Abstract:
A tonneu cover assembly mountable to a open top truck bed of a pick up truck for covering the bed. The cover assembly includes a pair of side rail caps that are attachable to the side rails of the bed by a clamping system. A pair of door panels are hingedly mounted on respective side rail caps. The door panels are rotatable between a closed position where the bed is covered and open positions permitting access to the bed. A pair of actuators are connected to respective door panels and are operable to rotate the door panels between the closed and open positions. The actuators may operate to rotate one door more quickly than the second when opening the doors, and then reverse the speed of the doors when closing them enabling correct engagement between the inward sides of the doors. A quick release mechanism is provided to decouple a door from an actuator in case of a failure.

Description:
FILED OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a tonneau cover assembly for a truck bed, and more particularly, relating to a tonneau cover assembly having a pair of doors that are hingeably attachable to the side rails of a truck bed. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Pick-up trucks make up a large percentage of the vehicles on the road today. Conventional pick-up trucks generally have an open truck bed of various dimensions located aft of the cab of the truck. The open truck bed allows for hauling of different types of cargo and allows easy access to the truck bed. However, multiple problems are associated with an open truck bed. One, is the open truck bed is exposed to the weather elements and debris that can accumulate within the truck bed. Further, cargo loaded into the truck bed is susceptible to the possibility of being stolen, damaged by the weather, or blown from the truck bed. Additionally, an open truck bed creates drag on a traveling truck by air impinging on the tailgate and sidewalls reducing fuel economy. 
         [0003]    To overcome these problems many different truck bed covers of a myriad of designs have been devised for the purpose of covering truck beds. These truck bed covers allow for greater security of cargo, minimize exposure to weather elements, prevent smaller cargo from being blown from the truck bed, and reduce drag on the truck. 
         [0004]    A first heretofore devised truck bed cover includes a flexible sheet of material rolled upon a spool positioned behind the cab of the truck. The sheet material is unrolled from the spool to cover the truck bed and is retracted back onto the spool to uncover the truck bed. A second type of truck bed cover is a soft cover, usually constructed of vinyl or fabric material, which are usually fastened to the truck bed by snaps or guide rails. A third general type of truck bed cover is a hard cover. A hard cover is made from rigid plastic or fiberglass material and is comprised of one or more solid doors, hinged to the truck bed. Hard covers tend to provide better covering of the bed and greater security of the cargo within the bed. However, hard covers tend to be heavy and difficult to open, difficult to attach to the truck bed, and limit the available cargo space above the side rails of the truck bed. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is a need for a hard truck bed covering of an improved construction and operation that is easily opened, easily attached without damaging the truck bed, and which does not limit the cargo space available above the side rails of the truck bed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention addresses these needs by providing a truck bed cover that is power operated to open and close, this is easily mounted to a truck bed without damaging the bed, and which does not limit the cargo space available above the side rails of the truck bed. 
         [0007]    To achieve these and other advantages, in general, in one aspect, a cover assembly for covering an open top of a truck bed having two vertical sidewalls each having a top surface defining an inwardly extending side rail is provided. The cover assembly includes a first door and a second door, each of the doors having laterally spaced first and second sides and longitudinally spaced first and second ends. A first side rail cap and a second side rail cap, each of the side rail caps having an inside edge, an outside edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, the inside edge defining a ledge having a ledge surface downwardly spaced from the top surface. Two or more rail cap attachment means. The first side rail cap being detachably mountable to the side rail of one sidewall of the truck bed with the bottom surface of the first side rail cap in abutment with the side rail and with the inside edge facing inwardly, and being removably secured to the side rail by one of two or more rail cap attachment means in engagement with the ledge surface of said first side rail cap and the side rail. The second side rail cap being detachably mountable to the side rail of the other sidewall of the truck bed with the bottom surface of the second side rail cap in abutment with the side rail and with the inside edge facing inwardly, and being removably secured to the side rail by at least one of the two or more rail cap attachment means in engagement with the ledge surface of the second side rail cap and the side rail. The first door being positionable and hingedly connectable at the first side thereof to the first side rail cap along the ledge thereof for rotation on a first hinge axis parallel to the inside edge of the first side rail cap permitting the second side of the first door to be swung between a closed position and open positions. The second door being positionable and hingedly connectable at the first side thereof to the second side rail cap along the ledge thereof for rotation on a second hinge axis parallel to the inside edge of the second side rail cap permitting the second side of said second door to be swung between a closed position and open positions. Wherein the second sides of the first and the second doors rotate towards and away from one another between the closed position and the open positions, and being engagable with one another in the closed position. The top surfaces of the first and the second doors being flush with the top surfaces of the first and the second rail caps respectively when the cover assembly is in the closed position. 
