Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
2~il977
~1VO ~1/09751 PCI/US90~07179
" COLLAPSIBL COVER HAVI~G
M I D - GATE FOR P I CKUP TRUC:K "
, ~
TECH~ AI, FIEkJ:!
The invention pertains to th~ ~aneral field of
5 truck bed cove~s and more ~articularly to t~ ~ollap~ible
cover ass mbly which fits ov~r th~ bed of a pic~cup
t1 truck . The cover may be secured in a col lap~ed or
extendPd Po5ition to sel~ctiv~1Y uncover or covPr thP
bed of the pickuP truck.
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'1 10 ~,
~ he prior art dlsclo~;ed various ~ype5 of
lonsitudinally collaPsible covers attach~ to the bed
of a PiCkUp trucl~. ~he covsrs~ are :design~d ~ to CO~
- the enti~e ~ru~k bed or alternatively may~:b collaPs~d
15 ` aIlZd stowed in~ the collaPsed::Poslt~lon ~to op~n ~he sarn
for uZse as ~ ~ may ~ ~ be ~ desi~red ~ or~ any particular
~ ap~ Z ~
~5~ `~ A s~aarch o~ the~ prl~r~ art ~ did: not ~disclo~ ~any
atnts tha~ read~direc~l~Y on~he c~laims of-the l~n5ta'r.tZt
~:: 20inYQntion however, ~the~ ~fol:lowing U. S. :patnts; were
consldsred~...re:lated~
~; 3,201, 171 ~ : wi~kard ~ 7 AUslll5t 1i~65
1~Z~ 3f231~305 ~ eck~tZan:~25~ January. ~ 9~6
`Z 2~ 3l6æs~7æ? :~ eather~ 5 ;5~P~mZber 1972
Z : 3,~0~ 4~8 :~ saaman ~ ~ ~6 Au~u~t r~ ~75
: 4, 25~, 363: ~ Rodrisu ~ 24 ~bruary .1~21
:
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W091/09751 PC~/US90/07179
Patents 3,~1, 171; 3, ?31, 305; 3, 688, ~87 and 3,931 J 54B
each ~re directed to ~ collaPsiblp cover structur~
which includes a flexible s~eet material ~ecured to a
plurality of invertPd u-shaped ribs s~pported upon
track mechanism attached to the pickup tru~k bed 50
that the covPr maY be extended or re~r~cted. Pa~ent
4,~5~,3&3 is directed to a similar such s~ructure which
also includes fore ~nd ~ft h~rd shell end portion~
which, when the cover is collapsed, form an enclosed
space to protect thP fl~xiblP m~t~rial from adverse
weather ~nd environmental condition5 . The aft portion
i5 secured to the forward po~tion by ~ hook on Pa~h
side to secure the same in its collaPsed ~ondition.
Th~ present invention is an impro~Pment over the
csllapsible cover as illustrated I~ U. 5 . P~tent No .
4,25~,363 and the disclosure of that pat~nt i5
incorporated herein by r~ference.
The prio~ a~t coll~l3sibl e co~Pr~ for pickup
tr~c~s, includin~ those di~clo~ed in the
above-ref~renced U.S. patents, are diffic~lt to
mane w er from either the extendPd or retracted position
to ~he oppo~ite Position~ ~u~thermore, when the cover
i5 in its coll~psed position, the entire area Qf the
-truck bed is open and non-~ecu~e. Additionally, when
in the Px~nde~ position, the fl~xible sheet material
pro~idin~ the collap~ible cover is not tishtl~ ~ecured
to the truck bed therQby~allowin~ in~ress of foreign
materials ~ch as snow, dirt:~nd thQ -like.
