The invention provides a new-style tonneau cover, wherein comprises a cover plate body matching the rear truck bed. The cover plate body is a three-layer structure, comprising an outer layer, an intermediate layer and an inner layer from the exterior to the interior. The outer layer is made of polyurethane foam mixed with glass fiber; the intermediate layer is made of polyurethane foam and the inner layer is made of resin; the density of polyurethane foam in the intermediate layer is lower than that in the outer layer; polyurethane foam is light in weight and high in specific strength. In this invention, the cover plate body is made of three different layers so that the cover is light in weight and high in strength, taking up less room of the rear truck bed, better for free opening and closing operation.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention belongs to the field of automobile parts and concerns a movable cover installed on the notchback (pickup) for covering and closing the rear truck bed. The invention relates to a new-style tonneau cover.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The common notchbacks have open rear truck bed which offers a poor protection for goods during transportation. People therefore install a movable cover to cover and close the rear truck bed and remove the cover only when goods are comparatively high. Existing covers made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (resin) or thermoplastic plastics are very inconvenient for use due to the following reasons: the cover made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (resin) must have a certain thickness to ensure sufficient strength. If the cover is too thick and heavy, it will affect its opening/closing flexibility and oil consumption for the vehicle, as well as have a high requirement for the actuating mechanism. The cover made of thermoplastic plastic is a hollow structure and quite thick, occupying too much room of the rear truck bed with its appearance hardly matching that of the vehicle body.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention provides a new-style tonneau cover, light in weight, high in strength and good in appearance, which takes up less room of the rear truck bed, better for free opening and closing operation.

In order to achieve the above objective, the technical solution of the invention is as follows:

It relates to a new-style tonneau cover which includes a cover plate body matching the rear truck bed. The cover plate body is a three-layer structure, comprising an outer layer, an intermediate layer and an inner layer from the exterior to the interior. The outer layer is made of polyurethane foam mixed with glass fiber; the intermediate layer is made of polyurethane foam and the inner layer is made of resin material. Polyurethane foam is light in weight and high in specific strength. Polyurethane foam mixed with glass fiber in the outer layer further improves mechanical strength.

The density of polyurethane foam in the outer layer of the cover plate is higher than that in the intermediate layer. Higher density in the outer layer ensures the strength of the cover plate body while lower density in the intermediate layer reduces the whole weight of the cover plate body.

The content of glass fiber in the intermediate layer is lower than that in the outer layer. The content of glass fiber in the intermediate layer can be zero to the lowest. Such difference in the content of glass fiber gets the strength of the outer layer to be far higher than that of the intermediate layer, thereby the outer layer offering sufficient strength and support and the intermediate layer reducing the weight.

A quadrangle hollow framework is provided in the outer layer matching the periphery of the rear truck bed, to increase strength at the contact position between the cover plate body and the rear truck bed.

The framework is composed of hollow tubes, which ensure the supporting strength of the framework and make the cover plate body much lighter by further reducing weight of framework, thereby improving opening/closing flexibility for the cover plate.

The position where the framework is inserted in the outer layer is thickened to form a reinforced rib so as to facilitate its insertion and improve strength at that position.

The outer layer comprises of an aduncal curling by the outside of the framework, which can shield the edge of the rear truck bed, to prevent water, rain and dust from entering.

The outer layer is covered by dense layer formed through resin treatment, thereby improving the surface strength and flatness of the cover plate body and eliminating adverse impact brought about by microcellular polyurethane foam.

The dense layer is covered with a coating layer, thereby preventing the outer surface of the cover plate body from being directly affected by adverse external conditions and also making the cover more beautiful.

The inner layer is covered with a flexible buffer layer, thereby preventing the cover plate body and goods from damage due to collision when the cover is opened or closed.

The surface of the flexible buffer layer is stuck by the sealing strip corresponding to the periphery of the rear truck bed, which can strengthen sealing at the contact surface between the cover plate body and the rear truck bed, improve the function of rain prevention and also play the role of buffering and damping when the cover is closed.