         [0008]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
         [0009]    Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0010]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0011]    For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional truck bed with the cover assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention mounted thereto and in an open position permitting access to the truck bed; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is the same perspective view of  FIG. 1  with the cover assembly in a closed position covering and securing the truck bed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the cover assembly; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2  illustrating the details of the mounting arrangement between the cover assembly and the truck bed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a clamping system for mounting the side rail caps to the side rails of the truck bed; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic elevation view of the actuator system for opening and closing the doors of the cover assembly; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a quick release system for decoupling an actuator from a door; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a control system for operating the actuators; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a wiring harness for connecting the various electrical components of the door assembly; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a partial cross sectional view through a door illustrating a laminate construction thereof, and 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic partial front elevation view of the ends of the doors illustrating the engagement between the free ends of the doors. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a conventional open topped pick-up truck bed  10  with a cover assembly  12  constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in an open configuration permitting access to the interior of the truck bed. The conventional truck bed  10  has a floor  14  enclosed by two vertical sidewalls  16  and  18 , a front wall  20 , and a tailgate  22 . The sidewalls  16  and  18 , the front wall  20  and the tailgate  22  extend upwardly from the floor  14  creating an interior cargo storage area. Sidewall  16  has a top surface defining an inwardly extending side rail  24  having a top surface  26 , an inner edge  28 , and a bottom surface  30 , as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Likewise, sidewall  18  has a top surface defining an inwardly extending side rail  32  having a top surface  34 , an inner edge  36 , and a bottom surface  38 . 
         [0026]    The cover assembly  12  includes a first side rail cap  40 , a second side rail cap  42 , a first door  44 , and a second door  46 . The first side rail cap  40  is detachably mountable to the top surface  26  of side rail  24 , and the second side rail cap  42  is detachably mountable to the top surface  34  of the other side rail  32 . The first door  44  is hingedly connected to the first side rail cap  40  and the second door  46  is hingedly connected to the second side rail cap  42 . The cover assembly  12  may also include a first actuator  48  connected to the first door  44  and a second actuator  50  connected to the second door  46 . The actuators  48  and  50  are operable to open the doors  44  and  46 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and close the doors as shown in  FIG. 2 , as explained in more detail below. 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first door  44  has laterally spaced first and second sides  52  and  54 , longitudinally spaced first and second ends  56  and  58 , a top surface  60 , and a bottom surface  62 . Likewise, the second door  46  has laterally spaced first side and second sides  64  and  66 , longitudinally spaced first end and second ends  68  and  70 , a top surface  72 , and bottom surface  74 . Each door  44  and  46  may be made from a fiberglass material or any other suitable material. The top surfaces  62  and  72  may be curved for increased strength and to prevent water from accumulating on the surfaces. 
