Patent ID: 6439640
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A pivoting rail assembly for use in a tonneau cover for covering an area of a vehicle, the vehicle area being bounded by spaced walls, the walls including a forward wall, side walls and a rear wall, said pivoting rail assembly comprising:an elongated base rail including a body portion for engaging a top surface of the forward wall, said body portion having a first pivot portion and a first conjunct feature, said first pivot portion having an open, unobstructed forward end portion; a pivot rail including a body section, said body section having a second pivot portion and a second conjunct feature; said first and second pivot portions being cooperatively engaged and permitting relative rotational movement of said base rail and said pivot rail between a closed position, an open position and a release position; said first and second conjunct features being cooperatively engaged in said closed and open positions whereby said pivot rail is prevented from disengaging said base rail in said closed and open positions; and said first and second conjunct features not being cooperatively engaged in said release position whereby said pivot rail is disengageable from said base rail in said release position, said first and second conjunct features not being cooperatively engaged solely as a result of movement of said base rail and said pivot rail into said release position.