel of the base portion of the bed liner.

The underside of the protrusion and its skirt mates with the inner wall of the channel of the base portion of the bed liner. The underside of the protrusion contacts the peak of the inner wall of the channel, while the skirt contacts the vertical portion of the inner wall.

Thus, the sealing between the wall of the bed line and the base portion of the bed liner occurs both on a substantially horizontal and vertical surface. This provides a superior sealing effect than is available in the prior art and makes it difficult for water to penetrate between the join of the walls and base portion of the bed liner.

Furthermore, any water which penetrates between the upper edges of the walls of the bed liner and the walls of the truck bed itself will be channelled directly into the channel of the base portion. This water is able to drain away via the tail gate end of the base portion rather than be trapped underneath the base portion where it may subsequently develop into rust.

The invention is simple enough to install; firstly, the base portion is laid down on the deck of the truck bed of the vehicle, ensuring the perimeter abuts the opposing side walls of the truck bed as well as its front wall.

Then the walls of the bed liner may be presented to the truck bed. As discussed previously, it should be appreciated that the upper edges of the walls of most truck beds are folded over, and this effectively defines a slight recess along the underside of the upper edge. The top edges of the walls of the bed liner are tucked into this fold. In preferred embodiments, the lugs provided along the upper edges of the walls of the bed liner are wedged into this recess in a friction fit. Consequently, there is no need for fasteners (although if tie down fittings are present, these can be removed for the walls to be positioned, and the fittings replaced. These can also secure the walls of the bed liner in place if so desired).

The wall of the bed liner is then lowered into place, and its bottom edge is positioned so it mates with the inner side of the channel that is provided about the perimeter of the base portion. This effectively secures the wall of the bed liner in place.

In embodiments of the invention having lugs or protrusions on the outer side of the channel, these act to constrict the space available for the bottom edge of the walls of the bed liner. The lugs deform slightly but this is resisted by the resilient nature of the material from which the bed portion is fabricated.

Thus the bottom edges of the walls are forced against the inner side of the channel, providing a good sealing effect. The spatial separation of the lugs along the outer side of the channel means that the installer is able to slightly flex the walls to assist with their installation and alignment with the channel. If present, a wall of the bed liner may be added to the inside face of the tailgate of the vehicle.

The invention is easy to transport and store in a collapsed state. As the base portion is substantially flat, the side walls can be stacked on top of the base protrusion when boxed up. Alternatively, the base portion, being made from flexible rubber-like material, can be rolled up and positioned at one end of the box.

In some instances, due to the protrusions of the wheel arches being moulded into the side walls, the side walls of the bed liner may have some depth. However, in most cases, this is likely to still be less than the height of a one-piece bed liner and thus presents less storage and transportation difficulties. It will be appreciated that the present invention offers a number of advantages over the prior art including:

• means for protecting the surfaces of a truck bed of the vehicle while still allowing access to existing structures of the truck bed such as tie-down fittings;

• easy to install and remove as required;

• may minimise the extent to which rain water may penetrate between the base portion of the bed liner and the deck of the truck bed;

• provides a non-skid surface for the deck of the truck bed;

• provides a multi-part truck bed liner which can be packed into shallow containers for storage and transportation; or

• at the very least, offers the public a useful choice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention with the truck bed of vehicle;

Figure 2a is an exploded view of the bed liner of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2b is a close-up view of one area of the base portion of the bed liner of Figure

2a; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a section of the base portion and side wall of the bed liner fitted together. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention (generally indicated by arrow 1) is a bed liner and is illustrated with the truck bed (also known as a cargo compartment - 2) of a utility vehicle.

The bed liner (1) acts to protect the cargo compartment (2) from wear and tear while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The bed liner (1) consists of five main parts. These are the base portion (3), which covers the deck (not shown) of the cargo compartment (2), two opposing side walls, 4a and 4b (for the side walls (5a, 5b) of the cargo compartment) and a front wall (6) for the front wall (7) of the cargo compartment. A wall (8) for the tail gate (9) of the cargo compartment is also provided.

Turning now to Figure 2a, the five main components of the bed liner (1) are shown in an exploded view.

It will be seen that the base portion (3) includes a corrugated surface (10). This is complementary to similar corrugations found on the deck of the cargo compartment (not shown in this view).

The base portion (3) is also shaped to exclude the wheel arches of the vehicle (not shown); instead, the opposing side walls (4a, 4b) of the bed liner are configured with complementary protrusions (11 a, 11 b) which cover the wheel arches in use.

Additionally, the base portion (3) which abuts the tailgate (not shown) in use is configured as a flat edge (12). This allows any rainfall to drain away rather than collect and pool in the cargo compartment (not shown).

The walls (4a, 4b, 6) of the bed liner are provided with tabs (13) which overlap and provide a means by which adjacent walls may be secured to each other. As can be seen on the wall (8) for the tailgate (not shown), apertures (14) may also be provided to allow the installer to fix the wall in place. The two side walls (4a, 4b) also include lugs (13a) to help secure the walls without the need for fasteners. The lugs are inserted into the recess that is found on the underside of the upper edges of the walls of the truck bed (not shown in this view) in a friction fit.

