Cap for covering an open structure

A cap for covering an open structure such as the box of a pick-up truck, said cap, including a fabric cover and a readily assembled and disassembled tubular frame with telescopic members including struts with clips on each end, the cover being stretched over the frame and including a flap at one end to permit ingress and egress into the cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The use of caps, particularly on pick-up trucks, has become very popular. A 
cap on a pick-up truck permits use of the cargo space during inclement 
weather and is generally a desirable and useful addition. Such caps, which 
are usually fabricated into a single unit from plastic and metal, are 
expensive to purchase, heavy in weight causing difficulty in installation 
and, when not in use require substantial storage space. Notwithstanding 
the desirability of a cap, under certain circumstances, such as a load 
having a large volume, it becomes necessary to remove the cap. A cap of 
the single unit design creates a problem of both removal and storage. In 
addition a single-unit cap is expensive to produce and to ship resulting 
in a comparatively high cost. In accordance with this invention, a cap is 
provided for use on a pick-up truck or similar type of open structure that 
can be purchased at a comparatively low cost in a kit form packaged in a 
box that is readily shipable at low cost and can be carried by an 
individual under his or her arm and, in addition thereto, can be installed 
in a very short time and repackaged back into its original container or a 
similarly small container in a similarly short time. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with this invention, a cap for use on a pick-up truck or 
similar open structure is provided in the form of a readily assembled 
tubular frame formed from telescopic tubular members including struts with 
U-shaped clips for securing the struts in place and with a fabric cover 
which extends over the frame. A door frame is located at one end of the 
cap and a flap is located in the fabric cover at the location of the door 
frame. The tubular frame is mounted upon support members which are readily 
secured to the structure frame being covered.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The truck cap in accordance with this invention, has two major portions, 
namely a frame 11 as shown in FIG. 3 and a cover 13 of fabric or vinyl 
which fits over the frame 11 as shown in FIG. 2. As best seen in FIG. 4, 
the frame 11 comes in various parts which can be disassembled and stored 
along with the cover 13 in a container 15 as best seen in FIG. 5. Since 
the cap can be readily assembled and disassembled, it is preferably sold, 
transported and stored in kit form. 
Referring specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, at one end of the frame 11 there 
is located a front bow 17 and at the opposite or rear end, there is 
located a rear bow 19. Both the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 are 
formed in two substantially symmetrical halves 21 which telescopically 
engage one another. Both the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 are formed 
from tubing which is hollow and when each is assembled it has the general 
shape of an inverted U, with two open ends 23. Both the front bow 17 and 
the rear bow 19 include an upper section 25 and two side sections 27. The 
upper section 25 slopes downwardly and outwardly from a center point 29 at 
a small acute angle to the horizontal, while the two side sections 27 
slope outwardly and downwardly at a small acute angle to the vertical. In 
this way, the cap as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is provided with a roof 
area 31, two side areas 33, a front area 35 and a rear area 37. The roof 
area 31 includes two roof sections 39 which slope downwardly away from a 
centerline 41. 
Referring to FIG. 4, four support members 43 are provided, each including a 
flat rectangular plate 45 with a post 47 extending substantially at right 
angles from one side of the flat plate 45. A cushion 49, preferably a foam 
material, is affixed to the four support members 43 on the face of the 
flat rectangular plate 45 opposite from the face where the post 47 is 
located. The function of the cushion 49 is to avoid scratching the pick-up 
truck or other structure upon which the cap is to be mounted. The four 
support members 43 are affixed to the structure in each of four corners by 
means of any suitable clamping or fastening means but in order to provide 
maximum flexibility and easy removal, C-clamps 51 of the standard known 
variety are preferably used to assure that the four support members 43 can 
be readily removed and yet held sturdily in place as long as may be 
desired. 
The two open ends 23 of the front bow 17 are placed over the posts of two 
of the four support members 43 located at the forward part of the 
structure or truck box and the open ends 23 of the rear bow 19 are placed 
over the posts 47 of the two remaining support members 43 located at part 
of the structure. A bolt and wing nut 50 secures the front bow 17 and the 
rear bow 19 to the posts 47. 
