Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TONNEAU COVER SYSTEM
BACKGIftOUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention. This invention relates
to the field of tonneau covers and more
particularly, to the field of tonneau covers for the
beds of pickup trucks and similar vehicles.
~. Discussion of the Background. Tonneau covers
for pickup trucks and similar vehicles (such as
sport utility ones with exposed beds or decks) help
to cover and protect the beds of the vehicles and
any items in them. Such covers would ideally have a
relatively low profile (i.e., extend relatively flat
across the top of the bed walls) and would be easily
moved to cover and uncover the bed and its contents.
They would also be easily and conveniently storable
on the vehicle when not in use or easily removed
completely from the vehicle for separate storage.
With this in mind, the tonneau cover system of
the present invention was developed.
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This invention involves a system or arrangement
for removably attaching a tonneau cover over the bed
of a pickup truck or similar vehicle. The system
includes front, rear, and side rails. The front and
two side rails are respectively secured in fixed
positions by clamps or other means atop the front
and side walls of the bed. The rear rail is then
suspended to extend between the two side rails
across the mouth of the tailgate opening. The ends
of the rear rail are inserted into longitudinally
extending channels in the side rails and can be slid
relative to the fixed, front and side rails. The
system also can include one or more support bows
that can be inserted into the channels in the fixed,
side rails and slid relative to them to spaced
positons intermediate the front and rear rails.
In operation and with the front and side rails
secured atop the front and side walls of the bed,
one or more of the support bows can be inserted
directly (or through notches in the side rails) into
the channels that extend longitudinally along the
side rails. The tips or ends of the bows are
preferably provided with spring-biased members.
Once these end members axe inserted into the
channels of the side rails, the bows can be slid
forwardly or rearwardly in the channels to the
desired locations between the front and rear rails.
The tonneau cover can then be placed over the bows
and attached to the rails. This is preferably done
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by inserting belts sewn about the perimeter of the
rectangular cover into retaining grooves in the
front, rear, and side rails. In one embodiment, the
rear rail at this time may be slightly spaced from
its rearmost position. The flexible, tonneau cover
at this point is slightly loose and the retaining
belt on the rear of the cover can be easily inserted
into the retaining groove in the rear rail.
Thereafter, the tonneau cover can be stretched and
drawn taut to its final tension by slidably moving
the rear rail rearwardly until spring-biased pins
lock into slots in the side rails. The tailgate can
subsequently be closed to seal against a flexible
seal mounted to and extending across the rear rail.
Alternatively, the seal can be mounted on the
tailgate to engage the rear rail to form a
watertight seal.
To store the tonneau cover, the spring-biased
pins of the rear rail are withdrawn from their
locked positions to allow the rear rail and attached
tonneau cover to move slightly forwardly. This
relieves or lessens the tightness of the cover and
permits the rear belt of the loosened cover to be
easily removed from the retaining groove in the rear
rail. It also allows the belts on the sides and
front of the cover to be more easily removed from
the front and side rails. The cover can then be
rolled to a forward position or removed altogether.
The bows can also be removed but in the preferred
embodiments, they are slid forwardly to positions
adjacent each other and the front wall. The rolled
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up tonneau cover is then supported on the bows
adj acent the front wall and secured in place . The
rear rail is also preferably slid forwardly in the
channels in the side rails wherein the front and
rear rails and bows are all positioned adjacent one
another at the front of the bed. Alternatively, the
bows can be removed and rolled up in the cover or
the rear rail and bows can be slid rearwardly out of
the channels in the side rails and stored separately
if desired. In another approach, the tonneau cover
can be attached to the bows and slid forwardly with
the bows and rear rail to a position adjacent the
front wall of the bed. In doing so, the cover would
fold essentially like an accordion.
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tonneau
cover system of the present invention in use
covering the bed of a pickup truck.
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the tonneau
cover system.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 5-5 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the
tailgate shown in its open position.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a rear corner
area of the tonneau cover system with the cover
partially cutaway to show the rear rail in its
locked position.
Figure 8 is an exploded view of the shuttle
portion and locking mechanism on each end of the
rear rail.
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 9-9 of Figure 7.
Figure l0 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing
the rear rail moved to an unlocked position.
Figure 11 is a schematic view of the movement
of the locking pin from its retracted position to
its extended, locked position.
Figures 12-13 show one method of tensioning the
cover in which the cover is initially attached about
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its perimeter to the walls of the bed and to the
rear rail with the cover in a loose state (Figure
12). Thereafter, the rear rail is pulled rearwardly
to its locked position (Figure 13) to tension the
cover.
Figure I4 is a view of the preferred manner in
which the cover, bows, and rear rail are stored
adjacent the front wall of the pickup truck when not
in use.
Figure 15 illustrates another manner in which
the system can be stored on the vehicle in which the
bows are removed from the side walls and rolled up
in the cover.