The base portion (3) includes a channel (15), which is shown in a close up view in Figure 2b. The outer edge (15a) of the channel includes a series (only one is shown in Figure 2b) of square lugs (15b).

Returning to Figure 2a, in use, these lugs (15b) deform when the walls (4a, 4b, 6) are inserted into the channel (15). This helps with alignment of the walls during the installation process by forcing the walls into contact with the far side (15c in Figure 2b) of the channel of the base portion (3). The way in which the walls engage with the base portion (3) is better illustrated in Figure 3, in which a simplified section of one wall (4b) and base portions (3) are shown in cross-section.

It will be seen that the base portion (3) has a perimeter in the form of the channel (15), with substantially vertical sides (15a, 15c). The outer side (15a) of the channel is higher than the inner side (15c) of the channel (15). The outer edge, being formed from a rubber material like the rest of the base portion (3), abuts against the wall of the cargo compartment (not shown).

It will be appreciated that the density and weight of the rubber from which the base portion (3) is formed may make it difficult for the outer side (15a) of the channel to stand perfectly upright.

Any moisture, such as rainwater which penetrates the upper edges (not shown) of the wall (4b) of the bed liner is conducted downwards via the inside of the wall, or the walls of the cargo compartment itself (not shown in this view), and collects in the channel ( 5).

As noted previously with respect to Figure 2, the area of the base portion (3) adjacent the tailgate (not shown in Figure 3) is provided as a flat edge (not shown in Figure 3). The channel (15) leads towards this edge. Thus any rainwater which is collected in the channel is allowed to drain away.

The inner side of the channel (15d) has a vertical surface (facing the outer side of the channel), arising from the base (15e) of the channel, and a top surface (15f). It will apparent that the wall (4b) is provided with a protrusion (16) along its lower edge (17). The depth of the protrusion, which has an upper side (17a) and an underside (17b), extends substantially complementary to the distance between the inner (15c) and outer walls (15a) of the channel (15).

The underside (17b) of the protrusion (17) includes a downwardly depending skirt (17c). These two features provides contact surfaces which together mate with the inner side (15c) of the channel (15), providing a good sealing join between the respective parts of the bed liner (not shown) which is difficult for moisture to penetrate.

The skirt (17c) seals against the vertical surface (15d) of the inner side (15c) of the channel (15) while the underside (17b) of the protrusion (17) seals against the top surface (15f).

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A liner for a truck bed of a vehicle, wherein the truck bed has a deck, two opposing side walls, a front wall and a tailgate, the liner including: a one-piece base portion, wherein the base portion has a perimeter including a channel having an outer edge and an inner edge a plurality of walls, one each for the opposing side walls and front wall of the truck bed and wherein at least one of the walls has a bottom edge, characterised in that the inner edge of the channel is substantially complementary to the bottom edge of at least one of the walls of the liner, and wherein the outer edge of the channel includes a series of lugs or protrusions extending into the channel.

2. The liner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base portion is manufactured from a rubber-like material.

3. The liner as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the base portion of the bed liner is moulded with peaks and troughs.

4. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the channel is provided along at least three sides of the base portion of the bed liner.

5. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outer edge of the channel is higher than the inner edge.

6. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inner edge of the channel is configured as a peak.

7. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the walls of the bed liner are manufactured from a thermoplastic or a thermoplastic compound.

8. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein adjacent walls of the liner include interlocking tabs.

9. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the walls have an upper edge.

10. The liner as claimed in claim 9, wherein the upper edge of the walls are provided with a plurality of lugs.

11. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the opposing side walls and front wall each have a bottom edge.

12. The liner as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the bottom edge of the walls is configured with a protrusion extending substantially perpendicular to the wall.

13. The liner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protrusion extends a distance which corresponds substantially to the distance between the inner and outer edges of the channel of the base portion.

14. The liner as claimed in either claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the protrusion has a lower side, wherein the lower side includes a skirt.

15. The liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein a wall is provided for the tailgate of the truck bed.

16. A kit set for a liner for a truck bed of the vehicle, wherein the truck bed has a deck, two opposing side walls, a front wall and a tailgate, the kit set including a liner as claimed in claim 1.

17. The kit set as claimed in claim 16, wherein the kit set includes a wall for the tailgate.

18. A method of installing a liner for a truck bed of a vehicle, the liner as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the truck bed has a deck, two opposing side walls, a front wall and a tailgate, the method including the steps of: a) placing the base portion on the deck of the truck bed such that the perimeter of the base portion abut at least three of the walls of the truck bed; and b) locating the bottom edge of one of the walls of the liner into the channel of the perimeter of the base portion.

19. A liner for a truck bed of a vehicle substantially as herein described in the Detailed Description and with reference to the accompanying Figures.

20. A kitset for a liner for a truck bed of a vehicle substantially as herein described in the Detailed Description and with reference to the accompanying Figures.

21. A method of installing a liner for a truck bed of a vehicle substantially as herein described in the Detailed Description and with reference to the accompanying Figures.