Patent ID: 6607234
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: B60J,B60P,B62D,Y10S

Abstract:
A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment about a perimeter of a cargo box and tailgate of a pickup truck, the tonneau cover apparatus comprising:a flexible cover, the flexible cover having first and second ends; a support frame for attachment to the cargo box, the first end of the flexible cover being attached to the support frame; an end plate, the end plate attached to the second end of the flexible cover, the end plate configured to cooperatively engage and pivot, with respect to the support frame, into and out of a fixed stretching position in which the flexible cover is stretched between the support frame and the end plate; and a latching member, the latching member attached to the support frame, the latching member including an engagement portion extendible and retractable through an aperture in the support frame, the latching member being biased toward a first position in which the engagement portion extends through the aperture such that the latching member prevents the end plate from being disengaged from the fixed stretching position; wherein the end plate can be disengaged from the fixed stretching position when the latching member is in a second position in which the engagement portion does not extend through the aperture.