Abstract:
The hard shell comprises a fore element ( 1 ) and a back element ( 2 ) permanently mounted on the bed and a certain number of intermediate elements ( 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ); the fore element ( 1 ) and the back element ( 2 ) of the shell are made up of rigid frames; to each free end of the girders a moving element is fixed, sliding in a rail ( 19 ) fixed to the side edge of the motor vehicle bed; each intermediate element ( 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ) is formed by at least one upper crosspiece ( 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 ) and two girders ( 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2 ); each girder ( 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2 ) is hinged to the upper crosspieces ( 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 ); each intermediate element ( 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ) is foldable along the hinge plans and the girders ( 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2 ) are placed under the upper crosspiece ( 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 ) when the shell is not mounted.

Description:
FIELD OF APPLICATION 
     This invention regards a hard shell for vehicles with bed. The shell is partially dismountable by hand and is always lodged in the bed of the motor vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Unfortunately, hard shells used to close a motor vehicle bed are limited by their maximum inner height available. When, in fact, one needs to transport a cargo with a greater height than the one of the hard shell, the latter must be removed from the motor vehicle. 
     In order to solve this problem, folding shells have been devised, whose ends slide in rails fixed to the edges of the motor vehicle bed sides. Examples of these folding shells are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,363, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,196, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,497, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,634, in USA Patent Application no. 2004/061351, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,502 and in Canadian Patent Application no. 2 638 493. 
     In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,502 describes a transformable cover for vehicles with bed, comprising means for detachably attaching said truck bed cover to the open bed, means for adjusting the length of said truck bed cover and a cover assembly detachably attached to said means. Said means for detachably attaching said truck bed cover to said open bed comprise two anchor rails and two cover attachment rails. The means for adjusting the height and the length of the truck bed cover comprise a plurality of support assemblies pivotally and slidably engaged with the anchor rails. Each of the plurality of support assemblies comprises two sled assemblies, two side members, two support cylinders and a third cross member. But these folding shells, being soft, need supports that partially occupy the useful cargo space. Moreover, they do not offer the advantage to last in time and they do not have suitable thermal isolation, mechanical rigidity and protection against acts of vandalism. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of this invention is to make available to the users a hard shell for vehicles with bed, equipped with intermediate elements that can be removed and folded. This and other targets are reached by the partially dismountable hard shell, which comprises a fore element, a back element, more than three intermediate elements and two rails fixed to the side edges of the vehicle bed. 
     Both the fore element and the back element of the shell are made up of a rigid frame that surrounds a slab in transparent material. Every frame is formed by an upper crosspiece and two girders. Joint elements and at least a gasket are present on the edges of the fore element turned towards the back part of the vehicle. Joint elements are present on the edges of the back element turned towards the fore part of the vehicle. 
     Moreover, the fore element of the shell is equipped with devices for hook-up with the remaining elements and the back element of the shell is equipped with elements for anchoring the hook-up devices. As an alternative, the fore element of the shell is equipped with holding elements and the back element of the shell is equipped with devices for hook-up with the remaining elements. 
     A moving element is fixed to each of the free ends of the girders of both the fore and the back elements of the shell. Every moving element slides in one of the two rails fixed to the side edges of the vehicle bed and preferably to its upper edge. 
     Such moving element is equipped with gearings in the fore element while it lacks gearings in the back element. Vice versa, each rail lacks gearings in its fore part while is equipped with gearings in its central and back part. Each rail can be formed by two section bars, placed one after the other and coaxial, of which the fore one lacks gearings and the back one is equipped with gearings. 
     As an alternative, the moving element present at the end of each girder lacks gearings in the fore element and is equipped with gearings in the back element. In this case, the fore section bar of each rail is equipped with gearings while the back section bar lacks gearings. 
     Every intermediate element is formed by at least three parts: an upper crosspiece and two girders, equipped or not with openings closed by slabs in transparent material. The upper crosspiece is connected to the girders by means of hinges. Between each girder and the upper crosspiece at least an elastic element and a gasket are present. At least one connection part can be present between each girder and the upper crosspiece of each intermediate element. Each connection part is connected to the upper crosspiece by means of hinges. At least an elastic element and a gasket are interposed between each connection part and the upper crosspiece. 
     In the same way, each connection part is connected to a girder by means of hinges. At least an elastic element and a gasket are interposed between each connection part and a girder. 
     The intermediate elements are equipped with joint elements both on the edges turned towards the back part of the vehicle and on the edges turned towards the fore part of the vehicle. The intermediate elements are also equipped with a gasket on the edges turned towards the back part of the vehicle. 
