Abstract:
A retractable truck bed cover having an array of parallel aluminum slats joined together by connective hinges including leading and trailing edge configuration for improving the security of the cover by covering and concealing the seam between adjacent slats while improving the connective hinge&#39;s resistance to the effects of aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations. The truck bed cover connective hinge slat is designed to be in an array of discrete slats, which are joined to one another by means of joiner members secured at each end to slat end caps. The distal ends of the joiner members are attached to slat end caps at the distal ends of the slats, thereby preventing the joiner members from shrinking in relationship to the slats due to aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Applicant hereby incorporates by reference the disclosures of Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,950, entitled “Rolling cover for a truck utility bed having improved reel support housing and guide track clamps,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,246, entitled “Slat block and guide track apparatus for rolling truck bed cover,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,176, entitled “Slat house hinge for laminated retractable truck bed cover.” 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    This invention relates generally to a retractable truck bed cover made up of an array of parallel aluminum slats joined together along each slat&#39;s leading and trailing edges for water integrity, security and flexibility. 
         [0005]    Description of the Prior Art 
         [0006]    The design and use of retractable truck bed covers with open bed pickup trucks to provide security and protection for cargo items carried within the truck bed is well known. Conventional retractable truck bed covers commonly include a plurality of individual slats hingedly connected to form a slat array. The hinged connection of individual slats enables the slat array to form a continuous cover that, once mounted in a pair of side rails, can be moved from a first flat position covering the truck bed to a second stored position where the cover is retracted (rolled up) on a reel or spindle in a housing. 
         [0007]    One type of slat array design for conventional retractable truck bed covers is defined by rigid individual slats, generally extruded or formed aluminum, which are arranged together along their edges such that their edges are overlapped and covered with a pliable, continuous surface material laminate. In this laminated slat array design, the individual slats overlap, engaging one another in an interlocking joint, while the laminate surface material functions to secure the overlapping slats together, to form an articulating cover body. 
         [0008]    Another type of slat array design for conventional retractable truck bed covers is defined by rigid slats joined together along their edges with connective hinge bodies such that they are immediately contiguous to one another with adjacent slats fastened together without overlapping. For this connective hinge slat array design, flexible joiner members are commonly utilized as connective hinge bodies to attach adjacent individual slats by engaging and extending (or bridging) between receptor channels disposed in the opposing edges of the adjacent slats. In this regard, the joiner members are operative to both attach the slats together and enable the desired hinging movement between adjacent slats because of their flexibility. The joiner members also function as the water seal or gasket between the contiguous slats and therefore, to function effectively, must be continuous from end to end (along the entire length) of the contiguous slats. 
         [0009]    While this connective hinge type of slat array design provides some manufacturing efficiencies, it is also subject to some well-known weaknesses and vulnerabilities. One such weakness comes from the ease in which the individual slats can be separated. Because the individual slats are arranged so that they do not overlap when joined together and are not covered by a laminate surface material, the seam between individual slats remains exposed. If a box cutter, razor knife, or other blade is simply inserted into and run along the exposed seam between contiguous slats, the joiner member can be cut, thereby detaching the contiguous slats and breaching the security of the cover. Another vulnerability relates to the tendency for the joiner member, which are typically extruded silicon, to contract over time due to aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations. This shrinkage often results in the joiner members no longer extending from end to end of contiguous slats, leaving the end portions of such contiguous slats that make up the slatted array with exposed spaces between the slats and compromising the water tightness of the cover body. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, there remains a need for a modified retractable truck bed cover design which would eliminate exposed seam security vulnerability of conventional connective hinge style slats when placed in a slat array. It would be helpful if such a modified truck bed cover slat was able to protect the joiner member connecting adjacent slats in an array without requiring a restrictive overlap or interlock between adjacent slats. It would be additionally desirable for such a modified truck bed cover slat to overcome the problem of joiner member shrinkage and the associated issue of water penetration. 
