Truck-bed cover with passenger compartment

A rigidly constructed tonneau cover, hatch and seat assembly is disclosed for converting the truck bed of a standard pickup truck into an expanded seating capacity outside of the truck cab. The assembly is comprised of a generally rectangular tonneau cover for covering the bed portion of the pickup truck. This cover includes a hingably openable back portion that functions like a trunk to allow easy access to the truck bed. This portion can be locked so the contents of the truck bed are secured. The tonneau cover also has a removable hatch that provides access and protection for a rotatably mounted windshield, and for persons in one or more seats slidably mounted on the truck bed. In the closed position, the hatch protects the truck bed, seats, and added cargo, etc., from damage and undesired access. When the hatch is detached from the tonneau cover, it may be positioned vertically behind the seats and projects above the surface of the tonneau cover. A windshield positioned in front of the passengers, in conjunction with the hatch, produces a region of reduced air movement within the passenger seating area. Consequently, drafts, wind and occasional debris that accompany the moving air are deflected away from the passengers. This provides added comfort and safety for the passengers, and lowers wind resistance along the bed of the truck.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to truck bed covers and more particularly 
to a new and improved tonneau cover with a rotatably mounted windshield, 
removable hatch and seat assembly designed to convert the bed of a truck 
into an expanded seating space, with reduced wind resistance in the rear 
cockpit area and relatively unobstructed rear-viewing from the cab. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Invention and use in the subject area is known to the public as a variety 
of patented cover and seat accessory devices are disclosed in the prior 
art. Some of these devices allow for the inexpensive conversion of a 
pickup truck from loading and hauling purposes to expanded seating 
capacity, and thus transform the pickup truck from a utility truck to a 
passenger and recreation vehicle. 
This concept of increased vehicle seating capacity likely originated with 
the conception of the rumble seat. These seats, placed in the trunks of 
two-passenger automobiles, enjoyed immense popularity during the 1920's 
and 1930's. As in U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,033 to Alvin Lanier Shelton, these 
seats greatly reduced the driver's rear visibility, if not completely 
obstructing it, and rendered the storage capacity of the vehicle trunk 
useless. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,828 to Delbert E. Esche, the 
design of the rumble seat was altered so as to not significantly decrease 
the trunk's carrying capacity. 
In 1974 Ronald Fellenstein adapted the premise of the rumble seat to be 
functional in the bed of a pick-up in U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,151. This 
invention consists of a tonneau cover and rumble seat-type assembly, 
wherein a tonneau cover is provided with an access opening and a 
convertible seat and closure are operatively associated with the tonneau 
cover. In one position the seat holds passengers in the box and the seat 
is movable to another position to close off the access opening. 
Unfortunately, this invention also brought along with it many of the same 
problems of the original rumble seats, namely reduced or completely 
obstructed driver visibility and limited storage space. 
In 1988 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,778, inventor Edward Hoban introduced a 
convertible hard top/jump seat in which a pickup can be modified so that 
the roof section of the cab can be hingably detached from the front 
windshield and moved into a position behind the rear cab wall. When the 
roof is moved into this position it serves as a rearwardly facing jump 
seat. The truck bed would also be modified to offer a mechanism to secure 
the jump seat in place. While of very unique design, this invention seems 
to be rather impractical for actual application. Obtaining all the 
features necessary for proper functioning, such as the hingably moveable 
cab roof, would require extensive modification to the existing vehicle, a 
procedure that would prove to be quite costly. The other option would be 
to manufacture a pick-up with these features included, another costly 
undertaking. 
Hence, in 1986, with U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,187, Aftab Ibrahim took a new 
direction in increasing the passenger capacity of a pickup truck. His 
truck insert is of a size to substantially fill and essentially eliminate 
horizontal movement in the truck bed and includes securing members for 
attaching to the truck to secure against vertical movement. The insert 
further includes forward and rearward sitting regions each having a seat 
for readily converting the truck bed to a seating area. While this does 
achieve the goal of adding additional seating capacity to a pickup, in 
doing so it eliminates the storage abilities of the truck bed as the 
insert covers the entire surface area and the back tail gate access. 