The coll~psible cover ~ssembly IS slldabl~
disposed to cover, in its extended position, the bed o1-
a plckup tr~ck. The ~dge~ of the collaPsible cover a~
ti~htly secured to prevent in~ress Qf forPiyn object
during oper~ion of the truck. ThP a~sembly includes
, ~ l~' d, ~
2071977
WO 91/0~751 PCi/US90/07179
security mid-gat~ that is removably ~ttache~ at the
approximate mid-Portion of th2 truck b~d. The ~ate
extend, from the upper ed~es thereof downwardly to the
bottom ~herPof and subst~ntiallY m~tQ~ with thP ~over.
In its collaPsed condition, the covPr provides a sec~JrP
ar~a at the forward portion of the bed o~ the ~pi~kup
i truck, ~ ~
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FI~U~E ~ i~ a Per~PPctive exPlodad view ~howing
the collapsible cover constru ted in accordance with
the principlPs of th~ present in~ntion;
FI~URE 1A is a cross sectional view taken alons
lines 1A of FI~URE 1 çshown i~ th~ assembl~d position);
~ FI~URE 2 is a Fartial persPectiye ~iew ~howing
.~; 15 the security mid-gate Positioned in the truck bed;
URE 3 illustrates in a fra~mented ~nd partial
~t2w~y view, th~ installation of the mid-~t~ in the
bed of a pickuP truck;
FI~URE 3A illu5t~ta5 th~ d~tai 15 of th~ mid-~ate
o att~chment means; - ~ ~
FIGUR~ ~ illustrate~ the tuck bed liner u~ili2ed
in conjunction wjlth ~he mid-~atQ;~ . :
. ~ FI~U~E 4A i5 a cross~section~l view ~f.~ther
. illu~tr~ting t~e con~tru~tion of th~ mid-gate..lin~r so
~; 25 as to receive the mld-~ate;
FIa~RE 5 is a perspective view of a ~lider which
en~ges tracks upon which the cov~r of the pr~s~nt
in~ention i5 mounted;
~ I FI~URE 6 is a perspective view of a casing which
:l 30 recsi~ss the ~lide~ strdted in ~I~URE 5;
FI~URE 7A is a :perspective front view of the
~tt~chi~ mechanism interconn~cting ribs supportin~ ~h~
~ollapsible ~over with the gli~er mechanism;
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~0~1977
i W0~1/097~1 PCT/US90/07179
FI~U~E 7B is a per~Pective back view o~ the
attachin~ mechanism,
FIGURE 8 is ~n exPlod~d view illustrating
latching mechanism usPd for sPcuring the collapsibl2
5 cover in its extended and/or ret~acted positions.
F I ~URE ~ p~r5p~ctiv~ vi~w showi~ the glide~
means att~ched to th~ tr~cks secured to ~e tru~k bed
rdi 1~;
FI~URE 10 is ~ sectional vi~w showin~ the
, lO rel~tive positions of the sli~er means, wa~h~r, spring,
3 and the aft hard shPll portion.
~el'~rr i ng now more part i cu 1 ar 1 Y t o F I ~URE 1,
,. there i~ shown, in an exploded perspective Yiew, a
15 pickup truck T havin~ a rearw~rdly Pxtending bed B with
~, I'ront, r~ar and side walls and upper side edge~ S. Th~
co 1 1 aps i b 1 e c~nopy cover ~ shown i n ~xP 1 ode~ v i ew i n
FIGIJRE 1 is aff ixed to ~h~ uppPr s idé edg~s S of the
b~d ~ and is secured at the r@~r portion R of the cab
20 0~ the truck T ~o thPrebY pI~ovide a s~al ~etween the
~ cab and the forw~rd area over ~he bed B of the truck.
3 Th~ ~ove~ ~ m~Y be coll~ps~d or:ext~nded ~ ~Qsir~d for
- any particular aPpii~ation. As is more specific~lly
3 -shown in FI~U~E5 2, 3, 3A,i~4 ~nd 4Ai t~re is;provided
25 at aPProxima~ely the cen~er of the bed B, a ~e~u~itY
mid-~ate.40 ~not illustratsd in ~I~URE 1 for Purpo~e o~
clarity) which~may ~e rPmovably sec~red in pl~ce 50
that when the c~Y~ in its col lapsed and stow2d
position,i the rea~ portion of the truck ~ed B r~mains
30 op~n. The forw~rd portion of the tr~ck b~d is
maintained in ~ sec~re con~ition by the combination of
the co11dpsed cover ~ along with th~ mid-gate.