         [0028]    The first and second side rail caps  40  and  42  are constructed to have a low profile while at the same time permit easy attachment, and provide a stable and secure attachment point for the doors  44  and  46 . The side rail caps  40  and  42  may be constructed to fit a particular vehicle model. The first side rail cap  40  has an inside edge  84 , and outside edge  86 , a top surface  88 , and a bottom surface  90 . A ledge  92  extends along the inside edge  84  and has a ledge surface  94  that is downwardly spaced from the top surface  88 . Likewise, the second side rail cap  42  has an inside edge  96 , an outside edge  98 , a top surface  100 , and a bottom surface  102 . A ledge  104  extends along the inside edge  96  and has a ledge surface  106  that is downwardly spaced from the top surface  100 . 
         [0029]    The first side rail cap  40  is detachably mounted to the side rail  24  of the sidewall  16  with the bottom surface  90  in abutment with the top surface  26  of the side rail and with the inside edge  96  facing inwardly towards the cargo storage area. Likewise, the second side rail cap  42  is detachably mounted to the side rail  32  of the sidewall  18  with the bottom surface  102  in abutment with the top surface  34  and with the inside edge  96  facing inwardly towards the cargo storage area. Each side rail cap  40  and  42  is detachably securable to the side rails  24  and  32 , respectively, by one or more rail cap attachment means  108 . The rail cap attachment means  108  permits the detachable securment of the rail caps  40  and  42  to the side rails  24  and  32  without requiring holes to be drilled through the side rails, or without the need of special tools. 
         [0030]    The first door  44  is hingedly connected at the first side  52  thereof to the first side rail cap  40  along the ledge  92  by a hinge  126  having a hinge axis  128 . The first door  44  is rotatable about the hinge axis  128  between a closed and open position. The hinge axis  128  may be parallel to the inside edge  84  of the first rail cap  40 . The second door  46  is hingedly connected at the first side  64  to the second side rail cap  42  along the ledge  104  by a hinge  130  having a hinge axis  132 . The second door is rotatable about the hinge axis  132  between a closed and open position. The hinge axis  132  may be parallel to the inside edge  96  of the second rail cap  42 . The first and second hinge axis  128  and  132  may be perpendicular to tailgate  22 . The second sides  54  and  66  are rotated or swung towards and away from one another as the doors  44  and  46  are opened and closed. 
         [0031]    The doors  44  and  46  are generally oriented horizontal when in the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and are dimensioned to cover the open bed  10 . The doors  44  and  46  each may be of a length such that the ends  58  and  70  extend across the tailgate  22 , thereby preventing the tailgate from being opened when the doors are in the closed position. In the closed position, the rotation of each door  44  and  46  about its respective hinge axis  128  and  132  is considered to be zero degrees. The doors  44  and  46  are rotatable about their respective hinge axes  128  and  132  from between zero degrees and about ninety degrees where the doors are generally vertically orientated, as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this manner, cargo that may have a height greater than that of the sidewalls  16  and  18  may be loaded into the cargo area of the bed  10  without requiring removal of the cover assembly  12 , as in prior hard truck bed covering systems. 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIG. 11 , the second sides  54  and  66  may be engage with each other as the doors  44  and  46  are rotated into the closed position. The first door  44  may include a lip  82  extending from the second side  54  and may further include an anti-binding edge  190 . The anti-binding edge  190  extends from the end of the lip  82 . The anti-binding edge  190  may engage the second door  46  when the doors  44  and  46  are rotated into the closed position. The second side  66  of the second door  46  contacts the anti-binding edge  190  thereby flexing the anti-binding edge  190  downwardly. The anti-binding edge  190  guides the second side  66  of the second door  46  into engagement with the lip  82  when in the closed position. Further, when doors  44  and  46  are in the closed position the lip  82  and anti-binding edge  190  may serve as a rain channel to direct water off the cover assembly  12  that may have migrated between the second side  54  and  66 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first seal  134  may be positioned to seal the first side  52  of the first door  44  with the inside edge  84  of the first rail cap  40  when in the closed position. A second seal  136  may be positioned to seal the first side  64  of the second door  46  to with the inside edge  96  of the second rail cap  42  when in the closed position. 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each rail cap attachments means  108  may include an elongated channel  110  having two legs  112  and  114  and a middle web portion  116  connecting the legs together. The channel  110  may have a c-shaped transverse cross section. Leg  114  includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced through holes  118 . Each through hole  118  can threadably receive a thread fastener  120 . One channel  110  may be used to removably secure the first side rail cap  40  to its respective side rail  24 . A second channel  110  may be used to removably secure the second side rail cap  42  to its respective side rail  32 . 