Additionally, this type of full-coverage insert results in an attachment 
that is both heavy and difficult to remove, making it even more difficult 
to conveniently utilize the storage potential of the bed. 
In 1990 Scott Muirhead improved upon this design with a seat liner insert 
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,493. This invention is also an insert that covers 
the entire truck bed, but it is constructed so that the portion nearest 
the cab of the truck is formed into a rearwardly facing bench seat, 
extending just beyond and fully covering the wheel wells. The remaining 
part of the cover lies flat along the pick-up bed, allowing for some 
storage space. In addition, the seat back of the rear facing seat is 
hinged at the top and locked at the bottom to provide an additional, 
secure storage compartment. While this design does increase the storage 
capacity of the insert, it still has the inherent disadvantage present in 
Ibrahim's invention, which is that a full bed insert tends to be heavy and 
difficult to remove. 
Finally, in 1992 William Lewis presented a portable truck bed seat with 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,301 that rid the need for a full-bed insert. His 
invention consists of any number of seating units to be secured in the bed 
of a truck. Each seat includes short legs and body-supporting cushions 
attached to an associated frame structure. Adjustable clamps are movably 
attached to the frame structures and these clamps are attached to the 
edges or lips of the truck beds to effectively lock the seats in position 
during use. While this does provide an easier method for removing the 
seats and a greater ability to utilize the truck bed's storage capacity, 
it still has a number of inherent problems, present in all prior art, that 
are remedied in the present invention. 
First of all, none of the prior art includes a cover member that shelters 
the truck bed and its contents from the elements, nor do they include a 
locking mechanism so as to further secure said contents. Additionally, 
none of the prior art devices employ a tonneau cover hatch and seat 
assembly whose individual components are sufficiently light enough to 
allow rapid installation and removal by one person. Moreover, none of the 
prior art devices are sufficiently versatile so that the truck bed can 
function both as a cargo compartment together with an expanded seating 
capacity without requiring removal or extensive alterations of the 
modifying components. 
Also, the prior art devices do not reduce the wind resistance along the 
rear of the truck, but instead, many deflect air and occasional debris 
into the passengers area. The present invention includes features, such as 
a hingably mounted windshield, and is constructed in such a way as to 
shield the passengers from the uncomfortable wind resistance. Finally, 
none of the prior art make provisions to keep obstruction of the driver's 
rear-view visibility to a minimum, while the new invention is designed so 
as to keep the passenger seating low to the truck bed to keep maximum 
visibility. 
Preferably, a truck conversion should increase the seating capacity of the 
truck bed in an aesthetically pleasing way that avoids obstructing the 
rear view of the driver, while being safe and comfortable for the 
passengers. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides 
further related advantages. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention, a removable tonneau cover, hatch and seat 
assembly are provided for converting a truck bed from loading and hauling 
purposes to an expanded seating capacity, while maintaining a driver's 
rear vision and enabling the truck bed to be easily converted to its 
original form. 
The tonneau cover, hatch and seat assembly comprises a multi-part, modular 
attachment for the bed of a pickup truck, one component being a removable 
tonneau cover having a removable hatch or access opening. An attachment of 
variable length may be connected to the cover so that truck beds of 
variable lengths can be accommodated. The tonneau cover is typically 
constructed of a single, reinforced plastic or fiberglass section which 
covers the entire outer edge of the truck bed. The cover also has a 
hingably moveable rear portion that can be locked closed for securing 
articles in the truck bed and opened upwardly so as to allow convenient 
access to the trunk bed. The cover can also be designed compatibly to the 
design of the truck, thus making for a more attractive attachment. 