         [0011]    The Applicant&#39;s invention described herein provides for an improved retractable truck bed cover slat with connective hinge style slats arranged in a slat array that employs a means to address the shortcomings of prior art designs by protecting the attaching joiner member between contiguous slats while also preventing the joiner member from shrinking and contracting. The primary components of Applicant&#39;s modified truck bed cover slat are an aluminum base slat, a silicon joiner member, and a molded slat end cap. When in operation, the modified truck bed cover slat allows the assembly of a slat array which improves the security provided by conventional connective hinge slatted truck bed covers and addresses other limitations or shortcomings imposed by the conventional slat structures in the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A retractable truck bed cover comprising an array of parallel elongated, extruded aluminum slats joined together along their overlapped leading and trailing edges by flexible silicon hinges. The truck bed cover connective hinge slat improves the security of the cover by shielding access to the seam between adjacent slats while enabling stabilization of the silicone hinge joiner strip. Applicant&#39;s connective hinge slat is designed to be used in an array of discrete, adjacent slats which are each interconnectedly joined together sequentially through discrete joiner members, the distal ends of which are held fast to slat end caps, forming a continuous slat array suitable for use as a retractable truck bed cover. 
         [0013]    Each slat includes a slat surface having a leading edge defined by an inverted step nib and trailing edge defined by an upright step nib. When two slats are placed contiguously with the first slat&#39;s leading edge against the second slat&#39;s trailing edge, the shape of the inverted step nib and the upright step nib form an over and under half lap splice joint between the first slat and the second slat that provides a redundant structural barrier covering and protecting the seam area disposed between the two adjacent slats. Extending downward from the slat surface, on both the leading edge side and the trailing edge side, are mirror image receptor channels which are adapted to receive and hold the connector section of a hinge joiner member for the entire length of each slat. 
         [0014]    Each slat joiner member is a single, flexible body which has a hinge section at its center that is designed to improve the flexibility of the joiner member and is disposed between two mirror image connector sections or bosses which are each sized and shaped to sleeve into and be captured within the receptor channels of opposing slats. Two adjacent slats can thus be joined together at their leading and trailing edges through the connector section on one side of the joiner member being placed in the receptor channel on the leading edge side of the first slat and the connector section on the other side of the same joiner member being placed in the receptor channel on the trailing edge side of the second slat (or vice versa). The joined adjacent slats retain the ability to pivotally hinge through the flexibility of the hinge section of the joiner member and the non-restrictive half lap splice lap joint to allow the truck bed cover to be retracted and extended. 
         [0015]    At each end of each discrete slat is a slat end cap independently positioned and engaged to the end of the slat, and secured thereto through the use of a rivet fastener. Each slat end cap is additionally fastened to the end connector section of the joiner member in one receptor channel of the respective slat. Through its engagement to the end of the slat and attachment to the end of the joiner member, the slat end cap provides a means for maintaining the joiner members fixed to the ends of the slat preventing the joiner member from shrinking due to aging or temperature fluctuations and the resultant leaks in the peripheral edges of the slatted cover. The slat end caps also function collectively as the primary bearing surface upon which the cover body assembly is carried within the supporting side tracks. 
         [0016]    It is an object of this invention to provide a truck bed cover connective hinge slat which eliminates the exposed seam security vulnerability of conventional connective hinge slats when placed in a slat array. 
         [0017]    It is another object of this invention to provide a truck bed cover connective hinge slat which protects the joiner member connecting adjacent slats in an array without requiring a restrictive overlap or interlock between adjacent slats. 
         [0018]    It is yet another object of this invention to prevent the contraction or shrinkage of the joiner member connecting adjacent connective hinge slats due to aging or exposure to temperature fluctuations. 
         [0019]    It is still another object of this invention to provide a bearing surface beneath an array of connective hinge slats that reduces friction and ensures smooth operation of the slatted cover body within the side support tracks of a retractable truck bed cover assembly. 
         [0020]    These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a truck bed cover built in accordance with the present invention installed onto a conventional pickup truck utility bed. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective cut away view of the slat ends. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a truck bed cover slat built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the joiner member of a modified truck bed cover slat built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4A  is a side cross-sectional view of two adjacent truck bed cover slats connected with a joiner member in accordance with the present invention in a flat position which would represent covering a truck bed. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4B  is a side cross-sectional view of two adjacent truck bed cover slats connected with a joiner member in accordance with the present invention in a rolled up position showing the angular motion permitted with the present hinge joiner member. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the slat end cap of a truck bed cover slat built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded perspective view of a truck bed cover slat assembly with an extended joiner member and slat end cap built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6B  is a top plan view of a truck bed cover slat assembly with an extended joiner member and slat end cap built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6C  is a side elevational view of a truck bed cover slat assembly with slat end caps built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6D  is a bottom plan view of a truck bed cover slat assembly with slat end cap built in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A , a retractable truck bed cover  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown having a plurality of parallel slats  110  disposed in a contiguous arrangement and attached together. A connective hinge  120  is disposed between each slat  110 , enabling the plurality of slats  110  to form a single slat array which defines the body of the truck bed cover  100 . A slat end cap  130  is secured to the end of each discrete slat  110 . The roll-up truck bed cover  100  slat array in accordance with the present invention is mounted inside a guide track  140  connected to the side  101  of the pickup truck with the slat end caps  130  providing the primary bearing surface upon which the cover body assembly is carried within the supporting side tracks. 