         [0035]    The first side rail cap  40  is detachable secured by positioning the channel  110  with the ledge  92 , ledge surface  94 , and the side rail  24  between the two legs  112  and  114  of the channel. Then each of the plurality of threaded fasteners  120  are tightened to engage the bottom surface  30  of the side rail  24  which compresses the side rail  24  and the side rail cap  40  together. The second side rail cap  42  is detachably secured to side rail  32  in a like manner, as shown. 
         [0036]    The leg  112  of the channel  110  may be dimensioned such that a longitudinal gap  122 ,  124  is created between the edge of the leg, and the inside edges  84  and  96  of the rail caps  40 ,  42 . The gaps  122 ,  124  serves as rain channels to direct water off the cover assembly  12  that may have migrated past the respective seals  134 ,  136 . 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the actuators  48  and  50  are operable to rotate the doors  44  and  46  about their respective hinge axes  128  and  132  between the closed and the open positions. The actuators  48  and  50  are power operated by a control system  174  ( FIG. 8 ) and may be operated remotely by a transmitter or from within the cabin of the truck by a switch. The actuators  48  and  58  may be linear actuators each having an adjustable length. The control system  174  operates to adjust the length of each actuator  48  and  50 . Extending the lengths of the actuators  48  and  50  effects positive angular rotation of the doors  44  and  46  about their respective hinge axes  128  and  132 . Shortening the lengths of the actuators  48  and  50  effects negative angular rotation of the doors about their respective hinge axes  128  and  132 . The actuators  48  and  50  may be operated by the control system  174  to position the doors  44  and  46  at any degree of rotation between zero and about ninety degrees about their respective hinge axes  128  and  132  to accommodate cargo of various heights. In this manner, the actuators  48  and  50  may be operated to close and hold the doors  44  and  46  down upon cargo positioned within the cargo area to aid in securing the cargo. 
         [0038]    The first actuator  48  is connected to and extends between the first door  44  and the truck bed  10 , and the second actuator  50  is connected to and extends between the second door  46  and the truck bed  10 . The first actuator  48  may be connected at a first end  142  to the first door  44  by a swivel coupling assembly  144 , and may be connected at a second end  166  to the truck bed  10  by a similar swivel coupling assembly  145 . Likewise, the second actuator  50  may be connected at a first end  152  to the second door by a swivel coupling  154 , and may be connected at a second end  168  to the truck bed  10  by a similar swivel coupling  155 . 