One or more seats are locked into place and secured to the truck bed 
between the wheel wells. This may be accomplished either by bolts or by 
means of tracks, in which case the seats may be slidably removed or 
repositioned to accommodate added cargo when the truck bed is used for 
leading and hauling purposes. The seats will also include seat belts and 
shoulder harnesses, and the seat cushions should not exceed more than 
three inches from the bed, so rear visibility is not blocked. 
When the removable hatch is attached to the tonneau cover in the horizontal 
position, it provides a weather tight gasket seal that protects the truck 
bed, seats, added cargo, etc. from damage due to rain, moisture, 
accumulated debris, and undesired access. When the hatch is detached from 
the tonneau cover, it provides easy access to and from the seating units. 
When detached from the cover, the hatch is usually placed in a vertical 
position and locked into the back of the seats where it projects above the 
tonneau cover surface. 
A rotatably mounted windshield is mounted to the front of the cockpit area, 
attached to the tonneau cover with hinges so that in the closed position, 
it rests along the underside of the cover in the hatch opening and when 
opened sits in an upright position in front of the seats so as to protect 
the passengers from wind and debris. 
In their upright positions, use of the hatch in conjunction with the 
windshield produces a region of reduced air movement inside the passenger 
area. This reduces drafts, wind and occasional debris that may be 
deflected against the passengers, while providing added comfort and safety 
for the passengers and lower wind resistance along the bed of the truck. 
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safe means for 
increasing the passenger carrying capacity of a pick-up truck. It is a 
further object of the invention to provide these passengers with a 
comfortable ride by providing a rear cockpit area that reduces the wind 
resistance and debris that are typically associated with traveling in the 
back area of a pick-up truck. It is another object of the present 
invention to provide unobstructed rear view visibility for the driver when 
passengers are present. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can 
be versatile enough so as to easily accommodate passengers when necessary 
and protect the contents of the truck bed when passengers are not present. 
This is accomplished by means of a lightweight tonneau cover with a 
removable hatch portion. It is the object of this invention to provide a 
cover that is at once lightweight and easy to handle and install, and 
durable and protective from the effects of the elements. It is a further 
object of the present invention to provide increased access to the truck 
bed without necessitating the removal of the cover. This object is 
accomplished by means of a hingably moveable and lockable back section of 
the cover. It is also an object of the invention to fit on both long and 
short bed pickups by means of an alternate, e.g., longer, or shorter rear 
trunk lid. 
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with 
the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the 
principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention is a rigid cover 6, preferably 
constructed of high quality reinforced plastic or fiberglass, used for 
enclosing a rectangular truck bed 5 (FIG. 1), that has vertical side walls 
3 which provide an upfacing top sidewall edge 4. The cover 6 is comprised 
of a rectangular, horizontal portion 10 that extends over the length and 
width of the truck bed 5 and an integral, nearly vertical side wall 
portion 20 extending downward from the edges of the horizontal top portion 
10 around each of its four sides. The side wall portion 20 terminates in a 
peripheral outwardly flared lip 22. When the cover 6 is placed over the 
truck bed 5, the side wall portion 20 interfaces with the vertical side 
walls 3 of the truck bed 5. This allows the outwardly flared lip 22 to 
make resting contact with the upfacing top sidewall edge 4 and protrude 
peripherally outwardly and downwardly from the upfacing top sidewall edge 
4, thus achieving a water resistant interface and fully enclosing the 
truck bed 5. Although not shown in the drawings, a series of bosses would 
normally be made integral with the inside of the side wall portion 20. 
These bosses would rest upon the upfacing sidewall edge 4 for supporting 
the weight of the cover 6 and would be secured to the sidewall edge in 
multiple locations for further securing the cover 6 to the truck. 
A separate and removable hatch panel 15 is positioned and supported by 
resting upon the horizontal portion 10. The hatch panel 15 is adjacent to 
and level with the horizontal portion 10, covering an access opening 12 in 
the horizontal portion 10. This roughly rectangular access opening 12 
allows entry to the interior of the truck bed 5 and provides an integral, 
interior, vertically oriented, reinforcement wall 14. 