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Figure 1 shows the tonneau cover 1 of the
present invention in position over the bed of a
pickup truck 3. The cover 1 is made of flexible
material (e.g., canvas or vinyl) that is elastic and
slightly stretchable. In the exploded view of
Figure 2, the overall structure of the system of the
present invention is illustrated. As shown, the
system includes the cover 1 which is removably
attachable along its perimeter sides 1' to the rails
5, 7, and 9. Front rail 5 and side rails 7 in turn
are affixed (e.g., by clamps 11 in Figure 2,
brackets, or adhesives) atop the front wall 15 and
two side walls 17 of the bed 19. These rails 5 and
7 if desired could be molded directly into the walls
15 and 17 but preferably are separate pieces. One
or more bows 21 are preferably used to help support
the cover 1 over the bed 19. As explained in more
detail below, the rear rail 9 is mounted to extend
horizontally between the side walls 17 across the
mouth of the tailgate opening adjacent the closed
tailgate 23. The closed tailgate 23 in this regard
forms the fourth wall of the bed 19. Figures 3-5
illustrate these features in more detail.
As seen in Figures 3-5, the perimeter sides 1'
of the cover 1 have sewn-in belts 25 that can be
removably attached in grooves 27 in the respective
rails 5, 7, and 9. This can be done in the known
manner of co-owned U.S. Patent Nos. 4,757,854 and
5,765,903. For example, as illustrated in Figure 5,
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the tip portion of the belt 25 can be inserted into
the mouth of the groove 27 by initially stretching
the slightly elastic cover 1 to place the belt 25 in
the dotted position of Figure 5. The belt 25 can
then be manually rotated or pivoted using the upper
edge of the groove 27 as a fulcrum to gain leverage.
This will further stretch and tension the cover 1
wherein the cover 1 will thereafter essentially draw
the belt 25 into the groove 27 to the position shown
in solid lines in Figure 5. The belt 25 will then
be firmly held in place under the residual tension
in the stretched, resilient cover 1. The tips of
the bow 21 as seen in Figure 4 have spring-biased,
end member 31. In use, each end member 31 is
inserted at the desired location into the channel 33
in each side rail 7. Alternatively, each end member
31 can be inserted anywhere along the channel 33 and
then slid therealong to the desired location
intermediate the front and rear rails 5 and 9. If
desired, the end member 31 could have an enlarged,
interlocking shape with the channel 33 wherein
notches 35 (see Figure 2) could be provided along
the channel 33 to received the enlarged, end
members. Once received and captured in the channel
33 , the bow 21 could then be slid as desired along
the channel 33.
Each end 9' of the rear rail 9 as best seen in
Figures 6 and 7 is slidably received in the channel
33 in each side rail 7 including its corner or end
piece 7'. More specifically and referring to
Figures 7 and 8 , each end member 9' of rear rail 9
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is attached to the main body of the rear rail 9 by
inserting the plug 41 into the channel 43 (see also
Figure 5). The mating channel at 45 of the shuttle
portion 47 of end member 9' (see Figures 7 and 9) is
then slidably received in channel 33 in the
respective side rail 7. In Figures 7 and 9, the end
member 9' is shown in its locked position with the
spring-biased pin 51 extended and received (i.e.,
locked) in the slot 53 in the side rail 7. In this
locked position of Figures 7 and 9, the cover 1 is
preferably in a slightly stretched and tensioned
state and is securely being held in place with all
of the belts 25 of Figures 3-5 being firmly held in
their retaining grooves 27. To release the rear
rail 9 from its locked position of Figure 7, the
handle 55 of the pin 51 can be grasped and manually
pulled to the dotted position of Figure 9. This
will retract or withdraw the pin 51 along its axis
52 out of the slot 53 to the dotted position of
Figure 9. The rear rail 9 can then be slid
forwardly substantially in a horizontal plane to the
position of Figure 10. If desired, the handle 55
can be rotated 90 degrees as shown in Figure 10 to
abut and hang up against the sides 57 of recess 59
to keep the pin 51 in its retracted position. The
axis 52 of the pin 51 is preferably perpendicular to
the longitudinal axis of the channel 33 (i.e.,
perpendicular to the direction between the front
wall 5 and the rear rail 9).
By moving the rear rail 9 forwardly from the
position of Figure 7 to the position of Figure 10,
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the cover 1 is loosened and the tension in the cover
1 is relieved. The belt 25 on the rear rail 9 can
then be more easily removed from the retaining
groove 27. That is, with the rails 5, 7, and 9 in
the positions of Figures 3-5, the cover 1 can be
stretched and attached to the rails 5, 7, and 9 by
the belts 25 in the manner discussed above (see also
Figure 5). The cover 1 is then fairly tightly
stretched in place both front to back and side to
side to have a substantially flat and low profile.