         [0033]    In the preferred embodiment, each slat  110  is a rigid, elongated aluminum extruded strip which is sized to reach from one side of the truck bed to the other laterally. Along each sidewall  101  of the truck bed are mounted a pair of guide tracks  140  that are connected to the truck bed walls  101  as described in Applicant&#39;s previous patents cited above. As will be described in more detail below, the body of each slat  110  has integrally formed therein a receptor channel on both the leading and trailing edges that extend for the length of the slat. The receptor channels receive and capture one end of a joiner member, with the other end of the joiner member captured by the opposing receptor channel of the adjacent slat  110 , forming the connective hinge  120  which enables the slats  110  to interlock pivotally with the adjacent slats  110  in an edge-to-edge array. Each joiner member extends the entire length of a slat and is fastened to an end cap  130  at each end of slat  110 . Each slat additionally includes a slat end cap  130  secured to each slat end which maintains and secures each end of the joiner member in the receptor channel to the end of its respective slat  110  to prevent shrinkage. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , each discrete slat  110  includes slat surface  111  having a leading edge  112  and trailing edge  113 . The leading edge  112  is defined by an inverted step nib which forms a first structural barrier to the seam area disposed between two adjacent slats  110  arranged contiguously, edge-to-edge. The trailing edge  113  is defined by an upright step nib which forms a second structural barrier to the seam area disposed between two adjacent slats  110  arranged contiguously, edge-to-edge. When two slats  110  are placed contiguously with the first slat&#39;s  110  leading edge  112  against the second slat&#39;s  110  trailing edge  113 , the shape of the inverted step nib and the shape of the upright step nib form a half lap splice lap joint between the first slat  110  and the second slat  110 . 
         [0035]    Integral with the slat surface  111 , on both the leading edge  112  side and the trailing edge  113  side, are mirror image receptor channels  114  which extend downwardly below the slat surface  111 . The mirror image receptor channel  114  on the side of the leading edge  112  includes an open end which faces towards the leading edge  112  and the mirror image receptor channel  114  on the side of the trailing edge  113  and includes an open end which faces towards the leading edge  112 . The receptor channels  114  enable the slat  110  to receive and hold a connector section of the joiner member shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a joiner member  150  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention defines a single continuous body constructed out of a flexible material such as silicon and which has a hinge section  151  disposed between two mirror image connector sections  152 . Despite the joiner member  150  being constructed out of a flexible material, the hinge section  151  additionally includes a narrowing area  153  to enable greater flexibility to bend and allow hinging movement. 
         [0037]    Each connector section  152  is sized and shaped to slide into and be captured within a receptor channel  114  of a slat  110  built in accordance with the present invention. In this regard, a first slat  110  and a second slat  110  can be locked together in a contiguous arrangement that still permits hinging movement between slats when the connector section  152  on one side of the joiner member  150  is held in place in the receptor channel  114  on the leading edge  112  of the first slat  110  and the connector section  152  on the opposite side of the same joiner member  150  is held in place by the trailing edge  113  of the second slat  110 . Each connector section  152  additionally includes a retention aperture  154  at its center which runs longitudinally and therefore runs throughout the length of the joiner member  150 . The retention aperture  154  is sized to receive an end retention screw that enables a slat end cap to be fastened to joiner member  150 . 