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V~ ~ g75~ ' ' ' Pcr/UsgO/07179
Throughout the fol lowing description, dupl icate
parts are shown but wi 11 be r ~ferrPd to onlY once wi~h
the understandins that the ~ame reference numeral wi 11
apply to the dupl icate P~rt wherein such exists .
A set of tracks 2 ~long with a spacer gasket 1
are attached along the top s ide Pdses ~ of the bed B bY
th~ clamps 3 a5 5hown in FIGURE 1. Each~X~ th~ -tracks
2, a~ shown in FI~URE 1Ai define a longitudinally
extending slot 2 on each side thereol', where on the
outermost slot is locatPd ~ groove ~03 that retAins
cable me~ns or wire ~1 described infra. Ea~h 510t a150
r2ce i ves i nward l y d i recte~ edses 2 o 2 and 2 04 c~f
gl ider means 18 whi ch is retained intRrnal lY within a
g l i der c~Ls i ~g 1 ~ as a l s o s how~ F I ~URE 1 A . A~d i t i ona l
gl iders with a saddle me~hani~rr attached thereto are
i 1 lustratPd at 4 in FIGURE 1 with the saddle more
clearly i 1 lustrated in FI~U~E5 7A and 7B. The
combination of the saddle a.ld ~1 ider are affixed one at
each end o~ the ribs 8 with the gl ider arms f ittin~
within the opposed groovPs of ~he tracks 2 ~5 best
shown in FI~URE 9.
The ~1 ider means 1~, as shown in ~I~URE5 ~ and
~, i5 d~signed to oper~te in combination with the
cas in~ 1~ whi ch receiYes the rear f iber ç~la55 boot ~14
to the tracks ?, The combination is designPd to be
~el~-adju~ting to compen~ate for in~onsistenci~s in the
wid~h bii~twePn ~hQ track ~mPans ~ecured to the tr~l~k b~d
r~ S. The s~lf~djustn)ent is accvmpli~hed bY ~
l~teral ~lot ~5 that is c~3t into the mei:al c~si~ as
best shown in ~IGURE Y . ~he slot 95 al lows ~he gl ide 1
and casin~ 1~ to to disPl~c~d later~lly, as shown at 9
in FI~URE 10, to thu~ comp~ns~t~ for the bQd rai 1
incons is~n~ies .
Between the fi~er~las~ boo~ 14 and the casing 1q
i5 locate~ ~ spring q1 and a wa5hPr q2 that are held in
placP by a bolt 90 ~nd nut 9~ combinatiQn as shown in
VVo ~I/ns7sl 2 0 719 7 7 Pcr/usso/o7l79
FI~URE 10. The ~pring maint~ins the required tension
and the washer 92 allow~ thP casiny to easily slide
lateral ly whi le m~intaining the bolt 90 and the sprin~
~1 in a stationerY position. AdditionallY, thP bolt
-: 5 al lows the casins 1 q to self-adiust for a carnberins
;
motion 94 as 21so shown in Fi~ure 10.
A cab connecting boot 5 i5 insert~d w~iin ~ ~front
o~eniny disposed within ~hP forward h~rd shel l portion
6 to provide access ta the ~ab of the truck T.