A rear door frame 55 fits within the rear bow 19. The rear door frame 55 
has a rectangular cross-section and is made in two generally symmetrical 
sections 57 with an outer edge 59 and an inner edge 61. The outer edge 59 
has a series of rigid loops 63 which are connected at only one end to the 
rear door frame 55. The rigid loops 63 are clipped around the rear bow 19 
and in that way the rear door frame 55 is secured within the rear bow 19. 
A channel 65 with a generally U-shaped cross-section, being an elongated 
member with a U-shape, is clipped along the inner-edge 61 of the rear door 
frame 55 where the two half sections of the rear door frame 55 meet 
thereby securing the two symetrical sections 57 of the rear door frame 55 
together. 
In the roof area 31 of the cap, a plurality of upper struts 67 are provided 
including one which is a center upper strut 69 as well as two outside 
upper struts 71. For added strength, two intermediate upper struts 73 
between the center strut 69 and each of the outside struts 71 are 
recommended. The center upper strut 69 extends from the center of the 
front bow 17 to the rear bow 19. All of the upper struts 67 are formed of 
a tubular material and in two sections which telescopically engage each 
other. The two sections of the upper support struts 67 are telescopically 
engaged and each of the upper support struts include a U-shaped clip 75 
rigidly affixed to both outside ends. The U-shaped clip 75 on each end of 
the upper struts 67 is so adapted in size that it can be pressed over the 
tubular members which form the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 and will 
then remain firmly in place by its own resilient force, but can, with 
reasonable strength, be pulled off the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 
for disassembly purposes. 
The center upper strut 69 extends from the center point 29 of the front bow 
17 to the center point 29 of the rear bow 19. The two outside upper struts 
71 also extend from the front bow 17 to the rear bow 19, but the two 
outside upper struts 71 are located along the upper section 25 of the 
front bow 17 and the rear bow 19. Each intermediate upper strut 73 is 
placed between the center upper strut 69 and one of the two outside upper 
struts 71. Each of the upper struts 67 are substantially parallel to one 
another with the outside upper support struts 71 each being located on 
opposite sides of the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 adjacent to the 
side sections 27. 
One or more bowed roof struts 79 gives additional support to the roof area 
31 of the cap. Preferably, a center bowed roof strut 81 is located 
centrally between the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 and a rear bowed 
roof strut 83 is located substantially midway between the center bowed 
roof strut 81 and the rear bow 19. A front bowed roof strut 85 is located 
midway between the center of the center bowed roof strut 81 and the front 
bow 17. Each bowed roof strut 79 is also formed from tubular material and 
in two sections which telescope together. Each assembled, bowed roof strut 
79 includes two flexible U-shaped clips 75 at each end similar to the 
U-shaped clips 75 previously described for the upper struts 67. Each bowed 
roof strut 79 has a shape similar to that of the upper section 25 of both 
the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 and is fastened by means of U-shaped 
clips 75 to the two outside upper struts 71. 
Longitudinal webbing including four longitudinal webs 87 and cross webbing 
including four cross webs 89 are used to give further support to the areas 
to those parts of the roof area 31 of the cap along with the five upper 
struts 67 and the bowed roof struts 79 and the front bow 17 and the rear 
bow 19. As is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, four longitudinal webs 87 of a 
fabric material, each having a loop 88 at each end extend from the upper 
section or portion 25 of the front bow 17 to the upper section or portion 
25 of the rear bow 19. Each of the four longitudinal webs 87 are stretched 
reasonably taut so as to provide support to the cover 13 when in place 
over the frame 11. Two of the four longitudinal webs 87 are located 
between one outside upper strut 71 and the center upper strut 69 while the 
other two of the four longitudinal webs 91 are located generally 
symmetrically between the other outside upper strut 71 and the center 
strut 69. All four longitudinal webs 87 are located over the bowed roof 
struts 79. 
The four cross webs 89 are preferably located over the longitudinal webs 87 
and are formed in a similar manner from flexible fabric webbing material 
with a loop 90 at each end but with a length so as to be reasonably taut 
when opposite loops 90 are placed around opposite upper struts 67. When 
stretched between the two outside upper struts 71 two of the four cross 
webs 89 are located between the front bow 17 and the center bowed roof 
strut 81 and the remaining two of the four crosswebs 89 are located 
between the rear bow 19 and the center bowed roof strut 81. 