         [0038]    In the preferred embodiment, the slats  110  are constructed of extruded aluminum and the joiner members  150  are constructed out of extruded silicon. It is additionally contemplated that the surface of the slats  110  may include a powder-coat or anodized finish that improves the overall appearance of the cover body assembly. 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIG. 4A , a first slat  110  and a second slat  110  (collectively, slats  110 ) are shown locked together by a joiner member  150  and in a flat position, wherein the slats  110  are in the same plane, constituting the covered truck bed position. The first slat  110  is positioned with its trailing edge  113  adjacent to the leading edge  112  of the second slat  110 . Together, the trailing edge  113 , leading edge  112 , and joiner member  150  form the connective hinge of the first slat  110  and the second slat  110 . With the first slat  110  and the second slat  110  in the flat position, the half lap splice lap joint remains in a closed position. The closed half lap splice lap joint forms an offset seam, which is operative to prevent any blade or slicing structure from passing through the seam and cutting the joiner member  150 . As such, the closed half lap splice lap joint effectively protects the joiner member  150  which connects the adjacent slats  110  and eliminates the exposed seam security vulnerability present in conventional connective hinge slats. 
         [0040]    The joiner member  150  includes two retention apertures  154 , one at the center of each connector section  152 . The retention apertures  154  each run longitudinally through the length of the joiner member  150 . The joiner members are cut flush with the ends of the slats and are therefore equal in length to the slats. When slats  110  and joiner members  150  are assembled into a slat array, the ends of each joiner member  150 , and accordingly the retention apertures  154  within the connector sections  152  of each joiner member  150 , are accessible at the ends of the slats  110 . The purpose of the retention apertures  154  is to provide an attachment receptacle to enable each end of joiner members  150  to be secured to the end of the slats and to a molded end fitting, defined as the slat end cap, which is positioned and independently secured to each end of each slat  110  to prevent the joiner member  150  from shrinking and drawing away from the ends of the slats  110 . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 4B , a first slat  110  and a second slat  110  (collectively, slats  110 ) are shown locked together by a joiner member  150 , but pivotally hinged into an acute angle relative to each other. The movement to an acute angle deforms the hinge section  151  of the joiner member  150  as the opposing connector sections  152  are pivotally folded inward relative to and toward one another. 
         [0042]    Due to the narrowing of the hinge section  151  and the use of the half lap splice lap joint, the extent of the acute angle in which the slats  110  can be moved is limited only by the eventual contact of the opposing receptor channel  114  of the first slat  110  with the receptor channel  114  of the second slat  110 . Indeed, the use of a half lap splice lap joint is specifically contemplated to provide an obstruction for the seam between slats  110  that does not restrict the desired hinged movement. As such, it is understood that the capability to hinge contiguous, adjacent slats  110  into such an acute angle relative to one another enables a truck bed cover in accordance with the present invention (i.e., defined by slats  110  locked together by joiner members  150  into a slat array) to be rolled up in a smaller stored position in a manner similar to my previous patents cited above. 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D , each slat end cap  130  is defined by a molded body having an end flange portion  131  and a tongue flange portion  132  with integral J section  133 . The end flange portion  131  of the slat end cap  130  fits at a ninety (90) degree relationship to the slat&#39;s  110  longitudinal dimension and includes a countersunk hole  134  through its planar surface which aligns with the retention aperture  154  in the connector section  152  of the joiner member  150  when the tongue flange portion  132  is press-fit into the space between the receptor channels  114  of the slat  110 . An end retention screw  136  passes through the countersunk hole  134  and into the retention aperture  154  to secure the joiner member  150  to the slat end cap  130 . The tongue flange portion  132  of the molded slat end cap  130  also includes a cap rivet hole  137  in its planar surface, and when the tongue flange  132  is press-fit into the space between the receptor channels  114 , the cap rivet hole  137  aligns with a corresponding slat rivet hole  115  in the end of the slat  110 . The slat end cap  130  is permanently affixed to the end of the slat  110  by way of a rivet  138  which is passed though both the slat rivet hole  115  and the cap rivet hole  137  when the slat end cap  130  is in place on the end of the slat  110 . As the slat end cap  130  is press-fitted into place, it also causes the J section  133  of the tongue flange  132  to align with and sleeve over the end portion of one receptor channel  114  of the slat  110 . The bottom surface  139  of the J section  133  is then beneath the receptor channel  114 , and being constructed of a specially formulated nylon, enables the J sections  133 , one at the end of every slat  110  in the cover body  100  to collectively provide a bearing surface for the underside of the cover body  100  at the points at which the cover body slats  110  engage the supporting side tracks of the retractable truck bed cover assembly  100 . 
         [0044]    The retractable truck bed cover described herein can be securely locked in place covering the entire truck bed or rolled up in a housing as described in applicants&#39; patent cited above. 
         [0045]    The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.