- 10 A f lexible cover 9 is ttached to the ribs 8 and
~. is also aff ixed to the fore hard shel l portion ~ and
., ~he aft h~rd shel l port ion 14 . ~propriate f~stener
means, ~uch as ill~str~ted at 1. anà 13, i5 utili2ed to
attach the cover q a5 i5 WPl 1 known and far appropriate
;i 15 tr i mm i ng to prvv i de an at tra ct i ve and w~ther-t i ght
' struct~ . TPnsion imP~rtin~ means in thP form of
;~ spring me~hanism 11 disposed within a cas in~ i5 aff ixed
,I to a wire 21 which is thread~d thro~lsh an appropriate
~;, loop in thP periphery of the f lexible ~over 9 . Wh~
2p the coYsr i5 in its Pxtsnd~d Po~ition, thP wirP ~1 is
taut and is held ~ecurelY wi.thin the out~ ide ~roove of
a~ch of the tr~cks 2 to thus seal the low~ ed~es of
the flexi~le cover 9 to th~ sides of the truck ~Qd
thus p~ecludin~ insre~ of unw~nted mat~rials.
I~ d~ ed, a wind def lector 15 maY be aff ixed to
he top of th~ aft hard sheil portion 1~ a~ i5 well
known in the art. In addlt~ion thereto, a re~r window
16 may -be ~ffixed to~ the aft hard ~hell portion 14. If
d~sir~d,-~ the window 1~ ma~ b~ com~letely removabïe to
provide acce~s for lo~din~ and ~lnloadins of the truck
~bed when the cov~r ~ is in its extended positio~.
An appropri~te latch ~nit 1?, a~ shown in FI~URE5
~`~ 1 and 8, i5 atta~hed on each side at the lower portion
of the aft hard shQl l portion 14 . The latch unit i5
ytilizkd to secur~ thP :Flexible ~over to the sides of
the: tr~c}; bad whPn the ~ovPr is in it~ ~xtendPd
;l
2 0~ ~1 9 7 7
VO 91/09751 PCI'/USgO/07179
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position. The same latch mPchanism 17 maY also be
utili~ed to sec~re the co~er in Pl~ce when it i5 in its
retra CtPd pO5 i t i on i n a 5 i m i 1 ar manner .
An aPPropr i at e bear i ns cart r i dge means 1~ i s
uti l i~ed between the lowe~ surfaces of the a~t hard
shell portion 14 And the track 2 to assist in the
movement of the collaPsible cover mecha~m a~ons the
tracks during the retraction or extension thereof.
BY reference now more part i cularly to FIGUF~E5 ~,
3 and 4~ the mid-sate assem~ly is shown in further
detai 1. As is therein i 1 lustr~ted, the mid-gate 40 is
seat2d upon a l iner ~2 which is in~erted into And r~st~
upon the ~eck of the forward Portion of the b~d B at a
~oint intermQdi~te with the ~ront and rPar w~l ls of the
pickup truck T. The liner 42 may be constructed of any
de~irPd matPrial but Fr~fe~ablY is a molded plastic
material such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride or
. the l ike as i5 i l ll~strated at 44 in F~URE ~A. As i~
also 5hown in FI~URE 4A, th~ r 42 is formed with a
2û recPss 46 th~rein into whicl1 the lower end ~8 of the
mid-gate 4D i~ insÆrted when the mià-~ate i5 in place
~s is shown in FI~URE 2. It should al~o be noted that
the lower ~urface 5D of the l iner i5 disPosed above the
bottom 52 of the becl o~ the pickup truck. The
disposition of the l iner 42 above the bottom 52 of the
, - b~d of the pickup tr ick definPs a protected sp~ce 3
~ ~ : Within this space, items m~y be ~towed and k~t dry
9~ from - water~, snow or ~ other for@ign m~te~ials th~t m~y
fal 1 into the rear ~ection of the bed aft of the
mid-~ate 40, Particular~y wh n the cover~ ~ i5 in its
collapsed and stowed~ position. ~hat i5, a false bottom
is provided so th~t, for ~x~mPlP, wat~r may freQly move
along the deck of ~he truck bed whi le items on ~p of
the l iner ~2 rPmain isolated therefrom.