In most cases, the lightly tensioned or tightened
cover 1 in this condition can be somewhat difficult
to remove. This is a desirable characteristic for
security and integrity of the tonneau cover system.
However, to assist and to make removal of the cover
1 easier, the rear rail 9 can be unlocked and moved
forwardly from the position of Figure 7 to the
position of Figure 10. This will loosen the elastic
cover 1 and relieve its tension not only from front
to back but also from side to side . To do so, the
tailgate 23 can be opened and each handle 55 (see
Figure 9) of the locking mechanisms pulled to
retract the pins 51. If desired, the handles 55 can
also be rotated 90 degrees after being pulled out to
hold the pins 51 in their retracted positions as
discussed above. Upon retracting the pins 51 from
the slots 53 in the side rails 17 of the side walls
7, the rear rail 9 will usually be slightly moved or
pulled forwardly under the force of the tensioned
cover 1. The rear rail 9 can additionally be
manually moved forwardly as desired to a position
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(e. g., Figure l0) allowing easy removal of the belt
25 from the retaining groove 27 in the rear rail 9
(see Figure 5). For the most part, the rear rail 9
is moved far enough by the tension of the cover 1
alone that the operator can easily remove the belt
25. As also discussed above, this forward movement
of the rear rail 9 relieves tension in the cover 1
not only from front to back but also from side to
side making it also easier to remove belts 25 from
the side rails 7.
To initially attach the cover 1 as discussed
above to the front wall 15, side walls 17, and rear
rail 9, the rear rail 9 can be initially positioned
in the locked position of Figure 7. Using the
technique of Figure 5 as also discussed above, the
respective belts 25 about the perimeter sides 1' of
the cover 1 can be inserted into the respective
retaining grooves 27. Alternatively, if desired,
the rear rail 9 could be initially positioned in the
unlocked position of Figures l0 and 12. The loose
cover 1 can subsequently be easily attached to the
front wall 15, side walls 17, and rear rail 9
(Figure 12) and the rear rail 9 thereafter manually
pulled rearwardly in the direction of 61 in Figure
12 to the locked position of Figure 13. In doing
so, each locking pin 51 under the bias of spring 63
(see Figure 11) will slide along the channel 33 in
each side rail 7 until the pin 51 reaches the slot
53 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 11) and is
extended under the force of the biasing spring 63
into the slot 53.
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In the preferred embodiments and with the rear
rail 9 in the locked position of Figure 5, the
closed tailgate 23 will abut the sealing member 65
on the rear rail 9. The elongated, sealing member
65 could be on either the rear rail 9 or the
tailgate 23 but in either case, a substantially
watertight seal is created when the tailgate 23 is
closed against the rear rail 9. Additionally, as
best seen in Figures 1, 5, and 13, the tailgate 23
can be opened and closed without having to undo the
cover 1 or move the rear rai'. 9. In this regard,
the tonneau cover system of the present invention
can remain in its locked position and does not need
to be manipulated in any manner to open the tailgate
23 to provide access to the bed 19 and its contents.
This is true whether the tailgate 23 is mounted for
pivotal movement about a horizontal axis 24 as shown
in Figure 12 or mounted for rotation about a
vertical axis.
Figure 14 illustrates a preferred manner of
storing the tonneau cover 1 on the vehicle 3. In
this approach, the cover 1 is released from being
attached to the rear rail 9 and side walls 17 and
rolled up toward the front wall 15. One or more of
the bows 21 are then slid forwardly in the channels
33 in the side rails 7 and positioned beneath the
rolled up cover 1. In this manner, the bows 21
extending between the side walls 17 support the
rolled up cover 1 at a location adj acent the front
wall 15 of the truck bed 19. The cover 1 and bows
21 can then be secured in place (e. g., with ties
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67). The bows 21 in this regard can either be slid
forwardly in the channels 33 of the side rails 7 or
be removed and inserted again in the channels 33
immediately adjacent the front wall 15. In yet
another approach (see Figure 15), the cover 1 can be
rolled forwardly and as the bows 21 are uncovered,
the bows 21 can be removed and added to the roll.
In this manner, the bows 21 are then actually rolled
up within in the cover 1 for convenient storage and
to give the rolled up cover 1 additional rigidity.
The rear rail 9 could also be moved forwardly to
another locked position adjacent the front wall 15
and rolled up cover 1 and tied up with them at 67.
Alternatively, the cover 1 can be completely removed
from over the bed 19 of the vehicle 3 as can the
bows 21. Additionally, the rear rail 9 can be slid
rearwardly completely out of the rails 7 including
their end or corner pieces 7' and stored separately
if desired. In another approach, the cover 1 can be
attached to the bows 21 and the cover 1, attached
bows 21, and rear rail 9 can all be slid forwardly
with the cover 1 folding essentially like an
accordion.
While several embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described in detail,
it is to be understood that various changes and
modifications could be made without departing from
the scope of the invention.