Hingably mounted to the reinforcement wall 14 is a folding windshield 13. 
When the hatch panel 15 is in place over the access opening 12, the 
folding windshield 13 lies in horizontal orientation below it. When the 
hatch panel 15 is removed, the folding windshield 13 can be positioned in 
an upright, nearly vertical position. The folding windshield 13 is 
supported by at least one, and preferably two, (one on each side) 
telescoping braces 18 which have the means for variable and discrete 
positioning of the windshield 13 when in the upright orientation. Several 
common means are available to allow the discrete positioning of the 
windshield, such as is shown in FIG. 5 where the brace 18 consists of a 
rod or flat bar 18A, pivotally fixed to the upper part of the windshield, 
and held telescopingly fitted within a tube or a channel 18B which is 
pivotally fixed at its lower end to the reinforcement wall 14. The rod or 
flat bar 18A has a tooth 18C, whereas the tube or channel 18B has holes or 
openings 18D positioned at selected discrete locations therealong. The 
tooth 18C may be rested and engaged in any one of the holes or openings 
18D for positioning the windshield 13 at a selected angle. 
The new invention also includes a seat 7 secured to the truck bed 5, 
preferably by means of bolts or tracks so as to provide for easy removal. 
The seat 7 is positioned such that at least one adult person of average 
size is able to normally extend head and shoulders through the access 
opening 12, above the horizontal portion 10 and behind the windshield 13. 
When the hatch panel 15 is removed from its horizontal position adjacent 
with the horizontal portion 10, it can be placed in an approximately 
vertical orientation behind the seat 7 and secured in this position by 
means of a lock handle 8 attached to the rear of the seat 7. The seat 
includes, in the preferred embodiment, a set of opposing side channels 7A 
(FIG. 7), and a bottom channel 7B (FIG. 2) for supporting the hatch panel 
securely in place. Thus the hatch panel 15 is positioned such that it 
extends upwardly above the horizontal portion 10 and behind the head of 
the person seated in the seat 7. Preferably, the hatch panel 15 would have 
head cushions 9 permanently attached to it in such a manner so as to face 
downwardly into the truck bed 5 when the hatch panel 15 is secured to the 
horizontal portion 10. The head cushions 9 would then be positioned 
immediately behind the persons head when the hatch panel 15 is secured in 
the upright position directly behind seat 7. In this position the hatch 
panel 15 and the head cushions 9 act to break wind flow behind the 
person's head and alternately acts as a safety support to the person's 
head in the event of a collision. 
The horizontal portion 10 of the rigid cover 6 is not more than ten inches 
above the upfacing top sidewall edge 4 of the vertical sidewalls 3 of the 
truck bed 5. The rigid cover 6 includes a hinge means for enabling a 
separable rear section 11 of the cover 6 to open upwardly much like an 
automobile trunk lid, providing rear access to the truck bed 5. 
The rigid cover 6 further includes a channel 16 formed integrally in the 
horizontal portion 10. The channel extends around the access opening 12 
and functions to collect and divert water from entering the access opening 
12. The hatch panel 15 further includes a peripheral gasket 17 positioned 
and sized for fitting within the channel 16, thereby sealing the access 
opening 12. The access opening 12 and the hatch panel 15 are, in the 
preferred embodiment, shaped as corresponding isosceles trapezoids. The 
windshield 13 is attached to the smaller base of the trapezoidal shaped 
access opening 12 and the vertical hatch panel is located at the larger 
end of the opening. This design accomplishes a number of objectives, such 
as providing improved shoulder room in the access opening 12 and adequate 
wind breaking from the windshield 13 while assuring that the hatch panel 
15 can only be secured onto the access opening 12 in one orientation. 
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred 
embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art 
that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the 
invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended 
claims.