     The intermediate element next to the fore element is further equipped with holding elements for the hook-up devices of the fore element or with hook-up devices for the holding elements on the fore element. As an alternative, the intermediate element next to the back element is further equipped with holding elements for the hook-up devices of the back element or with hook-up devices for the holding elements on the back element. 
     To each free end of the girders of the intermediate elements a moving element is fixed, sliding in one of the two rails fixed to the side edges of the vehicle bed. Such moving element has no gearings. 
     A plaque is fixed in the fore part of each rail. Each plaque is equipped with threaded holes crossed by screws. 
     The fore element and the back element are permanently mounted on the bed. Each intermediate element is foldable along the hinged plans and its girders and its connection parts are placed under the upper crosspiece when the shell is not mounted. All intermediate elements, so folded, can be lodged in a container placed on the bed of the motor vehicle, separated with spacers in expandable polystyrene or in granules. When the shell is mounted, the intermediate elements are self-supporting. Considering that the intermediate elements can be dismountable and folded, it is possible to mount the hard shell only when possible and necessary. Vice versa, when one needs to transport a cargo with a greater height compared to that of the shell, the intermediate elements are removed and folded (even though remaining on the vehicle), allowing maximum versatility of use of the shell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The object of this patent is completely clarified in all its relevant characteristics by the description of a particular way of execution, preferred but not exclusive, of the partially dismountable hard shell, illustrated as an example and with no limitations in the drawings enclosed, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows the assembly of the shell on the motor vehicle bed before the assembly; 
         FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18  show the various stages of assembly of the shell on the motor vehicle bed; 
         FIG. 19  shows the shell on the motor vehicle bed, completely mounted; 
         FIG. 20  shows a perspective of the fore element of the shell; 
         FIG. 21  shows a perspective of the back element of the shell; 
         FIG. 22  shows a detail of the connection elements between the elements of the shell; 
         FIG. 23  shows a cross-section of the connection elements between the back element of the shell and the frame of the motor vehicle bed; 
         FIG. 24  shows a perspective of one of the five intermediate elements of the shell in open position; 
         FIG. 25  shows a front view of the same intermediate element; 
         FIG. 26  shows a perspective of the same intermediate element in open and inverted position; 
         FIG. 27  shows a front view of the same intermediate element in folded position; 
         FIG. 28  shows a front view of all intermediate elements of the shell in folded position. 
         FIG. 29  shows a perspective view of a rail on which the elements of the shell slide. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The partially dismountable hard shell for vehicles with bed, preferably built in fibreglass, comprises a fore element  1 , a back element  2  and five intermediate elements  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 . 
     The fore element  1  of the shell is made up of a rigid frame surrounding a glass slab  1 . 1 . The frame is formed by an upper crosspiece and by two girders and is equipped with a projecting rectilinear element  8  on the edges turned towards the back part of the vehicle and with a gasket  9 . The upper crosspiece and the girders of the fore element  1  are also equipped with hooks  10 , each one formed by a tensioning element and by a properly said hook. To each free end of the girders a plaque  11  is fixed, with metallic spheres  12  along two opposite edges. 
     The back element  2  of the shell is made up of a rigid frame surrounding a glass slab  2 . 1 . The frame is formed by an upper crosspiece and two girders. The upper crosspiece and the girders are equipped with grooves  13  along the edges turned towards the fore part of the vehicle. The upper crosspiece and the girders of the back element  2  are also equipped with lodgings  14 . 
     A section bar  15 , shaped as an inverted U, is fixed to each free end of the frame girders of the back element  2 . The side arms of such section bar  15  are convex. 
     Each intermediate element  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  is made up of five parts: an upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1 , two girders  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2  and two connection parts  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3 . Each connection part  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3  is hinged to the upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1  by means of two hinges  16  between which there is a spring  17 . Likewise, each connection part  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3  is hinged to a girder  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2  by means of two hinges  16  between which there is a spring  17 . Water tightness of the joints is guaranteed by rubber gaskets  18  placed between each connection part  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3  and the upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1  and between each connection part  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3  and a girder  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2 . 
     The intermediate elements  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  are equipped with projecting rectilinear elements  8 , with a gasket  9  on the edges turned towards the back part of the vehicle and with grooves along the edges turned towards the fore part of the vehicle. The intermediate element  7  next to the fore element  1  is also equipped with lodgings  14 . To each free end of the girders  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2  of the intermediate elements  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , a section bar  15  is fixed, shaped as an inverted U, with convex side arms and lacking gearings. 