The sealing strip is provided with an aduncal curling at both sides, which can improve sealing between the sealing strip and the rear truck bed and enhance water and dust prevention.

Compared with current tonneau covers, the invention offers the following advantages: compact in shape, light in weight, flexible opening and closing (convenient operation), taking up less room of the rear truck bed; good appearance matching the vehicle body and economical production cost.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In combination with the description of the drawings, the embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 5, the new-style tonneau cover of the invention includes a cover plate body1matching the rear truck bed. On the outer layer of the cover plate body1, two rotary hinges2are installed symmetrically adjacent to the vehicle head and two strut connecting pieces6(for opening and closing the cover) are installed symmetrically adjacent to the vehicle tail. Two leaves of the rotary hinge2are respectively fixed to the rear truck bed and the cover plate body1to allow free opening and closing of the cover plate body1. The strut connecting piece6connects to one end of the strut; the other end of the strut connects and fixes to the rear truck bed. The rotary hinges2and the strut connecting pieces6implement to open and close the cover plate body1on the rear truck bed. As shown inFIG. 5, two carriage locks21have been installed symmetrically at both sides of the cover plate body1near the vehicle tail, which locks the cover1to the carriage when the cover1is closed.

As shown inFIG. 2, the cover plate body1is a three-layer structure, comprising an outer layer3, an intermediate layer4and an inner layer5from the exterior to the interior. The outer layer3is made of polyurethane foam mixed with glass fiber. The intermediate layer4is made of polyurethane foam and the inner layer5is made of fiber reinforced unsaturated resin or other resin material. Polyurethane foam is light in weight and high in specific strength. Polyurethane foam mixed with glass fiber in the outer layer3further improves mechanical strength.

The density of polyurethane foam in the outer layer3of the cover plate is higher than that in the intermediate layer4. Higher density in the outer layer3ensures the strength of the cover plate body1while lower density in the intermediate layer4reduces the whole weight of the cover plate body1.

The content of glass fiber in the intermediate layer4is lower than that in the outer layer3. Such difference in the content of glass fiber allows the strength of the outer layer3to be far higher than that of the intermediate layer4, thereby the outer layer3offering sufficient strength and support and the intermediate layer4reducing the weight.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, a quadrangle hollow framework8is provided in the outer layer3matching the periphery of the rear truck bed. The position where the framework8is inserted in the outer layer3is thickened to form a reinforced rib. The outer layer3comprises of an aduncal curling by the outside of the framework, which can shield the edge of the rear truck bed, to prevent water, rain and dust from entering.

The framework8is composed of hollow tubes, which ensure the supporting strength of the framework8and make the cover plate body1much lighter by further reducing weight of framework, thereby improving opening/closing flexibility for the cover. The hollow tubes can be made of metal or plastic tubes or battens.

The outer layer3is covered by dense layer formed through resin treatment, which is made of unsaturated resin or other equivalent material. The dense layer is covered with a coating layer9, thereby improving the surface strength and flatness of the cover plate body1and eliminating adverse impact brought about by microcellular polyurethane foam. The coating layer9can prevent the outer surface of the cover plate body1from being directly affected by adverse external conditions and aging. The coating layer9can also be in different colors and therefore make the whole vehicle more beautiful.

The inner layer5is covered with a flexible buffer layer10made of felt or cloth or other equivalent material, thereby preventing the cover plate body1and goods from damage due to direct rigid collision when the cover is opened or closed.

The surface of the flexible buffer layer10is stuck by the sealing strip11corresponding to the periphery of the rear truck bed, which can strengthen sealing at the contact surface between the cover plate body1and the rear truck bed, improve the function of rain prevention and also play the role of buffering and damping so as to reduce collision noise when the cover is closed.

The sealing strip11is provided with an aduncal curling7at both sides, which can improve sealing between the sealing strip11and the rear truck bed and enhance water and dust prevention.

Although the contents of the invention have been introduced in detail by means of the above preferred embodiments, it should be realized that the above description is not deemed as a limit to the invention. After technicians in this field read the above contents, it will be obvious to witness several modifications and substitutions of the invention. So the protective scope of the invention will be limited by the attached claims.