9 ~5 The rnid-gate 40 i5 held in place by a :pair of
latch s 54 and 56 which Pn~age ~ r~tention me~h~nism ~
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WO9l/09751 P~T/USgO/07179
(only one of which is ~hown in FI~URE5 3 and ~A)
attached to the inner surface of the truck bed B ~5 is
i 1 lustrated . The mid-~ate 4n in~ des a s ide wal 1 6D
surroundPd by ~ f langP 6~ . ~he l~tch 54 is aff ix~d to
5 the ~ ide w~l l 60 . The f lange is f itted within an
opening 64 defined bY thP retention mechanism 58 when
the mid-~ate is inserted into the reces~ and then
rotated forwardly as is ill~str~ted by the arrows 66.
,~once in po~ition. the latches 54 and 56 are inserted
`~10 into the rPtentior, mPchanism 58 to thus rPtain the
mid-~ate 40 in ~ se~urelY locked position.
~ t will be ~pparent to those skilled in the art,
l,that the mid-gate ~0 m~Y be utili2ed with any of the
:,collapsible retr~ct~ble ~overs disclosed in th~ prior
]5 art. This utili2ation may be ~c~ompli~hed by placing
the mid-gate at the terminus of the cover when it i5 in
,its stowed position providing a ~e~ure ~Pace at the
:~forward end of thP truck bed to recei~e v~rious t~pes
lof mate~ials or objects su~h as tool~, clothin~, food
:~,20 or the like while still leavin~ the aft portion of thQ
;~truck hed open and availablP for carryin~ othPr loads
iwhich do not n~ed to be sec~ra~ or whi~h may be damaged
by wPather or environmental conditions. Pre~erably,
however, the mid-~ate 40 is utili~ed with a type of
co~er illustrated in FI~URE 1 which has the fore and
a~t hard shsll ~ortions ~ and 14, r spectively, within
which th~ collapsible portion of the co~er i5 received
when the cover i5 in its collaps~d and stow~d ~osition.
:~Th~s, there i5 provided a hard shell cover which when
~it~d to~ther seals and which, along with the
mid-~at~ 40 s~ured in place, pro~ides a well definPd
/secured space.
.3As is illust~ated mor~ fully i~ FI~URES 7A ~nd 7B
~,to whi~h r~fereMce is h~reby m~dP, the 5addle 70
include~ an upstanding wall 7~ defining an openin~ 74
wherein. A pair of inwardly directed le~s 76 and 78 are
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1091/0~751 2 0 7 ~ 9 7 7 PCT/IJS90/07179
connected to the wall 72. The lower surf~ces of the
le~s 76 and 7~ are affix~d to a slider casing such as
i shown in FI~URE 6 bY welding or the like within which
in turn i~ received ~ glider ~u~h as illustrated in
FI~URE 5. The ribs ~ are affixed to the s3~dle~ member
~` ?O bY appropriate ~a~tening devices which pass th~ou~h
the orifice 74 ~o therebY secure the ribs and the
~i flexible to~ ~ thereto.
AS i5 i 1 lustrated in FI~URE 8, the latch 17
. lO includ~s an ~-shaped bracket &D and a sprin~ steel
'!, 5trip 82 as well as the latch 8~. The bracket 80 along
with the latch and strip 8~ ~re ~ppropriat~ly secured
to the aft shell 14 by appropriate fasteners. The
l~tch me~hanism 84 i5 then utili~ed to sPc~re the ~over
lS ~ in its extended or retracte~ posi~ions by approPriate
en~a~ement with the bed B o:F the tru~k T to maintdin
the ~over securelY in either the rPtracted or the
~towed position~
.~ .
While the invention ha~ been de5 ~ribed in
complete dPt~il and pictoriallY shown in the
a~companying drawings, it is not to be l~mited to such
details~ since many change~ and modification~ maY be
m~de to the in~entivrl~w~thout dep~rtins from the sPirit
and th@ ~co~e thereof. He~ce, it~is~dsscrib~d to cov~r
any and all modi~ic~tions an~ fo~ms which maY ~ome
.~ within thP langu~e and ~cope o~ the claims.
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