Patent ID: 6749249
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
An apparatus for lifting one side of a camper shell attached to the bed of a pickup truck comprising:a) a pick up truck having a bed disposed thereon, said bed having a front, a rear and pair of sides, said bed having upstanding walls disposed on said front and sides of said bed, said walls having a top edge thereon; b) a camper shell disposed on said bed of said pickup truck, said shell having a front, a rear and pair of sides with a bottom edge and a top; c) a plurality of hinges pivotally connecting one side of said shell to one side of said bed of said pickup truck to permit one side of the camper shell to be lifted so that articles can be side loaded into the bed of the pickup truck; d) a means for lifting one side of the camper shell whereby one side of the camper shell is lifted so that the bed of the pickup truck can be accessed e) said lifting means comprising an electrical actuator having a housing, said housing having an upper end and a lower end, and an internal screw gear; f) a motor and gear assembly disposed on the upper end of said actuator housing to extend and retract the screw gear, said screw gear extending out from the lower end of said housing, wherein said screw gear moves in and out of said actuator housing in response to operation of said motor and gear assembly, said screw gear terminating in an exposed end outside of said housing; g) a connector for attaching the lower end of said housing to a first bracket mounted on the bottom edge of said camper shell, said motor and gear assembly being within said camper shell; h) a second bracket mounted on a top edge of a rear upstanding wall of said bed, said second bracket being directly opposite said first bracket; and i) means including an actuator mounting bracket on the exposed end of said screw gear for attaching the exposed end of said screw gear to said second bracket to permit one side of said camper shell to be raised or lowered in response to movement of the screw gear.