The loops 88, 90 at the ends of both the cross webs 89 and the longitudinal 
webs 87 may be stitched but for easy installation reusable adhesive 
material affixed to the straps may be used so as to permit forming the 
loops 88, 90 when installed. 
Two lower struts 91 extend between the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 but 
just adjacent the support members 43. Each of the two lower or side struts 
91, which are substantially parallel to one another and are connected to 
the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 but on opposite sides of the cap, are 
also formed from tubing in two telescoping sections slidably engaged with 
one and other. The assembled lower struts 91 have U-shaped clips 75 at 
each outside end and similar to the U-shaped clips 75 previously 
described. The U-shaped clips 75 on the lower struts are clipped to the 
front bow 17 and the rear bow 19 at their lower ends which are mounted 
over the posts 47 on the support member 43 as previously described. 
A vertical strut or support 93 is located on each side of the frame 11 
extending between the lower struts 91 and the outside upper struts 71 
approximately midway between the front bow 17 and the rear bow 19. Each 
vertical strut 93 is formed in a unitary piece with a U-shaped clip 75 at 
each end. 
A front cross strut 94 is provided which extends between the lower ends of 
the front bow 17 and affixes to the front bow 17 substantially at the same 
location as do the lower struts 91. A rear cross strut 95 is also provided 
which extends between the lower ends of the rear bow 19 and affixes to the 
rear bow 19 substantially at the same location as do the lower struts 91. 
The front cross strut 94 is also formed from tubing in two sections which 
telescopically engage one another with a U-shaped clips 75 similar to 
those previously described, affixed to both ends. The U-shaped clips 75 on 
the front cross-strut 94 are designed larger, so as to fit over the 
U-shaped clips 75 of the two lower struts 91 which also engage both the 
front bow 17 and the rear bow 19. 
The cap, as has been stated, and thus the cover 13 which fits over the 
frame 11 includes the roof area 31, the two side areas 33, the front area 
35 and the rear area 37. The two side areas 33 include windows 96 as shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 2. The front area 35 and the rear area 37 of the cover 13 
which substantially have the same shape as the rear bow 19 and the front 
bow 17. However, the front area 35 of the cover 13 is formed in one piece 
with the roof area 31 and the two side areas 33 while the rear area 37, 
which preferable also includes a rear window 97, is only connected with 
the roof area 31 with no break being located between the rear area 37 and 
the two side areas 33, permitting the rear area 37 to include a flap 99 
that can be lifted for ingress and egress into the enclosure created by 
the cap. The front area 35, preferably, also has a window (not shown) to 
permit use of a rear view mirror (not shown). 
Both side areas 27 of the cover 13 include lower longitudinal sections 101, 
each with an elongated hem 103 at the base and in each of the elongated 
hems 103 one of the lower struts 91 is located, which pulls taut the cover 
13 between the two lower struts 91 thereby forming a tightly fitting roof 
area 31 and two side areas 33. 
The front area 35 of the cover 13 has a front lower section 105 with a 
lower hem 107 running completely along the front lower section 105 and the 
front cross strut 94 is located in the lower hem 107 of the front lower 
section 105, thereby pulling the front area 35 taut about the front bow 
17. Around the outside of the rear door frame 55 adhesive material 109 is 
placed. The adhesive material 109 is the type which will repeatedly adhere 
to can be pulled opened and resecured repeatedly. Such adhesive material 
109 is commercially available and is included in the kit 15 by which the 
cap is sold. One part of the adhesive material 109 is secured on one side 
to the outer edge 59 of the rear door frame 55 while the other part of the 
adhesive material 109 is affixed the rear area 37 of the cover 13. The 
rear area 37 of the cover 13 includes a rear lower section 111 with 
pockets 113 in which are located weights 115 to hold the rear area 37 
down. The weights 115 preferably are also magnets, so that if the 
structure is metallic, such as would be likely with a pick-up truck, the 
pull of the magnet also secures the rear area 37 of the cover 11 in place. 
However, by lifting against the force of the magnetic weights 115, the 
cover 13 in the rear area 37 can be lifted up and pulled free of the 
adhesive material 109 and then be put back over the roof area 31 so that 
the rear of the cap is open for ingress and egress to the inside of the 
cap. 
While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, various 
modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the 
spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, it is understood that 
this invention has been described by way of illustration rather than 
limitation.