     As shown in  FIG. 29 , the fore element  1 , the back element  2  and the intermediate elements  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  slide on two rails  19  fixed to the upper edges of the sides of the motor vehicle bed. 
     Each rail  19  is formed by two U-shaped section bars  19 . 1 ,  19 . 2 , placed one after the other and coaxial. Each first section bar  19 . 1 , placed towards the fore part of the vehicle, has no gearings. On each first section bar  19 . 1  a plaque  20  is fixed, equipped with threaded holes. The second section bar  19 . 2 , which occupies the central part and the back part of the vehicle, is equipped with metallic spheres  19 . 3  along the side arms. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the shell is not used, the back element  2  is blocked on the first section bars  19 . 1  thanks to screws  23 . These, after crossing the threaded holes of the plaques  20 , press on the girders of the back element  2  avoiding a possible longitudinal sliding. The fore element  1  is close to the cabin of the vehicle and is fixed to the back element  2  thanks to the hooks  10 , whose properly said hooks engage in the lodgings  14  of the back element  2 . 
     Every intermediate element  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  is folded on itself. The presence of the hinges  16  between each connection part  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3 , the upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1  and the girders  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2  allows indeed to rotate the connection parts  3 . 3 ,  4 . 3 ,  5 . 3 ,  6 . 3 ,  7 . 3  and the girders  3 . 2 ,  4 . 2 ,  5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ,  7 . 2  with respect to the upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1  until positioning them under and as near as possible to the upper crosspiece  3 . 1 ,  4 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ,  7 . 1 . 
     All intermediate elements  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , so folded, are lodged in a container  21 , placed on the bed of the motor vehicle. Intermediate elements are separated by spacers  22  in expandable polystyrene, which are inserted to avoid damaging due to movements and vibrations of the vehicle in motion. 
       FIGS. 2-18  show the assembly of the hard shell on the bed of the motor vehicle. At the moment of using the shell, the glass slab  2 . 1  of the frame of the rigid back element  2  is initially lifted up. It is therefore possible to approach the hooks  10  of the fore element  1  and, acting on the tensioning elements, free the properly said hooks of the fore element  1  from the lodgings  14  of the back element  2 . 
     Moreover, the screws  23  that find lodging in the threaded holes are unscrewed from the plaques  20  of each first section bar  19 . 1 , freeing the back element  2  from the first section bars  19 . 1 . 
     The back element  2  can therefore be removed from the fore element  1  and made slide towards the back end of the bed thanks to the section bars  15  placed at the free ends of its girders that slide in the rails  19 . The side arms of the section bars  15 , convex, slide on the metallic spheres  19 . 3  of the second section bars  19 . 2 . 
     At this point, the first intermediate element  3  is manually extracted from the container  21 , which automatically opens up thanks to the springs  17  it is equipped with. The section bars  15 , shaped as inverted Us and fixed to the free ends of the girders  3 . 2 , are inserted in the first section bars  19 . 1  of the rails  19 . The insertion of the section bars  15  in the first section bars  19 . 1  of the rails  19  is allowed by the fact that the first section bars  19 . 1  have no metallic spheres. 
     The first intermediate element  3  is then made slide on the second section bars  19 . 2  of the rails  19  until it joins the back element  2 . The projecting rectilinear elements  8  on the edges turned towards the back part of the vehicle of the first intermediate element  3  are inserted in the grooves  13  along the edges turned towards the fore part of the vehicle of the back element  2 . The gasket  9  of the first intermediate element  3  interposes between the first intermediate element  3  and the back element  2  guaranteeing water tightness in case of rain. 
     Assembly of the following intermediate elements  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7  is carried out in the same way. Therefore, the fore element  1  is made slide towards the back part of the vehicle until touching the fifth intermediate element  7 . The movement is made possible by the plaques  11  equipped with metallic spheres  12 , fixed to the free ends of the girders of the fore element  1 , which slide within the first section bars  19 . 1  of the rails  19 . 
     Then the fore element  1  is blocked on the intermediate element  7  next to the fore element  1  thanks to the hooks  10  of the fore element  1 , whose properly said hooks engage in the lodgings  14  of the intermediate element  7  next to the fore element  1 . Finally, screws  23  are screwed in the threaded holes of the plaques  20  of each first section bar  19 . 1 , which press on the girders of the intermediate element  7  next to the fore element  1 , therefore blocking the intermediate element  7  next to the fore element  1  on the first section bars  19 . 1  and avoiding a possible longitudinal sliding.