         [0039]    The second ends  166  and  168  may be connected by to the truck bed  10  by a track  170 . The track  170  may be attached to the floor  14  of the truck bed  10  as shown, but could be attached to other portions of the truck bed, such as for example, the front wall  20 . The second ends  166  and  168  may be longitudinally positionable along the track  170  to adjust the maximum angle of rotation of the doors  44  and  46  to accommodate truck beds having sidewalls of various heights. Positioning the ends  166  and  168  more inward on the track  170  will reduce the maximum angle of rotation while positioning the ends more outward on the track will increase the maximum angle of rotation. This is basically a function of the extension length of each actuator  48  and  50 . By reducing the base distance between the ends  166  and  168  from the respective sidewalls  16  and  18  the angular rotation of the doors  44  and  46  is increased for a given fixed length of the actuator. Likewise, by increasing the base distance between the ends  166  and  168  from the respective sidewalls  16  and  18  the angular rotation of the doors  44  and  46  is decreased for a given fixed length of the actuator. 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , each swivel coupling assembly  144 ,  145 ,  154  and  155  are alike and may include a loop member  146  removably coupled to an end of a respective actuator by a wrist pin  150  that is inserted through registered holes formed through the sides of the loop member and the end of the actuator. The wrist pin  150  may be secured by roll pins, cotter pins or the like (not shown). 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  7 , in case of a malfunction or failure of the control system  174  or one of the actuators  48  and  50 , one of the swivel coupling assemblies, such as  154 , which couples the first end  152  of actuator  50  to the second door  46  may be fitted with a wrist pin that is a quick release pin  160  enabling quick decoupling of the actuator  50  from the door  46 . To facilitate this, a linkage cable  162  is connected at one end to the release pin  160  and is connected at an opposite end a lock assembly  164 . The lock assembly  164  is removably received by a hole  165  formed through end  70 . The lock assembly  164  operates to prevent removal of the assembly from the hole  165  when in a locked configuration, and permits removal of the assembly from the hole when in an unlocked configuration. During normal use of the door assembly  12 , the lock assembly  164  will be locked in the hole  165 . However, should the control system  174  or either actuator  48  and  50  fail, the second door  46  may be manually opened by unlocking the lock assembly  164  and pulling upon the linkage cable  162  to pull the release pin  160  from the swivel coupling assembly  154  and decoupling the actuator  50  from the second door. Once decoupled, the second door  46  may be manual opened. 
         [0042]    Turning now to  FIG. 8 , the control system  174  may include a power supply  176 , such as the truck battery or a separate battery, connected to the actuators  48  and  50  by a switch  138  that is operable to provide power to the actuators from the power supply to open and close the doors  44  and  46 . The switch  138  may be a normally open 3-position switch. Optionally, the control system  174  may include a remote control transmitter  140  and remote receiver  180  permitting remote operation of the door assembly  12  to open or close the doors  44  and  46 . 
         [0043]    The control system  174  may operate to rotate one door, such as the second door  46  faster than the first door  44  when the doors are being rotated in a positive angular rotation, such as for example from the closed position. The control system  174  may operate to rotate the first door  44  faster than the second door  46  when the doors are being rotated in a negative angular rotation, such as for example from an open position to the closed position. This operation ensures the first door  44  and second door  46  do not bind when opening and closing. This further ensures the appropriate door, such as the first door  44 , is in the closed position prior to the second door  46  when closing, and that the second door  46  begins to open before the first door  44  when opening. 
         [0044]    This operation may be achieved by connecting a resistor  182  with a matched diode  186  inline with one of the two control leads to the first actuator  48 , and connecting a second resistor  184  with a matched diode  188  inline with one of the two control leads to the second actuator  50 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . With this configuration, and when opening the doors  44  and  46  more power is supplied to the second actuator  50  than to the first actuator  48 , causing the second door to open faster than the first door. When closing the doors  44 ,  46  more power is supplied to the first actuator  48  than to the second actuator  50  causing the first door  44  to close faster than the second door  46 . 
         [0045]    Alternatively, this operation may be achieved by connecting only the resistor  184  with the matched diode  188  inline with one of the two control leads to the second actuator  50 . With this configuration, and when opening the doors  44  and  46  the same amount of power is supplied to the first and second actuators  44  and  50 , causing the doors to open at the same speed. When closing the doors  44 ,  46  more power is supplied to the first actuator  48  than to the second actuator  50  causing the first door  44  to close faster than the second door  46 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary wiring harness  172  that may be use to connect the components of the control system  174  to the actuators  48  and  50 , and the optional remote control transmitter. 
         [0047]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , the doors  44  and  46  may be of a laminate construction having a core material  76  laminated between a first layer  78  and a second layer  80 . The core  76  may strengthen the doors  44  and  46 , and allow subsequent mounting of hardware to the doors. 
         [0048]    A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.